Chester Allen's Watery Planet

Shot of leopard-spotted cutthroat trout wins photo contest, massive Westslope cutthroat trout brings home the red thread

Well, after some delay -- yeah, I was fishing -- here are the winners of the Fish-Only Photo Contest:

Jason Wells wins one dozen Dechutes River trout flies for this amazing shot of a leopard-spotted cutthroat in a Clackamas River tributary stream.

Nice, nice shot! It looks like the fish is floating on air, and check out those spots -- especially on the tail -- and the white-tipped fins of a wild trout.  Jason, send your address to dryflyguy2001@yahoo.com so I can get those flies into your hands!

Here's the second-place winner:

John from Portland will get six Deschutes River flies for this shot. I really liked that the fish wasn't huge, but it was beautiful. I have a soft spot for small, colorful wild trout, as I do catch a few of them myself. This fish is from Oregon's Deschutes River, and you can see the clear water, greenish rocks and Elk Hair Caddis that fooled this fish.

 John will get six more flies to show Deschutes River trout -- as soon as he sends in his mailing address.

Third place goes to Mike Timberman, who sent in this shot:

What a nice grayling! Mike hooked this fish on a self-guided trip to Alaska's Alagnak River. I can't imagine how fun it would be take a float trip down an Alaskan river. Mike clearly caught this fish on an egg fly.

I've never hooked a grayling on an egg fly, but I had the pleasure of hiking into a lake during my one and only trip to Alaska -- so far -- and hooking countless grayling on Griffith Gnat dry flies. Grayling actually act just like I've read in angling articles. They do jump into the air and eat a dry fly on the way down. It's kind of weird to see this, but I never got tired of the stunt. I have to figure out a way to get back to Alaska for a two-week-long Fishathon.

Mike, send me your address, as Deschutes River trout flies work in Alaska -- and lots of other waters.

Wait -- we're not done yet!

This photo contest -- the blog's second -- had a record number of rule-breaking entries. The biggest rule for the contest was that the photo had to show a fish -- but no humans. Of course, plenty of shots came in with human hands, humans holding up massive brown trout -- yeah, I'm talking about you, Cory -- and other illegal shots.

This gaudy disregard for the rules prompted me -- through admiration -- to create a prize for best shot that included humans in the shot. The prize? Why, it's one spool of red fly-tying thread, as this category is all about my own red tape.

Paul Huffman is the winner of the tape, and here's his shot of a big, stunning Westslope cutthroat trout caught somewhere in Washington:

Paul knows what to do to get his prize, but we all know the real prize was finding, hooking and releasing such a handsome fish. I still get a little envious whenever I see this shot. The photo also reminds me that some exceptional wild trout live in the Pacific Northwest.

I'll cook up another photo contest during the next month or so -- and maybe it will start around Halloween. I'd love to hear suggestions for themes or rules -- not that most of us pay attention to those silly details.....

Photo contest rules only a formality for some readers -- but we're still having fun!

Dehlan, a veteran of this blog's photo contests, made the error of having human body parts in this nice photo of a beautiful Westslope cutthroat trout caught in an unnamed Central Washington river.

I see that many readers are now sending in photo contest entries, but the rules have evidently gone out the window.

This all reminds me of a senior journalism seminar during my days at the University of Oregon. We students endured a very boring instructor who had the bad taste to assign a giant project to a bunch of Senioritis-plagued students who would graduate -- hopefully -- in about five weeks.

We whined and sniveled as only journalism students can, and the instructor caved and pretty much let us do a much smaller project. I was mightily ticked off, as I had already completed my work and I had suffered through a few sleepless nights.

But I was so happy to know that my degree would be in my hot, jobless hands in a few weeks.

As a review, this contest is supposed to be shots of fish -- with no humans present.

Well, class.... Many of you are ignoring this rule. I'm feeling flush with power at the moment -- and the glow of lucking into a bright, line-peeling coho salmon while fishing for pink salmon at Puget Sound's Dash Point -- that I have a solution.

