Brazda's Fly Fishing

For a few years now I have been wondering off to new places and tagging along with are some friends that fish with me through my guide service. This year we went to Baja Mexico for our annual saltwater fun trip through Jay Murkowski Baja fly fishing Adventures. Jay runs a trip on a budget for those wanting to save some money you can go cheap with minimal expense by staying out of town or the bar, tip is to buy goods at the Wal – Mart or local substitute,,, if you can resist the great food around the local community. Drinks $ are not the same as I remember from Mexico past, the Baja area has adopted the get what you can attitude that’s for sure.

A typical rooster for our days in Baja

The fishing was fantastic, the guides are top notch and just aggressive enough to make us feel at home. The Rooster bite was crazy first thing in the AM but after the sun was high it changed and by keeping moving we found fish as the boats dispersed to other locations. The system here is that of the necessities and CHUM was highest on the list. Without it we found very little action and even with it we found mixed results based on one’s ability to quick fire to the active feeders. Fly choice through out the day changed as well, it is definitely a tiers game, from blue to green or tan with black  and always on top of white, flash free was best but on cloudy days flash prevailed. My best day was on poppers (crease fly) and it was only good for that day that couple hours and never duplicated.

Dorado are my new best friend, great battles, good fun, safe to take home..

The frenzy of evening fly tying for the next day mixed with that night’s rendition of a Margarita kept the high from the days fishing activity flowing. A must have experience for the advanced angler and Tequila coinsurer. The days here are HOT and the more active anglers felt as they were short on fishing but advertised as so (6 hours), unfortunately that included an hour to find bait balls, chum and a lot of moving around was burnt up in that 6 hour day. This will all change of coarse as the schools of feed move around and other areas become prime. During our week we found many different species and that in itself made the trip for me. I think I caught 10 or 12 different species of fish on dry lines, I wonder today how that may have changed with a full sinker?

My biggest rooster of the trip ate a popper too!

As I digress and wind down from this trip I feel it was a trip of a lifetime, one that I will do for many years to come. With some of the differences of approach making the adventure all the more fun. I myself like the all inclusive type of trip and this was anything but, so read the brochure there are lots of extras, and I knew of most going in. Be prepared to spend some window time every day getting to the various launch areas. Jay has developed a great fishing experience in a TOUGH area to negotiate it, he has done his homework and provides the best there is to be had in a constantly changing environment.

I look forward to booking another trip with Jay in the years to come.

Next year its back to Ascension Bay and the Yucatan Peninsula for Bonefish, Permit, Snook and Baby Tarpon, along with a stop in the Keys for magnum Tarpon and if all goes well another shot down here to Baja to finish it off for 2014 fun in the sun time, cant wait and neither should you, get on the to go list I am putting it together right now, May 2014!

No nookie like chinooke,,,sorry had to say it..

One more day and I head for waters up north in Okanagan Co. We are finding good to great fishing on the Klickitat and will be back in November to finish out the season. I had a blast hanging out with friends that I rarely see and some new ones I hope to see for many seasons. The return to the Klickitat was easy as the river has not changed much and the people are wonderfully friendly. The river etiquette has changed a lot since just a few years ago, everyone is giving up water for other anglers and fishing respectfully. The non boat fishing scare has brought out the respect for other anglers that should have been present before.

Early AM steel

Moving on to the Methow and hoping we get just enough rain to float it otherwise we will be bank fishing. Not that it will be a problem but covering a few miles on foot is much different than 10 in the boat for most anglers and especially clients. We have some great walk in water that will secure a good position for swing fishing on hard to reach water. that will be enough to get us through the drought time and get into good fishing on foot. I look forward to swinging some dries and actually catching a good number of steelhead instead of hoping for one..

Hard core swinger dude Ben finds his first ever nymph fish,,funny thing it nearly ripped the rod from his hands wierd...

Going to miss the Klick but we will be back late November 2012!

SUPER early am steel that crushed the HOBO

Been a few years since I did a month straight guiding the Klickitat for steelhead, but since I was home from MT all summer and that the Methow won’t be opening any time too soon I headed down there to get my game on.

