Wet Boots

2008-01-24

Finding Sea-Run Cutties

It has been a great trip to Oregon, and now I’m thinking of moving here. With plenty of rainbows caught, a steelhead to hand and witnessing spawning salmon in a tributary we decided to spend my final day of fishing on the coast. There are several costal rivers within just a few minutes of each other, all of which pour into the Pacific. We decided to check out the Wilson River for Sea-Run Cutthroat Trout.

Although we had heard that some steelhead and salmon were already in the system, we brought our 5-weights to go after the ‘Cutties. Right before this trip I was in Jackson, WY and caught my first Cutthroat so I was excited to see the differences in its anadromous relative.

Posted at 03:23 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

2008-01-16

The Deschutes Owns Two Rookies

The Deschutes Owns Two Rookies

When I woke up in the morning I was already preparing myself for it. Although I’m a first timer I do understand how this game works. I waited for it. I expected it. Hell, I almost wanted it. The Skunk.

There is something in fly-fishing called “paying your dues.” This day was all about that for me and steelheading. I’m a firm believer that everyone who plans to make fly-fishing a lifelong obsession must pay their dues fully, on every level of advancement. steelheading may be the most extreme side of fly-fishing when it comes to these rules because even the most advanced anglers can spend countless hours on a river without feeling the slightest tug....

Posted at 06:55 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

2008-01-04

Rain, Snow and Steelhead

Two rookie steelheaders hit up Oregon's Deschutes River

Posted at 02:54 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

2007-12-11

Fishing Oregon

We woke up early to make the three-and-a-half-hour trip from Portland to Bend, where we would make our first camp. Our road trip vehicle for the week would be a maroon Subaru Outback affectionately known as the Red Rocket. I laughed at first with the thought of spending a week in this ugly fish wagon, but it quickly grew on me with each day spent in it. After stopping at the grocery store to get the camping necessities we headed out. Our route took us right over Mt. Hood and along the Deschutes River for much of the trip that took us into Bend.

We finally found a campsite that looked good and began setting up. We began in the normal way by cracking open a couple beers and checking out the water. I have never seen a river this clear in all my life. If I looked at it from the...

Posted at 10:11 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

2007-11-26

The Season's Over. Now What?

The summer is now long over. No more guiding, back to fishing for myself. Leaving Wyoming was not easy for me, although the excitement of the unknown future is keeping me on my toes. I am not a person who can stay idle long.

I road-tripped with a few friends up to Jackson and down through Colorado into Texas. While fishing Granite Creek I caught my first cutthroat, which was exciting. In the middle of town looking down into a creek from a bridge I saw what I thought was a big carp. When it flashed to take a nymph, I realized it was a giant cutthroat. Easily the biggest one I have ever seen, this fish was pushing 25” and maybe more. I couldn’t believe I was 15 feet above this huge fish calmly holding and picking off food as it floated by. No wonder people...

Posted at 09:03 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

2007-10-30

A Guide’s Summer Recap

At the same time, I started to realize that my summer flew by about as quickly as I expected it to. I think I accomplished most of my goals and did exactly what I wanted to. I know that Wyoming is a rare, but real place. Before I got here it was just an idea in my head. How it would look, how it would smell, and how it would affect me were all questions that would be answered. I am leaving with a little bit of Wyoming in my memories, friends and pictures to bring with me wherever my next stop might be.

Hey, I got to meet Neil Armstrong this summer. Yes, the first man on the moon.

I enjoyed hanging out with the other guides, especially the good-looking female guide. She...

Posted at 02:08 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

2007-10-24

Private versus Public Water

This is just my two cents on a topic that is debated regularly on fly-fishing forums and in magazines. Private vs. Public water.

Posted at 07:22 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

2007-10-22

The upsides and downsides of guiding

By the first week of guiding anglers down the North Platte in a drift boat, I started to understand certain things about the river: The mornings were more productive than the afternoon/evenings, the wind would blow so hard in the afternoons that my boat would travel upstream, and I was going to get hooked practically every trip. (Thank God for barbless hooks.)

Posted at 04:10 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

2007-10-16

Guiding Hungover

One morning this summer, I was fortunate enough to be on a half-day wade trip instead of an 8 hours float trip. My two guests were both around my age and they had most likely signed up to get away from their parents while on vacation. It should have been easy, but….

Posted at 02:44 PM in Wet Boots Blog Editor's Pick | Permalink | Comments

2007-08-08

Entry #1: First Days

I don’t know why but since the days of John Wayne, the West has had some sort of cavalier aura around it that made sense to me. I wanted to move "out West" before I saw my first snowcap in a National Geographic. The rivers here inspire me.

Posted at 07:02 PM in Wet Boots Blog | Permalink | Comments

Ted Williams - 2007