Category: Monthly Meeting Program

Speaker info

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Protecting and Enhancing Wild Steelhead Populations with Tim Frahm



Sep 07 6:30 PM Aptos Grange (in-person) and Zoom (online)

Tim Frahm, Trout Unlimited’s Central Coast Steelhead Coordinator, will be speaking with the club about the conservation of wild Steelhead on California’s Central Coast.  He will be discussing ongoing efforts to preserve and enhance wild steelhead populations on the Central Coast such as eliminating fish barriers, improvement of summer flows, and floodplain restoration.

These projects require massive effort in locating, designing, permitting, funding, and finally construction.  The price around such restoration often ranges in the millions.  Please join September’s meeting to learn about the past, present, and future efforts to give wild steelhead a fighting chance in their historical, native watersheds on the Central Coast.

Posted on August 22nd, 2022

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Striper Fishing on the Lower Sac with Hogan Brown


Jun 01 6:30 PM : Striper Fishing on the Lower Sac with Hogan Brown


Growing up on the Lower Yuba River as an only child who had a bug collection and really liked catching fish with imitations of those bugs didn’t make Hogan the coolest kid growing up. Good thing he got over it and persevered. Deciding to start rowing a drift boat and guiding the lower Yuba instead of living in the woods bitter and resentful. Living in Chico, CA now Hogan guides for anything that swims, from trout to striped bass and carp to steelhead, he is at home in a drift boat or poling a mud flat for carp. Guiding the Lower Yuba River, Feather River, and Lower Sacramento River for stripers, trout, steelhead, shad, carp, and bass has made him one of the most versatile and experienced guides in Northern California. His trout, bass, carp, and striper flies have become staples in his home state of Northern California and throughout the West, and his patterns are currently sold through Rio Products and numerous fly shops. Hogan is a Scott Fly Rods, Lamson – Waterworks Reels, Stealth Craft Boats, Air Flo Fly Lines, and Echo Rods Pro along with being a Simms, and Costa Del Mar Sunglasses Ambassador. Hogan is also co-founder of the California Bass Union dedicated to Developing, Sharing, and Growing Fly Fishing for bass in his home state of California as well as the host for the Barbless fishing podcast. Hogan is also a connoisseur of fine ales and fermented grains, a home gardener, die-hard San Francisco Giants baseball and Notre Dame Football fan, along with being a husband and father to two young boys.

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

No upcoming events scheduled - check back soon!

Monthly Speaker Date Excerpt

Posted on April 14th, 2022

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Fly fishing for Corbina with Al Quadrattro


May 04 6:30 PM : Virtual Speaker: Fly fishing for Corbina with Al Q

Al Quattrocchi (aka Al Q) has been a saltwater fly angler, fly tier, and fly fishing advocate for over thirty-five years. He has been an advocate for education and the environment by creating fly fishing events along the West Coast of California with the hope of introducing new anglers to this great passion he has for saltwater flyfishing. His personal mentors include Neal Taylor, Lefty Kreh, Nick Curcione, and Bob Popovics.

Al is a two-time, IGFA world record holder. Both of his saltwater records were accomplished in a single day with a 12-pound tippet record for Calico bass and a twenty-pound tippet record for White Seabass. He was recently awarded the Ross Allen Merigold Complete Angler Award by the historic Pasadena Fly Casting Club. His articles, illustrations, photography, and fly patterns have been published in many prominent fly fishing magazines across the country. Al is a licensed and bonded fly fishing guide that prefers teaching casting and fishing techniques to new anglers around the world.

Al founded the popular One Surf Fly in So Cal which lasted nine seasons and raised thousands of dollars for non-profits, supporting local fly shops up and down the west coast.. Al and Conway Bowman teamed up to host the Carp Throw Down at Lake Henshaw in San Diego. This was the first fly-only, catch-and-release carp event in Southern California that supported many non-profit organizations with their annual raffle. Al and master FFF MCI instructor, Jim Solomon, teach fly casting techniques to many anglers around the world through a program entitled The FlyZone. One of Al’s most famous fly fishing students is Jimmy Kimmel.

