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Russian Salmon Special Gifts Flats Flies |
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“One cast can change your day…maybe your life”
Quotation from: Steffen Juhl—Salmon Junkies Story by: Marcy Stone Photos by: Josh Linn & Marcy Stone |
![]() The salmon lodge on the Umba. |
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I will most certainly take the word “maybe” out of that quote.
Never have I believed in a quote about fishing more than this one.
Partly because I had read it over and over again while researching my
newest fishing adventure, a 6,500 mile journey to Umba River, in arctic Russia, northeast of Finland .
In the end it felt like a last minute journey even though it was
7-years in the planning. I
can’t even really recall how it all started, except that Josh Linn mentioned
two months before we left Oregon for Murmansk how he was thinking
of
hosting a trip to Russia, and that he had been eye-balling the Kola, peninsula as the destination. We had talked about Atlantic Salmon fishing for years, tossing the idea
around, almost believing that we may
never have the money to do it—and even eastern Canada seemed out of our range.
This time it was different. This time the idea had legs. We were going
to Russia. I am always up for travel. "A rolling stone gathers no moss!",another
sage quotation. Did we speak any Russian? Of course --we knew three words by the time we touched down in St. Petersburg:“Spasiba” (Thank you), “Da” (Yes), and “Nyet” (No) The actual travel time to get to our destination made the Umba River feel, quite literally, “a world away”, and the experiences there made us realize just how different our worlds are. It is one thing to travel to Mexico or Singapore, two English speaking locations that I have personally spent many weeks in, and an entirely other experience when the country you are now traveling to has, almost literally, been born again just 20 years ago and the language is nothing like your native tongue. It was time to put our American ego in our back pocket and I was comforted to know that I was not traveling alone… I have travelled in Central America, and Mexico. On this journey |
![]() Marcy dressed for cold weather salmon fishing. |
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Jan is a Creative Director in Germany and was the other photojournalist in our group. He and Josh had fun documenting the beauty and fun of our week together. After dinner, the four of us ended up being the last ones to bed, often sharing some distilled beverage while discussing fly tying, marketing, or photography. There was always a lot of laughter those evenings! French angler, Pierre Martini, brought his father, also named Pierre, to the Umba. Those two were as crazy for fishing as we were and had a great sense of humor as well. They were great salmon anglers and have traveled all over the world in fishy pursuits. That first morning on the Umba was gorgeous! Now in the early morning light we got a perfect glimpse of the river and the tundra that surrounded us. Aspen and birch trees wearing their fall colors, crisp, cold air, clearing skies, and a sun that never rose much higher than the horizon the entire week of fishing. It was all new yet so familiar to steelhead fishing in Oregon. I remember wondering when that moment would come where it really felt different to us…. We wandered around the lodge and admired its construction and layout. One wing held the guest rooms and the other, the kitchen and service people/guides’ quarters. B |
![]() Josh gets the "Skunk" off the boat. |
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The way we were instructed from our guide was, after a mend
towards the bank, to strip the fly if there was no current, or to not
strip if the fly came across on its own at a slow and steady pace.
Salmon like to take a fly that is moving quicker than a typical
steelhead swing. Now we all
know there are exceptions in either specie, but this is generally the
rule. The trick is to make
the fly move at a smooth, consistent speed, and this is where your skill
is involved. Having neither
fished this way nor for this type of fish,
Josh and I experimented amidst our hundreds of daily casts for
the perfect swing that we thought would work.
Farit would give us tips on fishing a run—“Good cast” meant a
long, far cast. That was
easy…the difficulty was in trying to figure out at what speed was right
for getting the salmon to grab.
It was cold, so we had to slow it down and keep it low, but not
too slow, or the salmon wouldn’t be interested.
This required a lot of careful, deliberate mending. By the second
day, and with only the one fish landed for “The Americans”, Josh and I
were perplexed. We had one,
while the Germans and the French had already landed a few fish, two
of them getting into the 20# club.
Being the low rod for the day definitely made for more
self-analyzation! We were
fishing a rising river—it had been below average upon our arrival, but
slowly the water rose, until we could no longer see the sandy beach
where our boat pulled in every evening.
That evening, we were told that this week was very unseasonable
as far as the river level and catch rate.
"So…it wasn’t just us then",
we thought. Whew!
The pressure was lessened… I am not exaggerating when I tell you that all I did was pull about 20 feet of running line off of my reel and made a single spey cast to straighten it out and immediately the fly came to a halt! GRAB!I set the hook on him, lifting my rod tip up (something I had little faith in as a steelhead fisherman, but I obeyed my guide). Farit was beside himself and kept asking me if I was stuck on the rock out below us and I kept telling him that I had a fish on. He absolutely didn’t believe me and it took two more times of him asking and my rod bending deeper and deeper before he ferociously started rowing the boat back to the bank to which we had just taken off from only 20 feet earlier. It was unbelievable, to say the least. ONE cast. Sitting on my ass in a boat! |
![]() Marcy & Farit with her largest salmon. |
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I fished differently those last two days on the Umba. I made just as many casts as I had before, and never gave up the chance at hooking another salmon. I was still riding the high and basking in the warmth of the afternoon in Golden Pool. I felt very lucky to have had that fish take my fly. The other experienced salmon anglers told me that it was quite unique for my second salmon to be that large. Sometimes it takes others with more experience to actually have to tell you how special things are. Sometimes you are lucky enough to find it out all on your own. |
![]() Member of the 20-pound club. |
| Rainbow Trout Memorabilia by American Expedition | ||
| Shot Glasses | Playing Cards | Coffee Mug |
| Hip Flask | 24 OZ. Acrylic Tumbler | Sportsman's Wrist Watch |
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We believe that within each of us there is an innate appreciation
for and sense of pride in America’s indigenous wildlife. American
Expedition shares this appreciation and sense of pride with each
and every American by uniquely relating the beauty and
magnificence of America’s wildlife to consumers through
illustrations, inspirational sayings, and interesting information
on meaningful gifts and décor items. The American Expedition Brand
commemorates America’s wildlife by creating intellectual and
emotional connections between outdoor men and women and each
significant wildlife species within America. The phrase
American Expedition authentically captures the emotional,
intellectual, and visual sensations that are felt while
experiencing America’s wildlife in their natural settings.
