Our 2012 season is fast approaching and we still have some openings...

They've been discounted and are almost sold out! Email cheryl@flygal.ca to book your spot and find full details here http://flygal.ca/featured_trip!

Dean River Chinook & Steelhead

This is undeniably the best freshwater Chinook Salmon fly fishing in British Columbia!

The Dean River is one of the only places on Earth where an angler can land a trophy fish while surrounded by waterfalls, epic mountains and emerald blue water...all while only minutes from the ocean!

With no roads connecting to the outside world, clients arrive by float-plane and quickly settle into our breath-taking lodge overlooking the majestic Pacific Ocean (only a ten minute drive from the Dean River!)

Dates-
June 15th - 22nd
June 22nd - 29th (Simon Gawesworth School)
June 29th - July 6th

August 17th - 24th

Guides-April Vokey & Steve Morrow

Rates

$4800.00 CDN (plus HST) per person (rates are based on double occupancy.)

*Includes 7 nights accommodations, all meals and 6 days of guided fishing. Additional fees of $950.00 CDN apply for round-trip flights from Vancouver into the lodge.

**Gratuities and fishing licenses not included in listed price.

To reserve your space click here or call 1.888.359.4259

What a year it has been so far... Airports to winter steelhead, cold days to warm sun...

Here are the past four months in a nutshell.

Thank you to the following shops who brought me in to teach/share/present:

Country Pleasure Outfitters
Fred's Custom Tackle
Troutwaters Fly Shop
Angler's All
Avid Angler
Great Lakes Fly Fishing Co.
Schmidt Outfitters
The Northern Angler
Schultz Outfitters
Mad River Outfitters
Chagrin River Oufitters

High Desert Angler

There was talent behind every seat!

And to the clubs:

Columbia Basin Fly Casters
Washington Fly Fishing Club

Trout Unlimited - New Mexico

All put on a beautiful dinner and were patient enough to listen to me share what little I know about 'Swinging Flies for BC Steelhead' alongside a tying demo.

I laughed until my sides hurt and truly viewed fly-fishing clubs in a different light.

And shows:

International Sportsmen's Expo (Denver)
Western Canadian Fly Fishing Expo (thanks Adrienne for helping me man the booth!)

Mid-West Fly Fishing Expo

I stayed busy, met some awesome folk and came home with a huge smile!

Impressed can't begin to describe my experience with each person that I met.

Soon it was off to meet up with the crew at Outside Magazine to do an athlete shoot where I whined and complained about squeezing into white pants. The editor had an artistic vision and I learned quickly that he was to be trusted...

To further that smile, guiding was on fire this season!! We sure lost a lot of fish, but we had fun in the meantime.

With hardly a day off this season (and a whole lot of time standing in cold water) I was ready for a break.

It was off to the Bahamas to film the next season of Buccaneers and Bones where three days of sun were much welcomed.

I learned a ton about bone fish and realized again why I'm working alongside Patagonia... GREAT people!

More details on the Bahamas trip to come...

It's been an exceptional year so far and I am so blessed to be meeting such wonderful people! Lots of you have finally put a face to your name and I am delighted!

I look forward to the rest of the year and hope to meet some more of you again soon in the near future!

Here's the upcoming schedule:

Issaquah, WA - May Tying Class, contact Creekside Angling Co.
Edmonton, AB - May TU Banquet
Belize (Turneffe Flats) - May Hosted Trip, contact cheryl@flygal.ca for details on next years trip.
Idaho - June Casting/Tying School, contact Paul Hopfenbeck of Idaho Steelhead and Salmon at 208-720-7778
The Dean River - June/July/August Guided Trips, contact steve@flygal.ca to book
New Brunswick - Sept. Fishing School, contact Chris Munn of Fredericton Outfitters & Anglers at 506-450-4044
Ontario - October Fishing/Casting School, contact Rick Whorwood at (905)-662-8999
Germany - October Casting/Tying Clinic, contact ADH-Fishing at Tel.: 0 51 71 . 2 52 55
Michigan - November Tying Class/Fishing Workshop (Little Forks Outfitters, Schmidt Outfitters)

Pennsylvania- November Tying Class/Demo (Lake Erie Ultimate Angler, NE PA Steelhead Expo)

Live like there's no tomorrow,

April.

