Happy Holidays

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a happy new year! Thanks for a great season on the water!

-Tom Larimer

New Website & Blog Coming Soon!

It's been a while since I've posted... I've been busy working on a new blog and website that will be integrated into one site. So, no more Oregon Fly Fishing Report. The new site will have tons of new info and video posts! Check www.larimeroutfitters.com in the next week or so to view the site.
Thanks!
-TL

You'll Always Remember Your First

Doesn't look like it, but Jake was really excited...

Jake Markezin from the East Coast fished with me and my good friend Ed Hepp on one of the last days of the steelhead season on the Deschutes. Jake popped his cherry on this nice November buck. Nice going Jake!

Advanced Anchor Placement

I recently did a video post on the Deneki Outdoors Blog on advanced anchor placement for Spey casting, Check it out

The Making Of Skagit Master Three

Jeff Mishler hard at work at my tying bench.

My good friend Jeff Mishler from New Water Media is the man behind the extremely popular Skagit Master Series of videos.  Jeff was gracious enough to invite me to be a part of the newest addition to the series, Skagit Master 3.  The video will focus on fly tying, and the philosophies of the tiers. My segment will include my Reverse Marabou and Loop Leech.  Look for the video to be available sometime this winter.

-TL

New Echo Website

My good friends at Rajeff Sports just launched a new Echo website... Echo makes a wide range of affordable fly fishing products including rods, reels and fly lines.
Check out the new Echo website.

-TL

Loving The Late Season

I love steelhead fishing... Photo Ed Hepp

Despite the recent high water, I got out for a late season mission with my good friend Ed Hepp.  Every dog has his day I guess...  I found this incredible wild buck late in the afternoon.

-TL

Five Good Reasons To Fish The Bahamas With Tim Rajeff and Tom Larimer.

Tim Rajeff gets the ghost.

1. Your double haul needs some help...

2.  Tim is one of the best casting instructors in the world.

3. Hanging out with Tim is really, really fun.

4. Catching bonefish, barracuda and permit is pretty cool too.

5. You're going to need a break from the Northwest winter come February 25th.

Tim and I are headed down to Andros South Lodge on February 25th, 2012.  Drop me a line if spending a week on the flats with Tim and I sounds like fun.

-Tom Larimer

Giving Thanks

I'm thankful for being a steelheader...

This Thanksgiving I’m especially thankful for a wonderful fishing season in 2011.  I was fortunate enough to host a number of trips to some incredible fly fishing destinations around the globe.  The Bahamas showed me how a 12 pound bonefish can really mess with my casting.  My trip to Alaska West was insane… By far the best trip I’ve ever taken to the north.  The Dean was especially kind to my group –The river lived up to it’s name and then some.

I had a number of new Airflo Spey line designs hit fly shops this season.  After four years of working with Airflo, I finally feel my family of lines is complete. Thank you to Tim Rajeff and the folks at Rajeff Sports for the opportunity.

Although we faced some tough spring conditions in Oregon, the summer and fall easily made up for it.  The lower Deschutes fished as well as I’ve ever seen.  A special thanks goes out to my guide and camp staff for all their hard work.

Finally, I’m extremely grateful for all the folks that fished with us in 2011. Thank you for your continued business and support. –I can’t express my gratitude enough.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Tom Larimer

Larimer Outfitters

You Should Do This...

Is it worth shaving your head for a chance at an Echo Rod of your choice? Or deadlifting 100lb dumbbells often enough to develop Tim's Hulk-like forearm physique? How about rocking supertight running shorts and hanging out at the local Tiki Bar? Only you can answer the above conundrum and if you've ever been to a flyfishing tradeshow, there are a lot of folks out there who'd do much weirder things for a free rod. Given Tim has long-stated being a hair dresser to the stars is a dream of his, well here's your chance to get your shave on and truly "Be Like Tim" (just don't challenge him to any casting contests). Let your imagination carry you away on this one. No limit on number of entries, all we ask is that you make it fun, imaginative, and respectful. 

