June Sockeye Slam

Limit 6

Last Years Salmon

This Years Salmon

Gut Fish?

Sometimes, you’ve got to eat fish!

Fillet-O-Sockeye

Bear Gone Fishing

Wireless internet at my cabin at last!

Anchor King before the closure.

I will finally be able to check email and supply conditional posts regularly  along with pictures!  I will begin tomorrow.

Sockeye, Sockeye, Sockeye, Sockeye, Sockeye, Sockeye

We are covered in Sockeye. The limit has been increased to 6 as the Russian River has already received escapement. Today, we saw a moose on the way to the river, had a black bear in a tree at the landing, filled the boat with sockeye and watched a brown bear on the float out.

The first 3 days of the season, our guests landed 5 fish 30 inches or better with a 32 incher taken the first day. Bill Coulson caught a 27″ rainbow on the first cast of the 2009 season at 6am on June 11.

Hope to have a wireless conection at my cabin soon, so I can post more frequently.

Tight Lines!

“Fins Up” Salute

Fins Down

On the return from a quick trip over to Washington State, my Durango’s engine gave out at a Taco Bell drive through in Missoula Montana.  We’d had a beautiful afternoon driving up the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers.  I was seriously considering replacing the brakes and getting new tires and rolling through one more season.  After 250K miles, 20 passes over the Alcan Highway, hundreds of trips on Skilak Road, a close encounter with a moose in the Yukon and mule deer in British Columbia, Wyoming and South Dakota, one more taco was asking too much.  We limped to a corner of the parking lot and that was the end.  Kudos to the poor guy who carted us back to Great Falls in another crazy spring snowstorm.   Crossing the divide at Rogers Pass was insane.  I think we were the last rig to make it through that day.

April 30

It could have been far worse.  The Durango could have given out while crossing the Northern Rockies in B.C.  I sure hope this Yukon is ready for the hard miles ahead.

The new Mystic Waters Road Warrior

Heat Wave, Blizzard, Freezing…Montana

My goal this spring has been to spend a week with my boat (Monday through Friday) fishing on the Missouri.  Up to now, most of my time has been a few hours here and there alone, on a quick trip with friends or a short trip with my family.  The few full days I have fished have usually been solo and without my boat.  I want to learn more about my new home water.  My friend Tom from California was in need of an L.A. escape, so he gave me the excuse and partner I needed.  Tom has fished on the Big Horn a number of times, so we were both interested in his impression of the Missouri.

Warm and happy in the sun.

Monday through Wednesday, we had highs pushing 80 and a strong spring wind.  Fishing was good, but we wanted a few clouds and some cooler temps to kick the bugs in gear.  I complained to Stacy (in Alaska) about the heat and sunburn.  Big mistake.

On Thursday we got our clouds and a temp drop.  It was 34 degrees in the morning and blustery.  The fish were snapping and we were pretty happy until the wind built up to a steady 40 mph and the snow began to drift in the boat.  I managed to do some two handed casts about 20′ crosswind, but it soon became ridiculous. We are both pretty tough, but casting was near impossible and the temp dropped further to 20.  It was pretty clear that our day on the water was going to be short.  We retired to Izaak’s in Craig for some lunch and a beer.  I had the forlorn hope that the weather would settle in and we might get a few more hours on the water.  Shortly after lunch and another beer, we entered the twilight zone of fishing flap.  We were surrounded by guides and fly shop owners and the taps were running and the fishing tales and winter exploits were spinning around.  I will take a moment to give props to the Blackfoot Brewing Company in Helena.  I am an IPA snob and they make a very good beer.  It was my first time at Izaak’s and it has the same vibe as my favorite place in Cooper Landing Alaska, the Kingfisher Roadhouse.  While I don’t know everyone at Izaak’s, I actually was acquainted to about six people and I soon felt at home, maybe too much.  By 10pm, it was clear that we were not getting back on the water.  I beat the ice off the door to get it open and limped back to Great Falls.

