FREE FISHING DVD INSIDEFULL LENGTH MOVIE

Center-PinFloat Fishing

SteelheadGreat Lakesvs.West Coast

TROUT, SALMON & STEELHEAD

FISHINGTROUT, SALMON & STEELHEAD

FISHING

Spey FishingSteelhead Rivers

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Order at Kype.netCastle Douglas Productions

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Order at Kype.netCastle Douglas Productions

PO Box 2024 • Anacortes, WA 98221

In order to find huge, brown trout in North American rivers, you mustfind a situation where there is a large body of water with feederstreams. The fish will then run the tributaries during their spawningperiods. The Great Lakes System provides this special formula thatproduces MONSTER BROWNS! Hooking fish between five and ten poundsare common, but there are outstanding chances for fish reaching thehigh teens, sometimes tipping the scales over twenty.

This brown trout was caught by Justin Haug last November while cen-ter-pin fishing a small stream in western NY. The fish took a blue roebag presented under a float. He was using a five inch Mykiss Center-pin attached to a custom built, 13 foot Rainshadow float rod. Justinwas using 4 lb. leader, as the stream was almost gin clear and thefish were kind of spooky. After snapping a few pictures, he releasedthis fish to live another day. Justin explained this big male was one ofabout 20 fish landed that day between himself and one friend—a mixof browns and steelhead on a fine autumn morning.

This Brown is definitely sporting a nice Kype!

See Justin’s article on page 12.

CONTENTS OF KYPEPublisher’s Cast..........................................................4

Jig Fishing Series........................................................6

Sockeye on the Fly.......................................................8

Steelhead Alley..........................................................10

Float Fishing with Center-Pin......................................12

Great Lakes vs.West Coast.......................................14

The Miracle Mile.......................................................18

Spey Series..............................................................20

Fishing Flies From a Noodle........................................22

The Kype Vise...........................................................24

River Bandit..............................................................26

Seafood at its Finest..................................................28

Kype MagazineCastle Douglas Productions.LLC

PO Box 2024Anacortes, WA 98221

360.299.2266Streamside@kype.net

www.Kype.net

Kype StaffPublisher: George Douglas

Editor: Jeff WardenStaff Writers: David Gantman

Dake SchmidtMichael Steiner

Gary PorterSid Snow

Jimmy MacJames Pierce

COPYRIGHTKype Magazine

Copyright © 2009 Castle Douglas Productions LLC.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. May no part of this publication

or DVD be copied or reproducedin any way without written

permission from the publisher.

Kype MagazineVOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2009

Publisher’s Cast The Greatest Fisherman

4

BY GEORGE DOUGLAS

“I’m the greatest—king

of the world!" came

out of the mouth of a young

fighter, Muhammad Ali.

Was he really the best fight-

er in the world? Probably

not. George Foreman was a

better, meaner, and more

powerful puncher, and prob-

ably could have taken Ali

four out of five fights…but

that was not the case one

night in Zaire, Africa.

"Tonight, you are the

greatest hockey team in the

world," said Herb Brooks,

to his young USA hockey

team, just before they took

to the ice against the Soviet

Union in the 1980

Olympics.

The Russian squad would

probably beat that USA

squad, nine times out of

ten...but that was not the

case this special night in

Lake Placid, NY.

I’m well aware that there

are better fly fishermen than

myself. I know there are

better oarsmen as well, and

anglers who work a noodle

rod better, pull plugs better,

spey rod, float rod, and tie

better flies. But, is there

someone out there that can

do it all? Is there one fisher-

man who can take salmon

and steelhead, utilizing all

those techniques without a

weakness?

Are they tough enough to

fish in freezing tempera-

tures? Do they have the

endurance to hike a couple

miles through the brush? Do

they have the personality

and the appreciation for the

outdoors—all necessary to

be a successful guide? Have

they devoted themselves to

this sport, making it their

career, and do they have the

desire to take his or her

skills to the next level, into

a class of their own?

If so, that person talks my

talk; walks my walk, and

although I acknowledge

there are great anglers out

there, when I approach the

river, I do so as the greatest

fisherman in the world.

Based on that statement

above, you may interpret it

as arrogance, and it may

lead you to say, "He is a leg-

end in his own mind."

EXACTLY!

Precisely, my point.

It is my wish that everyone

approach the river with that

same element of confidence.

Confidence is my great-

est tool. Don't think for a

second that my plug rods

will fire without me know-

ing they will. You have to

believe in yourself. You

have to believe in your

knots, in your presentation,

in your drift. When you

doubt, you open the door for

failure to enter.

My objective is to instill

confidence in my reader-

ship, to develop the right

mindset for battling these

menacing metalheads. On

your next trip to the river,

approach it as though you

are the best. No fish will

A kype is a hook that forms on thelower jaw of a male trout, salmon orsteelhead, during spawning periods.This is their badge of power and dom-inance that is unique to only thesespecies. It's an explanation point,similar to the rack of a male deer—a sign of a warrior—a sign ofstrength. Only the brutes, only thestout, only the herculean bucks willdisplay this emblem of pure power.

These kype-busting bucks are knownto burn out drag systems, shattergraphite, and snap leaders as if they werea strand of hair, and with such a mark ofstrength, thus—the title of our magazine, KYPE.

WHAT IS A KYPE?

Place your order at Kype.netCastle Douglas Productions

PO Box 2024 • Anacortes, WA 98221

Kype Beanie with Bill

(One size fits all) $19.95(US Funds, Includes Shipping USA-Canada)

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It’s

all

abou

t ho

w y

ou l

ook

Back View

5

out-wit you. There are no

anglers who can out-fish

you. You are the greatest

fisherman in the world.

With that mindset, you’ll

cast better, drift better,

fight better, and overall,

fish better.

However, many fisher-

men fail after a few hours

pass with zero action. Yet,

this is the moment of

truth—this is when you gird

up your loins and become

more focused, more confi-

dent, and more patient. Your

confidence must be strong

to the end. There have been

many days guiding, when

my clients landed a fish or

two during the last hour of

the trip.

You may say to yourself,

“Man, it’s not about the other

anglers, it’s about the fish.

Who cares who is the best.”

The truth is, I do.

I’ve guided in areas that

were extremely competi-

tive, where fishing was all

about who was the best

guide on the river. It was

that Competitiveness that

led me to go to great lengths

to be the best angler I could

possibly be, and still moti-

vates me to hold to my life-

long commitment in

expanding my knowledge

base, and striving to outdo

each and every level I reach.

Through my pursuit of

attaining this goal, you, the

reader, will benefit as I pass

my experience and newly

learned knowledge, tips,

and techniques on to you

through the pages of Kype

Magazine and our video

footage.

Do I really believe I am

the greatest fisherman in the

world? I’ve certainly been

humbled by many large

steelhead, to the point I’d

never make that state-

ment—but, heck, I’d never

dare admit it to myself.

Visit Kype.net

Jig Fishing SeriesFloat Fishing Jigs, Part 2

6

BY DAVE GANTMAN

When I think of float

fishing I can't help

but remember a mild sum-

mer afternoon on one of my

favorite local steelhead

runs. While hiking the half-

mile long trail, I couldn't

help but get the feeling it

was going to be a good

evening of fishing. The

weather was comfortable,

the water conditions were

low and clear, and I was car-

rying my float fishing rod.

This particular spot starts

with a nice riffle and drops

into a slow moving, glassy

run about 100 yards in

length. Due to the abun-

dance of snags and weeds

on the bottom of the river,

most fisherman overlook

this fishing hole. It's near

impossible to drift-fish, and

because of the low clear

water, spinners and spoons

could spook whatever steel-

head were in the area. I

knew, however, that fishing

a float rod with a small jig

was going to be my ticket to

success. I suspended a pink

and white 1/16 oz. River

Rat Steelhead Jig about a

foot above the weeds.

Systematically working

through the run, I managed

to land four summer steel-

head in the two hours before

dark.

WHY FISH JIGS?

