Facts about Yak

 

• The City and Borough of Yakutat covers an area 6 times the size of Rhode Island (9,463 square miles), making it one of the largest "counties" in the United States with a population of 662 residents.
• Yakutat at one time had the only railroad in the U.S. built to carry raw fish.  It was retired in 1949 and is on display in the park entering town.
• During WWII, the U.S. built a major paved airfield in Yakutat in 1941 as part of a long range defense program. The airfield remains today and serves Alaskan Airline commercial flights.
• The Hubbard Glacier located within the borough, is North America's largest tide-water glacier.
• Mt. St. Elias has an elevation of 18,008 ft (5,489 meters) with a grade of 50-60% on the upper slopes. It is the highest peak in the world so close to tidewater and the 2nd highest peak in the United States making it the 4th highest in all of North America.
• It was first ascended in 1897 (after 8 attempts) and was the first of the giant Alaskan mountains discovered. 
• Mt. St. Elias contains the worlds largest non-polar ice fields
• Mt. St. Elias produces the largest single ice field in Alaska, called the Malaspina. Ice spreads from the mountain over 1500 square miles.
• Wrangell-St. Elias  is the 2nd largest national park in the United States covering 13.2 million acres, of which, 5 million are permanently covered with snow and ice.
• The Tongas National Forest is the US largest national forest and covers most of SE Alaska almost entirely surrounding the famous inside passage.
• The Tongas encompasses some 17 million acres
• The Tongas makes up  part of the Pacific Temperate Rainforest Ecoregion which is the largest of its kind on the Planet
• The World Famous Situk River resides in the Borough of Yakutat within the Tongas National Forest.  It hosts arguably the largest naturally occurring self sustained Steelhead fishery in the world with recorded runs in excess of 10,000 fish.
• The River is essentially pristine un-touched spawning environment in it's entirety.
• During salmon season it is not unrealistic to have runs of silvers and chums in excess of 80,000 fish per species.
• The Alaska Department of Fish and Game operate a fish counting Weir on the river and manage the fishery diligently.

Back to Yak

It’s been a long time since my last entry.  Truth be told there has really been no story to tell.  The Fall/Winter fishery on the West Side has been the worst in Decades and the Spring fishery has seemed to take a similar path.  My ambition and desire to force things has taken the exact same route.  My trips have been few and the time spent on the river when I did indeed venture out was far less than typical.  I have come to realize there is no fighting this and truth be told I am more than willing to let nature run its course.  I apologize to the frequent visitors of this site.  Some of you have reached out via email and others continue to frequently visit in hopes of some new material.  Again,  I apologize but I can no longer bring myself to force things and provide less than mediocre material for the sake of a post. I was asked last weekend if I was done with the Blog.  I had to think for a second and hesitantly replied…”I don’t know…”  I don’t want to be done but again I can’t force things.  After last year’s Alaska Trip I was inspirationally exhausted.  I could not bring myself to put pen to paper.  There wasn’t an epic story to be told…water was low, temps were insanely warm, and fishing was tough.  We had a great trip and caught some good fish including a 103lb Halibut but upon my return I was left with no desire to put forth the effort to share the tale.  Instagram became a quick and appealing means of expressing my photography and I quickly amassed a respectable following of “fish nerds” like myself looking to get their daily fix.  Even that has recently taken a hiatus mostly in part due to a lack of material.  The poor fishing and creative drought have led me to a crossroads.  I am at a potential turning point.  A week from this Friday I will embark on my third trip to the Situk River in Yakutat Alaska.  Truth be told I am extremely excited about this adventure.  From all reports this year’s run appears to be extremely healthy.  Water conditions have been outstanding and the weather forecast appears to tell a favorable story.  This has the potential to be “the year” that we put it all together.  Timing is everything on these trips.  It is extremely hard to time considering the logistics involved and my proximity to Yakutat.  Maybe…just maybe I got it right this year.  All things aside and regardless of numbers the trip will be outstanding.  This may very well be the inspiration I need.  Only time will tell.  For those inclined keep checking back…there just may be a story waiting to be told.

It's been a really challenging season...

It’s been a really challenging season to say the least.  The long winter and late spring seemed to have taken a toll on the Lake Huron and Lake Michigan Steelhead fishery.  Outings that typically would have produced multiple returns left us scratching our heads with tails between our legs. 

