AirFlo Rage Give Away!

We are just 250 visits away from Giving away a Airflo Rage (in the weight you request). So if you haven't  done so yet, go to my  website and use the link to my email and send me a message. I will put your message into a raffle. If you visit the site, make sure you get credit for it and send me a email. I will not use the emails for a mass email, or sell them to anyone, and I will delete the folder they are in after the drawing. If you like to keep up with whats going on, on the Rogue, Williamson, and other Southern Oregon waters you can follow  My Blog , just click on the "follow me" button on the top right and you will get a notification when my blog updates. If you want a Rage line, take the few seconds and shoot me a email...you never know you might be the winner.

Go with the Flo

Could Be Yours




 

The Next Generation!

I love the fact that my boys still want to go fishing with me. I think the future of our Sport, Rivers, and Fish are in there hands. I am proud of all three of my boys, and would like you meet them. They aren't only the future of On The Fly Guide Service they are the people that will carry its values forward. I am pleased to introduce:

Aaron 

Aaron is the oldest of my three son's which means that he has been eating all the boat snacks longest. He is the most patient of all my boys. When he was little he would hunt the whole river, hitting every lie until he would catch a fish, then he would stay there the rest of the day. I couldn't get him to move as he thought that was the only place to catch a fish in the whole river.

Aaron with a couple nice Wood River Red Bands

Gage

Gage Is my middle son. He is probably the least patient of my sons. If its not moving fast he is. He covers water like a freight train! Often passing up all, but the most aggressive fish in the run--his excuse is those other fish don't fight anyhow. Gage is a natural with a two hander, although I had a heck of a time teaching him (father son thing). It wasn't until Mark Bauchman spent some time with him until he really started kicking some line out. If your swinging behind Gage, don't worry he wont hog the hole- but he may get all the tail walkers.

Wood River... Ya

Gage attacking a classic Rogue River Run!

Chase

Chase is the youngest of my sons. He is never to be outdone by his older brothers. He is fishes wise beyond his years. Always calculating, he watches his brothers and learns from their victories and mistakes. Chase usually bats clean up--catching fish the other two have missed. You can bet if Chase is fishing a certain lie he'll have a reason. 

Chase with a nice Rogue River Steelhead.

 As you can see, On The Fly Guide Service and our sport is in good hands, and you can bet I am a proud Papa.

Calling all Fly Fishermen!

As a Citizen Airman myself, I have the opportunity, and privilege, to be close the fine men and women of our Armed Services. The first hand stories of IED's, Firefights, and Human Atrocities that these people have to go through makes me shudder.

After viewing the movie Lone Survivor last night I was reminded of Project Healing Waters and what Bigstick Fly Fishing is trying to do to help these Heros.

  If you watch this movie remember the price of freedom isn't free and we all should try to do something  help calm their battle ridden souls. Help Organizations like  Project Healing Waters, Lone Survivor Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project.

As Fly Fishermen there is something else you can do. Its Simple, Its Free, Its Informative, and best of all it helps those who Served You...Register at Big Stick Fly Fishing. The folks over there are donating gear and I'm donating trips to our Veterans. Take the Five Minutes, Register , and you will help bring peace to our Heroes. This is a way everyone can get involved. For details check out the picture below:

 

Watch Lone Survivor and do what you can to help. 

December is still producing!

The Rogue amazes me! We started catching summer steelhead in July and continue to get them into February. That's 7 Months, ya 7 Months. The end of March brings Winters into the upper system so there are virtually fish in the river most of the year. What other River produces such runs? I didn't get out today but here are a couple Rogue Summer Runs that one of the local fish smacker hit today. Good job Jordan!

Run & Gun!

Wild Hen (Summer Run !?!)

A Great New Forum and Helping Veterans!

We are getting really close to the first Free Veteran Trip, Please register at http://www.bigstickflyfishing.com/ and help get The Veterans on the Water!

Snow, Christmas Lights, Rogue River Steelhead, and the Jacket that Keeps me in the game.

