April 2013 – PNW Gal On The Fly

Meet a Few Talented Individuals

April 18, 2013February 4, 2014by Lisa RLeave a Comment

There are a lot of photographers out there who capture the outdoors and/or fly-fishing, so I wanted to feature a few of them who have caught my eye over the last couple years…

Some of the following people are professional photographers, and others are simply individuals who take photos as a hobby– All of which have captured some incredible moments.

Enjoy~

Aaron Goodis

Aaron Goodis is a Fly-Fishing/Nature/Landscape/Active Lifestyle photographer out of Vancouver, B.C. He is also an avid fly-fisherman and writer.

You can find more of his work at http://www.aarongoodisphotography.com/ and his Facebook Page

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Carina Skrobecki

Carina specializes in wedding/lifestyle photography out of the Seattle area. She is also a fantastic graphic designer (she did my wedding invitations and did an amazing job).

Her design work was also highlighted in a feature called “Rainier 20 Twelve”– where she designed the article for fellow photographer, Jeff Marsh’s documentary.

For more of her work, visit her blog http://www.carinaskrobeckiblog.com/ and her Facebook Page

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Ryan Davey

Ryan is the owner of Primal Angler– A guiding company based out of the Pacific Northwest that also specializes in photography and media.

“We are the only outfitter in the fishing industry that offers the option to document your adventures and produce high quality Media Products of your personal fishing adventure!”

For more info visit http://primalangler.com/ and his Facebook Page

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Dave McCoy

Dave is the owner of Emerald Water Anglers and also Dave McCoy Photography.

Dave’s work has been featured in:

Catch Magazine
Blood Knot Magazine
The Flyfish Journal
Fly Fisherman Magazine
Stonefly Magazine
Fly Fishing in Salt Waters
Fly Rod and Reel
Northwest Fly Fishing Magazine
Alaska and Horizon Air Magazines
Destination Fish Magazine
Japan Fly Rodders Magazine
Sportski Ribolov Magazine, Croatia
This is Fly Magazine
Patagonia
New York Times
Orvis

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Jeff Marsh

Jeff is a photographer based out of the Seattle area, who specializes in wedding/engagement/lifestyle photography (some might recognize his name from the photos he took of Andrew and I on the river for our “engagement photos”).

His work was highlighted in the piece mentioned in Carina’s section above with the Rainier 20 Twelve project, which he put together to help raise money and awareness for the families of two fallen rangers who lost their lives while on duty.

For more of Jeff’s photography work, check out http://cargocollective.com/jeffmarshstudios

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Jason Jagger

Cover photo by Jason Jagger

Jason is from NW Colorado where he works as a Commercial Beekeeper, and is also a fly-fishing guide in Colorado and on The Midfjardara in Iceland. His photos have been featured in Fly-Fisherman as well as in Catch Magazine

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Mike Kinney

Mike Kinney is known for his incredible spey-casting techniques and has been a salmon and trout guide for over twenty-five years. He has been featured in a number of fly-fishing publications and videos, as well as his flies.

One thing some people might not know about this fly-fishing legend, is that he takes some absolutely stunning photos.

For more of Mike’s photography, visit http://www.eyefetch.com/profile/mikekinney

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Rick Willauer

Rick is currently finishing up his second year at UW School of Medicine (classmates with my husband), so unfortunately he rarely gets time off to take photos or go fly-fishing these days.

Before med school, Rick worked as a fly-fishing guide for Troutwater for 2+ years and became an avid skier and mountain biker. He and his brother, Joe, also started Evolution Anglers— A blog about their adventures and stories while fly-fishing.

A feature of Rick’s photos can be seen HERE

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(More photographers and photos will be featured here soon…)

Gear Recommendations, Online Deals, Patagonia

Who doesn’t love Patagonia deals?

April 16, 2013by Lisa RLeave a Comment

If there is ever a great time to stock up on Patagonia gear, clothing, etc., it’s when they have online sales.

Remember that ‘Gear Recommendation’ post I did yesterday? Base layers, top layers, jackets– any past season products are ALL are on sale as of today.

