While not highly regarded among anglers, Arctic Grayling have long captured my interest. What the "Sailfin of the North" lack in robust fighting power they more than makeup for in beauty. Montana is home to the last remaining native wild populations of this unusual member of the trout family in the lower 48 but introduced populations can be found throughout the western United States. Having recently moved to northern Idaho I was eager to connect with these enigmatic fish. I packed my 5 wt Echo glass rod, an assortment of woolly buggers and nymphs, and loaded my kayak for a weekend fishing on Lake Rogers nested in the Salish Mountains southwest of Kalispell. I arrived at the lake to find a healthy 15 mph south wind ripping across the lake but I launched the kayak anyway and made for the opposite bank hoping to seek shelter from the chilly...

I've been wanting to get up to Omak Lake lately, so I was able to slip away this morning for a couple of hours for some water time. It was a bit chilly, but not that bad. There was fog hanging just above the lake when I got there, but the lake looked nice and calm with a little gentle wave action. I was shore fishing it this morning, but I had a feeling that was going to be just right. After about my 3rd cast, my reward was a scrappy 14" Lahontan cutthroat. I was getting plenty of action from the fish in the 14"-16" range for the next 45 minutes. As I was taking a break, I heard a loud splash just over from me. Keeping still and not moving, I scanned the water and spotted what had made to commotion. What I saw was a stocky Lahontan cruising the shallows. Once I started looking harder, I could see others in the area. Then I saw what they ...

Expectations were high when we hit the water yesterday afternoon. I have heard a couple reports of Kokanee running up the Clark Fork River, so I figured other trout would be closely following. With several rods on the boat ready to rock, I did not see how we couldn't hook into a few beauties. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. Air temperatures were in the low 50s, and the sun was out. It didn't take long for me to shed my jacket, and fish with just a long sleeve shirt. Water clarity was excellent, and there wasn't a breath of wind in the air. Curious how river is doing? Check out the current river flows here Our minds were set to swing and strip streamers the entire time. Looking back now, I wish we tried nymphing. After 4 hours of heavy swinging, we had 2 grabs. Color didn't seem to make a difference because we tried every color in t...

The weather over the next week looks really good. Possibly too good for prime dry fly and streamer fishing, but it’s going to be hard to complain. It is November.  You can’t take a nice day for granted. Especially a week of them. So the question is not do you go fishing. The question is how you approach the fish. Want to know how the river is doing? Check out current river flows here Nymphing is going strong. Really strong. If you want lots of action, you should definitely get out there and drift some nymphs. Lots of flies are working. The Tufted Zebra, Mo Zebra, and any small mayflies in the #18-#20 range are in the game. It’s hard to beat the good old scuds, sows and worms though. Mini Mo Czech, Tailwater Sow, Rainbow Czech, UV Czech, Wire Worm, and the classic chenille San Juan Worm are on the menu daily. Dry fly fishing is var...

Last month, we saw the wettest October on record, with up to 9 inches of rain falling in parts of Idaho and Washington. I guess the old adage "be careful what you wish for" is coming true for me because it seems like only yesterday I was begging for some rain. Do the higher water levels mean you can’t catch fish? Absolutely not! You'll just have to change up your tactics a bit. While there may be more water in the river, there’s actually less holding water for fish due to increased flows. Trout will not expend their energy in fast currents, especially as water temperatures drop, so focus your efforts on the edge of seams and soft water. Back eddies that form during high water are another spot that you can consistently find trout. Look in the swirling foam and you'll often find bugs struggling to escape the whirlpool of impending doom...

The Witch of November, referenced in the Gordon Lightfoot song, "The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald," refers to strong stormy winds that sometimes occur on the Great Lakes this time of year. Those of us living east of the Rocky Mountain Front are all too familiar with such winds. We may not be faced with 15’ waves and sinking ships, but the Witchy wind does blow. November is a major transitional month. We’ll often experience some mild and wonderfully enjoyable days. We can be certain though, that at some point, the Witch will come calling. She will likely bring with her a blizzard followed by ice cold conditions. The Fly Adjustments For the angler and the fish, November is a month you don’t want to take for granted. If the weather is good, you better take advantage of the day. The fish will be eating heavily as the water temperatur...

I was able to meet up with Stan, our newest fly shop employee for a few hours of fishing on the Spokane River Sunday morning. Stan, like many other fly fishermen in the area had never fished the Spokane before. Armed with his "bamboo cannon" we made our way to the river. While I admit that I was skeptical of his rod of choice, he did a fine job casting the heavy tungsten nymphs that I gave him. It was also pretty fun to see the rod double over when he was fighting a fish! Looking for the perfect fly rod? Check out our fly rod selection here. Even though we've had a record amount of rain in October, the Spokane remains very fishable. BWOs, caddis, and midges are hatching daily, even in the rain. Streamer fishing has been fun to say the least. If it's numbers your after, fish a Pat's with a hot bead nymph dropper. Curious how the river is ...

It's mow time on the Mo.  Mow as in devour, chow down and eat like a pig.  The long days of summer with an endless smorgasbord of edible options are compressing into fewer hours with fewer options.  I always look at fall as panic time in the fish’s world.  It’s like being at a casino buffet late at night when the crab comes out.  There’s going to be a feeding frenzy. See this MINUTE Mo flows right here. Right now, there are plenty of midges and small baetis. A few larger baetis are in the mix with the prospect for large hatches on the horizon.  There are also some caddis including a handful of huge Octobers.  Now is the time to swing the big pupa or to try skating one up on a size 8. On any given day, you can anticipate successful Nymphing.  While always on the menu, sows and scuds are heavily favored as the meat and potato...

If there is one thing I have noticed fisherman love, it's secrets. Secret streams, secret flies, and secret fishing holes are part of our culture. This blog is to let you in on one more secret that I still haven't heard anyone mention. There are certain products within the fly shop that don't look as "glamorous" because they have an easily affordable price tag. Interesting isn't it? Everyone wants the Sage X, but doesn't give Echo the time of day. Well here are 4 products I have noticed even the fly shop managers buying because they are a quality product that you don't have to blow your paycheck on. Echo Carbon XL I personally have cast the Carbon XL, and immediately started thinking of when I am going to buy this rod. This medium-fast fly casting rocket has a matte brown blank color, alignment dots for quick assembly, anodized aluminum ...