Page 45 - SOUTHERN OREGON MAGAZINE FALL 2019

Q – What does working as a fishing guide entail?
Scott - Each angler visits with a different vision of the perfect trip.
Some want to learn how to fish, some want to get better at it. Others
just want to catch fish whether they learn anything or not. Still others
would be content without any fishing rods in the boat to distract us
from solving the world's problems or identifying birds. It's my job to Every Sense is Delighted
figure that out in short order and do my best to provide it. I have regu-
lar clients who have fished with me for over 20 years and cautioned me
from the very beginning that they have way too much stress each day at
work to get stressed out about whether each cast is perfect. Most of my
clientele come back year after year. It's like a reunion of sorts, and I am
met with a hug rather than a handshake. Guiding is oftentimes simply
being a good friend.

Q - How were you involved in the development of the
steelhead intruder flies?

Scott - The Intruder fly is a big a part of who I am as an angler not only
because I was involved with the development of the fly, but because of
what the fly represents. I have always been fascinated by the predatory
instinct ingrained in steelhead DNA. While guiding at a remote lodge
in Alaska, I met two other guides who shared that same fascination.
Each of us contributed to a fly pattern that mimicked the sea creatures
that make up a steelhead diet. Just about every modern steelhead fly
can be credited to a fly spawned by three steel-headers trapped in that
lodge in Alaska.

Q - You also helped develop the Skagit style of fishing.
What is Skagit style fishing?

Scott - To answer that question, I have to go back to the Intruder fly.
We found out that steelhead will clobber a fly much bigger than a
traditional fly fisher can cast, so the style was developed out of pure
necessity. Skagit style casting is done with a two-handed rod that’s
loaded with line nearly the diameter of your little finger. The fly
line remains anchored to the water and bends the rod with enough
energy to launch a fly the size of a small bird.

Q – Tell me more about opening up the Kamchatka
Peninsula in Russia.

Scott – Other than my children, the Kamchatka was definitely a high-
light of my life. It was the opportunity of a lifetime to pioneer fly fishing
in an undiscovered region. We were fishing in rivers that were totally
untouched by sportfishermen. This was in the mid 1990s, we were
working with the Wild Salmon Center and Moscow University. The Every Bite is Perfection
Kamchatka Steelhead Project did more than just provide guided trips.
We were also gathering samples in the name of science. Steelhead were LUNCH SERVICE 11:30AM - 2:30PM (MON - FRI)
in the Russian Redbook, which is the equivalent of our Endangered DINNER SERVICE 5:00 - 9:00PM (MON - THUR)
Species Act. We had scientists from Moscow University who were at 5:00 - 9:30PM (FRI)
our camp gathering samples. Every fish we caught, we took scale sam-
ples, clipped fins for genetic sampling, measured length and girth and CLOSED SATURDAY & SUNDAY
tagged them. We brought anglers to Russia to become sponsors and
actually fund the research. It was really exciting. 970 N. PHOENIX ROAD, MEDFORD, OR
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