The ultimate goal in the

pursuit of any species is to

catch more and bigger fish

using the most simple and

effective method possible.

For steelhead, float fishing

is widely considered to be

just that. In the previous

article, I explained that suc-

cess in steelhead fishing is

about increasing percent-

ages during time spent on

the water, as well as having

confidence in the strategies

and tactics being imple-

mented.

Using the float-fishing

method, you can accomplish

seemingly endless drifts

where your chosen bait is in

the targeted zone nearly

100% of the time. It's a very

visual and interactive way

of fishing which will keep

your interest and add to the

enjoyment of the steelhead-

ing experience.

SETTING UP

To get started with float-

fishing jigs, all that's

required is a float, swivel,

leader material, split-shot,

and jigs. You can catch

plenty of fish using just

these basics. Getting a little

more technical with our

tackle choices allows us to

increase our percentages

while on the water. I like to

use a rod with a length from

9 to 11 feet, and a line

weight of 8 to 10 pounds.

BIG

DO

G

Photo by Dave Donofrio

7

This helps in casting light

set-ups and provides good

line control. A rod with a lit-

tle extra length also allows

you to play large fish on

light leaders, which can

prove necessary in some

jig-fishing conditions.

The main line that I pre-

fer for float-fishing jigs is

15 to 20 lb. braid, or what it

is also called spectra. This

type of line has a very thin

diameter for its breaking

strength and it casts with

very little effort. The line

will also float, which allows

for much easier line manip-

ulation when attempting to

achieve a proper drift.

Attached to the main line

you can use either a fixed

or sliding float. If using a

sliding float, a bobber stop

will be necessary to adjust

the proper depth, but be

sure to always place beads

on your line just above and

below the float to act as

bumpers.

Below the float you

should have a barrel swivel

between the main line and

the leader. The leader can be

either monofilament or flu-

orocarbon, 8 to 15 lb. Your

leader should, however,

always have a smaller

breaking strength than your

main line. This helps avoid

losing your entire set-up

when snagged. On the

leader, you need to have

enough weight to balance

the float.

For example, you have a

3/8 oz. float and an 1/8 oz.

jig—this would mean you

need a 1/4 oz. of weight

above your jig to balance

the float.

This weight, when

spaced evenly along the

leader, helps the jig ride

directly below the float.

Now the rod has been prop-

erly set up—you're ready to

fish!

FISHING THE JIG

To begin fishing your jig,

estimate the depth of the

water, and set the float 12 to

36" above what you esti-

mate the bottom depth to be.

Cast up-stream to the

head of the desired pool,

run, or riffle, starting with

short casts. Reel in the slack

as the float drifts down in

front of you. Before open-

ing your bail, lift your line

to straighten any slack.

Now allow the line to peel

freely from the spool.

This accomplishes what

is called “the dead drift.”

The dead drift allows the jig

to float with the current at a

natural speed.

Each cast made, should

be made further and further

out, systematically work-

ing your drifts further

away from the bank. This

allows you to cover all the

water without spooking

fish.

Float-fishing jigs is a

quick and effective way

to work through fishing

spots. You can cover lots

of water and feel assured

that fish are not being

missed. If you haven't

gotten a bite, change the

jig to another color

and/or size and work

through the area again. If

your float gets taken under,

close the bail, reel down,

set the hook, and hold on!

Applying these tactics

for float-fishing jigs,

you should be able to go

out to your favorite

steelhead waters and be

successful.

Look to future articles

in the Jig Fishing Series

for more in-depth and

detailed information about

jig fishing.

To contact the author visit

RiverRatJigs.com

www.RiverRatJigs.cowww.RiverRatJigs.co

541-954-33561950 Franklin Blvd.Eugene, OR 97403

Don't Leave HomeWithout Your Rat!

Tied on HooksPowder Painted Heads for Durability

David Gantman with a beautiful Oregon Steelheadhooked on a jig.

Photo by John Fabian

8

BY DAKE SCHMIDT

The months of May and

June on Kodiak are a

good time to watch dirty

snow melt, new buds of

green grow, and get some

time in at your favorite met-

alhead hole. There's nothing

better in life than spring

steelhead fishing on Kodiak

Island, Alaska. Wait!

Scratch that! There is noth-

ing better than spring steel-

head fishing on Kodiak

AND coming home with

your first two dime-bright

sockeye of the season.

Also called red salmon,

sockeye seem to lead the

pack when it comes to all

species of Pacific salmon.

From what they eat, where

they spawn, how they fight,

or taste on the dinner table,

the red salmon is in a class

all by itself. For me, those

first two fish are the repre-

sentation of a ribbon cut-

ting ceremony, the begin-

ning of a spectacular

salmon season.

Sockeye are the only

salmon that spawn in

lakes (or feeder creeks

into that lake) and typical-

ly spend their first 1 to 2

years of life there, feeding

almost entirely on plank-

ton alone. After leaving

the lake, they head off to

the wide open ocean

where they spend another

1 to 2 years of their life.

Finally turning around,

they make a hasty run up-

river through the

gauntlet of

hooks, lead,

and line.

For the

s a l m o n

that make

it to the

lake, their

f o c u s

becomes finding

that one special mate

to keep the cycle of life

flowing.

One of the best places to

target red salmon is the

Pasagshak River, a 30 mile

drive from town. The scenic

drive along the coast is

impressive. Lush green

mountains rise from sea

level, while

bright

c h r o m e

sockeye cruise the bay, jump-

ing from time to time,

announcing their presence.

In Kodiak, sight fishing

is king and without a good

pair of polarized glasses

you might as well be fishing

blindfolded. Spotting these

fish takes place in water

depths of 8 inches to 3 feet

high, directly at the mouth

of the river where fresh

water clashes with the salt.

This is where technique and

presentation is everything.

Like hungry bears, fisher-

men stand on the banks, rod

in hand, squinting into the

gin-clear water in anticipa-

tion for what lies ahead.

Then it happens.

Downstream, people start

flipping their lead and

hooks furiously into the

river, announcing to all

upstream that a school of

fish has arrived. As the

Sockeye on the Fly

Dake lands this nice chromer with a Super-Secret Sockeye Fly.SO

CK

EY

ES

ALM

ON

Dake Schmidt

Dake Schmidt

9

school moves up the river,

their polished, chrome sides

mirror the surroundings,

making them eerily invisi-

ble except for their ghostly

shadow in the current.

Now is the moment of

truth, where lead, line, and

fly need to work together

to produce a clean drift,

edible presentation and

solid hook-up. I can’t

stress enough how impor-

tant lead is in the equation

of hooking salmon—or any

other species for that mat-

ter. Position your lead (I

prefer the split shot type)

about two feet or so from

the hook. Accuracy is

everything as the strike

zone can be under one

square foot.

These fish are running

the last leg of a 4 year

marathon and the action is

so fast, one must be ever-

ready as the fish move up

into your stretch of the

river. You'll want to cast

ahead and across them. As

the lead drops, it drags the

fly down in a sweeping

motion towards and across

your finicky target.

Sockeye only take a sec-

ond or two in the swift cur-

rent, deciding if the offer-

ing is tempting enough to

illicit a strike. If not, keep

casting and adjust your

swing, estimating where

your fly will hit bottom in

relation to the fish.

In Alaska, most flies,

beads, and jigs are made

from loud obnoxious colors

and materials that more

resemble things stripped off

a clown's costume, or an old

feather boa from a trunk in

the attic. Reds, pinks, pur-

ples, and black work well

year round for most species

of fish, but here on the

Pasagshak River, fishing for

sockeye, chartreuse is my

weapon of choice.

An excellent angler,

Kadie Walsh, created a pat-

tern called the Super-Secret

Sockeye Fly—simple, but

effective—and ever since its

introduction I have come

home with fillets for the

freezer and an aching shoul-

der. In my mind it looks like

a juicy presentation of

organic goo that these adults

feed on as fry and smolt in

their earlier years. The most

important thing here is a

super sharp hook, like the

Gamakatsu Octopus #4 in

green. Using chartreuse

thread, and in this order

stack a pinch of each of the

following: UV Minnow

Belly, Chartreuse Fishhair,

and lastly, Chartreuse

Krystal Flash. Now give it

a whip-finish, and fish on!