Al is currently the west coast regional editor of Tail Magazine. Tail is a bi-monthy publication and the premiere saltwater flyfishing magazine in the country. Al just became the west coast ambassador to the American Fly Fishing Museum located in Manchester Vermont. Although Al has fished in many places around the globe, his passion is still sight-fishing his local Southern California beaches in search of the elusive, corbina. He has recently self-published his first fly fishing book entitled, The Corbina Diaries which is published by Love2FlyFish Media.

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly Speaker Date Excerpt
Jun 01 Striper Fishing on the Lower Sac with Hogan Brown

Posted on April 21st, 2022

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Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur Guðmundsson

The March Meeting will be both in-person and on Zoom. Doors at the Aptos Grange will be open by 6:00 pm while we set up and test the system. The Zoom meeting will start by 6:30 pm, the link is here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83842895848



Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur Guðmundsson

Dagur Gudmundsson was born and raised on the wind-swept rock of Iceland, where he grew up chasing everything from arctic char and ice age brown trout to Atlantic cod and pollock. During his teenage years, he moved to the Central Coast of California where the fishing is quite different from the cold waters of Iceland.

 

When he was 18, Dagur started guiding at the world-class salmon river West Rangá, which in addition to having some of the most prolific Atlantic salmon fishing in the world, also has huge native brown trout in its upper reaches.

In between spending his summers guiding in Iceland, Dagur attended California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, where he acquainted himself with the local fisheries through lots of trial and error. He recently started a fly fishing guide service in San Luis Obispo with a focus on the area’s overlooked fisheries when it comes to fly fishing, such as bass, carp, and surf perch. Dagur also ties and sells flies, is a regular contributor to California Fly Fisher magazine, and teaches clinics on carp and bass through the Central Coast Fly Fishing fly shop in Carmel.

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly Speaker Date Excerpt
May 04 Virtual Speaker: Fly fishing for Corbina with Al Q
Jun 01 Striper Fishing on the Lower Sac with Hogan Brown

Posted on February 23rd, 2022

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Katie Kobayashi – Steelhead research and impact of the CZU fire



Steelhead research and the impact of the CZU fire with Katie Kobayashi

Katie’s passions for science and the outdoors first collided as a college student at UC Berkeley, where her studies took her to extraordinary field sites ranging from the crystal clear South Fork Eel River to the tropical streams of French Polynesia.

 

She quickly became motivated to apply her research experience to the salmon- and trout-bearing streams she had explored on fly fishing trips with her father. After graduating, Katie began working for the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center—contributing to research and monitoring efforts for endangered/threatened coho salmon and steelhead trout across Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties.

 

Katie began her PhD with the NOAA/UCSC Fisheries Collaborative Program in 2016. Her research examines the evolutionary differences between steelhead and rainbow trout (O. mykiss), their role in stream food webs, and the effects of escalating wildfire regimes on these dynamics. She manages a highly collaborative research project in Scott Creek (Santa Cruz County, CA), working with academic, agency, and NGO partners to draw connections between natural history, evolutionary ecology, and fisheries management.

Katie strives to communicate her research to both academic and local communities through her teaching, writing, and art. She is currently a graduate fellow with California Sea  Grant and UCSC’s Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning.

 

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly Speaker Date Excerpt
Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur GuðmundssonMar 02 Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur Guðmundsson

Posted on January 19th, 2022

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Annual Slideshow!!!

No upcoming events scheduled - check back soon!

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly Speaker Date Excerpt
Steelhead research and the impact of the CZU fire with Katie KobayashiFeb 02 Steelhead research and the impact of the CZU fire with Katie Kobayashi
Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur GuðmundssonMar 02 Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur Guðmundsson

Posted on December 26th, 2021

Date:  Jan. 5th

Time:  3:30

Place:  Sheriff Posse Lodge

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Donations from the Doug Severin Estate

by Elaine Cook — fly tying chairman

The estate of our dear friend Doug Severin and club member of many years,  has donated his fly fishing belongings to our club. As Doug desired, his belongings will be made available at raffles and club events. The first opportunity to acquire something will be at our Jan. meeting and BBQ. The picture shows some of the items that will be available which will include fly tying materials. Beat the crowds, come early !  (Editor’s note:  There is a lot more stuff than this and will be available at the next three meetings.)

