Fly Fishing Insider Newsletter featuring Alec Jackson Steelhead Irons

Alec Jackson Steelhead Irons Alec Jackson, born an Englishman, is without doubt the best known American hook designer. His Standard Weight Spey hooks are very traditional looking. They are copies of hooks that had been popular, but become unobtainable in the British Isles. Alec took these proven designs to Japan where legendary steel has been made for 3,000 years. These new hooks called "Spey Hooks" became exceedingly popular with northwest steelheaders, but it became obvious that hooks made from heavier wire would help get flies deeper in the water and would be more durable. A line of heavier wire spey hooks were developed and also became very popular. Then local guides asked Alec for a shorter version of the heavy wire hook. The result is the "Steelhead Iron" series. This shorter, curved shank series of hooks feature incredible holding power for landing the strongest fish. The slightly dropped needle points are chemically sharpened.
		Alec's flies have a character all of their own. Intricately spun herl bodies combined with soft flowing seductive materials are a trade mark of his flies.
	Many of the most popular Pacific Northwest steelhead guides tie many of their "special" flies on Alec Jackson hooks. That tells us they are the best available to serve many purposes.

Alec Jackson in New Zealand with a couple of big rainbows that were originally California steelhead stock.	Brian Silvey shown here tying his magic steelhead flies in camp, uses many Steelhead Irons.
A Golden Demon fly tied on a gold finished Steelhead Iron tied by Josh Linn.	A collection of Steelhead Irons dressed by Brian Silvey & Mark Bachmann

SI Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, Black This shorter shank, heavier wire design is gaining popularity amongst Pacific Northwest steelhead guides.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SI-3-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Black	3	25 for $15.30
SI-5-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Black	5	25 for $15.30
SI-7-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Black	7	25 for $15.30

NSI Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, Nickel Steelhead Irons are very rigid and tend to "hang-onto" fish after they are hooked.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
NSI-3-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Nickel	3	25 for $15.30
NSI-5-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Nickel	5	25 for $15.30
NSI-7-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Nickel	7	25 for $15.30

GSI Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Gold Steelhead Irons come in a full range of sizes to tie summer flies and up to medium size winter flies.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
GSI-3-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Gold	3	25 for $15.30
GSI-5-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Gold	5	25 for $15.30
GSI-7-25	Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron Hook, Gold	7	25 for $15.30

Guide Size Measure Net This Measure Net is made of strong aluminum tubing with a durable rubber handle that allows the net to float. This is a great net for a boat or the beach. Large trout, steelhead, most salmon, shad, bass, sea trout and bonefish will all fit in this net. The telescoping handle extends your reach. The scale in the handle weighs fish to 25-pounds. The net hoop is detachable from the handle for easy storage. The mesh in the net bag is rubber coated to be easy on the fish and measures fish to 40-inches. Jeff Abel the inventor of The Measure Net calls this model the Guide Net. Us guys that live and work in steelhead country would call this "the steelhead net". It is the perfect size for most steelhead. A net like this has the advantage for catch and release. A fish can be corralled in the net instead of being beached where it might be subject to injury. This net will save lives.		Mark Bachmann nets a steelhead for Gary Bruner 09/03/07 using The Measure Net "Guide Net". Photo by Jung Kim.
		Dimensions: Telescopic Full Length: 56" to 68" Net Length: 23" Net Width: 16" at top Fish Measure Length: 40 Barrel Scale: up to 25 lbs

Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
MEASURE-4	The Measure Net	Guide Size	$72.00

John Elkland had mentioned a few times that we should go carp fishing. Being that steelhead fishing totally has my attention right now, when John called to say lets go Carp fishing my response to him was, "your going to have to talk me into this."
On September 15th off we went. Along with us was Ed Lawrence from Montana. We were going to the Snake River. John had a stretch of river picked out where we could do a day float trip. After shopping for lunch and taking our time getting to the river we launched the drift boat around 11am.

