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View Full Version : Mike McCune here this winter in Sacramento



Bill Kiene semi-retired
11-15-2008, 12:52 AM
Mike McCune is originally from Sacramento and grew up at our fly shop. His parents had other ideas about his future because he did well in school but Mike had other ideas too. He said they have come to realize that guiding is his life and he has become very successful at it too.

I guess I am partly to blame because I connected Mike with "Commando" Alaskan guide Craig Ziegler (formerly from Sacramento) in Seaside, Oregon over 20 years ago and that pretty much sealed Mike's destiny.

Mike and Craig actually took Northern California tidewater fly fishing techniques to Oregon way back when nobody else did it with flies.

Craig and I were exposed to tide water fly fishing by Al Perryman (formerly of Sacramento) on the lower Eel River in the 1970s.

Mike is a veteran professional fly fishing guide having worked at several high end lodges in Alaska for over 20 years.

Craig Ziegler was in the special forces and trained people in gorilla warfare techniques hence the nick name "commando" fly fisherman.

He has lived on the Oregon coast for over 20 years guiding steelhead and salmon in the fall, winter and spring in Oregon and Washington state.

He comes back in the fall/winter to spend time with his parents and does some waterfowl hunting too.

He said he would do some casting/fishing demos for us this winter at Watt Avenue.

Mike McCune, Ed Ward and Scott O'Donnell all work together and helped develop much of the northwest/skagit style of fishing over the past 20 years and today they guide Skagit style two handed fishing in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, almost year round.

SFMike
11-15-2008, 05:09 PM
Hey Bill,
Please keep us posted on when Mike might be showing off his skills on the A. Having only seen him in videos, he's a bit of a living legend. I'd sure love to see what casting tips he has to offer.

mike

Grampa Spey
11-18-2008, 09:32 AM
Besides being an expert instructor in Skagit casting, Mike is a super guy.

3 SpeyoRamas ago, I took a friend to see what was happening. We got Mike to have a one on one Skagit session with my friend with a Gary Anderson 5 wt Spey rod.

I couldn't believe what my friend could do with the Anderson rod and Mike's instruction.

My friend ordered the same rod from Gary with the appropriate Skagit line with a Ross Reel.

In the meantime, my friend bought the latest Rio DVD to watch Mike, Scott and Ed Cast/

When he got his Anderson new rod, reel and line, I couldn't believe how well he was casting with ease and composure. Thanks to Mike and Gary, my friend skipped through the tough and messy part of the learning curve.

Ed, please let us know if Mike will be running any clinics or guiding. I prefer week day clinics to avoid the masses using the river for non fishing reason.

Thanks
Dave