Posted on December 22nd, 2021

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Gordon Tharrett – fishing the Green river in Utah

Dec 01 6:30 PM :

Gordon Tharrett - fishing the Green river in Utah

Gordon Tharrett started fly fishing at 8 years old at his childhood home in the Adirondacks. At age 18 he started guiding, and over the years his resume includes guiding fishing, hunting, and climbing. Fishing has taken Gordon all over the world including New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Canada, and Alaska.

In 1993 after a long season of guiding in Alaska and fishing his way down the west coast, Gordon ended up in Utah fishing the Green River. In his words,

“That one float down the Green was all it took to make me not go anywhere else.  I thought to myself this is the best Dry Fly River I have ever seen!”

and he’s been there ever since. Gordon spent 15 years guiding with Trout Creek Flies acquiring the fly shop in 2012. In 2015 Gordon went back to guiding starting On The Fly Utah, and the fish keep coming to the net.

Gordon Tharrett
On The Fly
Email: ontheflyutah@aol.com
Website: ontheflyutah.com
801-541-4113
http//www.wildlife.utah.gov/ for licensing

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly SpeakerDateExcerpt
Annual SlideshowJan 05 7:00 PMIn January, we’re going to be back at the Sherriff’s Posse Hall for another BBQ and our annual Club Members Photo Slide Show.    Submit your photos today to Tommy Polito  Thomaspolito12@gmail.com then come join us the first week of January – in person!!!
Fisheries of the Central Coast & Iceland with Dagur GuðmundssonMar 02 6:30 PMDagur will be presenting on the Central Coast fisheries as well as touching on fishing in Iceland as he guides both.

Posted on November 21st, 2021

Posted on November 21st, 2021

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April Vokey – Spey Casting for Steelhead

April Vokey - Spey Casting for Steelhead

April Vokey will be talking about the British Columbia  waters where she grew up chasing the salmon and steelhead migration that frequented BC’s coastal waters.    She began her guiding career on the Fraser and Harrison rivers for sturgeon and salmon, but left after several season to found her own guiding operation, Fly Gal Ventures, in 2007 at age 24. The company was built on the basis of the promotion of education and encouragement to those who looked to chase their dreams. She has since established herself as a respected authority in the sport and has traveled the globe in pursuit of gamefish on a fly rod.

Her writing has appeared in numerous industry leading publications including Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod & Reel, and Fly Fusion magazines. In July 2012, April became the first fly angler to be featured in Outside magazine for their “XX-Factor” segment. She is in the process of authoring her first book.

Also a popular TV personality, April has been featured on the Outdoor Channel’s Buccaneers and Bones series, 60 Minutes Sports, The Steve Harvey show, Discovery Channel’s Refined, Discovery’s/OLN’s Close Up Kings, and WFN’s Fly Nation TV.

Most recently, Vokey proudly wrote and hosted her own exclusive series, ShoreLines with April Vokey, as shown on the World Fishing Network. The series focuses on fly-fishing’s rich history and the people it consists of. Feeling limited by airtime, she has since branched out with her podcast, Anchored with April Vokey, an uncensored series dedicated to archiving the stories and personalities from some of fly-fishing’s most influential people. The show is one of the only fishing podcasts solely recorded in a face to face environment where April ensures to ask questions apart from the norm. It evolved into Anchored Outdoors in January, 2020.

In 2013, April chose to pursue her passion for saltwater species (and a blue-eyed Aussie bloke), and therefore surrendered her Canadian winters for Australia’s & New Zealand’s summers. She now resides in Canada for six months of the year, and in Australia for the other six. Her dog, Colby, travels with her between countries, keeping her safe from grizzlies and kangaroos alike.

