BC Steelhead make me ogle too…

Well, Fly Gal is proud to announce that we have teamed up with Nicholas Dean Lodge (www.nicholasdean.com) in Terrace, BC to offer some of the most memorable steelhead (and salmon) trips in the country!

Nicholas Dean is a fabulous lodge, fully equipped with a gourmet chef and top notch guides.

The Skeena and Copper Rivers are only two of their licensed world-class rivers and I am proud to associate my name with theirs.

I will be guiding with Nicholas Dean Lodge and am taking bookings NOW.

There are still several spots open for this Fall season, and we are booking steady for next year.  Please contact me directly at april@flygal.ca to answer any of your questions or help you to plan the steelhead trip you’ve only ever dreamt of!  I’d love to guide you into that fish of a lifetime!

The following bonus offer is on now….

Any clients to pay a 50% deposit for a 2010 fishing trip prior to October 1st, 2009 will be booked in at the 2009 rates (which I may add are more than affordable!)

Stop talking about it and do it!

Talk to you soon,

Ape.

As previously published in Chasing Silver Magazine

*Note- all flies are designed and tied by April Vokey.  For more information on purchasing any of these flies contact april@flygal.ca

British Columbia is world famous for its majestic rivers and legendary steelhead.  A truly unique fishery, B.C. is home to steelhead twelve months out of the year where they are pursued by determined anglers who brave all the accompanying elements; icy guides, subzero snow storms, rugged hiking and treacherous wading are all factors that the serious angler will endure.

Matt Moisley knows what I’m talking about.

The arrival of West-Coast steelhead tends to be most abundant as the weather begins to cool down, typically drawing the fish deeper into the pools and often times easing their aggression.
To stay in the game, seasoned anglers rig up their Spey rods with sink tips, and tie obnoxious flies to help coax the fish to bite.

Brrrr.  Ape with a double striper.

I remember the first steelhead I caught on one of my own fly patterns.  The breeze was cold and fresh snow laced the felts of my wading boots.  This was my favourite time of year.  Freezing temperatures kept a majority of anglers indoors, allowing us diehards to menace the rivers in true steelhead bum fashion.

Never a huge fan of nymphing or dead drifting, I always loved the concept of swinging a fly.  By casting towards the opposite bank and allowing my fly to sweep intrusively through the current, I was able to cover a maximum amount of water.  Working my way through the run, I would envision an aggressive buck tickled by the teasing feathers of my fly before lunging forward to attack.  Every step I made felt like one step closer to an epic battle.

Working the run (Michael Davidchik photo).

I had spent the entirety of my pre-season evenings behind my vice, stocking my fly box in preparation of this much-anticipated fishery.
I had always been drawn to the art of tying flies.  Such a male dominated sport, I got a kick of how incredibly feminine steelhead flies tended to look.  Popular flies with names like Showgirl and Cotton Candy, provoked me to take advantage of my creative side and display my ‘girly’ traits through my fly-tying.

Ape at the vise.

So there I stood with an overloaded fly box that looked like a foam lined candy store.  I sorted through my flies until an aesthetically pleasing pink and blue intruder variation, stood out from the rest.  I tied it on and cast it into the seam.  Half an hour later, it was “fish on” and I had landed myself a heavy wild buck.
It was at that moment that my love for the feminine pink pattern secured itself as my favourite and, to this day, remains on the top of my “preferred flies” list.

A pretty typical fly seen hanging out of most of my fish’s mouths…..

The beautiful thing about fly-tying is that the tyer can showcase their creativity and originality through their invented patterns.  As long as the fly appears to come to life in the water (which is the reason why Ed Ward‘s attractor pattern, the ‘Intruder‘, became such a big hit in B.C. several years ago) or is a reasonable imitation of a natural aquatic species, the tyer can create countless unique and efficient concoctions.

Different lighting and water conditions are all important variables when it comes to steelheading.  I make sure that at all times my fly box consists of a variety of flies suitable for all conditions.
Dark, bright, small and big flies all have their own unique purpose.
I find myself fishing dark flies when the water is murky, and bright ones when the water is clear.
The size of my fly usually depends on the level of the water, however I find that typically low and clear rivers fish best with smaller patterns.

But it’s not always that simple.  Different strains of steelhead sometimes require different tactics.  Different levels of aggression, time of year, genetic build are but a few contributing factors.
Some fish occasionally throw a wrench into my standard approach, keeping me on my toes.  Though you’ll never hear me complain, for it wouldn’t be fishing if it were any other way.

With this, I give you five of my favourite creations.

