How to Tie the Exasperator Steelhead FlyThere is something about the Exasperator. It seems to turn fish when nothing else will. All steelhead fly junkies have their favorite flies and for me, for many years now, the Exasperator has been my “Go To” big fly. The reason is that it simply seems to get results. Friends have also taken notice… and not just for steelhead. The Exasperator has taken its share of Chinook, largemouth and smallmouth bass, some giant browns from Eastern Washington, and lots of Alaska rainbows, among other ...
Tarpon!I recently had the pleasure of fly fishing for tarpon. In mid June I also had the pleasure of getting married. So, being a fisherman and never leaving my rod at home it would only seem fitting that we take a honeymoon where fishing can be done. Hello hot, humid, smelly Key West. I have always wanted to try for tarpon but never thought I would get the shot. We flew into Miami and drove the 4 hours to Key West. Pretty cool drive with fishable water all around. I even saw a woman in a thong ...
Sage SALT HD RodsFor years I have been telling everyone the Sage SALT has been “the best rod I’ve ever cast”. Things change and Sage is always innovating and the new SALT HD is an improvement. The second section has been stiffened to make a crisper and faster recovering action. The rod still loads deep and has the “feel” of the older SALT. The 690-4 (6 weight) is my go to stick for Puget Sound. It will handle cutthroat, pink and coho salmon with ease. My SALT HD quiver is strong and includes the 6wt thru 12wt...
Hardy and Greys now at PFFPacific Fly Fishers is excited to announce that we have recently added Hardy and Greys as new product lines to our store (coming to the web catalog soon). Hardy has a long history in fly fishing and is especially significant in Spey reels in our region. Another influencing factor in our decision was two spectacular value-priced rods from Greys (a subsidiary company to Hardy). Here is a run-down of what we’ll be carrying in 2014 from Hardy/Greys… Hardy Bougle Reels The Hardy Bougle reel is ...
Skykomish Winter SteelheadKnowing this rain was on the way and with the Christmas season starting to get crazy at the store, I fished the lower Skykomish today since it could be my last chance to get on the water until January. I fished two runs pretty hard but didn’t find a fish willing to eat. The river was dropping from the rain a few days ago and I was hoping to find some newly arriving winter steelhead in the lower river. I put the boat in at Lewis Street in Monroe and motored up about a mile. I fished two spots ...
Bennett’s HaloThis is a fly of my design but I have to include it. The Halo just gets it done for steelhead in late summer and fall when the rivers run clear and the steelhead have been in fresh water for a while. The fly was designed to have a “buggy” appeal to those steelhead that have been in the river long enough to start going back to their trouty ways. Ninety-percent of the time you’ll find me fishing the Halo on a floating line, but it has had some great days for me on sink-tips as well. I fish ...