Theories abound as to which, where, why, and when the fishery will pop and it will be business as usual but we continued to wait for this to become reality. As with each facet of life confidence plays a major component in the success equation. 

  This season we have witnessed and experienced a degradation of this variable.  Water conditions and locations that we deemed “money” dealt us a humbling hike out of the river basin. 

 

Fortitude and conviction also factor into the formula.  Multiple hours were logged drifting seams, runs and deep holes to no avail.  It seemed as though this may be the season that never was. 

Pessimistic outlooks become contagious and the ability to save face dwindles exponentially after each failure.  Just when it all seemed to be for not a mild spell accompanied by rain hit the forecast for the Great Lakes Region.  A quick thaw and decent bump ensued and a flicker of hope shone on the horizon.  If it were to happen it seemed as though this may finally be the catalyst. 

Schedules were rearranged and absences booked in order to arrive under optimum conditions.  Just when it all seemed like it wouldn’t come together it finally did.  It wasn’t epic by no means but certainly enough to restore our tattered confidence and once again reignite an almost dwindled flame. 

Enough cannot be said about taking things for granted and this Season has repeatedly preached this leasson.














It sure felt nice to finally once again drift water knowing fish are present, willing, and able. It was as equally nice to see some brand new players in the system fresh from the lake.

Perhaps this was a mere coincidence but I certainly hope it plays out equally across my typical haunts. 

I plan to test this theory in the coming days over at the cabin in Michigan.

It hasn't been easy...

Things have been quiet around here this season. 

Mainly in part to my lack of ambition but to be quite honest the outings I have undertaken have been tough. 

I have yet to turn a Steelie on the Manistee and my only trip to the home waters since my last post here proved tough as well. 

From what I gather nothing has been easy this season on the Lake Huron and Lake MI flows.

Historically fish would typically be scattered in decent numbers throughout my usual haunts but the fish we have managed to convince have not come without great effort. 

An unusually long and hard Winter and late Spring had the spring run weeks behind schedule. 

The Fall Salmon run was a mere facsimile of previous years runs and this year's Steelhead season seems to be showing signs of irregularity. 

Perhaps it's a tad bit delayed but the river conditions and temps do not dictate undesirable conditions to move fish.  

It's hard to formulate any educated answer and I have heard a multitude of theories but cut and dry the limited days I have spent on the rivers have been tough. 

It should never be easy but this season has undertones of difference. 

The guys over on the South Side of Erie seem to be holding their own but that act has run it's course for me.

Time will tell and I'm still holding out for my favorite time of the year, the late November and December fishery.

Another Season...

 It's been a long time since my poetic narrative and/or perverse perspective have adorned this humble blogs pages.  Truth be known I have not wet a line since my return from Alaska in early May.  Piscatorially I had become burned out.  So much so that I couldn't muster up the ambition to tell the tale of the second epic AK adventure.  Too much of a good thing I guess...  

There is no better way to end a Steelheading season than on a high note like the AK trip but after that had played out it was sincerely time to check out for a while.  I have always taken a moderate reprieve from the fishing scene come late Spring but this time around it seemed to be way more extreme. 

Summer is time to recharge my batteries. A time to re-instill the passion through abstinence. 
In order to go as hard as I do from October through to May I need to shut it all down and allow my other interests to consume my time and attention.  What this does is allows me to approach the river fully charged in the fall with a rekindled spirit once the rains come and the temperatures plummet. 

Well as fate would have it both occurred somewhat earlier than anticipated this fall.
The stars aligned and the rains came early along with unseasonably cool temperatures.  The usual indicators were screaming green light so we made the trek up the lake to seize the opportunity. 

The winds were extreme and we fished second water all day but we toughed it out and managed to turn a few in our usual haunts. It was a nice segway into what I hope to be a stellar 2014/2015 Fall/Winter season.

To the religious followers of this Blog I thank you for your patience and persistence.  The blogger hits counter broke 101,000 even without any new posts in the past 5 months.   It's nice to see the traffic even when there is no new content. 

I hope to be somewhat regular with my posts in the coming months and provide some decent content for your enjoyment so keep stopping by and chime in once and a while...the comments are always appreciated.

Locked and Loaded

Well the time has come.  It's been a a little bit in the planning but she is finally before us.  The return to the Situk...Yakutat Alaska.
Hopefully things all come together with the weather and the river water levels and such. 
Sure would be nice to tie in a couple crazy 40" slabs like Sean Donahue did last week.  All things aside it should be yet another epic trip.

