The Steelhead season.

It never can come too early for the hardcore steelhead bum.  I wrote this little piece last year after an epic six week trip to BC's interior and thought I would share.

Cheers to BC steelhead!

Cheers!  (April Vokey photo).

The Golden Valley

Whoever said that “running away from a problem is not the solution”, obviously never ran far enough away.  Either that, or he was the asshole that was being run from.

Running was exactly what I was doing.  Months of suffering from the common fisherman’s discomfort otherwise known as the “relationship migraine”, combined with other headaches courtesy of web designers, employers, and an over crowded house had all driven me to a near breaking point.

I packed my duffle, waders and Spey rod and met my two most reliable fishing buddies, my Water Master raft and my Toyota 4x4, outside in my driveway. “Off we go boys….” I didn’t know exactly where we were going, but I knew it was somewhere far up north to B.C.’s interior where wild Skeena steelhead were plentiful and equally as feisty as me.

The Skeena River is the second largest river in British Columbia and is one of the most famous Steelhead systems in the world.  The Bulkley, Morice, Kispiox, Copper…. the list of tributaries seems endless and an unusually warm October was bringing some of the best fishing the Bulkley River (a mid sized river flowing through the small town of Smithers) had seen in years.

The Bulkley River on an October evening.  (April Vokey photo)

A healthy gas station diet of energy drinks, chocolate, and beef jerky made the fourteen-hour drive to Smithers pass quickly, and the large statue of an old-school fisherman confirmed that I had reached my destination.   The autumn trees swayed gently in the breeze, shaking loose their colourful leaves and creating a highway of gold.   A snowy white mountain shone in the distance, lighting up the blue sky, easing my mind and ridding me of any negative energy; my emotional detox had begun.

Apparently the memo about the hot fishing had spread like an infectious plague throughout the tackle shops and fishing forum community.  Fortunately, word had also spread to a majority of my “not so well-behaved” fishing friends who had opted to make the trip at the same time.  It looked like my three-week vacation was about to take an unexpected, yet far more entertaining, turn.

Some of the usual suspects.......

Tattooed Dave Allen

Tommy Thompson

James Whalen

Aaron Goodis

Scott Baker McGarva

Brian Niska

.......To name but a few.

Drift boats, jet boats, and anglers from all around the world (ones that actually wake up for first light) made fishing…tricky.  There was no need to panic, however, as this dilemma was easily remedied by applying a strategy common to many of us B.C. natives.

We launched our boats at unknown take-outs, fished runs and pockets that most anglers rowed over, fished behind steelhead first timers and, my personal favourite, slept in and let the eager rush push through.

Locked and loaded in the Fly Gal rig.

The fishing had begun to slow down, but it didn’t really matter to any of us.  Between the sun, friendship, quiet drifts, and a decent supply of uplifting B.C. greenery, I had long forgotten about the stresses that were probably multiplying back at the home front.  It was perfect!

The boys sharing a pontoon.  Yup, they actually did the entire float sharing one boat.  Suicidal...

Anyone who has ever visited the small town of Smithers understands that “small” is an understatement.  So, it should have come as no surprise that when I foolishly agreed to participate in a “night out on the town”, we ended up in a tiny strip joint that even the locals opted to stay away from.

Exhausted from a day of rowing and fishing, I faded in and out of focus, catching brief clips of the standard fishermen b.s. and glimpses of a very naked blonde dancer. I chuckled to myself.  Standing beside my fifteen-foot Spey rod with my blonde hair and long fake nails, I could quite easily pass as one those girls.  Perhaps this is how rumours get started…. Uh oh…. I promptly stopped chuckling and dyed my hair brown the following week.

The next day, I hit the river with good friend, Aaron Goodis.  Fishing with Aaron always makes for an enjoyable day even if the fishing is on lockdown.  Just watching Aaron cast puts a smile on my face every time.

We dropped his truck off at our pullout, loaded into my pickup and headed up river. At the small launch, we pumped up our boats, wadered up, secured our fly rods and set out into the current.  The sky was blue and the water was just the right color.  All the early risers had already pushed through and we had the river to ourselves.  I sat back and closed my eyes, listening to the sweet sound of chirping birds and…hissing air!!?

“Damn it!”  I cursed.  Somehow, in a state of idiocy, I had managed to put a fair-sized hole in the bottom of my raft and it was blowing bubbles like unwelcome farts in an oversized bathtub.  “Great!”  I muttered countless obscenities and rowed into shore.  My raft was leaking badly and in need of immediate repair.