*=Note

*I  prefer to tie most of my flies with a trailing hook.  This allows me to replace any dull or broken off points by simply switching the hook, rather than disposing of the fly entirely.

1)    Snip off four or five inches of thin wire, thick monofilament, running line or     something of the sort.
2)    Folding it in half, lay each end on either side of the shank and wrap the thread     over the wire, winding it upwards.  The tie in point should be where the hook     shank begins to curve.
3)    Fold the wire back over and secure it with multiple downward winding wraps of     thread.
4)    Clip any tail ends.
5)    After completion of the fly, use wire cutters to cut the main hook near the bend     in the shaft.

Sugar Pop

Materials:

Pink thread
Silver oval tinsel
Krinkle Mirror Flash
Blue polar bear (or dubbing of choice)
Blue eared pheasant (dyed blue)
Pink rhea
Pink teal
Silver mini flat braid
Pink tinsel
Blue Flashabou
Jungle cock
Kingfisher

Tying Instructions:

1)    Tie in a strand of silver oval tinsel and wrap it up the hook five times, creating a     tag.
2)    Dub in the under fur of blue polar bear.
*Any dubbing will work, though I find that polar bear shimmers the best in the     water, and is the most efficient in preventing the rest of the materials from     collapsing.
3)    Tie in the tip of a single blue eared pheasant feather.  Fold both sides of the     feather fibres rearward and continue to wrap the feather several times until it fans     over the dubbing.
4)    Peel off a side of a rhea feather and tie in the tip (*if rhea is unavailable, marabou     or ostrich can    make a great substitute).  Make several wraps until it fans over the     blue eared hackle.
*You can stack the rhea if you prefer, though it will not result in the same     fullness.
5)    Tie in a strand of Krinkle Mirror Flash on either side of the hook.
6)    Peel a pink teal feather and hackle it over the rhea.
7)    Attach silver mini flat braid, pink tinsel, and blue flashabou.
8)    Wrap the mini braid forward, ribbing it with the tinsel and flashabou.
9)    Repeat steps 2-6.
10)    Pluck two small secondary feathers from a jungle cock cape and tie them in as     cheeks.
*Use flat-nosed pliers to pinch the stems to prevent them from rolling.
11)    Lay a kingfisher feather over the jungle cock, again flattening the stem with flat-    nosed pliers.
*The tip of a blue saddle feather makes a decent substitute.
12)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.
*Clear nail polish works just as well (your wife will understand.)

Burnt Orange Prawn

Materials:

Black thread
Gold oval tinsel
Golden pheasant tippet
Orange seal dubbing
Red seal dubbing
Gold Mylar tinsel
Orange blue-eared pheasant feather
Black rhea
Dark orange ring neck pheasant
Tragopan

Tying Instructions:

1)    Tie in a strand of gold oval tinsel and wrap it up the hook five times, creating a     tag.
2)    Tie in a single golden pheasant tippet.
3)    Pre-cut a piece of gold Mylar tinsel and select an orange blue-eared pheasant     feather.  Fold the feather fibres rearward, in preparation of step five.
4)    Dub the orange seal fur in a dubbing loop.
5)    Make two turns with the dubbing loop, securing the ends of the Mylar and blue-    eared pheasant with the wraps of the dubbing loop.  Let them dangle freely, while     continuing to wrap the dubbing loop forward ¾ up the hook.
6)    Rib the tinsel forward through the dubbing, using a pin to free any flattened fur.

7)    Wrap the pheasant hackle upwards, alongside the tinsel.

    Secure with thread and trim all ends.
9)    Peel a side of a black rhea feather and tie in the tip.
10)    Dub and wrap the red seal fur up the remainder of the shank.
11)    Hackle the black rhea through the dubbing.  You’ll only need to make two or three     wraps.
12)    Sequentially stack and layer three ring neck feathers, flattening the stems with     flat-nosed pliers.
13)    Tie in a pair of tragopan feathers as cheeks.
14)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.

The Five O-Clock Shadow

Materials:

Black thread
Small gold tinsel
Black polar bear
Red ostrich
Yellow saddle
Black mini flat braid
Silver oval tinsel
Red tinsel
Green tinsel
Red polar bear
Black rhea
Jungle cock

Tying Instructions:

1)    Wrap the gold tinsel ten times up the shank, creating a tag.
2)    Stack in a small clump of black polar bear as a tail.
3)    Conceal the bump from the clipped tail ends with  a strand of red ostrich.
4)    Attach a piece of black mini flat braid, green tinsel, red tinsel, silver oval tinsel     and tip of a yellow saddle feather (one side peeled).
5)    Wrap the black flat braid first, then the green and red tinsel, and lastly the yellow     saddle.
6)    Counter rib over all of step five’s materials with the silver oval tinsel.
*This is to slow the wear and tear of the rib during casting.
7)    Dub in the under fur of red polar bear or dubbing material of choice and make two     turns.
8)    Stack the strands of a black rhea feather all around the shank (top, bottom and     sides).
9)    Tie in a pair of jungle cock cheeks.
10)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.