The best thing about the Klick is that those fish will take a swung fly just as readily as the Deschutes, BUT average much bigger and stronger, now we don’t pussy foot around with dry lines all the time (they do have there place here) nore do we dredge with the heavy fly loosing tips. A decent spey angler that can read water a little has a good chance at finding a swung steelhead on any given morning throwing classics or new webby type spey flies. lately the fly has been a green but Hobo spey in the small size, it just gets the most action on the end of the string, we do have to follow it up once and a while with some crazy shit but generally under low light they crush it!

Every evening there is some good caddis popping around and we have been seeing a few steelhead eating them but I have yet to catch a fish on the waker here for a few weeks.

Of coarse we have some dates available and we have even homed in on great lodging right on the river so if your inclined to get your own game on look us up were easy to find…..

Sonney Peckerino with one of his Swung fish!

Getting back to reality is only one good Pull away! Steelhead season is under way on the dry side of the cascades.

The Methow is in desperate need of water right now; BUT there apears to be enough steelhead above Wells to open it, the river needs some flow to bring them in. No telling right now when that will be but rain is forecasted in the next few days.

Right now we are running trips on the Klickitat and fishing has been good to great no matter how you like to fly fish. I spent the last week swinging flies for one to five hook ups a day. They are loving the classics right now from Purple Perils on dry lines to egg suckers on heavy tips..Again some rain will change things but action is good on my scale as it is.

My one day of nymphing produced 2 for 8 with some tackle busters on the string eliminating the big numbers game, I love these super hot natives that rome the Columbia river tribs.

We currently have open dates for steelhead on both locations:

                          October 14-17 we have availability for two anglers.

                          October 21-31 we have availability for four anglers.

                          November 6-30 is wide open for up to 6 anglers, give us a call lets make a deal!

Both Methow and Klickitat trips are $475 a day for two anglers $375 for singles and half days.

On river lodging is available at both locations for your convenience!

Contact Jeff @ 253-307-3210 or Jeff@brazdasflyfishing.com

Thanks and fish all ways!

Most trout fishermen love the dry fly, and the cutthroat is king in our western world when it comes to dry fly fishing. Add to that, dry flies that are small enough to cast well and large enough to see and we have potential for FULL planet alignment.

For two weeks now these little buggers have been hopping around whenever I step outside my door, they started as little size 18 critters barely large enough to go 10 inches at a hop, now there size 8-10 and some larger making waves as I walk through the fields and along the banks. Just yesterday I had the first real hopper crushing on trout, a solid plop on the bank and a full on no hesitation smash from a 15 inch rainbow then another take that was slow as molassis, obviously a cutthroat, in twenty minutes of bank fishing I rose ten solid trout one around 18-19 inches that I recued my hopper just in time from his crushing blow (yea I yanked it away). Just wade fishing by the house in the evening.

All the central Washington rivers are now in great shape for hopper fishing and should remain so through September. Tomorrow we head off for the Natches then the Methow later in the week in search of the biggest of  Washington’s trout on Hoppers, we will be happy with the normal sized but fishing hard for the Jumbo’s that live there.

We have another full moon coming, with that we will see if the Yakima River will have a full on Summer Stone hatch or not, up to now its been rather spotty through out the system from Cle Elum to Roza.

The drakes are still around but winding down fast, don’t expect to see many at all soon.

We are now booking trout trips on the Yakima, Natches and Methow. Some of the biggest trout I have ever caught came from the Methow, they have cutthroat as big as there steelhead and we manage a few that size every season.

Steelhead on the Klickitat is heating up and I have open dates for that in September and late August.

Methow steelhead season is booking up fast I have some dates available in October and November. Requires a WDFW opening.

See you on the river, Jeff@brazdasflyfishing.com

Its now July 17 and the JUNE 10th brown drakes are still making a showing on the upper Yakima, like everything in the wild they run in cycles and this season is the drake cycle for the clear water portion of the Yakima and the Cle Elum. Fishing up there has not been off the hook lights out but a steady action from various sized cutthroat and rainbows with a few bruiser’s tossed into the mix.

