We’ve all been there before. It usually starts with frustration: we go to our favorite store or online source and can’t find what we’re looking for. They’re out of it, for example, and they don’t know when it’ll be available again. We throw up our hands in frustration and try new sources only to encounter the same or a similar problem. This was my son Isaiah’s case.

Isaiah had found a fly tier who offered just the kokanee fly he was looking for and excitedly placed his order. But then Isaiah’s story takes a dark turn: he never received the flies. After trying for almost nine months to get his order, Isaiah was told things such as they were still working on his order, or that his order had just shipped. Still no order arrived. Finally, Isaiah’s polite inquiries were just ignored.

As they say, when the going gets tough the tough get going. At the age of 17, even though he had never tied a single fly in his life, Isaiah invested his hard-earned cash in fly tying equipment, materials, and proceeded to tie his own. Isaiah’s design is not simply an imitation of the original; it’s an innovative improvement.

Long hours of research and development have led to the highly effective kokanee flies we offer today. Not only do they work, they are beautiful. You’ll find them deadly when trolled slowly behind a small dodger. Tip the hooks with your favorite bait (corn, shrimp or “spikes”) and watch for the bite!

Isaiah’s kokanee flies are available:

Thanks for reading and hope to see you on the water!