Weighing in between 6 to

10 lbs. these salmon are

built for speed and power.

With thick backs and broad

tails the agility and energy

they can produce is unri-

valed by most other sport

fish.

This all becomes appar-

ent when your drift comes to

a dead stop, and then all in

one motion, your fly line

darts back up-stream and the

sound of your line ripping

through the water will send

shivers up your spine and

adrenaline throughout your

body. Sockeye are notorious

for erupting out of the water

and thrashing recklessly

through the air, while often

throwing the hook in a flash.

Only experienced anglers

Trout•

Salmon

•Steelhead

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Kodiak Island, Alaska

Walk in / Wade Trips For Coho, Sockeye,

Pinks, Rainbows, Dolly Varden and

Steelhead.

• Custom tours available• Site Seeing

• Museums • State Parks

• Wildlife and Bird Viewing

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

10

The Great Lakes tributar-

ies has some awesome

fishing opportunities, some

of the best in this country

and Canada. There is a

region off of Lake Erie

known as “Steelhead

Alley.” Nicknames can

often be deceiving. In this

case, however, it is very

appropriate.

The Lake Erie tributaries

is an excellent fishery, how-

ever, it can be tricky due to

the rough weather which

creates fluctuating water

conditions and various

adversaries. It's typical to

start your day on a low and

clear stream and by the

afternoon be fishing a high,

fast and stained stream.

Having said that, and as an

avid fly fisherman, my goal

is to inform you of some

tips and techniques that will

help you prepare for any-

thing Erie's "steelhead

alley" has to throw your

way.

First of all, you must

know multiple techniques to

catch fish—depending on

the conditions.

When I approach the

river I consider the water

level, clarity, and speed, and

formulate my plan. What

type of water will I fish?

Which fly to begin with?

What size leader will I use,

and how much weight will

be needed to target the fish?

All these aspects must be

adjusted to compensate for

the conditions at hand.

If I am looking at low

and clear water conditions

with light flow, I will go

with a light presentation.

For example, I may use size

#14 single egg as my point

fly, tied on 4X tippet, and a

size #16 nymph tied on 5X

as my dropper fly. I would

use as little weight as possi-

ble with no indicator, using

a standard high sticking

technique so I can detect

subtle strikes.

When I arrive at the

stream and find a good flow

and the perfect color, I may

use the same flies but

increase the sizes a bit.

Instead of a size #14, go

with #12—same with the

dropper, bump it up to #14.

Also you may want to

increase your tippet diame-

ter. I suggest fishing with

the heaviest tippet that con-

ditions permit. Steelhead

are big and strong, so use

every advantage you can.

I’d also increase the amount

of weight to get my flies to

the desired depth. You want

your flies in the strike zone

as long as possible, and the

correct amount of weight

will make that happen.

Another good technique

in moderate flow is to use a

strike indicator. This not

only helps detect subtle

strikes, but also allows you

to control the depth of your

flies. Once again, keep

your flies in the strike zone

as long as possible, that

way your entire drift is

effective.

My personal favorite

steelhead technique is fish-

ing streamers, when condi-

tions are right. When the

water is a little high and

stained a B.H. Woolly

Bugger can do amazing

things. I fish them in many

different colors, my favorite

being white, then black,

then olive, in that order.

When fished properly under

the right conditions, there's

no telling how many hook-

ups you may have. I have

The UnpredictableSteelhead Alley

BY MICHAEL STEINER

HIG

HW

AT

ER

SU

CC

ES

S

Michael Steiner fights off high and stained water and lands thisbig buck.

caught more steel on this fly

than any other in my box.

Although this fly can be

fished in any water condi-

tions, adjusting your presen-

tation to the conditions is

important.

For moderate water con-

ditions, I like to dead drift

just like a nymph. Because

of the size, color and mate-

rials used for this fly, its

natural presentation is

effective.

In low water I like to

strip the fly in traditional

fashion. This will make up

for lack of flow, and usually

triggers strikes from your

bigger, more aggressive

fish.

When the water is fast, I

like to slow-twitch this fly

during the dead drift, adding

extra movement which

entices the fish nicely.

I also have good success

fishing buggers on the

swing. The extra speed you

achieve at the end of the

drift, triggers very aggres-

sive strikes. If you don't fish

buggers often, try it! You

won't be disappointed; this

is a great weapon to add to

your steelhead arsenal.

Another tip, is to make

sure you have a good fly

selection. Be prepared for

the different conditions you

may encounter. Egg patterns

and Crystal Meth flies work

great, but think outside of

the box. Throw some differ-

ent patterns in the mix—try

black Hares Ears, Copper

Johns, in any color wire you

can find. Maybe even try

the Steelhead Hammer.

(Great pattern! Look it up

online!) There are a ton of

good patterns out there via

the world wide web, use the

information at your finger

tips.

Now for a couple tips for

fishing the Erie tributar-

ies...The first and most

important tip, "don't get

stuck with the crowds." If

there are a lot of people,

that‘s a good indication of

pressured fish, who often

get lockjaw. Make sure you

stay mobile and leave your

options open. If you’re will-

ing to walk, you’ll find and

catch fish!

Remember to fish the

river thoroughly, even

cover water the other

anglers pass up. Just

because you can't see fish

or there's not a group of

people fishing that area,

does not mean there are no

fish holding in that loca-

tion. Take your time and

make a few casts and you

might be surprised. Fish the

pocket water and the riffs, if

it looks like it could hold a

fish, try it!

One of my last tips is for

high muddy water, which

can be a horrible sight for

anglers arriving to the river,

especially if you have driv-

en hours to get there—give

it a chance. Stay on the bank

and look to fish the slack

water. Steelhead will move

up-river in short bursts, then

will duck out of the current

to rest. Metalheads will

often hang close to the

banks and will use anything

that will break the current

for relief. Fish behind any

structures that are visible

and close to the bank. Use

large, bright, highly visible

flies. This might save the

day and help you get some

steel on the line.

There are many good

tributaries stretching from

Ohio across Pennsylvania

and into New York State,

and up through Canada. As

you make your way around

the lake, be willing to try

different techniques. You

don't know what's going to

work until you try.

Adjusting to conditions and

overcoming the obstacles

thrown at you by Mother

Nature, will make you a bet-

ter steelheader.

11

NETTING STEELHEADAs in fighting fish, a net job cannot be rushed.

The fish must be clearly done fighting or you’regoing to be taking a big chance. More fish arelost at the net then during the fight, and this isusually caused by poor judgement, careless-ness or impatience.

Always aim the net for the head of the fish,as this will force the fish to swim into the net ifhe exerts a final burst of energy. By approach-ing the fish from the back, the fish has achance to swim out of the net. Usually, you onlyget one chance at netting a steelhead so youhave to make it count.

Never take a wild stab at a fish. The numberone rule of thumb is to never consider takinga swipe, unless the fish’s head is complete-ly out of the water. Make sure it is a cleanswipe, aiming the fish directly into the center ofthe net.

Photo by Justin Haug

A nice, fresh hen after a good net.

12

It was about ten years ago

when a good friend of

mine and I were on one of

our yearly fishing trips. I

noticed what appeared to be

a large bobber of some kind

attached to his line. I imme-

diately began laughing, and

shouted to him, mockingly,

“You know, we’re not out

here trying to catch sun-

fish!” He shouted back in a

monotonic voice, telling me

I should just fish, and at the

end of the day we’ll com-

pare results.

His unwavering confi-

dence made me wonder if

I’d have to eat my words by

day’s end.

The day went on with

both of us having a very

good outing, but in the end

he out-fished me nearly two

to one. At dinner that

evening, he began telling

me how this float fishing

idea worked. I found it

intriguing, after seeing his

success on the river.