It’s official!

We’re only $600.00 away from our goal of $12,000.00 for the Spius Creek (Thompson River tributary) project! Pics of the completed project to come soon!

We have moved everything, exclusive of the flies, into the auctions section and most items are priced 50-75% lower than what they were. Visit our auction here!

We’re looking to clear out what is currently posted online to make room for new stock and a new project.

All remaining flies have been significantly discounted and are almost half price what they were!

We still have quite a bit of stock ready to be posted onto Flies for Fins, but we’re waiting until the launch of our next project to put it up.

We’ll be announcing this project within the next month or so, but a hint is that it’s a Skeena Region focus…

Thank you so much for everyone who donated, purchased and spread the word as we truly never could have done this without you!

Much love,

April.

This January I boarded the Air Canada aircraft and settled in for a long flight.
Two and a half days of travel, 30 hours of actual air time, several airline transfers and a whole lot of hectic running were what I was to expect in my near future.

Knowing this, I settled into my fleece-lined sweats and dove into Bob Hooton's 'Skeena Steelhead' book (a must read by the way... review to come).

I was on my way to Alphonse Atoll in the Seychelles to meet with South African friend and Alphonse fishing guide, James Christmas from http://www.alphonse-resort.com

For those who are unfamiliar, Seychelles is an island country consisting of 115 islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean, 930 miles off the coast of Africa (northeast of the island of Madagascar).

With a population of just over 86,000 people, Seychelles has the smallest population of any African state.

It is a famous saltwater destination... one that had been on my bucket list from the day I first learned of it from a highschool friend whose Dad was from an island nearby.

James had been able to take a week off from guiding and together the two of us planned to stalk the vast flats and try our luck at Seychellois giant trevally, milkfish and permit.

James' photos had been torturing me for the year leading up to my arrival... as a result, I had been preparing for equally as long. For now, I just had to get there...

The flight itinerary was relatively straightforward; Vancouver BC to London, London to Dubai, Dubai to Mahe Seychelles, Mahe Seychelles to Alphonse Atoll.

Having peppered James with questions, I learned that an atoll is the result of the gradual sinking of a volcanic island that has long since cooled, leaving behind an open crater in the middle section of the island.

As it begins to sink, the surrounding territory of the island falls beneath the surface of the water.

At the same time, the coral reef that is found around the fringes of the island remains and gradually is built up through the natural practice of the accumulation of marine organisms that become part of the reef.

This creates a barrier reef around the remaining section of the island, forming the perfect conditions for the development of a lagoon. Amazingly, though these coral reefs account for only 0.2% of the ocean floor, they contain over 25% of the known marine species (which is why their protection is so important). More on this soon.

Slides courtesy of the ICS.

London was a quick switchover and before I knew it I was on my way to Dubai.

I didn't know what to expect of Dubai.

In fact, to be completely honest, the extent of my knowledge came from the last 'Sex and the City' movie which showcased a desert, Vegas infused, shopping town.

I was unable to experience Dubai outside the airport... but the emphasis that I saw in the shopping there was enough to encourage me to keep my distance.

The serenity of silent flats were increasingly gaining appeal.

The boarding call to Seychelles woke me from my tired haze and I excitedly boarded the flight amongst giggling, summer-dressed clad newlyweds.

My hot sweats, fleece Patagonia hoody, and rod tubes held the eyes of confused passengers and I kept my hat low to avoid conversation; it had been a long few days and I was certain I couldn't have smelled my finest.

It was dark outside, peering off the wings of our aircraft... I counted down the hours of nightfall, ready for that magnificent moment where the sun appears and the reflection of light blue water fills the plane with brightness and exuberant passenger energy.

I awoke to the orange glow of sun dancing on my eyelids, the welcoming smell of coffee and a smiling Emirates attendant. Peering outside, there she was... a lone island, mountain laden and dressed in crashing waves. It was paradise...

The view even from our landing spot had me in shock... stumbling down the stairs, I clutched the handrail and shielded my eyes from the intrusive glare. Mountains? Mountains!? Mountains and saltwater fishing together? I had found heaven...

