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Ghost Writer: Eric Jackson - Fly Fishing In La-La Land

November 04, 2014

Our relationship with Eric Jackson goes way back almost to the beginning of HEX. It could be mutual admiration, or something much deeper that we share. In any case, Eric is not only one of the baddest, most respected snowboarders on the planet, he is also an avid fly-fisherman and naturalist. So when we heard that he was on his way to British Columbia to camp, fish, and play his banjo, we knew we wanted to hear all about it. So, we hope you enjoy this edition of our Ghost Writer series with exclusive words and images from Eric and Darcy Bacha, respectively. _DSC8396

Fly fishing and snowboarding are my two favorite things to do in life, but snowboarding is how I make a living so Its safe to say I like Fly fishing more.... Recently my Buddy Darcy and I packed up all our fishing gear and drove to Northern British Columbia for a 5 week camping trip to the Holy Grail of fly fishing for Steelhead. In my opinion, catching and then releasing a wild Steelhead is the pinnacle of fly fishing. They are the baddest fish in the rivers. Born in fresh water, where they stay for up to 4 years, then head out to the big blue, where food is abundant. They live in the ocean until its time to spawn, then miraculously navigate their way back to the same river where they were born, but unlike the the salmon, which die after spawning, a steelhead has the ability to go back to the ocean and return to their spawning grounds multiple times. This is truly amazing!

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So many people ask me why I don't eat the fish I catch. Don't get me wrong, I eat fish. When backpacking in the high country, there is nothing better than a freshly caught trout. But Steelhead are different. Their numbers are at a massive decline, due to netting and commercial operations heavily overfishing the waters. When it comes down to it, I just like catching them. I like the environment where they live. And I'd rather just take a moment to admire their beauty, shake hands, and send them on their way to continue such an epic journey in life. These experiences have taught me to not only respect the fish, but to respect all aspects of mother nature, because one way or another, man is out to destroy the wild and natural way of life and I'm thankful to have witnessed nature in such a pristine state. The Journey is the Treasure. -Eric Jackson _DSC8514