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Haida Gwaii – by Greg Thomas

August 15, 2020 by adminewa Leave a Comment

From good friend and long time Seattle resident Greg Tomas, you can read more of this work on his blog Anglers Tonic. We see summer beginning its annual sunset into fall so naturally out thoughts immediately go to winter steelhead and though this was a great read to cool everyone off a bit here in August. Enjoy…

I first felt a need to step on the Queen Charlotte Islands back in the 1980s when a friend and I steered a 42-foot long wood troller, called the Cape Cross, from the West Wall in Seattle through the inside passage to Petersburg, Alaska.

The trip took five days and went according to plan, except when we sailed into Queen Charlotte Sound, which is a wicked expanse between the north end of British Columbia’s Vancouver Island and the southern tip of the Charlottes. It’s fully exposed to the Pacific Ocean and has, over the centuries, swallowed its share of marine craft. We tried to cross the sound before weather pushed in, but were caught in a gale and spent hours navigating giant waves while stumbling about the cabin, picking up stray gear and hoping that our haste wouldn’t cost us our lives. By the time we cruised into Hecate Strait, which lies on the lee side of the Charlottes and offers protection from the Pacific, I wanted to be put aground on the nearest terra firma, which at that point was Moresby Island, the Charlottes’ second largest and most southerly landmass. However, there was nowhere to land, the coast of the island being composed of jagged rock, nearly impenetrable forest and wicked cliffs. Studying the shore I remember thinking, Well, that’s about as wild as it gets. So we steered on to Alaska.

The next time I heard about the Charlotte’s, which are now officially called Haida Gwaii, representing the desires of native Haida people, I was couch surfing in Seattle, resting at my parents’ house watching way more fishing shows than I should have. In one, some lucky dude had flown to the islands and was catching oversized native steelhead on a fly rod. By that time Pacific Northwest steelhead runs were failing miserably and I’d gone a season without even hooking one. I sneered at the TV host’s I’m here/your not attitude and thought, Hey, gloat now, I’m coming up there to catch your fish.

It took 15 years to follow through on that promise, but in early March 2009 my Pacific Coastal Airlines flight touched down in Masset and I was greeted by Jin Chong, who at that time was running a self-guided steelhead operation out of a lodge called Masset House. This was the deal: Chong, a Malaysian who used to cook at upscale Vancouver hotels, prepared breakfast, a sack lunch, and killer evening appetizers and meals. Between breakfast and dinner I used a shiny-black F-250 Ford pickup truck to cruise around Graham Island and access the Yakoun River at various points. I’d leave before light, drive for an hour and a half, hike through the forest and throw for steelhead all day. Then I returned to Masset House for a couple ice-cold Canadians, a dip in the hot-tub, and a feast on whatever Chong prepared as our meal, usually local fare, including razor clam chowder, grilled weathervane scallop, even octopus or Dungeness crab salad.

The arrangement was great, but skulking around the coastal forest alone while accessing a river that is only visible from the road in two places, scaling downed trees that match the dimensions of a 747 fuselage, sliding down steep banks and weaving around cliffs, all snow and ice covered, made me nervous. I kept thinking, If I snap a leg out here, who’s going to find me? And I feared an encounter with resident black bears, some of the largest in the world, which don’t necessarily hibernate and might be seen any day of the year.

The northern forests, ranging from western Washington north through southeast Alaska, capture my imagination—so inviting, peaceful and cathedral like on one hand, entirely mysterious and menacing on another. I don’t believe in Yeti, I don’t subscribe to alien-abduction theories, and I probably don’t believe in Kustikaw, a devilish little cantankerous creature that starred in a sweet little book about southeast Alaska called The Strangest Story Ever Told. But, I still entertain hope that somewhere in the temperate rainforest, under 200 foot high spruce, hidden by impenetrable underbrush, and fueled by any magic that is left in this world, Sasquatch may exist. And, if that beast is real, it’s likely stalking around Haida Gwaii, just out of sight of anglers, puzzling over why those those strange humans expend so much energy to catch a fish that they simply release.

I ask the same question when steelhead are scarce, when throwing so many casts without a grab that I wonder if there aren’t other endeavors in this world that make more sense. But challenge and reward, patience and suffering, have a lot to do with what makes steelhead such a worthy pursuit and the capture of one much more memorable than, say, landing a 12-inch hatchery rainbow trout straight out of a stock truck. Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long while fishing Haida Gwaii to capture that satisfying feeling.

Steelhead begin their spawning run in early November and continue to push into the Yakoun, and many other smaller streams, through mid-March. Steelhead populations on Haida Gwaii aren’t remarkable. Some have declined for years. Others, however, are stable and offer some of the best fishing in the Northwest for impressive 10-to 20-pound specimens. Even 30-pounders are possible.

The first fish I hooked on the Yakoun, five or six hours into my first day, was a silvery hen that stretched well past 30 inches and probably weighed 15 pounds; I’ll never know for sure, however, because it swam away with an orange and white marabou fly in its mouth. I cursed its early departure—my fault for wanting it too badly and trying to beach it before she was ready. But, my confidence soared, knowing that fresh fish were about and that I had four more days to throw at them.