My stomach fluttered and turned in excitement while waiting in the customs line and I grinned as the serious man stamped my passport routinely.

I had given myself a couple of days to relax into island life before chartering out to Alphonse and James had arranged for me to stay with a local family until my departure to the atoll.

Rushing immediately to the airport restroom to change into something less... Canadian, I found a pair of shorts and hit the streets.

Flagging down a smiling cab driver, we negotiated rates and I hired him for the next five hours to show me the island; off the beaten path.

He politely answered my questions, wore his wedding ring proudly and spoke highly of his children. I took him for a cup of coffee at a downtown shop and quietly decided if I would trust him to show me around. He passed my interview and the two of us hit the road.

We picked guava off roadside fruit trees, peeled cinnamon bark off healthy trunks, explored tea and lemongrass fields...

Checked out some history...

Drove to the top of a mountain...

Checked out pig rock and explored the beach.

He picked up some dried pork rinds (he called them pork crackling) and together the two of us shared our stories, lives and cultures (they eat fruit bat!)

I was shocked at how much of a French influence inhabited the Island. English, French and Creole were the languages of most of the residents and I was thankful for the small amount of French I learned while in high school.

Our time passed before I knew it and he kindly dropped me off at Neela's and Jules' place (my hosts while in town). Their house was located on a steep mountain overlooking the city, just past the most spectacular graveyard I had ever seen.

That night I took Neela and Jules out to dinner (where I adamantly expressed my desire to try fruit bat, which to my dismay was not available on the menu).

The kind couple explained that they lived 20 to 30 minutes (walking distance) to the downtown area and that if I woke early I could make it to the marketplace in time to see the fresh fish harvested by local anglers. I set my alarm for 6am, but was up by 5:00 anxiously waiting for the sun to rise.

I grabbed my runners and made the trek down the vibrant graveyard, reading tombs, thankful that each tomb was inscribed with lengthy dates. Reaching the bottom of the hill, I followed the brackish river to where I could see a gathering of buildings.

The island police station.

I followed the signs (thankful to be back on the kilometer system)...

And soon found myself downtown.

There were fresh fruit, vegetables, jams, spices, fish and goodies everywhere! I pulled out my wallet and bought some groceries.

After weighing myself down with as many bags as I could carry, I checked out some other interesting structures on my way back to the house.

...And then played with all my new purchases.

The next afternoon, I boarded a small aircraft that was destined to Alphonse.

In it was myself, four guests and several resort staff...

We were a relatively quiet bunch and I squirmed uncomfortably as heavy "smoke" began to fill the aisle.

My eyes jolted from person to person, hoping that I wasn't the only one seeing this disaster unfold.

Fortunately, the silence was broken and a kind voice explained the condensation. It was good for a laugh and soon enough all anglers came to meet, genuinely partaking in friendly introductions.

Soon after we landed, I came to learn that Alphonse is occupied by one fishing/scuba lodge and is virtually inaccessible to all other flights outside of those pre-arranged by the lodge (as set with the Seychellois government.)

The Alphonse Island resort is a five star lodge and is notably distinguished as a major conservation activist inclusive of an ICS (Island Conservation Society) office consisting of two kind and dedicated conservation staff; Aurelie and Richard, who live on the island for a large part of the year (they are angels in disguise in my personal opinion).

Their list of duties are endless and they've generously lent me slides from their PowerPoint project to share with you, in hopes that we may be able to raise awareness to shark finning and pollution.

They refuse to use plastic water bottles for fear of adding to an increasingly alarming pollution problem.

They educated me on the North Pacific Gyre and its Great Pacific Garbage Patch; the world's largest garbage mound, said to be twice the size of Hawaii.

Birds and other creatures feed on bits of plastic that they mistake as food, and their carcasses clearly show that this is a serious dilemma.

Shark finning is another gut-wrenching disaster that's been affecting the ecosystems in the deep blue.

I felt helpless but personally committed to never engaging in a dinner at a restaurant who supports such atrocious ethics (often times illegally).

I was appalled when I learned of the endangering of sharks that the Seychelles saw several years ago when boats came in and virtually wiped the system out. Without sharks, the entire marine ecosystem is in danger...

