Deschutes River: Last Trip

Our last multi-day on the Lower Deschutes river this season was in mid November. We lucked out with the weather... big time. The weather in November can be variable. One day it can be 50 degrees, the next day snowing. During this trip we got 3 days of 50+ degrees. It made for pleasant fishing and the fish responded accordingly. We recorded our best catch rates of the season, hooking 31, and landing 22! The hot fly was a MOAL leech, black with an orange bead head. We caught fish on traditional wet flies, as well as other leech patterns.

What a great way to end the season.

Damien Nurre

Bend - Petropavlovski Russia

In June of 2006 I received a phone call from Will Blair of The Best of Kamchatka. I was surprised to hear from our outfitter. He was supposed to be on the peninsula, welcoming his first of 13 fishing groups to the fabled wilderness of Russia. Bad news was imminent. Due to the loss of FAA status, the Russian airline that was scheduled to transport us to the Kamchatkan hub Petropavlovski would not be flying. Our trip was cancelled, rain-checked until 2007.

For a full year my 3 comrades and I prepared for our turns to wade into the runs, riffles, and pools of the Leveya River. During that year the trip would morph into a grotesque journey from one airport to another before reaching our final destination. I wasn't the only hesitant angler in the group. Would the fish be worth traveling for 24+ hours? That's a long way to go to catch a fish. The answer could only be known by embarking on this pilgrimage.


So on the 18th of August, at 6:30 pm, we boarded Alaska flight number 2333, bound for Los Angeles. Just after midnight we took our seats on the second and longest leg of the journey aboard a Korean Air jumbo jet. For twelve torturous hours we sat in our cramped, economy class seats. By the time we reached Seoul Korea, my feet were so flushed with blood; I wished my shoes were a size bigger. Five hours lapsed before we boarded the flight to Vladivostok Russia. Travel into Vladivostok was uneventful. Vlad to Petro was the opposite. We were packed into an old DC-3 that had been sitting on the tarmac in 90-degree weather for hours. The plane door closed when our Russian Captain donning a golden crucifix unhidden by his half buttoned uniform, entered the cabin and did the final passenger checks himself. At random he pulled bags down from the overhead shelf, making passengers stuff their carry-ons under their feet, shrinking any level of comfort to nothing. Once he was satisfied with his mischief he returned to the cockpit to torment his American passengers for another 40 minutes. As the temperature soared the plane stayed grounded. With no air was circulating in the cabin we roasted. At one point a Japanese tour guide visited the seats of each of his tourist, forcing them to chug water. Just as the situation reached maximum tolerance the plane speed down the run away and into the air for the 3-hour flight in Petropavlovski.

Tired, sore, and smelly, Leeann, Herb, Glenn and I deplaned with the other 12 travel weary anglers into the land of bears, vodka, and mouse eating trout. A sense of accomplishment and relief was shared by all. We had made it. Like any traveler, I awed at the experience of the past day as I marveled at the sights of this new environment, but the striking views of volcanoes to the North, West, and South couldn’t curb my need for a warm shower and a bed.

Fly Fishing Kamchatka Russia

Friday night at midnight, I crawled into my bed after 48+ hours of travel from the Leveya River in Kamchatka. What an adventure?. Drunken Russian miners, beautiful women, old school helicopters, poachers, bears, extreme jet boating, vodka, caviar, rain, a useless sat. phone, a late extraction, 8 hours on wash board roads racing to the airport, more drunk Russians, missed flights, expensive upgrades, alcoholic guides, enormous volcanoes, and bowls and bowls of borsch. We did catch some fish too.

Check back for the full report.

A Day for the River

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Grant Access on Tribal Side
of Lower Deschutes River for One Day Fly Fishing Event

Bend, Oregon – This year, the Deschutes River Conservancy (DRC) is celebrating ten years of successful river restoration work in the Deschutes Basin. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs helped found the DRC in 1996 and have contributed to much the organization’s success. To raise awareness about the challenges facing the river and generate financial support for the DRC’s mission to restore streamflow and improve water quality in Deschutes Basin, the Tribes have granted the organization special access on the Tribal side of the Lower Deschutes River for an exceptional fly fishing event. Saturday, September 15, 2007 has been designated by the DRC as “A Day for the River”- a day to honor all that the river provides us. The limited access and sacredness of the Tribal side of the river would make this a very coveted day among experienced fly fisherman. These coveted fly fishing trips will be auctioned off at the DRC Tightlines Auction & BBQ Dinner on Thursday, September 6, 2007. For more information, about the trips or to register for the auction, contact Bea Armstrong at (541)382-4077 ext. 23 or visit www.deschutesriver.org.

