Kipiox Steelhead-the Kis is a trib of the Skeena

image: Male Kispiox Steelhead from the 06 season. This fish hammered my fly late in the day. photo credit: will blanchard (self timer)

BOYCOTT SHELL OIL

Royal Dutch Shell wants to begin coal bed methane production in north-central British Columbia, home of the Sacred Headwaters. The headwaters include the Nass, Skeena and Stikine Rivers. These rivers are vital to ecosystems that support wild salmon, steelhead, grizzly and black bears, moose, caribou, lynx, beavers, eagles, ravens and countless other species. If Shell gets in, the raping of the land will effect not only ecosystems but also the economies of countless communities made up of both native and local people. STOP SHELL! Voice your opinion and do not support their product.

Click the youtube vids on the right and also check out these links:
Skeena Watershed
Sacred Headwaters

Ila Graham turns 1 on Sep 20th and she rocks!

My little niece is turning one entire year old on September 20th! She is wicked cute and as you can see in the photo, wicked cool. Gotta love the Dropkick Murphys bib, a gift from her god father, Kevin Grady. She shure makes her mom and dad, Beth and Bill Graham proud, as well as her grandparents Ralph and Jan Blanchard and Dickey and Toppy Graham. Rock on little one.

PHOTO: Bud's Brown Trout on a Popper

image: Rio Grande brown on a big ass red/black popper. Bud Callahan had two big-time days on the Rio this past August. 200 + fish to dries, streamers and poppers. photo: will blanchard fly fishing guide

20 days and counting...BC wilderness and steelhead

image: Kispiox tuckered out at Root Pond near Dolores Colorado. photo: will blanchard

Welcome to the blog. This will be a place for friends, family and those who are interested in checking out my adventures, photography, guide service and other random goings-on.

As of right now my focus is on the rest of the guide season and gearing up for British Columbia. I'll be finishing up the main push of my 15th guide season on the 22nd of September. I'll be back to guiding in early December. The 23rd of September will be a day full of packing and snugging up loose ends for the business. As for now, the 24th will be the day we depart for Hazelton BC. My self and Kispa (my 9 month old black lab) will load up in my over-packed 04 Dodge Ram 2500 pick-up and head north for another fall adventure in the wilds of north-central BC.

Check list will include: 12 fly rods, 6 reels, fly lines, flies, fly tying supplies, passport, dog papers, shot gun, ammo, shot gun papers, camp gear, blankets, gloves, hats, Simms waders, clothing, cooler, grub, extra fuel, chainsaw, GPS, cameras, tripods, computer, dry boxes and dry bags, raft, frame, repair, pumps, bike, down jacket, guide jacket, fleece, fleece and more fleece, socks, boots, two-four (the way Canadians say 24 pack of beer) of Ska brew for my buddy Todd Stockner...you get the point.
Stay tuned for more...

Cheers,

Will Blanchard