A beautiful river the Natches and wonderful Cutthroat that love dries

Nothing better than fishing with Labs

                                  The Drakes are making a showing on the Natches River as well,, a little later in the day but stronger, today we had 4 hrs of great dry fly fishing and in the sun mind you. Did not find the taods that do live there but am very happy with dozens of these!  This is Angler, Scott’s yellow lab and Jesse whom is never far away from the action..

Rivers a little out of shape, Rockslide accross Canyon Road @ mm20

Thankfully we went the way of the Natches as the thunderstorms dumped hard on the Yakima and the slides at 20mile in the canyon let loose with rock and mud. second time in 14 years, this time not as bad as last by any means. But we are on the WRONG side of the blockage.

The Natches is definitely a worthy alternative option to the Yakima and will be fishing from hear on through the season.

Day trips run $450 on the Natches.

Lodging is $150 if needed.

Next up will be the Methow River but I predict it will be two weeks before the GOOD dry fly fishing starts.

Thank You Jeff

The Canyon has its first migration of Summer Stones, the big bugs of the season are finally here. There somewhat spotty but in the right zone nymphing for the larger trout is off the hook and comparable the the best of western trout fishing anywhere. These will continue on into late August, with good dry fly fishing soon to come.

Book your trout fishing now it won’t be getting any better than this!

Jeff@Brazdasflyfishing.com or 253-307-3210

Day trips @ $395 for two anglers.

Full Accomodated lodging and guided fishing $650 for two anglers.

Hosted B&B style lodging and guided fishing $550 for two anglers.

Spent the day yesterday fishing dry fly’s with my wife LISA, she only fishes dries so it was pretty easy, like picking Ice Cream or visiting a Winery just choose a color and taste it…

The traffic was rather high for the upper canyon but since I knew everybody rowing around it was like our own party float, the Boitano Brothers had there whole crew out and a couple private boats made for and interesting float. Almost too interesting when one ( little white drifter) nearly flipped in the eddy at Tower Rock. I love watching all the positioning that goes on between guide boats and private boats, knowing Johnny and Jason well they just do there own thing fishing what they want, waiting when they need basically getting it done like a chess match with river boats. Then the private little dingy comes floating on through trying to mimic the float minus the unrecognized courtesy all the guides give each other on the civilized portions of river.  Fishing guides are used to this and we just continue to exhibit what we consider good boating respect for other anglers, and sometimes those others catch on to more than just whats working,,,which by the way was not dries in the mid day sun as the day before..

After most of the day with only a handful of trout and three long beach time escapades with Jesse the trout retriever the sun dipped enough to get the results we are looking for. I must confess the medium upstream wind and down stream flow combined with a high sun angle IS NOT prime dry fly conditions, but we are out for the fun of angling one fly and on the surface even if my Labrador was getting board with the lack of licking trout. As the sun reaches that magical two finger width over the horizon, shadows lengthen and our friend the cutthroat was obligated to rise. Nothing huge just a dozen 12 -15 inchers with one around 18 to round off the evening.

Bug of the day; size twelve flying ant,,,,the one with the red ass.

I will all ways take a strong finish to a day of fishing over a day with early success…

87 years young, what a blast fishing with such a distinguished gentleman..

The Yakima has proven to sustain good fishing for over a week in a row now without any major set backs in conditions. Could it be that we are in for the steady flow of summer, finally at the beginning of JULY.

I hope so, as right now we can catch fish nearly at will on dries and nymphs. A stone and a soft hackle has proven to be a good nymphing combo or a yellow stimi size 8-6 or gold chubby will get it done on the surface with the required drag free drift of coarse..

Look for increased summer stone activity in the next week then a big push of them on the next full moon in the lower canyon and continued caddis, pmd and brown drakes above in the Cle Elum area. White and grey streamers are productive on the thunderstorms and first thing in the AM.

I have some open dates in the next week give me a call 253-307-3210 for more details or EM jeff@brazdasflyfishing.com..

Looking like MONDAY is the best dry fly day in the next week…GET YA SOME!

Saturday

Saturday Night

Sunday

Sunday Night

Monday

Monday Night

Tuesday

Tuesday Night

Wednesday