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Oh oh Orvis gives up the beaches

19K views 223 replies 55 participants last post by  Go Fish 
#1 ·
I guess they'll get a bunch of nastygrams
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#3 ·
If you didn't know about those beaches you either can't read as nearly every book on beach fishing mentions them or you live in a cave, as they are all very well known. As to the float plane, three or four trips a year isn't going to ruin anybody's private beach fishing spot.
 
#12 ·
How exotic:

"Ride a Kenmore Air floatplane to Port Townsend to catch coho salmon off the beach on poppers with guides Bob Triggs and Leland Miyawaki. We have three prime Saturdays booked for eight flyfishers each. Only $350 incl lunch and flies! These are C&R trips only and long distance casting is a must. Call 425-452-9138 to sign on."

"I don't always catch 10 inch trout, but when I do, I take a f$&#king sea plane."- Orvis
 
#14 ·
I've personally noticed the Port Hadlock beach salmon fishermen being extra grumpy since Orvis began sending serious numbers of saltwater clients over there in 2012. At first I didn't understand the dirty looks and questions like "are you from Seattle"? I hope part of the guide package is a section on being respectful to locals fishing the cut-plug. Prior to the float planes they arrived in luxury cross over vehicles. The amount of gear those guys were wearing (pristine condition) much have cost them much more than $350. It's all about making money back at the shop.
 
#16 ·
Says the guy with less than 30 posts and will be making trips over from Seattle. Thanks for proving my point.

And since i live local to most of the main beaches being pimped they are most certainly "my local" beaches.

Ill maintain my position till the bitter end. Naming beaches on the internet does absolutely no good for anyone....well, except for those who make money by doing so of course.
 
#20 ·
$350 for a float plane guided trip with lunch and flies? That's a smoking hot deal. Scenic tour of the Puget Sound by air? Chance to fish with and pick the brains of some extremely knowledgeable guys? Just getting to some of those places, including gas and ferries would cost about a $100, not including flies, lunch, and the time to do it. They are selling a unique experience, and I'm sure they will fill those seats.

That being said, I'd feel pretty stupid getting out of a float plane at my super-secret beach, Lincoln Park.
 
#22 ·
It's a very natural conflict between those who fish public areas for personal recreation versus those who attempt to commercialize it (guides, shops, etc) for a low profit margin. Just look at what happened on the Methow River during steelhead season....Following a couple of big runs the guides popped up like mushrooms. Nobody should be surprised when there is a backlash against this type of promotion. I'd give the Orvis float plane thing a year or two before it vanishes due to lack of $$ or client interest.

Generally, it's the novice saltwater anglers who push to have beach identities listed on public websites, because they have no clue or are just too lazy to do any of their own research. This type of angler doesn't last very long on the beach anyway. Maybe a season or two before they go back to the lake or stream with its more predictable trout fishing. Saltwater beach fly fishing is hard work and definitely not for the lethargic or those who don't put in a lot of time. What beginners don't yet understand is that this type of fishing is a very complicated combination of place, time, tide, current, weather, ecology, geology, light, presentation, wildlife, speed, gear, tactics.

Unfortunately, conflicts on the Saltwater Forum have discouraged some very good anglers from contributing anymore. I enjoy reading fishing reports and seeing some fish photos, and miss the contributions of certain very experienced members. This is a great place to learn (beginner, intermediate, advanced). New folks should read the Saltwater Forum from 2003 through 2014 then go fish the salt to understand what they read. I doubt they will have many questions remaining after one season under their belt. Beach location is only about 20% of what you really need to know, and you will only get that by fishing with a board member or via PMs. Thoroughly reading good saltwater fishing reports provide the another 30% of what you need to know. The other 50% comes from you going out and fishing, learning, struggling, and hopefully succeeding.
 
#118 ·
Dimebrite:

Excellent, well written, thoughtful post! I agree with you 100%. It is well worth reading again!

A lot of the enjoyment of beach fishing for sea-run cutthroat and salmon is finding your "own secret out-of-the-way beaches" The saltwater forum has always had a civil/helpful tone to posts/threads. In the last year or so the tone of many posts/threads have become contentious/negative. It appears that recently some experienced saltwater fly fishers have not been as active on the saltwater forum. The saltwater forum should get back to sharing information/knowledge. However, it does not apply to fishing locations as I am very "tight lipped" about fishing locations:D!

Roger
 
#32 ·
You're on a roll today!
I believe you fished my secret Quincy lake earlier this year. :eek:
I don't know anything about that lake, but I'm quite certain anything in the Moses Lake area doesn't suffer nearly the crowds we're talking about in the PS area. There are something like 4 MILLION people within an hour or so drive of the majority of the beaches we're discussing here with each location having a couple hundred yards of fishable beach.
 
#30 ·
Hehe, talk about crowds, I went to a certain river heavy with Kings, big fat bruisers, yesterday and did a little sight seeing... WOW! :D If you enjoy watching people get stoopid about Salmon, get your binoculars and get out there...on the other hand, you may want to bring your piece...people get cray!:eek: The amount of poaching and raping the resource I witnessed yesterday is enough to last me a life time...but I may go back for the sheer entertainment (watching dumb ass people)...as sad as the situation really is. One could write a psychology/human behavior paper using that entire scene alone.
 
#31 ·
Hehe, talk about crowds, I went to a certain river heavy with Kings, big fat bruisers, yesterday and did a little sight seeing... WOW! :D If you enjoy watching people get stoopid about Salmon, get your binoculars and get out there...on the other hand, you may want to bring your piece...people get cray!:eek: The amount of poaching and raping the resource I witnessed yesterday is enough to last me a life time...but I may go back for the sheer entertainment (watching dumb ass people)...as sad as the situation really is. One could write a psychology/human behavior paper using that entire scene alone.
Was it listed as one of the Orvis beaches? :oops:
 
#33 ·
I remember being in a taxidermy shop in Snohomish 20+ years ago. This older guy was picking up a huge Mackinaw he had mounted. I remember him telling me the story of the fish and the mountain lake he caught it from. Then telling me how guys were starting to land float planes in there and fishing. He was not happy.
 
#35 ·
All this talk, btw, has made me want to pack up my modestly affordable waders over my spindly Seattle ass and hit the ground zero beach/public park in my decidedly non-luxurious vehicle and half-assed stripping basket. Possibly with my fugly kayak. You will know me by my wife beater which, if you can't read the fine print, says "is it me you're looking for?"
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On my drive over I will probably think about frightening things I have seen in this past week, none of which would be locations of recreational fly-fishing for migratory, fickle salmon many of whom will die shortly after they lose their virginity. My sympathies will be with the fish, not the fishermen.
 
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