Aaron and I found a roll of electrical tape and wound it around the chamber until the hissing stopped.  Miraculously, it held and we continued our search for chrome bars. Although daylight was fading fast, neither of us had hooked a steelhead yet.  How could fish not be here!?  With no fish looking to battle, Aaron’s tight loops had provided the best entertainment of the day.

Note the electrical tape.  She was wounded, but floating, and that was all that mattered.

Every day, the fishing seemed to dwindle a little more than the last.  Though everyone was having a good time between the scenery, camaraderie, and occasional recycling of road kill, I was itching to play with some steel.  My girl Kateri had mentioned that the fishing in her neck of the woods looked promising, so several of us packed up and headed her way towards the Kispiox Valley.

No need to waste (Dave Allen photo).

Ross, a friend of ours, has an A-frame cabin that is located directly on the river in the Kispiox Valley.  The cabin comfortably houses six people and several menacing mice.  Ross is one of those guys that, although everyone knows his name, no one knows his age.  The epitome of a fishing bum (and bachelor), eight months out of the year he disappears into thin air, reappearing when (and only when) steelhead season rolls around.

Oh Ross; Why must you torture me so?  (April Vokey photo)

Although it was only eight in the evening when we arrived, Ross and fellow fishing bum, Doug Wiseman, were sound asleep.  Unsure as to whether they were so tired as a result of fishing too much or as a result of old age (this is what he gets for withholding that information), we made the unanimous decision that it was far too early for sleeping.  We threw down our bags, flicked on the lights and counted out pennies, preparing for a poker game.  All it took was the sound of shuffling cards and, wouldn’t you know it, the two of them were up and ready to play.

The next week flew by.  Fishing picked up again and I found myself increasingly thumbing through the local paper, checking out available real estate.  I was enjoying one of the best fishing trips of my life and was not ready for it to come to an end.

Dirty truck for a dirty boy (Mr.Gladstone).  I couldn't help myself...

Challenged to a push up contest, and you know I had to take it.  You still owe me some dough for that Niska!

Unfortunately, falling snow, an empty bank account, and a full mailbox told me that it was time to head home, so I packed up the truck and hit the freeway, driving back to reality.

My stay in Smithers provided me with the three things that every fishing trip should deliver - tranquility, excitement and ever-lasting memories.  True, I had some serious emails to catch up on and, yes I had a lot of making up to do with my guy, but I’d do it all over again in the blink of an eye.  I had taken the time to ground myself, and as a result, came back an energized, relaxed, and appreciative woman.  It was a refreshing and much needed break.

So, while some may say that I was running away from my problems, I prefer to say that I was running towards a solution.  A solution that just so happened to include giant steelhead.  How can anybody argue that?

I suppose it was only a matter of time before I tried my luck at the Great Lake Steelhead.

Good friend Paul Castellano with Cast Adventures (www.castadventures.ca), a guide on the Niagara River in Ontario, had been busting my chops for the past year, trying to rid me of my wild steelhead snobbery to give his fishery a try.

Castellano with a nice Niagara River Steelhead.

I’d always wanted to see the Niagara River; it’s monster rapids and multitude of species intrigued me, so it didn’t take too much persuasion when it came time to choose a destination for an episode of Fly Nation.

Never would I have imagined that I was about to witness one of the most incredible rivers I had ever seen…..

The pictures of Niagara Falls truly do not give it justice.  It’s bright blue water, and majestic water falls leave me at a loss of words (yup, that‘s actually possible).

I had two missions on this trip. 1)  Catch Great Lake steel using West Coast swinging tactics. 2)  Get my casting certification (CCI) at the Spey Clave that was being held that weekend.

On the first day, Castellano brought us to a magnificent fishing spot.  Like a scene fresh out of Jurassic Park, the water swirled in a dangerous pool and the lush green brush cascaded down towering rock walls.  It was incredible.

Truly spectacular.

It was hard to get a swing with the ever changing water levels and deep swirling water, and it soon was clear to me why I was the only knob at the pool with a Spey rod and sink tip. Indicators, glo-bugs and split shot seemed to be more of the theme here….. Damn.

Stubborn as all hell......Tying streamers when I should have been tying......

......These!  (Josh Nugent photos)

The East Coasters put on a clinic!  I couldn’t believe how many fish these guys brought to the beach. It was evident why Castellano was said to be one of the top guides on the river.

