Port Ludlow fly fisherman Skip Morris wants to help you catch the big ones.

The renowned fisherman, author and TV host will speak Wednesday, April 14, in Gardiner about fishing at depth in trout lakes.

“I have a real weakness for catching trout,” Morris joked.
“It makes my blood boil.”

His presentation explores:
• Fishing with sinking lines
• Floating lines
• Weighted flies all on long leaders

Teaches:
• How to determine if trout are feeding deep
• What they are feeding on
• Basic insect techniques on the water
• How to translate information into good fishing

“Of course, depth is relative — in the case of lake trout — it ranges from only a half-dozen feet down to 30,” Morris said.

He believes there are two ways to fish a lake.

“Fishing the surface and then the depths of a lake — really that’s where most of the fishing is most of the time,” Morris said.

Hooked beginnings
For 30 years, Morris has made a living as a professional fly fisherman.

He started when he was 12.

“When I was about 13, I told my parents that I wanted to grow up and write books about fly fishing, but they just laughed at it,” Morris said.

Now he has 12 books, several hundred magazine and newspaper articles, six-instructional DVDs and a three-year TV-host stint under his belt with his wife, Carol, on “Fly-Fish Television Magazine.”

Morris attributes his inspiration for writing from Canadian fisherman Roderick Haig-Brown.

His ideas come naturally to him and he chooses ideas that would serve the most fly fishermen best, Morris says.

Local angle
Morris said some of his favorite places to fish nearby are on any beach on Hood Canal and Gibbs Lake east of Discovery Bay.

How often he fishes varies, he said.

Trips last several weeks to a few days.

“When I was younger, I could go for months, every day,” Morris said.

“Now, I found more of a balance with my life.”

Flying high and steady
Those who go to Morris’ talk will get a firsthand look at his fly-tying method beforehand.

On a large video screen, he’ll show and discuss basics and some of his favorites.

Morris said his favorite fly is one of his original patterns called Wooly Wing.

Twenty-nine of his original fly patterns are tied and distributed by the Solitude Fly Company of Alhambra, Calif., in several sizes.

The Fly Shop in California — one of the major fly-fishing mail-order houses — carries several of Morris’ patterns in its catalog and Web site.

He will have some commercially made flies for sale.

Greywolf Fly Fishers
The Greywolf Fly Fishers club is sponsoring Morris’ lecture.

The group has 70 members and meets at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday each month at the Gardiner Community Center.

Membership is free, with eight outings planned each year, three out-of-area and five locally.

Morris encourages people to bring good questions and a notepad for his talk.

His articles on fly tying and fishing can be found at www.skip-morris-fly-tying.com.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.