To be honest, I did not expect to have very good fishing. Almost everyone I had talked to in the past said the same things, "you need bait" or "yeah I've caught 'em -----with a bow and arrow!" John had talked me into this adventure with stories of carp sipping mayflies and running into the backing like bonefish. "Guidespeak?" I was about to find out.
John had said the sight fishing was the key to success. The first two hours of the day were windy. This period was slow fishing. As we neared a bank that had a long stretch of blackberry bushes Ecklund, told us how the carp often line up and feed on falling blackberries. I tied on a black wholly bugger and made a few blind casts when suddenly I spotted one. Before I could say a thing my cast was unfolding and fly landed two feet in front of the carp. The fish took instantly! My reel started screaming and in seconds was in the middle of the snake river. Its first run was not quite to my backing but still I was impressed. The fish pulled and held its position in the current. If I did not know any different it could of passed as a Chinook. With its second run it could of passed as a large male steelhead as this run went well into my backing. Now I'm more than impressed!
In the end when the fish was in hand it became a thing of beauty. I admired its golden color. No longer was it ugly. It had gained my respect.
By the end of the day we had caught well over a dozen tailing, stationary and rising carp. Fishing from shore to clooping (rising) carp was the most fun. As far as we could tell they were eating EVERYTHING that passed them in the surface film. Swinging a size 12 Prince Nymph worked very well. Other flies that proved effective were Zug Bugs, Carey Specials, Royal Coachmans, and I even got one on a Moose Turd steelhead waking fly!
More About Fly Fishing for Carp

FISHCAT 4 DELUXE FLOAT TUBES UNAVAILABLE UNTIL OCTOBER Due to the lack of supply of the Outcast Fish Cat 4 Deluxe Float tubes, the Outcast Company is allowing us to sell the OUTCAST SUPER FAT CAT for $225.00 retail price. (Since the standard mark-up is not available there is a $15 shipping fee in the USA. Standard shipping fees outside USA apply). The Fish Cat 4 Deluxe (at $199.00) has been the most popular tube we sell for 3 years running, due in part to the attractive price. Rather than having us cancel all orders from customers, Outcast is allowing this offer while the supply lasts. This is a very limited offer and has been extended to us because of our commitment to excellent service to our customers, and the Outcast Company's outstanding dealer service. When the existing supply is exhausted, the Super Fat Cat price will return to the normal price of $350. This is not an "ANNUAL BLOW OUT SALE" or some other catchy term. This is two companies serving their customers.
Float Tube Accessories Float Tube Lakes.

The most innovative float-fishing machine available, the Super Fat Cat is the only float tube-style craft that gets you up and out of the water on a cushion of air. With a Fat Cat, you'll be fishing faster, higher, drier and more comfortable than ever.

The seat bottom cushion and the seat back are inflatable. This allows the Super Fat Cat to fold down smaller and transport easier. The built in floatation makes the Fat Cat series among the World's safest watercraft.

Model	Inflated Size	Tube Dia.	Weight Capacity	Weight	Ship Size
PAC 66	45" X 64"	13"	300 lbs.	12 lb.	20" X13" X 18"

• 1000 denier PVC bottom / Pack-cloth top • urethane bladder / 1"Halkey Roberts valve • air seat and air backrest • NEW large pockets with beverage holder • stripping apron • 5-year Warranty Prices include shipping in continental USA
Item	Model	Color	Price	To Top
200-000210	Outcast Super Fat Cat Float Tube Price includes shipping.	Green	$240

Mergansers

Mergansers

We were standing on the banks of the Deschutes River. The man said, "The fishing would probably improve if we shot all of the mergansers." I was stunned and am sure that I reacted badly. Years before I had an even more aggressive reaction to a man who had suddenly pulled a 22-pistol from his pack and shot a merganser from my moving boat. Why do mergansers receive such disdain from human fishermen? From my point of view all of the wild life along the river adds to the river experience. My approach is "live and let live". I go to wild places because they are wild. I make as little impact as possible. Mergansers and the species that we think of as "sport fish" have coexisted for for millions of years. If there has been a recent decline in sport fish, then it seems that another specie is more likely to be the primary cause.
However, now that I have some new photographic equipment to use, I plan on making a a year long study of mergansers that inhabit the many river that I fish. I am in search of facts: What do they eat? How do they live? How do they effect the fish populations that we strive to protect?
The photo above is cropped from a family group of mergansers that number 8 individuals. There appears to be quite a bit of social interplay between them. Expect many more Merganser pictures in the future.

Merganser Links:
USGS
All About Birds
Wikipedia

Women's Waders
Many women enjoy the sport of fly fishing.
Their ranks are growing all the time.
Many of our best fishing buddies are female.
They deserve comfort and safety.
That is why The Fly Fishing Shop
carries a huge selection
of the best women's
chest-high breathable waders in stock.

Simms
Women's G3
Was $429 Now $323

Simms
Wo Freestones
Was $199 Now $150

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