The next day, Castellano loaded us into his boat, and we hit the river again.  I was determined to get one on the swing. An hour, two split shot, and an interesting snake roll off the bow of the boat later, I had finally hooked and landed my first Great Lake steelhead caught on a swinging fly.  It was awesome!

It's on!  Swing vs. drift.... (Naoto Aoki photo)

The highlight of my trip though?  Freakin’ carp!!! Never did I think seeing a carp would have me fumbling so bad that I’d forget how to cast, but a school of 40+ pounders did exactly that. I wasn’t able to hook one, but you can be damn sure that I tried!

With mission one accomplished, it was off to the Grand River Spey Clave. I’d spent the entire week sweating bullets, as I had registered to take my CCI exam through the Federation Of Fly Fishers. Friend and fellow angler Neil Houlding had opened his home to me and had spent the evening helping to keep me relaxed and confident.  But with Simon Gawesworth as one of my testers, it was hard not to be nervous.  Blowing head winds, a crowded park, and rolling cameras didn’t do much to help my nerves either.

Almost four hours later I passed my exam.  (Sigh of relief….) A swig of whiskey with Gawesworth and a celebratory dinner with the guys ended my trip with a bang and, before I knew it, I was on a flight out of town.

Eoin Fairgrieve’s My First Trout, is a refreshing and inspiring book written to educate children about fly-fishing and the importance of the environment.

The book is aesthetically pleasing with beautiful illustrations and practical, easy to follow diagrams.  Most importantly, however, is the abundance of informative content that the author was able to fit into forty pages of large-font print.

Information on safety, fly-tying, fly-casting, knots, entomology, fish handling, trout anatomy, bird and other interesting wildlife facts, make this book not only great for the young angler, but for the beginner fly fisher as well.

(On that note, I would like to state that I highly recommend My First Trout to any aspiring fly fishers who don’t know where to begin.) Only a twenty minute read, Fairgrieve’s book is the epitome of “fly-fishing made easy”.

A personalized first page and a detailed fishing log template, makes the book even more appealing to children looking to grow into competent fly fishers alongside the inviting pages.  From it’s unique shape, to it’s clean and crisp presentation, the book is a joy from beginning to end.  It’s simple layout and informative text rank this book as one of the best beginner books that I have ever read.

Considering the future of our environment lays in the hands of our children, I am ecstatic that this author has taken a constructive step towards improvement.  Furthermore, 10% of the profit of this book is donated to the Tweedstart Angling Program (www.tweedstart.org.uk).

Eoin Fairgrieve is a fully qualified casting member of the A.A.P.G.A.I. and World Team Speycasting Champion.  He is a renowned conservationist who owns a highly regarded fly fishing school in Scotland known as the Center of Excellence, where he has put through numerous pupils.

Yeah.  The whole fishing show thing never really much did it for me.

Standing like a dork beside another angler, asking questions I already knew the answers to, shaking my head like a bimbo, all the while making sure the light was hitting my face at the right angle......  No thanks.

In a television world starved for independent women who "brave the harsh conditions of a man's world", women (whether they be legitimate or trained to look as though they are), are highly sought after to be the face of television, posters, magazines, and everything in between.

This said, I would hope that no one hears any ego in my words when I write that I've been offered a show or two throughout the course of my angling career.

See, the truth is, I couldn't fathom being the girl to contribute yet another painful fishing show to the networks.  Host oriented and, often times ego driven, I opted to stick to guiding and writing the occasional magazine article, focusing mostly on morals and conservation.  I had no desire to be the star of a series.

Faces and casts like these simply don't belong in show biz..... (Yos Gladstone photo).

Then things changed.  Nick Pujic of the Canadian Fly Fisher magazine and I had a sit down on a rainy night during one of his short visits to BC.

Fishing television and its unfortunate demise somehow became the subject of our conversation.  I made reference to the agony sitting through most episodes caused me and he laughed in agreeance.  That was all it took.  As usual when the two of us are paired together, we got to thinking....

What if we had a show where there was no star?  No dialogue even!?  What if we could capture the experience on tape?  Just straight up, hard-core fishing buddies who fished their asses off to funky music, delivering authentic fish porn to the viewers.  No nonsense, no fluff, no lessons, no eye-rolling endorsements.  Simply 100% pure fly-fishing.

