Articles

The snorkel crew

Counting the return of endangered salmon

by Kris Millgate - Wednesday, Jun 15th, 2016

Snorkelers keep one eye on each other for accurate spacing across the river and the other eye on the fish swimming past them (photo: Kris Millgate).

Wet, black backs are slowly moving upstream. I’m watching the scuba suits through my lens and I like what I see from above, but seeing what’s under is what I really want. From underneath, there is a precise picture of what holds where and for an angler, that’s more effective than dropping bugs on the surface and waiting to see what bites.

Too soon?

Straying into the backcountry while the big rivers run brown

by Chris Hunt - Tuesday, Jun 14th, 2016

Photo: Trent Sizemore

The marble-sized hailstones bouncing loudly off the tinnie roof of the vehicle should have been my first clue as we raced down the rocky backcountry road to get out of the deluge. Or the dark-chocolate color of the upper Salmon River through Stanley, Idaho, a day after the temperature hit 85 and the high snow in the Sawtooths began to almost visibly disappear. Yeah, that should have been the dead give-away.

We were there too soon.

Thirty-inch liars

Maybe all fishermen aren't liars, but trout fishermen certainly are

by Domenick Swentosky - Monday, Jun 13th, 2016

Photo: Domenick Swentosky

It was a slow morning in fast water. It was a small fish day on a big fish river. It was a disappointment by noon, but fate was about to pivot.

I had spent the better part of the morning up to my waist in water cold, enough to numb my toes and stiffen my legs while my upper body fried in the high summer sun, absorbing the ninety degree rays like a sail accepting the wind.

Review: Simms G4 Boa Boot

Simms easy in, easy out Boa boot has a lot going for it

by Paul Snyder - Friday, Jun 10th, 2016

The Simms G4 Boa Boot (photo: Paul Snyder).

For the angler that spends the majority of his or her time on foot rather than the comfy confines of the front chair in a piloted drift boat, I would argue that footwear is the single most important piece of equipment. Rod, reel and terminal tackle being the exceptions.

Big Ben

A word with AFFTA's CEO

by Kris Millgate - Wednesday, Jun 8th, 2016

Ben Bulis has a large following. A large following of acronyms after his name. As American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) chief executive officer and president, AFFTA CEO follows his name wherever it’s written.

But it’s not in writing in the Gulf of Mexico and that’s where I am with Bulis. We’re surrounded by water instead of words and snapper instead of trout, which we both cherish in our home waters of the West.