As an affiliate with Patagonia.com, I was pretty excited to get an email from them this morning announcing a 50% off sale going on now until April 23rd.

Get on it!

~L.S.

Gear Recommendations, Product Reviews

Fly-Fishing Gear Recommendations

April 14, 2013November 25, 2019by Lisa RLeave a Comment

Since I started fly-fishing, I have tried A LOT of gear within the short amount of time I have been doing it. When I first got into the sport, I was clueless as to what undershirts to wear; what type of rain gear I would need; why polarized sunglasses were important; and I initially just borrowed whatever Andrew had extra of and made it work.

Now, I have had the opportunity to try everything from different waders to socks, and I am now able to make worthy suggestions to others who find themselves in a similar place that I was in not all that long ago.

Here are just a few of my personal recommendations for gear that has worked for me thus far:

WADERS

For starters: Waders eventually will leak. Simms, Patagonia, Cabela’s, etc. Every company has to design them to be breathable as well as waterproof, so unless you want to wade in head-to-toe rubber suiting, you will find that with enough bush-whacking and hiking through unbeaten trails, your waders eventually will leak no matter what.

Personally, I think each company that makes waders specifically for fly-fishing have their own pros and cons, and each person who tries them, will have different outcomes depending on a lot of factors. Ultimately, it’s impossible to make one recommendation for a single pair of waders that will please everyone.

So, here is my take on it all:

Patagonia has one of the best life-time warranty programs, so if your waders leak, you can trade them in for new ones. See their “Iron Clad Guarantee” for more info.

Simms makes the waders that I currently own, and after 2 years of solid hard wear (I don’t own a raft or drift boat, so I am constantly hiking in through trees, bushes, mud, rock– whatever it takes to get to the run on foot), and so far I haven’t had any leaks or issues with my G3’s. It is important to note: I have the men’s G3’s –NOT the women’s, so I cannot speak for the women’s design of G3’s which I noticed are slightly different in stitching and design.

I just recently got a pair of women’s Redington Sonic Pro waders, and I was able to try them out for a couple days on a recent steelhead trip in B.C. I haven’t been able to give them the “full test” yet, as they need more than a couple days on the water for the most accurate review, but as for comfort and fit: They are awesome. They are lighter-weight than the G3’s and for those who are on a budget, you will like the price compared to some others.

JACKETS

I have a Coudveil jacket that is no longer being made, which makes me sad, because I love it. It is light weight, Gore-tex and fits me perfectly. It also has a unique sleeve design than covers the velcro that tightens around your wrists, making it difficult for a line to get caught or tangled in your sleeve. Apparently, Coudveil fishing products didn’t sell well enough to make it worthwhile for the company to continue producing that particular line, but if I could help them change their minds, I would.

My next jacket will probably be the Patagonia River Salt Jacket. I like the design and the way it looks to be quite honest. It is similar in style to my Cloudveil, but doesn’t have the large outer pockets, making it easier to wear off the river and get away with as an every day rain jacket as well. And again, you gotta love that warranty Patagonia offers, making the price point easier to justify.

LAYERING

Everything I wear underneath my waterproof outerwear, is mostly Redington, Under Armour or Patagonia.

The bottom line is: Avoid cotton.

After hours on the water– warm or cold climates– you will thank me for avoiding a material that is great for every day, but not for fishing. You want fabric that is quick-drying, warm, breathable and has stretch. REI is a great place to find a variety of brands that make excellent layering pieces. They also have all the socks you will need to keep your feet warm and dry. I recommend “Smart Wool” for underneath waders as well as hiking or every day purposes.

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I will start posting gear recommendations every so often, as I think it’s helpful for those getting into fly-fishing and also for those looking to replace or try out different gear.

If you have any specific products you would like me to review or compare, please send me a note: contact page.

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Rambling, Thoughts

Today, it hit me…

April 13, 2013February 4, 2014by Lisa RLeave a Comment

Winter–run steelhead season on the Olympic Peninsula is almost over! 😦

Lisa Schweitzer Hoh River Fly Fishing Winter Steelhead

A couple years ago. Last run of the day…

The thought made me cry a little. No, not really, but deep down inside, I know that my favorite time of the year is coming to a close and it pains me.