AK is only a couple of days away...

The Clock is ticking...Time to seriously get packing.

Woodstock Lines...The Anglers Connection

Well I was pleasantly surprised a few weeks back by a package awaiting my arrival on the porch up at the cabin. My good friends at Woodstock Lines and The Anglers Connection sent me an awesome sampling of their outstanding fly line backing as well as some of their floating monofilament to run through the paces. The backing colours are sharp, crisp, and sexy and will look outstanding on any reel to colour accent as well as serve it's intended reel backing purpose. For those of you in need of some quality Dacron for your Fly or Centerpin reels backing needs look them up here at www.theanglersconnection.com or click on their banner in the sponsors section of the blog. The floating mono has been fishing fine so far and banked a fair share of Michigan chromers. I plan to really put it to the test on some of those giant Alaska fish later this week.

Yakutat 2014 Return to the Situk

Well the clock has been ticking and we are officially starting the countdown. Only 17 days away until we visit one of the last remaining Frontiers left on this plant...Alaska. For those that are not aware, Yakutat Alaska is home to Mount St Elias, The Hubbard Glacier, Russell Fiord, and the world renowned Situk River. The Situk boasts the planets largest self sustaining wild population of Steelhead. Fish in the 40" class are not uncommon and annual run numbers in excess of 8000 can be experienced. The freestone glacier fed river runs some 20 miles from it's headwaters at Situk Lake through the Tongass National Forest where it eventually drains into the Gulf of Alaska. The only access to the river is at the 9 mile bridge via the forest service road. Here you hike up river and wade fish or float down river some 14 miles in a drift boat towards the take out at the estuary. It's truly a one of a kind self guided fishery that affords one the opportunity of double digit days, 40" class fish, Coastal Brown Bears, Black Bears, Moose, Bald Eagles, wolf and lynx all encompassed within the boundaries of the worlds largest remaining Temperate Rainforest...The Tongass. It's truly an epic adventure about to unfold... **with the exception of the Steelhead snaps all pics contained withing the slide show are courtesy of Google images. Thanks Google!!

Ahhhh...seriously!

Ok...This is some seriously dangerous water!  All the west side flows are near or past flood stage.  It's a complete sh*t show.  Those poor fish...

KaaaBooom

It was inevitable...The river is a giant muddy mess. With the amount of snow base this year and the certainty that Spring would eventually poke her head from the shadows it was only a matter of time. Well it has happened. The flow is epic and the visibility is zero. She won't be fishable by my standards for a week and that's only if the rains subside. If I recall correctly last years spring was similar and she didn't have any decent visibility for weeks. Timing is everything my friends. Hopefully the Easter weekend brings some opportunity but I'm not liking my chances. On a side note young Cole Lauzon put together a really cool video of our trip over to the West side a few weeks back. It's his first video. I think he did a really good job with it. Enjoy...

Paying it Forward Part 2...Michigan

I am fortunate and blessed to have within my means the ability to own and frequent a property in Northwestern Michigan literally a stones throw away from fabled waters. I remind myself of this each and every time I pull into the cabin drive. I do not take this for granted. With the property comes the ability to share this gift with others. This past weekend I had the opportunity to extend a Steelheading offer to young fishing prodigy Cole L. If you all remember, Cole and I had fished back in the fall on the home waters of Ontario. He still makes reference to that trip today. I can't help but see a spark in this kid that reminds me of myself at that same age. An unparalleled burning desire to chase these crazy fish that defies all logic and reasoning. The longing for an opportunity can almost be torture. It's hard to understand unless you are stricken with this affliction and have been there. The extended and miserable winter must have been hard on the young fella staring at his new switch rod rig and drooling over his Instagram account photos. An opportunity arose and I thought what a gift I could offer...We cleared it off with his parents and made the trek over to the West Side for two days of early spring adventure. The fishing wasn't epic but the crowds were. We made the best of it and had a lot of fun. I'd do it again in a minute. This kid can fish and has an appreciation and respect for the fishery like only a die hard Steelheader would. It wasn't looking good with the lack of fresh fish and the crowds but in the 11th hour Cole popped a nice Hen on the faithful Atomic Orange $$ bead. It's not like I don't have an ulterior motive though...I'm still banking on this kid dragging me to the river when I'm old, intolerable, and without the means. Ah yes...money in the bank.

