This past weekend, the opportunity to fish some water that I am semi familiar with presented itself. I arrived prepared for many options, my car contained 5 and 6 wt single handers plus a 3 wt switch, my usual approach on this water. At the river bank, my switch got demoted and my 6 wt was rigged with a sink tip. This was a golden opportunity to engage in some serious streamer fishing and I was all in. Years ago, when I guided in Alaska, streamer fishing was a mainstay of my approaches. Truth be told I loved chucking big meat to fish, but somehow it got placed in the dust bin in the lower 48, as I tend to chase noses with dries. Once on the water, I slowly doffed my old habits and mindsets behind and just fished what was in front of me. The river was a blank slate, I followed those inner whispers, tying on the fly that spoke to me and swam that fly at just the right speed through each pool. This "old" approach opened a whole new way of looking at the river and its finned citizens. The day proved to be a magical one; a great time sharing water with friends, holding and photoing a few gems plucked from the mysterious depths and a rekindling of my passion for chucking big flies.
Just as a wall of water descended upon us
Matt's first fish on a dry for the season.
Working the run
Mike working it with a smile
First move of the snap T
A well earned reward
clean
Adam doesn't mind a little rain.
The release