Purple Whisper

Materials:

Black thread
Gold oval tinsel
Silver oval tinsel
Turquoise silk
Blue rhea
Natural Amherst
Purple marabou
Cerise marabou
Purple ring neck pheasant

Tying Instructions:

1)    Wrap the gold oval tinsel forward ten times, creating a tag.
2)    Tie in the turquoise silk, silver tinsel, gold tinsel and peeled blue rhea feather.
*To peel rhea, pinch the strands at the tip of the feather and carefully pull down.      The membrane should separate from the stem with all its fibres intact.  This gets     easier with practise but is well worth a few casualties to be able to have such a     remarkable hackle, free of the bulky stem.
When tying the peeled rhea onto a shank, wrap the membrane as though it were     the stem of a regular feather.
3)    Wrap the silk upwards and rib the tinsels atop the silk, side by side up the shank.
4)    Palmer the rhea up the hook, laying it directly beside the previously ribbed tinsel.
5)    Pick out a purple marabou feather that isn’t overly plumy.  Choose a stringy     feather over a fuzzy one to guarantee a crisp appearance.
*When buying packages of marabou, take a moment to take the feathers out of the     package and find the package with the least plumy fibres.  These affordable     feathers can often double as rhea or blue-eared pheasant in many patterns.
6)    Tie in the tip of the marabou feather, fold its fibres rearward, and wrap it forward     several times.
7)    Do the same with a cerise marabou feather.
8)    Tie in an over-wing of three overlapping purple ring neck pheasant feathers.      Flatten the stems with flat-nosed pliers to avoid them from rolling.
9)     Tie in two strands of natural Amherst on either side of the shank, and top with a     pair of jungle cock cheeks.
10)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.

Wizard of Oz

Materials:

Turquoise silk
Silver oval tinsel
Blue-eared pheasant (dyed blue)
Blue-eared pheasant (dyed purple)
Bright green ostrich
Jungle cock
Blue ostrich
Purple silk
Hammered silver tinsel
Blue tinsel
Gold tinsel
Green synthetic dubbing
Golden pheasant

Tying Instructions

1)    Tie in turquoise silk and silver oval tinsel.  Wrap the silk forward half an inch and     rib the tinsel on an angle atop the silk.
2)    Tie in the tip of the dyed blue blue-eared pheasant and fold both sides of the     feather fibres rearward, while wrapping it forward.
3)    Stack the green ostrich, spreading it evenly around the diameter of the shank.
4)    Tie in a pair of jungle cock cheeks.
5)    Conceal cut off ends with a strand of blue ostrich.
6)    Tie in the strands of purple silk, hammered silver tinsel, blue tinsel and gold     tinsel.
7)    Wrap the purple silk towards the hook’s eye, and rib all three tinsels upwards on     an angle, making sure they’re wrapped side by side.
8)    Dub in a small amount of synthetic green dubbing.
9)    Repeat step three.
10)    Repeat step two with the purple blue-eared pheasant feather.
11)    Repeat step four.
12)    Tie in an over wing of two overlapping golden pheasant feathers.  Flatten the     stems with flat-nosed pliers to avoid them from rolling.
13)    Whip finish and coat with head cement.

Fly Gal has teamed with two different lodges in both Terrace and Smithers, BC.  To book a trip on some of the world’s best steelhead  rivers, contact april@flygal.ca

It’s always been a dream of mine to fish the salt.  No, not the cold, survival suit, jigging for salmon, salt….. but the tropics.
So when the new man in my life invited me to join him and some of his friends on a trip to the Bahamas, there was no way I was turning it down.

The group.

We were off to Freeport, chasing after bone fish and anything else that happened to have the misfortune of being spotted by one of us.

Even the poor starfish weren’t safe (April Vokey photo).

Among this list of unfortunate species included shark, sting ray, permit, baby tarpon, barracuda, and snapper;  Each of which we hooked (with the exception of the permit; no surprise there) though didn’t necessarily land.

April Vokey releasing a sweet little bone fish.

