Summer Steelhead

Now Booking Summer Steelhead! Deschutes Grand Ronde John Day Our all inclusively camp trips for Fall Steelhead are very limited and this is your opportunity to get in on one of these amazing multi day adventures for Steelhead. Come see what you have been missing! Groups of 2-4 anglers for 3 to 5 days fully guided on these Wild and Scenic Rivers. Spoil yourself! Deschutes River August 22-24 September 1-3 Grande Ronde River October 22-25 John Day River November 3-7 These trips are truly awesome. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.  Book your trip today!  guides@littlecreekoutfitters.net   www.oregonsteelhead.com

Little Creek Outfitters, PO BOX 343, Maupin, OR 97037

Going the Distance for Casting for Recovery

About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime; this is a startling statistic. Last year I found a way to help women dealing with breast cancer as a volunteer for the Casting for Recovery (CFR) retreat in my home state of Oregon. CFR is a national non-profit support and educational program for women of all ages and in all stages of breast cancer. It provides retreats at no cost to participants, which allow women whose lives have been profoundly affected by breast cancer to gather in a beautiful, natural setting and learn to fly fish.

At the retreat I witnessed a program that brought hope, gratitude, peace, inspiration, encouragement, and strength to women recovering from breast cancer.  I walked away inspired and fired up to once again use my spey casting skills to raise money for Casting for Recovery and team up with past Spey-O-Rama champion,Whitney Gould .

At the SOR finals, a wind advisor was in effect that day. Gust of 20-35 WNW winds made it far from ideal conditions. Swirling, blustery weather would blow a cast 20 feet back and slam the line on the water. With just 6 minutes to complete 12 casts, it was challenging to have the patience and wait for the “right wind.” It was one of the most interesting competitions to watch.  Despite gusty conditions, both the men and woman made some big cast. Whitney and my combined distance was 265 feet. Based on that, with your pledges we raised over $7000.00 for the CFR Nor Cal and Northern Oregon Retreats. 

 I would like to thank all you that contributed and made this possible. 

   

Simms, Echo, Gary Anderson Custom Rod, Nautilus Reel, Boggs Trail Butter,  Owl Creek Flies , Sage Products  Little Creek Outfitters , Royal Treatment Fly Shop, Fanny Krieger, Judith O'keefe, Rebecca Blair,  The Drake , Gink and Gasoline , Deneki , Roger Grummel, Cynthia Ervin, Eunice Higgens, Chris Deleone, George Olmsted, Stephanie Gould, Blue Ribbon Sales, Mark Seligman, Dylan Rose, Doug Morgan, Judith Brown, Paul Ridgway, Mary and Jim Bast, Glen Foster, Nanaette Rich, Paul Nicodemus, Karen Gould, Richard Harrington, Jeff Howard, Genevieve Long, Douglas Jett, Mike Williams, Darryl Gould, Linda Slater, Andrea Warner, Swing the Fly, Anne Vitale, Rob Perkins, Nick English, Catherine Slaugh, Phil Renner, Sharon Gould, Mark Huber, Cheryl Bell, Scott Humphrey, Suzanne Gulick, Steve Egge, Rob Sims, Clay Krull, James Reid, Lee Lashway, Ram Reagan, Rob Stuart, Kate Taylor, Hal Leavell, Poppy Cummins, Lindsay Vincent, Kristen Kinsman, Summer Run Guide Service, Carla  Lessard, William Swindell, Raging River Sales, Saracione, David Beaudry, Glen McCormick , James Reid, Gene Weber ,Ian Reeves and Robin Wright, Denise Bulwinkel ,Diane Moreel ,Sandi Kushnei ,Joanne Winship

Congrats to Steve Egge who won the fishing trip and Andrea Warner who won the casting lesson.

The raffle items went to:

Simms Backpack - Anne Vitale

Sage Rod - Carla Lessard

Nautilus Reel - Mark Huber

Echo Rod - Mike Williams

Gary Anderson Rod - Glenn Foster

Boggs Trail Butter – Summer Run Guide Service

Owl Creek Flies -  Glen

SOR and Casting for Recovery Update

Teresa, Me and Rebecca

Wonderful time at SOR this year, with great food and spirits, super company and amazing casting from the men and women, it’s impressive to see records being broken (Travis Johnson making a 198 foot cast) and the women making cast over 140.  The limits keep getting pushed, the casters keep progressing and new competitors enter each year .

