Suggestions?

I have not one, but two wide open days this weekend. My wife and kids are going to MN and due to a business trip on Monday, I am staying behind. The silver lining is that I have Saturday and Sunday to fish.

I am coming to realize how out of touch I am with the local "regular" fishing world. I know I could hit the Deschutes, maybe the Metolius or poke around for winter steelhead, but overall...I am kind of at a loss. The crooked is a nice option since I could crash in a cheap hotel and get enough time in to make it worth the drive. Anyone have any suggestions for a guy that has gotten so lost in the carping world he owns no split shot and realizes he might actually have to buy some trout nymphs or steelhead flies?

Meat Eaters

The classic reads about fly fishing for carp (Carp On The Fly by Barry Reynolds and Carp Are Gamefish Too by George Von Schroeder) depict carp primarily as meat eating marauders. Von Schroeder actually fishes large jigs. Fishing the Columbia and Willamette rivers have given me a different take on carp altogether. Don't get me wrong...I do catch them on large crayfish patterns, but for the most part the forage out here seems to be primarily nymphs and clams...the fish quite simply do not have to work hard for food. They don't like to chase.

And that is the beauty of lake Michigan. The carp out there are meat eaters; they hunt in packs and aggressively pursue large gobie or crayfish patterns. On lake Michigan it is not a matter of "detecting the take" but instead a matter of hanging onto your rod. With another spring run to the Mecca of bass-like carp planned for this spring, it is time to tie up some meat.

I tend to stick to simple patterns for two reasons. One, a conscious effort to simplify my fly selection paid big dividends this spring (soft hackles in various colors and I am a good to go). And two, I am a crappy tier. This spring will see Wendy Berrell and I stalking the flats of lake Michigan armed with dozens of rabbit stripped monstrosities, eyes peeled for the dark shapes of predatory carp. I cannot wait.

How long until spring again?

Travel Fishing

If you are looking for some recommendations for New Zealand or Alaska fishing, check out Fly Fishing Consultants. Brad Kastner was one of my favorite guides on my Alaska trip, a real pleasure to fish with Brad. We spent a ton of time talking about New Zealand...one day I will fish with Brad out there! Check it out and drop him a line if you are looking for a fishing adventure...

College Basketball!

Finally! The season is here.

I DVRed both the Duke/Belmont game and the Gonzaga/EWU gams and watched them late last night. Duke beat a TOUGH Belmont team (NCAA team last year, ten players back) and GU beat EWU in a crappy game. Neither of my teams looked great...could be a long season!

WFF's First Carp

Thank god for good cameras and a relatively stable memory. I must go through my pictures several times a week in the offseason. What a day this was...

I really need to go fishing.

It is all about the average

And looking through my pictures from this year I realize how lucky I am to say this.



Just your average Columbia river carp.

Is it spring yet?