He explained that the

objective is to present your

offering to the fish in a more

natural way, trying to match

the exact current speed. We

all know these fish are very

smart and any advantage we

can get on them is a big

plus, so I was game. We

went back to his house, and

he gave me one of his floats

and showed me how to set

my spinning rod.

We met up early the next

day, and I was excited to try

out my newly learned tactic.

We hit the water, and not

even four casts later, my

friend is locked into a bright

chromer. I fished for over an

hour, without any luck, as

he continued to catch fish.

At this point, I was totally

frustrated and wanted to go

back to the way I knew how

to fish—bouncing my offer-

ing off the bottom, as I had

always done.

He yelled over to me and

said “Just stick with it, and

it will happen.”

I continued another twen-

ty minutes, feeling more

confident with each cast,

and then it happened. I had

cast into a perfect seam and

watched as my float made

its way through the run, and

toward the tail-out, the float

disappeared. I set the hook,

and up came my first float

fishing steelhead. It was not

a monster, but it was one

fish I’ll never forget.

From that point on, I was

hooked. I fished the rest of

the season with my newly

found technique, and

became very comfortable

with that approach.

During the off season,

my friend and I spent time

planning our first steelhead

outing of the new season,

when he turned to me and

said, “Wait ‘til you see

what I show you this

time!!”

He refused to reveal

what he planned to show

me, telling me I’d have to

wait for our first trip. The

weeks flew by and our first

trip was suddenly upon us.

I anxiously arrived at his

house in the pitch darkness

of early morning, and he

loaded his gear into my car.

It was almost light when

we got to the water’s edge,

and I asked him what he

wanted to show me.

He hands me his rod and

says, "Look at that reel." It

looked like a typical, large

fly reel.

He then explained it was

a center-pin, and it was an

even better way to fish, by

allowing you to float

through the entire run with a

drag-free drift. Then he

taught me how to cast his

setup.

CE

NT

ER-P

IN

Kype-Tales Float Fishing with Center-Pin

BY JUSTIN HAUG

Photo by Justin Haug

I’ve been hooked on cen-

ter-pin fishing ever since.

When you have a pool all

to yourself, you have the

option of standing at the top

of the run and drifting your

bait the entire length of the

pool, completely drag-

free—providing a more nat-

ural presentation.

The rods needed for this

type of fishing usually

range from 11 feet up to 17

feet. The length of the rod is

determined by the size of

the water you’re planning

on fishing. Most center-pin

anglers prefer a 13 foot rod,

as they seem to be very ver-

satile, accommodating most

rivers.

As far as the reels go,

there are many options and

sizes to choose from. You

can go with an entry level,

factory-made reel for less

than $200, or you can go

with a handmade reel that

can cost upwards of $700.

Get your hands on a float

fishing set up, and you too

will find this a very effective

technique, increasing your

hook-up rates tremendously.

13

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A special thanks to one of our subscribers, JustinHaug of Elizabethtown, PA. Justin submitted this

article and some great photos, one of whichlanded on our cover.

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14

SteelheadGreat Lakes vs. West Coast

BY SIDNEY SNOW

We love hearing the

feedback and ques-

tions from our readers and

subscribers, so please keep

them coming.

This question came in

from EJ Ravago, from

Gurnee, IL.

Q. Who has better steel?

Great Lakes or the West? Be

honest! I won't tell....

A. I’ve had the opportu-

nity to fish Great Lakes trib-

utaries, as well as many

west coast steelhead rivers.

In order to write this article

fairly, I cannot compare the

Skeena system to Steelhead

Alley—I must consider all

regions of the Great Lakes,

and from California up

through Alaska on the west,

and compare various

aspects of each.

Salt vs. Fresh Water

The first and foremost

difference is salt water fish,

compared to fresh water

fish.

Although Lake Ontario

has access to brackish/salt

water, through the St.

Lawrence, the Great Lakes

are otherwise fresh water. It

is the largest fresh water

system on the planet, as

they hold over six

quadrillion gallons of water

collectively.

The difference in steel-

head, regarding the water

type, is not as apparent as

one might think. Splitting

hairs, yes, one may say that

the fish from the salt water

may have that extra little

zip. However, I’ve landed

20 pound metalheads from

both regions, and, to tell you

the truth, both provided the

fight of a lifetime. I don’t

believe that after landing a

20 pound steelhead from a

Great Lakes trib, anyone

could say that it didn’t fight

hard enough.

Stocked vs. Native

The steelhead fisheries inboth regions have theirshare of hatcheries.Although steelhead wereintroduced to the GreatLakes and are, consequent-ly, unofficially native tothese waters, again, the dif-ference is generally unno-

ticeable. The Great Lakesnow have a wild run, alongwith hatchery fish--same asthe west coast.

Regulations

The regulations tend tobe more stringent on thewest coast. Politics over-shadow the banks of thesewest coast rivers. It is baf-fling that there are moreregulations on one fishingangler holding one fishingrod, then there are on netterswho extend huge netsacross the entire width ofthe river, leaving no pass-able doorways for fish tomove upriver. Go Figure.

Fishing Pressure

The Great Lakes tributar-ies are only a few hoursdrive from some of the mostpopulated regions on thecontinent...New York,Chicago, and the entire sur-rounding area, which ishome to millions of people.That, combined with thefact that the rivers are rela-tively short, leads to anobvious outcome: Highfishing pressure.

On the opposite side of

the continent, you have a

smaller population fishing

much longer rivers. Don’t

get me wrong--there are

plenty of rivers on the

west coast that are packed

with anglers—and also,MO

NS

TE

RB

RO

WN

EJ Ravago lands a huge brown with a huge KYPE!

15

anglers from the east coast

have the option of hiking

back into secluded tribu-

taries of untouched water.

There is also the option to

fish in harsh weather,

where you can count on

less anglers and usually

more fish.

In a sense, fishing pres-

sure makes little difference

to the more experienced

angler, since the more fish-

ing experience he or she

has, the more likely

they’ve tapped into some

great back-stream fishing

havens. Also, an experi-

enced angler knows the

in’s and out’s of fishing a

river full of rods, and can

therefore be successful in

spite of the onslaught of

obstacles—a topic worthy

of an article in one of our

future issues.

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West Coast Great Lakes

CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

Ph

oto

by

Ju

stin

Hau

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Ph

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by

Dak

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idt

Miracle Mile Ranch

Rainbow Hole

White Bluffs

Tow-Truck Hole

Pathfinder Res.

N. Platte River The Miracle Mile

Goose Island Hole

Haystack HoleCable Hole

Cottonwood Hole

Bridge

High TensionHole

Crane Fly Pool

Kidney Stone Hole

Spinner FlatsCarpenter ShopHole

Hog Hole

Kortes Dam

N. Platte River The Miracle Mile

18

BY GARY PORTER

It all started when we had to go to a meeting in Chicago. Our plan was to fish and do some filming on ourway back to Washington. I was new to the production team and didn’t know what to expect having neverset foot in the state of Wyoming. We were on I-80 seemingly forever, a sixteen hour drive with one overnightin the fun town of Lincoln, Nebraska. Not much to do on the long drive other than drift off into a state ofbewilderment at the realization that there was a Flying J gas center every time we needed gas, yet there werenone in between. “Hmmm, did they plan it this way?”

C rossing Nebraska, my

curiosity grew as we

approached the Wyoming

border.

“Welcome to Wyoming,

brotha,” said George with a

smile, and he was right, the

terrain, the sky, the feel, was

exotic.

I quickly grabbed my cell

phone to call my fiance’ and

tell her we were finally

there. Think again—no

service to my cell company

in the entire state of

Wyoming. That was the first

of many surprises to come.

Don’t get me wrong, I

loved Wyoming, but it has

the tendency to baffle you

each step of the way—from

elk running in front of the

truck, to driving along the

edge of cliffs that have no

bottom. And the storms.