The Rogue Valley has been covered with the most snow that I have seen in years. It caused a cancellation of a trip on Friday as my clients tried to get back North before the bulk of the weather hit. I can't blame them as the news was calling for 2-5 inches of snow on the valley floor. 6-8 inches was more like it. The day off provided some time for some Christmas shopping (yuk), much needed time with Misty, and a snowball fight with the boys!  But, after the way swinging flies on the Rogue has been, I was itching to get on the River--its not very often you can fish the Rogue with snow on its banks.  First though,  I had honey do's to get done. Ya that's right, even guides have honey do's that need to be done before they can go fishing.

After some online Christmas shopping and getting the Christmas lights hung, the dogs and I were off to the river. We made it through the gate and noticed that there were only one set of tracks to the river bar, and they looked like a some from a kid that was playing around, so I had the river all to myself. I needed all the help I could get, when I got to the river I noticed steam rising from its emerald waters. I started at the top and swung my way through the three buckets the Modoc contains. I spent a good couple hours making my way through the buckets, spending the majority of the time in the second as its the top producer for me. No dice, and it was starting to get dark so I moved down river to the last little bucket. The ice in my guides made it nearly impossible to cast, but I managed to keep my fly in fishy water. I about gave up hope when sudden pause came into my swing then a light tug. I almost wrote it off as bottom, but I knew there was no way it was as I have swung hundreds of flies, at all different river levels, and have never have touched
 the bottom. I stripped in the Skagit Intermediate head and re-casted, making sure to get the exact same drift. The line paused again, but this time I felt the heft of a fish. I dropped my tip, paused a second, then pulled strait back. The rod came to a stop against angry, Rogue Steel! Weight turned to Powerful throbs, then to drag ripping fury! I was taken by surprise as it has been over ten hookups since I connected with a Native Rogue fish. I let the beast run until it hit the tailout leading to ledges below. I knew that if the fish made it over the riffle there was no way I could wade to it from my side of the river so I applied some pressure to the the palming rim, but it was more than the 10 lb fluorocarbon tippet could handle as it parted like a rifle shot. This fish made a couple congratulatory jumps, and returned to the emerald depths.

The sun went to bed, I loaded the dogs and we enjoyed the beauty of the snow as we made our way home. As I unloaded the dogs and the gear my neighbor made a comment to the loss sanity that was involved to wade hip deep in the middle of a river and swing flies on a day such as this. I smiled and put the rod and waders away. I thought to myself, there is no way I could have stayed out that long without my wool base layer and down jacket.

I spent several months researching the perfect insulating outerwear for fishing and hunting. I wanted the packable lite weight of down, but was afraid of it around the water. Down is only insulating when it is fluffy and dry as that's how it holds air. Once it gets wet it loses it's loft, and all of its insulating qualities--this could spell disaster on the river as I am around rain and water all winter long. Sometimes miles away from the warmth of the pickup. I thought I would have to live with the heft and bulk of pirma-loaf until I ran across a company that specializes in light weight extreme weather clothing Kuiu.  Kuiu ultralight cloathing allows me to stay warm on the river, with peace of mind, through their innovative product: Supper Down.

Kuiu Super Down Jacket

This Jacket is light weight, packable, and safe. It isn't your normal down jacket as its down has been treated with a special loft keeping, molecular waterproofing. This waterproofing has worked great. Although the jacket is considered as a insulating layer and is meant to be worn under a shell in wet weather, I have found its water resistant properties to be a asset when I dunk a arm releasing fish or retrieving the occasional fly. Check out Super Down in the Video below.

I have found this Jacket to do all that's claimed. If your looking for a down jacket that can give you a little peace of mind check out Kuiu. Here are some pictures of me testing mine and the beauty if the Rogue in winter dress.

Down Touvelle Rd.

One track and I!

Getting to the River!

Putting Kuiu through its paces!

Swinging the Second Bucket.

That fly has accounted for the last ten hookups for us.

Steam coming off the River! I guess it does that at 20 degrees.

The Lights are up! Still Have to fix the cross!

Winter Struck

Southern Oregon got covered by a blanket of snow, canceling one day of my clients two day trip as they tried to get back home before the snow hit. We did well the day before the snow.  Hooking three fish and one on the swing, a take that left Dave shaking! Im going to try to sneek down to the river this afternoon and get a picture of  a fish in the snow. Stay warm. 

BRRRRRR!