Happy to raise funds again for the Northern California and Northern Oregon CFR retreats based on my longest cast.  (Made a 142 and still have the current record for longest cast!)  Congrats to all the women for kicking ass this year!

Caster	Left side		Right side
	Left Snake	Left Single	Right Snake	Right Single	Total	Longest
Whitney Gould	129	132	138	135	534	138
Mia Sheppard	130	142	124	129	525	142
Marcy Stone	116	123	132	130	501	132
Kara Knight	116	105	117	135	473	135
Donna O’Sullivan	122	110	109	128	469	128
Adrienne Comeau	111	111	110	125	457	125

Much gratitude for all the support and a big thanks to Rebecca Blair, Teresa LaBlanc for keeping me on track. GaryAnderson , Joe and Deloris Saracione and Simon Heish (Nextcast Products)  and Simms Fishing and Costa Sunglasses for the awesome gear, Franny Krieger for the hosting Tegan and I (Tegan really enjoyed her time with you) Travis Johnson for always talking me into competing and big hugs to Marty for putting up with me.   Special thanks to all that donated: Whitney Gould (Congrats on 1^st!) Doug Morgan, Rebecca Blair, Will Johnson, Chris Wilson, Scott Humphreys, Bill Swindell, Judith O’keeph, Tim Purvis, Emily Untalan, Henry Carlile, Ken Johnson, Larry Lessard, Jeffery Howard, Doug Morgan, Doug Ballinger, Paul Ridgeway, Eric Adema, Mark Heath, Anne Vitalie, Steve Egge, Teresa LeBlanc, Larry Friedman, Debbie Mathis, Joann Martinez, Paul Gatti,  August Abellar, Anthony Conte, Ingrid Medina, Steve Gomes, Marke Estis, Byron Jones, Kenji Muro, Fanny Krieger, Ken Morando, and many more that signed up at the ponds, sorry I don't have everyones names at this moment.  

My longest cast was 142 and Doug Morgan was the closest guessed 144.5, call me, let’s get a date on the calendar!   Mark Heath wins the Gary Anderson rod.  

Tenkara, Simple with Yvon Chouinard

Yvon Chouinard has a different approach to get women and children in the sport of fly fishing. It's simple.

Tenkara.

Morgan gets one!
"Modern day fly fishing, like much in life has become exceedingly complex, with high tech gear, a confusing array of flies and terminal tackle and accompanied by high priced guides."Yvon Chouinard

Look for his book "Simple Fly Fishing" Techniques for Tenkara and Rod and Reel on Patagonia Books early next year.

There will never be another First

Do you remeber your first Steelhead? You'll never forget!

Jen with her first steelhead !

Hooking my first steelhead reminded me to appreciate all the sensations and emotions of a first time experience. 10 minutes that will last forever in my heart!  

As a novice with a fly rod, my expectations were to enjoy a beautiful day on the river with wonderful friends and hopefully without putting a hook in my eye. Actually catching a steelhead was not on the list...I figured that would come later, after I developed a few skills. At about 10 am all that changed when I felt some resistance at the end of my line. For a moment I assumed I was stuck on the bottom, until the 'bottom' started moving side stream really fast, and that's when I knew the dance had begun. 

Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew my friends were nearby but I couldn't make sound as the line screamed off my reel. About the time that crazy fish decided to take a rest and I started reeling in like my life depended on it I heard Marty, 50 yards upstream "Mia...I think she has one!" As they both rushed over my steelhead took another hard run then exploded out of the water exposing all the beauty and power of this amazing creature. That's when we all realized it was wild and huge! The kind of fish any diehard caster would envy.

It all could have ended right then and I could not have felt luckier (cuz my casting skill sure had nothing to do with it) but it didn't. I got him in close and when Mia tried to grab the line he took another long run and broke water again before I got him back. He rested for a moment while I kept tension, then rolled over, spit out my fly and was gone.