Wow. Now, those were some

storms. An hour or so after

crossing the border, we

drove through Cheyenne and

hit a storm that was nothing

short of ferocious. First of

all, the rain was so heavy we

couldn’t see a thing, forcing

us to pull over. We bolted

into a convenient store, and

we were shocked at the tem-

peratures this storm brought

in. It was freezing.

The drive to Hanna,

Wyoming brought a variety

of weather; torrential down-

pours, snow, sleet, wind,

bright sun, a strange calm

spell, lightning, thunder,

and temperatures ranging

from freezing to sixty

degrees. We never saw any-

thing like it, but we contin-

ued to drive toward Hanna,

which would lead us up to

the Miracle Mile.

Well—not so fast.

In Hanna, we quickly

learned that the road up to

the Mile was so muddy it

would swallow the truck

without leaving a trace of

us. We would have to drive

all the way around to

Rawlins and head up toward

the Seminoe Dam. What a

drive, though. Beautiful.

Thick woods and a twisting

dirt road, with a small

wooden guardrail protecting

you from the reservoir near-

ly a mile below you.

As you emerge from the

forest and head down to the

Miracle Mile, you feel like

you’re entering a scene from

the Planet of the Apes. Miles

of a sage-brush prairie with

unique rock formations, ran-

domly situated, and on the

horizon, large mountains

scrape the sky.

When we reached the

river, we got out and looked

over its only bridge. I

noticed the grimace on

George’s face, noting the

river conditions were high

and brown.

This water is movin’, he

said.

Our sound tech suggests

we head up towards Casper

and fish the Gray’s Reef

area.

George responded, “It’s

high, fast, and muddy, but

19

the fish are here.”

So we stayed in the area

and looked around for good

holding water, and were

hoping to find an area with

an obstruction to block the

whipping wind. At the

Rainbow Hole, a rock hill

across the river acted as a

shelter for us, and since it

offered different types of

water, George could fish the

riffs above or the slow pool

below.

In case you haven’t

viewed the film yet, I won’t

give away the details of the

day we had at this incredible

spot, but George was

right—the fish were there.

All that was needed, was

simply to go out there and

work hard for them.

Quite often, mother

nature throws a curve ball at

us fishermen. We can bail

out of the batter’s box or

keep our ground and fight

off the pitch.

One thing to keep in

mind, spin and bait fishing

is legal here. I am certain

that casting spinners or

nightcrawlers would be

very productive, compared

to matching the hatch. But

for you fly fishermen, be

sure to nymph fish with an

orange scud.

The store there at the

Mile has a decent selection

of flies and other terminal

tackle.

Overall, this area will keep

you on your toes, but don’t let

that discourage you from

coming to one of the best

trout rivers in the country.

Spending a couple nights

on this river and seeing the

fish jump, the fish caught,

the sunsets, the storm

clouds and the North Platte

flowing through this allur-

ing terrain, was exhilarat-

ing. At times on the bank, it

felt like this was heaven.

I recommend this trip to

any troutsmen who wishes

to experience something out

of the ordinary and catch

fish at the same time.

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Spey Series Part 1

Every Day is a Spey Day

20

BY CHRISTOPHER LESSWAY

If you’re anything like me

and you love to steelhead

fish, you probably already

know it's more than just a

hobby. Steelhead fishing is

an addiction and a lifestyle.

Do you find yourself calling

in sick to go fishing? Do

you send your rent check in

late, because you needed a

new pair of waders? Do you

find yourself waking up at 4

in the morning, just so you

can be the first one to arrive

at your favorite steelhead

run? Do you obsessively

check river levels? If you

answered yes to any of

these questions, admit it—

you're an addict like me.

While there are many

ways to fish for these silver-

sided acrobats, fishing with

a two-hander (more com-

monly called a spey rod),

has become an increasingly

popular way to fuel our

addiction.

Twelve years ago, a

friend of mine bought a

spey rod. I thought he was

crazy. Why would anyone

want to learn to cast that

behemoth of a rod. I was

content with bouncing

nymphs and egg patterns

along the bottom. I caught

plenty of fish this way and

had fun doing so. I was set

in my ways, and that was

that. I figured I'd let my

friend flail away with his

new rod, while I caught

fish, but a couple of years

later, after seeing more and

more people on the river

using the long rod, I decided

to attend a spey gathering to

see what this craze was all

about.

A spey gathering is

where two-handed rod afi-

cionados get together to

exchange information,

ideas and try new rods and

lines. What I witnessed

changed the way I viewed

spey fishing.

I watched an elderly gen-

tleman make a cast of about

120 feet with no effort

whatsoever. He made it look

so simple. Not a single false

cast or back cast was

required. The fly line sliced

though the air in a tight loop

that seemed to never end,

before gently falling to the

river below. I was awe

struck. I needed to learn this

style of casting!

I called my friend and

told him I wanted to borrow

his spey rod. After a barrage

of heckling and unnecessary

"I told you so’s," he eventu-

ally handed the rod over. I

took it down to the river and

made one battered cast after

another. After thrashing the

water and spooking every

fish a mile up and down the

river, I decided to buy a

couple videos and books on

spey casting. I put away the

nymphs and egg patterns,

bought my own spey rod,

and totally dedicated myself

TH

ES

PE

YC

AS

T

Maximizing the coverage of water with a nice spey cast.

Photo

by C

hri

s L

essw

ay

21

to learning this method of

casting. For the next year, I

fished exclusively with my

spey rod. It had become a

challenging, exciting, and

new way to catch these

chrome torpedoes in which

we spend our lives pursuing.

My casts were not perfect,

however, a fishable cast

doesn't have to be perfect.

Spey casting is essential-

ly an advanced aerial roll

cast. It was named after the

River Spey in Scotland. The

origin of this technique of

casting and fishing with

two-handed rods dates back

to the middle of the 19th

century, where salmon

anglers in Scotland were

faced with the challenge of

rivers that were wide, fast,

and had trees and brush run-

ning all the way down to the

rivers edge. These obstacles

left no room for backcasts.

To face these challenges,

anglers used long rods from

15 to 20 feet long, and made

of lance, ash, and green-

heart woods. They were

extremely heavy and weari-

some to cast.

The first spey cast devel-

oped from a roll cast—and

over time, it formed into

"true spey" casts. These

casts, known as the single

spey and the double spey, are

still commonly used today.

To be a successful angler,

one had to cover as much

water as possible by swing-

ing the fly at a downstream

angle across the river, while

keeping the fly in front of the

line, as to not startle the fish.

With these long two-handed

rods, anglers, on a good day,

were able to roll their line out

80 to 90 feet.

A gentleman named

Alexander Grant, a native

of the Spey valley, took the

art of spey casting to an

extraordinary level. Using a

21 foot rod, he had created

out of greenheart wood, he

was able to roll cast a mind

blowing 65 yards. How

about that for some distance

casting?

It was about fifteen years

ago that the "spey craze"

came to the Northwest

United States, Canada, and

eventually the Great Lakes

region. Steelhead anglers

began to see the benefits of

casting a two-handed rod.

Long casts of 80 to 100 feet

plus, could be made with

relative ease and without

any false casting, which in

turn, meant the fly spent

more time in the water.

Anglers no longer had to

worry about if they had

room to make a back cast.

With a longer rod, line con-

trol became that much easi-

er. More efficient mends

were made and longer drifts

could be achieved. These

advantages opened up

water that was previously

only accessible by boat.

Fishing with a spey rod in

the winter became invalu-

able. Anglers could set a

fixed length of line and not

have to strip any in, result-

ing in less ice build up in

the guides, and warmer

hands.

Since the invasion of the

two-handed rod in North

America, rod and line man-

ufacturers have developed

newer materials into their

designs, which in turn, make

spey casting more efficient

and effortless. Due to these

newer designs, more mod-

ern casts have been devel-

oped, such as the Snake roll,

the Snap-T, the Wombat,

and the Perry Poke, just to

name a few. Salmon and

steelhead anglers are not the

only ones bitten by the spey

bug. Trout anglers are using

shorter and lighter versions

of the two-handed rod while

fishing with indicators,

throwing streamers, and

skating dry flies.

