2014 WINTER STEELHEAD ON THE OREGON COAST

2014 WINTER STEELHEAD KICKOFF

Written By Deschutes Angler Guide Alex Gonsiewski

Another steelhead season has come and gone on the Deschutes. It is time for those of us that can not imagine a month where we do not swing flies for our anadromous love affair, to look else where. With that in mind I am happy to announce that once again winter steelhead season on the Oregon coast is here and I have guide days still available. I had a great year out there last season and I have been looking forward to this season since it ended. You do not have to look outside the state of Oregon for a shot at a mint bright 20lb steelhead. I was lucky enough to travel to the Dean this summer and though there is no place on earth like it. I must say that the coastal winter steelhead are almost as powerful.  These fish love to show you your backing and are often covered in sea lice. You just need to be in the right place at the right time. And that is not always easy on your own.  

I have been fishing the rivers along the Oregon coast since I was a little kid and it is the winter season that gets me most excited. For me swollen river and rain forests are synonymous with steelhead. The weight of the take from a winter steelhead is like no other. There is no mistaking it for anything else and no way to duplicate it any other time of year. If you live by the motto, the tug is the drug you owe yourself this trip. 

I have made a several R&D trips out there so far this year and it is promising to be a good one. Though I have yet to hold a fish in my hands several have been hooked. If only for a second.

The premier time is fast approaching and I have limited days available in February, March and April. If you are interested in booking a trip or would like some more information about my winter steelhead program give me a call at the shop 541-395-0995 or drop me an email at alex@deachutesanglerguides.com. I can set you up with places to stay and eat and introduce you to what I consider to be one of the greatest steelhead regions in the world. You will not be disappointed by what the coast has to offer.

KEEPING THE FAITH

WINTER STEELHEADING

Written By Deschutes Angler Guide Alex Gonsiewski

Staying sane as a steelhead guide is about keeping the faith. Every morning while I eat a jalapeno and cheddar cheese bagel and drink a cup of coffee I believe, no matter how yesterday went, that today is going to epic. Every time I have a client step into a run I  smell steelhead, and keep the faith. No fish, no matter, I have faith in the next run and the next.

Likewise, you have to keep the faith to be a good steelhead angler. Have faith in your fly, have faith in your swing and have faith that there is a steelhead in front of that juicy looking rock. No fish, no worries just keep fishing and keep the faith. 

Here are some photos from last week to get you juices flowing.There are still a couple weeks left in the 2013 Winter Steelhead Season. Get out there have faith and enjoy yourself. All you can do is fish good water well. Like some help know what that entails? Give us a call at Deschutes Angler Fly Shop (541)395-0995, we still have a couple openings left for the 2013 season. 

STEELHEAD TRIBUNE POLL

STEELHEAD TRIBUNE POLL:  FAVORITE WINTER STEELHEAD FLIES?

Written By Deschutes Angler Fly Shop Crew

We held our inaugural Steelhead Tribune Poll.  We think the Poll turned out fantastic!  We want to thank all of our readers whom voted! Out of the 37 readers who participated, an overwhelming majority picked MOI Fly (My Own Invention) as their Favorite Winter Steelhead Fly.  We partially expected this because if one is a Fly Fisherman, the creativity and satisfaction one gets from building, imagining and then catching a fish on a MOI Fly sometimes trumps over all others.

We don’t know how many readers would like to share their MOI Fly’s but we encourage you too so we can post the lovely, not so lovely or downright crazy MOI’s in a fun post for all viewers to see and garner inspiration from.  Please send photos (preferably .jpg / .tif / .png – sized between 800 x 800 and 1500 x 1500) to: 

admin@deschutesanglerguides.com

SKAGIT CASTING: KEY TIPS

SCANDINAVIAN SHOOTING HEADS TO SKAGIT SHOOTING HEADS

Written by Deschutes Angler Guide Evan Unti

Transitioning from Scandinavian Heads to Skagit Heads

It is now that time of year to pull out the Skagit Head, Sink-Tips and Big Flies and start chasing those stunning Winter monsters.  The heavy rains, swollen river and variable conditions are few things that make Winter Steelhead fishing so attractive. But I often find the transition difficult from casting elegant and effortless floating lines to the heavy and often clunky Skagit heads .  I understand it's commonly stated that your casting stroke shouldn't change from Scandi to Skagit, but the fact of the matter it does and has to, to utilize the power of the Skagit head.

Shortening the Casting Stroke

The number one thing to remember is that your Skagit head is shorter and heavier which means you have less line to move and you don't need to move very quickly to generate tremendous load on the rod. This is one of the many reasons Skagit heads have become so popular among Steelhead anglers. Because the line is short, it is necessary to slow and shorten your stroke to maintain a continuous load on the rod from start to finish.  As opposed to a Scandi head, you don't want to hesitate between the sweep of the cast and the forward stroke.  With a Scandi head, a hesitation is required to make sure the line and leader are in a straight line pointed at the target. Because Skagit heads are short when you sweep the rod around to the forward casting position, the line, sink-tip and leader will be in a straight line so just move into the forward stroke with no hesitation. If you hesitate between the sweep and forward cast, your D-Loop will collapse and thus you will lose the load on the rod.

Sustaining the Load for Maximum Skagit Head Power

Another key component to sustaining the load throughout the cast is making sure you let your sink-tip sink after setting the line up either for a Double Spey, Snap-T or Perry Poke. By letting the sink-tip sink you are ensuring that the Skagit head has a lot of resistance as you sweep the rod around to ensure maximum load. The amount of sink needed is largely based on the tip and fly you are using.  A heavy fly and sink-tip don't require much sink time, while a light tip and fly require more sink time to get the same amount of resistance.  You will have to play around with the various set-ups you use based on river conditions to gauge how much sink time is required for each set up. 

Use Your Body to Move the Spey Rod

The last ingredient to making a smooth transition from Scandi to Skagit is to fight the urge to lift your arms as you sweep the rod around your body.  Remember that the line, sink-tip and leader follow your rod tip.  This means if you begin to lift the rod during the sweep, the line, sink-tip and leader will also begin to lift translating into a blown anchor. Be sure you sweep the rod around your body smoothly on an even plane ensuring that the anchor will not leave the water during the sweep.  I typically try to keep my elbows glued to the side of my body and use my body rather than my arms to move the rod.  If you focus on using your body, the rod has no choice but to travel smoothly on an even plane which translates into consistent casting.  The more consistent you cast, the more efficiently you will cover the water which usually means more fish. 

Let Your Spey Cast Rip

Now get out on the river with your skagit line and ease yourself back into the game by keeping the cast shorter and controlled so you can focus on the fundamentals of the cast.  Once you are dialed back in then begin to the lengthen the cast to the necessary length and fire your way into a beautiful Winter Steelhead.