The result?  Fly Max Films was born and Nick (and co-partner Paul Langford) created a monster.  www.flymaxfilms.com

As the years have passed, Fly Max has added anglers (upwards of 50 now), adventures, episodes and way cooler cameras to the list.  The show is a success on WFN (The World Fishing Network), and is a breath of fresh air from the standard fishing shows.

But, I still envisioned more......

So, on yet another late night, only this time in Denver, Nick and I sat down to brainstorm.  I had an idea to do a show that captured personality, education, travel, and most importantly, a no-frills/no- gimmicks experience.

Nick pondered the idea, and took some time to think about it.  He's quite possibly the busiest man I know, and I felt awful asking him to take on yet another project....

But true to his workaholic nature, he took the bull by the horns and has teamed with myself, Naoto Aoki, Paul Castellano, Paul Langford and cameraman Tim Myers to create a new and unique show called Fly Nation.

Ape and fellow angler, Naoto Aoki, playing with rods before hitting the river to film.

We're filming Fly Nation this year, and will be airing in 2010.  Networks will be announced and adventures will be shared.....

Puj gearing up (Josh Nugent photo).

The first load of several (Josh Nugent photo).

April booting up (Josh Nugent photo).

It's going to be an interesting journey and we would love to be able to share it with you!

Hope to see you on the water,

My, keeping a blog can fall behind quite easily.....

Here's a quick look at the past month to try and get us caught up to present date.

Our Spey clinic with instructor Aaron Goodis went fabulous!

Day one's group paying close attention to Aaron's demo.

Taking a break and getting ready to enjoy a BBQ lunch.

Even Colby had to take a lunch break.

The crew.

After a full weekend of Spey casting on the river, a day of fishing in a nearby interior lake was starting to sound pretty darn good....

The weather had been hot and there was rumor of the lakes icing off.  So I packed my Spratley and chironomid box, excited to spend the day with my best friend; a man that has been by my side through and through, Matt Moisley.

Matt is quite possibly the most unbelievable still water angler I have ever met.  If you see this guy on the water, pay close attention.  You may just learn a thing or two.....

Yup....This one goes waaayyy back.

First lake of the season!

C'mon girl, you can do it!

Wimp.

The fishing was surprisingly good (though it was more of a quantity vs. quality sort of day).

Cute little guy.....

The chironomid buffet.

Another feisty bow.

Wow.  Such a loser.

>From here, it was off to Oklahoma (don't ask).  It wasn't in my plans to do any fishing while I was there, but when offered the opportunity to slay some large mouth in a small pond, you know I couldn't resist!

Poppers and hooker boots, I was supposed to be going out for dinner, so it's fair to say that I wasn't dressed for the occasion.  Damn near fell out of the boat trying to land this one!

Large Mouth on a popper.  What a blast!  (Randy Imel photo)

>From here it was off to Terrace to try our luck at some steel and fresh chrome.

My dear friend Andrea had never caught a steelhead before and I just had to pop her cherry, so I invited her along to join me for the sixteen hour drive.

We laughed and sang the whole way up North, eager to hang out with good friend Rob Vodola who lived close by to the Kitimat river.

Rob's one of those guys who'll put a smile on your face even when you feel like drowning the rest the world.

The fishing ended up being incredibly slow, but the entertainment was anything but that.  Andrea ended up getting her first steelhead, and though it wasn't on the fly rod, it made my trip!

Bringing a whole new meaning to 'Fly Gal'.  This is what 16 hours of highway will bring ya....(April Vokey photo).

Loading up!

Mission accomplished!  (Noel Gyger photo)

Rob working the jet (April Vokey photo).

Ummmm, I think somebody stole my spot.  (Rob Vodola photo)

(April Vokey photo)

So I gave BC a quick kiss goodbye and hopped on a flight to.....Arkansas!

I'm still currently hangin' in Deliverance country and must admit that it is quite intriguing!  Armadillos, boars, tarantulas, ticks (never did I think I would have to endure nightly checks for ticks!), and road kill decorating the highways like no state I have ever seen.....

There's more to come on this, as I have a feeling I'll be kicking it here for most of my summer.

An Arkansas trout.

A little critter I rescued from the roadkill central highway and placed out of harms way (April Vokey photo).

So, there you have it.  Caught up with this blogging thing!  Stay tuned for some new updates, opinions and adventures.

Squeal like a pig!

It wouldn’t be right of me to have a blog for fly gals, and not give a shout out to some true fly gals!

