www.eastforkfly.comfly fishing lifestyle & product photography

"I don't remember the actual moment my fly

fishing & photography hit head on, but I knew

when it did I was a goner."

—Rich Schaaff

"I don't remember the actual moment my fly

fishing & photography hit head on, but I knew

when it did I was a goner."

—Rich Schaaff

www.eastforkfly.comfly fishing lifestyle & product photography

This issue features a very talented photographer, Rich Schaaff.

Rich is a fly fishermen who frequents the East Fork of the Lewis

River in Washington State. His photography is exceptional and cap-

tures the beauty of fly fishing, fly fishing products and the subtle

details that surround the sport.

Rich uses a variety of different looks that include classy black and

whites, sepia’s, full color, and a unique color / grayscale hybrid as

seen on this issue’s cover.

This issue of Kype also sports a new layout and design, and Rich’s

photography compliments it perfectly. As you turn through the pages

of this issue, keep an eye out for his photos that are scattered through-

out. Also, be sure to visit his impressive website at

www.eastforkfly.com

The actual flies were tied by Mike Nutto who appropriately named

the fly the “Nutto Stone.”

Publisher’s Cast..........................................................4

When Browns Attack..................................................6

Rod Breakers on the Alagnak.......................................8

Ted Williams, The Legend...........................................10

Learn What Trout Really Eat......................................12

Spey Clave on the Sandy River....................................14

The North Umpqua....................................................16

Kype Nation..............................................................20

Press Release...........................................................23

The Kype Vise............................................................30

Kype MagazineCastle Douglas Productions.LLC

PO Box 2024Anacortes, WA 98221

360.299.2266Streamside@kype.net

www.Kype.net

Kype StaffPublisher: George DouglasStaff Editors: Kristen Bailey

Lem James

COPYRIGHTKype Magazine

Copyright © 2010 Castle Douglas Productions LLC.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. May no part of this publication or

DVD be copied or reproduced inany way without written

permission from the publisher.

Kype MagazineVOLUME 2, ISSUE 2, 2010

What is a Kype?A kype is a hook that forms on thelower jaw of a male trout, salmonor steelhead, during spawningperiods. This is their badge ofpower and dominance, that isunique to only these species—asign of a warrior. From thismark of strength comes the title ofour magazine, KYPE.

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“Keeping it Real.”by George Douglas

KYPE FishingMagazine

Bio:Publisher of KypeOhio Steelhead GuideHall of Fame AuthorFly Tier

Type of Fishing:Fly, Spey, Spin, Pin & Plug

Location:1/2 the Year, Great Lakes1/2 the Year, West CoastFilming everywhere else

Website:KypeMagazine.com

Contact Info:Streamside@kype.net

We are coming to the end of our nine month fishing excursion. Of course with any-thing there are ups and downs, and that certainly proved true being on the roadthis long. Living out of suitcases and a truck full of product, fishing gear and cam-era equipment is not for the weary. Publishing in and out of hotel rooms and in thepassenger seat passing through multiple states can be exhausting as well.

However, these challenges do not come

as complaints. To have the opportunity

to travel to the best fisheries, that

included an amazing spring guiding

season in northeastern Ohio, was an

experience of a lifetime. The clients

this year were awesome, great people,

lots of fish, and good times. This fish-

ery was explosive and I plan to return

to guiding in Ohio for every spring and

fall season.

I n the past, I have written about fish-

ing with confidence, but at the same

time, there must be a desire to expand

your knowledge base and to experi-

ence things that may be outside your

comfort zone. Similar to any industry,

the fishing industry can have a lot of

hot air blowing around at times.

Generally speaking, everybody knows

everything. You hear a lot of big names

being thrown around along with the

same ole industry blather. Being in and

among this, it is my observation that

many fishermen, and even some pro-

fessionals in the industry, are guilty of

Plato’s Cave.

The allegory of the cave was used

by the Greek philosopher, Plato. His

intention was to illustrate human

nature in regards to knowledge and

education.

Plato describes a fictitious group of

people who have lived as prisoners in

a cave their entire lives. The people

would watch shadows projected on a

wall when things passed in front of the

fire behind them. According to Plato,

the shadows were as close as the pris-

oners would get to seeing reality. He

then goes on to explain how the

philosopher is like a prisoner who is

freed from the cave and comes to

understand that the shadows on the

wall were not reality at all. He can now

perceive the true form of reality rather

than the mere shadows seen by the

prisoners.

Sometimes anglers become legends

in their own mind, but only in what

they see and do every day. For exam-

ple, they may call themselves expert

fly fishermen, but wouldn’t know the

difference between a Perry Poke and a

4

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Within those

regions comes a

plethora of

technique and

various styles.

5

pizza pie. Why? There is no need for a

Perry Poke on their local water.

We are living on a planet that has

amazing fishing opportunities. There

are outstanding fisheries from Russia

to Canada, from Europe to Chile and

everything in between. Within those

regions comes a plethora of technique

and various styles.

If you’d like, I can give you shad-

ows on the wall all day long, and I may

be more successful in doing so, but

that is not the true reality of steelhead,

salmon and trout fishing—hence our

new slogan, “Keeping it Real.”

This year I was inducted into the

Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as

one of forty eight legendary communi-

cators in the freshwater arena. This

great honor reflected my dedication to

this sport as I started at a very young

age and have continued for the last

twenty, plus years. During those years

I positioned myself in and among

some of the best fisheries on the conti-

nent—and now have my sights on

some of those mentioned above.

In lieu of this achievement, Kype

Fishing Magazine announces our new

Hall of Fame section in each issue, fea-

turing legendary anglers who share

this honor with me. Also, I’d like to

announce my latest contribution to the

sport with my new book: George

Douglas’ Fly Fishing: FISH LIKE A

GUIDE. (A short excerpt of the book’s

introduction follows).

In the meantime, I will continue to

bring you an awesome product that is

raw and real. So if you are stuck in

your cave, stop being your own prison-

er and come on out and see the reality

of Kype Nation.

Sincerely,George Douglas

Excerpt: Fish Like a GuideIn 1903, an author by the name of

Wallace Wattles, wrote a book called

“The Science of Getting Rich.” His

book did not only focus on how many

zeros one could add to their net worth,

but also about how to become rich in

all facets of life.

He talked about “thinking and doing

things in a certain way” which I found

very applicable to nearly all that we

do, including the art of catching fish.

If you do things in a “certain way”

on and off the river, you will become a

better angler, I promise.

Guides do things in a certain way.

You can spot them a mile away. You

can tell by the way they move, the

decisions they make, their preparation

and strategy—and it is all geared for

one thing, catching fish consistently.

In this book, I will shine light on

those traits, to grant you access inside

the mind of a fishing guide, allowing

you the opportunity to emulate their

moves and inherit their thought

process that can place you into the

upper echelon of fly fishermen. KYPE

Pre-order Special at

Kype.net $14.95

cover

art

subje

ct t

o c

han

ge

Photo by Richard Schaaff

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A How-to on Nighttime Mousingby Chris Lessway

When BrownsAttack

Bio:Michigan Fishing GuideFly Fishing InstructorTube Fly TierGuide for North BranchOuting Club

Type of Fishing:Fly Fishing / Spey Casting

Location:Michigan Trout and Steelhead Rivers

Website:OutForTrout.comFullersnboc.com

Contact Info:info@outfortrout.com

I have been fortunate enough to grow up in Michigan where there are plenty oftrout fishing streams nearby. The Au Sable and the Manistee Rivers are two of

my favorites. Both streams boast great hatches and are home to leviathan browntrout. Come the beginning of July, most of the major hatches have come to an end.The Hex hatch maniacs have packed up camp and put away their headlamps.

Anglers begin to concentrate on throw-

ing terrestrials and streamers in hopes of

landing a trophy brown. While these two

methods can be successful, an even more

reliable approach many anglers tend to

overlook is nighttime mousing. That’s

right: don’t put away that headlamp just

yet! The crowds are gone and the fish are

still hungry. With warmer and humid

days this time of year, the bigger fish

prefer to feed at night and this is the time

to catch them.