Day one on the boat was incredible.  Our guide worked the pole better than an upscale dancer and the amount of visible bones were plentiful (no pun intended).

Our guide working it….

Never, would I have imagined that a reasonably small fish could run with such speed.  Truly a bullet, I was starting to understand what all the fuss was about.

Bullet.

Straight into backing, silver as a rich kid’s spoon, and pulling pound for pound, I was able to temporarily forget about my hangover and the glaring sun long enough to laugh hysterically as a feisty bone kicked my ass.

Getting my ass kicked.

The next day, I was ready.
Only today, I was going to break one of my steadfast rules….I was trading in my long sleeves and khakis for….gasp….a bikini.

I always sneered at the girls in the photos who rocked the swim suit, making the fish appear invisible, all the while keeping the boat afloat with an abundance of silicone.
“Not this chick.  Long live those who don’t need to get naked to produce a good shot…”
But damn, it was hot, and these Canadian thighs were blinding and as white as the sand on the beach.
Guess some rules are made to be broken; don’t get used to it.

Holding a mutton snapper.  These things were so cool!  (Anthony Reiss photo)

We headed for the flats in search of tailing bones.  Our rods were rigged and our eyes were trained; it was going to be a good day.

I brought the Spey rod (packed it for shits and giggles, which for the record, ended up leaning more on the side of the shits), and set it up with a wire leader and monstrosity of a fly (spinner blade and all).

I’d be damned if I had to watch another huge shark or barracuda swim by me again this trip.

Got the Nautilus reel ready for business (April Vokey photo)

Wading the flats was awesome.  A true test for the caster, we chucked and ducked into the wind and nervously watched black tipped dorsal fins swim close by.

Screw this….I grabbed the Spey and cast at a six or seven foot blacktip shark, failing to have the common sense to realize that I was wearing long, flowing, black sarong style pants over my bikini bottoms.  That’s right, the equivalence of a playful baby seal swayed in the water around my hips, and I was up to my waist casting at a shark.
When did I get so smart….?
I cast a long cast with the Spey, slamming the obnoxious fly in front of his snout and stripped vigorously.  He turned and charged my fly, excited by my fast, jerky strips.
“Keep stripping!”  My guide shouted.

Ok, pause the story.

You know in the movies when you see the dorsal fin coming at the stupid blonde chick who’s half naked and everyone knows the water’s about to explode in a nauseating scarlet color?  Yeah, I was thinking I was that girl.

Thank God, at the last minute he turned (probably had something to do with my increasingly weak and unsure strips), leaving my heart pounding and my “fear no fish” attitude somewhere amidst the piss I’m sure I released in my seal-like pants.
That was enough shark fishing the flats for one day.  I crawled back into the boat.

Not all was lost; I did end up getting this little guy the next day….

Small but toothy nonetheless.

That evening when the guides headed back to the dock, one of the guys in our group, Anthony ‘A-Train’ Reiss was standing on the shore unusually quiet.
Anthony is one of the rare people I know who can actually make me look well-behaved.  Needless to say, when he’s not cracking jokes or exercising his wit, it’s obvious that something isn’t right.

I looked at him inquisitively.  His eyes sparkled and he mouthed “Tarpon!”
Poor guy, I thought.  Resident tarpon were unheard of….he must be mistaken.

“What!”  I said.
“Tarpon!”  He said, only this time louder.  Several of the guides overheard him and laughed.
“No tarpon here mon…”  They chuckled and shook their heads.

It wasn’t until I looked over at Anthony’s guide Perry Demeritte (www.captinperry.com) and saw a perplexed, yet excited look cross his face.
Maybe the A-Train was actually being serious.
If his seriousness didn’t prove it, his point and shoot camera sure did.  There it was, proof for all, a fair-sized tarpon thrashing the surface before breaking free and leaving poor Anthony shaking.

Holy hell, why was I chasing bones again?

The next morning, Anthony’s fishing partner was the victim of a late night celebration inclusive of booze and a smoking’ hot wife.  He was in no position to be going anywhere.
Perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was wishful thinking… Either way it left a spot open in Anthony’s boat and I was praying that he would need a fishing buddy.  Preferably, one with long hair and an unbearable itch to see a tarpon.
“Ape, wanna come in my boat?”
Hmmm, let me think about that…..

Captain Perry knew exactly where he was going.  He had discovered these fish less than 24 hours earlier and was just as excited as we were to get back to them.
He waited for the rest of the guys to push off and then floored it to the spot.

There they were.
Clear as day, hugging beneath overhanging bushes; Tarpon!!

