Well the water has dropped back into fishable shape, and the fish are everywhere. Along with the drop back fall fish, the spring fish are finally showing up, in what seems to be good numbers. I have seen, and clients have caught, about 30 springer’s in the last 2 days. We had several reel catastrophes, and an Eagle steal a fish off the line this week, but the bite was so good it did not matter. My two clients of Yakutat Lodge  were brothers that obviously spend some time together fishing. They were fly rod guys, but not necessarily strictly fly fisherman. We packed their fly lines with weight and went to work. The first day was good, but the next day was great. I believe they hooked nearly 50 fish in the two days we spent together.  Here are some great pics and a pic or two of the thieving eagle.

 

Tommy and I also got out and cut out some nasty trees today, and after we finished an hour and a half cutting on one tree, we spent about an hour trying out some new gear on the river. Well not new. We used aeropuffs Ha Ha.

Good luck out there.

Flymstr;

These are pics from the past and of the new cabins on the bay that are an extension of Yakutat Lodge. Fully stocked and ready to go now.

Good luck out there.

Flymstr;

Tommy and I hit it up today with the new Pavati. The fishing was good, and the new boat was great. Hopefully the spring fish are coming in now, but the ones we got today were fairly small. Could be a good sign????

Good luck out there.

Flymstr;

Another great day on the river today. The rain was falling and the fish were biting good. Saw a great Galcier Bear on the river today. The best one I have seen in awhile. I think it may be the same one I saw last year. Seems as though more and more spring fish are arriving on each and every rtide this week. Hope it keeps up. Here are the pics from today. One is a super fresh and full of sea lice, “most on the other side”.

Good luck out there.

Flymstr;

Hit it hard today with the fly rods in the upper section of the river, but it was tough. Hooked one and lost it. After an awesome shore lunch of Lamb cycles, and mushroom soup, we decided to change tactics. We got down and dirty with the plugs. The day turned around fast at that point. We hooked up in all but one spot we stopped in. We ended the day with 13 hooked up and 4 to the boat. Not a great percentage, but boated fish are not always the ones you remember the most. It was a great direction for the day to have turned into.

All that know me, know that plugging is my last resort, but not today. I could have used several different methods, but I just did not feel it today that those other uses would have produced the day we had. Sometimes you have to jump out of your comfort level, and just go for it. Some of the best days fishing are when you do what you would normally despise. This does not mean that I will ever use bait though. I still hate that crap. “Ian” ha ha.

Good luck out there

Flymstr;

The fishing is getting better everyday at this point and seems to be on the upside for the month. The weather is being a bit strange for this time of year, but that‘s what you can expect with this much snow on the ground. Spring fish are arriving on each tide at this time, but the water temp is not going up enough to get the really big pushes yet. I have seen large groups coming up, but I believe they may be going back out and not going up the system. I have seen more fresh spring Steel in the river this week, but not the big groups that I have seen all the other years I have been here. Fall fish are now few and far between. Last week the Fall fish were in the upper stretches of the river, but the rain and high water this week pushed them out or back up???. I think this is really going to blow out this next week, but we need warmer water to make it really happen I believe.

  

Good luck out there.

Flymstr;

Well Bud showed up just on time for some nice fishing. Although the fishing is slow right now, due to the cold water being produced from the melting snow. The most in 40 years. I will try to upload the video’s of us snowmobiling in with the drift boats in tow. Here are the pics from Buds trip.

 

 

Good luck out there.

Flymstr;

Threw together this video for fun, hope you like it.

Good luck out there;

Flymstr;

Hit up the Sandy river again today here in Oregon before I head north to AK. Ed Fast was at the helm once more as we made the float from Revenue bridge, down through the Cedar creek area, and ending up at Dodge park. The first stop seemed to be a bust for about the first 45 min to an hour, and then I got a good take, but missed it. Seconds later, Ian hits what could have been the same fish, in the same spot. This nice native buck put up one hell of a fight, culminating in a great set of pics before the release. Soon after, I walked a bit down stream and got nailed and missed another fish. I moved back up to the original spot, shot one in a bit closer and “Wham” I was hooked up with a nice dime bright nate. Not much for size, but she made up for it in chromeness and just pure spunk. We killed that spot and headed down to the next killing zone. Ed let me have what he said “is the spot to get em’”, but as he tossed in above me, his wfo worm about lost it’s arse to a fish, but the fish let go just in time. I fish the spot Ed said was “it” with no results. I stepped off the rock and Ed let a brand new summer have it! He nailed this beauty and brought to the bank for supper. Now I step up where Ed had the worm almost ripped up. I throw out my fish producing clown fart, AKA Aeropuff, and the next thing I know is that the end of my rod is slammed and there is flashes of large chrome in the drift. The fight was a great one, with one great run, and then just a power struggle to the end. This great female nate taped out at exactly 35”, with a girth that had to almost match. She was so fat and thick, that I though I was holding a Chinook. It was a great day with a couple great guys to fish with and just hang around with for the day. Thanks again Ed for he invite, and I will get you back before I go!!

Ian’s nice buck Nate:

 

Ed’s bloody summer:

My big Nate: no pics of my little nate, but she is in the video I am doing:

 

 

Look at the girth on this fish.

 

Can you find the two fish in this shot, and the cat? Only one fish is real, but the water makes it look as though there is another one and a cat. It’s really cool how the reflections do this. Ian and I thought this was a mis pic, but then we spent more time looking at this one than all the fish pics.

 

 

 

Good luck out there;

Flymstr;

Well I usually don’t go plunking, but with all the rivers blown and muddy it was my only real choice. It took only about ten minutes to get my Springer to the bank, and then it died for Tommy and I for hours. During this time we did see several fish hooked and landed, and also many lost. The best was the Summer Steelhead I saw getting caught. That’s my next fish I hope before I head back to AK. Here are a few pics from today, and if the wife is feeling better in the morning we are hitting it up again.

My fish for the day:

A couple young men holding up a great Columbia river king:

  

Richard grabs a nice Steelhead at the last minute:

There is a nice Summer Steelie on the beach there:

 

 

My tax lady ,(Tempest, H&R block baby) with a huge smile after I dropped off this perfect looking King:

Good luck out there.

Flymstr;