Fly Fishing Guides

Guides Zac Mayhew and Cody Catherall look for a soon-to-be lost fly, aka a needle in the haystack. This is a moment we all go through as fly fishing guides but up until this point I had never captured the moment. I was busted too, after I was caught taking the shot. Silver Creek, Idaho.

Idaho Grayling

Here's an image of, for me at least, a rare Idaho grayling caught on the upper Big Lost River watershed yesterday. While this guy probably did not exceed 10", it was a beautiful little specimen. We were lucky enough to have caught two of these yesterday. I have now seen 6 grayling in my 20 years of guiding this South Central Idaho area.

Grayling. Upper Big Lost River Watershed.

Simms G3 Guide Boots

Below is not my typical image. There's no question that the Simms G3 Guide Boots are my absolute favorite wading boot I've ever owned (I don't get them for free and I'm not paid to say this). They still don't last long enough though. Below is a shot of a new boot and a newly retired boot. I wear through just over 2 pairs of these a year. That's about 120 days of use per pair of boots. I always purchase poly cord to replace the laces that come with the boots as the poly cord I purchase seems to outlast the regular laces at least 4x.

I've never recorded how many days of use a pair of wading boots lasts for me, but today is day number 1 on a new pair and I'm curious how long I can push them. A use day to me is anytime I get in them. I have approx. 30 more consecutive guide days and then I'll take a day off. My boots are always wet between late May and Halloween. Will this pair last from now (July 16) until Halloween which will be about 100 guide days? I'll post a shot on Nov. 1st and we'll see...

 

 

Fly Fishing Sun Valley

It's mid-July now and our rivers here in South Central Idaho are running cold and clear and many of the big-bug hatches have played themselves out. As a courtesy of our wet year, the mosquito population is prolific. We have water though and our temps have been on the cool side and two cuttings of alfalfa have already been put down, dried and baled and barley near Picabo, Idaho waves out loud in the afternoon wind. Below are a few shots of small water not too far from Sun Valley, Idaho...

The Drake Magazine

I'm excited to have a featured photo essay in the new, summer 2016, issue of The Drake. It's on mouse fishing Silver Creek at night.

John Huber of Picabo Angler under a full moon on Silver Creek in the new issue of The Drake.

The FlyFish Journal Issue 7.4

I'm excited to have a bunch of work in the new The FlyFish Journal including a feature (photography only) on Cuba. The Cuba piece was shot last February on a trip to Havana and the Cuban marine archipelago, Jardines De La Reina. It was my second trip there.
The piece was written by Sarah Grigg who happened, I believe, to have done the same trip as me a month prior.

A feature story (photography) in issue 7.4, summer 2016, of The FlyFish Journal on Cuba. Written by Sarah Grigg.

Here's a larger version of the above image. The shot was taken along the Malecon in Havana on a relatively cool winter's day. I like that the driver is looking forward and that the hand of the driver's side passenger is slightly visible.

Malecon. Havana, Cuba. 2016.

Cape Blanco, Oregon

I just got back from a week long camping trip on the Oregon coast. Lots of wind and a bit cool but beautiful in so many ways.

Cape Blanco Lighthouse

Silver Creek

Here are a few images from last night on Silver Creek. Still the mildest and strangest Brown Drake year I've seen. No massive spinner fall yet. Still could happen... Maybe even tonight.

John Huber and a nice brown.

Picabo, Idaho

So far, the Brown Drake hatch has been extremely moderate to say the least. A few bugs here and there with 10 minute spurts of smoldering spinner falls. I have not yet seen the grassy banks loaded with Drakes. Hopefully that is all in front of us... In the end though, it's all an excuse to be on Silver Creek during the magic hour when the warm light is perfect and all kinds of different birds are calling singing their choir and the wild iris is hit with the end-of-the-day warm light and you know, even though you are likely tired, there's no better place to be on an early summer evening.

The images below were taken last night, May 31st.

Picabo, Idaho

Silver Creek & Riser

Zac Mayhew waits for a riser and an emergence.

Guide Zac Mayhew getting ready to move on to another spot on Silver Creek.

Riser and fisherman.

Night Heron

Silver Creek Brown Drakes

In addition to opening day on Silver Creek, the Brown Drake hatch has also started on the Creek. The next 6 to 7 nights should be fantastic and if you have the chance to check it out, it's quite the phenomenon.

Here are a few images from the last couple of days on Silver Creek:

East Cape. Baja, Mexico

I just got back from a quick 4 day trip down to the East Cape in Baja, Mexico. We were on a quest to catch roosterfish from the beach without a teaser rod. This was my fourth trip like this and to put it simply, it just is not easy to accomplish getting a rooster from the beach. We knew that though and that is perhaps one of the greatest parts of the trip. Put in your time before the trip tying and researching. Spend every minute you have with good light on the beach hoping for something to happen and then hope the fish are responsive.

We saw quite a few fish but had no bait in the way of sardines or mullet. The roosters seemed pretty interested in tracking down the large schools of ladyfish though. We had papa gallo (big roosterfish) crashing within feet of the beach, combed up, and on a mission to track down ladyfish multiple times. When it happens, it happens fast. We just could not seal the deal with our fly...

It's still a great trip though. The people in Baja Sur are friendly. The fact that it's such a hard feat--getting a roosterfish from the beach--to accomplish, makes it even more worthwhile to me.

East Cape cactus.

Mini Super and last light. La Ribera.

Portrait of a man smoking in La Ribera.

We had clouds and some wind which made spotting fish a bit more challenging.

A woman, panga and mangos. La Ribera.

The ubiquitous needlefish.

Sunrise

An East Cape dirt road.

Roosterfish within range...

Hands of a fisherman. Cabo Pulmo.

Cabo Pulmo sunrise.

Moonrise

Our first night in a cheap hotel in Boise. One of us lost the coin toss and was relegated to the floor.

Fly Fishing Guide

Below is a portrait of Fall River Fly Fishing guide Steve Marugg. He's a sweet man with a kind heart. I met Steve at a dinner party a few nights ago near the Fall River. He has lived and guided in Argentina as well and we spoke our mutually poor Spanish at the dinner table, annoying undoubtedly, those who were within earshot.

Steve Marugg. Fall River Mills, California. 2016