On the third day, I was fishing a now familiar run where I’d hooked a steelhead on the first day. By this time I knew the current, the drift, the angles of submerged rocks and logs, and I swung my flies within inches of those obstructions, hoping to tempt another steelhead into a take. I’d been there for an hour when I heard a strange noise, a low growl. It was unlike any sound I’d ever heard in the forest, irritated, threatening, dangerous. At first I didn’t believe what I was hearing. But my ears weren’t lying. I yelled, “Get out of here.” And another growl came from the forest, just across the stream on the far bank. I grabbed some pepper spray, peered into the forest, and held my ground. But I never saw the source of that sound. Could it have been Squatch? A black bear? Something else? Who knew. Later, I checked the area for tracks and couldn’t find anything more substantial than squirrel prints. It was as if an animal had dropped from the sky and retreated the same way.

Magic. The locals believe in it and there’s tangible reason for them to do so. For instance, the town of Port Clements, near the mouth of the Yakoun, harbored an incredibly rare resident white raven that entertained locals and passerby’s until 1995 when it winged into a power-line and was electrocuted. Stranger yet was a 165-foot tall Sitka spruce tree that grew brilliant golden needles, instead of the standard issue green. The Haida people wove the tree into their mythology. Biologists described the spruce as built by magic. For the rest of us, standing in front of the golden spruce let us believe that anything is possible.

Then, in 1997 an eco-terrorist named Grant Hadwin decided that the best way to draw attention to British Columbia’s consumptive forestry practice was to saw down the miracle tree. He travelled to Haida Gwaii in the middle of winter, crawled into a wetsuit, strapped a chainsaw to his back, and swam down the Yakoun. He placed other gear—wedges, gas, files, etc—in inflated plastic bags and floated those to the golden spruce. During the night he sawed irreparable, lethal cuts into the tree, then wedged those slashes so that the golden spruce would fall across the river, instead of into the forest, where it would be easily seen and his protest announced. During the next windstorm the tree fell and all hell broke loose. By that time Hadwin had contacted the authorities and media and was validating his act. He was arrested and a court date was set. Threats to his life were common. Despite those threats, he promised attendance in court. To reach Masset from the mainland, however, he set sail in a sea kayak from Prince Rupert and tried to paddle across Hecate Strait. He hasn’t been seen again. Wreckage of what is believed to be his kayak was found farther north in southeast Alaska. Many believe he survived and is now living in Russia. Others say someone killed him on the way to Masset. Either scenario seems plausible.

Hadwin isn’t the only interesting criminal to have set up camp on the islands. Another, Stephen Reid, was part of the Stopwatch Gang, a group of men who robbed 100 North American banks in the 1970s and 1980s, including a score of six gold bars, worth $700,000, from the Ottawa airport in 1974. He and his partners achieved folklore status for their considerate treatment of civilians, but the authorities weren’t amused and sentenced him to 14 years in prison, where he penned the fascinating book, Jackrabbit Parole. That caught the eye of the rebellious Canadian poet Susan Musgrave and the two later married in a penitentiary, surrounded by razor wire. After Reid was paroled, he and Musgrave spent much of their time on Haida Gwaii, just a few miles east of Masset, or in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, living in a tree house. Reid was crime-free and family oriented for years, but in 1999, drug-fueled and dressed as a police officer, he strapped a sawed-off shotgun to himself and robbed a branch of Victoria’s Royal Bank. He fled with $92,000, but was taken into custody shortly after and sentenced to 18 years in prison. He was paroled in 2008 and again spends time with Musgrave on Haida Gwaii.

While walking around Masset one day, shooting photos and taking a break from the redundancy of swinging flies for steelhead, I ran into an artist who showed me a necklace. It was a rendition of a traditional Haida fishing hook, with a V-shaped wood structure tipped with a narrow, pointed, sharp piece of bone. One portion of the V was carved out of traditional Sitka spruce. The other piece was carved, he said, from the golden spruce. I continued my trek and saw traditional native coastal art wherever I looked, some in the form of totems, some in jewelry, some in painted murals on the sides of cedar houses, some in traditional canoes, some just carved out of tree stumps. I even saw a custom cut, stainless-steel radiator guard, embellished with a traditional eagle design, on a supped-up Dodge Ram pickup truck. Later, when traveling from Masset to Sandspit to catch an Air Canada flight back to Vancouver, I stopped at the 53,000 square foot Haida Heritage Center, which opened in August 2008. The center consists of five cedar longhouses and a carving shed where local artists craft traditional canoes, totems, canoe paddles, and even bentwood boxes, which are four sided containers crafted from a single piece of cedar that is steamed and bent. Those boxes were used to house treasured gifts and given away at potlatches. Today, those boxes are purchased by collectors and fetch between a couple hundred and a few thousand dollars. I grew up in southeast Alaska and have seen a lot of coastal art, but never the quantity or quality found on Haida Gwaii.

