Happy New Year

Well we have arrived at the eve of another great year, man how time flys! I've met a ton of cool people this year,some will become lifelong friends and others will be folks that i may only see once a year but that's whats so cool about this job,you meet a lot of great people. Looking back on the year and thinking of all the fish that have been caught it can really be humbling to think that people will travel hundreds if not thousands of miles and spend hundreds of dollars to spend what could there only vacation with goofy ass me, to all of those folks that have fished with me a very heart felt Thank You. I really look forward to this following year, more cool people more awesome fish and maybe even a few more road trips to fish.

Chattahoochee love

My good friend Dave Hosler over at Pilecsast spent a few days down in Atlanta fishing the chattahoochee and it sounds like he had a great time. check out his story over at pilecast

Roads, rainbows, and remembering

Brown trout goodness

What do fishing guides do in the winter when their not working?....FISH what the hell else would we do? Sure there's honey to do list to take care of from months of fishing everyday, but the winter is where we get to fish and try some new fly patterns out. The pattern below is called a Zonkora, I am not sure who created it, I have heard that Ray Schmidt started tying this pattern after a trip from Argentina.  I know that I have caught alot of smallmouth on this little gem around Beaver Island, Carp, Salmon and Northern Pike even like this fly. where this pattern really takes charge is Brown Trout, don't ask me why, but I have turned some bleak days around when I tied this pattern on. the color combo shown are my best here in West Michigan. I have tied this fly with white bunny and body leaving the orange tail and swung it for steelhead with good results, either way It doesn't matter. Hard to question something when it works so good.

Hook-favorite streamer hook 3x #4

Tail-marabou

Rubber legs

Body-Crystal chennile

Wing-Magnum zonker strip cut to form double wings

medium cone head

Hunting river Donkeys

Ripping BIG streamers for Brown trout is by far a numbers game, you are looking for one fish, one trophy to come out and play. Earlier this week I was invited to fish the Ausable river in Northern Michigan and naturally I was in on this trip.We met first thing in the morning close to where we launched, exited doesn't explain my feeling, this was new to me, never fishing this river only hearing about the giant browns that have been caught here. the Ausable is a beautiful river, great flow, with gravel riffles and deep pockets and runs. Ceder swamp and aspen line the banks and very few houses, although beavers do seem to be at a all time high. The order for the day was to strip streamers the size of small river otters. The first few hours were slow, having one good rip but never seen the fish. Later in the day I landed one small rainbow, about 16 inches and had a couple smallish fish follow my fly.  No great story of 30 inch brown crashing me and losing it at the boat. No followers that made me weak in the knees and peeing in my waders, however I had a blast.  I got to experience fishing on a river that I have heard so much about and it makes me come back for more. Redemption, get ready you big ass donkey brown, I will be back!