She is a FFF certified casting instructor, a fly-tying instructor, traveling speaker and an eternal student of life, love, and conservation. Please contact info@aprilvokey.com to enquire about bookings.

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly SpeakerDateExcerpt
Gordon Tharrett – fishing the Green river in UtahDec 01 6:30 PMGordon Tharrett will be sharing with us the remarkable fly-fishing around Utah and the Green River, where what some of the members call “The 20/20 club” – a size 20″ trout on a size 20 fly”
Annual SlideshowJan 05 7:00 PMIn January, we’re going to be back at the Sherriff’s Posse Hall for another BBQ and our annual Club Members Photo Slide Show.    Submit your photos today to Tommy Polito  thomaspolito12@gmail.com then come join us the first week of January – in person!!!

Posted on October 28th, 2021

Posted on October 28th, 2021

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Michael Malekos – Float tubing

Michael Malekos - Float tubing

For October’s meeting we welcome Mike Malekos. Mike is the Founder and Administrator of The Casting A Rise Foundation. Casting A Rise raises money for charitable, educational, and nonprofit organizations through fly fishing. Please take a look at  www.castingarise.com and consider supporting this impactful 501(C)(3) organization.

Mike is also a contributing Columnist at California Fly Fisher magazine. His “Snapshot” articles are short, informative pieces discussing how to fly fish various fisheries within our state. Through his commentary Mike shares how to get there, how to fish there, and most importantly, why he fishes each body of water the way he does. The written synopsis of his fly fishing experience is intended to shorten an angler’s learning curve and to serve as a starting point for someone who has never visited the profiled fishery.  Among other things, Mike touches on the area, equipment selection, and how he found fish to behave. During his presentation, Mike will share his views regarding float tube safety, selection, essential gear, and profile several still water trout fishing destinations Santa Cruz Fly Fishing members should consider visiting.

Future Speakers. Dates and speakers may change, please go to URL to see the current information.

Monthly SpeakerDateExcerpt
April Vokey - Spey Casting for SteelheadApril Vokey – Spey Casting for SteelheadNov 02 6:30 PMDame Juliana of Steelhead spey Casting- April Vokey
Gordon Tharrett - fishing the Green river in UtahGordon Tharrett – fishing the Green river in UtahDec 01 6:30 PMGordon Tharrett will be sharing with us the remarkable fly-fishing around Utah and the Green River, where what some of the members call “The 20/20 club” – a size 20″ trout on a size 20 fly”

Posted on September 21st, 2021

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Women-focused Flyfishing, Travel and Finatical Flyfishing

Finatical Flyfishing was created for women by women who have traveled and fished in Chile, Alaska, the Bahamas, Mexico, Cuba, the Seychelles, Belize, Christmas Island, Hawaii and throughout the continental United States. Our trips are built around knowledgeable, skilled, high quality guide operations and amazing locations; giving you the best trip for your precious days on the water

Most of us would probably agree that flyfishing adds a great deal to our lives. Travel and the communities flyfishing brings to us, strengthen our flyfishing skills and often other parts of our lives as well. Join us as we talk about the Henry’s Fork,  international destinations and the trips offered by Finatical Flyfishing.

Bio

Stephanie Albano spent the bulk of her career at CARQUEST Auto Parts  She held positions in national marketing, as Director of Distribution Center Operations and as a Financial Analyst. A mentor in Denver encouraged her to start Hatched Concepts which offers consulting and small business services. She launched Finatical Flyfishing in May of 2021.

Posted on August 23rd, 2021

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August B-B-Q / Swap Meet

by By Vice President Kevin Murdock

We have found an incredible venue for our annual B-B-q/Swap Meet this year! The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Posse House is a beautiful property on the bank of the San Lorenzo River. There’s an outdoor picnic area, a pasture where we can demo or practice our casting, a beautiful indoor area with tables for our swap meet, a built-in grilling pit, and a horseshoe pit. (There’s also a fire pit but we will abstain for now). The club will supply burgers, dogs, sides, and soft drinks. We’ll have club swag for sale. You can bring your family & friends, but please RSVP  in form below or email to troutdock89@gmail.com  so we know how much food to provide.  You may responsibly bring adult beverages, as well as any rods you might want to try out or tackle you want to swap or trade. No leaving unclaimed gear behind. Please, no pets.

