10/15 October Fishing Report

October 17, 2018October 16, 2018 / Captain Justin / Leave a comment

October Fishing Report

We have already covered the fact that October is down right amazing. This week we have been welcomed to the water with beautiful fishing conditions. Slick water, cool weather, and sunshine that has no end. Did I mention we have been starting at 8am? Yeah, 8am… Eat it August! I love October.

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being spectacular sea run cutthroat Fishing and 1 being what happens when you try to fish in your bathtub… I’d say fishing is a full on 10. The cutthroat are gobbling down anything we have tossed at them.

We have been finding most of our fish on intermediate lines pushed up on the shallows. 3-6′ of water has been our main target this week. Have we found some in the depths? Sure have, but why bother when there are plenty pushed up shallow? We have been using a wide variety of general baitfish patterns. Mostly Money Makers in peach and orange or chartreuse and peacock. As a bonus, top water fishing has been awesome this October as the fish are pushed into the shallow water and more densely populated. To round things out, we have been fishing some worm flies just to switch things up over the oysters.

To be honest, we have been having a lot of fun trying to see what the fish won’t eat. They are not exactly picky… More like a vacuum than a traditional trout.

Coming up!

We have some great weather and fishing the next couple of weeks. Get your dates, a boat open on the 20th, 21st, 23rd, and 26th. Let us know and we will get you on the water!

Future Dates

If you are going to miss out on October, I have a secret for you! November is a lot like October… just a little later. Fishing continues to be great, Cutthroat move closer to their estuaries, and we continue to have more fun than anyone else you know.

November 2nd, 6th, 10th, 13th, 16th and 18th. Let us know, we would love to share the water with you all and show you why we love the fall out here on Hood Canal and Puget Sound!

April Fly Selection

April 5, 2018April 4, 2018 / Captain Justin / 2 Comments

April Fly Selection

Sea Run Cutthroat have a unique menu this time of year. Swarms of Chum fry in the shallows, Herring hanging on drop offs, and small sandlance on the Eel grass. It gives an angler a few extra things to explore as they are out looking for Sea Run Cutthroat. When picking/tying your April Fly Selection we have a few considerations to think about.

Chum Fry

Chum fry of coarse has to be the main focus due to the shallow water sight fishing that they encourage. Cutthroat porpoising like they are sipping caddis flies on the Missouri river in Montana… Chum fry are an absolute blast. Check out some thoughts on Fly Selection.

Chum Fry Flies

When the schools are small, we like to fish a real accurate chum fry profile like the “Chumbodies Baby”. I like the red egg sack head because it makes my small fly stand out a bit. I also fish this fly steady, but slowly. Keep tight with the fly, but don’t make it run to fast.

Chumbodies Baby

If I see thick schools of chum fry, I like to fish epoxy minnows, and really tear through the schools with fast strips and flashy chum fry profiles, if the bait is an inch, I would go a bit bigger, 2-2 1/2″. Why? It just seems to work. I like to pull the fly quite a bit quicker in these situations and try to find the feeding fish. When we have thick schools of bait and not a lot of crashing fish, I tend to think the fish are gorged or just not around, and we need to find them quickly. A good ol’ Epoxy minnow is a great searching pattern.

Epoxy Minnows

Now if I see cutthroat crashing chum fry and slurping them down like crazy… The “Frisky Fry” gets tied on the floating line. The small gurgler like head will keep the fly floating and skipping on the surface, but allow the bulk of the fly to skim just under the surface. If the Chumbodies Baby is the technical assault weapon, the Frisky Fry is the Whoopy Cushion “gotcha” of the group. I like to strip this fly just fast enough to make a commotion on the water and wait to see the bucket swirls of fish coming to the surface.

Frisky Fry

Sandlance

Sandlance are my favorite baitfish for sea run cutthroat. If sandlance was a people food it would be the nacho. Every cutthroat loves a sandlance. April is when we start seeing fish key in on them. Sandlance tend to spend most of their time in April schooled up along the edges of Eel Grass beds, and where a steep beach starts to flatten out. So If you have a steep drop off at the edge of your beach, its probably not the best place to find schools of sandlance. Sandlance are quick swimmers who dive when being chased and like to hide down in the eel grass. Cutthroat gobble these things up like candy bars and fat folks.