American Expedition gifts and décor items celebrate the
magnificence of all of America’s wildlife. They meet an inherent
need for people to exhibit their admiration for America’s wildlife
in a personal way. They also give people a unique opportunity to
share their passion for America’s wildlife with others.
Rainbow Trout are native to nations that border the Pacific Ring of Fire, including our home waters of the Columbia river Basin. Rainbow Trout, including their sea run varieties known as steelhead are icons of the wild Pacific Northwest and are celebrated as one of nature's strongest species of wildlife. They are so revered that they have been transplanted to every continent in the world except Antarctica. That is why we have selected the rainbow trout for this special collection. |
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Shot Glasses, Rainbow Trout The Shot Glass Set is a must for any sportsman's cabin, basement bar, or shot glass collection. Each set includes two individually-designed shot glasses packaged in an attractive sturdy gift box. Each individual glass features a unique full-color wildlife illustration on the front and an inspirational nature quote on the back. Features the Quote: "Since we are unable to change the past or predict the future, it is essential that we make the most of today." |
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| Item | Description | Motif | Price | TTo Top |
| 2SHT-112 | American Expedition, Shot Glasses | Rainbow Trout | $7.95 | SALE ENDED |
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Rainbow Trout 6
oz. Hip Flask These Stainless Steel Hip Flasks are a great men's gift. Each flask measures 3 3/4" x 4 1/2" and has a capacity of six ounces. They are packaged in a formed felt insert and placed in an attractive sturdy gift box along with a small funnel, used for filling the flask. Features the Quote: "The natural beauty found in nature is a wellspring of inspiration that will never run dry.” |
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| Item | Description | Motif | Price | To Top |
| STFL-112 | American Expedition, Whisky Flask | Rainbow Trout | $9.95 | SALE ENDED |
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Rainbow Trout Playing Cards These Playing Cards are poker-Motifd decks with standard playing card faces and a full-color Rainbow Trout illustration on the back of each card. Interesting wildlife information is featured on the back of each deck's box. Features the Quote: “The difference between an ordinary experience and an exceptional one is in the details noticed along the way.” |
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| Item | Description | Motif | Price | To Top |
| PCRD-112 | American Expedition, Playing Cards | Rainbow Trout | $3.95 | SALE ENDED |
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Rainbow Trout Acrylic
Tumbler The Insulated Acrylic Tumbler has become one of the hottest items in the gift industry. However, consumers have found that the standard 16-ounce capacity is too small to accommodate their beverage along with ice, so we have developed our series in a more effective 24-ounce Motif. It’s the same great item with the right capacity! Each tumbler includes a screw-on lid and sturdy reusable acrylic straw. Made of BPA free, FDA approved food grade plastic. Includes straw and leak-proof lid. For use with cold beverages only. Not for use by children under three years of age. Features the Quote: "Continue your journey beyond the things you already know, as new opportunities lie just around the bend." |
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| Item | Description/FONT> | Motif | Price | TTo Top |
| ST24-112 | American Expedition, 24 oz. Acrylic Tumbler | Rainbow Trout | $18.95 | SALE ENDED |
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Stainless Steel Coffee Mug Our insulated Stainless Steel Coffee Mugs offer a convenient handle and a spill-proof lid for a more conventional coffee-drinking experience on the go. The mug holds a generous 16 ounces of beverage. Each attractive mug is packaged in a sturdy gift box along with an insert booklet containing illustrations and information profiling each featured animal. Features the Quote: "Be gentle enough to follow nature's inspirations and be strong enough to make the world a better place." |
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| Item | Description | Motif | Price | TTo Top |
| STMG-112 | American Expedition, Stainless Steel Coffee Mug | Rainbow Trout | $14.95 | SALE ENDED |
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Sportsman's Watch Our new Sportsman's Watch features a genuine leather band, a high-quality SEIKO timepiece that is waterproof up to 30 meters, and an inspirational quote engraved on the back. The illustrated watch face also includes a date window. Each watch is packaged in a full-color, jewelry store quality gift box. Features the Quote: "Let your passion for adventure be matched only by your thirst for knowledge and understanding.” |
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| Item | Description | Motif | Price | TTo Top |
| WTCH-112 | American Expedition, Sportsman's Watch | Rainbow Trout | $50.95 | SALE ENDED |
![]() Photo by Andrew Bennett: Andros South Bonefish Camp, Bahamas. |
| Flats flies are for most fish that live on warm saltwater flats. These species might include bonefish, permit, redfish, and also fish that are on the flats seasonally such as bluefish, sea trout, jacks, lady fish, cobia, etc. These flies imitate baitfish, shrimp and crabs, and other closely related organisms. |
The Fly Fishing Shop, Welches, OR
1(800)
266-3971
Fish long & prosper,
Mark & Patty