I was so happy that I nearly passed out. Hoots n high fives echoed off the river banks and a moment in time was forever etched into my memory. There may be other steelhead...but there will never be another first.  -Jen AK-Warchild

Erin Block: The View From Coal Creek:Reflections on Fly Rods, Canyons, and Bamboo

The View From Coal Creek

You might know Erin Block if you've read her blog Mysteries Internal.  Over the last year I've gotten to know her through ciber space encounters on Facebook, browsing Mid Current post and reading her blog. Erin's writing is eloquent and personnel, she writes from the heart and soul,  someday I hope our paths cross on some rippling river in the mountains.

Erin just published her first book,  The View from Coal Creek: Reflections on Fly Rods, Canyons, and Bamboo. 

Erin's inspiration for the book came from wanting to find out for herself why people fish bamboo, and why when they do, it verges on a religious experience. "And also, to discover why, in a society that measures worth from profit and efficiency, do people still build bamboo rods. Bamboo rod makers appeared to take the long way around -- putting more miles on the odometer, so to speak...But as I came to find out, they also happen to have very rich eyes, and very full hearts. And as George Black writes.."Once they've put down roots, they tend to become trees."

Erin fishing a bamboo rod.
photo by Jay Zimmerman

Erin, have you fished a bamboo rod and how does it compare to graphite. 

I have fished a bamboo rod – actually, much of the book centers around me making my own all throughout last winter. So I spent the summer fishing it exhaustively. Small streams and high lakes….I love it. And not just because I made it from the culm up myself. There is certainly a slower action to it, but the major thing I learned through it all is that the stereotypical “willowy” bamboo rods are poorly made ones. Either, because of the quality of the cane itself, the taper, or the accuracy of the planing and craftsmanship. And for certain situations bamboo is a bit impractical – 10 wt saltwater rods or such. 

However, on small streams, I think the precision and responsiveness of a well made bamboo rod can’t be beat. I wasn't expecting such a stark contrast from graphite – I starting fishing on a Scott G2, which is a medium action and very responsive. However, I’d take my bamboo over it for small stream fishing, anytime. I’ve fished it for bass, too. It’s a hoot. I just like the feel of it…it makes you slow down and think about what you’re doing. Which apparently, I need!

Do you have a favorite bamboo rod designer. 

I made my rod with Frank Drummond of Brush Creek Cane in Estes Park, CO. He’s a master. Absolutely amazing. Very handsome rods and his work can’t be beat on quality.
Not to mention his ethic on the process, on the craft, on fishing, on the art of it all. I learned so much.

purchase the book here.

Homewater and Hannah's Special

Hannah tying flies.

This fall a one of guest shared a story about fishing a steelhead river in British Columbia back in 80's. He said it was a remote place with wonderful steelhead. There wasn't a lodge, just a humble camp in the woods and one of the guides was a 12 year girl that would stand on a rock over looking the river. She would watch the fish and as his fly swung closer to the steelhead, the little girl would say "here it comes." "Here comes the steelhead!"  He talked about fishing her fly that was deadly, a fly with blue and silver tinsel that he called the Hannah Special.  Hannah still tie's the fly but a modified version called the Blueberry. 

How long have you been tying flies Hannah? 

I started tying flies when I was about 7 or 8 years old.  I started with dries (uggg, how hard was that!) because getting moose hair and feathers, etc., was really easy in the bush (those materials are abundant in the wilderness), but learned that they were quite hard and then moved on to Green Butt Skunks, Silver Hilton's and Blue Charm's. My favorite fly growing up was the Blue Charm. Today, it is still one of her favorite flies, although i don't fish it as much as i used too. Now i am into modern versions of traditional flies and tube flies.

The Blueberry is a deadly fly on the waters I fish, and often that is my go to fly, especially if i need a 'come back' fly. It has not failed me yet...

The Blueberry

The box was made by an old friend of mine, back when we were in our early 20's. I used to tie those style of flies, and put them in the box (as shown) to show the guests the flies, and let them pick which ones they wanted.

Not your typical fly box.