As the week progressed the Yakoun continued to drop and the fish became almost nocturnal, leaving their secure lies only late in the day, as light faded. Each afternoon brought two or three steelhead to the bank and the bonus of a couple sea-run cutthroat trout. Some were chrome bright, others painted reddish/orange by their spawning run and time in freshwater. Each, I considered a treasure, fish of merit based on their beauty and fighting ability, coupled with an element of challenge and reward. You know, it’s not easy casting all day to a fish you can’t see, while standing in nearly freezing water, blowing on your hands to make them function. I fished in solitude, far from any town, by myself, in a wild forest, with the risk of injury riding on each step. At times I fished hard, other times I sat on the bank of the Yakoun and counted my good fortune. I even visited the site of the golden spruce, contemplating Haida Gwaii history, culture, outlaws, and that compelling art. And I thought specifically about Hadwin’s act. The tree was gone, for sure. But the myths survive, along with a strange sensation—hidden by that forest, where you could willingly wander off and disappear, anything still seemed possible.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: Anglers Tonic, ewareports, Greg Thomas, Haida Gwaii, PNW, Seattle Fly Fishing, Seattle Fly Shop, spey casting, steelhead fly fishing, swinging flies

Upcoming Seattle Fly Fishing Events – June

May 31, 2020 by adminewa Leave a Comment

Well, obviously the events list is going to be short but, we do have some exciting things to share with everyone and we hope you are all staying healthy in both body and mind.

First and hopefully most obvious is we established National Women’s Fly Fishing Day on June 27th! As we see what we are able to do in group settings, please stay tuned for some events, possibly virtual ones to celebrate and help encourage women of all ages to get on the water.

In conjunction with this, our good friend Laura Klaren has designed our new women’s logo which we will begin to incorporate into the store, our products and our media.

Secondly and also exciting is we will be returning to our normal business hours on June 1st. M – F is 10-7, Sat is 10-6 and Sun is 11-5. We miss all of you and look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Third, we are able to guide again. Obviously under restriction but as we are coming into summer time, walk and wade guiding allows for easy social distancing and many of our favorite watersheds will be in shape to do so here soon. We will have a smaller staff this year so please call and book trips soon. We are also doing plenty of private and semi private casting instruction and are trying to accommodate as needed so call to set a time.

Fourth, we know the West Seattle bridge is going to be an issue and is obviously inconvenient for many of you to come see us. We are working on a bi-weekly meeting place in SODO where we can bring you product ordered on the phone and answer some questions if need be so stay tuned on that front. We are also happy to ship to you anywhere in the city, just call, order and we will get it out. Lastly on this front, we are also hoping to have a delivery service available outside of USPS or UPS and we will flaunt that when we have it solidified.

Fifth, we became an official Orvis dealer. For those who want to put side by side, those rods the industry reveres from coast to coast, we are the place to do so. H3, Recon and other models will begin to arrive here shortly so stop by and check them out.

October 3, 2020 – We are hoping to have our usual spring event this fall with a dry fly, trout and steelhead spey focus with those reps available on hand and with the ability to try out all the rods we are confident in presenting to you.

Lastly, fishing has been really good out there lately on the Yak and Cedar. Water remains high on everything so check flows before heading out or call us for latest details. Believe it or not, this is the tip of the iceberg, more great news to share shortly so bring on summer, see you all soon!

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: 5050 on the water, Carbon Neutral, Emerald Water Anglers, FFI Certified, fly fishing photography, Offsets, Orvis, Puget sound fly fishing, Sea Run Cutthroat, Seattle Fly Fishing, Seattle fly fishing events, Seattle fly fishing guides, Seattle Fly Shop, washington fly fishing, women's fly fishing, Yakima River

Upcoming Seattle Fly Fishing Events – May

April 29, 2020 by adminewa Leave a Comment

EWA Coffee – Buy it NOW!

Okay then, the list of upcoming Seattle fly fishing events for the coming month can pretty much be summed up in a few words…we can fish again!

While we are all excited at the prospect of getting on the water again for being shut out for the past month or more, we need to be very thoughtful in how we collectively engage. More people out of work, kids out of school, cabin fever and limited options to get out for the next month mean a possibility of congestion at many of our favorite places. Congestion at a level that could easily shut us back down again.

Unfortunately we have had to reschedule all of our wonderful events from casting demos to celebrity engagements and book readings due to the current state of affairs but keep an eye on us as we have some exciting news coming soon. We have been busy behind the scenes and are excited to share some new things from EWA with everyone as well as provide a reschedule for all of our upcoming Seattle fly fishing events.

As of now, we do not see guiding being able to happen for some time yet. That being said, we have already seen a spike in interest so if hoping to get on the calendar with us this summer, please consider getting dates scheduled here soon. We are hoping by early June at the latest we will be able to resume guiding.