Ultimately, this means two things: 1) I should start getting into fishing for other species and 2) I should get out to the O.P. for summer run steelhead in June. (The latter only emphasizes my addiction making it difficult to pursue the former…) Oh dear.

So, as I sit at my laptop on this Saturday afternoon, wallowing in my lack-of-steelhead sorrow, I can only think of one thing that will help alleviate my impending withdrawal, and that is to work on gear reviews.

I have lines to try out and waders to wear… I have a lot of work to do!

Until next time, fishy folks…

“Swing Flies, Be Happy”

~L.S.

Cast and Blast, Whistler Fly-Fishing

"Cast and Blast" Weekend in B.C.

April 9, 2013November 25, 2019by Lisa RLeave a Comment

Last Thursday afternoon, I made my way up north for a 4-day weekend adventure in Squamish, B.C.

My first stop was near Delta, at fellow fly-fishergal Paula Shearer’s relatives’ place to have an extended rest stop for the night. ( A BIG ‘Thank You’ to Paula and her family for the warm hospitality. I truly appreciate them letting me stay with them and welcoming me into their home).

Before dinner, Paula and I went into town and got some food and beverages for the weekend and laid low that evening before we would embark towards Whistler for “Cast & Blast” bright and early the next morning…

The two of us were en route towards Squamish by 7:00am and were at our hotel by 8:45.

We geared up and headed to Sunwolf Lodge (less than 10 minutes north of the hotel). When we got there, we met up with Adrienne Comeau and the three of us hit the local river.


Paula and Adrienne had me laughing before we were even fishing.

The three of us found ourselves a little spot to fish on the busy river, but didn’t catch anything more than a few tree branches, plus a small dolly on Paula’s part.

Lisa Schweitzer, Paula Shearer, Fly-fishing gals, Women who fly fish, Spey casting ladies, Squamish

At least we had fun trying…

After a fun, but unsuccessful morning, we went back to the lodge for some socializing, demos, casting practice and more socializing. I met a lot of wonderful people within just the first two hours of being there. I have never found myself laughing and being more at ease in such a small amount of time than I did up there.

Paula Shearer, Lisa Schweitzer, Adrienne Comeau, Fly fishing ladies, Squamish, Cast & Blast

Paula, myself and Adrienne

Sarah Henry, Lisa Schweitzer, Fly fishing ladies, Squamish, Cast and Blast

Sarah and I

I have said this before, and I can easily say it again: There are some really awesome women who fly-fish. There are great people in general who fish, but I met some exceptionally cool gals this weekend who share the same passion for fly-fishing and also just like to have fun. Just to name a few of the female anglers I met this weekend for the first time in person: Paula Shearer (after spending the entire weekend with this girl, it felt like we had known each other for a lot longer than 4 days), Sarah Henry from Langley (see photo above), Bobbi Gilchrist from Vancouver, Andrea Charlton, Catherine Laflamme and even though I had met her before– Adrienne Comeau and I had a chance to get to know each other better and definitely bonded. There were more ladies there I didn’t get a chance to talk to, but there is always next year!

Brian Niska, Cast and Blast, Lisa Schweitzer photo

Brian Niska and Rayden (his wolf/husky mix, aka loyal sidekick)

The 3-day event was ran by Brian Niska of “Whistler Flyfishing“, along with Pieroway Rod Company and Sunwolf Lodge. I can’t even begin to list all the names involved in each days’ events, but it was a pleasure meeting the folks I did, and I learned a lot from the entire weekend– from fly tying to casting demos… I was able to soak up a lot of helpful information and definitely got inspired to tie more flies!

One of the big highlights for the weekend, was the first ever Homegrown Fly-Fishing Film Festival, which featured five short films about fishing, conservation and scenic beauty.

Photo by Lisa Rice

My personal favorites were: Casting a Voice and Steelmetal, both made by folks out of B.C.. I highly recommend checking them out.