It was the end of July. A friend of mine

who was new to fly fishing called me up

and told me how he was becoming frus-

trated. He complained that all he caught

were small trout and he was ready to

give it up. I assured him there are ways

to catch bigger trout. “Ever heard of

nighttime mousing?” I asked. After a

bout of laughter on the other end of the

line, I took that as a no. So I told him to

grab his gear and come on up to the Au

Sable for the weekend.

Temperatures were in the mid 80’s all

week long and the nights were hot and

humid as well; all perfect conditions for

mousing. We launched the boat at dusk.

By the time we arrived at the first hole,

darkness had settled in. I gave him a

quick “how-to” on mousing, then hand-

ed him a rod rigged with a mouse pat-

tern. After methodically covering the

first hole with no luck, he became a little

discouraged. With a pat on the back, I

reassured him to relax. “We have plenty

of river left to fish.”

The next hole we came to was a long,

flat, and log laden pool just above a rif-

fle. I told him to cast to the bank. No

sooner than the fly hit the water, there

was a thunderous crash of water. “Set the

hook!” I yelled. “Fish on!” he

exclaimed. After a stint of rod pumping

runs up and down the river, a 22-inch

slab of a brown trout came to the net.

“High five!”

Throughout the night we continued to

move plenty of fish, hooking a few and

missing even more. By the time the night

was said and done, we landed at total of

3 fish between 18 and 22 inches. My

friend’s discouragement had diminished

and he became a believer.

6

While many anglers have heard about

fishing with a mouse pattern, only a

handful has actually tried it. Having

worked in different fly shops, I always

got a chuckle out of customers who

would come in and pick up a mouse pat-

tern out of the fly bin and ask, “What the

heck do you catch with this?”

Just to see their reaction, I would reply

“Catfish.” All joking aside, fishing a

mouse pattern at night is going to be your

best shot at catching your biggest trout of

the year, and will provide you with edge

of your seat, explosive excitement!

PRESENTATIONPresentation is a very important aspect

of mousing. Your casting angle and fly

placement are crucial. There are a couple

different ways to fish a mouse pattern.

The first way is to cast across stream, as

tight to the bank as possible. Once the fly

hits the water, you want to make slow

strips with short pauses in between.Sometimes I like to twitch my rod tip

and give the fly a popping sound whileletting the fly drift in between. A secondway to fish them is to swing the fly downand across, similar to swinging a fly forsteelhead. With this method, you stillwant to cast your fly tight to the bank, butat a 45 degree angle. You do not need toworry about stripping or popping your fly.You want the current to carry your fly outand across, while creating a small wake.

While both methods can be effective,I still prefer the first one when possible.This method seems to bring up biggerfish, as it gives a more realistic presenta-tion of a mouse swimming in the water.Do not limit yourself to just one style; letthe situation and conditions determinewhich presentation to use. If you come toa stretch of river where it is too narrow tocast across to the bank, go ahead and tryswinging the fly. Remember, you are

searching water and trying to elicit astrike. If a fish does hit, do not set thehook like you would on a dry fly. Mostof the time you will just pull the fly awayfrom the fish. Use a strip set. This ismore effective, and if the fish is nothooked, it will leave the fly in the water.Brown trout are very aggressive.Sometimes they will come back and hitthe fly multiple times.

When casting, don’t worry about

being delicate. You want that fly to

smack the water in hopes of getting the

attention of a fish. I don’t know how

many times I have had a fish hit my fly

almost immediately after it hits the water,

way before I could even get one strip in.

WATER & CONDITIONSDuring the day, fish seek out shelter in

whatever kind of structure they can find.

(Boulders, downed trees, sunken docks

and logjams.)

At night time they tend to let their guard

down and move out to feeding lanes and

sometimes even the inside of a river

bend. Just because you know the water is

shallow in a particular area, do not

be afraid to cast there, especially if

there is good cover nearby. You will

be surprised where fish tend to hold

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Photo of some mouse

flies the author uses.

After a stint of rod

pumping runs up

and down the

river, a 22-inch slab

of a brown trout

came to the net.

“High five!”

7

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The Pursuit of Chum Salmonby Josiah Darr

ROD Breakers onthe Alagnak

We’ve all had those days where your hands are shaking on the steering wheelwhile you cruise home from the river due to the unreal day you just had. It

was like you couldn’t do anything wrong. Every cast was perfect. Every swingwas through the slot. Every spot you knew there should be a fish, there was. Itfelt like the clouds parted and a golden ray of light was shining down on youwhile a chorus of angels belted high notes every time you loaded up another cast.

For one day you had achieved fishing

nirvana. I’m sure it was amazing, and a

day you’ll never forget, but if you

weren’t fishing chums on the lower

Alagnak River while they flooded in

with the tide, you may not exactly know

what nirvana looks like.

Since I was old enough to know

which end of the rod to hold, I’ve been

chasing salmon and steelhead around the

west coast from Bristol Bay to Southern

Oregon. It’s a lifelong pursuit that has

never been quenched, nor will it. But

somehow, not through my own doing,

I’ve been blessed with the opportunities

to fish hallowed waters,

the kind of places where

men spend their lives

dreaming about while

knowing it’s never going

to come true. Again, let

me reiterate. I was most-

ly lucky and blessed to

get these chances. But

what I will say is out of

all the places I’ve made

a cast, there isn’t a more Man vs. Beast,

survival of the fittest, two men enter one

man leaves, fishery than fly fishing

chums on the lower Alagnak.

The Alagnak River is roughly 70

miles long and pours out of Nonvianuk

and Kukaklek Lake, coming together to

form one of the richest salmon and trout

rivers on earth. Rainbows the size of a

grown man’s arm rip apart and swallow

baby red voles as they skitter across the

river in the spring. One grizzly after

another peels green headed sockeye like

ripe bananas on gravel bars while Bald

Eagles pick at the discarded skeletons.

These are your daily viewing pleasures

in the braided upper river. Just a boat

ride from the tidewater to the fork with-

out even making a cast is enough to

excite any fishermen, but it’s the long

meandering sandbars in the lower river

where the real battles take place. Docile

looking sandbars, no more threatening

than a soft whisper from pretty girl,

quickly turn into something resembling

the first scene in Saving Private Ryan

8

Bio:Columnist for STS Magazine

Free Lance Outdoor Writer forMultiple Publications

Avid Steelhead and SalmonFisherman

Type of Fishing:“Whatever it takes to get bit”

Location:Dark Coastal Canyons inOregon

Rivers Surrounding Forks, WA

Bristol Bay Region, Alaska

Contact Info:short_hop@hotmail.com

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Chards of

graphite go flying

in every direction

and a bewildered

fisherman is

simply standing

there...

9

when the Americans take the beach at

Normandy. It’s flat out awesome fishing.

As July rolls along, fresh chums start

filling the Alagnak every time the brackish

water mixes in the lower river. By the mid-

dle of August every sand bar in the lower

15 miles of river is so blanketed with

Chums, quietly floating over the inside

corners of the river, that looking at them

scattered across the sand is almost unnerv-

ing. Some are so chrome they’re mistaken

for Silvers, while others are completely

covered in their own unique camo pattern.

As they scatter like cockroaches

exposed to sudden light out from under-

neath the boat, you can’t help but think

to yourself, “Am I really going to fish

this? Am I really ready for this? Like

really, seriously ready? This is going to

be epic…EPIC!! Did I bring enough

flies and leader?” All these questions are

about to be answered when you coast up

to a sand bar, grab your rod, wander out

on the slowly tapering bar until you’re

thigh deep and lay out a cast.

The fly choice isn’t too critical when

fishing over hundreds of fresh nickel-

bright chums that have been pouring one

after another, immediately replacing

each other, but something long and

stringy in fuchsia or baby pink or a com-

bination there of with a touch of flash is

a place to start. You could try other col-

ors, but you’d be wasting your time.

