The Pinks are coming!

July Skykomish School

The Pink salmon are starting to show on area beaches and petering into the Snohomish system now.
We are getting geared up for them now and still have some prime dates available.

Our tips start at $150 PP for 3 or more people and $175 each for 2.

Check out our Humpy salmper for some trick pink salmon flies. http://streamsideflyshop.com/samplers.htm

Lately I have been fishing the Kalama, Cowlitz and the Skykomish for steelhead. I am planning on making another trip down south to hit those rivers again. If you ever wanted to sight fish for steelhead on the Kalama or fish the Cowlitz  for steelies and Cutts let me know.

I am headed over to the Methow River soon to fish for trout, I love that valley and fishing there is one of my favorite summer trips. I do have a opening on the 12th and the 15th of Aug.

The Good - This should be a killer year for pink salmon.

The Bad - Somebody decided that this would be the perfect time to repair the weir and fish ladder on the Stilly. We have a huge run of pink salmon entering the stilly
and it was decided that right in the middle of this huge run of fish that it was a good time to divert the river to fix this. There is approx of 1+ mile of prime fishing water for local fishermen that
is now closed to local fishermen. Not to mention what the construction of this project is going to do to the water color. From the Standwood Redi-mix plant down stream has some great water and should be fishable if the water color isn't dirty.
We are looking into other options to be able to fish the lower stilly but this project is definitely throwing a wrench in our game. What horrible timing!

Action: Close Cook (Koch) Slough (a channel of the Stillaguamish River), the North Meander, and the Stillaguamish River from where Cook Slough rejoins the Stillaguamish to 1,000 feet downstream to fishing.
Effective dates: July 18 through Oct. 15, 2011.
Species affected: All fish.
Closure location details:
All of Cook (Koch) Slough ( the South channel of the Stillaguamish River/including all waters of the barrier/diversion dam channel). The closure begins approximately 1/2 mile West of Interstate 5), 350 feet upstream of the barrier/diversion dam and continues approximately 3.5 river miles to the downstream confluence with the Stillaguamish River. The North Meander, a side channel that connects the mainstem Stillaguamish (at Hevly Road) with Cook Slough. The Stillaguamish River, from the downstream confluence with Cook Slough (below the westernmost Silvana RR bridge) to 1000 feet downstream.
Reason for action: The repair of an in-stream weir and fish ladder on Cook Slough require the installation of a cofferdam upstream of the weir and restriction of flows to 30 cubic feet per second through Cook Slough. A fish exclusion device at the downstream end will prevent fish from entering Cook Slough.
Other Information: If work finishes before Oct. 15 and flows are restored Cook Slough will reopen before Oct. 15.

Aug 16-30 Skykomish River trips
September 1-15 Stilly Tidewater Humpy/Searun Cutthroat and Skykomish river
September 16-*30 Skagit Fall salmon
Methow trout fishing from the August 11th – 15th  (Dry fly fishing for beautiful cutthroat and rainbows. Good for beginners too)
Searun cutt school on the Stillaguamish August 27th

Grande Ronde 3 day steelhead camp out trips for 2011 are booking now: October 2-4th, 4-6th, 8-10th, 10-12th,

Check out our Humpy salmper for some trick pink salmon flies. http://streamsideflyshop.com/samplers.htm

Happy fishing,

Mike and Dennis
streamsideflyshop@yahoo.com
425-330-9506

Fresh Skykomish Bling!

Partner need for the 18th and Last Minute opening on the Cowlitz on the 19th in July, let me know if you interested - Mike D

Well the Sky is still a little high with a around 3 ft. of visibility. There is still a good number of fly bars that are fishing pretty good though. Looks like most rivers are trying to drop into the median river levels. You may get a good bump on a real hot day but the rivers are finally trying to drop.
We ran into a few nice fish on friday, both had sea lice! I talked to a few other fishermen that said they ran into some new fish too. Jeff got his first steelhead and Brook landed her first king salmon on the fly. I gotta admit, I was a little jealous when they left with the fish at the end of the day, they would have looked good on my new BBQ.
The Stilly has been a little high each time I went to check it out but has now dropped down to 1200 cfs - good time to start snooping around it.
We will be headed down to the kalama/cowlitz soon. We do have some availability if you lookn to get out for some summer runs.