Anthony cast, strip, strip, strip, set!  He had one on and it was not impressed.
He bowed when it jumped and played the crazed fish text-book perfect.  All too soon, it was over and the fish had succumbed to the side of the boat.  It was small, but it was beautiful!
The romance of it all was soon ruined when Captain Perry pulled it into the boat and the two men were immediately covered with tarpon feces.
Yup, that beautiful tarpon left it’s mark on Anthony’s heart and on his crisp salt-water shirt.

Go A-Train, it’s your birthday…….

Our trip to the Bahamas was one to be remembered.
Great company, fishing, weather, entertainment…..what wasn’t there to love?
It may not be a trip that I can take regularly, but it sure is one that I will think of often.

The Steelhead season.

It never can come too early for the hardcore steelhead bum.  I wrote this little piece last year after an epic six week trip to BC’s interior and thought I would share.

Cheers to BC steelhead!

Cheers!  (April Vokey photo).

The Golden Valley

Whoever said that “running away from a problem is not the solution”, obviously never ran far enough away.  Either that, or he was the asshole that was being run from.

Running was exactly what I was doing.  Months of suffering from the common fisherman’s discomfort otherwise known as the “relationship migraine”, combined with other headaches courtesy of web designers, employers, and an over crowded house had all driven me to a near breaking point.

I packed my duffle, waders and Spey rod and met my two most reliable fishing buddies, my Water Master raft and my Toyota 4×4, outside in my driveway.
“Off we go boys….”
I didn’t know exactly where we were going, but I knew it was somewhere far up north to B.C.’s interior where wild Skeena steelhead were plentiful and equally as feisty as me.

The Skeena River is the second largest river in British Columbia and is one of the most famous Steelhead systems in the world.  The Bulkley, Morice, Kispiox, Copper…. the list of tributaries seems endless and an unusually warm October was bringing some of the best fishing the Bulkley River (a mid sized river flowing through the small town of Smithers) had seen in years.

The Bulkley River on an October evening.  (April Vokey photo)

A healthy gas station diet of energy drinks, chocolate, and beef jerky made the fourteen-hour drive to Smithers pass quickly, and the large statue of an old-school fisherman confirmed that I had reached my destination.   The autumn trees swayed gently in the breeze, shaking loose their colourful leaves and creating a highway of gold.   A snowy white mountain shone in the distance, lighting up the blue sky, easing my mind and ridding me of any negative energy; my emotional detox had begun.

Apparently the memo about the hot fishing had spread like an infectious plague throughout the tackle shops and fishing forum community.  Fortunately, word had also spread to a majority of my “not so well-behaved” fishing friends who had opted to make the trip at the same time.  It looked like my three-week vacation was about to take an unexpected, yet far more entertaining, turn.

Some of the usual suspects…….

Tattooed Dave Allen

Tommy Thompson

James Whalen

Aaron Goodis

Scott Baker McGarva

Brian Niska

…….To name but a few.

Drift boats, jet boats, and anglers from all around the world (ones that actually wake up for first light) made fishing…tricky.  There was no need to panic, however, as this dilemma was easily remedied by applying a strategy common to many of us B.C. natives.

We launched our boats at unknown take-outs, fished runs and pockets that most anglers rowed over, fished behind steelhead first timers and, my personal favourite, slept in and let the eager rush push through.

Locked and loaded in the Fly Gal rig.

The fishing had begun to slow down, but it didn’t really matter to any of us.  Between the sun, friendship, quiet drifts, and a decent supply of uplifting B.C. greenery, I had long forgotten about the stresses that were probably multiplying back at the home front.  It was perfect!

The boys sharing a pontoon.  Yup, they actually did the entire float sharing one boat.  Suicidal…

Anyone who has ever visited the small town of Smithers understands that “small” is an understatement.  So, it should have come as no surprise that when I foolishly agreed to participate in a “night out on the town”, we ended up in a tiny strip joint that even the locals opted to stay away from.

Exhausted from a day of rowing and fishing, I faded in and out of focus, catching brief clips of the standard fishermen b.s. and glimpses of a very naked blonde dancer.
I chuckled to myself.  Standing beside my fifteen-foot Spey rod with my blonde hair and long fake nails, I could quite easily pass as one those girls.  Perhaps this is how rumours get started…. Uh oh…. I promptly stopped chuckling and dyed my hair brown the following week.

The next day, I hit the river with good friend, Aaron Goodis.  Fishing with Aaron always makes for an enjoyable day even if the fishing is on lockdown.  Just watching Aaron cast puts a smile on my face every time.