Sandlance Flies

Sandlance can actually grow to be a pretty large baitfish. However, in April I tend to flirt with the 2 1/2″ epoxy minnow, or the 3″ Money Maker for most of my sandlance patterns. The epoxy minnows serve me double for when the chum fry are pushed off the shallow water and are hanging on the edges of Eel grass. The Money Maker is my go to fly for 99% of my Sandlance imitations. The baitfish profile cast easy and has a ton of movement in the water. This “Flat Wing” style fly uses a illusion of bulk without creating actual bulk and becoming buoyant. Design along with the tungsten bead allows the fly get right to business fishing from the first strip.

Money Maker

I hide a tungsten bead in almost all of my sandlance patterns, and like to give a three second pause before I start to strip. This gives the fly time to dive like a fleeing baitfish before the retrieve it. Our retrieve stays pretty much the same for these all year long. Short strips, start slow and end fast, don’t pause. If you have been on the casting deck of my boat before you have seen the fish chase them in, and if you have made the mistake of pausing you have seen the fish veer off of your fly and disappear into the depths of Puget Sound.

Money Maker/Sandlance/Flatwing

Herring

Herring is a overlooked bait source for Sea Run Cutthroat. I think much of this stems from the folks who write the books on Sea Run Cutthroat tend to be beach anglers. Herring hang on the dropoffs and ledges in Puget Sound, making them hard to reach for most beach anglers on all but the lowest of tides. Cutthroat will target herring when they venture into the shallower bays and when the herring are in big numbers. Typically when we are fishing with Herring flies we are targeting bigger Sea Run Cutthroat trout.

Herring Flies

When we are tying Herring flies we need to remember a couple of things. One, these are not narrow baitfish, so we need to provide bulk for the material. Two, these are larger flies, so we need to pick the right hook. Number one you can learn at a fly tying class, and number two I have some pretty strong opinions on. The two hooks I like to tie my Herring flies on are the Tiemco 800s size 6, and the Ahrex NS110 size 4 or 6. The heavy gauge wire will keel the hook well with a bigger profile fly, and the larger gape in the hook will make sure your hookups are well placed in the corner of the mouth.

Herring Money Makers

My herring flies are typically variations of the Money Maker, or traditional Flatwing. Both of these patterns are sparse while keeping a larger profile in the water. April is a great time of year to fish Herring patterns as they ball up near the shorelines. The large cutthroat will leave small chum fry to target the larger nutrient rich Herring. When retrieving the fly, you should be steady with short strips as the bait is pretty tightly balled up. If you pull the fly in quickly you will tend to foul hook bait, or pull the fly out from under the bait balls where the cutthroat are hunting.

April’s A Transition

Overall April is a transition month. The Cutthroat are spreading out from their winter holds. The eelgrass beds are growing back to their summer thickness, and baitfish are moving back into their summer shelter. Your April Fly Selection is all about being prepared for summer style bait balls, or spring chum fry…

April is also all about the All-Waters Spring Clean Up on April 29th! BBQ, Beaches, Fishing, and making Puget Sound great again.

Contest/Fly Fishing Show Update/Early Chum Fry Dates

February 1, 2018 / Captain Justin / Leave a comment

UPDATES! UPDATES! AND A FEW DATES!

Our Contest is getting underway and we have seen a few early entries in the last few weeks. Again this is for unique and fishy chum fry. Some really cool patterns have been sent to us via email and social media! Remember to #AllWatersFlyFishing to show us what you have going on.

We are raffling off a dozen of our traditional Flat-Wings at the show. These flies would typically sell for $120 retail. Come on by and throw in your name, email, and phone number for a chance to win a pretty sweet set! We will post more pictures as the show gets closer!

Also, Chum Fry dates are filling up quick! So get them while you can!