We all know casting flies this gaudy is

more of a chuck and duck technique than

the prissy stuff you saw on A River Runs

Through It. Flies this big cast like hell no

matter what, so tapering your leader is

not only a waste of time, but it will add

those little blood knots to the line. The

knots aren’t so bad for normal fish, but

when you try to tail a thrashing chum,

those little knots will pull through your

wet hands and take a chunk of skin out of

the creases in your fingers in seconds. It

will hurt for days and only tube after

tube of Super Glue in the freshly torn

open wounds will be able to save you.

Trust me, it’s bad.

Don’t bother being the elitist fly fish-

ermen when you pick your hooks either.

A hook with a long enough shaft that you

can grab with your pliers, not forceps,

while a thrashing chum tries to dislocate

your shoulder really helps. Don’t even

think about using barbs. You’ll be

relieved if one comes off once in a while

since you’ll pretty much have another

fresh contender every time you make

another cast.

Something resembling a sharpened

piece of bent rebar is about the only

thing that will stand up to the onslaught

of hatred and aggression these flies are

about to be put through. Many of them

still won’t make it though more than one

fish, but those are acceptable casualties

that died honorable deaths. Besides, you

probably tied them as fast as possible the

night before with chewed up Super

Glued fingers while working through a

Photo by Josiah Darr

WES

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on the Field and on the Waterby George Douglas, Sr.

TED Williams,The Legend

Bio:Outdoors Enthusiast,FishingHikingSkiingSnowshoeing

Type of Fishing:Fly and Spin Fishing

Location:Great Lakes Catskill Mountains

Contact Info:Streamside@kype.net

I n 1930, San Diego, California was a small city of about 100,000 people. A skin-ny kid named Ted had just finished playing baseball with a group of friends and

was now headed out to Coronado Island with a fishing buddy to fish Mission Bayfor albacore. He would spend the rest of his life alternating between both loves,baseball and fishing.

Ted Williams would later trade in his

homemade bamboo fishing pole for the

most advanced fly fishing equipment in

his quest for what he called the big

three: Tarpon, Bonefish and Atlantic

Salmon.

During baseball’s off-season,

Williams lived at his home in the

Florida Keys and would fish for Tarpon

and Bonefish with a few of the top

guides that rented out their services,

especially in the area of Islamorada,

Florida. Early mornings would find Ted

and his guide hunting for Tarpon with

the light tackle that made his catch that

much more challenging and exciting. It

was also one of the trademarks of fish-

ing with Williams. Tarpon, due to their

large size, were easier to spot in the

early hours of the day. But later, when

the sun was higher, the hunt changed to

spotting Bonefish on the flats. Spotting

fish, presenting the fly to the fish, and

enticing the strike was the technique that

Ted loved. Releasing each fish that he

caught was a must.

In those early days, Tarpon and

Bonefish were plentiful and Williams

had much of the area to himself.

Coming to the Florida Keys and renting

a guide for even a day was an expensive

venture, even in the mid 1940's. But

Williams had found a new home and six

months a year, fishing in the Keys was

his new passion. And passion it was

because just like hitting a baseball,

Williams the perfectionist, would

approach fishing with everything he had

within him. The results were obvious to

anyone around him. Due to Williams’

presence in the area, Islamorada soon

started calling itself the “Sport Fishing

Capitol of the World.” But by the mid 1950's something

occurred that would change Williams’fishing world for the rest of his life. Hewas still playing baseball at this timewhen he received an invitation from theMiramichi Salmon Association. Theyhad, of course, heard all the stories aboutWilliams, his love for fishing and thepurest that he was concerning everythingthat had to do with the challenge of flyfishing. Of course, their motive was also

10

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"The Tarpon may be

a better fighter, the

Bonefish a faster

swimmer, but all

things combined

there is no better

opponent for the

consummate

angler than the

Atlantic Salmon."

—Ted Williams

11

promoting the area and the pursuit of theelusive Atlantic Salmon. Nothing wouldpromote the area more than the arrival ofTed Williams himself. Williams hadnever fished for freshwater fish of anykind before but for some reason, hebecame interested and accepted the invi-tation. The river was the Miramichiwhich crossed the Canadian Province ofNew Brunswick. For two months in latesummer, the salmon make their spawningrun down the river, later returning to thesea. Williams found that this was a differ-ent kind of challenge in his fishing life.With Tarpon and Bonefish, the challengebegan with the hunt to first sight the fishand then make the presentation. But thiswas very different. With Atlantic Salmon,there was no sighting the fish in the vari-ous pools where the fish tended to restwhile on their journey. It often requiredhundreds of casts before a strike. Ofcourse, Williams did have some of thechoice pools along the Miramichi to fish.One of his favorite pools was called the“swinging bridge.” Access was affordedto him that others did not have. ForWilliams, this was imperative. He wasnot about to have others fishing aroundhim. His tolerance of people was notalways the best whether he was on thebaseball diamond or while fishing. It didnot take too much for Williams to leapinto a cursing tirade. Like everything elsethat Ted did, cursing was like an art form.Nobody was better.

Williams also found that these fishwere a lot more selective in what flythey would take and how it was present-ed. In fact, the Atlantic Salmon actuallywere not feeding while in the river. Thefly would be taken for whatever otherreason, such as annoyance or other reac-tion. This also made the challenge muchmore difficult. He would spend hours

making his own flies, each one, a littledifferent color and style. But Williamsloved tying flies. It wasn’t just a part ofthe whole fishing experience.Outsmarting the Atlantic Salmon withhis own creation was one thing, but healso used fly tying as an escape. Heoften would retreat to his fishing room,which contained all his fly tying equip-ment, when he was stressed and neededthe escape. He found it very relaxing.Even while Williams was still playingball, he could often be found tying fliesin his apartment in the city that he wasplaying in at the time. Williams eveninvented a number of his own flies. One

Ted Williams receiving his

enshrinement into the

Freshwater Fishing Hall of

Fame. This award was

delivered to the Hitters

Hall of Fame in Hernando,

FL. by Larry Colombo.Photo courtesy of the

Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame

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Has This Ever Happened to You?by Michael McAuliffe

EATLearn WhatTrout Really

Bio:Owner: Rise Form Studio/RiseForm Fly Fishing GuidesNJ Fly Fishing Guide Fly Fishing InstructorAuthorFly Tier

Type of Fishing:Fly Fishing everywhereFilming everywhere

Website:riseformstudio.tv

You did your homework. All winter long you studied your hatch charts,researched the best patterns, tied flies, and figured out where and when to

fish. You fastidiously gathered all of this information in the hopes of constructing anepic season of fly fishing. It is early afternoon on a crisp April day. You have confident-ly positioned yourself downstream of the fast water that the Epeorus Pleuralis inhabits.

You tie on a Quill Gordon just as the

first bugs begin to struggle free of the

surface tension. The trout should start

eating any minute as the flotilla increas-

es in numbers. After an hour of watch-

ing the big mayflies pour by unmolest-

ed, you concede defeat. Naturally you

wonder, “What did I do wrong?”

Conventional wisdom would have

you believe you’ve done nothing

wrong. Many of our trusted advisors

coin phrases to justify why the fish did-

n’t eat on a particular day, or better yet,

why we can’t catch them all the time.

Does this sound familiar? I thought so.

Don’t feel bad, I’ve been there; and

now I intend to chronicle how I stopped

falling victim to angler’s theories, hatch

charts, speculation, conjecture, and the

pontifications of “experts.”

Long before I began guiding profes-

sionally, I simply wanted to be a better

angler. I did all of the things mentioned

above and continually came up short of

my expectations. The simple truth of

the matter is that hatch charts represent

a small view of the complex relation-

ship between trout, food sources,

behavior, and environment. It is a com-

mon and accepted belief that trout do

90% of their feeding sub-surface. So

why do we put so much stock in writ-

ings that primarily detail feeding behav-

ior and food sources that are visible on

or above the surface of the river? If you

are from my region, the Mid Atlantic

States (notably NJ and PA) and your

interest is fishing dries flies in the

evening, hatch charts are a fantastic

tool. They should put you in the ball

park and guide you to what trout are

eating during a window of time and

what flies you should have in your box.