Nearly every rod compa-

ny today makes some kind

of spey rod. If you do decide

to take up spey casting, talk

to your local fly shop and

find out what rod is good for

you. I urge you not to get

caught up in the technical

jargon and semantics. Hire a

guide and learn the basics.

There are many great books

and instructional videos also

available. Study these and

get out on the water.

By learning how to cast

the two-handed rod, you

will find that you've gained

access to waters and fish

that were previously

impossible to reach.

NORTHERN MICHIGANGUIDE SERVICE

Steelhead • Trout • SalmonFly and Spey Fishing

www.OutForTrout.com248.255.2054

AnotherSatisfied

Customer

Staff Writers WantedFishing Guides who want to

share their knowledge and

expertise through articles,

drop us an

email at:

Streamside@kype.net

Traditionally speaking,

flies should be fished

with fly rods. However,

fishing flies from a spinning

system is a deadly tech-

nique for both salmon and

steelhead. Spinning flies

can provide more opportu-

nities as an angler can fish

any type of water.

The average fly fisher-

man will have trouble fish-

ing deep pools with a fly

rod. When the angler drifts

through a deep pool, the fly

line will start to bend from

erratic underwater cur-

rents. These loops create a

large disadvantage to the

angler due to the amount of

slack in the line, making it

very difficult to detect a

strike and allow a strong

hook set.

More difficulties can

occur when choosing to fish

an outer slot. For example,

the river contains a fast

shoot down the center of

the river and a slower slot

on the outer edge toward

the far bank. The average

fly fisherman will experi-

ence drag when targeting

the outer slot. When the fly

line is casted and the line

lays on the river's surface,

the current from the center-

shoot takes the line and

drags your presentation out

of the slower water, creat-

ing a completely unnatural

drift.

A fly fisherman can raise

the rod tip in an attempt to

keep the fly line up and over

the faster water, but this can

be difficult to achieve when

the center shoot isn't direct-

ly in front of you. Also, by

raising the rod tip too much,

an angler can experience a

slight drag from the weight

of the fly line, which will

cause the drift to consistent-

ly pull toward the angler,

causing yet another unnatu-

ral drift.

Fly fishermen also expe-

rience difficulty fishing to

distant destinations. Long

casts are often impractical

and provide a poor drift.

This factor will sometimes

result in them wading out to

water depths up to their

armpits in an attempt to get

closer to the target. This

practice is unsafe and

frowned upon by many

river anglers.

Spinning flies can elimi-

nate these problems since

the monofilament can cut

through currents, not allow-

ing the river to affect the

drift. This fact, plus the abil-

ity to cast long distances, is

the deadly combination that

allows anglers to get their

flies into all water types.

Spinning flies requires

the use of weight at least a

few feet above the fly. The

weight will hold the fly in a

natural drift not allowing

currents or the high rod tip

to drag the fly.

In order to spin flies

effectively, the angler must

have the right equipment.

For both salmon and steel-

head a long limber rod is

best. The length and flexi-

bility of the rod allows for

lighter line, which con-

tributes to more strikes.

Steelhead, Coho, Browns

and Atlantics will require a

9.5 to 11.5 foot noodle rod,

with ultra-light to light

action. For Kings, a beefier

rod is needed to provide

enough strength to battle

these bruisers.

Reels with excellent drag

systems will last a long time

fighting these dynamic fish.

Use a reel that balances with

the rod you're using and one

that feels comfortable to you.

When fishing Great

Lakes tributaries for steel-

head, I use 4 to 6 pound

test leader and an eight

pound main line. For

Kings, I'll run a twelve

pound main line with an

eight to ten pound leader.

On the West coast, I use

stronger equipment to

accommodate a larger vol-

One from the VaultFishing Flies from a Noodle

22

BY GEORGE DOUGLAS, WRITTEN IN 1999

Trout - Salmon - Steelhead

Photo Contest!Kype Close-ups, River Scenes,Fishing Scenes, Fish Pics withRiver Background—Be Creative...

WIN a KypeNoodle Rod!Rules & Instructionsat Kype.net

23

ume of water, and larger

fish.

The rig is simple. Use a

barrel swivel between the

main line and leader. The

leader should be between

three and six feet in length,

depending on conditions.

The clearer the water is, the

longer the leader should be.

Apply your split shot above

the swivel. If you do prefer

using slinkies, use a three

way swivel instead of the

barrel swivel. Connect the

slinky to its own loop on the

three way swivel, by attach-

ing it with a snap or from a

drop leader.

The key to this technique

is being able to detect a

strike, especially with steel-

head that will hit flies very

lightly. Steelhead will eat

small aquatic insects and

eggs without moving an

inch. The pickup will often

be a quick breath in, almost

like a sucking effect. If the

angler doesn't feel this, the

fish will spit the fly out and

probably become spooked.

Always have a finger on

the line to feel every little

nook and cranny. I use the

pointer finger on the hand

that holds the rod. If you're

not used to this, after much

practice, it will become

second nature, and will

allow you to distinguish

rocks from fish. Many

times the hit will be a

slight tap...tap...tap, and

sometimes it’s just the fact

that your line has stopped

drifting.

Detecting the pick-up

immediately is imperative

to ensure a good hook-set.

With these longer rods, the

hook-set must be accelerat-

ed to bury the hook and to

beat the spit. Your hand

should move from the posi-

tion of being out and

extended, to back behind

your ear. A very slight

whipping sound should be

heard. Casting out, 5 to 10

yards up-river from where

you're standing, the weights

should hit the bottom direct-

ly in front of you, or slight-

ly up-river. This is ideal, as

casting too far up-river will

result in many snags and

hang-ups.

During your drift, you

want the weight to graze the

bottom of the river. This is

very similar to the way I

fish eggs—the only differ-

ence is the level of the rod

tip. Fishing flies, the rod tip

is pointed straight out, level

with the water. The rod is

practically pointing directly

at the fly throughout the

entire drift. You need a

direct line, from the finger

that’s on the line, to the fly,

in order to feel those barely

perceptible hits.

Move the rod down

with the drift, but as the

rod moves in a down-

river direction, gradually

direct the point of the rod

down closer to the water.

At the end of the drift, the

rod tip should be pointing

down-river and one to

two feet above the river

surface.

Fishing flies with spin

gear is not allowed on

the fly fishing sections

of many rivers. Be sure

to read the rules and reg-

ulations regarding this

technique.

Made to Perfection

NO

OD

LE

RO

DS

• 10’ 6”• 2 Piece

• Line: 2 - 6#• Shipped in PVC Pipe

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to USA. Add $20 forshipping outside the USA.

Order at www.Kype.net

Castle Douglas ProductionsPO Box 2024 • Anacortes, WA 98221

Noodle Fly Rods Available Seekype.net for prices

24

TIED BY ELIZABETH BARREDA

The Kype ViseThunder Fly

The Thunder Fly was

designed by the

Mahoney brothers, John &

Pat, of New York State. The

fly is named after the great

steelhead phrase, “Heavy

Metal Thunder,” which this

fly tends to produce.

Steelhead love this fly in all

parts of the continent. This

fly has taken steelhead from

the Great Lakes, all the way

to Washington’s Olympic

Peninsula, as well as up the

coast of British Columbia,

and into Alaska.

One of our staff took a

trip to Montana and ven-

tured the mighty trout rivers

in the “Big Sky Country.”

He spent a half-day attempt-

ing to “match the hatch,” to

no avail. Glancing into his

fly box, he grabbed a

Thunder Fly just for kicks—

nothing to lose. Within a few

casts, the Big Sky started to

“thunder”!

This fly

could be

considered

an egg-

s u c k i n g

nymph, but

a little different. Is it an

egg? Is it a bug? It’s hard to

say how fish think, but per-

haps in their moment of

questioning, they strike.

Start creating this fly

by using a size 6 to 10

Mustad #3906B. Be sure

to use a peach colored (or

lime), stretch thread or

something similar for this

particular color scheme.