In addition to the fly fishing trips, on that one day, folks will have an opportunity to experience the entire river from its headwaters in the Cascade Mountains to the mouth at the Columbia River. Throughout the Deschutes Basin, the DRC provide you with a chance to enjoy the river by fishing, rafting, canoeing, or hiking. Some of these activities will have a fee associated with them and others will be free of charge. Our hope is to increase the level of awareness about our natural resources and to inspire the community to give back to this tremendous resource that we have here in Central Oregon – the Deschutes River. For more information about the event, visit www.deschutesriver.org or call (541)382-4077 ext.23.

Tarpon Time again

Last spring I traveled to the Yucatan in search of the "Silver Prince"... baby tarpon. The Yucatan has become known for large populations of baby tarpon. Ascension Bay, on the west coast of the Yucatan, is well known as a tarpon fishery, as well as other flats species. But it is also home to many lodges, pangas, tourists, and pressured fish. So to avoid the crowds I went east.
My friend Marco Ruz invited me to experience fishing with him and his guides on the Mayan Yucatan. The stop was Tarpon Cay Lodge. The flats and mangroves guarding the lodge would prove to be as great as Marco claimed. One phrase describes it best... "Tarpon Catching".

I enjoyed the fishing and experience Marco provides so much that I'm going back in 2009. I have selected dates after their winter weather cycle and during the best tides for catching tarpon. Since baby tarpon live deep in the mangroves and feed on the flats, it is important to be on the water during the low tide. Tarpon will be forced from the safety of the mangroves, where we will be waiting, ready to intercept.

A total of 5 anglers will travel with Marco and myself from Cancun, to Tarpon Cay Lodge for six days of fishing for baby tarpon and migratory fish up to 100 pounds. I would like you to be one of them. This is the best baby tarpon experience on the flats. Jose Wejebe (The Spanish Fly) totes Tarpon Cay as the largest population of baby tarpon he has ever seen.

Dates: July 12th - 19th, 2009
General Itinerary:
July 12: Arrival day (Cancun)
July 13-18: Fishing days at Tarpon Cay Lodge

July 19: Departure day (Cancun)

Rate: $3,295/angler (double occupancy room / boat-guide) 

Includes: Transportation, meals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, lodging, and guides.
Not included: Airfare, tackle, flies, leaders, alcohol, and gratuities.

Airfare from Portland to Cancun ranges in price from $350 to $500.
 

There are 2 spots left. If you would like more information about this trip, please email me at Damien@deschutesflyfish.com

Let's go catch some Tarpon!

Damien

This is Fly

A new online magazine is one of the coolest additions to the world of fly fishing in many years.

Check it out at www.thisisfly.com.

Mid Summer swing

The staff at Fly and Field Outfitters is in the heat of our busiest time of year, and in the HEAT! It is HOT in Central Oregon. Yesterday the mercury didn't stop climbing until it reached 103 degrees! This heat wave will slow the fishing during midday. So find some shade and relax. The best fishing times will be from sunrise until about noon, and then from 7 pm until dark. The best fishing is during the final hour of the evening.

On the Lower Deschutes, the caddis are hatching full bore. Last week I witnessed one of the thickest caddis migrations ever. At 1 pm, thousands of caddis swarmed their way up river.

Our guides have been reporting good fishing on all of the waters in the area. The Upper Deschutes between Little Lava lake and Crane prairie has been fishing well for smaller brook trout and rainbows. Many happy anglers have been returning to our shop, stoked on their first fly fishing experience.

The Lakes are fishing well too. The highlights are East Lake and Crane Prairie. Choronimid fishing on Crane has been producing some big "Crane Bows". A few in the 24-26 inch range were caught last week. The Callibeatis hatch on East Lake is happening from 10 am to 2pm, or so. Don't neglect the spinner fall earlier in the morning. Wind drifting a nymph is nearly guarantees catching fish.

We have had some very fun trips on the Lower Deschutes this summer. During our past 5 over night trips, we have been very lucky, as no other groups launched with us. We only shared the river with a few folks rafting for 3 days! Our guests have been enjoying the solitude and the great fishing.

Check out these smiles.

