Cold Weather Float

With a brief opening in the weather window, dog friends, Jeff Liskay, John Rhoades, and JD managed a float for steelhead on Ohio's Grand River. A Freedom Hawk 14 kayak, was part of the flotilla and proved to be a great boat for the job. Jeff is also a Patagonia fishing product ambassador, and is well-dressed for the conditions. Steelhead won't eat streamers if the water is below 40 degrees- right? Wrong! A number of fish were hooked this day swinging streamers on 2-Hand rods despite water temps that never got above 34.

This SST Keeps On Rockin'

Dog friend, John Rhoades, has hundreds of "on water days" with his vintage Patagonia SST jacket. Here it shows some holiday decoration and the retirees from a day spent swinging streamers for Ohio steelhead.

It's Ice Time!

As normal winter temperatures close in, the shale cliffs of Lake Erie's south shore tributaries develop some very picturesque ice formations. These come from extended periods of freezing and thawing of lake-effect snows and also natural springs and seeps in the cliffsides. Just make sure you are not on that side of the river when these formations melt enough to drop off!

The New Ice Man?

Dog friend, Ken Buetel, works a cliff side ledge on Conneaut Creek. Cold weather froze the spring that normally cascades over this cliff. Maybe time for the ice spikes instead?

Hot Shooting On A Cold Day!

The fishing weather finally caved in, so JD and daughter Leah opted for a goose hunt instead. Here are the results from a New Year's Eve morning shoot with John and Jason from Crooked River Guide Service. These guys do all the work, have the spots scouted out, and sing sweet goose music. This was Leah's first goose hunt and she bagged her two birds, one of which was banded. Think we can get her to wear the band on a necklace?

Solid Chrome- Size XL!

Dog friend, Jeff Liskay, shows an oversized chromer- his largest Ohio fish this year. The big female hit the tape at 331/4" x 191/4" and scaled out just under 151/2 pounds before being released. The fish hit a swung tube fly of his own design.

A well-known angler, Jeff travels the Great Lakes region to feed his steelhead need and was recently appointed as a Patagonia Fishing ambassador.