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One of the best events in steelhead fishing is happening this weekend at the annual Sandy River Spey Clave in Oxbow Park. It is the legendary annual gathering of two handed casting enthusiasts that provides a format for the exchange of Spey casting and fishing information. The event features:-25 free educational on the water flycasting/flyfishing demonstrations by the best two handed guides and instructors on the planet.-Spey classes on Friday for $10!-Free food each day!-hundreds of rod/reel/line combos from top manufacturers to try for free!Stop by the Sage/Rio/Redington tent and say hi to Leslie and Dax

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View Dax Messett's Calendar
Good

Dax forwarded this photo from today on the Olympic Peninsula.  He says water conditions are great but until today there haven't been many fish around.  It sounds like they made up for it today with multiple hook-ups on the swing!

Scott with a great fish
Scott with a great fish
View Andrew Harris's Calendar
Great

My annual trip to British Columbia this year was as fun and eventful as always.  The theme this year was high water for the most part, as some biblical rain storms pummeled the region.  The mega storm arived just when Andrew Harris joined my group at Skeena Spey Lodge.  The storm was truly exceptional, blowing out bridges and necessating helicoptor rescue for some unfortunate campers on nearby rivers.  Drew and I did some epic recon to a remote part of a skeena tributarty to make the best of a blown water day.  Its always a pleasure getting to fish and spend time with Andrew, our fearless leader.  When conditons were fishable, we hooked, landed, and lost some truly epic steelhead and bright Northern Coho.  I saw Leslie Ajari catch her first giant BC fish on a skated dry fly on a river with just a foot of visibility.  Hard core angler and trip regular Doug Rohn seemed to hook fish every day of his trip, regardles of conditions.  Ted always seems to hook a monster or two, some make it to the net, some don't!  Dennis is always a pleasure to watch speycast, cover water, and spend time with on and off the water.  Just a super group of guys.  Next year I have another few prime weeks at Skeena Spey with a spot or two open for likeminded anglers who appreciate the pursuit of BC steelhead on a spey rod with our crew at the best lodge in British Columbia .  Contact me for details and availibility.For a sense of what BC is like, check out a little video I made at https://youtu.be/19vsZIhnBGU

The Skeena River valley is one of the most beautiful in North America
The Skeena River valley is one of the most beautiful in North America
Leslie with a mega steelhead on that ate a skated dry
Leslie with a mega steelhead on that ate a skated dry
Throwing some tight loops with the orange Rio Scandi
Throwing some tight loops with the orange Rio Scandi
The Skeena is know as the River of Mist
The Skeena is know as the River of Mist
Doug with one of his epic fish of the trip
Doug with one of his epic fish of the trip
The Kalum is one of my favorite lower Skeena tributaries
The Kalum is one of my favorite lower Skeena tributaries
Bodie waiting for some action
Bodie waiting for some action
a view of the river on Andrew's first day, looks a little off color...
a view of the river on Andrew's first day, looks a little off color...
View Dax Messett's Calendar
Okay

This winter has been more challenging than usual for die hard Pacific Northwest steelheaders.  Every time the rivers dropped into shape, you had a quick window before another mega storm would hit.  If your timing was good, you had water you were able to stand in an enjoy the whole process and surrounding environment, maybe even swing up a chrome winter fish of a lifetime.  Or, you were in a wet tent, camper, motel or cabin drinking and playing cards waiting for the rivers to drop...which is still better than sitting in trafffic in my opinion.  The winter game isn't for everyone, thank goodness.  This upcoming week looks more of the same, Inquire about future availability for the Olympic Peninsula, we have a few more weeks here if the weather and fish are both going in the right direction.

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The unicorn we are all chasing in the winter
The unicorn we are all chasing in the winter
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Good

Had a great weekend with Anthony and Tom. The weather and conditions cooperated and we were able to fish the Sol Duc, Hoh and Bohachiel. We hooked into a couple and landed a nice one.