We dropped his truck off at our pullout, loaded into my pickup and headed up river. At the small launch, we pumped up our boats, wadered up, secured our fly rods and set out into the current.  The sky was blue and the water was just the right color.  All the early risers had already pushed through and we had the river to ourselves.  I sat back and closed my eyes, listening to the sweet sound of chirping birds and…hissing air!!?

“Damn it!”  I cursed.  Somehow, in a state of idiocy, I had managed to put a fair-sized hole in the bottom of my raft and it was blowing bubbles like unwelcome farts in an oversized bathtub.  “Great!”  I muttered countless obscenities and rowed into shore.  My raft was leaking badly and in need of immediate repair.

Aaron and I found a roll of electrical tape and wound it around the chamber until the hissing stopped.  Miraculously, it held and we continued our search for chrome bars.
Although daylight was fading fast, neither of us had hooked a steelhead yet.  How could fish not be here!?  With no fish looking to battle, Aaron’s tight loops had provided the best entertainment of the day.

Note the electrical tape.  She was wounded, but floating, and that was all that mattered.

Every day, the fishing seemed to dwindle a little more than the last.  Though everyone was having a good time between the scenery, camaraderie, and occasional recycling of road kill, I was itching to play with some steel.  My girl Kateri had mentioned that the fishing in her neck of the woods looked promising, so several of us packed up and headed her way towards the Kispiox Valley.

No need to waste (Dave Allen photo).

Ross, a friend of ours, has an A-frame cabin that is located directly on the river in the Kispiox Valley.  The cabin comfortably houses six people and several menacing mice.  Ross is one of those guys that, although everyone knows his name, no one knows his age.  The epitome of a fishing bum (and bachelor), eight months out of the year he disappears into thin air, reappearing when (and only when) steelhead season rolls around.

Oh Ross; Why must you torture me so?  (April Vokey photo)

Although it was only eight in the evening when we arrived, Ross and fellow fishing bum, Doug Wiseman, were sound asleep.  Unsure as to whether they were so tired as a result of fishing too much or as a result of old age (this is what he gets for withholding that information), we made the unanimous decision that it was far too early for sleeping.  We threw down our bags, flicked on the lights and counted out pennies, preparing for a poker game.  All it took was the sound of shuffling cards and, wouldn’t you know it, the two of them were up and ready to play.

The next week flew by.  Fishing picked up again and I found myself increasingly thumbing through the local paper, checking out available real estate.  I was enjoying one of the best fishing trips of my life and was not ready for it to come to an end.

Dirty truck for a dirty boy (Mr.Gladstone).  I couldn’t help myself…

Challenged to a push up contest, and you know I had to take it.  You still owe me $20.00 Niska!

Unfortunately, falling snow, an empty bank account, and a full mailbox told me that it was time to head home, so I packed up the truck and hit the freeway, driving back to reality.

My stay in Smithers provided me with the three things that every fishing trip should deliver – tranquility, excitement and ever-lasting memories.  True, I had some serious emails to catch up on and, yes I had a lot of making up to do with my guy, but I’d do it all over again in the blink of an eye.  I had taken the time to ground myself, and as a result, came back an energized, relaxed, and appreciative woman.  It was a refreshing and much needed break.

So, while some may say that I was running away from my problems, I prefer to say that I was running towards a solution.  A solution that just so happened to include giant steelhead.  How can anybody argue that?

I suppose it was only a matter of time before I tried my luck at the Great Lake Steelhead.

Good friend Paul Castellano with Cast Adventures (www.castadventures.ca), a guide on the Niagara River in Ontario, had been busting my chops for the past year, trying to rid me of my wild steelhead snobbery to give his fishery a try.

Castellano with a nice Niagara River Steelhead.

I’d always wanted to see the Niagara River; it’s monster rapids and multitude of species intrigued me, so it didn’t take too much persuasion when it came time to choose a destination for an episode of Fly Nation.

Never would I have imagined that I was about to witness one of the most incredible rivers I had ever seen…..

The pictures of Niagara Falls truly do not give it justice.  It’s bright blue water, and majestic water falls leave me at a loss of words (yup, that‘s actually possible).

I had two missions on this trip.
1)  Catch Great Lake steel using West Coast swinging tactics.
2)  Get my casting certification (CCI) at the Spey Clave that was being held that weekend.

On the first day, Castellano brought us to a magnificent fishing spot.  Like a scene fresh out of Jurassic Park, the water swirled in a dangerous pool and the lush green brush cascaded down towering rock walls.  It was incredible.

Truly spectacular.