She won't let go...

Winter...She just won't let go. All week I had looked forward to fishing Saturday. It was forecast to be the last day in the positives prior to yet another cold snap. After a short diversion to take care of some business outside of Grand Rapids I drove into some rain heading North. I watched the ambient temp gauge slowly creep from above freezing into the negatives. Luckily I drove out of that mess prior to the rain freezing and becoming a hazard. I arrived at the cabin and unloaded the gear. It was nearing 10 pm and damn cold. I lit the woodstove and settled in for a few drinks to unwind before calling it a night. Saturday morning came and went. I spent my time stoking the stove, drinking coffee with Bailey's, and trying to muster up the ambition to hit a partially frozen winter river. It was 1 pm before I finally donned the gear and made the drive to the access. In my youth I would have been devastated by a fishy morning wasted but with age comes experience, patience, and wisdom. My days of burning the candle at both ends and pulling no stops to fish first light are long over. I'm happy to arrive on my schedule well rested and ready to clean up the scraps. It's served me well and I have learned to go with the flow. I don't need much anymore and have nothing to prove. I am there to set my head straight and capture some memories and images on film. Well...as fate would have it my plan paid off in spades. The river was being her miserable winter self and reports from the morning shift were grim. I shook it off and put my time in, kept the faith, and covered water. The Atomic Orange Great Lakes Steelhead Co 10mm bead came through again. When I left I had turned 6 fish on a river that was being a stingy miserable bitch. My reel froze solid after the third fish. I battled iced guides and bone freezing winds the entire outing. As much as I'd like to complain it was a great day on the water. My gear kept me dry and warm and the crowds pushed me to some old water that paid off in dividends. It was a refreshing reminder to leave no stone unturned. Excellent advice for the quickly approaching combat Spring Fishery.

Reprieve

It's been over a month since my last entry. To be quite honest this winter has really put a damper on both ambition and opportunity. I got out this weekend for a few drifts. Friday's positive temps were a blessing. It was nice to finally fish without the threat of frozen fingers and iced up guides. With the warm temps came the front end of the spring fishing crowds but a little leg work afforded me some solitude. It wasn't without effort but what started out as a bust turned into a refreshing day on the river with some very interesting critters to hand. I'm hoping the changing of the weather guard will muster up some inspiration but to be quite honest it's been a challenge lately to find the gumption to put pen to paper. I think it's a natural progression and I have certainly been here before but each time this funk arises I seem to dive a little deeper into the abyss. I liberated once of my collectables recently and the possibility of replacing it has ignited a small flame. My Instagram account has taken off and also fueled some ambition to get out there and capture some images. I have obtained some amazing new sponsors over the winter season that like my others I can stand behind without compromise. The Alaska trip is looming on the horizon and will certainly finish off the season on a high note before my Summer hiatus. Piscatorially I'm blessed but getting tired. Hoping a few well timed trips, some new acquaintances, and some old will get it all going again...

The Water Bucket Trip

As fate would have it what is proving to be a reoccurring theme this winter forced my return to the cabin this past weekend.  A small water leak in the bulkhead over the kitchen counter reared it's ugly head earlier this winter.  I had hoped the purchase and install of some heat tracing on the back of the cabin roof would have remedied the ice daming and water backup issue on the roof  but it only seemed to half way resolve what is proving to be a daunting pain in my ass.  Prior to leaving our last stay I had placed a small bucket on the counter to capture the periodic drops hoping the leak would take up when the cabin cooled and the roof water refroze.  This manoeuvre proved to be a mistake as the thought of an over flowing bucket of water was ever on my mind during the work week.  I was hoping to stay home and enjoy a mild reprieve from the road but my internal thought processes were having no part of that.  With future commitments on the horizon and visions of overflowing water I planned a return trip with a friend from work.  Sledding and Steelheading was on the agenda with a side of "bucket checking".  Late Friday night and my fears were semi-realized.  There was no spillover but the bucket was indeed an inch and a half away from breach.  Luckily for me the roof refroze and the leak took up.  Plans were made for a leisurely Saturday morning in front of the woodstove with coffee followed by some afternoon Steelheading and evening Snowmobiling.  Sunday would see us tend to the roof.
The fishing was cold and proved to be a challenge but the Great Lakes Steelhead Co beads managed to persuade a few to hand.  It was one of the coldest outings I have fished this winter a really tested our commitment.  The evening snowmobiling was awesome.  The trails were prime and there seemed to be a lot of deer traffic out along the countryside.  The highlight was a stop in Brethren for a cold and delicious beverage.  Sunday was spent pulling snow off the back roof, revealing the suspected water ingress culprit and redeployment of the electric heat tape.  I will have to wait until spring or summer to finalize the fix but for now I'm confident I have it figured out.  Til then I have a rather large storage bin on the counter to quench my mental demons and any unforeseen rapid thaws.

