It's Show Time!

The winter consumer shows started this past weekend.  I was in Indianapolis for the Indiana on the Fly Show.  The first show of the year is always a good time to catch up with friends and see how everyone is doing.  Attendance at the show was good, people were buying from vendors, and there were good presentations and demos.

Here Michigan guide and fly tier extraordinaire, Kevin Feenstra, gives a tying demo of some of his signature patterns.  His pet bird, Emulator, was on hand to give kevin some advice and tying tips.  Now we know where all the ideas for those great fly patterns comes from!

Sad News

For all of you who knew Aspen, The Fishdog, I am very sad to report that she died a couple days ago.  She was my best friend and constant companion for 13 1/2 years and beat the average lifespan of her breed by a number of years.  Aspen had a great life- she made it into the newspaper, magazine articles, DVDs and even an episode of Trout Unlimited Televison.

Aspen traveled with me over 300, 000 miles calling on accounts and having fishing adventures.  We covered a lot of territory together from Idaho to New York.   Smallmout and steelhead were her favorites.  Great dogs come along once in a lifetime and I am glad she was mine.

Alaska, 2013- Put Yourself in this Picture!

Fellow Scott Rod and SA Pro, Jeff Liskay and myself are organizing a a group trip to Naknek River Camp just outside King Salmon, Alaska for July 20-27, 2013.  This will be one of the prime weeks of the summer to get the biggest assortment of species.  We will fish for sockeye, king, silver, and chum salmon, along with rainbows, dollys, char, grayling and pike.
Naknek River Camp is one of the best bargains in Alaskan fishing these days.  You visit all the same sights and fish the same waters that the high-dollar lodges on the Naknek system do.  The cabins are warm and dry, the food is good, and guides are knowledable, helpful, and keep the bears away.

For full details on this trip, feel free to give me a shout.

A Morning With My Best Friend

Aspen and I did our annual Thanksgiving Day fishing trip yesterday morning with a quick trip over to the the Chagrin River.  It was likely her last trip out for steelhead.  At 13 1/2 years old, the Fishdog has arthritis in both lack legs and hips.  She showed her usual interest in hooked fish and had to give a lick to those brought to the bank. Cold water just takes it out of her really fast these days and although her spirit was willing, her body just can't handle the cold anymore.  She never complained, but best to leave her in a warm dog bed to dream of steelhead past.

Swing dat Thing!

The rain that accompanied Hurricane Sandy served to flush out the tributaries of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, getting rid of fallen leaves and bringing in good numbers of fresh steelhead.  With the still-modertate temperatures, the bite has been on all over.

Swinging flies continues to grow in popularity around the Great Lakes.  When conditions are right, it is the most enjoyable way to catch steelies.  More and more anglers are learning this technique which can be done with both single- and two-hand rods.  Flies can be both imitators of baitfish or general attractors depending on the situation.

Here is a nice Niagara River steelie I swung up on the Niagara River on Scott's new T3H 13'6" 7-wt. teamed up with a Scientific Anglers 560 gr. Skagit Extreme with 15 feet of T10 at the tip.  An Intruder-style emerald shiner streamer completed the rig.

April Vokey in the Buff!

Here is the photo we all have been wating to see, April Vokey in the Buff!

Ok, it's actually April Vokey in a Buff.  Our favorite Flygal shows her new custom "trout dream" design available exclusively through her website, www.flygal.ca.  Get one for the Flygal in your life!