Hand Tied

Timothy Burke • 2/21/172/16/19

I am very proud of my brother, Seth. He is genuinely one of the most talented steelhead fishermen that I know. He ties perfect flies, builds flawless rods, and grids out steelhead runs like an excel sheet. However, Seth, who we call Stealth, has been on a four-year journey trying to catch a 20-pound steelhead. It started back in 2013 when we did a float together down our favorite river. Honestly, I still feel kind of guilty because I was taking my time floating down to a really nice piece of water when an older fisherman steps out on the gravel bar in front of us and caught a 20-pound steelhead. I was so frustrated with myself if I would have just pushed down river 10 minutes earlier that would have been our fish. Anyways, this whole experience led to Stealth’s radical pursuit of some very big and very elusive wild fish. Later in that same day, I broke off an upper teens steelhead, “man was I frustrated.” So, fast forward to the next year and Seth comes out from Oregon to hunt his trophy steelhead and gets blanked after three days of fishing, not even a tug. Skip to the following year on the very last day in the cold morning he has a monster wild buck swing up the river with his fly in the same run he watched the old guy land a 20 pounder two years earlier. He explained “the eat” to me as “I heard two clicks come off of my Hardy, felt the line tighten and go up steam, then it just went limp”. How bazaar is that, well, not as unusual as we thought for big wild fish to swim upstream in the soft inside bucket of a run when the river is just above freezing levels. To make matters worse I saw the giant roll.

Now, the Stealth is furious and determined as ever to catch his fish. So in the offseason, he builds a beautiful Meizer 8WT 12’6 Spey Rod, ties up two dozen custom winter steelhead tube flies, and buys a reel called, “The Tank.” Stealth wasn’t messing around. To make the scenario even more dramatic he decides to drive 6 hours in a rainstorm to the OP and wait two days for the river to drop into shape before he could fish.

With only a day and a half to fish and the river just starting to drop we decided to take the boat down one of our favorite sections of the river. Halfway way through the day we pulled over to a nice gravel bar to swing flies and have lunch. It was Seth’s turn to make lunch, but he couldn’t get the BBQ started, so I told him to swing flies and I would cook the hot dogs. Ten minutes later I had some very hot dogs ready to eat and yelled to Stealth, “The Dogs Are Ready”, two seconds later his line when tight, the earth shook beneath his feet and the water exploded 20 yards in front of him as a huge wild fish grabbed his fly. The obese giant skimmed across the surface of the water on his massive belling proposing like a dolphin. The fish was so chunky that it couldn’t jump out of the water it just kind of flopped and burned off large sections of line from Seth’s reel. After a tremendous fight, we landed the beautiful wild buck and Stealth had done it, he had persevered and was given the just reward.

Bonded By Steel

Timothy Burke • 4/2/162/16/19

I absolutely love swinging flies with my brothers David and Seth. From the time the first smile of reconnection is passed to the moment our Simms wadding boots nestle amongst the river bed stones we share a constant joy and brotherly bond.

The river is the estuary where our friendship flourishes. For months on end our group text thread is a constant buzz of river levels, fly patterns, lines, rods, and weather conditions.

This year we spent 5 days together on the Washington Coast pursuing winter steelhead. The fishing was not easy with heavy weather conditions produced by El Nino limiting the fishable days and causing high water flows. The first fish of the trip came at noon from my brother Seth (nicknamed “Stealth) who met us halfway through the day.

The run at the rendezvous gravel bar was the perfect place for a winter steelhead to hold. Seth with less then 20 casts through the head of the run enticed a nice middle teens winter buck to the swung fly. I was late in picking him up, rounding the corner just in time to watch him release the fish. Although I didn’t get a picture of his fish seeing his reaction with the the double fist pump and water slap is the beautiful image left in my mind.

The second fish of the day was in the lower section of the river but came unbuttoned do to a dull hook (note, check hooks regularly).

The first day left us without fish pictures but with a lot of joy and a great start to our trip!

Always Believe!

Tim, David, & Seth

The Desert Steelhead | Life & Challenges

Timothy Burke • 10/21/152/16/19

The fingerprint of this south-central Washington river is the native desert steelhead. Forged by the challenges that impede its migration home this sage giant knows only power and pursuit. Over time gargantuan obstacles shape the very DNA of this arid river dweller. Its ability to face and triumph over adversity forges its admirable character.

We know that the biggest and strongest fish have to face the largest challenges as they make their way up river to spawn. Over time these obstacles shape their genetic makeup and the outcome is a beautiful part of our handcrafted world.

The native steelhead causes me to think. What makes him so admirable, is it the reality that he was designed to shoot the narrows, run massive rapids, live in difficult conditions, travel unbelievable distances, and fulfilling the calling of his life.

Yes, the obstacles and challenges one faces if willing to overcome can produce unbelievable beauty.

The great Creator seemed to have designed it this way for us all. For those who overcome will produce a bounty of great admiration.

Always Believe

Tim

ps. run the rapids, jump the narrows, travel great distances, preserver through difficult conditions, bring joy to others, this is the calling of our lives…when the Lord holds us in heaven, may we be admirable to Him!

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts…” Romans 5:3-5

A Confident Angler Catches the Fish

David Burke • 7/28/15

You’ve heard it said that confidence is everything when it comes to catching, landing and releasing steelhead. Every season this idea grows and grows on me as I learn more about flies, fish and reading water. I’m sure general confidence is helpful, but I’d like to make a few recommendations that may help your confidence grow in the area of fly choice.

