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We have an awesome array of schools/clinics for the 2011 season. Listed below is the 'The Basically Free' clinic schedule for Winter/Early Spring....

Jan 22 - Swing tactics
Feb 5 - Streamer tactics
Feb 19 - Nymph tactics
Mar 5 - Tying Skwala and March Brown patterns

All clinic schedules and itineraries will start by meeting at 'The Evening Hatch' building in Ellensburg - 2308 Canyon Road.
Please call 509-962-5959 to reserve a space.

 

How cool is this?

One of the most popular desserts this year at 'The Steelhead Ranch' was Kirkland Ice Cream - Costco's very own Signature Ice Cream.
If you are an ice cream lover, it is a must on the list.

Long time debate - Swing VS Nymph - Here is some funny dialogue.

How many ADD Fly fishing guides does it take to screw in a light bulb? I don't know; you want to go bike riding?

'Guestspeak' or in other words, Testimonials.

Catch Magazine - Good friends, Todd Moen and Brian Okeefe, have put their time in and made this publication an online Fly Fishing Cultural Extravaganza

Seasons on the Fly - Good friends, Greg Heister and Mark Few, have taken this regional TV show to the national level now!

This is Fly -A modern day Online Fly Mag. that breaks the mold of 'The Quiet Sport'. See us in the article called No Guide Story

Spent a few days on the UC with long time angler and guide...Coach Duff. I have never laughed so hard in my life. Duff is a never ending
stream of consciousness. 'He misses nothing'. His wit is beyond being teary eyed, it is just flat real. He will always tell it like it is, at least
according to Duff. I like that. Some may find his candidness and honesty a bit abrupt, I find it refreshing. If you ever are down in
Mahalo country, give him a call.

Frank Zappa on politicians.... 'Politics is like high school, but with more money and guns'

 

#1 South Olympic Peninsula Jan 1 - March 15 Call 509.773.3460

 

#2 Upper Skagit Now until Feb 15 Call 509.773.3460

A great gift item for family, friends and business - Call 509.773.3460

 

Trout Tip
Fishing the big dry fly illicits a variety of eating responses from trout. We like to categorize them as..
The Tracker
The Levitator
The Smasher
and
The Sipper

The key is to wait until the fish eats the fly. Out of the four categories above, the only one that possibly requires a quick hook set is the
Smasher; However, many fish will 'Wash' or 'Smash' a bug and then come back and eat it. So the Smasher is a tough one to make the call on.
All the others require patience. Let the fish eat the fly before you set the hook!

Steelhead Tip
#1 Fish the hang down. Always fish the hang down. Fish the hang down. Always fish the hang down. I am the worst at being impatient because I love the grab when it is mid swing. However, many steelhead will track and follow the fly until it stops. Be patient and fish the hang down. Hook sets on the hang down can be difficult. Low and sideways to the bank are the only words of advice I have for the hookset and that is after you have let the fish take it.

#2 There are nuances about swinging a fly that are 'kinda' subtle. For example, Rod Tip Position is an important factor as to how the fly is swung. It is evident that sometimes it just doesn't matter how the fly is swung; however, more then not, the efficient swinging of a run and a systematic approach will cover the water and yield more fish.

 

Fish Argentine Big Browns in 2011 with us - Hosts Jennifer and Jack Mitchell. For more info...

 

Buddy Buck's Video from the Upper Columbia
For More Video...

 

Winter Rates and The Skwala Special - Over the years, we have found one of our favorite seasons on the river is from now until April.

Yakima River Winter Special $200 per boat (plus tax) - Six hours on the river, includes flies - Bring your own lunch - Dec to Feb 15
Yakima River Skwala Special $245 per boat (plus tax) - Eight hours on the river, includes flies - Bring your own lunch - Feb 16 to Mar 31
Lunch can be added for an addtional $20 per boat on either trip.

'Basically Free' Clinics

Overnight Camp Trips on the Yakima

We have been fishing the Upper Columbia for over a decade now and have leased local lodging to run our overnight programs. However, in 2011, we will open our own riverside chalet - Black Bear on the Jurassic - Projected date for opening is June 20th!

Front elevation and building site marked by the X

2011 Prime Time Seasons;
March 22 - April 11
June 20 - July 25
Sept 4-28
Get your dates now as these are filling fast

Upper Columbia Blogspot - Check it out - Spurred on by an Upper Columbia River advocate and friend Steve Bird.

and The Klickitat River

Todd Moen Photo - Catch Magazine

2011 Klickitat Schedule - Get your dates down asap as the '11 season is filling fast. Thanks to all who visited in 2010!

June 1 - 25
June 26 - Aug 14 Limited availability based on water clarity
August 15 - Nov 30

Both the Naches and Methow rivers are awesome rivers for float fishing after run off. The Methow generally doesn't subside until the end of June. Generally the Naches can be fished a bit earlier; however it all depend on mother nature. The Naches is only float worthy in a raft and it eventually becomes unfloatable with a 3 man raft by about Aug 1. The Methow flows on the other hand, are generally enough the entire season. We would always suggest that with any river only advanced boatsman navigate watersheds, especially the Naches and Methow. Combining the Methow and the Upper Columbia for a 3-4 day fishing trip is about as good as it gets.

Photos for the Year

Harry Brown - ***.5 Starring; Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Charlie Creed-MilesWhat is the deal with Michael Caine? He looks the same as he diid when I first saw him in ' The Man who would be King' co-starring with Sean Connery 20 or so years ago? He never ages. Any how 'Harry Brown' is well acted and Caine is his usual stoic self. The movie is set in modern England and Caine is Harry Brown who deals out some of his own vigilante justice after losing his best friend to local hoodlums. Although Michael doesn't fit the mold as Eastwood does in 'Dirty Harry' he definitely fills the void in the suburbs of modern day England.

Collateral ***.5 Starring; Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith Tom Cruise is generally the good guy in his movies, not this one. Nope, the nice guy in this movie is Jamie Foxx, who is a cab driver hired/accosted by Cruise to drive around and complete an array of contract killings. Definitely a suspense/thriller movie, however the script actually plugs quite a bit of humor into the dialogue. This Michael Mann film parralells an earlier Mann film, 'Heat', starring Al Pacino; 'Heat' was however pretty much void of humor.

 

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Fishing is not just catching, it is the process and all that nature allows us to be a part of while we are fishing.
This thing we call fishing, the sport we all enjoy immensely, is a learning experience. The sport is a combination
of great things....The dynamics of the river and surrounding landscapes, the cast, the bugs, the swing, the drift,
the flora, fauna and birds, the camaraderie with others and the solitude of none.

The knowledge I have gained over the years is a compilation of personal experiences from leaning over the shoulders
of others, trial and error, 10 mile walks, twenty mile drifts and asking questions. Although I would like to give myself credit for all the knowledge I have... that would be fairly egotistical. So with all that said....Help the youngens feel welcome and if you can't be friendly to the fellow fisher, don't say anything at all.

And for more about Double Rainbows and a good laugh, see below!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

The End