However, for the rest of us that fish

beyond May and June Evenings, many

of the hatch charts I’ve seen leave out

much of a trout’s primary food sources.

If you want to consistently catch more

Trout, especially on tough days, you

will need to educate yourself through

observation made on the stream.

Looking Beyond the TextHow did I learn to see beyond the

Hatch Charts and get the complete pic-12

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I watched and

learned from John

Heaney how to safe-

ly and effectively

pump a trout’s

stomach.

13

ture? Enter my good friend and fellow

NJ Fly Fishing Guide, John Heaney.

John is the one of the best fisherman I

have ever had the good fortune to share

a stream with, and he taught me that the

greatest tool a fly angler can arm him-

self with is a regiment of focused obser-

vation. The tools we use for our

research are a seining net, stomach

pump, notebook, and digital camera

with a macro function. Armed with

these devices we started cataloguing

what the trout were eating during every

month of the year. I like to jokingly call

this the Salmo Gastronomic Index for

New Jersey.The first step to understanding a

trout’s diet in a particular river is by

looking at what food sources are pres-

ent. There are several simple ways to

quickly identify what food sources are

available. The first is to look at and

under submerged rocks along the side of

the stream. The second is to pull up a

few submerged sticks or trapped leaves

and examine the insect life you are find-

ing. A good course of action is to spend

a few hours sampling at least once a

month. It is important to do this in

diverse types of water. Varied insects

and food sources inhabit slow/silty,

moderate, and fast/broken stretches of

water, so make sure to sample a diverse

cross section of habitat. I like to pick 3

spots on a body of water with landmarks

that will not be erased by floods, and

sample the exact spot each time. I would

also recommend you do this in the same

stretches of river you fish the most.

Remember to put stones, leaves and

sticks back where you find them, as they

are important parts of the ecosystem.

If it is legal in your area, a seine or

kick net is a better option. Have one

person hold the net or screen a few feet

downstream while you disturb the

streambed with your boots. The current

will carry and trap macro-invertebrates

in your net. Make sure to get good clear

pictures of what you find. Now you can

catalogue and research your findings in

a notebook.

The second and most revealing

observations you can make are through

the use of a stomach pump. Over the

course of a little more than one fishing

season, I watched and learned from

John Heaney how to safely and effec-

tively pump a trout’s stomach. This is a

subtle art that takes a lot of practice. I

would strongly recommend you seek

out someone with a few years experi-

ence if you intend to employ this tech-

nique. It is very easy to harm a trout if

you do not do it properly.

To get stomach samples, you need to

catch the “right” fish. We like to pump

stocked fish in the 12-14 inch range. It

is very easy to harm a smaller trout, due

to the size of the stomach pump and the

opening between the gills. A larger fish

Photo by Richard Schaaff

OH

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Woodstock for Fly Fishermenby Klint Borozan

SPEY Clave on theSandy River

Bio:Former Fishing Guide SW Montana and AlaskaSteelhead & Salmon Fly TierOutdoor Writer

Type of Fishing:Spey Casting for Anadromous Species.

Location:Michigan, Alaska, Montana, Florida.

Contact Info:klintb@aol.com

I can only assume that John Keats was talking about spey casting as hepronounced, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” If you are a stalker of

the Anadromous, especially in the Northwest, you likely know about thegreat fishermen this area has produced, as well as witnessed them cast. I amfar less of an artist and more of journeyman when it comes to spey fishing.

Left to my own resources, I can catch just

about anything. That has been my focus.

But my focus has changed forever. As my

life progresses, I want to become more

the artist. When you see a truly inspired

spey caster, it is that “joy forever” that

never passes.

Enter the gentlemen of the sport: Steve

Rajeff, Simon Gawesworth, Mark

Bachmann and Charles St. Pierre.

Like many, I joined the ranks of spey

casters as my need to cover more water

became top of mind on the really big

rivers in the Northwest, where the

Steelhead and Salmon take over every

year. Books are good, but only if you

have a good starting point of reference

and a solid foundation in “sustained

anchor dynamics.” If I am going to do

something, I want to really go after it, and

measuring against the best is the only

way to live. I love to practice the things

about which I am passionate. Spey cast-

ing is one of those things I can and will

do all day. On the big rivers, I don’t stop

for rain or lunch. Other than to learn

something special, from someone spe-

cial; the only thing that stops me is to

watch a true master, gently, but powerful-

ly, rolling 100 feet of line across the river.

A thing of beauty it is.

So let’s shift gears. Yes, it’s beautiful.

Yes, it’s fun. And yes, these folks are gen-

tlemen of the highest order. But it’s very

cool. And it’s not just for men. But…

what specifically do you do to move it

forward in your arsenal of attack? You go

to the Woodstock of Spey Fishing: The

Sandy River Spey Clave. This year

marked the 10th Anniversary of the event14

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15

spawned (no pun intended) by Fred

Evans and Mark Bachmann. At the initial

event in 2000, it had about 50 attendees.

In 2010, over a 3 day period, it likely had

over 400 to 600 people per day casting

and testing the newest rods, new line

technology, poly-leaders and more.

Spending some real time with many dif-

ferent rods and line set ups on the very

fine water of the Sandy River is a treat

well worth the trip all by itself. But what

is it about the format that is the really

exciting? Very simple. I can articulate the

formula very succinctly: You show up.

You go to real-time, live, on the river

clinics, from the best players in the

world. You go try a set up from Echo,

Sage, Winston, G. Loomis, Burkheimer,

or Loop, and get free advice and lessons

from the world’s best, all day long. It is

basically cultural immersion training

over 3 days. It is great for people of all

abilities, especially beginners, and even

experts. And most importantly, it’s very

constructive. Not one soul there laughed

at my D-Loop position!

My sampling of the clinics to took me

to everything from dealing with very long

sink tips, the new MOW systems, tradi-

tional long belly casting, summer run

steelhead dry fly presentations using long

bellies, and a wonderful assortment of the

Skagit Casting models for every possible

situation from guys like George Cook,

Mike Kinney, and Mark Bachmann. The

only person unaccounted for from previ-

ous years was Dec Hogan, but he moved

to Salt Lake City to be with the love of his

life. I think that deserves a hall pass.

Friday began early with the ladies run-

ning the agenda. I expected pink waders

and hats from the Kentucky Derby. But

honestly, the women’s presentations were

as professionally done as any I have ever

seen. They were great communicators

and very kind, giving lessons and cri-

tiques to both men and women tirelessly

until it started to get dark on the river. If

you ever get a chance, Amy Hazlett, from

Deschutes anglers, is truly a fine teacher

of all aspects of both Skagit and Scandi

casting styles, as well as an outstanding,

Photo by Richard Schaaff

OH

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A River Set in Stoneby Lem James

The NorthUmpqua

Bio:Staff Editor,Kype MagazineAvid Angler and Hunter

Outdoor Writer

Type of Fishing:River fishing for Salmon andSteelhead

Location:Steelhead Rivers of OregonNorth Umpqua River

Contact:Streamside@kype.net

Unique among rivers, the North Umpqua is a river set in stone. The basalt for-mations have rigidly defined the channels, holes, fish and the storied history.

This same rock bed still defines the river’s flow, creating a unique fishing and boat-ing experience on the Umpqua. Understanding the basalt rock formations is key tounderstanding how to fish and boat this river.

Many rivers go through small areas of

hard igneous rock cast in lava during cen-

turies gone by, but the Umpqua is defined

by the rock it winds through almost from

its inception through to its tidewater.

The North Umpqua River starts at

Maidu Lake near the summit of the

Central Oregon Cascades. Near the lake

you can take a stride or hop across the

“river,” which is more of a rivulet at this

point. The lake has a shallow sloping

bottom and a population of brook trout

that congregate mostly toward the deep-

er water in the middle. A fisherman will-

ing to wade deep and cast long might

reach them. Better to bring a float tube.

The North Umpqua trail winds from

Maidu Lake downstream through sever-

al miles of subalpine forest into a stretch

of elk meadows and cut bank trout

stream. I will leave it up to you to dis-

cover if there are any fish there.

