Photo of the Month WInners in August 2016

 Kirk caught this nice Chum Salmon on the Skagit River in WA using a cotton candy streamer. As the year gets later and salmon runs start t...

 Kirk caught this nice Chum Salmon on the Skagit River in WA using a cotton candy streamer. As the year gets later and salmon runs start to die off, patterns that mimic rotting flesh become more productive. Whether you are fishing for Salmon, Steelhead, or Trout, any of these flesh imitation will work quite well. Patterns particular productive are the Cotton Candy, Flesh Fly, and Carcass Fly. Pink colors do best as a run is dying off, while tan colors do better when a run has been dead for some time. If you are targeting bigger Salmon and Steelhead we highly suggest using a Carcass Fly as they are tied on Salmon/Steelhead hooks meant to withstand the prolonged fights and heavier weight of these fish.

Jane caught this beautiful bonefish in Xcalax Mexico using a Bonefish Critter. Smaller flies with a small amount of weight added to them are the way to go when fishing in bonefish flats. These flies are designed to create little disturbance when they hit the water. They also sink faster, you want these flies near or on the bottom when fishing as the goal is to mimic the movement of crustaceans that bonefish readily feed upon.

Duke sent over a shot of a little area he calls paradise. It is located in Montana but as he says you will have to kill him before you find out. Many times when life starts getting to stressful, your boss is being a pain, the kids aren't listening, and the spouse finds you to be a nuisance, the best thing to do is take a weekend and find your little slice of paradise. For many at Big Y it is a spot on the Deschutes River, others the Klickitat or on one of the many Coastal Streams. What is important to remember during these times it is the beauty and tranquillity surrounding you that most likely got you into fly fishing in the first place.

Colin caught this nice cutthroat at Glacier National Park in MT. Montana is a great place to fish, we only wish we could get there more often. With some streamers, big nymphs, and some monster dries one can find the place to be quite productive. Fishing bigger flies to us, is usually more fun, they are easier to see, easier to tie on a leader, and easier to set a hook with. Not only that but they typically result in bigger than average fish.