Winter Steelhead 2011!

This past week I took a trip to the Siletz where the water had just dropped into prime shape. Floating through the Gorge I brought an arsenal of tricks but all that was working was the Indy set up. The first fish of the day was huge and I was pissed that there was no one around to help document the native hen, there was another of hatchery origin which was released in hot grease. As I got to the end of my excursion I hooked up, in a familiar spot with a familiar sized fish. The steelhead proceeded rip down into the tail out after busting a flip turn, similar in water displacement to that of an olympic freestyle swimmer changing directions at the end of the pool.

I would have loved to touch this beauty but alas this big fish came unbuttoned right at my feet. This was OK with me as it would have been extremely taxing on the fish to do a one man photo shoot. The wild male steelhead had a double red stripe and was at least 40" long. The battle made me want something bigger than my 7wt switch rod.

The Next day Jeff and I drifted down river and did pretty well on hatchery chromers. Our friend Michael caught his first winter steelhead on a fly rod which made him a total believer in our program. He also caught fish on Bobber & Jig and Plugs - which is totally sweet if you want to drink beer and read the news paper while getting them!

I Picked this native beauty up in the afternoon and it proceeded to kick my ass untill Jeff (waderless) ran out into the river and netted it pro style. These fish are the attraction of the Siletz. In my two days of fishing it this January I hooked 3 fish that were 15lbs or bigger.

Scotty and I invited Denver to come join us for a day of side drifting down on the Coquille. The day before we had gotten blanked while using the fly rods amidst fifty other boats - all side drifting. He is one of the best drift fisherman I know and he lit it up, hooking 7+ steelhead on the day.

Wild fish were abound on the Coquille this January

Mosquito Lagoon...2010

Russel & a 46 " Redfish caught on a black clouser and 91/2 ft 8wt!

Not one, but two chromers in the 30+ lb range! This was one of the best thanksgiving's I've ever had. Jeff & I hooked 25 fish on the day

A Darky from this morning

Advanced Trick Casting: The Shadow Cast from Jazz and Fly Fishing´s Jazzcam on Vimeo.

Elk+Sixes River November 2010

Elk + Sixes report

'This is an evil place, Don't you ever come 'round....' Unless you want to strip clousers and tweeked out decievers for fall Chinook. Jason & I finally hit pay dirt on the Elk River this past halloween.

Get'n mm

After hooking 15 or so fish we decided to bag it, drink beer, and watch the Ducks game. 10 wts we're a must for taking these Kings off the beach.

Running the uninsured Tundra down the beach in style!

I christen the R.W. Jenkins....

Here is the latest addition to the arsenal. The Parker 23se will be in full force next summer on the East coast! (and if it doesn't work out I'll use it for rock bass back in OR ;)

October Tunny

Dave & I headed down to Groton CT for our annual little tunny trip. We fished with Don Roberts from Barking Dog Charters. Don had us throwing bay anchovy patterns on 10 wts with intermediate heads and as far as I could tell we were the only boat hooking up.

Don had a 2o' Hydrasport cc which was put to the test off of Race Pt, behind Fisher's Island.

Dave has recently started a new business, building fly rod holders custom made to order out of some pretty exotic wood. Nice Rack was the solution for many yrs. of frustration as to where to keep those $$$ graphite's.

September 31X15 on the Swing

It was one of my last days of guiding for the season and I had still never netted a 30+ inch Alaskan Rainbow.... I had seen clients hook them and blow it, as well as blown it on big rainbows myself. With only a few days to go in my final season @ Rainbow King I didn't think I would ever see the illusive 30.

It was 4:30 in the pm when I decided to pick up my Redington Switch 7wt and make some casts with a baitfish pattern. I landed a 12"er and made three more casts before getting the big tug! My fly was'nt even into the swing when I thought I had hooked a Silver. The head shakes were deep and the fish immediately rocketed off down into the tail out and came cartwheeling out of the water. I remember yelling to my clients that I was hoping it was a silver, that way I didn't feel bad if I lost it. Eric Shaffer (the other guide) dropped his rod and ran down to my location with the net and seemed to know innately that it was a rainbow. I think I knew as well because my legs were shaking profusely in the waist deep glacial water. With backing used I began to catch up and gain on the fish which had taken my fly. Gradually I worked the chromer up to my side and saw the pink cheeks signifying it as a large female Rainbow Trout! I had swung up a "unicorn" at the Gorge on the Newhalen River.