It was hard to get a swing with the ever changing water levels and deep swirling water, and it soon was clear to me why I was the only knob at the pool with a Spey rod and sink tip.
Indicators, glo-bugs and split shot seemed to be more of the theme here…..
Damn.

Stubborn as all hell……Tying streamers when I should have been tying……

……These!  (Josh Nugent photos)

The East Coasters put on a clinic!  I couldn’t believe how many fish these guys brought to the beach.
It was evident why Castellano was said to be one of the top guides on the river.

The next day, Castellano loaded us into his boat, and we hit the river again.  I was determined to get one on the swing.
An hour, two split shot, and an interesting snake roll off the bow of the boat later, I had finally hooked and landed my first Great Lake steelhead caught on a swinging fly.  It was awesome!

It’s on!  Swing vs. drift…. (Naoto Aoki photo)

The highlight of my trip though?  Freakin’ carp!!!
Never did I think seeing a carp would have me fumbling so bad that I’d forget how to cast, but a school of 40+ pounders did exactly that.
I wasn’t able to hook one, but you can be damn sure that I tried!

With mission one accomplished, it was off to the Grand River Spey Clave.
I’d spent the entire week sweating bullets, as I had registered to take my CCI exam through the Federation Of Fly Fishers.
Friend and fellow angler Neil Houlding had opened his home to me and had spent the evening helping to keep me relaxed and confident.  But with Simon Gawesworth as one of my testers, it was hard not to be nervous.  Blowing head winds, a crowded park, and rolling cameras didn’t do much to help my nerves either.

Almost four hours later I passed my exam.  (Sigh of relief….)
A swig of whiskey with Gawesworth and a celebratory dinner with the guys ended my trip with a bang and, before I knew it, I was on a flight out of town.

The steelhead got my respect and the anglers got my attention, but it was the Niagara that got my heart and the Niagara that will keep me coming back.

My, keeping a blog can fall behind quite easily…..

Here’s a quick look at the past month to try and get us caught up to present date.

Our Spey clinic went fabulous!  Instructor Aaron Goodis and myself were blessed with some truly awesome students who made us each proud as they departed……

Day one’s group paying close attention to Aaron’s demo.

Taking a break and getting ready to enjoy a BBQ lunch.

Even Colby had to take a lunch break.

The crew.

After a full weekend of Spey casting on the river, a day of fishing in a nearby interior lake was starting to sound pretty darn good….

The weather had been hot and there was rumor of the lakes icing off.  So I packed my Spratley and chironomid box, excited to spend the day with my best friend; a man that has been by my side through and through, Matt Moisley.

Matt is quite possibly the most unbelievable still water angler I have ever met.  If you see this guy on the water, pay close attention.  You may just learn a thing or two…..

Yup….This one goes waaayyy back.

First lake of the season!

C’mon girl, you can do it!

Wimp.

The fishing was surprisingly good (though it was more of a quantity vs. quality sort of day).

Cute little guy…..

The chironomid buffet.

Another feisty bow.

Wow.  Such a loser.

From here, it was off to Oklahoma (don’t ask).  It wasn’t in my plans to do any fishing while I was there, but when offered the opportunity to slay some large mouth in a small pond, you know I couldn’t resist!

Poppers and hooker boots, I was supposed to be going out for dinner, so it’s fair to say that I wasn’t dressed for the occasion.  Damn near fell out of the boat trying to land this one!

Large Mouth on a popper.  What a blast!  (Randy Imel photo)

From here it was off to Terrace to try our luck at some steel and fresh chrome.

My dear friend Andrea had never caught a steelhead before and I just had to pop her cherry, so I invited her along to join me for the sixteen hour drive.

We laughed and sang the whole way up North, eager to hang out with good friend Rob Vodola who lived close by to the Kitimat river.

Rob’s one of those guys who’ll put a smile on your face even when you feel like drowning the rest the world.

The fishing ended up being incredibly slow, but the entertainment was anything but that.  Andrea ended up getting her first steelhead, and though it wasn’t on the fly rod, it made my trip!

Bringing a whole new meaning to ‘Fly Gal’.  This is what 16 hours of highway will bring ya….(April Vokey photo).

Loading up!

Mission accomplished!  (Noel Gyger photo)

Rob working the jet (April Vokey photo).

Ummmm, I think somebody stole my spot.  (Rob Vodola photo)

(April Vokey photo)

So I gave BC a quick kiss goodbye and hopped on a flight to…..Arkansas!