*All entries must be emailed to contests@rajeffsports.com in .jpg format and as high a resolution as possible. Contest deadline is 12:01am January 16th, 2012. The winning image will become property of, and all rights of use to Rajeff Sports, LLC.

First Snow Of The Season

I'll take snow over 34 degree rain any day...  That's exactly what we had this week while chasing late season steelhead on the Deschutes River.  I spent a wonderful day with long time Larimer Outfitter clients Rich & Janis Kornbroth.  Despite the snow and colder temperatures, we had a great day.  

-TL

Larimer Interview On Hatch Magazine

Looking for another way to screw off at work?  Check out Hatch Magazine.  It's a great on-line resource for gear reviews, environmental issues, interviews, photography and just about anything dealing with fly fishing.  Hatch recently interviewed yours truly with 20 questions about being a fly fishing guide.  Read my interview with Hatch Magazine.

-TL

How To Warp A Trout Fisherman

Fished with Chett Cross from Rocky Mountain Anglers in Boulder, Colorado late last week.  After running my jet boat up the lower Deschutes on the most beautiful morning I've ever seen, Chett lost his steelhead virginity with this beautiful native.  I always love watching a hard core trout addict getting his world rocked by a rampaging steelhead.  Nice going Chett!

Father and Son

I fished with Eric and Ben Steel last week on the lower Deschutes.  We had a great couple of days on the water!  I always love fishing with a Dad and his Son... Reminds me of my youth.  Some of my best memories are from spending time with my Dad on some remote lake or river.  -As a guide, it's a privilege to be a part of wonderful Father and Son memories.  Thanks for a fun trip guys!

-TL

Late Season Gator

John and Jason Hickox joined me on a recent late season guide trip.  John landed this massive wild buck near the end of the day.  Nice work John!

Last Camp Of The Season

We just wrapped up our final steelhead camp trip on the Deschutes.  Thanks to everyone who fished at my camp this season, I really appreciate the business.  And, a big thanks to the guide & camp staff for all of your hard work.  What an awesome year!

Gotta Love Autumn

Fall is officially here in the Columbia Gorge and with it comes my favorite time of the season to be on the water.  Although our schedule is booked almost solid until the end of the month, we do have a few openings on the Deschutes and Klickitat in late October and November.  If you enjoy fishing without the crowds, the “late season” offers some great fishing opportunities.  –Some of the largest steelhead start showing up in our rivers in November.  Give me a ring if you want to get out this fall.

-TL

Late Fall Steelhead on the Deschutes

Jim Trainer found this wild beauty on a recent Deschutes trip with Larimer Outfitters guide Mike Duffy.  Nice going Trainer!  The late season is our favorite time to be on the Deschutes... The big fish show up and there's no one around.

-TL

Winter Is Coming, So Is Andros South

Andros South Bonefish.  Cam Miller Photo

I’m looking forward to my hosted trips in 2012.  At this point, I’m booked solid for my week on the Dean River in British Columbia and my week in Alaska.  However, I do have some availability for my February trip to Andros South Lodge in the Bahamas.  We’ll be chasing huge bonefish, barracuda and the occasional permit.  Andros South is one of the finest saltwater destinations in the world.  Outside of world-class fishing, the lodge offers a comfortable atmosphere, incredible cuisine, and all the beer you can drink.  –It’s a great escape from the winter!  Let me know if I can answer any questions or help you plan your trip.   

-Tom Larimer

More Info About My Trip

Steelhead Camp

Larimer Outfitters client Steve Turner sent me some great images from a recent Steelhead Camp on the Deschutes.  Thanks for the shots Steve!

Finding Walter

Dan Gordon from The Gorge Fly Shop recently found this beautiful 39" wild buck while on a Deschutes Steelhead Camp.  Nice going Dan!  I don't care what the other guys in the group say, you're alright in my book.

-TL

Mono Shooting Lines

Pete Laskier getting throttled in AK.

I’ve never gravitated towards mono shooting lines for Spey casting, mostly because mono is hard to hold on to.  However, mono has some huge advantages over other running lines.  First, because of its fine diameter, it shoots faster than extruded or braided lines.  Consequently, it tangles less and shoots farther.  Second, you can hold larger loops of line, which also aids in reducing tangles.  More so, it pulls less water into the guides than other running lines, which is a huge benefit in the colder months of the season. -Less water in the rod guides means less guide freezing and warmer fingers.  Last but not least, it’s cheap! 