Green Drake Spinner Fall?

What's the best dry fly fishing experience you've had? A blanket caddis hatch? How about a PMD hatch during a drizzly afternoon in July? Or a Green Drake hatch? Big gaudy hoppers or stone flies? All of these experiences can build to epic proportions, and until recently I thought I had seen the best of the best. Last week I landed my boat onto one of my favorite rocks. My clients unloaded and began throwing their oversized size hair and hackle stone fly imitation into a pod of exceptionally aggressive Redsides. One drift, two drifts.... ten perfect drifts through meat of the best water without a take, left both my client and I feeling rejected. Determined to catch at least one of these fish, and not to let my guest down, I focused on the surface of the water to see what the trout where consuming. I spotted caddis, PMDs, and of course stoneflies, but none of them where being eaten. Then I saw one... I first thought it was an adult Green Drake, but it was just after 10 am, and the drakes hadn't been hatching until 3 pm. Then I spotted another one, and another one. There was something distinct about them, their wings where transpearant... SPINNERS!

Once the code was unlocked, the fish fell to imitations. A big, size 12, purple haze was the fly of choice. It proved itself worthy landing 8 fish in no more than 30 minutes.

I will never forget those 30 minutes and will always be on the look out for them again.

Game On!

The Deschutes river from Warmsprings to Maupin is entrenched in the stone fly hatch. Fishing in the upper stretches has still been spotty... mostly due to pressure. The full moon may have had an effect too. In the past week I saw the fishing just up stream of Maupin being the best. From Wednesday to Saturday, the fish where more keyed into the big bugs.

Warmsprings to White Horse has been very spotty. Some spots are better than others. Look for the fishing to imporve as the hatch grows longer.

Damien

Deschtues River Report

If you have been wondering about when and the where the salmon fly hatch is happening... listen up.

Trout from Warmsprings to Maupin are gobbling up those big protein packed meals. Yesterday I drifted from Warmsprings to Trout Creek. Trout were eager to slam a well placed imitation. Most of our fish came up on flies drifted down stream or under the bigger trees and brush.

For the next 3 weeks, expect to be able to fish with the stone fly imitations.

Little Lava

On Thursday May 17, I had a great trip with Jim O'Shaughnessy on Little Lava Lake. We started out by wind drifting against the weed beds, but noticed quite a few fish rising in the distance. We quickly moved and started to cast a wide variety of dries (mostly midge imitations 20,24). We soon lost count at the number of fish he was catching. This all happened in the last two hours before sunset. Jim did a wonderfull job putting the fly in the right spot. We caught fish from 15" to 21". As the light faded we used a large caddis (so we could see it) with a callibeatis dropper and caught a couple of fish that way. A great fishing trip. The other picture is from the next day with my son Calvin.

A Little Willow Please

It happened again. I ruined another group of anglers. Imagine catching 4-8 pound fish again and again. The lake is surrounded by vistas of painted hills, sage lined buttes, and the all mighty Mount Jefferson. When I think of perfect fishing experiences, there are few other locations that come to mind.

I could continue to babble, but let the photos speak for me.

Stone flies are hatching

Of the family Plecoptera, the Pteranarcys Californica, A.K.A. Salmon flies have been hatching in Central Oregon for the past few weeks now. Anglers on the Middle Deschutes where the first to cast the big bushy dry flies toward grass shores, cut banks, and down stream of over hanging trees. The Big Bugs have been present on the Middle for about 2 weeks, which means they are starting to disappear. The Deschutes just outside of Bend has been experiencing hatching stone flies too. The hatch in this area is less prevalent and is already waning.

The first stone have been eated by opportunistic trout in the Maupin area a few days ago. And, the Big Bugs are just making their identity know in the Warmsprings area.

THe hatch is moving a bit ahead of schedule this year, but the first part of June will stille be the prime time from Warmsprings to Maupin.

Lower Deschutes Week 1

Well the Lower D along the Warmsprings Res. has been open now for just over a week. The fishing has had its ups and downs. During the first few days of being open, it fished very well. We experienced fish hooked every where we stopped. As the week grew long, and the weather irregular, the fishing waned. This is the time of year I see the fishing most drastically effected by the weather. If there are clouds, sun, wind, and rain all during a day, chances are the fishing will be poor. But if the weather is constantly sunny, cloudy, or rainy, the fishing will be dynomite.