The Bond that Feeds Confidence

I enjoy fishing with both men and women but when in the presence of woman fishing, the connection is made with conversations of gratitude, observations of nature, personnel experiences and a funny joke or two. This fall I had one of the best weekends on the river with three die hard steelhead anglers.  These gals could fish! Forget the lipstick and the hairdos, 5am rolls around and we put on our beanie's and head out the door with coffee in hand. Debbie, Kaylyn, and Pam have been fishing pals for a number of years; they talked about Tarpon trips to Florida, trout trips to Montana and steelhead trip to the Olympic Peninsula. 

Between the three of them, they have more experience fishing then I could dream of, I’m honored to share my home water with them.

 We fish from sunrise to sundown; their determination to catch a steelhead is contagious and pays off. In between runs conversations of how to live a happy life are mixed with endless talk about the best steelhead fly patterns, spey casting tips and nifty gadgets such as shark tooth tippet control and SheWee Funnels,  which allows a women to pee outside standing up, what a concept but not sure if I’ll try it.

Being on the river with these gals has reminded me that steelhead fishing is a sport to enjoy with friends, standing on a river, surrounded by the natural beauty of the river. It’s only feels right to approach it in an inherent style that nourishes our confidence and keeps us yearning to fish the next river.

20 questions with Mia

Head on over to "Eat More Brook Trout" for the skinny by clicking the photo:

http://www.eatmorebrooktrout.com/2012/10/20-questions-mia-sheppard.html

Arctic Grayling, A Dry Fly Fishermen's Dream

Grayling with an aka Mormon Girl.
photo by Mia Sheppard

The Arctic Graying is the Alaskan trout and dry fly fishermen’s dream being the acceptant feeders they are. During the winter they live in deep pools under the ice and don't feed much. When the ice melts, they go into a feeding frenzy on the abundant insects such as Caddis, Mayflies, Craneflies and mosquitoes that live along the Chena River.  The Chena River is a 100-mile-long (160 km) river in the interior region of Alaska and it flows west from the Tanana River near the city of Fairbanks. The Chena River Valley has the highest density of grizzly bears in the state and an abundant run of Arctic Grayling that is a catch and release fishery. 

The Chena River
photo by Eric Petlock
She wore a pale yellow dress and when she landed on the water she danced with grace and the opportunistic grayling couldn’t resist, taking the Mormon girl for a ride.

I was told to bring mosquito patterns, so I stopped by a local fly shop and picked up a few. I also packed a box of trout flies; I so slyly inherited from Brian Silvey a few years back. This is a box of hand tied size 16 and 18 dry fly patterns such as elk hair caddis, blue wing olives and pale morning dun’s.

Grayling with an Elk Hair Caddis.
photo by Mia Sheppard

We spot a few sipping grayling in a slow pool behind a fallen log, we try mosquitoes, nymphs and just about everything else in our fly boxes.  The one thing I had forgotten was tippet small enough to fit through a size 18 eye, I do have 8 pound maxima in my pocket because I was steelhead fishing the week before. I bum a couple feet of size 5x from my colleague, tie it on and reach for the pale yellow fly that is dressed sparse with elk hair. I make one cast up stream, as I reach to make the first strip a small mouth emerges and the fly disappears. The grayling is quickly brought in and released.

“What fly was that?” I reply, “A small yellow one, I think it’s a Yellow Sally.” I show the fly to my colleague and he says that looks like a Mormon Girl and the grayling fell for her. Not being a trout fishermen I admit, I don’t know what it is.

I’ll trade you 18 inches of tippet for a Mormon Girl.” I can’t resist that offer being I have a dozen Mormon girls and no 5X tippet. The deal is sealed and the fishing continues till dusk. The grayling have turned on to the pale yellow fly, we can’t keep them off. This is a dry fly fishermen's dreams, willing trout and surface flies.

Blown out!

Mark Stangeland writes it good. 

Read it here:

http://nuflyguide.blogspot.com/2012/04/blown-out.html

Mia gets some April fools on a classic fly!

40* water temps and a small pretty fly?
Yep!

Day 2: Brown Trout in occupied territory

This river should not be called "in Oregon" but more like "near Idaho".

It is overwhelming the amount of Idaho anglers here. It is occupied by Idaho. It is fun to feel like we are out of state and I am glad this fishery has people who love it! 