The Address is 2127 Ocean Street Extension. To access, take the Ocean Street Extension past the cemetery, past the crematorium, about a quarter-mile down on the left. Use the second driveway entrance. Please drive slow and be respectful of the neighbors and this beautiful historic property.

5:00 pm:  Casting practice,  swap meet display

6:30 pm:  BBQ Dinner

Cost:  $0.00

The Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Posse Grounds

This will be our first opportunity in what seems like forever to meet and greet in person. Please, if you are un-vaxed, wear a mask for your own protection.

Posted on July 24th, 2021

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Our first in-person meeting: August BBQ!

by By Vice President Kevin Murdock

In the pre-COVID days, our July meetings were typically the lightest attended of the year. Our membership clearly wanted to be on the road over the 4th of July holiday. Accordingly, we would hang a ‘gone fishing’ sign on our monthly general meeting. That’s what we’re doing this July. Enjoy the holiday, go fishing. We’ll reconvene with a special meeting in August.  For our August meeting, we’ll get together at a new location for our annual summer  B-B-Q. This year, we’ll meet at 6:30 pm at the Sheriff’s Posse House on the Ocean St extension in Santa Cruz. It’s located about a half mile beyond the cemetery. Ample parking and outdoor seating come with the venue.  The club will host a burger and hot-dog cookout with all the fixings.    We’ll also hold a fishing swap-meet/flea market. Bring your gently or un-used gear to the meeting for cash or trade.   There is also a perfect field for casting demonstrations and competitions. Bring your favorite rod and cast for prizes.

The Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Posse Grounds

This will be our first opportunity in what seems like forever to meet and greet in person. Please, if you are un-vaxed, wear a mask for your own protection.

Posted on June 21st, 2021

Date:  June 2, 2021

Time:  6:30 pm

Place:  Zoom

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Fly Fishing Photography with Brian OKeefe

The Fly Fishing Photography presentation will not get bogged down in technology and fancy camera speak. Instead, I will offer mostly tips and suggestions. I’ll show many ways to get good/better/best photos, and much of my lecture will be through the lens of our smart/iPhones, as well. Besides photography tips: scenery/action/macro/underwater/etc, I’ll talk about handling fish and our responsibility to not over-do it. There are a lot of fun fish and fishing photos that we will discuss and some down right horrible photos that are part of the do’s and don’ts chapter. A lot of my photography tips will apply to your everyday fishing, but will also help with general friends/family/pets/food/Instagram/Facebook photography.

Bio: Brian OKeefe has balanced a lifetime of fly fishing, near and far, with work in almost every niche in the sport: fly shops, trout and steelhead guide, fly tackle rep, writer/photographer, online magazine owner, fly club speaker and currently with www.elevenangling.com, an international fly fishing lodge/mothership outfitter. Lives in Nyssa, Oregon.

BONUS TALK: Fly Fishing for Pacific Salmon (in the salt): After a dozen or so trips to British Columbia and Alaska to specifically fly fish for silvers and kings in the salt, I have put together a presentation on the when/where/how, of this endeavor. I’ll show some really nice salmon, and the ways to go about catching them: motherships, DIY, local day guides, etc. Plus tackle, timing and techniques. Great fishing, scenery, wildlife and food.

Posted on May 20th, 2021

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In Remembrance of Jon Baiocchi

Our May speaker was again for the third time in more than a few years, going to be Jon Baiocchi, talking to us about the Skwala (stone fly) hatches and fishing on the beautiful Yuba River, Jon’s home river where he has been guiding nearly every day, all day, for years. 

If you were Jon’s friend, or new him from Facebook and Instagram, every photo is a smile a mile wide, and not just from Jon’, but the hundreds of men, women and children in his photos.