I was surprised to find out that the lodge also abides by a single, barbless hook mentality (which is a rarity amongst saltwater organizations), as well as educates anglers on how to not hold fish under their bellies where harm can be inflicted on vital organs.

I felt like a school-girl, surrounded by like-minded folk!

I settled into my cabana and tried to control myself from jumping on the bed with excitement.

James met me with a warm, welcoming hug and all 6'4 of him was gentle and trustworthy. I trusted this man... I trusted him with my first permit, my secrets, and with all of those bull sharks around, I even trusted him with my life.

We unpacked my gear and prepped for the next morning. I was set up with Rio's tarpon and large game fly lines, and I had confidence that they could hold a giant "Geet" (as the guides refer to Giant Trevally), should they have the opportunity.

As with all of my saltwater trips, Mike Rice of www.muddogflies.com had tied me a custom order of bonefish, permit and geet flies that overflowed my boxes.

I awoke bright and early the next morning to ride my bike to catch the Mother Ship before she departed...
I rode carefully and watched the road for any passing tortoises acting as speedbumps.

A string of flats boats drifted behind the large ship and I chuckled at the names on each of them.

The warm wind on my face was glorious and James and I sat on the bow of the boat, dangling our feet and enjoying the scenery.

Half an hour later, we anchored the large ship and all of us hopped into our designated flats boats.

James gave me the safety drill...with concern, I asked about the pirates that I had heard so much about.

For the last few years, pirates, hijackings and ransoms had been a major issue in the depths of the Indian Ocean.

Somali pirates, ungoverned, broke and hungry, were tormenting the sea and preying on unprotected vessels who might be carrying precious cargo (or people).

James explained that as long as we stayed within the Seychellois boundary line, we would be under the care of the Seychellen government (meaning they would pay our ransom). It was clear however, that atolls outside of this jurisdiction would be left unaided. I was beginning to understand why some of the other operations were temporarily abandoned.

We secured all rods and gear and raced off to a nearby bonefish flat. James laughed as I found entertainment in virtually everything my eyes rested on.

He taught me to scan my eyes from right to left, as I would focus better on shadows and movement in the ocean's glare. This made sense, as with reading our eyes are so accustomed to scanning left to right, that we often lose the attention to detail so necessary in flats fishing.

We played with some bones and warmed ourselves up for some geets and permit.

With the skunk off of us, we jetted off to the surf to try our luck at some incoming trevally.

We strolled awkwardly on the jagged rocks, when suddenly James stopped and pointed into the water.
"What is it?" I asked.

In his soft South African tone, he responded, "There, do you see it?" He was pointing at a rock.

I was blind... "The rock?"
Water broke the surface around it and it looked just like all rocks I had seen in the ocean.

He smiled warmly and crept over to the small boulder, carefully picking it up from its underside. To my delight, little fins fanned on either side of it and a large puffer fish rested in his hand.

Shocked, I squealed with glee! It sat calm and "unpuffed" and I just ached to hold it.

"Just keep your fingers away from its teeth", James warned.

From here, we headed to the surf and glared through the dark day for a hopeful glimpse of a feeding trevally. The surf's strength was unexpected and I stumbled each time it hit me. As I was bowled over, soaking wet and unsteady, James' tall frame handled the waves with ease and I tried to learn from him.

He leaned into the white water and didn't fight the force.

He used his Patagonia Stormfront dry bag (the guide bag of choice in the Seychelles) as a flotation device and he allowed it to lift him through the water.

He instructed me to wait for a large wave to push and then directed me to cast into the momentary white froth that lay slack and flat in anticipation of the next wave. I cast one of his famous NYAP (Not Your Average Popper) flies into the foam and vigorously stripped it back in towards myself.

Unexpectedly, a large bluefin trevally annihilated the fly and I froze in shock. James gasped and I promised never to freeze up again.

That night, we went back to James' cabana where we tied flies until my eyes glazed over. His tying material collection was extensive and he tied a mean permit crab.

The next day, we hit the flats in search of the elusive Seychelle permit.

As the tide pushed out, large square tails broke the water's surface and James explained to me that these were feeding trigger fish.

I cast a crab tied the night before at the oblivious fish and slowly stripped back in. The fish stopped, turned, and focused on my crab pattern; it was fish on!