Day 2 went something like this:

Mia gets another. Photo by Bryan Huskey

Huskey, Space Invaders, and Salmo trutta

Day one of brown trout fishing is now under our belts. Day two is already started as Mia is on the water with our friend Bryan and Tegan is still asleep. 

Mia casts to a riser as Bryan works the pool below.

Neither Mia or I had ever caught a Brown Trout and we made the trek across Oregon to do just that. Thankfully we arranged to connect with our friend, filmmaker, and guide Bryan Huskey. Looking around the Owyhee you will see many trout sipping midges in the slow calm waters. You will also see people casting their size 22 midges in these spots. According to Bryan there are many successful ways to approach these big trout, and have success, but Bryan prefers to temp these spotted beauties with a faster paced tempo that is seriously fun and productive. Withing 5 minutes of day one, we had tied on a Space Invader streamer, turned our backs on the sipping midge buffet, and ripped a big fish out of a pocket of water. 

Brown Trout have some of the best smashing takes!

This one took a dead drifted Skwala.

Huskey nets a dandy.

Fishing different water than the local Owhyee anglers fish, we were able to land many Brown's on Skwala dries, streamers, and midges in places often overlooked by the average angler. What a fun day it was!

It's snowing back home. Tegan enjoying some t-shirt weather here!

Day two coming next:

Behind the scenes of The Drake cover

In Photos:

Photo by http://www.shaunastephenson.com/

Mia takes this photo of Shuana and the three guides tailing the steelhead. 

Shauna with one of her own.
Photo: Mia

Scout is having quite a publicity month as this shot Mia took made a full page shot in the new 2012 Idylwilde catalog.

Cole hanging with super star dog Scout.Not onlt did Scout make the cover of The Drake and an Idylwilde catalog full page shot, but also starred in a feature of the current Catch magazine this month!
Photo:Mia

Shauna gets the coffee on.
Photo: Mia

Cole and Shauna hike in the promised land.
Photo: Mia

Spey-O-Rama Results

Thank you Golden Gate Casting club for hosting an outstanding event!Mia Sheppard and Gordan Armstrong

Today was tough conditions, winds gusting 5-30 mph from every direction and the rain steadily poured. Every competitor cast amazing, despite the conditions.

2010 Spey O Rama Men’s Championship:

Gordon Armstrong 142 159* 130 148, total 579

Gerard Downey 144 152 122 145, total 563

Ruairi Costello 146 130 143 139, total 558

Brian Styskal 148 116 137 155, total 556

Shinobu Inoue 131 126 134 145, total 536

Geir Hansen 133 154 118 130, total 535

Tommy Aarkvisla 134 150 118 129, total 531

Gene Oswald 148 149 120 114, total 531

Michael Stanley 140 129 125 134,total 528

Simon Hsieh 120 115 119 135, total 489

Travis Johnson 126 124 111 118, total 479

2010 Spey O Rama Women’s Championship

Mia Sheppard 108 107 127* 122, total 464

Whitney Gould 101 108 122 102, total 433

Donna O’ Sullivan 105 119 90 108, total 422

Takako Inoue 86 90 104 102, total 382

Siv Anita Eide 82 102 97 98, total 379

Whitney Gould, Mia Sheppard and Donna O'Sullivan

Thank you Donna for encouraging women to compete in Spey-O-Rama, it wouldn't be what it is without you.

Bruce Kruk aka "Kaptain Kanada"Gene Oswald, aka "Mr. 160"Gary Kalinka, aka "Voodoo Fly"Mia Sheppard, aka "Rivertooth" Michael Parsons, aka "Cookie"--Red Shed liason

Thank you Gene, Bruce, and Red Shed for all your advice on lines, it got me started practising earlier this year. Tegan loves Cookie!

Biggest thanks goes out to Marty for being my coach and best friend. I love you!!

Team Carron: Gerard Downey, Ruairi Costello, Gordon Armstrong


Saracione ! Thank you!

In the end the pressure is off and we release the bubbles!

Marty, Tegan, and I had a great time seeing old friends and making new friends.

Special thanks to: Loop Tackle for the Loop Opti Big

The Japanese Casting Association for a beautiful bottle of sake and wine

Stone Fly Vineyards for a delicious Wine Basket