In this episode, Garrett Lesko takes us into Oregon jetty fishing. He shares his insights, experiences, and expertise on this unique angling pursuit.
Show Notes with Garrett Lesko on Oregon Jetty Fishing. Hit play below! 👇🏻
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(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
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Episode Chapters with Garrett Lesko on Oregon Jetty Fishing
2:12 – Garrett gives some updates on his life since we had him on the podcast in episode 236 two years ago. He got into competitive fishing. He shares all the details about his first fly fishing competition in his blog.
3:42 – He tells the step-by-step process of how to join a fishing competition. FlyComps.com is the main hub in the US.
6:55 – We talk about the advantages and disadvantages of doing in-person fishing seminars versus a virtual event.
10:32 – He’s a member of the Linn Benton Family Flyfishers. Their club is a partner of their local fly shop called the Two Rivers Fly Shop. Bob Elliot, their club president, is in charge of the Northwest Expo this year.
13:35 – We dig into jetty fishing. We also had an episode about this with Brian Marz in episode 97. Garrett gives a shout-out to Brian for pioneering jetty fishing.
15:40 – He mentions some popular areas in Oregon where you can do jetty fishing. One of which is the Depoe Bay. He says that the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest shot a scene there.
21:00 – He walks us through how to fish in the jetty. He also mentions some of the species that you would mostly get in the jetty such as black rockfish, cabezon, and lingcod which he says is very rare. He also shared more about this in his blog post titled “Beginner’s Guide to PNW Jetties”.
26:20 – He delves into the flies he uses for catching rockfish. He also wrote about this in his blog post titled “Fly Design for Pacific Rockfish”. For him, the tried and true fly that he can guarantee success on is the Clouser.
29:49 – Another one of his go-to flies for jetty fishing is the Jetty Worm from Spawn Fly Fish and Finesse Gamechanger.
32:12 – He tells us his gear set-up for Oregon jetty fishing. He uses an 8-wt Echo Boost Salt which he says is an affordable and mid-tier rod. His reel is the Behemoth Reel from Redington. He also gives a valuable tip for taking care of your reel.
41:09 – He introduces the InvisaSwivel which he adds to his set-up to help his fly float.
45:50 – He gives valuable tips on what to wear and bring for jetty fishing to ensure safety. I give a shout-out to NRS for their Chinook Fishing PFD.
56:22 – He tells us about that time when he and his friend caught about 200 rockfish in the jetty.
1:01:30 – He mentions the areas in Oregon where you can fish at night. He uses the Milwaukee Flood Light when doing so. The fish are more active in the evening except the lingcod.
1:03:50 – I ask about his countdown in stripping.
1:08:50 – He recommends bringing a lot of flies when jetty fishing because you’re probably gonna lose a lot of lies. He also mentions Seaguar Blue Label Fluorocarbon Leader.
1:10:27 – We give a shout-out to Connor Baker, the winner of our last big giveaway.
1:11:16 – He reveals his bucket list trips.
1:12:50 – He shares his top five movies.
1:15:13 – He gives us tips on Stillwater fishing and tells us about the guy he ties flies for who uses a kiddie pool at home to practice his casting.
You can find Garrett on Instagram @GarrettLesko and @OregonFlyTying.
Visit his website at OregonFlyTying.com.
Related Podcast Episodes
WFS 236 – Top 11 Euro Nymph Flies and Fly Tying Tips with Garrett Lesko
WFS 097 – Jetty Fishing with Brian Marz – Fly Fishing, Lingcod, Rockfish, Oregon
Read the Full Podcast Transcript Below
Conclusion with Garrett Lesko on Oregon Jetty Fishing
And there you have it! Our episode with Garrett Lesko has taken us on an exciting journey into the world of Oregon jetty fishing. From the formidable black rockfish to the elusive lingcod, Garrett has shared his expertise on targeting these species, along with some of his favorite flies like the trusty jetty worm and clousers.