Little WIllow Lake

Last week I took two cool guys fishing on Little Willow Lake. It is a private lake on the Clark Ranch, just outside of Madras. An irrigation reservoir, Little Willow is home to a number of LARGE trout. We experienced great fishing! Ross is a well traveled and experienced angler. He dominated, landing close to 20 fish! It was Jason's first day fly fishing, and he forever hooked. He landed 8 big fish, and hooked a bunch more.

Little Willow is open to fishing until the first part of July, when it will close until the water temperatures cool down again in the fall.

Brett Philip's report from Baja

I just received a fishing report from the East Cape of Baja Mexico, from Brett Philip. Hear is what he had to say...

Bonito, Pargo, Ladyfish and Sierra...a fun day (smoked the bait fisherman and they were not very pleased).
Lucky I had an old steel leader Scott gave me a year ago, those Sierra ripped up my 40Lb leaders like nothing.
The Bonito took 40 minutes to land and I really thought I was going to lose my new 10 WT, man those Tuna's
can pull.
Spent three hours looking for Roosterfish to no avail but try again Monday.

PS Hope Damien likes my hat.

Take care,

Brett Philip


The hat looks great. I wish I was enjoying some more fun, sun, and fishing.

Mexico - Day 8

Cancun - Day 8

I met Esciel and Marco in the lobby at 11 am, they both looked refreshed and ready for the rest of our drive. In 3 hours we will be in Cancun. We did make one stop at the Mayan ruins, Chichen Itza. It was spectacular. The feeling that experience conjured was awe stirring. I could imagine hundreds of Mayans working, playing, and worshiping hundreds of years ago. It was like being on the movie set of Apocalypto.

A few hours later I finally arrived at my hotel in Cancun. Or should I call it the Mexican Las Vegas. There were gringos everywhere. Many of them were drunk. Thankfully, I most of my time in Cancun was spent on a boat on the permit flats north of the city.

It was an early morning again the next day. We arrived at the boats just as the sun was cresting the horizon. Enrique was my guide for the day. His favorite fish… permit! He told me catching a Grand Slam, a bonefish, tarpon, and a permit, would be possible.

Isla Blanca is the name of the area we fished. It is a series of flats, channels, and mangroves that eventually connect with Isla Holbox. The first flat Enrique took me too was a long boat ride from the dock. I realized why we traveled so far when the first school of over 20 permit swam towards us, ignorant of our presence. I blew that shot and the next, casting too close to the lead fish. The third school we found, I wouldn’t make the same mistake.

This school was vast. There where at least 40 permit flanking to my right. The cast was challenging due to the wind, but not undoable. The crab landed softly 2 feet in front of the lead fish. I let the crab settle, and let the first few fish swim past. Then strip, strip, strip and my line tighten and reel began to scream. Once you connect with a permit, it is easy to realize why this fish has such lore in the fishing world. Imagine setting a hook into a school bus. Permits run and run and run.

That would be the only fish I’d bring to hand that day, besides a cuda, which fooled both Enrique and me into thinking it was a bonefish. I jumped 3 tarpon deep in the mangroves, loosing all 3 to overhanging branches. The slam would have to wait until tomorrow.

Campeche Mexico - Day 5 -7

CAMPECHE MEXICO – Day 5, 6, 7

Two nights ago Marco and his partner Esceil and I arrived in Campeche Mexico. Campeche is a very old Mexican city, filled with historic sites. It is a romantic city. Evidently, it is where Mexican lovers visit for a romantic weekend. Everywhere I went I saw couples engaged in “gasahondo”. Esceil informed me that it is Spanish for “making out”.

The next morning we woke early and headed to the Marina to meet our guides. Belito and Juan, a father and son combo, are true Mayans. They stand tall at just under 5 feet. What they lack in height they made up for in knowledge of the area. Marco went with Juan so he could take some fresh photos for his website. With in 20 minutes after killing the motor I saw 2 cruising tarpon. Marco instructed me to intercept the fish with my fly, as began to lengthen out my line. I pick a spot well ahead of the fish as my target. On the final forward stroke I let the line fly, shooting through the guides. Just as I did, a third fish appeared ahead of the first 2 that I saw. Shit. My fly was aimed to hit the new fish square on the head. My perfect shot had just turned into a classic screw up. There was nothing I could do. The fly landed and the water exploded as the 3 tarpon bolted to the safety of the mangroves. At that moment I realized just how technical the fishery at Campeche is. I was crushed. I will regret that cast for a long time. Belito shrugged it off. Clearly, I was not the first gringo to blow the first shot at fish.