K8 rocking the fish dance (Michael Davidchik photo).

I’ll name but a few, make sure you check out their sites!

I remember the first time I met my girlfriend Kate (aka K8). I was beat and trying desperately to get a classic fly finished when her loud laugh shook me up. “Who wants a Caesar!?” She was just in from off the water and was ready to bust out the vodka.

For the past three years I had made the Hilltop Hostel in Spence’s Bridge my home while fishing the Thompson River in below zero temperatures. Another female presence was rare, and though she was welcome, she startled the hell out of me and several other guys around the tying table.

Kate soon proved that like the rest of us, she was crazy about fishing. Not casting, or meeting guys, or any of the lame garbage that one too many people use fishing as an excuse for; nope, Kate simply loved to fish.

K8 in Alaska

It didn’t take long for me to decide that this was a gal I sincerely wanted to be a part of both my fishing crew and my life.

Kate had started a site called ‘Rogue Angels’. The site was pimped and truly devoted to the bad-ass female anglers who braved harsh weather conditions and equally harsh scrutiny. I loved it.

Yeah, Kate had me at “Whew, tough fishing out there…”

Check out Rogue Angels http://www.rogueangels.net/

Then there’s Ade. Adrienne and I go way back. As girly as they come, Adrienne won my heart when I met her working the counter at Michael and Young Fly Shop. She had the cutest giggle, the slightest lisp, and the most absurd collection of fishing hats I had ever seen! Ade was a breath of fresh air in a male dominated sport, so I suppose it was only natural that we’d exchange numbers with the intent of wetting a line together.

Adrienne on the lake.

We spent days laughing, crying and jumping up and down like school girls on the river bank. We were a team, and a fierce one at that. To write about Ms. Comeau would take hours so I’ll let her tell you her story in her own words… Check out her blog at http://www.thefemaleangle.com/

Last but not least, there’s my girl Hannah. I first saw Hannah while jetting by her on a river in Northern BC. Her hair blew into the wind and her face was serious. Her eyes followed me as I passed by. I knew exactly who she was. The woman in the Simms catalogue with the intense stare and the enviable fishery on the Damdochax River. The fly-fishing industry is small, and the female population is even smaller. We pulled in to say hello.

It took her a sec to uncross her arms, and I watched her size me up. Yup, I’d heard about this one. Strong, hard-core and no bullshit, I must have looked like a freakin’ Barbie doll stepping out to meet her. I shook her hand and was sincere when I said, “Nice to meet you.” She smiled. Man, she had a beautiful smile! Hmmm…..she wasn’t so scary. I made a mental note to shoot her an email when I got home.

Several months later, Hannah and I were headed on a trip to the States to wail on some winter steelhead. She entertained me on the long drive with stories of life, love and, of course, steelhead. Very few people steal my heart, but I can sincerely say that Hannah did just that. The damn girl stole my heart.

Love that smile!

Her site is awesome and is great for ladies looking to network and catch up on the latest gear reviews. I highly recommend checking it out!

Now you know while I was in Calgary I couldn’t let the Bow River rest without ripping on the mouths of a few trout!

Check out our trip and short teaser of our new show Fly Nation!

http://www.canflyfish.com/2009/VidFNTrailer.as

The Bow River at a distance.

If you’ve read my previous blog entry, you’ll know that I was in Calgary at the Bass Pro Shops opening several weeks ago.  Between the hoards of people and countless fish stories, I had to clear my mind with a little angling.

Ape ready to do a little angling (Josh Nugent photo).

The river was blown, but the fish were still somewhat game, so we loaded into Josh Nugent’s boat (Out Fly Fishing Outfitters  www.bowrivercanada.com) and began our long drift.

The Clack (Josh Nugent photo).

We were alongside good friends Nick Pujic and Paul Castellano, and between the three of us, we shared a combined sleep of three hours.  Needless to say, it was a deliriously fun day.

Ape and Castellano enjoying the drift (Josh Nugent photo).

Paul hooked and landed several trout, and I stupidly popped the hook out of my first monster brown (that was a sick feeling).

Gonna get you.....

It didn’t take any of us long to realize that Josh was an unbelievable guide, as he patiently rowed out our snags, put us into fish, and made me practise my bladder control with his witty humour.

Our guide Josh doubled as a comedian for the day (Paul Castellano photo).

Josh showing us how it's done (Paul Castellano photo).

It was an awesome day with some of the best people I know, and I’m chomping at the bits to get back……

Me kicking Pujic's ass (trying to anyway)........

