Yesterday’s “Every Day in May” challenge was “Fish, Fish, Fish.” Today it’s “More Fish” (hence the title of today’s blog post). Since I didn’t show any of my own fish pics yesterday, I guess it’s time to show a few today! In follow up to yesterday’s blog post, Chris sent me a message, we’ll hook up at some point and do some kayak fly fishing together. There aren’t that many of us up here in the PacNW pairing up kayaks and fly rods, and I’m not really all that good at it…

Anyways, here are some photos with more fish!

Cold February smallmouth

stringer from a trip to Pacific City

Depoe Bay Irish Lord

Pacific City Cabezon

Whole bunch of Sockeye all up in your grill

So, I did get some fishing in this week, but it was slow at best. I saw one fish caught, and one other hooked-and-lost. I didn’t even get a tug. Nuthin. Nada. All I could think about were the guys fishing reds down in the south. It must be easy to catch redfish. That’s why there are dozens of TV shows on every day of people catching reds, but only one or two a week of people catch salmon. They’re tough. And the season is almost over with another blank catch card. Lame.

But, I want to introduce you to someone that did get into the fish. Chris Bellows just started his Kayak Fly Fishing blog over at http://flyyakker.blogspot.com. Now, if I remember correctly, I’ve never met Chris, but I know I need to. He’s doing exactly what I wish I was doing–saltwater fly fishing in the PacNW putting the stick down on some lings and rockfish.

Western Strait Kayak Fly Fishing from Chris Bellows on Vimeo.

Spent two days kayak flyfishing the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the Olympic Peninsula. The bottomfishing was great with rockfish and lingcod landed on the fly.

Man, am I jealous. Chris, if you’re reading this, we gotta hook up!

A couple times this week you might recall me mentioning my new NRS Mariner dry suit. This week I learned how awesome it is–especially the relief zipper.

Why isn’t this something seen more in waders? There are very few waders I know of that you don’t have to half-way remove just to take care of that thermos full of coffee you put down on the way to the river. All I can assume for lack of these zippers is cost, as I hear these waterproof zippers are not cheap.

But, as I mentioned, I have fallen in love with the fly on my drysuit. Yesterday really put that to the test. That thermos full of coffee. A big bottle of Gatorade. Yeah, I needed that.

The Milkcrate is a cool internet magazine based here in Oregon. Here’s a lil interview they did with me…
http://themilkcratemag.com/2012/05/13/isaac-miller/

The other week, I was asked who was shaping the future of kayak fishing–who is the leader of my sport.

I replied that everyone was. There was no single person that was going to propel kayak fishing forward. Honestly, I think it’s rediculous to think that any one person could single-handedly propel any sport–past or present–into the limelight. It requires everyone involved, and that is exactly what is going on.

With this present day of the internet, everyone is perpetuating the sport of kayak fishing. Kayak anglers around the world are hitting the water with HD video cameras (yes, plural), internet connected smartphones, and more. Yesterday I blogged from my iPhone while on the water. I’ve made live internet streaming video from the water. High-Def video of kayak fishing is swamping the internet. Kayak Fishing Radio has taken over the virtual airwaves with both live shows and podcasts. Generally speaking, everyone fishing on the water with a kayak, is connected to the internet or filming HD video. No. Really.

Ok, not everyone, but it’s getting close. Outfitting kayaks with HD video cameras is seemingly just as important these days as a rod holder. I’m not all that cool with that. Yeah, I was the first to hook up a live video feed from the kayak, but I had other things that went into it first.

First… I had rod holders. I had an anchor trolley–and knew how to use it. I had caught fish on my kayak! I had suitable attire for immersion! I had a VHF radio. I had a safety flag. I had a float plan. After all of that, I then had a camera. And even then it came from my cellphone (after killing two others in the river–lessons learned…)

While it is important that everyone in the community become leaders to promote the sport of kayak fishing, I’d rather not people forget the thing that is most important. Coming home alive. I’m tired of seeing people dressed inappropriately should they find themselves in the water just inches away from where they sit just so they look good on the camera. I’ve grown ill of seeing photos and videos of kayak fishermen not wearing a PFD. I won’t bother watching another video of someone in a kayak that isn’t thinking of self preservation anymore. Just the other week, a very well known local kayak angler (dare say leader of the local kayak fishing community) filmed himself getting hit by a boat. While he was wearing a PFD, he was not even close to being dressed for hitting the water. Fortunately for him, he didn’t. Today I was in that very same body of water, just feet from where that incident occurred. Guess what, it was cold. Deadly cold. Even wearing a dry suit, I couldn’t stand the temperature of the water for more than a minute before my legs felt like they were burning. What kept him from hitting the water and making for a potentially life threatening situation? Oh, probably just and inch or two…

Ok… sorry… enough of the soapboxing…

If you want to become a leader, start acting like one. Walk the talk.

We have had a string of awesome days. Blue bird skies are all that I remember at this point. The top has been down on my car for at least a week now. The last couple days have pushed the 90 degree mark–abnormal for Portland. It’s been glorious.

