Short Attention Span 5

I just read something on the interwebs about the ever-shortening attention span of online users and how they/we need to have our information in less than 2.5 seconds or we're click, click, clicking away to the next mountain of media. I hate to admit it but my daily life is no different and it's getting worse all the time with Facebook, Twitter, and Outdoor Line Videos that keep my already short attention span hovering around 1 second, or basically as fast as my bloodshot eyes can move. The only thing that seems to work and seems to ground me, is fishing and hunting. Outside of that any semblance of focus is simply gone!

Sooooo, in keeping with the times here are some pics, videos, and thoughts from this past week that will definitely not help your attention span in any way.

The westside rivers have had glimpses of glory after every shot of rain for the past several weeks and we're not talking salmon here. Summer run steelhead aren't getting much attention this year because there are just soooo many options for salmon. Die-hard steelheaders like myself and a few other buddies have been sneaking around, under the radar, targetting these smoking-hot fish for the last several weeks. I get messages and texts from these junkies that always start with "Duuuude…call me right away," or "3 for 5 in 45 minutes". Eggs, prawns, spinners, and jigs have all taken fish depending on the day and the water conditions. If we get another good shot of rain in the next week or two you can bet I'll be chasing summer runs again on the west side. We haven't even talked about Eastern Washington yet…a HUGE run is making it's way up the Columbia right now. That's a blog in itself.

Long and light leaders with a tiny cluster of Pautzke cured eggs does the trick 

Lead box, Mustad pre-tied leaders, and a small container of eggs.

Fishing junky Scott Sypher with our limits of hot summer steelhead on a rainy September day. 4 for 8 on this particular day.

Scott was kind enough to take dad and I along last week and dad grabbed his first westside summer run on a #5 blue and silver Vibrax first thing in the morning after the fish swung and missed on my spinner. Fun stuff!

The "Roe-Bot" from Over the Edge Tackle. This one caught my eye at Outdoor Emporium and I didn't just buy one, I bought all of them. Just the right size for low and clear water and tipped with a finite piece of cured prawn this is deadly. A 14 pound buck ate this little bugger!

Tuna time! That's right…tuna. We made a 70 mile run offshore in Robbie Tobecks boat on Sunday with Charlie Wray from "Fishful Thinking TV", based near Toronto, and Mustad national sales manager Bob Funk. Tobeck gave them the option of "sure-thing" salmon fishing or a swing-for-the-fence trip offshore and all the guys opted for the we-might-not-catch-anything-but-we'll-go-anyway home run swing. Even the waitress at the diner said, "You boys are going offshore today? There hasn't been tuna in weeks and it's salmon season now!" Tuna-freak Tobeck found the tuna at 1:30 in the afternoon and the bite went OFF, grabbing 11 albacore tuna from 15 to 25 pounds in 45 minutes before making the brutal 3 hour run home in heavy seas. The guy knows tuna! A show in the bag for Charlie Wray and I got to check albie's off the bucket list. Trolling and Butterfly jigs were the only thing working on this particular day!

Charlie Wray from Fishful Thinking TV in Canada. 19 years and running with a television show…that's impressive. 

These chrome missiles can really move!

The Funk-meister with a phat alby!

"Oh, there's some fish on the Deschutes. What time do you want me there?" From the tuna grounds to the Deschutes River in Oregon, again with Bob Funk, Charlie Wray, and long time Salmon Trout Steelhead advertising rep Dave Eng. We spent a great day with guide Jeremy Toman, ending up 7 for 12 with two chrome Chinook and 5 steelhead. Very impressed with Jeremy Toman! From his fishing knowledge to the way he handled our fish…very professional. My only complaint is that he wouldn't let me eat fried chicken on his boat. Too funny…more on that later!

Bob with a chromer Deschutes Chinook. I cast to this fish no less than 40 times before walking away. Bob made one cast…fish on!  

A bonus king that bit my purple Beau Mac jig first thing in the morning. Jeremy hollers "Endsley you gotta cast into the heavy stuff. Listen to your guide. Where's the love man!" I listen, cast into the heavy stuff, and whamo! Steelhead eluded me on this particular day, which just means that I need to go back!

The "Nightmare" jig, aptly named.

This Deschutes River king is headed for the freezer, complete with salmon belly strips (aka BTN)

Videos, videos, videos! The video page on the Outdoor Line website has taken off nicely of late with a great mix of videos on all the channels. Here's a few of my favorites…at least for the next few seconds.

The Most Inspirational Fisherman Ever!

Whatcom County Early Goose

Methow River Steelhead

It took me at least 30 minutes to complete this blog, the longest I've stayed focused in well over two weeks. I have a wedding to attend this weekend that will really test my attention span. Thankfully there will be a bunch of fisherman to talk to!

Rob Endsley