Tie on two black goose

biots for the tail, to create

a forking

e f f e c t ,

similar to

a stone fly

tail. Then,

wrap the

t h r e a d

around the shank, so the

bottom half of the hook is

peach. Right where the

tail of the fly begins, tie

on a piece of florescent

green larva lace. Wrap

the lace over the peach

thread and tie off half

way up the shank.

Next, cut a piece of peach

chenille, and pull the fabric

off one end to expose the

string for easy and neat

tying. Tie the chenille on,

just above the larva lace and

create an egg-shaped ball.

Be sure not to make the egg

too close to the eye, because

there is one last step remain-

ing, and you’ll need the

room. With this in mind, tie

on two more goose biots for

wings. Just as the tail, be

sure the two biots are facing

the same direction with the

tips curving backwards. The

wings should be in a V-

shape and not too long. Do

not exceed a half of an inch.

Within a few casts, theBig Sky started to

“thunder”!

$34.95includes shipping to US and CAN

Only at Kype.net

Castle Douglas ProductionsPO Box 2024 • Anacortes, WA 98221

LeaderDispenser

Leader

River Bandit

River Bandit

25

This fly can be tied in

several different color com-

binations. Other effective

combinations are tied with

black thread, white biots,

red larva lace and black che-

nille (see the ad on page 30,

where this fly was used).

Another, is an olive pattern,

which is extremely effec-

tive—use olive thread, tan

or white biots, olive larva

lace and olive chenille.

These half buggy, half

eggy flies will trigger light

hits, mostly sucked in by

steelhead. Many times, the

fly will be stuck directly in

the fish’s tongue and throat

area. This can be good and

bad at the same time. It indi-

cates that the fish are

aggressive toward it, but

may also cause the line to

rub along the teeth of

the fish, causing breakage in

the line.

$79.95US Funds

$79.95US FundsIncludes Shipping to USA-Canada

• Includes Waterproofing Wax!!!• Push-button Tie Cord Lock• Available in Sizes M - L - XL• Also Available in Forest Green

Order at Kype.net

Castle Douglas ProductionsPO Box 2024 • Anacortes, WA 98221

WWAAXX HHAATTSS

Publisher, George Douglas 20pound SteelHead

Battle theElementsin Style!

Battle theElementsin Style!

TOP QUALITY WITH OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

Photo by Dake Schmidt

26

Remember last year’s

Superbowl, when Tom

Brady received that horrific

delay of game penalty in the

last few minutes of the

game?

He’s in a “hurry-up”

offense, and approaches the

line of scrimmage. The

crowd is roaring, and the

Giant defense is showing

blitz. Brady needs to call a

play, but he’s fumbling

around trying to get the play

sheet out of his back pocket.

Too late, however! The

whistle blew, and the

Patriots are hit with a cru-

cial five-yard penalty.

Well, for those of you

who know football, you’re

probably scratching your

heads in the realization that

the above scenario never

happened—nor would it

ever happen.

Tom Brady would never

put himself in a position

where he’d have to fumble

around in his pockets in an

attempt to retrieve his play

information. The game is

too important. The stakes

too high. As a true profes-

sional, he, along with many

other quarterbacks, wear a

specially designed wrist-

band to keep their plays at

their fingertips, where they

are easily and instantly

accessible.

The same concept should

apply for river fishermen.

No need to approach

your “line of scrimmage” on

the river bulked up in gear,

and fumbling in and out of

your vest pockets—trying to

free up your hands to tie

knots or get leader! Now

there’s a solution that will

enable you to kiss your fum-

bling days good-bye!

Kype Magazine is proud

to announce that our pub-

lisher, George Douglas, has

River BanditPrepare for Battle

BY JIMMY MAC

EXCERPT FROM ISSUE 1Most rain jackets can weigh you down and can be

very restrictive, hindering free motion, which isespecially needed for fly casting, not to mention theannoying sounds the material makes with eachmove, and can be very hot and uncomfortable

Furthermore, when an angler places a rain hoodupon their head, it blocks his or her ability to utilizevaluable senses.

In an attempt to find a solution, I searched diligent-ly for material that would live up to my standards andwould be part of my everyday fishing attire, whetherit is raining or not. It had to be completely water-proof, stretchable, warm, comfortable, soft, quiet,yet tough enough to endure brush and abrasions.

Finally I was able to create Amphibian Skin whichmet all of these qualifications and more. That is whyI am proud to manufacture and offer this product toour readers.

KYPE WATERPROOF FISHING GEAR

See the ad on page 15

27

KYPE BACK ISSUES

Did

you

mis

s the

firs

tis

sue

of K

ype

Mag

azin

e?DVD: Fishing For A Dream.

The Publisher of Kype Magazine

searches for his new guide.

Shows the vigors of preparation

in guiding. Then off to the river

for some great steelhead and

trout scenes.

Kype Magazine, Issue One:

Starts off with an introductory

article, then moves into

informative articles on jig

fishing, bead fishing, trout in

Yellowstone, simple techniques

for metalheads, and more.

Back copies of Kype are 19.95, includes shippingto US and Canada.

Place your orderat Kype.net

Castle Douglas ProductionsPO Box 2024 • Anacortes, WA 98221

Make sure you have everycopy of Kype

2009 Volume 1Issue 1:

TEAM KYPE WRISTBANDS4.95 includes shipping to US and Canada.

Place your order at Kype.netCastle Douglas Productions

PO Box 2024 • Anacortes, WA 98221

Sometimes it’s the small things thatmake the difference...

just launched a new

product that he

designed, called

River-Bandit, a wrist-

band for fly fisher-

men to store their

flies and encase

leader material, right

at their fingertips.

River-Bandit is made

from Amphibian

Skin, a waterproof

material that will

ensure your flies are pro-

tected and dry.

Now, when you need a

fly, you simply secure your

rod under your arm, and

tear the velcro panel open,

exposing your flies and

leaving both hands free!

To get leader, which is

conveniently located on the

forearm, just pull out the

amount needed and clip—

be sure to leave a couple of

inches of leader for the next

pull. We recommend small

Maxima leader spools. Be

sure to keep the plastic cas-

ing on the spool.

River-Bandit is best worn

on the arm you reel with. It

contains velcro for

adjustable size and allows

you to replace the fly foam

if it wears out.

Approach the river

prepared to touch-down a

trophy trout or steely!

SeaBearSeafood at its Finest

28

STAFF REPORT

In 1957, fisherman, Tom

Savidge, and his wife

Marie, built a backyard

smokehouse and began sell-

ing smoked wild salmon to

local taverns from their

home-based business in

Anacortes, Washington,

which is also presently the

home to Kype headquarters.

With that, Specialty

Seafoods was born, (later

renamed SeaBear after the

Native American legend).

Local tavern owners and

their patrons loved Tom's

smoked salmon, and

requested that he find a

way to preserve it longer.

Tom took their challenge

seriously, and created a

whole new idea in packag-

ing…the Gold Seal Pouch,

for which he, later,

received a patent. The Gold

Seal Pouch preserves the

salmon naturally, requiring

no refrigeration until the

pouch is opened. This

breakthrough in packaging,

opened the door for cus-

tomers, mostly tourists

from Washington's San

Juan Islands, to have the

ability to bring Tom's

salmon back home with

them, or to ship it to family

and friends throughout the

country. Word spread rap-

idly about their smoked

wild salmon and the new

packaging concept, and

business was on the boom.

Today, SeaBear ships

wild salmon products to

customers in all fifty

states. Tom and Marie

remain dedicated to the

same principles they

founded the company

upon, decades ago—pro-

ducing great products,

applying a creative

approach to all they do,

putting their customers

first, and keeping an open

ear as to what customers

want. The Smokehouse at

SeaBear maintains the tra-

dition of award-winning

quality and it stands

behind the quality of their

products with an uncondi-

tional Fisherman's Oath

guarantee.