Aug 16-30 Skykomish River trips
September 1-15 Stilly Tidewater Humpy/Searun Cutthroat
September 16-*30 Skagit Fall salmon
Methow trout fishing from the August 11th – 15th  (Dry fly fishing for beautiful cutthroat and rainbows. Good for beginners too)
Searun cutt school on the Stillaguamish August 27th

Grande Ronde 3 day camp out tirps for 2011 are: October 2-4th, 4-6th, 8-10th, 10-12th, 12th-14th,

Check out our Humpy salmper for some trick pink salmon flies. http://streamsideflyshop.com/samplers.htm

Join us on Facebook

Mike Dickson
Head Guide
 Flyfishsteelhead.com
Streamsideflyshop.com
425-330-9506  


I am in the process of adding over 20 new flies. Some starting at .59 cents. Check them out -

Sex and summer steelhead

 So there we were. Another day out flyfishing the Cowlitz river summer steelhead. New time client, long time angler, Thatcher B. poses a question:

 

"How is steelhead like having sex?"

 

Of course I wasn't sure how to respond, so I asked, "How?"

 

He said, "You don't choose them, they choose you."

 

All I said was "Ah, I get it".

 

Boy, did I get it. The water was a bit on the high side, raising and lowering by the day. Some days the steelheading was most excellent, the next day the fish were a ghost. I will be back in mid-July. Flows should be down and fishing more consistent.

 

Here is a timely write. Check it out. Pacific Salmon in Freshwater

 

Mike and I are scheduled for a most interesting July.

 

As you may have gathered form our home page, we now offer a Skagit River ecology float trip. Couple this with our ongoing steelhead flyfishing schools and guide days, and we barely put one gig down, and we off on another. They say variety is the spice of life. No lack for that!

 

As Mike mentioned in his last blog report, we are already tooling up for another big summer-fall of Humpy salmon. Goes something like this:

 

Aug 16-30 Skykomish River trips

September 1-15 Stilly Tidewater Humpy/Searun Cutthroat

September 16-*30 Skagit Fall salmon

 

(*I take off for my Grande Ronde steelhead 3 day float trips September 24, I think Mikes first GR gig is Oct 3)

 

I apologize I must sound like a friggin used car saleman, but some of these adventures are all but full. Inquire now.

 

So that's all for me. No rest for the wicked.

 

Best of fishing,

 

Dennis

Summer steelheading is underway.

NEW* I have a client looking to share a guide trip on the skykomish river on July 5th or 6th. Let me know if your interested - Mike

The rivers have been a little high but fish able. With the high snow pack it will probably last for a bit. I prefer high with some color vs. low and clear anyways.
The Stilly started out showing a few hatchery fish but it has slowed a bit now.
The sky has been producing some nice steelies all the way up to Reiter Pond. They don't come easy but if you put in a little time you have got a good shot. I have been using a little heavier sinktips because of the higher water. The gear guys have been catching just as many springers as steelies. They are hard to come by on the fly though, I have caught a few in the past while steelheading but we just got lucky.
Dad has been down on the Cowlitz for the last few days. He has been finding some hatchery fish for the BBQ. I am headed down on Sunday to fish with him. We have a few group trips to do. I do have 1 opening that I am offering $50 off on June 23rd.
We will be doing a few schools in July - check here for Calendar. (more dates to be added soon) These are designed to get newbies into the sport at an affordable price of $89 pp for a 5 hr float trip. With Huge Salmon returns and early river openings for salmon expected this year we will be doing a limited number of 4 hr float trips for Pink salmon from Sept. 1- 15 for $99 pp up to 3 anglers and the full day trips will start in Aug. and run until the end of Sept. We will be doing beach fishing, tidewater and river fishing for them, these are $150 pp, you can make your own group min of 3 up to 6 people or join a group. We also have a few guys looking for partners on some local guide trips. Inquire about dates if interested.