I will show off all photos, but the fish-only rule still stands. The best rule-breaking photo will get a spool of fly-tying thread. The color? Red, of course.

We've got more rule-breakers here! Cory Dixon sent in this shot of an amazing brown trout caught from an unnamed water. This photo also includes a human -- I suspect it is Cory himself showing off what may have been his best trout of the season.

Cory is not eligible for the photo contest prizes of one dozen, 6 or 3 flies for Oregon's Deschutes River. Cory also is not eligible for the consolation prize of red thread for the rule breakers. Why? Cory should be satisfied with catching one heckuva brown trout. Cory can appeal my ruling -- but only if he tells me the location of this terrific fish.

On we go....

Clifton Molatore, who lives in Portland, Oregon, sent in this great shot of his daughter and her grandfather posing with Diamond Lake rainbow trout. The fish doesn't look as happy as the humans.

Clifton is in the running for red thread! As the father of a fly-fishing daughter who is now away at university, I am a sucker for shots of kids with nice fish.

Now, this is a legal shot!

Michael Thompson, AKA Bad Fish, sent this shot of a cutthroat charging a fly.  Bad Fish gets extra-credit for following the rules.

As for the rest of you, the photo contest -- just one shot that just shows a fish -- is still going through Labor Day.

Send in your shots to dryflyguy2001@yahoo.com. I'm also open to suggestions for the next photo contest -- which will probably start in October and run through Thanksgiving.

Hmmm. It seems that I tend to end contests on national holidays.....

Stunning westslope cutthroat trout stars in latest photo contest entry -- what a fish!

Reader Paul Huffman has entered a great shot of a tremendous Westslope cutthroat trout hooked and released in a Washington river east of the Cascades.

Huffman said he caught the fish several years ago, and catch-and-release regulations prevented him from entering this huge trout as a new state record.

This trout is big -- and beautiful, which is sometimes an elusive combination. Most of my rare big trout are older, battle-scarred monsters -- not sleek and clean and gorgeous like this fish. This trout is just special.

Huffman doesn't mention the river, and who can blame him? I would tie the man many flies to see the run where this fish was hooked....

Anyway, this westslope cutt would get lots of attention in any Montana or Idaho river.

Catching a wild trout like this one is a fabulous reward in itself, but Huffman is in the running to win one of the three prizes in the Fish Shot Photo Contest. First prize is 12 flies that work on Oregon's Deschutes River. Second place is six flies, and third place takes home three flies.

The contest deadline is Labor Day. Each person is limited to one photo.

My e-mail is dryflyguy2001@yahoo.com.

Another Deschutes River redsides trout swims into the Fish Shot photo contest

Reader Dave Harrison sent in this beautiful shot of a gorgeous Deschutes River redside trout.

To my eyes, it's easy to recognize a Deschutes River redsides rainbow trout.

Maybe it's because I've fished Oregon's  Deschutes River since 1985 -- and it's my favorite river on the planet. Maybe it's because the fish are usually thick behind the head, have oversized dorsal fins and tails and those spots look so big and inky black against the olive backs and silvery-magenta sides.

An average Deschutes redsides can show you your backing -- if they get into the fast water they know so well. And a big redsides can steal your fly line.

It happened to me a few summers ago.

I found a really nice trout rising to emerging caddis next to a big rock on the Warm Springs to Trout Creek drift.  The summer sun was torching the water, but this fish had a little shade -- and a perfect current tongue that fed emerging caddis right into his mouth. 

That fish was just tipping and sipping -- it looked like it had been feeding this way for hours.  I was surprised that so many caddis were emerging at 3 p.m. on an August afternoon, but this river has mysterious ways.

I tied on an Iris Caddis emerger -- the creation of master tier Craig Mathews, who owns the Blue Ribbon Fly Shop in West Yellowstone, Montana. The anglers at Blue Ribbon Flies are always studying bugs and fish -- and then coming up with outstanding flies. That little shop is full of trout wizards, and I'm always happy to see what new bugs come out of their red-hot vises.