The biggest problem is, that I’ve been at work through all of it. Today, fortunately, I’ll be wetting a line.

Actually, that’s not quite the right tense…

Right now, fortunately, I am on the Willamette, getting a line wet and fishing for a Springer or two.
Gotta love technology and the ability to post blogs from a cell phone.

I rigged up the Jackson Cuda last night with just a Scotty rod holder and my Eagle Cuda from the T15. I’m using half of my NRS Tailwater tackle bag as a cooler. Salmon fishing on the Willamette is a bait fishery. I’m trolling herring and shrimp–not both at the same time, of course, but alternating from one to the other to keep the bait fresh and find out what the fish want to attack.

Have fun and tight lines

Almost live photo!

I like fishing rods. A lot. Unfortunately I can’t afford them. I play with them at all the fishing shows, fall in love, but leave them hanging. Most of the rods hanging in my garage came in at well under $100. The most expensive rod I have is a TFO 10wt fly rod, but I got that at a killer discount and it just hit the $100 mark. As did my Lamiglas 7wt since I picked it up at the Lamiglas outlet. My favorite spinning rod, an awesome midweight Daiwa cost me $8. Brand spanking new. My Okuma salmon rod, which doubled as my saltwater and keeper sturgeon rod, ran me only $60 new and since it multitasks so well, I consider it a steel.

My all-time favorite rod, however, still hasn’t seen a fish. Yes, I’ve fished with it, but only a short time. Fortunately, next week, there should see a change in that rods history when I hit the Deschutes.

It’s my fiberglass Lami 5wt that I built last year. If you haven’t taken the time to do so, I highly suggest a rod building project. It’s actually quite simple and very rewarding at the same time. I picked up the components from the Cabela’s bargain cave. It included the reel seat, cork grip, hook keeper and all the guides. From there I swung by the Lamiglas Outlet and, sure enough, they had a 5wt fiberglass fly blank. Perfect. I walked across the parking to Angler’s Workshop, got the epoxy, grip reamer, and thread and came home to start building. An hour or two here and there, and two weeks later I had myself a new fly rod.

If your interested in building a rod, I wrote a blog about it last year

Happy Mother’s Day! Its one of three days out of the year that I voluntarily wear a tie to work. Why? Because I know my mom would like it. That’s all. The other two days are Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.

My mom is awesome. Sorry, yeah, more awesome than your mom. She bakes, gardens, does the MS Walk-a-thon–even if she has to use her wheelchair, she fishes, and knows Judo. C’mon. Pretty awesome stuff. She was the one that introduced fly fishing to the family. The first fly I tried to throw was on her Cortland 7wt. Chuck Norris once ran into her in the grocery store. He woke up an hour later in the produce section. My mom kicks ass.

Love you, Mom!

I also have a thing for cars. You’ve seen mine posted a couple times this week… yeah, the convertible with a kayak on top. That’s me. I’ve also got a bit of a thing for photography, well, did really. It’s not something I do much of anymore. I still enjoy having a camera in my hand and seeing what I can produce with it, but I’d rather put the effort and money into fishing…

Anyways…

I thought I’d share some of my photography with you.

Motors
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“Specularity” project

Bugs-n-stuff

So like most kayak anglers, I started building my dry gear around a pair of waders. I’m talking cheap waders. I picked up a pair of FroggToggs from Fisherman’s Marine years ago for about $70. They were decent enough. No frills beyond neoprene socks, and they kept the water out. Actually, they kept the water out until this year. Now there’s a small hole in the upper leg (my fault) and I think the seam between the breathable material and the neoprene sock has failed on the left foot. Regardless, I layered properly with fleece and/or wool, so even when the water eventually found its way in, I did just fine. And, between wading and dumping the kayak in the surf zone, I was still better off than without. At some point I even had a pair of drypants that I was using… but, after ending up in the surf zone, more than a pint of water made it between my droptop and drypants… I retired them immediately…

But, the waders have finally been cast aside. As a kayak angler, it’s not uncommon to find myself in the water in places where waders would fall short. We also have some pretty cold water up here in the PacNW. I’m now sporting a NRS Mariner dry suit. Made for submersion, I’m good to go, so long as my layering beneath will keep me warm.

I keep looking at the waders though… They won’t be going anywhere, but will they prove themselves needed? I’m curious at how well I’ll be able to throw a fly while wearing the dry suit. I doubt it’ll be a problem, but what if it is? The fortunate part is that I can take the upper part of the suit off and keep it up with the built-in suspenders. But, if I do that, and go in, then how useful will they be without the ever important waist belt? Hmm… Good question… There is a built in belt, but will it help seal out water like a wading belt? I don’t know… Honestly, I’d not like to find out.

What I do know, the NRS Mariner dry suit will be far better than my old waders and dry top combo that I’ve fishing out of for the last few years. While the combo proved effective, more than once, it was time to move on and focus a bit more on safety and comfort–especially since I’ve been finding myself in bigger and colder waters.

The waders will move into the closet, and I’ll get them patched up. I know they’ll prove useful should I find myself on the banks for a day…