Reports

California

I have heard a few nice reports coming from the Trinity for summer steelhead. The water is slowly dropping and around 750 cfs from Lewiston. These summer fish are headed for tributaries so I would focus ones efforts on the mid-lower river. Early mornings and evening are going to give you the best shot a a chrome wild summer run. I would fish anything from a skated muddler or dry fly to October Hilton's, Duck Turds, Silent Assassins, and Undertakers. Good numbers of fish are already showing on the Klamath and Trinity and we anticipate great fall fishing. I have some October dates still available for prime time fall steelheading on the Lower Trinity and Klamath Rivers. Email if you have any questions or to book a date.


Alaska

Fishing up here on the upper Nush has picked up. With more salmon entering the system everyday we are seeing better trout fishing. The egg bite has picked up in the last couple of weeks and the mouse and streamer fishing has been great! Thus far the hot streamers have been a natural BellyDancer, Hickman's Egg Stealing Sculpin, and Silvey's Sculpin. About the only mouse I have been fishing all season is Mr. Hankey but if I had another choic, the Morrish Mouse would be a close second. Will post some pics shortly. The only thing we could use now is some sunshine and warm weather. I have had enough overcast and rainy days until December!

JH

The Pros and Cons of living in the Bush!

Cons

1. Bugs, they really are a bitch. Deet helps a little with the mosquitos but the no see ‘ems and white sox could give two shits about this stuff.
2. Cleaning out the shitters. I could just about throw up everyday I have to take the shitter bags out and clean the john’s.
3. The price of booze. $40 for an 18 pack of Bud Diesel and $40-60 for a bottle of shit Whiskey. Almost not worth a drink here and there.
4. What I wouldn’t give for a bagel, burger, or DiGiorno pizza right about now. The DiGiorno would go well with my $3 can of Bud Diesel.
5. Women worried about their hair and make-up in the middle of BFE! It really it kinda funny!

Pros

1. I don’t have to listen to latest news or political bullshit about how effed up our country is.
2. 24 hours of light
3. Wildlife: Bears, Moose, Wolverines, Eagles, and Osprey
4. Not having to deal with traffic or idiotic people. The only traffic within sight is that of another jet boat heading up or downriver of camp.
5. Leopard Bows
6. Huge grayling
7. Epic mouse and streamer fishing
8. Campfires, music, and Dave’s classic bush stories

Nush Bows on the swing

Fishing up here on the Nush has been hit and miss the last few days. When it has been warm the fishing has picked up. Today was another one of those cold rainy days when the fish just weren't too grabby. We were able to find a few nice fish on the swing with a 6 weight switch rod. Most fish have been coming to olive sculpins and white smolt patterns. Lots of salmon smolt working their way out the system right now and the big bows and dollies are all over them.



JH

Too much rain...

One thing that is getting a little old up here in the bush is the rain. Since arriving here at camp 3 weeks ago we have seen the sun for about 3 days. The only positive of this cool weather are very few mosquitos. The other major downside being the fishing. Water temps have been downright cold, ranging anywhere from 38-46 degrees making the trout somewhat sluggish. This is the time of year to expect great fishing on both mice and streamers and it just hasn’t happened. While fish are still moving, a little, to the streamers we are having better success dead drifting flesh and streamers. The mouse grab has been almost non-existent with maybe 4 four succumbing the fury rodent. Today was far and away the best weather we have seen yet. Bluebird skies and warm weather in the low sixties was a treat until the clouds of mosquitos arrived! If we could only have about five more days of this weather, the water should warm and the fury rodent fishing should kick off. If there is one thing I have been anticipating up here on the nush, it is mouse fishing for big leopard bows. Mr. Hankey, Morrish Mouse, and a new creation I have been working on are sure to see action here soon.

JH

Land of the Midnight Sun

Land of the midnight sun! The last week zipped by working long hours into the midnight sun getting camp set up and ready for clients. The first few days up here on the upper Nush were spent working late getting weather ports (aka fancy tents), the main hall (Kimer’s cook house), and boats ready for jetting the river. Hours of “detailing” have been spent the last two days making this place look real good! Lots of weed eating, raking, and graveling walkways have this place looking like the Ritz Carlton in the bush. Wish I had some before and after photos to share but I don’t so just try to imagine.

The bush is a special place. After a week here I can now see why Kris is here for his seventh year of guiding and why Kim, Dave, and Camille have been running this place for so long. We are over 45 miles from the nearest lodge/camp, 100 miles from the nearest city, Dillingham (not much of one), and there is no one else around with the exception of a few bears, moose, wolves, and big hungry leopard rainbows. It is truly God’s country! We don’t have to deal with stop signs, red lights, idiotic drivers, or idiots from the outside world for that matter. You don’t get the latest news unless a client informs you at camp. You don’t have to listen the political bullshit such as healthcare and the BP disaster! The only things we hear are the birds calling, wolves hawling, the wind, and a little Neil Young thrown in here and there.

Speaking of bears, we have had one in camp for two days in a row. A pretty good size Grizz that snuck up behind us during our evening B.S. session by the fire. Kris and Nice turned around and the damn thing was less than fifty feet from us near the cook tent. We all ran for guns as the bear grew pissed. He snarled a bit and the hair on his neck stood straight up! We got hit to leave camp but not before he was hit in the ass with a rubber bullet. Damn thing showed up in front of the shitter the next morning but left before I got a look at him.

We have spent little time fishing but there wasn’t much too miss the first few days. Heavy rains brought the river up and blew it out. It has since been on the drop and clearing a bit and should only get better. The little fishing we have done has been under the midnight sun for an hour or so before bed. With cold, off color water, fishing has been tough. Head ‘boss’ Kris Kennedy hooked a couple of pigs on McGeary Creek during the first fishing hour but since then it has been a rainbow here and there with a few dollies in the mix.

We have had clients the past two days and they are great dudes. Everyone has hooked fish so far and it should only get better with warming water and weather. We have seen big leopard bows, dollies, and a couple of big grayling that have eaten #4 streamers. So far white smolt patterns and streamers have done the trick. If I was heading up this way in the near future I wouldn’t leave home without Garrett’s Natural Bellydancer and TFS King Smolt. Not only have these flies hooked some nice fish but the white makes it easy to follow and see fish react to your fly. Until next week, enjoy reality and I’ll be enjoying the bush!

JH

A small detour to Trout and Salmon fishing in Alaska

Haven't really done a good job of keeping up with posts this spring. A combination of work and getting ready to leave for Alaska has keep me busier than expected.

In the next four months this blog will detour away from steelhead and focus on my journies guiding for trout and salmon in Alaska. I will be working for Dave and Kim Egdorf at Egdorf's Nushagak Wilderness Camp. I am pretty stoked about this opportunity and it will be fun to chase trout with big streamers and mouse patterns. I will be in Alaska from June 2nd till about September 28th. Upon return I will start guiding the lower Trinity and Klamath rivers on October 5th.

Depending on how good of a satellite internet connection we have at camp, I am hoping to do a weekly post with pics on guiding/fishing in Alaska. More photos can also be viewed on my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/42959397@N08

JH