We want to wish everyone well, sincerely hope everyone is healthy in body and mind and also profess an enormous THANK YOU to all who have kept us alive these past weeks. To say we appreciate it is an understatement!

Look forward to seeing and talking with you all here very soon!

Women’s Intro to Fly Casting – 5 students per teacher
June 7
June 21
July 12
July 26
August 9
August 23

Women Intro to Fly Fishing Schools – 3 students per teacher
June 6
June 20

EWA Youth Fly Fishing Camp – 8 Youth Max – 8am – 5pm – $650
August 10 – 14

Finally, we are putting together a camp experience for mid teen youth to experience how we view the sport through the lens of education, stewardship and conservation while exploring and enjoying our outdoor world.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events

Upcoming Fly Fishing Events – March 2020

March 3, 2020 by adminewa Leave a Comment

Wow, spring is coming at us so fast, not even funny. Soon these snouts will be more prevalent on the Yakima as BWO’s/Baetis/Blue Winged Olives and other spring hatches begin to emerge. Steelhead season is in full swing on the OP until the end of the month and Chum Fry are beginning to show their tiny little silhouettes along the beaches of Puget Sound. All in all, it is a fine time to be picking up a fly rod in our beautiful corner of the world.

Upcoming Intro to Fly Fishing Schools – Coed – 3 students per teacher. We cover essential knots, fly selection based on entomology, casting skills, reading water, approach and line management. Equipment happily provided.
April 18
May 23
June 20

Women Intro to Fly Fishing Schools – 3 students per teacher
March 21
April 11
April 25
May 9
May 16
June 6
June 20

Women’s Intro to Fly Casting – 5 students per teacher
March 6
March 7
April 5
April 19
May 3
May 17
May 31
June 7
June 21
July 12
July 26
August 9
August 23

Montana Fly Fishing Film Festival – Admiral Theater – 7pm
March 20

Come see some regionally focused fly fishing films to help kick off the spring season. Always a fun evening.

Art on the Water – Mercer Island Community Center – 7pm – 9pm – $25
March 27

A spectacular event joining all th elements we love…fly fishing, water and art. Join our very good friends and fellow Patagonia Ambassadors Dylan Tomine and Riverhorse Nakadate and former editor of The Flyfish Journal Steve Duda for a reading and fundraiser for The Red Badge Project supporting veterans.

POSTPONED – Movie Night @ EWA – Tomorrow’s Fish – Hosted by AFFTA 7pm – 9pm
April 1

Come join us for a private screening of Tomorrow’s Fish, a great new film on fly fishing off the coast of New York City.

POSTPONED – FFI Casting and Education Fair – 9am – 5pm – Mercer Island
May 2

Dave McCoy will be teaching an introduction to fly casting class at this event and there will be plenty of other instructors working on everything from beginning to advanced techniques.

EWA Fly Fest – 9am – 3pm @ Seattle Community College
May 9
Our annual event to try all the latest fly rods and lines, get personal instruction, attend seminars, ask questions and meet other local anglers. Patagonia, Thomas and Thomas, Scott, Sage, Redington, Echo, Winston, Gloomis, Hardy, Scientific Anglers, Airflo, Rio and Bridge Fly Fishing will all be on hand.

EWA Youth Fly Fishing Camp – 8 Youth Max – 8am – 5pm – $650
August 10 – 14

Finally, we are putting together a camp experience for mid teen youth to experience how we view the sport through the lens of education, stewardship and conservation while exploring and enjoying our outdoor world.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: Emerald Water Anglers, fly casting classes, fly fishing events, Hoh River, Olympic Peninsula, Patagonia Waders, Puget sound fly fishing, Seattle Fly Fishing, Sol Duc River, spey casting, steelhead fly fishing, washington fly fishing, women's fly fishing, Yakima River

Upcoming Fly Fishing Events – February 2020

February 1, 2020 by adminewa Leave a Comment

Sauk Magic steelhead fly by Nathan Keen.

Bienvenidos, willkomen, benvenuta, ようこそ and welcome…to winter steelhead season! We are writing this as nearly every river on the coastal side of the mountains is at or near flood stage, a momentary refuge for our andadromous friends making their way into the local rivers!

We just finished up our 4th annual EWA Spey Day and the buzz coming out of that was incredible. Maybe one of the biggest highlights was the time spent throwing the new long belly lines from Bridge Fly Fishing and having Tim Arsenault on hand to help take away some of the anxiety. Seems like another life when we were using rods longer than 13 feet and heads were longer than 25ft. With some Canadian encouragement, we watched as many got after the 60+ foot heads, we all felt like little kids again. Fabulous to see that level of enthusiasm on the water. Thank you to everyone who came out, sales reps, FFI instructors, friends and new spey casters, it was a blast.

Some great events still to come with us here at EWA and our surrounding area and we hope to see you at one or all of them, scroll on down and have a terrific February!