Although it looks fishy enough, some-

thing tells me it is limited to a few small

brown trout that stray upstream from the

confluence with another small creek just

above Lemola Reservoir. The brown

hole where the creeks meet is famous for

its crystal clear water, large brown trout

and, picky fish. I have managed to catch

fish here, but it’s tough. This joining of

two creeks marks the beginning of river-

like water, and ends several hundred

yards later in Lemola Reservoir.

The upper section of the river is the

main component in the North Umpqua

Hydro project, a WWII era electric

power generation project. There are

three Dams on the project: Lemola,

Toketee, and Soda Springs Dam. Each

impoundment, and the waters in

between to some extent, has self sustain-

ing populations of brown trout along

with some rainbows and brook trout. I

have stood in one magic meadow and

caught several nice brown trout, a

brookie and a rainbow without ever

changing position. The rainbow looked

like he might have been chewed on by

some of the larger browns but, still all

three species in one place is pretty cool.

My favorite go to rig for fly fishing in

the brown trout waters is to cast a para-

chute adams with a 6-10 inch dropper to

16

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Also unique to the

North Umpqua is

the propensity of

the steelhead to

accept top water

offerings.

17

a size 18 or smaller chironomid. The

nymph usually gets the take, while the

adams acts as an indicator and catches a

fair amount of fish.

Below Soda Springs Dam, the North

runs unimpeded except for one low rise

dam all the way to the Main Umpqua

and the ocean. The next 30 miles down-

stream to Rock Creek are designated fly

fishing only. There are trout present and

some anglers that target them, but

downstream of Soda Springs Dam

marks the beginning of big fish water!

This is notorious steelhead water.

Although the North has steelhead and

salmon up to Soda Springs Dam, almost

half of the wild steelhead spawn in

Steamboat Creek. Steamboat Creek

comes into the Umpqua, and the waters

under Steamboat present a strong flow,

and a solid run of wild North Umpqua

Steelhead. The waters below Steamboat

Creek hold fish throughout the summer

and are referred to as the camp water

section for the fishing camps that were

established there during the early to mid

1900s. Most rivers see profound change

throughout the course of 100 odd years.

The North Umpqua has remained sub-

stantially unchanged due once again to

its bedrock foundation. The camp water

section in particular has a rich history of

famous writers, presidents, dignitaries

and almost every big name in fly fishing

lore. All these anglers have fished the

same rocks, ledges and runs with very

slight variation over the last century.

Also unique to the North Umpqua is

the propensity of the steelhead to accept

top water offerings. On most Pacific

Northwest Rivers, a fish can, if rarely,

be taken using top water popper and

skating methods. The North Umpqua

presents a real opportunity to catch fish

using skated flies (current video clips at

www.scotthowellfishing.com). Scott’s

clients often object when he explains

that skating flies will be the first order of

business. Scott explains that on the

Umpqua, top water flies have an even

chance of catching fish. For many fly

angles this is something akin to the

highest attainment in the fishing uni-

verse. Indeed catching steelhead on any

fly on the Umpqua is a high attainment.

These fish don’t come easy and some-

times they don’t cooperate at all.

However, the rugged beauty of the

North Umpqua and the chance at wild

fish keeps the diehard solidly hooked!

Over the years the North Umpqua has

spawned its share of steelhead flies. The

skunk and the green butt skunk being

perhaps the most prolific. These are wet

flies that swing with the best. The skop-

per is a custom steelhead popper, and

other small poppers are the cutting edge

of skating flies. Muddler minnows are

also very popular and claim a great

respect in the local fishing community.

The Rock Creek hole is the lower end

of the fly fishing only area, and the

Photo by Richard Schaaff

ORE

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18

entire Rock Creek area presents

almost a fishery unto itself. The

Rock Creek fish hatchery pumps an

amazing number of native strain

hatchery steelhead, coho and chi-

nook into the North Umpqua. Upon

their yearly return, the waters

below Rock Creek are prime hold-

ing ground for thousands of fish

and hundreds of anglers. The Rock

Creek area is primarily fished with

bait, corkies, yarn and various

lures. Swinging bait or fishing with

a slide bobber accounts for hun-

dreds of fish. At the peak of the

runs, many drifts and holes are

elbow to elbow with fishermen. As

with most such fisheries, many fish

are caught by the local top guns. A

good feel for soft bites and great

egg cures carry the day.

Downstream from the Rock Creek

Swift Water area, the river once

again changes back to a remote

fishery. Much of the land along the

river transitions from public land to

private ranches and the drift boat

waters begin.

The steelhead and salmon on the

North Umpqua also make their way

up guided by the ancient basalt

pathways. Unlike freestone rivers,

fishing the Umpqua channels has as

much to do with ancient geology as

current hydrology. The fish are

finning through sections of seem-

ingly flat water in 12-50 foot deep

channels, which are sometimes vis-

ible from the surface. Swinging

your presentation closer to the bank

in high water won’t help (most of

the time) because the fish are still

channeled up. The opportunities are

here, and once you learn the river it

stays substantially unchanged over

time. North Umpqua fishing is

challenging and rewarding. Top

hands drifting yarn balls or eggs

from drift boats often catch and

release 20 fish for two anglers dur-

ing peak runs! If bringing 20 steel-

head to the boat doesn’t get your

excitement level to the red zone,

I’m not sure what I can do to help,

unless of course chinook come into

the picture.

Fifteen to forty pounds of ocean

hardened spring chinook can leave

some anglers dazed from sleep

deprivation and sheer adrenaline.

There are a very few fly fishermen

who target chinook. Most of the

North Umpqua fishery is focused

on drifting presentations of cured

salmon eggs, and running hardware

such as quickfish and wobblers.

Although in season late April

through July, many chinook run

long stretches of the river very

quickly. The hatchery fish stack up

below Rock Creek where they get

their due attention from the locals.

Boat fishing can be productive

from the mouth of the North at

River Forks up to the dam at

Amacher Park. Most anglers back

bounce eggs or sand shrimp and

eggs working them back into holes

where the fish hold. Spring chi-

nook can be tough, so expect to put

some time in or fish with someone

already adept in the techniques.

Lone Rock boat launch is a

wooden drift boat slide located just

above the town of Glide on Lone

Rock Road. This uppermost boat

section consists of several runs and

smooth stretches, and begins the

winter steelhead side drifting

water. Some fishermen run plugs

with some success. Side drifting

with eggs or yarn balls accounts for

most steelhead success on the boat

water from Lone Rock Launch

downstream through several drifts

all the way to River Forks boat

ramp at the confluence of the North

and South Umpqua. Fly fishing in

the boat fishing areas is very rare.

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19

Scott Howell guides these sections

fishing indicators and wet flies.

You will encounter local anglers

accessing the river in drift boats

and pontoon rafts. Pontoon boats

definitely have a place in this fish-

ery. Their mobility and stability

allow them to handle some of the

water that keeps out a high percent-

age of the drift boats and almost

excludes jet boats altogether. Still,

much of the fly fishing is concen-

trated upstream in the fly only

water.

Colliding Rivers boat ramp and

the short 3 hour (while fishing)

drift from Colliding Rivers to the

unimproved Gravel Quarry take

out represent a good chance at fish

and the ONLY moderately easy

drift boat water on the upper North

Umpqua. The Amacher Park to

Hestness Landing float includes

easy rowing but some complicated

kicker motor work in order to fish

the most productive stretches more

than once. Floating through from

the upper stretches to Whistlers

Park boat ramp represents only

moderate challenges and experi-

enced rowers should be up to the

challenge. Whistlers Park to Page

Road presents a very long day trip

with one dangerous rapid at Dixon

Falls. The North Umpqua has a

strong flow, a healthy gradient and

a few extra tricks up its sleeve with

the ledge rock nature. Although the

upper reaches of the fly only water

seems to be typical boulder strewn

fast water river, the river quickly

develops the nature it keeps down

to the Pacific Ocean. Bedrock

ledges and outcroppings channel

the river, making challenges for

boaters and bank anglers alike.