The fish -- it was about 18 inches and thick -- ate the Iris on the first drift. That alone makes me believe that the trout had been locked into the caddis for a while before I arrived. 

Head shakes rattled up my line, and the trout then wheeled into the faster current and roared downstream. Backing was zipping out, and the fish then stopped on the edge of a big rock garden. I coaxed the fish back upstream -- I couldn't wade very far downstream because of a deep slot.

I had the fly line back on the reel -- and was starting to think about a photo -- when the fish rolled on the surface and ripped down into the rock garden. That trout wrapped my line around a bunch of rocks in very fast water -- and then snapped my 5X tippet.

The current pinned my $90 fly line against the rocks, and I spent the next 20 minutes trying to coax the line out of the maze. I could feel my backing chafe against the basalt rocks. The backing eventually wore through and broke, and my fly line was gone.

I went back 6 weeks later -- the water was much lower -- and pulled what was left of my line out of the rocks. 

I love that river and I love those fish -- even the fish that stole my fly line.

Anyway, reader Dave Harrison sent in a beautiful shot of a beefy Deschutes River redside in perfect shape. Harrison's shot is the latest entry in the Fish Shot photo contest, which ends on Labor Day. The winner gets a dozen of the best Deschutes River flies, second place gets six, and third place gets three great flies.

Looking at this photo makes me want to creep along a shaded Deschutes River bank on a hot afternoon. I think that's one of my plans for the next week.

I hope all of you are fishing -- and finding fish big enough to wreck your tackle.

Alagnak River grayling enters fish photo contest

Well, our first Alaska fish -- a beautiful grayling from the Alagnak River -- swam into the photo contest today.

Angler Mike Timberman sent in the photo of the fish, which came to the fly in August 2007. The trip was Timberman's third self-guided trip in Alaska.

Wowsa. I've only fished Alaska once -- in and around the Kenai River -- and I couldn't make myself even take a nap. And the Kenai -- a fabulous rainbow trout and dolly varden river -- is nothing compared to rivers in the Bristol Bay area. 

Timberman also reported that he's fishing a lot for steelhead on Oregon's Deschutes River -- and has already lost a fish. It's early days for Deschutes summer steel, but the hardcore steelheaders start looking for those fish in early July -- and sometimes find a few.

The fishing for Deschutes steelhead usually hits high gear in August and lasts through October or even November.

Anyway, the photo contest -- of a fish -- is still running for a few more weeks. Top prize is 12 of my favorite Deschutes River trout flies, second place is 6 flies and the third-place winner tucks three good Deschutes flies into the fly box.

Send your entry to dryflyguy2001@yahoo.com!

A "small one" from the Kalama River is the newest photo contest entry

Jim Kerr just sent in this interesting close-up shot of a summer steelhead on Washington's Kalama River.

Kerr said it was a small fish in his e-mail message -- we can clearly see a number on the fly rod at the top of the photo -- but we all know there is no such thing as a small steelhead. Well, I guess the anglers that fish the classy Olympic Peninsula rivers, Alaska or British Columbia might call this a small fish.

I call it a beauty.

Keep sending in your ONE shot of a fish to dryflyguy2001@yahoo.com. Remember that first place gets one dozen trout flies that will work on Oregon's Deschutes River -- I know this because I tied them myself. Second place gets 6 Deschutes winners and third place gets 3 of the best.

Why not bring along the camera and take a shot or two this weekend?

Deschutes River redsides rainbow trout stars in latest contest entry

John from Portland sent in this shot of a beautiful Deschutes River redsides hooked on an Elk Hair Caddis.  The trout has the classic lines, colors and spots of a Deschutes River rainbow trout, and the green rocks and clear water also evoke a summer morning on the river.

I think I'm going to post every entry to this contest. Why? Well, the shots are all likely to be great, and it will give everyone who visits this blog a look at each entry.

In fact, feel free to send in comments about each shot -- and even send in ONE photo yourself!