Upcoming Intro to Fly Fishing Schools – Coed – 3 students per teacher. We cover essential knots, fly selection based on entomology, casting skills, reading water, approach and line management. Equipment happily provided.
April 18
May 23
June 20

Women Intro to Fly Fishing Schools – 3 students per teacher
March 21
April 11
April 25
May 9
May 16
June 6
June 20

Women’s Intro to Fly Casting – 5 students per teacher
March 6
March 7
April 5
April 19
May 3
May 17
May 31
June 7
June 21
July 12
July 26
August 9
August 23

Tie One On – Coed Fly Tying
February 6 – Nathan Keen and Bill Marts – Steelhead and Salt
February 20 – Saltwater
March 3 – Tying Party!

The Fly Fishing Show – Lynnwood
February 15 – 16
EWA will not be in attendance with a booth this year but two of our Women’s Program leaders Jenn Fluke and Bethany will be at the Women’s Meet and Greet. But if you find something you really NEED, come on in and let us know and we will get it in your hands.

TreFin Seafood’s Tuna Pick Up – 3pm – 7pm
March 1
Come by the store and get the skinny on fishing for Albacore off the Washington and Oregon coast and pick up fresh tuna from the guys who line caught it and processed it in Ilwaco. Pre Order and Pick Up HERE

Montana Fly Fishing Film Festival – Admiral Theater – 7pm
March 20

Come see some regionally focused fly fishing films to help kick off the spring season. Always a fun evening.

Art on the Water – Mercer Island Community Center – 7pm – 9pm – $25
March 27

A spectacular event joining all th elements we love…fly fishing, water and art. Join our very good friends and fellow Patagonia Ambassadors Dylan Tomine and Riverhorse Nakadate and former editor of The Flyfish Journal Steve Duda for a reading and fundraiser for The Red Badge Project supporting veterans.

Movie Night @ EWA – Tomorrow’s Fish – Hosted by AFFTA 7pm – 9pm
April 1

Come join us for a private screening of Tomorrow’s Fish, a great new film on fly fishing off the coast of New York City.

FFI Casting and Education Fair – 9am – 5pm – Mercer Island
May 2

Dave McCoy will be teaching an introduction to fly casting class at this event and there will be plenty of other instructors working on everything from beginning to advanced techniques.

EWA Fly Fest – 9am – 3pm @ Seattle Community College
May 9
Our annual event to try all the latest fly rods and lines, get personal instruction, attend seminars, ask questions and meet other local anglers. Patagonia, Thomas and Thomas, Scott, Sage, Redington, Echo, Winston, Gloomis, Hardy, Scientific Anglers, Airflo, Rio and Bridge Fly Fishing will all be on hand.

EWA Youth Fly Fishing Camp – 8 Youth Max – 8am – 5pm – $650
August 10 – 14

Finally, we are putting together a camp experience for mid teen youth to experience how we view the sport through the lens of education, stewardship and conservation while exploring and enjoying our outdoor world.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: 5050 on the water, AFFTA, casting instruction, Emerald Water Anglers, FFI, fly fishing events, Fly Fishing Seattle, fly tying, Meet and Greet, Olympic Peninsula, Pacific Albacore, spey casting, steelhead, swinging flies, Trefin Tuna, washington fly fishing, Wild Steelhead, women's fly fishing

Upcoming Events – Nov. & Dec.

November 20, 2019 by adminewa Leave a Comment

Well, we apologize for not getting this up sooner, things have just been a bit crazy around these parts lately. Good news is, they are finally here, our fly fishing events for the next 6 weeks and beyond. Fly tying, customer appreciation, spey and single hand casting classes mixed with the Holidays…yep it is going to be a busy season so grab a beverage, sit down and peruse the schedule, it may take awhile!

Currently, we are booking Puget Sound trips (has been fishing very well lately) and steelhead in all forms for the remainder of the year and the winter/spring season. We will book solid this year so if you know you want to dance on the water with us, let’s get you scheduled soon!

Look for more fly fishing events to be added here soon, what is new with EWA as a company. Follow us here:

Instagram @ewaflyshop_seattle and @emeraldwateranglerswa
Facebook for Store and Travel
Facebook for Women’s Group News and Events

Fly Tying – Women’s Bug’s n Brew’s and our coed Tie One On. Click links with each event to register:

Bug’s n Brew’s – Women’s Only $25 per class per person
December 3rd: Marbou Popsicle (Intermediate)
December 17th: Skagit Mist (Advanced)
January 7th: Skwala Stones
January 21st: Blue Wing Olives

Tie One On – Coed $25 per class per person

November 29, 2019 – Black Friday
November 30, 2019 – Shop Small Saturday

We will be open normal hours those days and the store is currently STUFFED and ready for you to come pick up gifts early if that is your thing!

December 5, 2019 – Customer Appreciation Night 5pm – 9pm
Come hang out, enjoy live music from Ryan Barber, register for gifts you really want so friends and loved ones from near and far can get you exactly what you are looking for this year.