For more info on fishing the Bow River, contact Josh Nugent at www.bowrivercanada.com or josh@outflyfishingoutfitters.com

He is truly one of the best guides I have had the pleasure of fishing with, and I sincerely recommend him.

See you on the water,

I remember the first time I ever stepped foot into a Bass Pro Shops store.

Between my initial awe, shock and complete overwhelming nausea, I didn’t know whether to turn left, right or simply around and out the doors.

I was a part-time worker at a small fly shop close to my hometown (Reaction Fly and Tackle in Abbotsford, B.C.) and truly loved the feel of working with a relaxed and tight-knit group of guys who, like me, worked to collect discounted fly gear instead of nominal pay cheques.

Petrified of the industry (not always the most compassionate crew), I was shaking in my boots that word would get out that I had stepped foot into the devil; Bass Pro Shops.

Bass Pro Shops in Calgary.

I muttered as I walked through the aisles, shook my head at the life sized photo of Bob Izumi, bitched to myself that this was the reason fly shops have a hard time making it, and found myself briefly questioning if the cartoon character from King of the Hill was sponsored by Bass Pro and if he even actually fished.

Dave Mercer rocking the stage (he is one seriously funny dude!)

It was an uncanny feeling. I was both incredibly impressed and disgusted at the same time; similar to that feeling of meeting a beautiful man who simply can’t stop saying something stupid.

Ladies, you know what I’m talking about…….

So several years later when (now) friend George Wallace (who consequently works for Bass Pro in Toronto), asked me to participate in a seminar at the new store opening in Calgary, I immediately had my answer; “No.”

The fact that the grand opening fell on my birthday weekend certainly didn’t help matters either.

“I already get enough grief, being who I am as is. There is no way I’m getting involved in this one George. Calgary will have your head, and if you ever think you’ll make it in B.C., you’re wrong.”

Man, was I ignorant. It’s amazing what indoctrination, incorrect influence, and close-minded people will do to one’s opinion.

It’s no secret that I’m one to voice my thoughts (unfortunately), so I sat down to a phone conversation with George to let him know my gut feeling on the whole situation.

“You’ll put the ma and pop shops out of business”.

He was patient and answered me kindly, “This is about inspiring people to love, enjoy and conserve the Great Outdoors! The “Ma & Pa Shops” you speak of will always enjoy the support of their core customer-base . . . no matter the destination, or if you prefer, preference, the overall experience and the success therein will always be defined by the level of customer service.”

“Well, sounds like just a bunch of rich dudes who don’t fish, and promote the sport to the equivalence of a carnival”.

“I’ll try and keep this short; two words for you: Humble Beginnings . . . back in 1972, Bass Pro Shops started out with a mere 8ft of space in the back of a local liquor store. Yup . . . I said it! Since then, Bass Pro Shops has grown into the leading retailer of outdoor recreational products. This didn’t just happen overnight; and, we didn’t get to this point without the clairvoyant vision of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops Founder – an avid angler himself! From the novice angler & hunter to those considered unrivaled in their “game”, including those inducted into the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame, Bass Pro Shops is home to the outdoor enthusiast. Much like yourself, albeit we’d rather be on the water or afield, a big part of Bass Pro Shops’ success has been its commitment to conservation; not just to those that volunteer countless hours of their own time, but to the resource as a whole.”

“There are two things I’d like you to take away from this; it’s paramount that those we support in the field not only be at the top of their game, but ultimately embody the character of Bass Pro Shops. Second, and last, as you said, at the end of the day, it all comes back to inspiring people (young or old) to love, enjoy & conserve the Great Outdoors!”

“You’re geared for the newbie, commercialized, fruity, and way too mainstream….” I caught myself on that one. Too mainstream? Seriously? Did I just say that? When did fishing hold the same standards of couture clothing and underground hip-hop? Wasn’t fishing supposed to be about having fun? Wasn’t I promoting the sport for the sole purpose of getting more people involved? God knows, I don’t do it for the money…….

And “geared for the newbie?” Yeah, so?

If everyone has to start somewhere, doesn’t this just make perfect sense? As an angler advances, they will undoubtedly adopt more advanced recourses, meaning quality fly shops, with quality staff and quality gear. It’s inevitable that as they advance, so will their knowledge of gear, fishing buddies and ultimately, choice shopping locations.