Skykomish school July 16th

Cowlitz school July 23rd
Methow trout fishing from the August 11th – 15th (Dry fly fishing for beautiful cutthroat and rainbows. Good for beginners too)
Searun cutt school on the Stillaguamish August 27th
Grande Ronde 3 day camp out tips for 2011 are: October 2-4th, 4-6th, 8-10th, 10-12th, 12th-14th, 15th-17th flyfishsteelhead.com/gr.htm

Here is our general 2011 Callendar

For a couple hot fly patterns Pink salmon flies - Humpy Chaser or Pink Humpy Cherise. Sea Run Cutt flies – Roller Muddler Streamsideflyshop.com
Check for some new Killer Steelhead intruder and tube fly patterns to be added soon.

Please support CCA they are doing a lot to preserve our resource's and fishing opportunity's.

Join us on Facebook

Happy fishing,

Mike Dickson
Head Guide Flyfishsteelhead.com
Streamsideflyshop.com
425-330-9506

Dickson Fly Fishing Summer Newslett

 _{Steelhead Class on the Skykomish on Saturday}

_{Summer is starting and the rivers are all open!}

_{Fishing Tip: Early summer steelhead are aggressive and not picky when it comes to flies. I use streamers in a variety of colors with some wiggle. Later in the summer after fish have been in the river a while I start scaling down the size of my flies and think Buggy!}

_{In the immediate future we will be doing local summer steelhead trips and Cowlitz/kalama trips in July. We have some new lighter spey rods so we will be single and double handed fishing. I am offering $50 off a Cowlitz trip from June 19-21.}

_{We will be doing schools on most weekends in June and a few in July check here for Calendar. These are designed to get newbies into the sport at an affordable price of $89 pp for a 4 hr float trip. With Huge Salmon returns and early river openings for salmon expected this year we will be doing a limited number of 4 hr float trips for Pink salmon from Sept. 1- 15 for $99 pp up to 3 anglers and the full day trips will start in Aug. and run until the end of Sept. We will be doing beach fishing, tidewater and river fishing for them, these are $150 pp, you can make your own group min of 3 up to 6 people or join a group. We also have a few guys looking for partners on some local guide trips. Inquire about dates if interested.}

_{Summer steelhead full day schools –} 

Skykomish school July 16th

_{Cowlitz school July 23rd}

_{Methow trout fishing from the August 11th – 15th  (Dry fly fishing for beautiful cutthroat and rainbows. Good for beginners too)}

Searun cutt school on the Stillaguamish August 27th

Grande Ronde 3 day camp out tips for 2011 are: October 2-4th, 4-6th, 8-10th, 10-12th, 12th-14th, 15th-17^th    flyfishsteelhead.com/gr.htm

Here is our general 2011 Callendar

_{For a couple hot fly patterns Pink salmon flies - Humpy Chaser or Pink Humpy Cherise. Sea Run Cutt flies – Roller Muddler  Streamsideflyshop.com}

_{Check for some new Killer Steelhead intruder and tube fly patterns to be added soon.}

Please support CCA  they are doing a lot to preserve our resource's and fishing opportunity's.

Join us on Facebook

Happy fishing,

Mike Dickson
Head Guide Flyfishsteelhead.com
Streamsideflyshop.com
425-330-9506

Let Summer Begin!

I just got back from a trip to Tofino, B.C. We did a little kayak ocean fishing and we did some lake fishing from paddle boards. One of our friends is a rep for Starboards and let us borrow a few. They actually make some designed for fishing from. Worked pretty good but we needed a anchor system. 