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View Leslie Ajari's Calendar
Great

Days off are nice on the OP...

Thanks to Leslie for the help landing this unreal steelhead
Thanks to Leslie for the help landing this unreal steelhead
View Dax Messett's Calendar
Great

Had some amazing conditions these past few days on the Olympic Peninsula...I would really like to thank the crowds for finally not showing up...

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A few highlights from the last few weeks on the Olympic Peninsula...

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Finally a break from the endless rain this past week which led to some amazing conditions on the Olympic Peninsula.  Next season is already booking up, so contact me early if you want a spot for 2017.

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View Dax Messett's Calendar

Rain continued to crush the PNW last week, but we have a break coming this week. The Olympic Peninsula has got 11 inches of rain since March 1st, so not much fishing has been going on. Like with all winter steelhead venues, we should have some amazing fishing when things drop into shape here pretty soon... I just opened up my calendar for the OP for 2017. I was fully booked about 6 months out for 2016, so you might want to make your reservation soon. New regs go into effect next year, and it should be an amazing season. Like all winter steelhead venues, I give a full refund if we have to cancel a trip due to weather. Getting blown out is part of being a winter steelheader, so is being there at the right time and hooking a fish of a lifetime.

View Dax Messett's Calendar
Great

We finally got a break from the rain this past week and had some epic moments swinging flies in the rainforest fed rivers of the Olympic Peninsula.  Pressure was extremely high, but we were able to find some solitude and hook some amazing chrome steelhead in this winter steelhead mecca.  New regulations that restrict certain types of angling methods will go into effect next year, so that will get rid of some of the pressure we are having now.  Book early for next year if you want in on this amazing place.  Rivers are on the rise right now, and will most likely be blown for a few days, but fresh chrome steelhead will be on their way...

Mist on the river at daylight
Mist on the river at daylight
A perfect rainforest dime bright hen
A perfect rainforest dime bright hen
 solitude swinging
solitude swinging
Leslie Ajari searching for the moment
Leslie Ajari searching for the moment
Swinging on a rainforest river
Swinging on a rainforest river
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This winter steelhead season has been pretty dramatic to say the least.  Since December I've been dealing with high water from Southern Oregon to the Olympic Peninsula.  Just when things start to really shape up for prime swinging conditions, another big storm pummels the Pacific Northwest.  Some epic fishing has been had between storms though, and it is good for future runs of steelhead, as they are able to make it safely upriver without getting pummeled every inch of the way.  When the rivers drop its going to be amazing.  Southern Oregon and Nor Cal coastal rivers are in good shape at the moment though, and they aren't supposed to get continued rain like up here.  Wish I was back down there at the moment!  

Leslie Ajari hooked up on her first day on the OP
Leslie Ajari hooked up on her first day on the OP
Rare morning sunshine
Rare morning sunshine
another perfect swing run on the Peninsula
another perfect swing run on the Peninsula
A rainforest chromer
A rainforest chromer
View Dax Messett's Calendar