Through the course of the day I would only present my fly to 10 fish, and successfully jump only 3 of them. Marco was bummed. He really wanted to get some photos. He was also surprised at the lack of fish. He said there where usually 10 times as many fish to cast to. For whatever reason, the tarpon were scarce. In order to catch something, we went deep into the mangroves in search of big snook. And we found them. I hooked 1 of the bigger fish, nearly 10 pounds, but was unable to land it. They have very abrasive lips that chewed through the 60 lb shock tippet with little effort. By the end of the day, I had caught a dozen or more snook ranging in size from 8 inches to 3 pounds.

The next day we all went in one boat. Marco wanted to show me an area near Isla Arenas, an hour boat ride from the marina. The bigger boat was needed for a smoother ride there and back. So Marco, Esceil, Juan and I sped away from Campeche. Once we got to the location it was easy to see why Marco liked the area. It was untouched. There where no signs of humans. I felt special just being there. The pristine flats and mangrove channels where beautiful settings for casting a fly to hungry fish. The problem was there where no fish to cast to. We spent most of the day searching the area for fish, with no luck. Once we finally gave up, we sped back to Campeche to fish the area we fished the day prior. The wind was strong when we got there, making the fishing difficult. I did manage to jump a good-sized tarpon, loosing it near the boat. Bummer. I would have to return to Campeche at another time to catch a tarpon.

Tonight we left Campeche and arrived in Merida. After a quick bite to eat at Marcos favorite restaurant, we crashed deep in the heart of city at a modest hotel. I am tired. Eight hours in the sun for the past 6 days is catching up with me. It will be nice to sleep in tomorrow. We will also visit Chichen Itza, on the way to Cancun.

Damien

San Felipe - Day Four

San Felipe – Mexico – Day Four

Today was my final day in San Felipe. I’m bummed to leave, but excited for the next leg of my journey. Campeche is next. But first, one more morning of fishing in San Felipe.

This morning we found a huge school of tarpon. There where fish rolling everywhere. I was able to jump another 9 fish and land 2 more. They would be the last fish we would see for a few more hours. As the morning grew older the wind grew stronger, so we hunted for fish in the deep in the channels. After a handful of fruitless channels we found some rolling tarpon easily reached. On my first cast I jumped the biggest fish of my visit, 20 lbs! Even Marco gave out a “WOW!” He had been telling me for three days that the channels may surprise me. In vein I tried to put the fish out of the doomful mangrove roots. Out the fish’s third jump my bow was too late and the fly slingshot back to me.

It was the perfect way to leave San Felipe. I landed the first tarpon I hooked. Then lost the last one. I look forward to my next visit to Tarpon Cay Lodge.

Damien

San Felipe Day Three

San Felipe Mexico – Day Three

Finally, there was no wind this morning. In anticipation of the perfect weather and Marco’s wanting to show me some bigger fish, we left the lodge before sunrise. The ocean was glass, mirroring the rising sun as we sped an hour out of the San Felipe in search of migratory tarpon. March is early for the heart of the migration, but Marco assured me we would see a few.

My sleepiness was rudely awakened shortly after the motor quit by Marco yelling “TARPON, TARPON”. I looked just in time to see the second fish roll well out of reach of my cast. They where swimming parallel with the boat and much faster than we were moving. They were quickly gone. It was easy to see they where twice the size of the fish I had seen thus far, but they where not as big as the fish Marco usually sees in that area. The morning grew long and the Tarpon scarce. Those first rolling fish would be the only tarpon we would see for the rest of the morning.

On our way back to the lodge we stopped to fish the prime baby tarpon water and found a school on flats right away. I made 5 perfectly placed casts, but could not get the hook up. On the 5th presentation I drew 3 fish from the school to inspect my fly. I thought one of the three would eat, but instead they turned and raced to catch the school, spooking the bunch in the process. This morning would be my first fishless out of the trip. I hope it will be the only one.