Let me start by stating that I used to carry the kitchen sink while out steelhead fishing, knowing that I may have to change my fly multiple times throughout the day. If one was not working, I’d loose confidence in it. If I went through three or four flies I would find myself in a bit of a neurosis, trying to dig to find that just right pattern. The truth is any fly with a hook will work, but some flies just seem to work better than others.

After spending countless hours on the vice I’ve learned that contrast, profile, and movement are the three key ingredients to a fly that will entice even the most reluctant steelhead. Warning, just because a fly looks super buggy at the shop doesn’t mean it will fish that way. Many flies are tied for the shop, not for the river. In order to achieve profile and movement a fly has to have the perfect mix of material. As I look back through my old boxes of flies, I find myself wanting to bust out my scissors and cut out material in order to reduce the amount of feathers or dubbing. I’ve learned that less really means more when it comes to flies. The new rule of thumb is: Less material, especially less of the same kind of material. Don’t ever tie on two of the same feathers, especially marabou. Why? It may appear to provide profile, but it won’t have the correct movement because marabou likes marabou, so it sticks together. Build profile with strong shoulder of dubbing or hackle, then tie your marabou in sparsely. You’ll be pleased with the difference in profile and movement.

The best day I’ve ever had steelhead fishing came when I put on a size 7 sparsely tied skunk pattern. The fish just couldn’t seem to leave it alone. Here’s why a small fly beats a big fly in clear water conditions most days. First, it’s subtle…I believe steelhead often act like a playful cat, chasing something down out of curiosity and then swiping at it. Something small triggers a fish’s curiosity. “What was that little thing that just swam by?” They then go in search of it and often times decide to take a swipe. A big fly triggers a completely different set of instincts for a fish, the protector, aggressor instincts. In clear water, fish are less likely to get super aggressive, as they don’t feel as safe. A small, sparsely tied fly will become your go to pattern once you begin to experience the curiosity of steelhead. You’ve probably seen videos of fish coming up and hitting at flies, only to return again and again on consecutive casts.

I’ve included a picture of one of my profile flies. I tie it in such a way that the materials repel each other, so that the front hackle actually bounces off the dubbing ball creating a large profile and lots of movement in the water. Additionally, the black head provides a great contrast to the purple body for low visibility situations. I have great confidence swinging this fly, plus I know no one else is swinging it because it cannot be purchased in the store and I have yet to see anyone build a fly that has the same compilation of materials as this one. So, when I step into a run that has already been fished, I’m casting with 100% confidence in my choice of flies. I’m sparser, buggier and better contrasting than most of what the fish have seen ahead of me.

Where the Road Ends

Timothy Burke • 4/14/156/12/15

Where the road ends the adventure begins. A short hike through sitka spruce and red cedars the river makes a sharp bend on its way to the pacific. On the inside of the rapids rests a soft blanket of slow moving currents perfect for a traveling steelhead to catch its breath. With a bright fly for the sunny day and a slow steady swing from the 11ft Meizer Switch it feels like heaven is near. Drifting off in a mid morning slumber I am instantly awoken to a disappearing loop and the throb of my rod as lightening strikes. A split second later the Hardy reel screams a frantic cry for help as an invisible river thief tries to steal the fly.

Game of Thorns

Timothy Burke • 4/9/156/12/15

With thick under brush, high banks, and a variety of black berry bushes the game of endurance leaves one picking thorns from sleeves and fingers. Below the barrier of briers is a gentle soft cobble strewn corner. With one simple swing over the top of a riffle covered bar the magic happens and a giant tug indicates a willing participant on the other end. With the battle in full swing it’s anyone’s game. At the end the feisty hen is returned to lay thousands of eggs.

Good Friday Double Banded Buck

Timothy Burke • 4/3/154/4/15

When the Sarg stepped into the river he immediately spotted a large old growth timber skimming the water at the bottom of the tail out. With conditions being low and clear and the skies filled with clouds and rain the choice fly was a purple marabou leech with a pink head. A long cast and a two stack mends sent the fly swinging perfectly down the face of the log. The Big buck lurking below came out of no where and devoured the purple leech. Lighting up the reel while running 75 yards down stream summer-salting all the way it was a beautiful battle.

On the Move

Timothy Burke • 3/29/156/12/15

With heavy rains and fish on the move staying in one run paid off for Todd and I. A willing hen tucked on a gravel shelf in the head of the drift and a lively buck in the belly of the run kept swung flies entertained and fisherman happy!

Big Carl

Timothy Burke • 3/28/154/2/15

In the bottom of the 9th (end of the day) with little energy left my buddy Todd hooked the fish of a life time. His tenacious spirit and persistency lead him to a 25 minute tug of war against an Olympic Peninsula giant. The battle ended in a fury of mixed emotions. With me on the oars trying to reach the shore in time to keep the giant steelhead from traversing the rapids. Todd reached down grabbing the tail of the fish to find out it was to large for his hand to grasp, in a split second the monster turned on its way to the deep. So in a last minute effort Todd pounced like a bob cat on the fish, water splashing, rod flying, the tussle ended in the blink of an eye and the fish swam away to it lair below. We named the 25 lbs steelhead “Big Carl” after a local friend who stopped over for a chat right before we hooked the fish. Battle pictures below…

What I Came Here For

Timothy Burke • 2/18/152/28/15

This central Oregon fisherman couldn’t contain himself when a big bright hen in the middle teens tore him up. He cried out “This is What I Came Here For” as the fish took off for the ocean. Used to beautiful steelhead from the Columbia River tributaries that average 6-12lbs the Oregonian got a taste of a Peninsula Power House. I think he’ll be back!