All you have to do is attach your photo to an e-mail sent to dryflyguy2001@yahoo.com. I'll dig your shot out of the avalanche of junk e-mail and post it on this site.  You will remain owner of your photo -- I'm not trying to build up a stock of fish photos.

First prize is one dozen proven Deschutes River trout flies. Second place gets six flies, and third place get three flies that will work on a summer evening on the Deschutes. I tied all the flies, so you'll get a chunk of my fly-tying philosophy and foibles. 

So, go fishing, take photos of fish and send them in. Remember, the shot is of a fish! No hands or humans in the photo....

Stunning scenic shot and kids showing off trout win top photo contest prizes

Well, I've spent two days -- when I wasn't fishing or driving -- thinking about all the entries in this blog's first-ever photo contest.

I was impressed with every photo that arrived in my e-mail, and I think there are a lot of talented shooters out there wearing waders. That said, I suspect my own personal bias is weighing heavily on the judging of these photos. I really, really like scenic shots -- photos that trigger that feeling of being far away from our hectic, cell-phone-buzzing world. 

I also really like shots of kids holding a pretty fish. Kids always look kind of dazed -- in a good way -- when they actually CATCH A FISH. This blissed-out look can never be found while a kid is gazing like a zombie at some buzzing, chirping, shrieking video game.

I think I'm going to have another contest soon -- it will probably start right around July 4 -- but here are the winners:

First place -- and one dozen flies that will catch Puget Sound sea-run cutthroat trout -- goes to Jim Byrne. Jim didn't add much information to his shot -- I'm not quite sure where this sunset happened, and I'm not about to guess. 

This photo sparked that "We're in a Special Place and We're Fishing" buzz in my fish-addled head.  I just kept coming back to this shot....

Anyway, Jim, send me your address -- and some more information about his photo!

OK, I already admitted that I'm a sucker for happy kid angler photos, but this one really caught my eye. It caught my eye because the photographer -- Joe Ebersole -- caught that trout buzz in his son Alexi's eyes when he landed a nice wild trout on Central Oregon's Metolius River.

Joe wins second place and six winner Puget Sound sea-run cutthroat trout flies.

I've fished the Metolius for years -- I fished it at least two days a week during my first year of living in Bend during the early 1980s, and it's a far better fishing river now. It's also just as frustrating and fascinating as it ever was.

Here is Joe's description of the photo:

"Attached is a photo from a trip to the Metolius with my son Alexi, age 7, last fall when this photo was taken. It was his first trip for trout, and we hit the flavs just right. He ended up catching half a dozen bows on dries.

He was able to get some nice downstream, slack-line drifts to some feeding fish, and we were able to watch the fish rise up through the crystal-clear water to suck in his comparadun. A fishing life highlight for me!" 

Finally, here is our third-place winner -- David Crowe's photo of his son Ross -- and a terrific brook trout. David wins three Puget Sound sea-run cutthroat trout flies.

I love this photo because Ross looks a little dazed -- and jazzed -- but he also looks relaxed and happy to be fishing with his dad.

Here's what David had to say about the shot:

"My son, Ross, was completely surprised when this brookie came clear out of the water and down on top of his dry fly.

He handled the fighting, landing and releasing like a pro. I'll admit to being a trifle biased -- and proud as hell!" 

I doubt that these final two shots would ever end up in a fly-fishing magazine, but they're good shots. Most importantly, they're the kind of photos that stay suck on the kitchen icebox or work desk for years -- and the moment stays in our hearts forever.

And that's what a great photo does -- captures the moment and all those feelings.

Thanks to everyone who entered, and we'll have that second contest started by July 4 or so.

Photo contest deadline is Sunday! Enter and win flies or surfboard wax!

Well, the entry deadline for my first-ever photo contest is fast approaching, and I'm eager to see the shots that squeak in over the line.

Photos are the way most of us remember our trips to the water -- especially in this age of catch-and-release fishing and the decline in mounting fish. Photos are better ways to keep our wild fish anyway -- they always look good in the shot! 

Photos are also a way to capture our good friends fishing, goofing off or just enjoying the day.

