Growing up in the North Puget Sound area, I’ve had a wealth of fishing opportunities. Summers where spent in the salt, chasing Salmon and bottom fish. I always looked forward to our week long trips to the San Juan Islands. My dad’s passion for Salmon fishing led him to start a charter boat business. The “Farm Buoy” was based out of Edmonds Washington. I spent a lot of summers on the Farm Buoy as a deck hand and bait boy. This is where I first started to think about being a guide.
The winters were spent on the North Sound rivers chasing Steelhead. Living in Woodinville, the Skykomish River was just a half hour jaunt down the road. Most of the times we were on the Sky, but we would also fish the Stillaguamish, Snoqualmie and Pilchuck Rivers as well as some others. It was all gear fishing then, drift fishing corkies and yarn or bait. I was very proud of my Shimano Bantam reel. I caught my first two Steelhead on the Sky at the Ben Howard boat launch. Casting to a spot my dad said was a waist of time, I hooked two chromers in just a couple of casts. I said “Looks like I’m limited out, time to go home”. He couldn’t have been prouder!!
My dad had a couple Fly rods that he rarely ever used. So a friend and I started playing with them. Casting in the yard at first, seeing who could cast farther we even learned the double haul. Soon we were off to nearby creeks harassing the trout. I tried fishing for Steelhead a couple of times with flies, but had no idea on how or what to use. It wasn’t until the mid 90’s that I caught the Fly fishing bug again. Started on trout like most but wanted bigger prey. I took a class on Steelhead Fly fishing from a shop I lived by. Well the next summer I had my chance. Fishing down a run I remember thinking I’m doing this wrong. So I started at the top again and in five casts WHAM!! FISH ON!! And I’ve been searching for that hart stopping adrenalin racing addictive slam ever since!
With what I learned from my dad on the Farm Buoy as well the river and ten years as a professional ski instructor teaching skiing, I have the skills to make you’re day on the river a day to remember for ever!
Tight Lines, Brian Paige
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