Highlights
Coho Exploration
In search of wild coho salmon and coastal thrills off the remote shores of Vancouver Island.
Often, it’s not only how well a product stands up in the midst of battle but, more important, how well the company stands behind their product. My trusty Steelhead Large Arbor Orvis Mach IV is only a few years old, but has seen many trying days on Michigan’s rivers. This past spring I had an issue onstream that “felt” like the reel was tight. I was mid-stream and decided to take a closer look, breaking a cardinal rule, and something fell out of my reel. I sent the reel to Orvis with a check for $40. A new clutch and cover and, within a week, I had the reel back with a refund check for $30. The level of service and customer satisfaction far surpass how many clams I shelled out for a quality reel. Thank you Orvis for getting me back in the season in time to chase more chrome.
WEB BONUS: More on Yvon Chouinard
Recently returned from the Gaula in Norway, Yvon Chouinard bucked the trend of using the giant tube flies and enjoyed great Atlantic salmon success with small Eastern Canadian patterns. "We landed some fine 20-pounders and turned them all loose," he reported, despite the tendency in many countries to keep large Atlantic salmon.
2009 Angler of the Year
The laughter, resonant with enthusiasm, is penetrating... even from across the river. The man is having a good time but who doesn't when they're catching fish? It's obvious from a glance at this behavior that size is unimportant: Nine-inchers elicit the same commotion as do fish twice that length. These trout are special in another way. They're rising in a run beside an island in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), where more than 30 years ago the man taught his own son and daughter to fish with a fly rod and a tiny piece of worm.
I enjoyed reading about my old home waters. I lived within 50 miles of Glacier National Park for 27 years.
An encounter with a bull trout leads to a disappointing midcurrent loss.
A special Father's Day tribute from one fly-fisherman to his mentor, his teacher... his father.
An Iraq war veteran finds a bridge from the Euphrates to a local Massachusetts river. "In the corner of my eye I suddenly saw one of my vehicles go up in a huge ball of dust. A second later I heard and felt the blast from the I.E.D."
We all fall short - but some fall shorter than others…
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