Northwest Fishing Reports

Below is an image of my new baby! Got it today and can't wait to try it out tomorrow. The reel is super smooth and has one-way roller bearings...similar to a sprag clutch, giving it an anti-reverse feature. The drag feels very smooth as well and is easily adjustable with a 1" thumb wheel. The edges of the spool are rounded smoothly for palming. Picked the reel and two spare spools from Sportco for a reasonable price. $159 for the reel and $59 for a spool.

http://www.okumafishingteam.com/reels/fly/helios.html

Okuma Helios H-56

I imagine you will be getting up at all hours getting it ready to feed a fly to some fine fish. We expect to see some results of your new baby. Good Luck, Steve

Chad,

So what gives?? You recently unloaded a ton of bass gear/rods etc. Are you giving yourself totaly over to fly fishing?
It is a beautiful way to spend time fishing though.

Chad:
Getting serious about this fly fishing huh? Full time bug flinger now?

Just giving you a hard time....I think it's great you've stepped into a different world of fishing. Great for you to learn something new and have so much fun learning it....Love reading your reports...

Great looking reel btw!

quadradomus-

Yeah for the most part I am tossing flies around anytime I am fishing now. I really enjoy it. That doesn't mean I can't fish for species other than trout, though. That's one of the great things I have found about fly fishing...you can target just about anything on a fly. Whether it's panfish, bass, trout, muskies, pike, carp, you name it. Heck I even watched a video of a guy fly fishing for shark...from a kayak!

It's a lot of fun, relaxing...and something I've always wanted to learn. One other aspect I kinda like...I don't have to carry nearly as much gear. Yeah, eventually I will have a few rods and reels to drag along...but the tackle will always fit in a couple pockets.

I think the only thing that really annoys me...everytime someone I know finds out I am trying to learn it...they get all excited and ask me if I watched the movie "A River Runs Through It". I guess it must have something to do with fly fishing...not sure. I've never watched it.

BTW...I haven't entirely offloaded everything. Never hurts to have a contingency plan. :-)


Sam-

It's all good...I can take it as well as I dish it out! :-D

One of my buddy's has been giving me a hard time here lately about it. Asks me if I'm trading my truck in for a Subaru and birkenstocks! LOL!

The whole experience so far has been rather exciting. I discover something new every time I'm out. Whether it's something to do with my technique, equipment, flies, whatever. For example, a few days ago I witnessed my first hatch of flies on a lake I had never fished before. It was a touch confusing as to what I should be fishing. I wasn't able to match what was out there flying around...but I got home, opened my books and started reading, read articles on the internet, caught some of the critters (although from a different location) and found out what they were. I had even guessed the correct size and imitation I should have been using, as well. For most of the seasoned fly fishermen and women...that is relatively elementary. For me it was a milestone. I was all sorts of excited over a simple bug in the water that before I would have never given second thought to.

Right now I am geared up to target mostly panfish and trout...maybe small bass...but not going to catch a lunker on my gear. Once I get home from the desert I intend on getting some slightly heavier gear and targeting LMB and SMB. Even some salmon in both rivers and the sound as well as some steelhead. The possibilities are endless.

fishing collector wrote:I imagine you will be getting up at all hours getting it ready to feed a fly to some fine fish. We expect to see some results of your new baby. Good Luck, Steve

Thanks, Steve! Yeah...I've already spooled it twice today. Didn't like how the knot between the backing and fly line looked, so I had to unwind and tie it over. As far as expecting results...that makes two of us. Actually, three of us...the wifey said the same thing...'cept she had this funny look in her eye...and didn't seem as enthusiastic, either. Of course, if I don't catch anything...it must be the crazy weather or something! :-P

Okuma has come a long way in the last few years. I have several of their reels and I use and like them all. I recently picked up an SLV from Sportsman's Warehouse. I can't believe how smooth it works. They are great reels at great prices.

Have fun with yours.