February Already???

The cabin seemed extra cold this morning as I crept from the warmth of the bed. Friday's clear blue skies gave way to the doom and gloom of winter once again. There was a storm on the forecast and the dark grey skies gave a clear message that the snow was indeed on its way. I was on the fence as to whether or not I was going to hit the river but after my morning routine decided to don the gear hand make the trek. The access was surprisingly busy but once again my section of river was devoid of pressure. I fished the river hard for the first hour to no avail when another couple of anglers joined me. Their company forced my hand and I visited some water I had been to neglecting as of late mainly due to laziness on my part. The marabou wasn't producing today and neither were the money colour beads. I opted to tone things down and go with a more natural faint tangerine 10mm bead. After 4 fish in a matter of 30 mins I knew I had finally dialed it in. It was nice to figure it out and  find success in the extreme conditions. It just keeps getting harder on the body and I am now certain my wrist is screwed. First the right shoulder and now the right wrist. It sucks getting old but the allure of the river and these crazy fish won't keep me down.

Marabou Money

Made it to the river today. There is an insane amount of snow in the Wellston area. To say its cold would be an understatement... I was entirely alone and my water hadn't seen any pressure in days judging by the amount of snow piled on the stairs. It took no more than two drifts for the Marabou to once again prove its prowess. There cannot be enough said about enticing the response of one of these magnificent creatures on ones own hand tied creation. Instant inspiration...tonight I hit the vice once again to replenish the arsenal.

Brief moments of greatness...

This season has certainly had it's challenges.  If it wasn't the never ending rains of the fall it soon became the deep Arctic chill of winter.  The opportunities have been few and far between and to be quite honest it has been a nice reprieve from it all.  It was certainly time for me to step back and take a break...regroup if you will and semi-hibernate in front of the wood stove for a bit.  It had been a good three weeks since my last trip over to the cabin and I was getting a little antsy to check on things.  I wouldn't classify myself as a worrier but more of a precautionary soul with a 3 week maximum.  We decided to make a short weekend of it with hopes of some  snowmobiling and if time permitted a quick visit to the river.  Saturday morning came quickly and with it another 2 hours of chipping and shoveling to clear the avalanche pile that comes off of the garage roof.  The old truck needed a jump and the wood pile in the garage needed replenishing.  It was just after lunch when I stepped into the cabin and proclaimed I was slipping down to the river for a few hours to try my luck.  The access parking lot spoke to marginal traffic and making the trek down to the valley floor I hoped to find my favoured water vacant.  Luckily for me it was with the exception of a guide boat well down river from my preferred haunts.  The water was as I had left it three weeks prior with a tad more stain.  Some call it high but to me it's a blessing for this time of year.  I dropped in at the top and started to pick my lines.  It took a few drifts to find my groove but it all began to come together nicely.  That's when things got weird.  For the remainder of my stay it seemed I could do no wrong.  The 10mm bead was literally on fire turning 10 fish in three hours not to mention two back to back Stellar Bucks in the 12+lb range.  These brief moments of greatness catch you totally off guard.  These days are gifts and I am smart enough to know they don't come on any level of consistency so I savoured every last ounce of it.  The fish on the West Side are big this year and I can say without a word of a lie I have landed my top 5 or so PB Great Lakes Steelhead this season.  There have been numerous reports of fish in the 20lb class being taken and I can't even imagine what one of those would look like after landing the two giants today.  These crazy beads are ridiculous and Zach Rayno at www.glsteelheadco.com has put together some UV and Atomic bead color options that have literally kicked A$$ for me on the MI and Ontario flows.  If you are on the fence about beads don't be...get on them!