Hard bedrock ledges can lurk just

under still water or channel the

entire river through small intense

channels. The easy meandering

ways of a freestone river will not

prepare you for the Umpqua. Only

time on the Umpqua will teach you

the hazards and nature of the river.

Colliding Rivers, Dixon Falls,

and Burkhart Rapids claim drift

boats and even jet sleds on a con-

sistent, sometimes yearly, basis.

These descents claim the boats of

the most experienced rowers on the

river and should be given due

respect. The easier rowing water

has fishing opportunities and thrills

enough for most drifters. A bad

entry or a missed stroke of the oar

is a small chance to bet your boat

gear and safety on. Drift boaters

who have mostly rowed on flat

water should do some pre scouting

and information finding before

attempting any North Umpqua

drift.

The emerald waters and rugged

beauty of the North Umpqua are

without parallel in the world of

steelhead and the men who fish

them. From the notorious fly only

waters to the drift boat waters and

their epic potential, days spent on

the North Umpqua are seldom

wasted and never forgotten. The

surging run of bright fish will etch

the memory in stone as well.

Written by Lem James with Scott

Howell. Scott Howell loves to

answer questions about fly fishing

in Southern Oregon. Drop him an

email or cast him a line.

(541) 608-0403

Scott@ScottHowellFishing.com

KYPE

Photo by Brazda’s Fly Fishing, WA

MIC

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Jeff’s Guide ServiceDrift & Jet Boat - Fly & Spin FishingMuskegon River – Steelhead & Salmon616-204-4999jeff@muskegonriverguide.commuskegonriverguide.com

Staff Report Fish KypeNation

Bob Toman is one of the most well respected fishing

guides on the west coast. He has been guiding profes-

sionally since 1968. His guiding season in Oregon

focuses on three primary locations, the Clackamas

River, the Deschutes River, and Tillamook Bay. Bob

also owns and operates Toman's King Camp which is

three-hundred and fifty miles southwest of Anchorage

and lies on the Nushagak River.

Bob Toman Guide Service

Oregon Sportfishing

503-658-6493

Clackamus & Deschutes Salmon & Steelhead fishing

www.bobtoman.com

20

Angler's Lodge

For Those Who Enjoy A Secluded Natural Setting

Altmar, NY 13302

(315) 298-6028

stonehouseinnlodging.com

Fox Hollow Salmon River Lodge

2740 State Route 13

Altmar, New York 13302

Roger Wolfe - (315) 298-2876

Foxhollowsalmonriverlodge.com

Salmon River, Pulaski New York

Bob Toman Guide Service, Oregon

As in any magazine, the advertisers are the ones who make it all possible. We would like to start this sectionto provide some extra exposure to our advertisers and to shine light on the different professionals and

personalities in the steelhead, salmon and trout arena. Our advertisers have devoted their lives and careers tothe sport of fishing. Please keep them in mind for your future trips and gear.

The Salmon River has been an east coast favorite since the 1970’s. As of late, the fishery has stepped up a

notch as the N.Y. Department of Environmental Conservation lowered the daily limit of steelhead from

three down to only one. This change has proven success as the thriving steelhead run will show. The river also

receives a large run of browns that are usually mixed in nice with the steelhead. Of course, the fall salmon run

is what made this river famous—and the runs of kings and coho continue to storm-troop the river each year.

The lodging on this river is plentiful. Nearly every corner has a fishing lodge of some sort. Although some

are better than others, they all place you in close proximity to the river.

The two lodges featured this issue are located near Altmar, which is a prime section of the river. Be sure

to check out these lodges for your next trip to the Salmon River.

Mike Whittle is the new owner of J&J Guide Service

that features fly fishing trips on the world class Pere

Marquette River and Big Manistee. These are two of

Michigan's heavy hitters, especially the Pere

Marquette. This river is a gem and is world renowned.

Mike and his staff of guides hold the most permits

for guiding these river systems, allowing them to

accommodate a couple of anglers to large groups.

J&J River Guides Inc.

Baldwin, Michigan

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21

Some of the biggest and baddest steelhead can be

found on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula.

Some of the top rivers in the country lay in this pris-

tine territory. The landscape ranges from rain forest to

the Olympic Mountains—it is truly remarkable.

Jeff Brazda, owner of Brazda’s Fly Fishing, runs an

impressive guide service within this region. Be sure to

check out his website at brazdasflyfishing.com

Brazda’s Fly Fishing - # 10393

Trout & Steelhead Fishing on the

Olympic Peninsula in Washington

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decades of exploration knowledge in the region with

fifteen years of adventure and fish guiding experience.

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Fetha Styx has announced an

expansion of its partnership with

the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the

Coastal Conservation Association.

Fetha Styx is a Redmond, Wash.-based

manufacturer of high-performance

fishing rods with a social conscience.

Under the new agreement, Fetha

Styx will manufacture and sell a line

of rods featuring the CCA brand

with models for salmon, trout, and

“big game” fish such as sturgeon. A

portion of the proceeds from each

rod sold will go to support the work

of the CCA-PNW. This line of rods

will only be available via retailers

located in Washington, Oregon, and

Idaho—the areas in which the CCA-

PNW operates.

Since 1984, the national chapter

of CCA has worked to advise and

educate the public on marine

resource conservation and steward-

ship issues. The PNW chapter,

which works to raise awareness of

marine and fisheries sustainability in

the Northwest, has had a significant

impact raising millions of dollars

and improving the region’s fish pop-

ulations while helping Northwest

fisheries implement alternative har-

vesting methods. CCA-PNW

includes 25 local chapters.

This partnership aligns with Fetha

Styx’s corporate initiative to make a

difference with every rod they sell.

Each of the company’s rod series is

affiliated with a charity—anglers

can take pride in knowing the pro-

ceeds from each purchase contribute

to environmental and social solu-

tions. In addition to the CCA-PNW

series, Fetha Styx offers True Hero,

which supports the families of fallen

firefighters and police officers.

Earlier this year, Fetha Styx began

their partnership with CCA-PNW by

joining with North Fork Composites

to create a select number of limited

edition rods, which are available

exclusively for members through

CCA-PNW auctions.

For more information on CCA-

PNW, please visit ccapwn.org. A

full listing of rods available from

Fetha Styx can be found at

fethastyx.com. KYPE

Fetha Styx Announces Expanded Partnership

best in class, guide for Steelhead. She

worked with me extensively on

cleaning up my Single Spey. I don’t

use it as much unless I am in Oregon

chasing summer run steelhead, and it

needed fresh coat of paint. That was

my first day.

My favorite encounter came on

Day 3, where I was able to secure the

precious time of Simon Gawesworth.

Again, I consider myself a spey

orphan who can fish. But Simon has

both the soul of an artist and the abil-

ity to produce casts that rival the art

in the Louvre. As the head of line

design at Rio, he is also a brilliant

technician, but most of all, a very

kind teacher. One look at my single

spey, and he reduced the errors to

very simple things that really made a

difference in distance and accuracy.

The key take-aways will be things I

practice forever. To get this kind of

instruction on casting, equipment,

and line set ups for three days would

cost quite a bit for equivalent instruc-

tion. To get it for free: priceless.

If that is not enough, the food is

supplied gratis by a local restaurant

that rivals any place I have been. It is

far and away the friendliest event you

will go to all year. If you go to the

website, www.flyfishusa.com/spey-

clave.htm you can see the agenda and

the entire format. It really is not com-

parable to a trade show, given its

level of personalization. Having it all

demonstrated, with help provided to

remove the quirky stuff people bring

into their cast, on a big and beautiful

river like the Sandy, is a very special

treat.

I think their theme statement on

their brochure says it all: “If you are

a big stick, spey casting mojo, you

will be welcomed at the Sandy River

Clave...

You will be even more welcomed

if you are also a humble teacher. At

this Clave, beginners are as welcome

as experts. We all learn from each

other. Here the two-hander is a com-

mon bond...to be shared.”

On that day, the fraternal order of

fly fishermen got bigger and better.

KYPE

at night. Stay away from the faster,

broken water and concentrate on the

soft, slower moving water.

