Nothing Beats a Hot Dog

June 28, 2011

BY JEFF LUND. Hot dogs are synonymous with summer cuisine, and though there are plenty of hot dogs – gourmet dogs, foot-long dogs, ball park dogs, nitrate-free dogs, kosher dogs – I don’t get too picky. I know what I am getting when I buy or order them so I do not worry much about […]

June One Skykomish Opener!

June 1, 2011

The June first river opener on several area streams has been marked on many an anglers schedule for many a day. Why??? Most Puget Sound rivers closed on February 28th -if not earlier- so to the opportunistic angler paying close attention might observe that the salmon and steelhead have been unmolested for at least three […]

Cool Spring, Hot Springers!

May 22, 2011

This year's much anticipated Columbia River spring chinook run has been a mirror image of our "spring" weather: underwhelming at best. April was a near bust for both the sun and the springers as low water temperatures slowed the early running chinook's accent up the Columbia to a mere crawl. In fact, the sport anglers […]

The 2011 Salmon Forecasts!!!

February 28, 2011

I know, I've got it bad… I await the salmon forecast numbers like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. Hello, my name is Tom and I am a "salmon sicko". After watching the numbers for a number of years (never mind how many…) I've found that you can "call some shots" by digging into the forecast […]

2011 Columbia River Fall Chinook Preseason Forecasts!!

February 23, 2011

This is just a preseason forecast but if they are as accurate as they were last year then we are in for another great year of chinook salmon fishing in the ocean and on the Columbia.  I can't wait to get this season started.  COLUMBIA RIVER FALL CHINOOK 2011 PRESEASON FORECASTS Stock Group                            2011 February Forecasts    […]

“When are we going to Forks?”

January 3, 2011

I'm lucky enough to have a wife that enjoys the outdoors almost as much as I do, so when she asked "When are we going to go to Forks?" I didn't hesitate to hook up the driftboat and get the steelhead gear ready. It was more like a sprint than anything. When your wife demands […]

Bogachiel River Brat Festivus

December 3, 2010

  Forks, Washington Guide Mike Zavadlov with a chrome Bogachiel River winter steelhead I've been watching all the coastal steelhead reports lately like a cat staring at a bird. Reports of hammer-time steelhead action were pouring in with regularity. By last weekend my tail was switching back and forth in anticipation of batting some steelhead […]

Centerpinning 101

November 3, 2010

John Whitlatch from Reel Adventures put Ray into this Methow steelhead BY RAY GOMBISKI. Exactly one year ago I was invited on a centerpin trip with John Whitlatch of Reel Adventures. John is a premier guide on the Kenai River in Alaska and for years has touted the centerpins effectiveness for steelhead. One trip was […]

D.I.Y. Flyfishing at Canyon River Ranch

November 1, 2010

My luggage has been packed for three weeks now. King salmon on the coast, mule deer in the Okanogan, honkers at Potholes, blacktails on the Oly Pen, and just as I'm unzipping my travel bag to empty out a backlash of hunting and fishing attire my new Droid does-everything-but-dishes phone buzzes half away across the […]