We returned early to the lodge for lunch and siesta. At three we loaded into the van and headed out. Marco wanted to show me the baby, baby tarpon he is aiding to develop. He has dug deeper channels in the mangroves, for the 1st year tarpon to have sanctuary. It was cool to see that they behave much like the old fish, rolling and schooling, and eating everything they can. I saw many fish 4 – 6 inches chase my crazy Charlie, unable to fit connect with the too large hook. I did catch one fish of 10 inches, which is the size that Marco releases in mangroves with easier access to the open ocean. He releases between 70 and 150, 8 – 12 inch tarpon each May. No wonder why there are so many tarpon here. Not only is he helping the tarpon grow as yearlings, but he has helped to establish a bio-reserve for both Tarpon and Snook. The commercial fishermen in San Felipe are not allowed to fish a 12 Kilometer area north of town. Further, Marco and his guides don’t fish the first 2 kilometers of the reserve. That is the area they release the first year fish. They don’t want them to become wary of their boats.

I like the fact that Marco is thinking about the future of the area.

Damien

San Felipe Mexico - Day Two

March 18th – San Felipe – Day two

It is official. Tarpon Cay Lodge is the most unique fishery I have fished. Everything here is special. The accommodations are common, yet comfortable. The food is traditionally delicious. It is a good thing I like to eat fish. San Felipe is a rural fishing village. Motorcycles and bicycles are the most popular form of transportation, besides your feet. I did see an H2 today, which was a slight dose of reality. The people of San Felipe are very friendly. Everyone smiles and greets me as we crass on the street. The staff of Tarpon Cay Lodge are especially hospitable. They have told me to help myself to the cervesa in the cooler, but have not let me finish one yet before ask to get another. This is my kind of place.

Today was more of the same with the tarpon. The winds where up again, forcing us to go deep into the mangroves to find rolling tarpon, willing to eat my flies. I’ve found this style of fishing to be very difficult for landing fish. There is not enough room to fight them. I jumped another 15 before lunch, without landing one. I did catch my first snook today. They are fun to catch, but are not a tarpon. The highlight of my day came this afternoon. We found a boca with a hard bottom surrounding it. Sensing the uniqueness of the opportunity, I jumped into the water. Three or four strips into the first cast my line stopped as a tarpon went cartwheeling through the air. I brought that fish and another to hand. Before venturing to the next spot I jumped another 9 tarpon!

This place never quits.

Damien

San Felipe - Day One - Tarpon fishing

March 17th, 2007 – San Felipe, Mexico – Day One.

I woke this morning to winds gusting over 15mph. To make conditions worse, the front was coming from the south. Winds from the north, or the west are not a big deal. When the winds are from the south, they blow straight into the flats we want to fish. My guide commented on the wind, finishing forecast with “today will be difficult”. As we left hotel San Felipe, a.k.a. Tarpon Cay Lodge, I couldn’t help but feel less optimistic about my chances at casting to tarpon than the night before while listening to Marco, my guide, tell me stories of casting to rolling tarpon at 9, 11, 12, and 2’o’clock. “You have to see,” he kept saying.

When the motor on the panga stopped a quick 20 minutes from the hotel I stood on the bow of the boat and stretched out some fly line. We poled slowly toward a “boca” with out any words between us. I was anxious, “come on tarpon, roll”, I thought to myself. After a few dozen casts without success we poled to next boca.

Once we turned the corner around the mangrove into the next bay, I saw them. “Sabalito” Marco said. As we got closer my adrenalin surged. For a moment my cast feel apart, due to the excess energy in my veins. Marco chuckled and instructed me to relax, “its just tarpon”. Just Tarpon? No. There are many tarpon. A fish broke the surface with in range of my cast. Two false casts and my fly was in the center of the disappearing ring. Strip, strip, strip and the line tighten in a familiar ferociousness. I drove the hook in deep with more strips on the line. On the third strip the sliver prince was airborne, violently shacking his head, trying to free the hook in his jaw. The fish tried again and again to free itself, jumping and racing to the security of the mangroves. It took every inch of my 8 weight BIIX to bring the kinglet of the mangroves to the boat. When Marco placed the shining fish in my hands and my anxiety blew away with the wind.

The rest of the day was like a dream. Marco showed me more fish than I could have ever imagined. At every boca, and deep within the mangroves I cast to pods of 20 or more fish, jumping way more than I would land. By 10 am, I had already lost count of how many tarpon I had seen, jumped, and landed.

I never want to leave this place.

Damien Nurre

Fish Eye Soup

For the latest fishing reports from around the globe visit Fisheyesoup.com. If you are wondering how the fishing is on the Madison river in Montana, or if the marlin bite in Baja is on, check out this site. You will also find great information about many other topics important to fisherman.