Steelhead season the rivers of the Pacific Northwest is just right around the corner.  I spend my time chasing steelhead with a spey rod on the best rivers in the Pacific Northwest, during prime time on those watersheds.  I had an incredible overall season last year, and expect a very busy season this year.  I just opened up my online booking calendar for my season, and bookings are very limited for these venues.  Please contact me with any questions and more details regarding my venues, and if you wish for me to hold some dates.  Here is my upcoming calendar:  July/August: Spey Camp on the Lower Klamath.  Just a few spots left.  Join fellow Confluence guides Gino Bernero and Leslie Ajari for the one of the best on water spey casting and swing angling instructional opportunities in the business.  Super fun camping experience too!  Just bring a sleeping bag, we have everything else.   September: British Columbia Hosted Trip .  This trip is full, as always.  Inquire for next year.  I will be several different lodge based and camping trips on both the Lower Skeena and Upper Skeena System.  October: The Grand Ronde.  This will be my 5th season working for Scott Odonnell's Speywater Lodge on one of the coolest and most celebrated steelhead rivers in the States.  There are some spots left on my multi day float trips, one of the best steelhead experiences in the business through a remote wilderness canyon.  Lodge spaces are also available. November: The Trinity River.  The closest and one of the most productive steelhead rivers to the Bay Area.  A superb place to learn how to spey cast and swing for steelhead. December-January: The Southern Oregon Coast.  Chasing winter fish on the diverse rivers on the Oregon Coast is one of my favorite venues.  Just a days drive from the Bay Area, these rivers are more stable than Nor Cal rivers.  Very limited openings this season. February-April: The Olympic Peninsula.  I've extended my season up here in the land of the winter giants that run through these amazing rivers.  These famed rivers that come out of the rainforest hold the biggest winter steelhead in the world.  Epic swing water abounds.  This venue is for serious swing anglers looking for a specific fish, a specific moment in their steelhead journey.  Not for anglers who still want to fish from a boat and have their guide row them into a fish.  You need to stand on your own two feet to get them here. 

Southern Oregon Coast chrome
Southern Oregon Coast chrome
Spey Camp on the Klamath with Gino and Leslie
Spey Camp on the Klamath with Gino and Leslie
British Columbia Hosted Trips are my most popular trip
British Columbia Hosted Trips are my most popular trip
Mist on the water, a Hardy, a dry fly...heaven
Mist on the water, a Hardy, a dry fly...heaven
Southern Oregon small stream swinging is something special
Southern Oregon small stream swinging is something special
The Lower Klamath is an amazing place to camp and swing with Confluence
The Lower Klamath is an amazing place to camp and swing with Confluence
Trinity River in November is still home
Trinity River in November is still home
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The Trinity isn't just a bobber fishery!  It has excellent swing water.
The Trinity isn't just a bobber fishery! It has excellent swing water.
Olympic Peninsula is a must for every winter steelheader
Olympic Peninsula is a must for every winter steelheader
Hoh River sunrise in the rain forest
Hoh River sunrise in the rain forest
Steelhead Green on the O.P.  Epic.
Steelhead Green on the O.P. Epic.
British Columbia is the mecca for every steelhead junkie
British Columbia is the mecca for every steelhead junkie
View Dax Messett's Calendar
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It was a long first week for me on the famed Olympic Peninsula in Washington.  Like most rivers on the West Coast, everything was blown up here.  Today we finally had fishable conditions, just barely.  Taking advantage of a day off, guide buddy Ryan Davie and I floated one of most beautiful steelhead rivers on the planet on a rare sunny day for the OP.  Ryan landed a stunning, gigantic wild hen in the last run we fished.  If you are only going to catch one, that is THE ONE! Conditions will be perfect for this upcoming weekend.  I have no available days up here at the moment.  I might open up some days at the end of March and possible April after I get back from British Columbia.  Contact me if you are interested in fishing for the biggest winter steelhead on Earth.

Ryan Davie with a an absolutely gigantic wild hen
Ryan Davie with a an absolutely gigantic wild hen
View Dax Messett's Calendar
Great

After about week of mega high water, the Ronde is in perfect condition and flowing steelhead green.  My clients swung up 6 fish yesterday!   We guided the R&D team for Sage last week here at Speywater Lodge and had some mega casting jam sessions with all of the toys they brought, and they even left some for us and clients to play with.  I am very impressed with the One spey rod series.  It is faster than the Z Axis, but more forgiving than the TCX...perfect!  The 6126 is a superb all around Nor Cal/Pacific Northwest stick.  If you want to try these before you buy them book a trip with me and you can check them out for yourself.   I also like the new Rio i-mow tips...very versitile and they cast excellent with a properly balanced Skagit head.  Check out website or contact me if you have any questions regarding line pairings for Sage and Rio products.

buck wild
buck wild
The Ronde is know for skating drys
The Ronde is know for skating drys
Alex Ferber getting bent
Alex Ferber getting bent
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