Patagonia will be in the house with the new Swiftcurrent waders to try on and size perfectly so you can take advantage of a pre order opportunity that evening to get just the right size. These are the first ever wader with a 100% recycled outer fabric so come check them out. Of course refreshments provide and this is dog and kid friendly!

December 10, 2019 – Wild Steelhead Coalition Reception – $TBD
Come join and meet the people working hard for our wild steelhead. More information coming very soon.

On River Spey School – $225 per person – Learn from our well versed professional staff of guides/instructors the fine craft of spey casting and swinging for steelhead! This is a full day, on the river school covering casting from both banks, head variations and coinciding tips, reading and cover water. 3 anglers max per school, call to reserve, equipment can be provided.
December 1, 2019 – 1 spot remaining
December 13, 2019 – 3 spots remaining
January 10, 2020 – 3 spots remaining

December 25 & 26, 2019 – Store Closed
We may have some staff available to guide on the 26th but please provide as much notice as possible and have a wonderful Holiday Season.

January 9, 2020 – Coastal Cutthroat Coalition Event –$35
Annual fundraiser for this organization doing good work for our local wild sea run cutthroat both in the salt and fresh water. Will be at Hula Hula again, please bring your liver.

January 29 – 30, 2020 — F3T West Seattle — Admiral Theater — $16
This is the season opener to get hyped about this sport and all it encompasses. Filmmakers travel to all corners of the globe to pursue exotic fish like GT’s, Arapaima, Payara, Taimen and even Rainbow Trout! Always a great time tickets available online or at the store. Tickets available soon!

January 25, 2020 — EWA Spey Day — Snoqualmie River under Fall City Bridge — 9am – 3pm — FREE
The premier spey event in western WA, come cast the latest and greatest in two handed rods and lines with our staff, sales reps and special guests. This is the perfect opportunity to hone your skills, get some one on one instruction or figure out the optimal match of line and rod for the winter season.

February 15 & 16, 2020 — The Fly Fishing Show — Lynnwood — $16
We will be attending the show again this year. Great opportunity to hear Dave McCoy talk on Puget Sound and fly fishing around Washington. See his all new photos and insights on how, when, where and with what on some of our most dynamic fisheries. We will not be attending this year…sorry!

May 9, 2020 — EWA Fly Fest — @ Location TBD – 9am – 3pm — FREE
Our annual kick off of summer event will be better than ever with more classes including spey casting, more guest speakers and more reps from the industry and of course the guide cook off.


Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: casting classes, casting instruction, Emerald Water Anglers, ewareports, F3T, fly fishing film tour, fly fishing guide, fly fishing reports, Fly Fishing Show, fly tying classes, Patagonia Waders, Puget Sound, Sea Run Cutthroat, Seattle, Seattle Fly Fishing, spey casting, SRC, steelhead, washington fly fishing, women's fly fishing

Upcoming Events – October

October 1, 2019 by adminewa Leave a Comment

Fall is officially on our plate and so are exciting events, the impending holiday season, winter steelhead and some of the finest fall fly fishing opportunities WA has to offer. Klickitat, Yakima and the Sound are all on fire and we offer professional experiences to all three so book today and we look forward to seeing you at one or all of the events below.

Bug’s + Brew’s — Women’s Fly Tying Sessions — $25 Each — Follow our women’s Instagram page @ewa_women for updates on other upcoming events.

November 12th: Reverse Spider
December 3rd: Marbou Popsicle (Intermediate)
December 17th: Skagit Mist (Advanced)
January 7th: Skwala Stones
January 21st: Blue Wing Olives

October 22, 2019 — Destination Spotlight — Africa — @ EWA Fly Shop — 7pm — FREE
Our very good friends Rob Scott and Keith Clover from Tourette/African Waters will be in town to present and answer questions about all things fly fishing in Africa. This includes Sudan for GT’s, Tanzania for Tigerfish, Gabon for giant Tarpon and Cameroon for huge Nile Perch. Please join us for an exceptionally informative and entertaining evening!

October 24, 2019 — Get to Know Your NGO — @ EWA Fly Shop — 7pm – FREE
There is a lot going on in our region for the sake of fish, water, land and how they are managed. Come meet each of the NGO’s we work closely with and gain a better idea of who represents what is most important to you and your values. Excited to have TU, Wild Steelhead Coalition, Long Live the Kings, Native Fish Society and Puget SoundKeeper Alliance

Spey School – Learn from our well versed professional staff of guides/instructors the fine craft of spey casting and swinging for steelhead as this is ALL we do! 3 anglers max per school, call to reserve!

Nov. 11, 2019
Dec. 12, 2019
Jan. 17, 2020

Intro to Fly Tying

Nov. 19, 2019

January 24, 2020 — F3T West Seattle — Admiral Theater — $16
This is the season opener to get hyped about this sport and all it encompasses. Filmmakers travel to all corners of the globe to pursue exotic fish like GT’s, Arapaima, Payara, Taimen and even Rainbow Trout! Always a great time tickets available online or at the store.