Finally, we all see wonderful things that non-anglers could never imagine. A camera -- for me -- is a very important piece of fishing tackle.

I know the prizes aren't huge, but they're better than nothing. If you don't remember, here's whats at stake: 

One dozen of my favorite sea-run cutthroat trout flies goes to the winner, second place gets six flies and third place settle for three flies.

Winners can also substitute flies for cold water surfboard wax....

Here's a couple shots I've taken while fishing Puget Sound:

And here's a close-up shot of low tide at a  really shelly -- and fishy -- beach:

Now, these shots are far from stellar -- I'm a mediocre photographer at best -- but they caught the feeling of the day for me.

The shot of the shells just captures how much life there is on those beaches. Clams and barnacles and marine worms and crabs and oysters -- which sometimes slice my leader when I've got a fish on the line -- turn the beach and the water just offshore into a carpet of living things.

The first shot just shows the solitude and peace found while casting a line off the beach.

So, send in your shot -- one per person! -- to dryflyguy2001@yahoo.com by Sunday night. I'll have winners up by Tuesday morning. 

Someone has to win these prizes -- and it might as well be you!

Fishing photo contest entries starting to swim on in

I've gotten a few entries for this blog's first fishing photo contest, and I'm delighted -- and a little jealous -- of all the artistic talent out there.

I plan to create a photo album of all entries, and you'll find it -- in a day or two -- in the column right next to my blog babblings.

Here's a shot from my surfer/fly angler friend Craig Sako, who lives, surfs and casts flies in Oahu:

Craig Sako sent in this shot of a small, perfect Hawaiian smallmouth bass.

Yeah, that's a little Hawaiian smallmouth bass! I think I know where it is from on Oahu, but Craig hasn't yet told me the exact details. I'm going to keep chipping away on that little project.... Some of you may recall Craig's photo of an Oahu bonefish in an earlier post. 

I suspect Oahu is full of surprises....

A lot of people think Oahu is all about Honolulu, but it is actually one of the most beautiful Hawaiian islands, as most of this paradise is gorgeous countryside. I think the North Shore of Oahu is one of the most stunning spots on this planet.

Oahu also has the world's best surf breaks, saltwater flats fishing for bonefish -- really! -- and perfect little smallmouth bass finning around in secret spots.

I love this shot because it shows how tiny fish can be so beautiful and perfect. 

Anyway, on to this shot, which is from Dan Page. Dan didn't tell me where he was from or the name of this gorgeous river in some deep woods, but I'm sure he'll send that information along in a day or two.

It will probably arrive while I'm creeping around and casting Blue Winged Olive Sparkle Duns on Oregon's Deschutes River this weekend. 

Dan Page e-mailed in this shot of a majestic river that looks as though it swarms with steelhead.

Anyway, Dan's shot perfectly captures the mystery and beauty of a flowing river. I don't know about you, but I have a deep need to learn what kind of fish swim around in that alluring water.

Well, there are most shots to share, but I'll hold off for a few more days. All of you have until April 15 to send ONE photo to dryflyguy2001@yahoo.com.

Yes, there are terrific prizes:

First place wins a selection of 12 of my favorite Puget Sound sea-run cutthroat trout flies -- OR 5 bars of cold-water surfboard wax.

Second place wins a selection of 6 of my favorite Puget Sound sea-run cutthroat flies -- OR 3 bars of cold-water surfboard wax.

Third place wins three sea-run cutt flies OR 1 measly bar of surfboard wax.

Any shot that has water or anglers or fish or all three qualifies for the contest. I'm not looking for anything in particular -- except beauty.

I'll create the Fishing Photo Contest album on Friday or Saturday, so get your entries in. I've finally mastered the arcane art of downloading photos, so start pawing through shots and send in ONE.

Finally, many thanks to all of you who are making my blog a part of your day. I've been an outdoor writer for years, and I can't imagine frittering away my career -- such as it is -- on anything else. This blog is a labor of love for me, and I hope you share it with friends and the people you love.