Atlantic Salmon, Spey Claves and local ramblings

The water levels in the local streams, Fish Creek and Mad River have dropped conciderably in the past week and a half.  Runs that were just above my knee are now at  the top of my wading boots, more normal for this time of the year.  Mostly all fish are stocked browns with the occasional brookie.  The primary fly I have been using is a BWO comparadun with a sparkle tail  #18.  There were some stones hatching on Fish Creek the other evening and a dark brown hairwing caddis with a sparkle tail worked good in the fast water.  I was wishing I had a few Stimulators with me but they're packed and ready for the trip west.  Time flies, we're leaving a week from Tuesday.

I have landed two Atlantic Salmon in the last week, one on the west branch of Fish Creek and one on the Mad River, just outside Camden.  These were only 6-7" still wearing par marks, probably from the 2010 stockings by the local club.  These fish were explosive for their size, going airborne a few times.  They were slender, silvery fish and no mistaking their ID with their forked tail.  The local Atlantic Salmon Club are trying to re-introduce Atlantics back into Fish Creek as they were native to this area.  They have made strong efforts towards this, even building a small local hatchery to do this.  Pretty cool.

They get good support from the Spey Nation, a group set up to advance spey fishing.  On June 25,2011 they will be holding their 4th annual clave at the Pineville Bridge parking lot on the Salmon River.  I will miss it as I'll be in California by then.  They have tremendous support by the spey industry and their claves are well attended.  The proceeds from their raffle go to the Atlantic Salmon Club .  If you can spend a day with these guys, you'll have a good time, make good friends and learn alot.



Amazing camo

 As a final note.  The experience of fishing sometimes has nothing to do with the fish.  Twice in the past week as I fished locally I had the experience of coming face to face, actually almost stepping on, fawns of this spring.  My daughter's Boston Terriers are bigger than these little guys.  It's an added bonus to see things like this, actually it's like being rewarded for the time you put into the out of doors.   Did manage a picture of one

I'll try to post once more before we head west.

Shoving Off

From the Rowing Seat is going to take you on a journey down the river of my world.  Since September of 1988, when I guided my first clients for the famous Salmon River (New York's) salmon, I have seen, touched, smelled, heard and yes, even tasted, the life of a fishing and hunting guide.  Things began to happen that refined and defined who I am today.  My veiw of fishing has changed, broadened in some ways and narrowed in other ways.  Veiwing a resource like our fishery here on the Salmon River daily as a guide, has helped me to better appreciate the importance of caring for and conserving the very thing that has brought me to this, the first post to my blog.  And whether it is the fishery here on this beautiful river or on the pristene trout streams and rivers of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana that I've enjoyed so much over the last few years, it is a resource that needs good stewards, I hope I'm one of them.


Good friend and client John Fields with a Salmon River Steelhead


Many will recognize the name of this blog as it is also the title of the newsletter for my guide service.  For many years now I have kept in touch with my clients through a quarterly news letter.  Nothing fancy, just a 'hello, I'm still here and look forward to our visit this coming season'.  The news letters will still go out but this blog will help fill in the gaps in the mean time.

My wife Pattina and I are making the final preparations for our annual trip west.  We leave in just 3 short weeks.  I've been putting our fly gear together and she has been setting the agenda for us.  We're heading to California first, fish the Trukee in Ca and Nevada, it's beautiful there, and then it's up to Wyoming and Idaho for the better part of 3 weeks.  We set up in Driggs, ID and from there can fish most any of the famous streams (and some not so famous) in a day trip.  Then it's up to Montana for the first part of August and then home.  It always looks like alot of time out there but it goes by so fast.  I'll keep you posted as to how the trip unfolds this year.

Client Alexis Surovov with a HUGE Salmon River Brown.

Well that's enough for now (blah, blah, blah).  Here are a few pictures of some Salmon River trophys.  I look forward to sharing my view of life, from the rowing seat.