Through the coral it raced and James screamed at me to run and keep my line out of the abrasive ocean floor.

My prize was a beauty of a Giant Triggerfish. With colors that shone through the dull day, I had to admire the abstract characteristics of the creature.

James pushed his fingers on the topside of what looked to be a dorsal fin (the trigger, hence the name); it was hard and didn't budge.
Gently repositioning his hand, James pushed the trigger from the underside and the trigger fin collapsed with ease.

Its teeth were sharp and intimidating, designed to bite through coral... It was lovely in the most unique way.

We spent the rest of the day pursuing geets and tailing permit.

The permit were uneasy, but they allowed me the occasional shot. We stalked them slowly and I held my breath, frantically trying to clear my line from the water to make the tricky casts.

The weather was rough and the wind pushed strong. We eyed up an incoming black cloud and desperately tried to hook up before being caught in the fast approaching storm.

Rejected, rejected, rejected. I managed to get an "eat" but couldn't manage to hook up. I hung my head in disappointment but continued to cast despite the now overhead thundering of lightning.

For fear of electrocution, we sat low in the water and prepared to wait out the storm. It felt like forever and the fish teased us further by tailing directly beside us.

We risked the dangers and made several casts to them while seated, before a deafening skyward boom coaxed me to wait until the gloom had passed.

The next day, James and I were greeted with a welcoming sun and the two of us were in high spirits as the rays warmed our faces.

Again we were off to the surf where we would use the light to our advantage to sight giant geets rolling in through the waves.

As we walked through the sandy beach towards a large abandoned shipwreck, James and I halted as three gigantic permit tails assaulted the water's surface.
I felt my knees weaken and I clung to James...
"Are those....!?" I felt the world silence around me as I focused on what could only belong to three huge permit.

"Oh my... they are..." He whispered, his eyes not shifting from the commotion.

We crept low and silently towards them... each step careful not to make a disruption. Then the inevitable happened; the soft bottom turned to hard, crunching coral.

James' size enormous feet simply couldn't continue with me any further without spooking the monsters, and he gave me the look of a mother saying goodbye to her child as he coaxed me to proceed without him.

The next half hour must have been painful for James.
Alone, petrified of failure, and over-anxious, I followed the permit over their terrain.

My 5'5 figure and size 7 feet were useful and I utilized this to my advantage in seeking discretion.

For that seemingly endless time, there was no one else... nothing else... it was me and them, waltzing, dancing together in a romance that would ultimately leave me broken hearted.

They tailed high and happy; their large fork tails capturing the light, glowing with the penetrating sun, pointing downwards towards their large round bodies like golden arrows as if to say "search here for treasure".

It was beautiful.

They lead right, I followed suit. They leaned left and I obliged. They lead me like a waltzing bride and I couldn't help but smile to myself as they dropped their tails and pushed back to sea.

I had just experienced my first solo affair with some of the most beautiful fish I had ever seen. Seychelle permit glow a bright yellow and they have forever ingrained themselves in my mind.

Still smiling, we headed to the surf and hoped for better luck with trevally.

Stripping James' NYAP until my fingers bled, we cast aggressively into the water near an old ship wreck hoping to "call in" some players.

The waves picked me up mid cast, but none of that mattered as a large bluefin engorged my fly on the water's surface.
Half of the fight took place with my head under water and James held me afloat while I desperately tried to get my line on my reel.

Eventually we landed a magnificently blue fish, its colors surreal and truly unlike anything I had ever seen before.

As the tides changed, so did we, and we hopped aboard the boat in search of sting rays and nurse sharks. Rays and sharks are often used as a giveaway to anglers pursuing giant trevally, as geets utilize the mud disturbance to hide while feeding in the flats.

Spotting a large ray, James and I dropped anchor and raced to get in front of the pair. Sure enough, following suit was a nice size geet. We watched it change color from gray to black, depending on its disguising backdrop.

I prepared to make the cast, foolishly not checking my ferrules.
"There's your shot! Take it!"
I false cast. Once, twice... getting ready to shoot...

The top half of my rod fell at my feet. "Acckkkk!!" I shrieked. By the time the pieces were back together, my opportunity had passed.

