This is based out west, but reminds me of the same struggles our lake-run rainbows face in our natural reproducing streams and creeks. A bigger picture view point needs to be taken, the hatchery truck is not always the answer, even for us here in the midwest. With less and less dollars going around in the state. Things need to change.
With some fresh snow and the reflection of the sky bouncing off of the Manistee River, took two seconds during a steelhead trip to take this photo. Thought the black and white gave it the look I was wanting.
Had the chance to work with Rick Kustich and have a couple images in his new book, Advanced Fly Fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead. The book includes Tactics for Great Lakes steelhead, including new two-handed and switch rod techniques and Spey and Tube flies. Specifics on key rivers and streams in each of the Great Lake states, including the Big Manistee! Understanding steelhead behavior, choosing where to fish, and reading the water.
Check out Rick’s website for additional information and visit your local fly shop and purchase yourself a copy. I highly recommend it!
This video shows what is so hard to describe sometimes. How it feels, and what you need to do! Having a blog and working on being a better videographer, some of the hardest emotions to portray are fishing emotions. Here is a video clip that makes even more confusing, and I love it.
New rod just arrived and can’t wait to go play. Had the chance to fish the 12’8″ 8wt T3H for a couple weeks and all I had to say was WOW! So went to www.scottflyrods.com to see what other rods they made in the same graphite, and found myself a new switch rod, 1108 T3H. As winter transitions into spring, I love to start swing smaller minnow patterns and I think this rod is going to be perfect . Rod matches up with about 440 grains, perfect grain weight for throwing small 1-2″ salmon parr that steelhead love to gorge on in early spring time. If you have not wiggled the new T3H, you need to find your local dealer and check these great new rods from Scott Fly Rods. They are pretty sweet. A little personal catch phrase for this rod is, “just add water” it will catch fish. Certain rods when you pick them up you know will just cast they just feel fishy, they feel right. This rod makes you shake with that feeling.
With a little more free time than I like, going to photo and video up some cool stuff with this stick, so come back soon to see what we have come up with. Or give me a call and join me and be part of the footage.
Handcrafted in the USA – Built from beginning to end in Montrose, Colorado.
Had a chance to fish a new line yesterday. A float line Skagit with an Integrated Tip. SA developed this line to eliminate the loop between the Skagit and your sinking line. This Skagit line comes with a 12 foot section of T-12 seemlessly blended (no loops). In addition the running line is integrated as well, no more loops getting caught in the guides of the rod. This line is one of the finest casting lines in the Skagit format that I’ve had a chance to play with. But how does it fish?
While most of you know I love the Intermediate Skagit Extreme Head from SA. The Intermediate line truly changed the game on the Manistee River when it comes to swinging flies for steelhead. (and yes I have run the other companies lines, and no they don’t compare) So I was a little hesitant to change back to a floating line. But as I could quickly see, if you want to catch more fish you need to have the ability to adjust your flies speed and depth for each run’s current conditions. The SA Integrated line is perfect for those slower pools, the same pools that winter steelhead love to sit in. The floating section of the line allows your fly to swing through the pool, the integrated sink-tip is a smooth transition giving your fly more life as it swings through the pool. As I mentioned before this line is a casters dream. With no hinges and no loops, the line just bombes out there.
As is true with any other type of fishing, there is no perfect lure for every situation. And for a fly angler there is no one line (let’s just talk spey here) that is perfect for every run that you can possible fish in a days time. Now I know that you just can’t go buy multiple set up’s, but if the budget allows for a new line, this SA Integrated Line is another step forward in better spey lines by SA, and this line is fishy to say the least. As winter clogs along, steelhead move into slower pools the floating line with the Integrated tip is the line for me. Still my favorite is the Intermediate Extreme, but having the ability to change as conditions call for it is nice. If you want to cast this line before you buy it, just let me know. I’ll be carrying it in my boat the rest of this steelhead season.
JR
Phil C. with a winter buck caught on the Skagit Extreme w/ Integrated Tip
Thank you to the SA Extreme Intermediate Skagit more and more people are enjoying streamer fishing for steelhead. The line has changed the way I teach and as we all know the end result is the pull. When you get the pull you build the confidence. When you land more fish more people want to try. Thank you SA. Pictured is Becky A. with her first steelhead from the Big Manistee, she was streamer fishing in mid December.
I’m not one that plays too often with photoshop to distort or alter my pictures too often. But playing with the Saturation of a photo taking out or highlighting colors is another form of art. Here is Dan C. with his first steelhead caught on a streamer. In Lightroom I zapped out all the colors except blue to hight light the bright sunny winter day and his blue patagonia jacket. My picture of the day as another steelhead comes to the big ugly streamer pattern.
Still have a whole bunch of confidence for the big ugly flies to work in the cold weather, as the season progresses the cold water will so down the response to the swung fly, but currently things are still rocking. As I was witness to a fish “almost” taking one of my spey outfits. Thank goodness we had a tight grip on the rod. Thinking about investing in a bungee cord type of device to secure the rod to the caster. Look for it online or at your local fly shop. Gotta love that pull when the tug like that! Get out and cast before liquid turns to solid.
With the start of December we are starting to get into the big bad winter bucks. The time of year where we have a chance at some of the biggest steelhead of the year. Winter bucks will start to display red checks and strips, and with hopefully some winter back drop. Photo’s can just jump out. With a hazy,wet, damp, blur your lens kind of day yesterday, this photo turned out best if we made it black and white. Winston from Ontario, Canada with a great fish that ran us all over the river.
Grand Traverse Bay Smallmouth Bass