I’m still currently hangin’ in Deliverance country and must admit that it is quite intriguing!  Armadillos, boars, tarantulas, ticks (never did I think I would have to endure nightly checks for ticks!), and road kill decorating the highways like no state I have ever seen…..

There’s more to come on this, as I have a feeling I’ll be kicking it here for most of my summer.

An Arkansas trout.

A little critter I rescued from the roadkill central highway and placed out of harms way (April Vokey photo).

So, there you have it.  Caught up with this blogging thing!  Stay tuned for some new updates, opinions and adventures.

Squeal like a pig!

Ape.

Wow.  The “Girls just wanna have fun” song is repeating itself inside of my head.  The worst part, is that it’s singing in my head with the same scratchy nasal voice of Ms. Lauper and it’s causing me to sing along with it.

We recently had our ladies learn to fly-cast day and, my goodness, what a day it was!  In a months forecast of rain and snow, somehow myself, eight other ladies, and a little lady in training, were able to coax Mother Nature into hooking us up with some serious sunshine.

Ape teaching on a beautifully sunny day.

The day was hot, the wind was minimal, the burgers were juicy and my ladies were a riot!

Learning knots.

I always have a hard time chatting over a table to a group of fiery women who are chomping at the bits to get a fly rod in their hands.  Half an hour into theory, I notice eyes wandering and we scoot to the field to laugh with each other and intimidate the passing fishermen unfortunate enough to have to walk by us to get to the run.

Paying close attention.

It always amazes me just how quickly the female population catches on to fly-fishing.  Sometimes I sit on the sidelines with a grin on my face, proud as all hell watching them concentrate on their rod tip, and count their timing aloud.  This is why I love my job……

This is why I love my job.  Damn, they made me proud.

So four hours later, goodbyes were exchanged and hugs were given, most of them eager to return and master the double haul.  I hate seeing them leave, as the female angler in me wants so bad to establish the most kick-ass, hard-core team of female fishing buddy’s around, but I wave “so long” and just hope to be able to see them again on the water.

Keep your eyes open, there are some fierce anglers on their way to the water!

On this note, I would like to introduce you to Aaron Goodis, one of the most skilled anglers, certified casting instructors and Spey casters in the lower mainland.  Manager of a fly shop for years, he has a resume both on and off the water that would make your head spin.  He’s also quite sincerely one of the best photographers I know.

Aaron Goodis holding a serious slab.

Aaron has been a saving grace when it’s come to perfecting my Spey cast, and over the past two years, he has taught me more about casting than any other angler I have had the pleasure of fishing with.  He is hands down the best teacher I know.
We are fortunate to have Aaron join us in putting on an awesome two day Spey casting course on April 25th and 26th.  The two of us will be there, starting you from the ground up, helping you to learn everything from the basic fundamentals, to casting long-bellied lines, and everything in between.

For those of you who don’t know what Spey-casting is….. it’s the latest craze amongst the angling world!  A method of fishing that requires very little back casting room, very little strength and lots of distance, it is suited perfectly for many of B.C.’s large and rocky rivers.
Done right, this sport is gentle on the body and ideal for those who experience shoulder and elbow discomfort

The Spey rod is longer than the single hand rod, typically ranging from 12-15 feet in length, allowing the angler to control the drift/swing of the fly with ease.

Typical Spey set-up (photo by Kate Taylor).

Here is the outline:
In this two day course we will teach students, both beginners and advanced, the mechanics of Spey-casting and how to make these long rods do the work for you.

Course Outline:

Day One (Introduction):
-Brief discussion about proper equipment choices and fly-line selection
-Casting demonstration #1- Building a proper cast; the roll cast and switch cast
Students practise
-Casting demonstration #2- single Spey cast
Students practise
-Casting demonstration #3- double Spey cast
Students practise
-Demonstration #4- fishing the fly (mending and fishing techniques)

Day Two (Advancing Forward):
-In depth discussion about rods and lines
-Explanation of different casting and fishing styles, including Skagit and long bellied lines.
-Casting demonstration #1- tighten up those loops! (The V shaped D loop)
Students practise
-Casting Demonstration #2- the Skagit cast
Students practise
-Casting demonstration #3- the West-Coast drop
Students practise
-Casting demonstration #4- casting/fishing traditional long belly lines
-Brief description of different fishing techniques.

Learn to Spey-Cast Workshop- Lunch Included
Dates:
April 25th and 26th in Chilliwack, BC (Fraser River)

Details:
8-10 spots (only four spots left!)
8 hours
$90
Instructors: Aaron Goodis, assisted by April Vokey

Please email me at april@flygal.ca for more info on booking for this class!
Peace,
Ape.