Dennis has been spending his time lake fishing. With the rivers about to open we are gearing up to do some local summer steelheading. _{We will be doing schools on most weekends in June and a few in July (June 11 & 12 are the earliest openings). These are designed to get newbies into the sport at a sale price of $89 pp for a 4 hr float trip. We will be introducing spey and single handed techniques.}

_{Looks like we are supposed to get a huge run of Pink salmon this season. Some Rivers are opening up to a month early and have a limit up to 4 fish pp. We will be doing some 1/2 day and full day trips doing beach fishing, tidewater and river fishing. We are booking these now.}

_{Methow trout trips dates are 11-15th.} 

Searun cutt school August 27th

Grande Ronde 3 day campout tips for 2011 are: October 2-4th, 4-6th, 8-10th, 10-12th, 12th-14th, 15th-17^th   

_{Check for some new intruder steelhead patterns to be added to Streamsideflyshop.com soon.}

_{Happy fishing,}

Mike Dickson
Head Guide
Flyfishsteelhead.com
Streamsideflyshop.com
425-330-9506

Mike Here, I just got back from Florida and the Bahamas for some much needed sun. I was only able to fish 1 day this past Monday.
A good friend and client Dallas is from Florida and gave me some tips on where to look for some bone fish. Me and the Wife woke up early to rent a car and head off to one of the Keys recommended.
We got to the general area and we started snooping around looking for some flats. I didn't see much and followed the shore till we came across a light house. It was part of the public park and open for viewing. We decided to go up and get some pictures. We get to the top and look around, snap some pics ect.

While looking around I look down and see a group of fish right down bellow us. I didn't know what they where but the area looked fishy so when we got down I thought I would investigate. There was a little sea wall that I was fishing off. I line up to make a shot at the school of fish (30 - 40 fish). I could also see a few barracudas and snappers around. The water is about waste deep with a little bit of chop on it. The water was clear but hard to tell what these fish were.


I make my first cast and I see a few fish from the group turn on my shrimp pattern. As I start stripping the fly. I start thinking, these fish kinda look like Bones. I get a hook up and the fish turns and pops my fly off. ?? - not sure why it popped off. I hook up another shrimp pattern and cast to the side of them and let the current drift my fly into them so I didn't spook them. My fly drifts right into the middle of them and I start stripping. Right away a bunch of fish turn on my fly and I get a hook up. The fly didn't stick. By now I am pretty sure these are bones and my excitement level is through the roof. I know bones can be as spooky as cats in a dog pound. I do know fish in a school will feel comfortable around each other and very competitive for food. I throw my fly back into the water and it drifts back into the active group of fish. Again a few fish follow my fly and then another hook up. Fish on! These fish weren't big bones but this one felt good on my 6 wt. I get a few runs out of the fish. As I am getting close to landing the fish it runs back and forth through the school of fish. They realize something is wrong and the school takes off. I land the fish and my wife takes a few pics of my fish.

I know bone fishing in Florida can be pretty tough so I was more than happy to just get that action.


I fished the area pretty hard for a few more hours hoping for the fish to return with no luck.


We left the area to check out another flat that a local had told me about when I fist got there.


We got to the flat to see a few other guys fly fishing. At least I'm probably in the right spot. Long story short I hooked a big bone about a hour later that broke my heart cause as my line was zipping through my guides I noticed my line had flipped up and looped around my reel. The fish broke off before I could clear my line free. I saw and spooked a few other fish before I hooked another big fish that I had on for about 10 seconds before my fly broke off again. I couldn't decide if that was a big bone or a barracuda. It acted like a bone but it could have broke off cause off the barracudas teeth. It wasn't a tension break. The water had some chop on it and was just deep enough so I couldn't really tell.


Either way it was a blast and I am re-addicted to Bones and flats fishing.

Dad is off fishing up north. Here is a pic that he took while fishing on the Cowlitz with Jackie last week.

Happy fishing,

Mike D