The moon phases are also key to

your success. Some of my best days

have come when the moon is less

than half full. When there is a full

moon, I tend to have my best luck

early in the night, before the moon

rises above the treetops and lights up

the river like a runway. On nights

where there is a new moon or cres-

cent moon, the fishing can some-

times be good all night long. If you

are unsure about the moon phases,

get online and do some research. In

the long run it will pay off.

YOUR GEARIf you hook a large brown trout

when fishing near cover, guess

where it is going to go? You got it,

straight for the logs, and all the bet-

ter reason to leave the four and five

weights at home. I typically like to

use a 6 or 7 weight rod. Hooking

fish over 20 inches is not that

uncommon, and you want to be able

to turn that fish away from the twist-

ed piles of lumber or what have you.

Another reason I prefer to use a

heavier weight rod is that many

mouse flies tend to be big, bushy,

wind resistant flies. That six or

seven weight is going to turn that fly

over and make casting much easier.

Sometimes I will even go as far as

over lining my rod by one line

weight, especially if I am casting a

really large bushy fly. This will also

help to turn your fly over.

When choosing a leader, you do

not have to be fancy. I like to use a

short stout leader of 12 to 15 pound

test and about 3 to 4 feet in length.

Sometimes I will even take an old

dry fly leader and cut about 5 feet or

so off. You do not have to worry

about stealth. It’s dark outside and

the fish can’t see your line. The

extra heavy leader will also come in

handy when you snag your fly up on

a log or tree limb. I rarely lose many

flies when mousing.

THE FLIESDeer hair, foam and more deer

hair; all are important materials too

look for when choosing a mouse

pattern. Mouse, frog, steelhead

bombers and gurgler patterns are all

good choices. Just because we are

“mousing,” does not

mean the fly has to

look like an actual

mouse. We want a fly

that creates a wake

and sometimes

makes a little noise.

When casting across

the current, I prefer

to use a gurgler style

fly, as these tend to

make a good popping

sound and draw a lot

of attention. When

swinging my fly

down and across, I like to use a fly

that rides low in the water and cre-

ates a good wake. Using more buoy-

ant flies can cause the fly to pop up

out of the water when the fish hits,

making it harder to hook the fish.

Having a variety of flies in different

sizes with you will increase your

success. Don’t be afraid to change it

up a bit.

SAFETY AT NIGHTNighttime mousing does not

have to be a daunting experience. If

you are unsure about the whole

nighttime fishing venture, bring a

friend along or hire a guide. There

is no better way to learn the water.

If you do decide to go at it alone,

always be sure to let someone

know where you are going. Learn

the area of river you plan on fishing

by scouting it out during the day.

The more you know the river, the

more confident you will be while

wading at night. A few essential

items to bring include a headlamp

with extra batteries, a wading staff

and eye protection. Be sure not to

skimp out on the eye protection.

There’s something to be said about

casting large flies with sharp hooks

in the dark.

While fishing at night is not for

everyone, it is an experience in

itself. The rushing sounds of the

river flowing through a riffle, the

fireflies sporadically dancing

though the tall grass and trees,

along with the quietness of night

equal tranquility at its finest. The

river becomes and entirely differ-

ent place. If you love solitude

and targeting large predatory

trout, then throwing these over-

size hairballs at night is your

ticket to the show! KYPE

24

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25

fifth of Crown Royal, so there could

be a small margin for operator error.

Maybe….

At least an 8wt and a reel with

perfectly smooth drag loaded up

with a floating line on top of plenty

of heavy backing and small or medi-

um lead eyes flies is all you’ll need

to start fight after fight on the river.

The technique for hooking these

fish is almost too easy to be called

fishing. In fact the hardest part of

the actual fishing is casting the big

glob of lead eyes, bunny fur, a nee-

dle sharp hook, and marabou into

the river over and over without

knocking yourself out or impaling

yourself in the back of the neck. It

happens a lot more than you’d

imagine, another argument for barb-

less hooks.

Once your electric pink fly hits the

water, (“Turd Fly” was the name

they were given by a well known

magazine publisher, who unfortu-

nately will remain anonymous even

though he possessed a tremendous

amount of l.o.f.t.) it’s as simple as

letting it swing. No mending

required. All fly fishermen will mend

anyway because, well, they just can’t

help it. But it doesn’t matter.

As you follow your floating line

with the tip of your rod, your mus-

cles should start to tense like a

boxer before the bell rings. There’s

seriousness, focus, and mental

preparation setting in that winds you

up like a mousetrap waiting to snap

until, there it is. A huge pulse shoots

up your arm and through your

shoulder as your line stretches under

the immediate weight. You’ll want

to strip the line

hard with your off-

hand to bury the

heavy hook before

lifting the rod tip.

Now that you’re

hooked in, the hurt

really begins.

Anyone who’s

ever fished big

Chinook or Native

Steelhead knows

that at some point

they’ll eventually wear out. It might

be a while, and they might rip line

off your reel 10 different times and

do half a dozen aerial cartwheels,

sending your heart through your

chest each time, but sooner or later

they’ll let you turn their head and

direct them to hand. A chum will

never do it. Never. They literally do

not have not a stop button. Their

head will never turn towards you,

and their tail will never do anything

other than pressing them away. It

takes more pulling than you would

ever think to get one of these fish in

and released. There’s so much

pulling, in fact, that in 3 years of

guiding the Alagnak I’ve seen at

least 20 rods broken by fish. In all

but one of them, a chum was the

culprit. It’s a death certificate for a

rod when I see clients slide their

hand up towards the first guide to

gain leverage after becoming tired

and frustrated with a particularly

angry and uncooperative fish. It

doesn’t matter how expensive the

rod is. It also doesn’t seem to matter

how many times you tell yourself or

tell a client not to do it, it’s going to

happen. When it does, the result is

almost always the same. I’ve seen it

right before my eyes so many times

it’s actually become humorous.

“Stop!!! Don’t slide your

hand……” KERSNAP!!! Chards of

graphite go flying in every direction

and a bewildered fisherman is sim-

ply standing there staring at 3 feet of

a 9 foot rod in his hand, thinking to

himself, “Wow. This rod is brand

new and it cost me $900 bucks.

There’s no better way to break a rod

than that. Totally worth it!”

If tying into bright chum after

bright chum after bright chum, all

with the intent of completely

destroying your favorite rod while

you helplessly hang on sounds like

something you’d consider fishing

nirvana, then you and I are on the

same page. Absolute war with one

fresh fish after another on fly rods

from dark till dark is not only possi-

ble, it’s an everyday thing on the

Alagnak. Those of us lucky enough

to have done it are counting the days

until we get back. Those who

haven’t had the chance to chase the

greatest fly rod fishing imaginable

need to be adjusting their schedules

and saving money for the trip of a

lifetime and a few extra rods just in

case. You’re gonna need ’em. KYPE

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26

was called the “Bear Hair,” and another was called“The Spotlight” which had four colors in it. Williamsthought that he would put all the different major colorsin one fly. Hunting deer was a big deal in the area ofMiramichi and Williams would tell all the hunters togive him some of the hide so he could use the deer hairfor fly tying. His favorite fly was the “Conrad” whichhe tied on a #6 hook.

After a few trips back to the Miramichi, Williams was

totally hooked. Islamorada was out and Blackwell, New

Brunswick was in. He bought one track of land and built

a cabin on. It wasn’t just the fishing. He loved the peo-

ple, the land, the cool, crisp air and pretty much the

whole atmosphere of the place. He had found a new

home and would fish there the rest of his life until he

could no longer do so. He often stated that if he had only

one fish to fish for, it would be the Atlantic Salmon. Of

course, being a representative for Sears, Williams

would fish with his own line of reels from Sears with

150 yards of 20 lb. Dacron line for the backing. To that,

he added #8 torpedo fly line, and 6 to 8lb. test leader.

His rod was an 8 1/2 foot split bamboo fly rod.