Cold but MO better than Thursday

On Friday morning it was 12 degrees in town.  A frozen popsicle of an anchor rope protruded like a trailing shuck from the mess of dirty snow and ice in the bottom of my boat.  I tried to ignore the thermometer as Tom and I  rallied up to the Holter Dam.  Surprisingly, there was not a boat trailer in sight at 8am.  The sun was shining, the wind had died and it was a balmy 17 degrees.  Without the wind, it was actually comfortable.  The lines were a little frosty, but we managed to keep the guides clear enough to cast.  Tom broke in his new 6wt TCX by throwing a streamer and hooking a rainbow right off the ramp.  Fishing was good and by noon, the air was back into the low 40s.  Then it happened.  The baetis began to appear and the swallows and gulls went nuts.  Little sails covered the river as some clouds rolled in and a few snow flurries sputtered down.  It was perfect but the trout seemed not to care.  We tried nymphs and emergers and had the dry fly rod ready.  I have not caught a MO fish on a dry fly since I drove through on my way to Alaska in May of 2007.  In three hours we saw only three rises and only hooked a couple fish on the drift.  Tom’s back was sore from old football stress and my back was beginning to ache watching him try to stretch.  We were done.

Good Beer for Trout Fishing

Tom’s take on the MO.  He felt that the rainbows were good sized and strong.  He only caught one brown, but it was a good one.  He liked the scenery, the fact that the water was uncrowded and was even impressed by the crazy weather. I have also fished the Big Horn a number of times and I must say it is an incredible river.  I have fished the Missouri sporadically the past two late falls to springs.  The Big Horn is possibly more consistent, but when the fish are on in the MO, it is fantastic.  The rainbows are strong and fun to catch.  I have caught browns up to 24″ and love that there is so much water to throw streamers.  The scenery is also great and I like that the river can make you think and second guess.  I know it can get busy, but I have never seen it as busy as the Big Horn or the Green River (UT) in the same seasons.

As I pulled out of Craig, I saw Brian Neilson’s truck at Izaak’s.  Mike from the Trout Shop was there along with Kirk, a fishing and skiing regular from Great Falls and a fixture of the Missouri River Fly Fishers.  It will take a few more days to get the fish on the baetis was the consensus of the smart guys who were already at the bar and the guides that came in.   Hey Brian, lets go fishing in about a week!

Troutzilla and some Fantastic Photography

Bob's Troutzilla held by son Ian

My friends Bob and Ian McDonald don’t mind fishing in the winter.  Here is one reason why.  Fish of this magnitude are nearly impossible to land in heavy current. Cold water and slow winter flows make it possible, though still never easy.  Congrats boys.

How big is this fish?  I know the dimensions, but I will leave them to your imagination.  Suffice it to say the fish was freakin big!

Trout Shark

Kent Fredriksson is passionate about photography like I am about fishing.  Maybe even more so.  He certainly is an image artist.  Click on the picture above for a trip to his website and some Cooper Landing Alaska images.  Then check out his Katmai brown bears and other stunning wildlife and landscape camera art.

AK2UK

A delegation of Alaska Natives and commercial fishermen will fly to London <http://www.ak2uk.com/index.html > next week to confront mining industry giant Anglo American at the company’s April 15th shareholders meeting with concerns about the massive Pebble mine project in the headwaters of Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska.

Efforts to stop the Pebble Mine are going global.

Visit the website for more info.  Good luck delegates!

Opposition to Pebble Mine

Spring into Montana

Original Message: —————– From: Tom Lackey Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:15:14 -0700

To: info@mysticfishing.com

Subject: Fishing…what else?

Hey Fred,

How’s it going? When we spoke back in September in Alaska, you talked about possibly doing some fishing in Montana in April or May before you head up to Alaska, is that still your plan? I haven’t been in the water since we fished together in September, and it’s killing me! I’m taking a spey rod casting class on April 5th, that will be the closest I’ve gotten to water since September. Let me know if you’re interested in doing any fishing!  Thanks and I hope all is well!