However, it’s still hard to hold on to.  That said, my good friend Andrew Bennett from Deneki Outdoors recently showed me an easy trick to help with the grip issue.  (Andrew later informed me that Alaska West head guide Ed Ward showed him this trick) Simply wrap the top six inches of the upper grip of your Spey rod with plumbers tape.  The tape will give you sufficient grip on the mono during the cast.  Although many anglers will still prefer an extruded running line like Airflo’s Ridge Running Line, those looking to add a few feet of distance with less tangles will love mono.

-TL

The Klickitat River Needs Your Help

The Klickitat River in southern Washington is among the crowned jewels of the Pacific Northwest. Long revered for its large native steelhead and spring Chinook, the river has some of the most intact habitat for fish and wildlife in the Middle Columbia Region.

Unfortunately, decades of hatchery released non-native Coho, Skamania steelhead and fall Chinook threaten the survival of Klickitat native salmon and steelhead. Since 1999, native Klickitat winter and summer steelhead have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Similarly, the native run of wild spring Chinook which once numbered in the thousands has a thirty year average of 300 fish. 

Potential expansion of hatchery operations in the Klickitat basin, detailed in the July of 2011 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) released by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the Yakama Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) will further imperil the river’s wild native salmon and steelhead. 

The actions within the DEIS do not rely upon the best available science to recover wild native fish, jeopardizing wild runs by continuing most releases of non-native hatchery fish at or above their current numbers. 

BPA and YKFP are required to solicit and respond to public comments during the DEIS process. This means that before anything is changed on the Klickitat BPA and YKFP must respond to the concerns raised during the public comment process. 

This is where you come in. Please take 2 minutes to visit the NFS website,  read over the comments, personalize the letter and send your message to BPA. 

Thanks for your time,

-Tom Larimer

Fishing With Legends

I recently spend a day floating the Klickitat Canyon with my good friends Randy Stetzer and Tim Rajeff from Rajeff Sports.  Together, these two have forgotten more about fly fishing than I could ever know.  It was a true honor to row them down the river.  After pawing through Randy's beautifully crafted flies and hearing his insightful thoughts on steelhead behavior, I remembered why I got into this crazy sport in the first place...  It's all about rolling the soul. Thanks for a great day guys.

-TL

More Photos From Steelhead Camp

Here's a few more from a recent Deschutes River Steelhead Camp... Enjoy!

Deschutes Steelhead Camp

It's been a while since I've been able to post...  Making hay while the sun is shining!  We've been booked solid every day...  It's been a great fall on both the Deschutes and Klickitat.  Here's a few great photos from our Deschutes River Steelhead Camp.  Thanks Dick and Dale for a fun trip!

-TL

Ten & Two On-Line Magazine

I had heard about Ten & Two Magazine but finally got around to checking it out.  The free on-line subscription is packed with interesting articles and beautiful photography.  It's not your standard fly rag.  -Definitely worth stealing some time from work when you're bored.

Check out Ten & Two Magazine

The Headwaters of the Klickitat

Crowds make me nervous...  So when the annual invasion of tourists happens in Hood River every Labor Day, I usually keep my head down and lay low.  However, my sweetie and my dog weren't about to spend the long weekend watching me tie flies. Instead, we headed up to the Bird Creek Meadows trail on Mt. Adams.  She assured me the ruff road to the trailhead would weed out all but the most serious hikers.  We'd see the REI types but probably not much in the way of the Winnebago crowd.

It was an awesome hike!  Great vistas of the Gorge, incredible wild flowers, and -you get up-close and personal with Hell Roaring Canyon and the headwaters of the Klickitat River.

Next time you're looking to stretch the legs and go on a killer day excursion, check out Bird Creek Meadows.  Pack a #4 weight and make a few casts in Mirror Lake on your way.  Although I didn't fish it, a few of the large trout I saw rising made me wish I had packed a rod.

-TL