Bass Pro was taking the Joe Blow that holds the light-up spinning rod, and turning their heads, if not only for a second, to witness a fish caught on a fly rod. These same anglers are lost in the aisles of Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart, either unaware of ulterior methods or intimidated by major fly shops who can be frightening to approach.

Giving a tying demo at the Calgary store's grand opening (Richard Gibson photo).

Either way, they would be bound to be a lost cause.

I would know. See, I was there once too. I was scared to death about stepping foot into a fly shop for fear of looking like a complete fool. If only I knew then what I know now……

It became clear as we chatted, that Bass Pro Shops was the first step for many in a sport that consists of an endless flight of stairs.

One month later, I was on my way to Calgary, eager to step foot into their new Bass Pro. The people there were kind and the customers were excited and sincerely eager to learn what I was doing with my “crazy flying rod”.

The boys behind the scenes were hilarious and nothing like what I figured a multi-million dollar company would be. They laughed, treated each other kindly, and made wise cracks that had me clutching my ribs at times.

Alright.  So by now you probably know that I am working on a fundraiser called Flies For Fins where people donate their flies to raise money for the love of so many of our lives; BC steelhead.

Long live BC steelhead! (Ralf Raacke photo)

Perhaps it’s not fair to expect those who have not fished for these wild beasts to understand my passion for them, but for those of you who can empathize, you appreciate that the wild in BC’s steelhead is undoubtedly a wild that runs in the West-Coast steelheaders blood.  That’s right; we’re wild, bucking, and not ready to be broken.  It’s amazing what a fishery will do to you.

The only sport in the world that can keep me focused for longer than five minutes (Richard Gibson photo).

So when I started this fundraiser to get everyone pulling together to make a difference, I never for one second imagined the hoards of support that would pour in from people from all over the world.  Japan, Ireland, New York, Idaho, England, New Zealand, New Brunswick, Toronto…..The list is endless!!! Those who didn’t know how to tie steelhead flies, did their best, and those who didn’t tie at all, donated whatever they could to help.  It was heart warming for me and instilled a whole new faith in society and man-kind, proving that together we can make a difference.

People from BC started bringing in their flies to the shops, and customers went out of their way to support the cause.  It was awesome!

A generous contribution of flies from Aaron Goodis.

To date, on the sale of flies alone, we have made over 00.00 (since January), pretty impressive…..especially since the boards are still so full!

Now, as the steelhead season is getting ready to pass (or just get started, depending on how you look at it) it would be amazing if we could sell off the rest of the flies, to maximize the amount of money Flies For Fins has raised. If you live nowhere near any of these shops (let alone BC), please feel free to mail out a cheque made out to the Steelhead Society of BC, letting me know how many flies and of what variation you would like (the flies are more than reasonably priced and all donations are welcome).  Cheques can be mailed to:

8505 Norman Crescent Chilliwack, BC V2P 5C6

Words cannot express how grateful we are for every single person who has gone the extra distance to show that they care.

Wow.  The “Girls just wanna have fun” song is repeating itself inside of my head.  The worst part, is that it’s singing in my head with the same scratchy nasal voice of Ms. Lauper and it’s causing me to sing along with it.

We recently had our ladies learn to fly-cast day and, my goodness, what a day it was!  In a months forecast of rain and snow, somehow myself, eight other ladies, and a little lady in training, were able to coax Mother Nature into hooking us up with some serious sunshine.

Ape teaching on a beautifully sunny day.

The day was hot, the wind was minimal, the burgers were juicy and my ladies were a riot!

Learning knots.

I always have a hard time chatting over a table to a group of fiery women who are chomping at the bits to get a fly rod in their hands.  Half an hour into theory, I notice eyes wandering and we scoot to the field to laugh with each other and intimidate the passing fishermen unfortunate enough to have to walk by us to get to the run.

Paying close attention.

It always amazes me just how quickly the female population catches on to fly-fishing.  Sometimes I sit on the sidelines with a grin on my face, proud as all hell watching them concentrate on their rod tip, and count their timing aloud.  This is why I love my job……

This is why I love my job.  Damn, they made me proud.

So four hours later, goodbyes were exchanged and hugs were given, most of them eager to return and master the double haul.  I hate seeing them leave, as the female angler in me wants so bad to establish the most kick-ass, hard-core team of female fishing buddy’s around, but I wave “so long” and just hope to be able to see them again on the water.

Keep your eyes open, there are some fierce anglers on their way to the water!