The river was two hundred miles long with numer-

ous tributaries that also offered great fishing. There

were no rapids or dams, just meandering river with

abundant pools and plenty of Salmon. Williams owned

one of these pools in front of his cabin. Morning, noon

and evening he could usually be found casting into his

pool. The Atlantic Salmon Hall of Fame was located in

Doaktown, New Brunswick and it didn’t take long

before Williams was inducted.

Fishing with Ted followed a certain routine. With

guides or friends, everyone knew the routine. Williams

entered the pool first and he would make the initial

casts into that pool. When Williams moved, then you

could fish where he had left. If that routine was not fol-

lowed, one could feel the glare that was coming at you.

Or worse, one could hear the infamous streak of pro-

fanity coming from him. Either way, it was certainly

wise to use caution. There is a story of a person on a

boating dock in Homosassa, Florida who asked one of

the boat Captains if they ever saw Williams around the

area. The Captain answered, “Yes, sometimes. Do you

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27

want to meet him?” The person answered, “Sure.” The Captain stat-

ed, “Well, he is right over there on that other dock.” The person

walked over, wearing a Ted Williams tee shirt which he had pur-

chased at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. When Williams saw the

man with the shirt, he rather strongly tapped him on the chest say-

ing, “Where did you get that -------- -------- shirt?” Williams had a

big issue with people buying illegally sold memorabilia with his

name or picture on it. When the person said that he had bought it at

the Hall of Fame, Williams’ demeanor completely changed. He pat-

ted the person on the back and even signed the shirt for him.

As the years passed by, he remained an almost constant visitor to

the Miramichi. No other fishing or fishing location even

tempted him. The passion for the fish and the river extended

beyond to the point where anyone that kept an Atlantic

Salmon rather than return it the river as Williams did, was in

his words, the equivalent of murder. He was the ultimate

purist and no one should be otherwise. But after approxi-

mately thirty years of fishing on the Miramichi, Williams’

health was deteriorating. He found it more and more

difficult to put the waders on and get into the river in

pursuit of the Salmon. In the fall of 1993, he left the

area and never returned.

Writing a few words about the fishing life of Ted

Williams, of course, is only part of his life story,

although a very important part. His huge accomplish-

ments in his baseball career were groundbreaking in

their time. Williams’ military record in two wars and

his charitable work were all done without any fanfare.

His passion for life, including fishing, was legendary

and those of us who are connected to the fishing world

can all the more appreciate his con-

tribution to the sport. KYPESubscribe to Kype

FREE !with a subscription

to Kype Magazine

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28

is much stronger, harder to control, and also likely to

be injured in the process. After netting the right sized

fish, make sure to wet your hands before handling a

trout. Get a little bit of water in the tube of your stom-

ach pump, and turn the trout upside down. This will

disorient the fish and should stop it from struggling.

This is the critical point at which we choose to pump

or just release a trout. If it continues to wiggle or the

slightest resistance is felt when inserting the tube, we

release the fish without sampling. If the tube slides in

easily, we gently squeeze the bulb and allow just the

water to be pushed from the tube. In one steady

motion, slowly back the tube out while letting go of the

bulb. If you do this properly, it should take eight sec-

onds for the entire operation from net to release. If you

miss and do not get a sample, release the fish and try

again on the next one. If you did it right, you will see

bugs in the tube. Squirt the contents into a white dish

or container and photograph your findings. These

stomach contents will reveal something that most ento-

mology texts are missing, concrete facts. Stomach con-

tents are not debatable, and you will undoubtedly dis-

cover times when the trout are not focused on the

mayfly that has landed on your shirt, but rather, some-

thing you did not see.

In collecting our data we were able to get more

information than we imagined because several of us

were doing this concurrently. We would schedule trips,

send emails, and indulge in many long-winded phone

calls to share the data with each other. Our good friend

and fly tying guru John Collins was also a valued com-

patriot and conspirator. He was a huge asset in identi-

fying insects, and developing new patterns that better

represented our local bugs. This is when things really

got interesting.

The Big PayoffThe most surprising revelation that we encountered

with our studies was the abundance of midges in the

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29

stomach samples. There are lots of great tail water and

limestone streams in our general region that are

famous for their midge populations. To this point,

Chironomids were barley even mentioned in relation to

our local NJ freestone streams. Month after month, we

would find countless tiny midge pupa and larva in our

samples. As it turns out, there are month long periods

in our local waters when the trout feed almost exclu-

sively on midges.

Our stomach samples also revealed that caddis lar-

vae appeared much more frequently than we would

have imagined. We knew our local trout ate caddis lar-

vae, but we had no inkling that it would present itself

as the major food for the entire winter and a great deal

of the spring. Once we began fishing imitations of the

Hydropsyche and Rhyacophila (both commonly

referred to as Green Rock Worms) in the winter, our

catch rates went through the roof. Our winter sessions

turned into some lights-out fishing, rather than a des-

perate move to get out of the house.

After a few years of us using these techniques and

recording our findings, we discovered one last revela-

tion. Our local trout do not eat that many mayflies!

Sure, trout will opportunistically eat a mayfly nymph

that is well presented. There are also some events in

the year that get the trout feeding on mayflies like the

Sulphur, Slate Drake, and Blue Wing Olives. However,

the fact is that our NJ Trout are mostly eating scuds,

caddis, stoneflies, and midges. Looking at our sample

results, caddis and midges are the predominate species

in almost all of our local trout water. Based on what

many of our clients and people who attend our lectures

tell us, representations of these bugs are not their “go

to” flies. I believe this is due largely to the simple fact

that midge larvae/pupa, and caddis larva are not easily

seen when looking at the streambed. Chalk it up to out

of sight, out of mind. Once anglers understand the

importance of these “other” food sources, fly selec-

tions change and catch rates go up.

I would implore any fly angler that reads this to

change your habits slightly. Spend a few minutes

observing the water and insects before and during any

lull in your fishing trips. Always take the time when

you are finished to record your findings. If you estab-

lish small changes in your routine, just by adding a few

minutes of curious observation, you will catch more

trout and become a more capable angler. KYPE

Photo by Richard Schaaff

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Featured Tier, Aileen Ellisby Aileen Ellis

PMDThe SplitCase

Bio:Demonstration Fly TierOwner of MKFlies.comFly Fishing Artist

Type of Fishing:Fly Fishing

Location:Nampa, Idaho

Website:www.MKFlies.com

Contact Info:aellis@MKFlies.com

I first discovered this pattern among flies from “The House of Harrop” (ReneHarrop) at my local fly shop. The Split Case PMD has proven to be an effective

fly on the Owyhee River and the South Fork of the Boise River. I am confident thispattern will produce similar results on your local water. The yellow breaking outfrom the thorax imitates the PMD beginning to emerge from its nymph body.

30

Start the thread, making sure to make

smooth, even wraps.

Tie in the Duck Mallard Wood Duck

feather fibers and the Gold Wire.

Lightly dub evenly 2/3 of the way uptoward the hook eye.

Make four even wraps with the Gold

Wire.

Cut a small strip of the Nymph Stretch

Skin. Trim the tie-in end in an angle and

cut the black strip down the middle.

VIRG

INIA

PRO

DU

CTS

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RecipeHook: Daiichi 1720

size 20 – 16 2x long

Thread: 6/0 Black

Tail: Duck Mallard

Wood Duck

Abdomen: Rust

Brown Fine Dubbing

Rib: Small Gold Wire

Thorax: Nymph

Stretch Skin in Black

and Yellow

Legs: Duck Mallard

Wood Duck

Tie in the yellow Nymph Stretch Skin.

For hooks size 18-20, I cut the yellow

strip in half making them more narrow.

Add a small amount of dubbing.

While adding a little stretch, pull the yel-

low strip behind the hook eye (leave

enough room for the legs and black strip

to be tied in afterward) and tie in.

Tie in legs using feather fibers from the

Duck Mallard Wood Duck.

While adding a little stretch, pull

both sides of the black strips and

tie behind the hook eye. After tying

in the black strip, cut off the excess

and add a smal l drop of head

cement.

Tie in the black Nymph Stretch Skin.

Directions, top of next column.