We have February 22nd, and 27th open! Also, March 1st, 4th, and 9th!

We won’t be warm and toasty, However, we will be having more fun than anyone else!

New Year’s Resolution

December 28, 2017 / Captain Justin / Leave a comment

It’s that time of year, winding down to the New Year’s Resolution. This is the time of year we hear folks talk about gym memberships, better eating habits, cutting back on the Tequila (not my resolution, just for the record)… Guess what folks? Around here, we care about your fish stories… We care about your fly tying… We care about your casting. Yeah, in reality we hope you and your family has a great and happy 2018. But that is not making this New Year’s Resolution list.

Here is a few ideas that should hit your 2018 New Years Fishing Resolutions:

“In 2018 I am going to….”

Get out and fish more! Has 2017 sailed by as quick as it has for us? Man, I just couldn’t believe it when I had to throw on all the extra layer’s for the first time this winter. Did you wake up in December and realize “Shit, I only got out 5-6 times this year!” Let’s change that! Call your favorite fishing guides and book up a few dates ahead of time for this year. Blacking out the time on your calendar is the only way this kind of thing happens. If you don’t set aside the time, you are not going to fish any extra for this year.
Finally learn how to double haul! Now, I have been doing this for quite some time. One thing I am surprised at is how often I get a new client and they have been fishing since 1902, and don’t really like learning to be a better caster. Learning new things is fun, it’s exciting, and it can make your days on the water a hell of a lot more enjoyable. In 2018, tell your guides you want to work on becoming a better caster!
Take my kid fishing! Look, I get it, there is only so much time in a year. We get busy, the kids have school, sports, and facebook. HOWEVER! Don’t look back and wish you did more of it. Get your kid on the boat and lets teach them how to cast, or how to reel in a fish. Let’s pull out the spinning gear and have a first fish moment. You won’t regret it.
Start a new tradition. Once a year, we are going to stay at the resort, do some hiking, fish, see the Olympics, and get away from the city.
Take the time to learn how to tie flies. Anyone can do it. I swear, I know plenty of folks less coordinated, awkward, and goofier than you are. It’s time to book a class, and learn how to tie flies.

These are 5 ideas that are going to bring some great satisfaction to your 2018. All of them are easy to do, and will make 2018 much more fulfilling.

Happy New Year to you all! I can’t wait to see what it will bring!

Our Only Last Christmas List Post

November 27, 2017November 27, 2017 / Captain Justin / Leave a comment

With a flood of Christmas themed garbage coming into my email, I present you the only Christmas list you need to see for you fly fishermen. Or just a bunch of super cool shit you should check out. I want to briefly tell you that I do not sell or make any money off of any of the branded products in this list. If any of these products are on here, it’s because I have it and love it, or have seen it and want it. Obviously you should pre-pay for a trip and order custom flies from us. But for under the tree here are some ideas!

So without further delay, All-Waters Fly Fishings Christmas List:

1.) Ty Wheel: Okay, this is purely out of envy that this makes the list. Let me paint you a sweet picture here. Brita and I have 3 fly tying desk in our fuzz factory. Two to collect our mountain of feathers and random tying materials, and one that we sit across from each other and tie flies at. We have a broad selection of vises that we use, and they all work well, but Brita has this amazing gadget attached to hers call the Ty Wheel. Just imagine a way to set your tools, glues, beads, and other random materials down without it getting buried under all of your trash. Imagine if the only organized part of your tying desk was the part that you used. The Ty Wheel is pretty amazing, and the folks who make them have been very cool to talk to. I envy Brita’s vise every day because of this product.

2.) Simms Pro Dry Bib: If you have ever been fishing with me, you know I am a pretty easy going guy. I’m a chatty Kathy, I like to laugh, and I like to fish… Thats all I want on my boat, good times, plane and simple. What the Pro Dry Bibs have created is more comfort on the water, which leads to more Good Times. I will argue that we have more fun than anyone EVER to do this. These Pro Dry Bibs have made that possible 12 months out of the year. It’s the only piece of clothing that I have ever owned that I have any attachment to. Well, This and a hole filled Grateful Dead tie dye that Brita hides from me.

