On Presidents Day Weekend, we got to see… firsthand… why the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby was nicknamed “The Iron Man”. Personally, until this year, I had never competed in this event, I simply admired the guys who worked the water for those days in February when the winds can whip the Straits of Juan de Fuca into […]
Fishing coon shrimp for salmon and steelhead isn't a new technique. Pacific Northwest Anglers have been employing the procedure for decades. Nonetheless, in the last few years the application has seen an influx in interest, likely a reflection of modern formulas that make brining the shrimp easier and more efficient than in the past. There […]
It didn't take long to polish off 6 dozen oysters at my good buddy Geoff's going away party last night here in Gig Harbor. Geoff just got called up for 400 days of active duty in Afghanistan and what better way to send him off than with a bunch of fresh Hood Canal oysters cooked […]
It's no secret that I get the steelhead bug bad, real bad in February. This is the time of year when those big bruiser wild steelhead enter the rivers in Washington and for some reason I absolutely geek out when that happens. It could be that they have a reputation as being the hardest fighting […]
Ever since former Seattle Seahawk and WSU Cougar lineman Robbie Tobeck stepped away from The Outdoor Line, I've had to listen to the "Cantankerous Cougar's" complaints: "Boy, I never hear from you anymore,… We haven't been out fishing since I left the show"… etc,etc… you get the drift. So, after hearing fairly solid crabbing and blackmouth […]
This weeks adventure took us to Mar Don Resort on the Potholes Reservoir for a combination duck and goose hunt with the Meseberg's, owners of the Duck Taxi. Seven of us hit the road on Monday afternoon for two days of fun in one of the Pacific Northwest's most productive regions for waterfowl hunting. Here […]
For the second year in a row, I've had the opportunity to fish the Marine Area 8 & 9 opener to "scout" or pre-fish the opening event of the Northwest Salmon Derby Series, the Bayside Marine Derby. Usually, there are a few "easy" fish available on opening day and you get a good read on […]
I was talking to guide Phil Stephens of Mystical Legends Guide Service last week about how the fishing had been recently on the Humptulips River and he exclaimed, "There's plenty of kings and silvers in there but you can't get past the infestation of chums to get to them!" Eeek…tough duty Phil! I'm still chuckling […]
I spent five days hunting whitetails and mule deer in Eastern Washington last week in what can only be described as sun bathing weather. Not exactly the type of conditions that produce great deer hunting. I saw plenty of deer, including 9 bucks, but there were no shooters in the bunch. Lots of marching, climbing, […]
I seriously considered issuing a warning before posting this blog, something like: "Warning! Fish guts ahead" for example. So, consider yourself cautioned. The best way to learn how to consistently catch actively feeding fish is to find out what they are eating and mimic the "menu" by tailoring your presentation to represent the feed of […]