February 2, 2020 — EWA Spey Day — Snoqualmie River under Fall City Bridge — 9am – 3pm — FREE
The premier spey event in western WA, come cast the latest and greatest in two handed rods and lines with our staff, sales reps and special guests. This is the perfect opportunity to hone your skills, get some one on one instruction or figure out the optimal match of line and rod for the winter season.

February 15 & 16, 2020 — The Fly Fishing Show — Lynwood — $16
We will be attending the show again this year. Great opportunity to hear Dave McCoy talk on Puget Sound and fly fishing around Washington. See his all new photos and insights on how, when, where and with what on some of our most dynamic fisheries.

May 30, 2020 — EWA Fly Fest — @ Location TBD – 9am – 3pm — FREE
Our annual kick off of summer event will be better than ever with more classes including spey casting, more guest speakers and more reps from the industry and of course the guide cook off.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: Africa, African Waters, fly casting instruction, fly fishing events, fly fishing guides, fly fishing schools, Fly Fishing Seattle, fly fishing travel, Klickitat River, Puget sound fly fishing, Sea Run Cutthroat, Seattle Fly Shop, spey casting, steelhead fishing, Tacoma, Tourette Fishing, Women's casting, women's fly fishing, Yakima River

Why Fly Fishing by Claire Topalian

August 22, 2019 by adminewa Leave a Comment

Having only a romantic notion of “FLY-FISHING” running through my imagination, I am bent on learning the sport. If I can admit to one thing up front it is this: when I am bent on something, the borderline aggressive determination (also read: stubbornness) that tends to surface is something you’d not want to meet head-on as an opponent.

For a number of reasons, fly-fishing has captivated me, despite the fact that I am a complete outsider – or perhaps partly because of this reason. The more deep-seeded reasoning may come from cultural exposure: I’ve always loved A River Runs through Itand was enthralled by The River Why.

The more immediate impetus might stem from the fact that I injured my ankle a little over a month ago, and being a naturally restless person, I needed an outlet that didn’t require too much consistent strain on my right foot. I suspect that the reasons behind this motivation will continue to unfold as my project progresses. Perhaps what draws me in most from a philosophical standpoint, though, is the drought that I perceive upon examining my own life. This is a drought in terms of nature, prayer, and patience.

Tackling a project like this is a response to this lack and a personal challenge that I hope becomes a life-long journey.So, as with any new endeavor that I develop a curiosity around, I’ll begin with books and questions.  Simple Fly Fishing by Yvon Chouinard, The Curtis Creek Manifesto, The Fly Fishing Handbook from L.L. Bean… What are the types of flies used? How will I know which to use? What knots do I need to learn, and when do I use certain knots? What is a tippet? (Truly, I am starting from scratch.) From there, I put my research to use ‘in the field’; that is, out on the lawns near my apartment, where I can practice casting (much to the confusion of my neighbors, especially those in my age group). Eventually, there’s only so much I can read, and only so many times I can cast a line towards Lake Washington before I need to stand in a river – if only to get a change of scenery and avoid losing heart.  

This is a project with purpose, so I will be writing about the process: each outing, class, and development as well as every reflection on the sport itself, my progress, and my setbacks. I also hope to gain a deeper understanding of why others fly fish, and plan to write about that consistently. I want to entertain what draws people to this sport. Why is it that when I meet someone who identifies as a fisherman, their passion seems to emanate the moment the topic arises? Why do humans love fly-fishing?

I suspect that the more meaningful answers to these questions will be drawn out over time, but I can postulate around a few angles. Recently, I came across an article by James Prosek in the New York Times. It is beautifully written and touches on the appeal that fly-fishing has as a part of our evolutionary journey. He writes, “To me, trout fishing, in particular fly-fishing, is many things, but above all, it is a conversation, a communication — with a creature to which we are connected by common ancestry not so very long ago (420 million years, give or take). The rod, the line and the hook are the tools of this communication, but the fly or lure is the ultimate translator between languages, between our world of names, structures, systems and hierarchies and theirs of instinct, impulse and experience. Trout fishing connects us not only to our ancestral past, but to our legacy as hunter-gatherers, to a time when we needed to catch and kill in order to survive.”

This resonated with me: I find that the standard rhythm of “city life”; the 9-5 churn, is just that … a churn that threatens to chip away at our adrenaline-based resources and moments, gradually pushing us away from those experiences and depleting our childlike fuel tanks, our imagination and our flexibility to “get away” – even for a day. I’m not someone who is opposed to professionalism or the business world; there are plenty of elements within that space that appeal to me, but not at the cost of those experiences that bring us closer to our “ancient selves.” These are the experiences that seem to fade out of view more and more as society complicates itself. Worse, the more removed from our ancient selves we become, the more money we spend trying to obtain it again – whether that is channeled by paying a hefty sum to a guide group to summit Mt. Rainier, or an up-front investment in a new “extreme sport” that quickly becomes an all-in-one Craigslist sale.