I knew Jon’s dad, Bob Baiocchi, when I was working so hard to change the regulations for the entire state of California when it came to fishing for Steelhead and Coho.   We are responsible for the emergency changes that took place, after three years of work, in 1998, and which are part of every Steelhead and Coho river/creek in California today.    Jon was just a few years younger than me.   He was a free-spirited guy who started out as an amazing shred expert on a skateboard and snowboard.   He was also super proficient on a moto-cross bike.    Everyone that knows Jon says the same thing about his energy, friendship, smile, dedication, …

I didn’t meet Jon until I came back to the club in ’17.   His dad had passed away and I was sorry I didn’t know that.   But we became friends and I got him to the club to speak his second time, and then I found excuses to have him back every year.   

Jon and I were communicating on Wednesday night while we were having our board meeting.  I was excited to be seeing him for the club meeting and looking forward to fishing with him after he got back home.  

Thursday, Jon went to work on his favorite river and had two friends with him.   They were on the warm, sunny, rocky bank of the river, starting to fish.   It’s reported he mentioned he had a pain in his neck, then his arm hurt, then he fell and was gone.   

Selfishly, I am missing a true hero of our rivers and steward of our rivers and those who get to learn from his infectious enthusiasm.   I can’t believe I was just talking to him the night before and how excited he was to be with us, and then the chance to fish together.  Weather and fishing had been so epic for Jon and his clients during Covid.   He had a new truck, new friends, and business was so very good.   He was only 56.   

This is why I challenged you to join our club- if you’re also reading this and you’re not a member.   Life is too short and can be taken from us at any moment.   

If you’re reading this, please join us on Wednesday May 6th, at 6:30 p.m.   We are going to hang out together, check in with each other, maybe make sure we’re all where we need to be right now,  remember Jon, and figure out where to go from there.   I will suggest we take Jon’s fee and maybe something more to contribute to a cause in his name.   

Even if you don’t stay  – come say hello. 

Posted on April 24th, 2021

Date:  4/7/2021

Time:  6:30 pm

Place:  Zoom

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The Rogue River & the Impressions Left Behind

Humble Heron Fly Fishing is a fly fishing outfit out of Grants Pass Oregon. Owners James and Kait (Bailey) Sampsel started their operations the fall of 2016 but have guided rivers all over the west and Central America collectively for the better part of 24 years.
Their focus is on the zen of the swung fly to illusive steelhead. They passionately guide guests on many of Southern Oregon’s premier rivers and consider the Rogue River their bread and butter.
The focus of the presentation will be on steelhead using swung fly presentations. Flies, lines, tips, tactics, experiences, and imagery. We will be covering the entire Rogue River from source to mouth including the trout fishery. And finally, images of James’ art from time spent with their guests on the water.

Posted on March 27th, 2021

Date:  3/3/2021

Time:  6:30PM

Place:  Zoom Meeting

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Spring Steelhead Fishing in Southeast Alaska

by Camille Padilla

Spring steelhead fishing on Alaska’s outer coastal rivers is a unique challenge. Cameo and Brooks will go through the geography and ecology of river systems in the region, a little steelhead biology, flies and fishing techniques. We will share what we’ve picked up on our local rivers and fishing tips from us and our local fly fishing community.

Want to prep for the presentation with some fly tying? Here are two great steelhead flies and tutorials from the SE Alaska Fly Fishing Company:

About the speakers:

Cameo Padilla and Brooks Areson own and operate the Equinox, a 53-foot charter yacht based out of Sitka, Alaska in the heart of the Tongass National Forest. Each year, they host small groups on custom 5-day expeditions to explore the outer coast and Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska guiding fresh and saltwater fishing excursions, as well as other outdoor pursuits. The rest of the year you can find them out on the water or in the mountains fishing, hiking, hunting, diving, skiing and generally exploring the wilds of Southeast Alaska.

Check them out on their website, YouTube or Instagram

Posted on February 17th, 2021