Big Stick Casting Clinic Was a Blast!

Their are a few more spey casters in the world now thanks to Big Stick Fly Fishing Forum and all the Great Sponsors of the First Annual Big Stick Casting Clinic. Here are a few pictures of what went down in Southern Oregon this weekend. I'll post more pictures and some videos as we get them processed. Thank you, Fishon! Sports—Us Distributor of LTS Fly Fishing—Donna O’Sullivan, Loop USA--James Park, R.B. Miser Rods—Bob Meiser,Vision Fly Fishing USA—Monte Ward,Anderson Custom Rods—Gary Anderson, Native Fish Society, and Siskiyou Aviary! I would also like to thank the other  the presenters Donna O’Sullivan, Monte Ward, and Charles Gehr. I can't wait to do it agian next year.

Big Stick Making a splash in Southern Oregon

Donna Showing the guys how its done, what a insane caster!

The Better Half of On The Fly Guide Service...Misty Bailey

Representing Fish-on Sports, and LTS...Donna and Nate

Fun Teaching some Winter Presantations with a boat load of LTS rods!

Monte Ward of Vision Flyfishing going over the basics.

Monte and The Native Fish Society!

Donna of Fish-on Sports/ LTS and Derek Bachmann owner of Big Stick Fly Fishing Forum.

The Single Handed Spey!

Stay tuned for more pictures to come!

The Rogue--Spey is still in the Game!

With the low, cold, water the Rogue has become more technical. There are a ton of Fish in the upper section, and we are still picking up fish Swinging with tips. Once the rain hits you had better be there!
Bring your tips, large, and dark flies. Normal years we would have turn to nymphs to keep things rolling, but with the advent of intermediate Skagits, and some good ole greased line steelheading, we are still in the game with our Spey Rods as the weather cools the water below 45 f.

Enjoy some pictures of  last weeks action.

Rogue Color and Spey Rods! What more could you want?

Those men from Iceland can cast!

A good smoke.

Enjoying the day.

Showing the boys what a D-loop looks like.

Nice Setup

Fish On!

That Wild Steelhead Is Camera shy!

A week full of Rogue River Spey! Tug is the Drug!

The Upper Rogue River is full of fish, and I am blessed enough to be spending these fall days on the river. The water is staying under 45 deg f most days making swinging tough, but we are still picking up fish. This is the first year I have had more Spey fisherman than nymph fishermen in the boat, and I'm Loving it. Sure swinging brings less fish, but the fish it does bring are the Alpha Monsters Of the Run..the ones that were aggressive enough to slam the Intruder of their underwater world. If you haven't caught steel on the swing, you need to. Experience the pure aggression of this fine river predator, once you do, you'll be tempted to throw away your nymph gear, and spend the rest of the time searching for the TUG.



Good Coffee, Great Line!



A whole Pile Of Spey...put me in coach!

 



The most demanding clients yet!


But we made them happy!

Waiting for battle


A week full of loops like this!

Been there, Done that, Wanna go Back!!!!!!!

I spent two years in this magical place, if you like Salmon, Steelhead, and Trout you need to go!

"The Kodiak Project" trailer - by LDR Media | Fly Fishing Movie from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

I can't contain myself!

Ok, I have been trying to contain this, but I just can't anymore. In less than a week my son, Gage Bailey and I will be on the Dechutes River under the guidance of one its legends Mark Bachmann. Thanks to The Fly Fishing Shop Shop, and Echo Rods im able to fish this legendary river, with my son, in his senior year. The Fly Shop just happens to be based in the town that is named after my family, Welches Oregon, and my son is the last generation in the family bearing the Welch name. Just awesome. I'm sure Mark will never remember this, but when I was a Teen, I saved all year to by a used  Maryat Reel that Mark had on the shelf. I put some money down and he assured me that it would be there when I got the rest. It took me a couple months, but true to his word, it was right where he said it would be when I finally made enough money to pay it off. He was always good to us kids. We would visit the shop every time we visited our grandparents. Unlike other shops, he would encourage us to check out the newest rods on the rack. Its cool to think after all these years Im going to be fishing with him, I can't wait.  

Dechutes Flies...I hope

The Reel I saved For

Rogue Summer Steelhead have hit the Upper River and they're taking swung flies-- A Rogue River Steelhead Report

I had a couple of hours tonight to be able to swing one of my favorite runs--a real breath of fresh air because most of my clients pick indicators and nymphs, over swinging. Although nymphing is probably the most efficient way to catch a fish, it lacks the grab of the swung fly, and
Rogue Steelhead have slammed a well swung fly for close to a hundred years. If clients would give it a try they might never go back.

 I started with a floating Skagit tipped with a clear intermediate poly leader swinging  a Silver Hilton. Within a couple cast I got a bump, then another, but it was one of those Rogue Steelhead short strikes you have to get use to if your going to fish this river. I continued to hit the water until I was sure the fish wasn't going show agian, then I switched rigs. I took off the floater and changed it with a intermediate Skagit. I tipped it with a 10 foot section of T10 and finished it off with a cone head bugger. It only took a couple of passes and SLAM, the rod about came out of my hands. The fish ran, jumped twice then was gone. It was a good size Summer Steelhead. A little disgusted, I halfheartedly swam the fly through the same slot. Just after the second mend my rod doubled again. This fish was smaller but you would have had a hard time convincing him of that. The little guy ripped into the current and made several aerial attacks, but within a few minutes he came to bay.