Casting a Voice by Dimitri Gammer is an important film about conservation on the Skeena river system and the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline. It also features a few people I know who care a great deal about their local water and environment. (See a short preview of it HERE)

Steelmetal by Gregg Lauder features a group of hardcore steelhead fly-fishermen (and women aka Anette Lauder) from B.C. who eat, breath and drink steelhead fishing with spey rods, along with some heavy metal to keep them going. They made the video for themselves and for friends, so it won’t be one you can find online or in a local fly shop to purchase, but if you can get a hold of a copy or someone who has one, WATCH IT. You will want to get out and swing flies for steelhead– no question.

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I could honestly write all day about this past weekend, but there are just too many moments and stories to share in one post without it becoming a short novel, so for now, I will wrap it up by saying: If you want to have a fantastic time with some kick-ass Canadians who know a thing or two about fly-fishing and are fully passionate about everything it entails, go to the next “Cast & Blast” event. You won’t regret it.

Until next time…

“Swing Flies, Be Happy”

Women on the Fly

April 3, 2013February 4, 2014by Lisa RLeave a Comment

Meet Channing Schmuck:


(Look out Jennifer Lawrence)

Miss Schmuck is a Colorado gal you can generally find holding a bow, rifle, shot gun or a fly rod (and/or one of the animals or fish that found themselves in her target or at the end of her line). I haven’t met her in person yet, but when I do, I want her to show me how to shoot a bow and arrow! Channing is without-a-doubt: A badass outdoors woman.

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I asked her to share a photo from a recent fly-fishing trip.

The experience in Channing’s words:

“My fiancé and I camped out in Wyoming for 4 days last week, and got to fish the entire time! We fished in Alcova on the North Platte, and the fish in the picture was my best one! Fishing was really great this year for us on this trip, and nothing beats four days of the serene and peaceful river. It wasn’t until day three that I caught the fish in the picture, but well worth the wait=) It was the first day we had some sunshine and little to no wind!! (In Wyoming… what a treat!!!) I cast many times into a deep riffle where we had been catching many bows, when I looked over at my fiancé to ask a question about mending my line (after 6 years of fly-fishing, I’m still learning new things LOL) and BAM! After chasing my fish downstream and ten minutes of a great fight, I pulled this beauty out! What a great time when you get to see the beauty of these incredible fish!”

Great story and gorgeous fish! I have heard from many people: “Those who fish together, stay together.” 🙂

Thank you for sharing your story with W2FF!

Cheers and fish on~

-L.S.

Conservation, Hoh River Trust, Native Fish Society, Patagonia, Trout Unlimited, Wild Steelhead Coalition

What’s wrong with hatcheries?

April 2, 2013by Lisa RLeave a Comment

Well, for one thing, they have a huge negative impact on wild fish populations. This is why when my husband and I catch a hatchery salmon or steelhead (you can tell by the adipose fin being clipped), if at all possible, we kill and eat it.

The WSC (Wild Steelhead Coalition) has provided useful information about why hatcheries do more harm than good for wild steelhead and salmon:

“The ecological impacts of hatcheries are also increasingly being highlighted as cause for concern for wild populations. Production hatcheries release several billion hatchery salmon and steelhead each year. These fish, often larger than their wild counterparts compete for finite resources with wild fish, prey upon wild juveniles, spread disease, and attract predators. Furthermore, many of these fish will remain in freshwater and wild fish in most systems are subject to competition and predation from residualized hatchery fish.”

Read the whole article Here

There is a lot that people can do to help, but the easiest way to do your part to help save wild populations of salmon and steelhead, is by educating yourself and getting involved with organizations that have already started the dirty work for you.

To name just a few organizations that are doing their best at conservation projects:

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While we are on the topic of conservation, there is a big reason why I support clothing companies like Patagonia: THEY CARE.

“We can’t pose Patagonia as the model of a responsible company. We don’t do everything a responsible company can do, nor does anyone else we know. But we can tell you how we came to realize our environmental and social responsibilities, and then began to act on them. Like other things in human life, it began with one step that led to another.” -Yvon Chouinard and Vincent Stanley

Read about why the company that not only stands behind their quality, but also stands behind the environment that allows us to keep enjoying the outdoors: http://www.patagonia.com/us/environmentalism

Cheers~

-L.S.