James patted me on the back, supportive and kindly hiding his dismay. I knew that somehow I had to make up for this on the water the next day.

The next morning I was alive with energy! It was going to be a good day; I could feel it in my blood.

The morning was still and our spirits were high.

We set off in search of schooling milkfish.

I had heard of the famed milkfish from saltwater enthusiasts who claimed that Seychelle milks were hard to hook. Even more trying, was the landing of such hard-pulling, fast fish.

With missile shaped bodies built for speed, milkfish feed on vegetation, often surface feeding on floating plankton.

The calm morning made finding these fish a little easier.
We drove fast, breaking the still glass surface with the bow of our boat. James scanned the blue sea for feeding fish. He excitedly stopped the boat and instructed me to grab the Loomis NRX pre-rigged with a light green algae fly.

Cast, rejected, cast, rejected...

I made the cast into the path of an upcoming school and set hard to the side as a solo fish mouth encompassed my fly. It was game on.

Countless jumps, 45 minutes, two shaking arms, a bruised midriff and a smiling fishing guide later, I had landed my first milk. I felt like a million bucks.

The days passed faster than I cared for, and though we found time for a quick snorkel on the last day... before long I found myself on the tarmac saying my goodbyes.

Inevitably (though not disappointingly) I found myself back in the home of Neela and Jules'.
Their smiling faces greeted me kindly and they advised me to clean up as we had a dinner engagement at 6:00.

I was stunned... A dinner engagement? Who with?

Thoughtful and generous, they had arranged a family dinner where each family would present an authentic Seychellois dish.
I crossed my fingers that I would be able to try this supposedly succulent fruitbat.
Welcoming me as one of their own, together we blessed the food and sat down to a perfectly executed dinner.

I ate until I had no more room and tried fruitbat curry, salted fish casserole, crabapple coleslaw, blood pudding and several other delicacies.

It was a feast fit for a king, following suit to a guide who treated me better than a queen.

Spoiled and glowing, I sat back to digest it all; the memories, the experience, the friendships, and of course, the fruit bat... It was the perfect end to a perfect trip...

April.

Every morning I read the brilliance of Max Ehrmann on my wall... he says it best.

Max Ehrmann

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender

be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;

they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;

and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment

it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,

be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,

in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

As always, Ms. Kate at Rogue Angels is rocking out a fantastic blog post on some very special ladies (many of who we are proud to call friends). With an approaching Spey-O-Rama in the calendar, these casting ladies are out to set the distance! See Kate's wonderful write-up here http://www.rogueangels.net/2012/03/women-of-sor.html

There are some casts that aren’t supposed to be pretty.

In June, when freshet floods the west’s glacial-fed rivers, raging water molests shore bushes and determined anglers are forced to stumble and “ninja wade” through aggressive brown currents, uprooted logs and unstable rocks.

In these conditions, both wading and casting are difficult.

The “cast, strip, step” mentality has a new twist to it; “slide right foot until steady, hold breath, slide left foot until steady, slip, gasp, arm flail, deep breath, set anchor, load with D loop, lasso shrubs and bushes that are equally as unaccustomed to this high current, curse like a trucker, reset anchor, reload with shallow D loop, compensate for 15 feet of Rio’s T14, swing until fly reaches a full dangle, then strip and repeat.”

While most steeheaders are correct in assessing the muddy waters as unfishable, the off colored torrent is ideal for those looking to target ocean-fresh Chinook salmon that seek safety and migration in the fast flowing high water.

As the water clears, the fishing becomes progressively harder and the technicality of such an environment is tolerable for those looking to try their luck with one of these monsters.

Admittedly there are many fish that I respect, but there are few that I fear; West-coast Chinook are a species that I fear.

Dean River Chinook are spotted with sea-lice, their distinct scales and fins metallic with rays of blue, green and purple, their large square tails define strength and agility.

Freshly transitioned freshwater bodies still flaunt a temperament flared with the instinctual habit from being the Kings of the ocean and their rolling bodies tense our shoulders when we watch them porpoise through the surging current.

This year, armed with a 650 grain Skagit Flight Head and an abundance of both slickshooter and backing, I stumbled through the high water and eyed up “Chinook runs” that ran deep and fast. Sitting on the edge of fast currents, often a double digit salmon will lounge in the oxygen induced flow, aggressively chasing down an intruder in its lair.

