Wednesday, March 30, 2011

RIVER SAFTEY

I was on Washington fly fishing and ran into a post about a sunken drift boat on the Grande Ronde here is the story and some safety tips to think about before you head out on the river.

This info from a poster on Westfly:

I Observed a sunk drift boat (blue fiberglass) just below Sheep Creek rapid this weekend (march 5), I guess the guys sunk it the day before (March 4) we were there. To those that may have seen us go by on the wallowa (we were in the blue aluminum koffler not the blue fiberglass boat which sunk). We recovered a bunch of their stuff, phone number on a bag, left a message, no call back yet, including an operational Ruger M77 Mark II .223.

The guy who sunk his boat called me back last night. They are not from the area and this was their first time on the river. They launched from Palmer Junction on the Grande Ronde not from minam

Quite a long story, short version: they think the plug came out and they started taking on water in Sheep Creek rapid, sluggish maneuvering then broadside and flipped on a boulder, I think the anchor also let loose, neither had life jackets and both guys nearly drowned, one had a battle with entrapment with the anchor rope, one made it to the left side of the bank and the other guy on the opposite side. They hiked out to palmer junction.

The guy was pretty humble about his mistakes when I spoke at length with him. They learned a very significant lesson without having to pay the ultimate price.

Lessons they should have learned from this experience (and lessons for everyone to keep in mind):

1. Always wear a PFD
2. Have your boat and all gear in proper working order (i.e. plug etc).
3. Know how to high side and practice to the extent that the move is automatic when required
4. Have a very sharp river knife on your person to cut the anchor rope in the event of it getting snagged and or you getting entrapped
5. Winter trips leave even less margin for error when temps are cold and hypothermia/freezing to death increase 100 fold.
6. Go with another boat if it is your first time on a multi day trip to the middle of no where and you aren’t an expert rower/survival expert.
7. Have a dry bag with some survival gear ei fire starter, some food, some dry clothes.
8. Always give someone your route and schedule so if something happens they know when and where to
look for you.
I deleted on part of this post because I wasn't sure it was good info? It said when traveling on the river put an overhand in your anchor so it can't pay out accidental. What are your thoughts on this please leave a comment as I have some conflicting info. Thanks and be safe out there.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

I am Lucky to have such a great fishing partner.

My daughter Isabell loves to fish. She has been fishing with me since the age of 4 and is now 13. Boy they grow up fast Bella is fearless and will fish anywhere anytime. I remember a day on the Beartrap it was blowing a steady 25mph and cold I asked Bella if she wanted to leave and go warm up. Her response to me was Dad we are not going anywhere we are catching fish. She always has a great attitude no matter what the situation. Isabell will fish any way but her favorite is Fly Fishing she has been to the Fly Shops kids camp twice and can through a great loop. She makes here Daddy very proud. Here are a few pictures of my fishing partner.



P4280157
3-8-9 007
FISH_ON_DAD_
She is amazing!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Those who sell Wild Steelhead

This map is from STOP EATING WILD STEELHEAD check out thier site and join the fight to keep WILD STEELHEAD in our rivers.



View Sellers of Wild Steelhead in a larger map

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Catch of the week.

We did get ot fishing last week and the biggest thing I caught was the flu and did it kick my Ass. We headed out to a local lake on Saturday and had a pretty good day chroni fishing. Streamer fishing has been slow so we hung some bugs and did fairly well. The best fish of the day was an 18in Brown.



















Then we add 8 nice bows to the mix it was windy and cold but the wind came down around 4pm and the
row back to the launch was beautiful.
















The rest of the night sucked. I got home and had a fever and was sick as a dog until yesterday.
Of course I got the I told you to get a flu shot from my wife and my daughters after that ass kicking I am thinking they may be right. The flu caught up with Hank on Sunday night and he is still MIA.