Tom Lackey

Walters & Wolf

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Missouri River Rainbow

Hello Tom,

That is not right. Here is how I spent my morning…

Since today was the first day of spring, I decided I would have to go fishing. I also decided that just for fun, I would throw streamers. Using a smaller olive version of our Strip Leech silver fly, I got grabs constantly for 2 hours. The fish were mostly rainbows 14-17″, but also two browns, one that was well over 20″. I picked up a couple more fish nymphing, and then boogied back home to get some work done. We have had cold weather until recently, but this last week has warmed and the river is all ice free. Looking at 60 degrees right now. If you are interested in fishing between April and early May let me know. I have been subbing in the school district most days, but I can always say no to the school and go fishing. You need some time on the water badly my friend.

Tight Lines,

Fred Telleen

www.mysticfishing.com

Joel landed this nice Kenai Rainbow on a dry fly and 5X

—-Original Message—– From: info@mysticfishing.com
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 2:57 PM
To: Green, Joel
Subject: RE: Other 2 Pics

Joel,

I forwarded both pics to Fish Alaska. Hopefully they will pick one or both for the article. My power went out this morning, so I decided to go fishing for a couple hours and wait for it to be restored. Caught a 15# carp on a little nymph. Like fighting a big salmon without the fast runs. I am still trying to figure them out. I can get one now and then, but they are much tougher than trout when the water is cold. A fun challenge though.

Fred Telleen

www.mysticfishing.com

_______________________________________________________________

Fred,

That sounds great and I look forward to the article. I am glad you got out
for a bit to wet a line today. I bet the carp was fun to catch….no
fish can deny the Jedi!

Looking forward to a great time in July and September.

Tight Lines!

JoelZ

Howdy from Baja

Here are some excerpts from Stacy’s message to me from Baja.

Waiting for Roosters

Howdy,

Just wanted to send a few pictures from our latest trip to Baja. The weather was unseasonably warm, which made the fishing unusually good.

I was sitting under that sun shade sipping a pacifico, about ready
to wind in my 100 ft. of fly line that was piled on the beach when the
first group of big roosters came by.  I went running ahead of them and
put some very good casts on them, but they showed no interest.  These
fish were 30 – 40 lbs.  The next group that I saw walking back to the
sun shade were even bigger, and slow moving happy fish.  They were out a
bit further, but there was no wind, and I cast that 400 grain rio all
the way to the backing knot…waited until they were approaching and
made an initial long strip.  The second fish of the bunch, a true giant
that was 40 to 50 lbs moved towards the fly.  As he approached I got low
and quickened the strip.  He charged, lit up with pulsing color and a
comb that was more than a foot out of the water.  I stripped that sucker
all the way to tippet, swept the rod and he was within 6 feet of the
beach about to run up on the beach, when he turned just before going dry
on the sand.  It took about 20 minutes to get my resting heart rate
below 250, but was one of the coolest things I’ve seen in all my trips
to Baja.

I’ve attached a picture of a nice jack I got from the same beach the next day.

Some bad ass Jack

We caught some nice tuna and dorado right off the bat.  The sierra were plentiful and very big (ceviche & fish tacos daily), as were the jacks and roosters.  I caught the nicest rooster I’ve caught from the beach – probably 20 to 25 lbs. but of course didn’t have the camera when I got him.

I'll never do that again.

I have had lots of fun on my two trips to Baja, but have not hit the warm water and hot fishing quite like that.  Maybe next time.

I'll get you next time when you are Grande!

Healing Waters

I recently attended the monthly meeting of the Missouri River FlyFishers.  The presenter was my friend Brian Neilson of Fin Fetchers and the topic was Project Healing Waters.  Brian volunteered on a Smith River trip in 2007 that was documented on a great DVD.  It was very interesting to watch the DVD and listen to Brian add background about the program, the wounded vets and the trip he participated on.   There will be another trip this year on May 7.  The Smith River trips are sponsored by Mike Geary of Lewis and Clark Expeditions.  Mike has been volunteering time, money and lots of heart for this fantastic project.  To support the program or find out more, visit Mike’s website.

Project Healing Waters on the Smith River Montana