SeaBear has offered the

best of wild Alaskan salmon

since 1957, which is high-

lighted by numerous indus-

try recognitions (the Grand

Prize in Alaska’s Symphony

of Salmon and the Bronze

Medal at the International

Seafood Show, for exam-

ple), as well as coverage in

leading media, such as

Prevention, Bon Appetit,

Saveur, Fitness Magazine,

QVC and Parade’s What

America Eats.

Seabear sells a variety of

Pacific Northwest seafood,

but their focus is wild

salmon for entertaining,

healthy eating and gifts.

They feature traditional

northwest smoked salmon

fillets; wild salmon dinner

fillets: appetizers such as

beer-garden smoked salmon,

pãçâÉÇ=p~äãçåqêáç

A chance to trythree out of thefive pacificsalmon in one package.

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Serves 2-4,just add 12oz. of milk orcream, heatand serve.

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King SalmonJerky - 100%natural, witha deep smokyflavor. 1.25oz. $9.95

`çééÉêoáîÉêpçÅâÉóÉp~äãçå

The celebratedCopper RiverSalmon Run, renown for its robust flavor, rich-redcolor.

PresentsSeaBear

Products

"This probably wasthe best lunch I’dhad at my desk inmonths. -- ChicagoSun Times

"…Just open it up …very high in Omega-3Fatty Acids, verytasty, very easy." -Good Morning America

…you’ll know you’rebuying wildsalmon."

Castle Douglas ProductionsPO Box 2024 •Anacortes, WA 98221

smoked salmon chowder,

and much, much more.

Our staff recently

toured SeaBear's facility.

Upon entering the build-

ing, we were struck by

just how huge the opera-

tion is—fish being

cleaned, some prepared

for smoking, others fil-

leted and packaged—all

departments working

together as a team. The

staff was courteous and

friendly, and went out of

their way to make us feel

welcome, assuring us

that they'd be most

happy to answer any

questions we might have.

You can't help but be

impressed by the level of

cleanliness at SeaBear.

You could eat off the

floor.

Last, but not least, we

were shown the grade

salmon used in their prod-

ucts—and believe me—

these are first-rate selec-

tions. That's what makes

SeaBear different—they

begin with only pure, pre-

mier, natural, wild salmon

(less than 1% of all

Alaskan salmon meets

their specifications), and

the end product is deli-

cious seafood delivered to

your door.

Visit our website, at

Kype.net and order some

of the finest, non-perish-

able SeaBear products list-

ed in our product section,

and for fresh, refrigerated

options or gift baskets,

frozen berries, and fabu-

lous desserts, go to our

“links page” and click on

our direct connection to

SeaBear.

29

however, usually start

where the crowds are, but

over time, they will begin

migrating off the beaten

path into their own honey

holes.

Quantity

This is a tough one.

There have been days in

both regions where I locked

into banner days, hooking

over thirty fish. There are

regions of the upper west

coast where the steel is so

thick, the river looks like

solid metal. Okay—yes—a

bit of an exaggeration, but

you get my point—the

rivers are loaded.

Conversely, some Great

Lakes river bottoms are

wiggling with steelies--and

that’s not an exaggeration.

If I were to make a call

at this moment, consider-

ing all rivers in all regions

of the US, I’d have to say

the Great Lakes have the

edge.

Quality and Size

West Coast takes the nod

in this category, as metal-

heads are tipping the scales

over thirty pounds!

This can be a problem for

those of us, including me,

who choose to fish light

gear, which can be all fun

and games until you lock

into a monster, twenty-five

pound buck, who can eat

you alive and leave you

with your backing wrapped

around your head.

Great Lakes steelies will

rarely get over fifteen

pounds, however, Lake

Ontario will produce some

bigger girth with fish

exceeding twenty pounds.

Serenity

This is a big one in my

book.

To get out into pristine

wilderness and fish God’s

Country is invigorating, to

say the least. Douglas firs

line eight-thousand foot,

snow-capped peaks, and

luscious, blue-green tinted

pools lay between sets of

rapids. Quite the site—and

only to be found out west.

Obviously, the landscape

of the Great Lakes is differ-

ent, but, to give it a fair

shake, there are awesome

streams that cut through

some beautiful terrain. As

you walk through the

woods of upstate New York

and Pennsylvania, you are

overcome with the feeling

that you are in a sports-

man’s paradise. There is

nothing quite like a hike to

a back-woods stream in this

region.

In Conclusion

Obviously, I have mixed

feelings, as, I’m sure, you

do. After all, we’re talking

about two gorgeous areas,

both home to America’s

greatest source of steelhead.

But, before reaching a final

conclusion on these pages,

post your opinion on the

Kype Facebook page. No

doubt, they’ll be solid argu-

ments on both sides of the

fence, and after reading

your postings, we’ll con-

clude the outcome in our

next issue.

GL vs. WCFROM PAGE 15

30

Battle of the GuidesHigh-Def DVD Widescreen

FREE !with a subscriptionto Kype Magazinefor a limited timeSee page 2

$24.95US Funds

$24.95US FundsIncludes Shipping USA-Canada

www.Kype.net

AlaskanSteelhead

Cas

tleD

ougl

asPro

duct

ions

PO

Box

2024

•Ana

cort

es,

WA

98221

are skilled enough not to

get schooled during their

blistering and knuckle-

busting runs, and it doesn't

matter to them which

direction they go. I've had

fish bolt upstream only to

run aground on the sandy

bank, beach themselves

high and dry, and then flip

back into the water full

speed ahead. Other times

they'll head for the safety

of the salt water, and this

is where you'll get your

exercise walking, jogging,

and stumbling through

fishermen and their lines.

By this time in the fight,

you can hear your drag

screaming, watching your

fly line disappear off the

spool. Rest assured, you’ll

eventually hear the click-

ing sounds as your backing

knots, (which by the way,

probably haven't seen the

light of day in months or

years), go shooting

through the eyelets. As

you watch your backing

get towed through the

crashing waves, wonder-

ing which move to make

next, this is truly a time of

desperation. Hungry seals

and the draw of the ocean's

current are plenty enough

to break you off, end your

fight, and have you slowly

walking back with your

head hung low, empty

handed, knowing you were

beat by the best Kodiak

has to offer.

If you're lucky enough

to land one of these prize

fish with meat the color of

candy apples—job well

done! Hopefully you real-

ize what great table fare

they make, and to that, all

I can say is, olive oil, a

hint of soy sauce, a little

ginger and pepper, and

throw it in the oven and

get your bake on!

Kadie Walsh displays a nice 8 lb sockeye on theKodiak Island road system—Buskin River.

SockeyeFROM PAGE 9

Ph

oto

by

Dak

e S

chm

idt

A FREE SERVICE!!!Kype Fishing Adventures has an affiliate program with some of the best fishing guides and lodges on the plan-et. Give us a call and let our experienced staff customize your next fishing adventure. We take great care inrecommending appropriate fishing destinations to our clients. If needed, we obtain the lowest airfare and bestflight schedules to each destination we represent. We handle all arrangements from airline tickets to nettingthe last fish of your trip.

Fishing Adventures

CONTACT INFORMATION:360.299.2266www.kype.netStreamside@kype.net

Photo by Dake Schmidt

Great Lake Tributaries for 10 to20 pound Brown Trout. 40 poundMonster Kings. And up to 20pound chrome Steelhead. All inyour east coast, back yard.

Washington State: Majestic riverspour through lush and pristinewilderness. Fishing under snow-capped peaks and hooking into bigsteelhead and salmon.

The Skeena River System inNorthern British Columbia. One ofthe biggest runs of Salmon andSteelhead in the world. First classall the way.

Yellowstone National Park Region:Some of the best trout streams inthe world, all within 100 miles ofeach other. This trip of a lifetimeawaits you.

Fishing Alaska, need we say more?Untouched, remote territory teem-ing with huge runs of fish. Don’tput this trip off any longer.

Oregon is jam packed with riverafter river that are world class fish-eries. Some of the most beautifulrivers twisting through picturesqueterrain.

Suggestions for your next fishing adventure...