Feb SOTM Winner: O.P. Steel

This fish sure rattled the monkey cage.  Well done Aaron - congrats on a Feb. winner.

Protecting Olympic Penninsula Rivers and Wildlands

Some good news from the homefront regarding the Olympic Penninsula.

U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., are out with a draft plan that would designate 130,000 acres of additional wilderness in federal forest lands on the Olympic Peninsula.

The proposal would also put 23 rivers – including such well-known streams as the Elwha, Sol Duc, Hoh and Bogachiel rivers – into the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

LINK (Via: The Seattle PI)

March SOTM Winner - Oly Penn Steel

Eric Zanmiller, as right he should, takes the bacon. All hail the Bozeman swingers!  

March Slab of the Month Entry: OP Prime Genetics

"This fish was caught by Nic and I's good friend Eric Zanmiller on the OP last week.  Eric was laying his rod on the bank when I handed Nic the net and the fish after I had netted it.  I snapped a few pictures with my camera as Nic grabbed the tail to pull the fish out of the net and prepare it for release. This was his first reaction as he pulled the fish from the net.  I think it was the best tail he has ever grabbed!  The fish taped at over 40 inches and we believed weighed between 22-24 pounds.  It maybe could have weighed more?  We did not take a circumference measurement.  What a beast!"

Gentlemen-

As you may know, this is our backyard.  We know no other fishery better than this.  And, this is quite possibly the most impressive specimin we've ever seen.  You've no doubt made the 406 proud. 

Rain Coast beatdown

Smolt and Rathbun just got back from the annual post Bellevue fly show boondoggle.  We took everything Mother Nature threw and with the help of Raincoast Guides Jim Kerr, we had another ridiculously good time.

It started out unseasonably delicious.

 

   

 

Jim Kerr - the Olympic Peninsula's premier source of fishingenuity and the most entertaining drift jockey we know.  Note to self - never swig whiskey during a Kerr'ism.  It's not nearly as smooth when it shoots out your nose.

 

Before surrender, this dime induced a pleasant 100 yard shuffle up the MIDDLE of the Duc.

 

Which inspired some flask attention.

  

Just in time to prepare us for a climactic slap to the face.

     

Guaranteed to catch a steelhead on the fly?

Now it's possible.  Just got this note from good friend and incredible Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Guide, Jim Kerr. 

My good friend and fellow fishing guide Sam Kennedy has been very sick with cancer for some time, and despite good health insurance it has predictably put his family on the ropes financially.  There is a benefit dinner for him here in Forks on the 7th and lots of guides including myself have offered to donate trips for auction. I have decided instead of donating a trip I will be donating a fly caught steelhead, no matter how many trips it takes, whether or not you have ever cast a fly rod before, post your bid on the blog and if you are the highest bidder I will take you fishing until you hook and land a fresh run adult steelhead.

The details are simple, book the day you want, if you don’t land a steelhead, we will book another day and so on.  If there are two of you well then, we will have to get you each one.

You can bid on the trip on my blog, Raincoastguides.com or by phone and I will post your bid, or you can bid in person on the night of the 7th in forks

-Jim Kerr

Having fished with Jim before, accomplishing this first time out is very doable.