Both admiration and restlessness consume me as I hunt them through the dim days.

The fog and damp air fill my lungs and moisten my brow. The water is cold but the air is warm and the intensity of it all always makes me breathe a little harder; hooking one of these beasts is only the first part of the chaos, for it’s the landing that always messes with my head.

I step, fumble, do all of the above listed steps, then finally manage a deliverable (very unattractive) cast. As my sink tip penetrates the surface, I stray my rod tip upstream and maintain tension so as to allow my fly direct contact with an angry mouth. “There it is, there it is….” It plucks. I wait to strike.

Jumps, rolls and runs defy the argument that Chinook don’t fight, but there’s hardly any time to laugh at this hilarity, as typically in my shock I am being dragged downstream by a 30+ pounder who’s calling all of the shots.

Last minute desperation pleas are the leader busters on the Dean River, and it is an all too familiar scenario as the fish sees a looming black net and retaliates with a sharp and energetic turn, leaving a slack line and an exhausted angler to rest.

I love steelhead. I love them more than I should… for they have consumed my life.

But it is the Chinook, the Kings, who have ruined me as an angler. I fear them for their power, I fear them for their confidence, I fear them for their viciousness, and I fear them for how they fight in fear of me.

Interested in trying it out with us this year? More info here http://flygal.ca/dean_river_salmon

When I first started Flies For Fins, it was sheer hope, faith and love that moved me forward.
Not knowing what to expect, I feared that my fellow anglers might let me down. In a world where so many people take all they can from others, I was fearful that I'd be let down and jaded; less ambitious to move forward with charitable projects.

That was almost four years ago.

Now, with a few more years, a lot more friends, a functional website (www.flies4fins.com) and a position on the board of directors with the Steelhead Society of BC, my energy and faith are stronger than ever.

Without the support of all of you, I would never be so lucky or proud; thank you.

At Flies For Fins, we recently committed to personally raising $12,000.00 and we are officially past $10,000.00; thank you!
Whether you have donated or purchased from us in the past 3 months, you have helped us to achieve our goal in helping our famed Thompson River steelhead.
The project has been completed and we are just waiting to raise the last couple thousand dollars before we pass this money over.

Please feel free to revisit our shop and see if any items interest you. We are adding items daily and ensure that our prices our reasonable to keep gear moving.

Thank you again for your continued loyalty and support,
Sincerely,
April

You know it’s been a busy year when every time you sit down to write a blog post, sheer exhaustion wipes you out as a constant (and over dramatic) reminder that there are simply too many updates to report.
Playing “catch up” is not my style; I much prefer paving new roads… granted if you don’t put your foot in the stirrup, you’ll never get back on the horse, will you? :)

That said, I think today I’ll take a ride…

2012 came fast… too fast really.

A whirlwind of people, shows, shops (thank you to all) and the best trip of my life (more to come later), a full winter steelhead season and a blessing to wake up every day with a smile; it’s been a good year so far.

Moving forward, I’m excited to share some recent photos/stories and I intend to update this page again regularly.
I’m steering this horse back on track… and tomorrow I’m riding it back to Michigan.

See you soon! Updates to follow!

Sincerely,
April.

First things first! We are finally heading to Kelowna to put on two steelhead "Intruder" variation fly-tying classes!
February 25th (5pm to 9pm) and February 26th (9am to 1pm). Price is $65.00 plus tax.

Only 8 spaces per class so don't wait!

And of course, winter steelhead season is just around the corner!

Mid February to the end of April is a great time to try your hand at winter steelhead and maximize a day on local water to learn new casting and angling techniques.

With a calendar filling up fast I figured that I should post available dates that are still up for grabs!
If you’re looking to fish with me (April), then please note the following openings:

Feb 18th to 22nd, March 22nd to 26th, April 4th to 12th, 23rd to 30th.

Greg and Steve also have some available dates for the season if any of the above dates don’t work for you.

Email april@flygal.ca to book or visit http://flygal.ca/winter_run_steelhead for more details.

Day trips welcome!
Happy New Year!
April.