As a young woman, I am simply striving to participate in the modern society around me on a professional level (also read: earn enough money and professional stature to maintain some influence and connection point to projects in my community) without sacrificing a sense of adventure, albeit menial at this point. Fly-fishing may be one of those outlets through which we re-connect with nature and our ancient selves on some level…an invitation to disengage with technology and other modern complications and re-engage with patience, water, and humility.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: beginner fly angler, Claire Topalian, fly fishing writing, Seattle, Washington, women fly fishing

Upcoming Events – August

July 29, 2019 by adminewa Leave a Comment

October 24, 2019 — Get to Know Your NGO — @ EWA Fly Shop — 7pm – FREE
There is a lot going on in our region for the sake of fish, water, land and how they are managed. Come meet each of the NGO’s we work closely with and gain a better idea of who represents what is most important to you and your values. Excited to have TU, Wild Steelhead Coalition, Long Live the Kings, Native Fish Society and Puget SoundKeeper Alliance

Spey School – Learn from our well versed professional staff of guides/instructors the fine craft of spey casting and swinging for steelhead as this is ALL we do! 3 anglers max per school, call to reserve!

Nov. 11, 2019
Dec. 12, 2019
Jan. 17, 2020

Intro to Fly Tying

Nov. 19, 2019

January 11, 2020 — EWA Spey Day — Snoqualmie River under Fall City Bridge — 9am – 3pm — FREE
The premier spey event in western WA, come cast the latest and greatest in two handed rods and lines with our staff, sales reps and special guests. This is the perfect opportunity to hone your skills, get some one on one instruction or figure out the optimal match of line and rod for the winter season.

January 24, 2020 — F3T West Seattle — Admiral Theater — $16
This is the season opener to get hyped about this sport and all it encompasses. Filmmakers travel to all corners of the globe to pursue exotic fish like GT’s, Arapaima, Payara, Taimen and even Rainbow Trout! Always a great time tickets available online or at the store.

February 15 & 16, 2020 — The Fly Fishing Show — Lynwood — $16
We will be attending the show again this year. Great opportunity to hear Dave McCoy talk on Puget Sound and fly fishing around Washington. See his all new photos and insights on how, when, where and with what on some of our most dynamic fisheries.

May 30, 2020 — EWA Fly Fest — @ Location TBD – 9am – 3pm — FREE
Our annual kick off of summer event will be better than ever with more classes including spey casting, more guest speakers and more reps from the industry and of course the guide cook off.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: Emerald Water Anglers, flyfishing, Intro to Fly Tying, Seattle fly fishing events, spey casting, Spey School, Washington

Upcoming Events – June

June 5, 2019 by adminewa Leave a Comment


June 1, 2019 — EWA Fly Fest and Guide Cook-Off — Me-Kwa-Mooks Park– FREE
Our 5th year of this event and we are already excited for it.  So many cool new products, new staff and new techniques to show and share with all of you.  Event is from 9am – 3pm with the cook-off happening at 12:30.  Class schedule will be posted about a month in advance. 

June 1, 2019 — Summer Steelhead Fly Tying Demo w/Katy Watson — @ EWA Store @6pm — FREE
Come watch as British Columbia steelhead guide and Spey – O – Rama contestant Katy meets and greets, answers questions and shows how to tie some of her favorite low water patterns for BC steelhead.

Intro to Fly Casting — Lincoln Park, north parking lot next to baseball field — $25 — Equipment Provided

Wednesday, June 5, 6:30PM sign up here
Wednesday, June 12, 6:30PM sign up here
Saturday, June 15, 9AM sign up here
Saturday, June 22, 9AM sign up here
Wednesday, July 10, 6:30PM sign up here

June/July/August — Photographer Series — @ EWA Store @7pm — FREE
Come learn from some of our leading industry photographers on how to better compose images, tell stories and be better with your DSLR camera or smart phone. Here is who is on deck so far…

June 20 — – Matt DeLorme, Telling a Store in 10 Images @ 7pm at EWA Store – FREE
July 20 — – Dave McCoy, Underwater Imagery @ 7pm at EWA Store – FREE
July 25 — – Colton Jacobs, iPhone Composition @ 7pm at EWA Store FREE
August 1 – Earl Harper, Portraits in the Field @ 7pm at EWA Store – FREE

July TBD — Get to Know Your NGO — @ EWA Store @7pm — FREE
A full room of our favorite non profits from around this region doing great work for our land, water and fish. Date coming soon..

May 30, 2020 — EWA Fly Fest — @ Location TBD – 9am – 3pm — FREE
Our annual kick off of summer event will be better than ever with more classes including spey casting, more guest speakers and more reps from the industry and of course the guide cook off.

Filed Under: Emerald Water Anglers, Events Tagged With: Emerald Water Anglers, fly casting classes, fly fishing events, fly fishing reports, fly fishing schools, June, Photographer Series, Puget Sound, Rainbow Trout, Sea Run Cutthroat, Seattle, Seattle Fly Fishing, Seattle Fly Shop, summer fly fishing, summer steelhead, Yakima River

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