By: Zane Wyll, fly fishing, Washington,drift,brown trout,rainbow,searun cutthroat,steelhead,skiff,flies,fly wallet, swing,nymph,Skagit,Stilly,Sauk,Pass lake,Washington fly fishing,catch and release,fishing with friends,fishing report,fishing trips,free fishing, military fish free,premier fly fishing, west,Idaho,Montana,Mexico,Pesca,bonefish,Snook,driftboat,oars,flyrod,reel.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Fly wallets.com and Bug Slinger team up.

Marc Crapo of FLYWALLETS.COM has teamed up with the dudes from Bug slinger to make the Bug slinger Fly Wallet. Marc is also a kickass cinematographer and has a movie in the International Fly Fishing Film Festival. The film is No Sports Allowed Volume II by DOUBLE R productions. I just happened to watch a scandalous top secret screening last night and the film rocks. So go to Nosportsallowed.com and pre-order your copy of N.S.A. Vol 2 then go to Bugslinger.com and order your Fly Wallet today.

Bug Slinger™ Fly Wallet

Bug Slinger™ Fly Wallet

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Dropkick Murphys - "Going Out In Style" (Official Video)

Get off the couch and get out and fish. Here is some kickass music to help motivate you. See ya on
the water.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

FLY NATION TV BULL TROUT EATS CUTTTHROAT. THIS IS INCREDIBLE

Bull Trout Eats Cutthroat Trout Underwater: Fly Nation TV from Nick Pujic on Vimeo.

What a great piece of footage. Nick that is Super Bad Ass. Keep that stuff coming.

By: Zane Wyll, fly fishing, Washington,drift,brown trout,rainbow,searun cutthroat,steelhead,skiff,flies,fly wallet, swing,nymph,Skagit,Stilly,Sauk,Pass lake,Washington fly fishing,catch and release,fishing with friends,fishing report,fishing trips,free fishing, military fish free,premier fly fishing, west,Idaho,Montana,Mexico,Pesca,bonefish,Snook,driftboat,oars,flyrod,reel.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Choose Your Own Hero.

"SHIFTY" - an incredible American Hero Shifty!! by Chuck Yeager One hero paying homage to another!!

image00166

image00239
 

 

 
"Shifty" By Chuck Yeager


 
Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry.  If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty.  His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them..  
I met Shifty in the  Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time.  I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle," the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat. 
Making conversation, I asked him if he d been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving.  He said quietly that he had been in the 101st.  I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made. 
Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 ... " at which point my heart skipped.
At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into  Normandy . . .  do you know where  Normandy is?"  At this point my heart stopped.
I told him "yes, I know exactly where  Normandy is, and I know what D-Day was."  At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland , into  Arnhem ."  I was standing with a genuine war hero ....  and then I realized that it was June,  just after the anniversary of D-Day.  I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from  France , and he said
"Yes...  And it ' s real sad because, these days, so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip."  My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.


I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach while I was in First Class.  I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats.  When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach.
He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat.  Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and who still care is enough to make an old man very happy."  His eyes were filling up as he said it.
And mine are brimming up now as I write this.
Shifty died on Jan. l7 after fighting cancer.
There was no parade.
No big event in  Staples   Center ..
No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage.
No weeping fans on television.
And that's not right!!
Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way.
Please forward this email to everyone you know.  Especially to the veterans. 
Rest in peace, Shifty. 
Chuck Yeager, Maj Gen. [ret.]

image00341


P.S.  I think that it is amazing how the "media" chooses our "heroes" these days...
Michael Jackson & the like!

Check out our Military Fly Fishing Program and Thank You all for your service.

By: Zane Wyll, fly fishing, Washington,drift,brown trout,rainbow,searun cutthroat,steelhead,skiff,flies,fly wallet, swing,nymph,Skagit,Stilly,Sauk,Pass lake,Washington fly fishing,catch and release,fishing with friends,fishing report,fishing trips,free fishing, military fish free,premier fly fishing, west,Idaho,Montana,Mexico,Pesca,bonefish,Snook,driftboat,oars,flyrod,reel.