This past weekend was my first fly fishing competition. I’m going to go over the prep work I did for this comp, gear I brought, gear I wish I had brought, how fishing went, my mind set, and the results of the comp. I’m hoping this is the first of […]
Garrett Lesko
15 posts
As a competent euro nympher you need to adapt to different waters. This means when you encounter deep runs, fast water, and steep rivers, like the West Coast and Rocky Mountain states offer, you need to have the right flies for the situation. For me it is having a diverse […]
I was on the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. On the show I talked with Christian, the host, about the the backstage experience I’ve had over the years in the fly tying industry. I also get into tying with deer hair and how that applies to so mush more in fly tying […]
The Clouser Minnow was a gateway fly for me. When I was just starting my fly fishing and tying journey way back in the day of 2009, this was one of the first flies that I tied to terrorize the local smallmouth. The fly was simple and quick to tie […]
Sea run cutthroat are one of my favorite fish to go after. Everything about them feels so romantic and quintessential Oregon/ PNW. The time of year, the weather, the waters in which they swim; all make me feel like I am going back in time to an era that all […]
One of my favorite things about the Pacific Northwest is the diversity of fish you can go after. Every day of the year you can go after some kind of fish on the fly rod no matter the condition, and you can have success going after them. This brings me […]
I was recently on the Wet Fly Swing Podcast hosted by Dave Stewart. On the show we talked fly tying for euro nymphs and some of my recent fishing. This show was recorded back in May before the heat wave this year and before I switched over to lakes, salt, […]
As the industry changes it looks like the trend for bigger and more audacious flies is sticking around. I’m definitely part of the movement to go big with the flies. Tying and fishing deer hair flies and poppers on 4/0+ hooks isn’t your typical fly. Fish eat them and especially […]
Materials Necessary: Deer Belly Hair (High Quality) Tailing material Saltwater Neck Hackle Variant Hackle Marabou Rabbit Strip Round Rubber Legs Eyes Deer Creek Eyes Fish Skull Eyes Dome Eyes Large Hook Ahrex TP650 Sizes: 4/0-2 Ahrex PR330 Sizes: 4/0-1/0 Gamakatsu B10s Sizes 2/0-2 GSP Thread (200 Denier) White Black 210 […]
Pre-spawn time is the one of the best times of the year to catch massive smallmouths. Anglers that go after record fish, fish the pre-spawn. This is when the fish are moving out of cooler deep water to stage for the spawn and are ready to feed to have enough […]
I need a wading jacket The Middle Fork of the Willamette is one of the most under fished trout fisheries in the Willamette Valley if you asked me. There are others, but this is up there. I never make any sense to me. It’s not far from population centers like […]
Editor’s Note: The 2020 Expo did not happen due to COVID-19 Every year I write about the NW Expo held in Albany Oregon and why you and the reader of these articles should attend the show. The show is an awesome showcase of local and national tyers. There are […]
I recently did some experimenting with clear coating on foam popper heads. I’ve wanted to find a better way to coat and protect my popper heads than what I was doing before. Like those who tie flies for big predatory fish like bass, pike, muskie, dorado, peacocks, etc. you want […]
Recently I went out to go after pacific rockfish on the fly off a jetty here in Oregon. It was a blast. From the process I learned some good information about fly construction and design. By no means am I an expert on catching these fish, but I have tied […]
I’ve written these posts almost every year for the last five or six years. I love the Northwest Fly Tying Expo and if you haven’t gone or haven’t gone in a while then you need to go and here’s why. Tyers The list of tyers is very impressive and as […]