It was a great couple hours, If you have never swung a fly for Rogue River Steelhead you really should, ask the Legends, they never used a indicator and they caught a ton of fish. Best Fishes     

Great Water

Do you see the Slot

Nice Rogue River Summer Run

He Slammed the Rogue Wooly Bugger

A Good Description of the Rogue River

for all of those who are coming to Two Hands @ Tou Velle event.

Polly's Black, Pursell's Black, who knows...but it catches fish.

     I had been fishing The Williamson for weeks without a single grab, and I was about to give the whole sport up until I met a substitute teacher on a late May school day. His Name was Paul Pursell, and he caught me talking about the days fishing plans with my buddies when I should have been doing my math. He immediately told me to meet him outside in the hall. I thought, "what harsh punishment for a few words," but I didn't protest and I made my way out. He followed right behind me.
     To my surprise he shut the door, then asked "have you been catching any?" I was flabbergasted, but regained composer quickly, as I always liked to talk fishing.
     "Naw, They are jumping everywhere,  but I cant get them to bite."
     "What are you using?" he asked
     "Jigs."
     His eyebrows rose, and he looked over his glasses, "You need to come fishing with me, show up to the green house by the bridge and Ill show you how to do it; now tend to your work." he pointed to my desk.
     I took him up on that offer and we became good friends. We made a deal that if I cut his grass for the summer he would get me some decent fly gear to use. We both owned up to our bargain and at the end of the summer he gave me a Sage 9' 5wt Reserve Power Rod, it was the latest and the greatest, and I loved it.
     Paul helped me cast, learn the bugs, and gave me a few pointers on how to fish the Williamson, but he expected me to try to figure out the river for myself, as he knew how that would help my fishing for the rest of my life. After watching me bumble around the river, putting down more fish than I hooked he finally threw me a bone.
a little black fly he named after himself, Pursell's Black.
     He told me, "Cast that fly quartering downstream and let it swing across the current."
     "Drag it?But?"
     "Just do it!"
     So the next time I hit the river I followed Mr. Pursell's orders to the tee. That night I landed monster after monster, and wore a perma--grin for a week after.
     One night Mr. Pursell invited my brother, and I to come to his place to watch the new Gary Borger video with Him and Polly Rosebrough. During the course of the night I mentioned how awesome the Pursell Black had performed. Polly quickly asked me to tell him what it looked like.
     I told him, then he laughed, "I came up with that pattern."
     Like a starting pistol, those words started a argument that lasted well into the night. I heard stories of huge fish and how each of them used that pattern before the other: great stories a 12 year old boy to hear from a couple of local legends.
    I miss those days, fishing seemed simpler and less demanding. Whenever I tie the Black Fly, (what I ended up calling it so I wouldn't rile the old timers), I remember those times, I hope this pattern brings you as much joy as it has me. I have caught a ton of Williamson River Trout on it and its a great pattern for Rogue River Steelhead as well. Enjoy.

Slightly weight the fly to break surface tension.

Add 3 or 4 strands of Peacock herl tied with tips out to make a tail

Add a black, webby, hen hackle tied at the tip.

Wrap the peacock to the tip.

Palmer the Hen Hackle to the eye and tie off.

 

       And there you have it a The Fly of Williamson River Legends, swing this puppy and take a step back in time. 
   

Running line Problems?

Do you have tangles? Do you have trust issues with line manufactures from their outlandish claims of "tangle free running lines?" I use to, until I found a different way. Check out this video  and you to can be on speaking terms, once again, with your favorite line manufacture. This is the best video I have ever seen to describe shooting line management. http://youtu.be/zdTYi992-vw

Its On!!!!

The river was beautiful tonight, Gage my Son,  and I swung for summer steel. He managed to conjure up a nice little Cutt on a Kerry Special. we admired it for a moment and got back at it. I finally tied on my steelhead prince and swung it as deep as I could. I couldn't move down from where I had to fish from,  so I worked in a foot of line about every three cast so I could cover the whole pool. About 20 cast in, it happened...the Tug we are all after. I was taken completely buy surprise, so much so I didn't even set the hook well. My line shot out of the water fallowed by a beautiful chrome summer steelhead. Oh how I've missed this Ran through my mind, then sure panic, fight him you twit!!! I jerked the rod, but all I could see was my fly dislodge itself out of the corner of the chrome rocket's mouth. My line went limp, I realized that I had a permagrin that I knew wouldn't go away for a while. They Are Here! Its On! oh how I love the Rogue's Summer Steelhead.

I got back to the house and found out from a friend of mine,  that works at the hatchery, that there are over 500 fish up there already...Its On Indeed!!!


The Permagrin

Nate's Steelhead Prince





What is this thing we call Skagit?

As Steelhead season is just around the corner here on the Rogue River, and with the Williamson and Wood fishing well , I thought it might be fitting to introduce you to the swing. Those of you who know me, know that I love to fish the swing with the fly rod. For large rivers there is no better rod than the doublehander for this purpose. If your new to this form of flyfishing I have found a video that will help you understand the systems used, Enjoy...Nate