OUTDOOR JOURNAL

Astoria is one of the most popular salmon destinations in all of the Pacific Northwest.

Big fish swimming every direction and all of us trying to keep our lines from tangling. We would yell "Coming Under" or "Going Over" as we

Get ready for Coho Season with the NEW VMC Twitching jig!

Looking for a great way to catch Rockfish this summer, try a Storm Largo Shad smothered in Atlas Mike’s Lunker Lotion Oregon Rockfish on the Largo Shad! I love catching all the different varieties of rockfish that are abundant along the Oregon Coast. My favorite way to catch them is in shallow water using light tackle. The Storm Largo Shad paired with the VMC Hybrid Swimbait Jig and Atlas Mikes Krill Lunker Lotion is the perfect set up for this type of fishing. When I s

Looking for a great way to serve fresh Dungeness Crab? Try a Dungeness Crab Wedge Salad - Its fresh, easy and delicious!

Catching Rockfish on the beautiful Oregon Coast

Cutthroat on the Skwala! It is spring in Montana and that means chasing the most elusive of all stoneflies…the mighty skwala. This is a stone fly hatch that happens in between beautiful and horrible early spring days. Skwalas are a hardy little creature that emerge to conditions that are tough to survive. Most years, It takes an equally hardy fisherman to catch a trout with a skwala fly. Planning trips based on the weather is simply not possible. You may see a weather wi

Four pound Smallmouth on the VMC NRJ! Ott Defoe Talks about the new VMC NRJ I fished the new from VMC Ned Rig Jig (NRJ) this past weekend and have found my new favorite Ned jig! The VMC NRJ looks similar to other Ned Jigs, but a closer inspection reveals some small but important differences. The needle sharp VMC Hook with a hybrid bend really hooks and holds fish! First and foremost the VMC NRJ is equipped with a needle sharp, vanadium steel, light wire VMC 90 Degree jig

Doubled up on early spring smallmouth. Spring has sprung in the Pacific NW. The grass is turning green and the trees are starting to bloom which means the Smallmouth Bass are starting to bite! I know every year that when this tree pops into its beautiful pink spring colors that it is time to start smallmouth fishing on the Columbia river. I went out this past weekend with my son Michael to see if we could find any early biters. We loaded up the Kayaks and took crankbaits an

The simple things are usually the best. That is the case for a walleye breakfast

It's Walleye season, and we are cooking it as fast as we catch it! Here is one of my all time favorite ways to serve Walleye: the BMO...

The new Quik Strike Techset Single Trail hooks made a Walleye believer out of me. I recently went out on a trip to target Walleye on the Columbia River. It was the perfect opportunity to try out the new VMC Quik Strike Trailer Single Hooks to see how they would perform. We would be jigging with 1oz jigs in deep water, using the VMC Quik Strike Trailers hooks. The Rig: The VMC Quik Strike Trailer starts with a # 4 VMC Techset Live Bait (Octopus) Hook . I love the design

Walleye Tacos

Classic Winter Dinner in the PNW!

Steelhead and Brussel Sprouts on the Grill

2021 was a unique year. Covid 19 hung around all year leading to disruptions on a global scale, but through it all, everyone prevailed and we all made the best of it. We will look back on this year as a roller coaster ride, but at least fishing remained constant. Here's to you 2021, you were a tough one, but there were still lots of bright spots! Here's a list of my top 10 catches for the year! #10 Willamette River Sturgeon #9 Strawberry Reservoir Kokanee through the i

I fished the Columbia River near The Dalles for Coho casting Blue Fox Vibrax Spinners!

Here is a great idea for your next BBQ. Chicken Teriyaki Dinner cooked entirely on the grill, just add rice!

Rapala Rain Pro Rainwear Review

Sunday was the final leg of the three day KBF Trail series on Clear Lake. Three separate tournaments on three days.

BMO Fishing Clear Lake KBF Trail II

I am at Clear Lake California for the KBF Trail Series Kayak Tournament. There are three separate days of tournament fishing, and each day

Another great day in pacific City

Kenai River Kings and Fish For The Future