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Spring time is so close we can all almost hear the first honey bee zip by our ear, we can picture the flowers and trees blooming across the land, and we can smell the spring Chinook coming back from their long 3-4 year journey in the ocean. That’s right, with spring time just around the [...]

Fishing for steelhead with a fly is one of the most difficult ways to be a successful steelhead fisher. One contributing factor is the deterioration of local fisheries due to habitat degradation and excessive harvest from commercial fishers. Even with the odds against the angler here are several techniques that will produce action.
#1. Deep swing [...]

Fishing is slowing down a bit and we are in between runs. Anglers are getting frustrated and worn out because fishing is getting tougher and tougher. Many people start to give up and stay off the water until summer. It happens every year, but there is still fish in the rivers to be caught!
Most [...]

Let’s face it, Bassing friends, January and February in the Pacific Northwest are not premium months for pursuing either Largemouth or Smallmouth. There are still catch-able fish out there, lurking in the Winter haunts we discussed last month, but it’s a cold, slow game if you want to try for them. You can review the [...]

Every steelhead fishermen’s head hits the pillow at night in the late winter months hoping that the next time he or she gets out on the water, that one big 20 pound plus steelhead will be persuaded to eat his offering. At least I hope I’m not the only one that lives and sleeps [...]

When our Northwest water temperatures dip below 50 degrees, we have well and truly entered Winter’s chilling grip, and Largemouth fishing presents two major problems: Coldblooded, lethargic fish that are slow to respond to any presentation, and cold, shivering fishermen who would rather stay extra active to keep warm! What a combination! Just when you [...]

Winter fishing is finally upon us here in the great Northwest. The weather can change in a blink of an eye with temperatures dropping below freezing and water levels can change drastically within a couple of hours. Fishing conditions become more and more dangerous as the winter days go by. Being prepared for these conditions [...]

Well, summer has come to a close, but good trout fishing sure hasn’t. Deer season is one of my favorite times of year to head out to my favorite trout streams, with opening weekend of rifle season being the best. My number one reason for loving this time of year is the lack of company. [...]

Fall fishing brings many opportunities to fisherman on the Columbia River. The best part about this time of year is the size of the fish. Chinook are the main target on the Columbia, and there’s a good reason for it. Imagine hooking into a 40-50lb salmon and bringing it to the boat. Well this [...]

One of the most deadly and effective ways to target steelhead in low clear water is with spinners. For some reason summer run steelhead just can’t seem to resist the vibration and flash of a spinner in their face. Most steelhead fishermen quite often use spinners to fish for steelhead in all the summer months [...]

A few days ago my friend Marlin talked me into a finger-freezing expedition into a local, Fall Largemouth heaven. I had been watching the barometer drop like a stone and I knew that sometimes, contrary to conventional wisdom, lake fish can really go on the bite when that happens. I also knew that [...]

Late summer means two things for fly fishermen: longer days for more fishing, and most importantly, the biggest, baddest dries of the season. I’m talking about terrestrials, “land bugs”. These flies offer some of the most exciting fishing of the year, and often times some of the summer’s biggest fish.
It’s a known fact that fish [...]

The days are getting noticeably shorter, lake and river temperatures are ramping down, and Largemouth Bass are responding by going on ‘The Fall Bite.’ In this time of ‘feeding frenzy,’ fish are bulking up in preparation for the cold winter months when their metabolism slows way down and with it, their feeding activity. Plus, a [...]

The hexagenia limbata commonly referred to as simply the “hex”, the largest of the mayflies in the northwest. These mayflies are 1-2 inches long and once a year they hatch by the thousands on one of our local favorite fly fishing only lakes, Merrill Lake.
The hatch generally starts sometime in early July, and stretches through [...]

No, that doesn’t mean that pollution and radiation have given the fish three fingers, or that I set the world record with a hundred pound fish! It means that even in the hottest weather, Smallmouth and Largemouth are biting.
The hottest day at my house hit 109 in the shade, and I saw on national news [...]

Summer steelhead brings many choices to anglers this time of year. Gear tactics can range from plunking bait and spin n glo to bobber and jig fishing. One method which is by far becoming bigger each year is night fishing.
This method is extremely deadly and fairly easy to do. Glow in the dark setups can [...]

For years I have heard the stories and seen a few pictures of the tiger muskies in Merwin. I always wanted to go try it out and see if I could catch one. I don’t know if it was the fact that everyone said they were impossible to catch, that [...]

Most Largemouth fishermen agree that Summer can be the toughest season of all. Somehow it just doesn’t seem right that the times of best weather, longest days and vacations should also offer more difficult fishing conditions. Smallmouth fishermen can enjoy 50 to 100 fish days simply casting soft plastics and filling the livewell, but if [...]

If you’re looking for a fun day of successful fishing you may want to consider shad fishing. Although not considered a good eating fish they are a fun fighting fish. With millions going over the dam each year it’s easy to have high number success days and even come home with sore arms.
Shad also make [...]

If you want to leave the crowds behind, and aren’t afraid to put a few miles on your boots then head into the high country. Some of the best times I’ve had fishing was the 4th of July at about 4300ft elevation off of a snowy bank in a lake many miles from any pavement. [...]