Steelhead

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/wintergear I've been getting some questions about the need for a winter steelhead fly fishing gear list for the upcoming Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Trip. I'll breakdown the basics today so we can assure you have the major items given rain, cold, sun, sleet, hail or any and all of the above.  Because it is February in the Pacific Northwest, we prepare for any condition.

In this video I quickly show you how to purchase Echo Full Spey 13' 8 wt. fly rod which is the winter steelhead spey rod I recommend for those interested in winter steelhead fly fishing. This rod is perfect for large rivers and if you are casting heavy flies and heavy lines.  Plenty of backbone and power to do what...

Hosted Fly Fishing Trips to the Olympic Peninsula I do one hosted trip to the Olympic Peninsula each winter with Jack Mitchell and the Evening Hatch Crew.  You can get more information on this trip by clicking below. Click here for more information on the Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Trip You can listen to my podcast episode with Jack Mitchell on the OP...

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/117 John McMillan is on the podcast to talk about our northwest steelhead runs, the ups and downs of anadromous fish cycles and why he is optimistic about the current state of salmonids.  John has a skill for clarifying the issues and breaking down the basics of where we are at currently. There is no question this one will go down as one of the great podcast episodes and one of the first deep dives into some of the conservation topics related to steelhead.  The North Umpqua, Olympic Peninsula and Deschutes are all covered in this one. 

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/113 I finally sat down and had a great chat with Frank Amato who is the brains behind Salmon Trout Steelhead magazine, the Fly Fishing and Tying Journal and about 300 books relating to fishing. We hear how Frank was a key player in protecting the Deschutes River.  We also hear about the Blue Jetboat Frank has had since 1980 and how he saved my butt after flipping int he river.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/112 Brian Bennett, the founder of Moldy Chum, one of the biggest and oldest fly fishing websites is on the podcast to describe what the moldy chum is all about and where it's going.  The slab of the month, the chumion, and suction dredging are all discussed today. We get into the Dirt Bag Diaries, Reel Pure Radio and other podcasts that inspired Brian to keep on moving.  Suck my Fly Blog, The Hopper Talk Blog, Mini Chubby and many other blogs of yesteryear.

In this Video 3 of the step x step guide to building your first fly rod I show you how to measure out the tip top and how to wrap a guide.  Watch the video below or click on the links at the bottom of this post for additional videos.   Click Here to watch the video: Subscribe to my youtube channel...

I share an unboxing video for the Proof Fly Fishing Rod Building Kit.  This will be the first video in a series of videos documenting how to build a fly rod.  You can send me an email or leave a comment if you have any questions.   Click Here to watch the Video: (Subscribe on Youtube here)   Fly Rod Building Kit Links Here's the...

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/dryfly We cover trout spey with Captain John McCloskey aka Dry Fly John on Instagram.  John goes deep into how he catches trout on the Chattahoochee River and the Naknek River out of Alaska.  John is teaching spey in Georgia, a place where it hasn't totally consumed everyone quite yet. Tons of great tips including the best rod, lines, how to cast and how he teaches spey.  We talk about the difference between spey, switch and single hand and how to present the fly to different trout species. 

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/mark I spent a day with Mark Bachman on the Sandy River looking for winter steelhead.  Within 10 minutes of putting the boat in the water we find ourselves stuck on a mid channel boulder in the first rapid. We look at the best setup for winter steelhead, talk about how to find fish and hear the story of how Mark made a business in fly fishing at Fly Fish USA.  Mark brings a hard exterior but after spending a day on the river with him I find out that he's a really good guy.