Win At The Sandy River Spey Clave

Are Spring Chinooks easy to catch with flies...probably not.  Do many anglers fish for them with flies...not many.  Have any been caught with flies...yes.  Over the past four years there have been enough verified catches to know that if they are targeted, Chinooks can be had in reasonable numbers.  And they are dynamite fish on a spey rod.  So here's the deal.  The angler who catches the first verifiable Spring Chinook with a fly rod from either the Sandy or Clackamas Rivers from May 4-6 will win a Winston BIIX 15' 9/10 Spey Rod !!!!  And...

He or she will win a lot of prestige !!!
This year the Sandy River Spey Clave is a week early and spring water temperatures, along with the Chinooks are running a little bit late.  But, a few Chinooks are being caught by both gear and fly guys. The good thing is that water levels are very good and we are getting a lot of cloud cover days which aids the bite.  Besides a brand new $795 fly rod is worth spending a little time on the water for.  The contest is open to anyone.
Here are the rules:

All wild fish must be treated gently and released unharmed.  Hatchery Chinooks can be retained. Entry fish must be caught with a fly and fly fishing gear. The catch must be totally verifiable.  The catch must be witnessed by another angler.  For that reason, it will be best to fish in pairs or groups.  Each fish must be measured for length and girth.  Size matters only for the record.  The first Chinook landed, wins. Each entry must be accompanied with a digital picture, which must contain the angler, the fish, the gear the fish was caught with and a background providing verification of location.  Each entry must be imprinted with a time code from the camera.  The person taking the winning picture wins a Fishpond Vacuum Flask.  Every angler submitting an entry, wins a fly line of their choice; any of the more than 300 lines offered on www.flyfishusa.com . 
The rod and vacuum flask will be awarded on May 6, 4:00pm.
Credits will be issued for the fly lines at the same time.
The winning picture/pictures to be published in the next "Insider" Newsletter.

Al Buhr to Perform at The Sandy River Spey Clave 2007 !!!
Don't miss Al's on the water presentation: May 5, 10:00am-10:30am

Al Buhr has been an avid steelhead fisherman since his youth and was introduced to Spey casting by the late Jim Green in 1982.  Al has since been on the leading edge of rod and line development for many years with Sage in developing two-handed rods and with Scientific Angler in designing several Spey fly lines.  In 2004, Al chaired a committee of line and rod manufacturers that established a manufacturing line-weight designation standard ratified by the Association of Fishing Tackle Manufacturers of America.  Al is also a member of the Federation of Fly Fishers' Casting Board of Governors' and is chairman of the Two-Handed Casting Instructor program.  He is a FFF-certified Master Casting Instructor and Two-Handed Casting Instructor.  Al has given workshops on fly casting and steelhead fly fishing throughout the United States and at many Federation of Fly Fishers' Conclaves.   
 

There is no more cost-effective insurance than a rod/reel case to keep your favorite fly fishing outfit clean, organized and protected.  Several rod/reel cases can keep your whole fly fishing arsenal organized and safe.  You can tell the difference between professional fishing guides in the way they treat there own equipment.  One might pull several rod/reel outfits from the back of his vehicle in a disoriented, tangled mess. You can bet this guy's stuff is full of nicks and scratches. A different guide might transfer his rod/reel outfits from the tow-vehicle to the boat; with each outfit in a separate rod reel/case, and all cases inside a waterproof bag.  Who's boat do you want to ride in?  The same thing goes for fishing buddies.  One fisherman shows up with all his gear organized, the other  guy throws his stuff in a disorganized mess on top of your organized stash.  Which of the two anglers is likely to get invited next time?  Are you the guy with the

mess?  We can help you get organized with a wide selection of the best rod/reel cases online and in our store. 

Lake, I noted several trout caught on poppers.  One day I caught several myself while fishing around sunken trees in deeper water.  Makes you wonder what might happen if you tried fishing poppers for trout on purpose.

New gear from:

• Carry-on sizing for valuable reels and gear
• Durable 1680 ballistic nylon fabric for rugged durability
• 10 External pockets
• 20 interior pockets/pouches
• “Zip-out” waterproof cover for 100% coverage
• Adjustable gunwale hooks integrated into back zippered pocket
• Padded interior divider system with Velcro® attachments
• New fishpond waterproof molded bottom
• Adjustable rod tube straps with “Sticky Rubber” to secure rod tubes
• Two side air-mesh pockets
• Signature “zip-down” fly bench work area with replaceable foam
• Pliers/tool pocket with nylon cord and tarpaulin lanyard keepers
• Tippet spool accessory cord
• Molded rubber carry handle and adjustable padded shoulder strap
• fishpond molded rubber luggage tag
• Heavy duty zippers

• Fully padded case for outstanding protection of expensive reels, extra spools and fly boxes
• Compression molded bottom for added durability
• Adjustable, padded, and removable interior dividers for customized storage
• Two zippered, interior pockets for extra tippet and leader storage
• Padded shoulder strap and carry handle

• Interior pockets secure small tools and accessories
• Carry-on sizing for valuable reels
• Molded waterproof top and bottom
• Adjustable, removable, padded interior divider system
• Jacquard webbing carry handle

Small: Small 4.5” x 4.5” x 4.5” (Holds one saltwater or two fresh reels)
Medium: 9.5” x 4” x 4” (Holds four freshwater reels or two/three smaller saltwater reels)
Large: Large 10” x 4.5” x 5” (Holds four saltwater reels or two reels/two spools)
 

• Multi-layered insulated case
• Durable, polished stainless steel vacuum flask with push-button top for easy, one-handed pouring
• Screw top flask lid can be used as cup
• Molded case top and bottom for added protection
• Fishpond Jacquard web carry handle
• Large, oversized zipper for durability

Echo Micro Practice Rod

One of the greatest challenges of learning to fly cast is the issue of finding room! Learning to form a proper cast usually requires significant space above, behind and in front of you. Additionally, learning to single-hand spey cast or roll cast is downright difficult without water. The new Echo Micro Practice Rod was designed to minimize the need for space without sacrificing rod action. This miniature rod comes with everything you need to practice casting -- the two piece, four foot rod, highly-visible line, yarn leader and even

Echo Micro Practice Rod 

Length:  4'    Line: included      Pieces: 2

All classes are a maximum of 6 students.  This gives an instructors to student ratio of 3 students per instructor.  You will receive nearly constant hands-on help.
Each Introductory Class starts in our state-of-the-art class room with your instructors presenting a multi-media orientation program.  This will help to mentally prepare you for your on-the-water experience.  Your instructors will then drive you to the river for the rest of your classes. 
Students should make arrangements at time of registering for equipment to be used in the class. 
Good time to test drive a new rod.

INTERMEDIATE SPEY CASTING CLASS:  
These classes are for all students that have completed the Introductory Spey Casting Class above.  Also welcomed are those anglers who have had some spey casting experience. We will refine the basic casts and teach special casts and  line handling techniques.