3.) Sightline Provisions: Look, I am aware I am going to take some grief for having this on the list, I know. The guys at Sightline make such a cool looking product. I have never worn one, I don’t know the folks that make them. However, I believe Zach Dalton from Sage Fly Rods was the first guy I ever saw wear one about two years ago. I thought instantly, “Man, that bracelet looks super awesome.” Then my next thought was, “For sure don’t ever tell anyone you thought that.” Either way, these are awesome looking and worth checking out!

4.) Yeti: We might have an obscene amount of yeti products in our house. Rambler cups, Hopper bags, 3 tundra coolers, a bunch of hats and stickers. If I ever get a white dog, I am naming it Yeti. The products are the best on the market, the guys who run the company are great, and you NEVER have to buy any of the products again. Except the hat, Puget Sound owns about 5 of the hats off my head. From the front seat on my boat to the cooler we take to Brita’s folks house to bring home left overs. My morning coffee, to the thing I brine meat in. We use our Yeti products constantly and we are proud to use them. Don’t support some garbage company who knocks them off, and get the real thing.

5.) Loon Infiniti Light: So this is a triple threat gift right here. 1.) You never have to smell 5minute epoxy in your home ever again. 2.) No disposing of 4000 AA batteries a year. and 3.) You are supporting a company that supports your local environment. Loon has been a company that I have loved from the second I discovered them. I was always a fan of Aquel, I liked the old Loon Logo, and I liked the message they had of environmentally conscious materials in everything from their fly floatant to their epoxies and pigments. Now a UV light that can be plugged in and charging as you cure your favorite brand of UV Epoxies. Damn it grab a sweet Loon Hat while you are at it! These guys have been at the forefront of innovation for a long time, and their products speak for themselves.

6.) StormFront Great Divider: Look, I have not seen the latest version of this pack. Or the version before that for that matter. Because mine has over 1,500 days on the water, and just wont die. This is the most hardcore boat bag I have used. I have thrown it on oyster bars, tossed it in carry on, dropped it off the side of kayaks and paddle boards. Beds of trucks, drift boats, used it as a seat, left old lunches in it. Pretty much any abuse you can think of I have had happen with this bag and it just wont die. Great carry strap, sweet new closer strap, and bomb proof zipper.

7.) Redington I.D. Reel: If you have talked to me in the last few years about fishing brands, then you will know I have a huge love of Redington. Keeping the sport moving forward with affordable fishing equipment that kicks ass (the new rods are unbeatable at the price point). Plus, they have a sense of humor and just radiate “fun” (that sentence was so awkward). I wont even make fun of the Colorado flag decal in the options. This series of reels might just be the most fun thing to come to fly fishing in a long time… While you are at looking at these reels check out the Crux rod series and the awesome video section of the website.

8.) Art Work: One of the things we love about fly fishing is that it is a work of art. You can constantly push the boundaries of what you can do with a fly rod and the ways you can catch a fish, just like an artist with the brush. Some of the best gifts you can give can hang on the wall! Jason Bordash, Yusniel Santos, and Josh Udesen… The list goes on forever!

9.) Book A Guide Trip: Nothing say’s “Merry Christmas” quite like going fishing! And most people get the stuff they want in life. What people have a hard time doing is carving out the time to do the things they love. Thats the number one reason I think people love going on guided trips. It forces you to carve out a date in the calendar and go fishing, that and you get to hear quality dirty jokes.

10.) Sportsmans 227 Bay Boat: Do I really need to say more? Folks, please, tell Brita this is ALL I want for Christmas. She can return the fancy Tequila (don’t do that), not bother with the new Sage Salt HD (please that too). She doesn’t need to pick up the Jerry Garcia Bobble Head or the Misfits t-shirt. Just the 2018 Sportsmans 227 Bay Boat.

There you have it, Our Inaugural Christmas List. 10 great ideas for Christmas, with only one shameless plug for you to book a trip. Now back to our normal broadcast of fishing stuff and other stuff.