Last MI fish of 2013

Well the post Xmas pre-New Years trip to the cabin has been challenging to say the least.  The past few days have bounced from positive 5C to -7C in less than 24 hrs.  Saturdays mild spell was reluctantly welcomed.  As suspected with positive temps come positive crowds.  The river was extremely busy.  I only had a few hours to burn so I poked around and managed to sniff out a couple.  One came to hand on an Atomic Orange Great Lakes Steelhead Co bead and the other got the better of me on my hand tied Olive Marabou jig.  It's too bad because it was a beast but was long in the drift and burning down river towards some wood.  I had to put the hammer down and the knot gave way and left the poor fellow with a dead sexy Marabou mouth piercing.  Sunday morning came and went and it was extremely hard to muster up the courage and ambition to venture out into the now sub-Arctic temps.  It wasn't easy but  I finally got my head around it and set forth towards the access.  It was now a little after 1pm.  Surprisingly the traffic was still on the heavy side at the parking lot but I suspected my water would be lonely.  Upon arriving at the bottom of the valley my suspicions were confirmed.  I dropped in and started to pick away.  I knew it was going to be tough and I was quite expecting a blank after two days of marginal success and the dramatic temperature swing brought on by this nasty cold front.  The winds were brutal and the guides were freezing up hard.  I stuck to my system and systematically went through all of my go to offerings and colours up and down the run.  After a good hour and a half my feet began to remind me that it was almost time to cut our losses.  I made my way to the bank to de-ice the guides and warm my now aching fingers and toes.  After a 15 min reprieve I decided one last go with what has proven to be "the money bead" for my 2013 season...The Atomic Orange.  The second drift in the float dropped. The Rod loaded up proud and the fight was on.  It was an incredibly exhilarating feeling and an instant reminder as to why we suffer through these extremes when everyone else is hunkered down in the warmth of their homes.  I half heartedly expected to lose this fish but lady luck must have been looking over me as I somehow managed to swing the magnificent hen to the bank.  I carefully positioned my reel for a few pics keeping in mind any water would instantly render it useless in these temps.  After my photo session I grabbed my the rod only to see the reel covered in ice.  The Mykiss is an outstanding float reel but certainly not one for the sub-Arctic temps.  I tried to thaw it out but each drift resulted in a re-freeze.  I was not about to complain as the entire ordeal was an outstanding way to end the 2013 calendar year over here on the West Side.  If I'm lucky I just might get out for a quick drift back home in Ontario before the extended season ends Jan 1st but that is highly unlikely.  2013 has certainly proven to be a challenging season...big rains, big water, big fish.

Manistee Marabou

Well the fishing opportunities have been far and few between.  This certainly is proving to be a challenging year.  First the rains kept us at bay for most of November and December proved to have it's own challenges with an early cold spell and lockup.  I was looking forward to my Christmas holidays and an opportunity to hit the big river over at the cabin.  Finally the time came and we hit the Interstate for the marginal 3.5 hr drive over to the West Side of the state.  Fishing on the Big Manistee has been challenging this year with the above average water flows and the up and down weather patterns.  The beads have been money for me but it can be far too easy to stray from the grass roots and what we know.  Last year it was all about the wax worm and I couldn't buy a fish on a marabou jig.  The year prior the jigs were on fire.  Earlier on in the fall I had some good luck on the standard olive marabou so upon arrival to the cottage I decided to whip a few up for Friday's outing.  Well Friday morning came and along with it 2 plus hours of shovelling.  A snow blower is now on the "must have" list of cabin related items.  Finally I arrived to the river shortly after 1pm.  There was a boat in the middle of the drift and almost entirely blocking any fishing opportunities in my favoured section.  I opted to fish above them with short drifts and wait them out.  They seemed preoccupied with smoking their pot and drinking beer than trying to properly present an offering.   I was certain my patience would pay off and equally certain the fish in this section were untouched.  Well not more than 15 mins later they pulled anchor and as their boat started to drift down with the current.  At the same time my rod loaded up nicely with the first steelhead of the day.  I didn't stay more than two hours but the Marabou hooked four fish.  Two Steelies, one of which exceeded 10lbs, a giant resident brown pushing 3lbs, and a surprise river Walleye. 
Nothing like success on your own hand tied offerings.  Just goes to prove versatility is the key to success and one should always have options.  Keep true to your conviction and pound that water.  Odds are if your gut tells you there are fish there then there most likely are.  You just gotta put what they want in front of them with confidence.