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BACK TO GUIDE SERVICE |
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During Tim’s early
childhood his family relocated to Ellensburg and in 1956 he
began fishing the smaller streams around the Kittitas Valley
with his father. By the time he was 10 he was spending most
of his care free days fishing the Yakima River.
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In the 1960’s, the
McKenzie style modern drift boat design that are regularly
used now on many of the big western rivers were uncommon.
Rafts made of rubberized canvas manufactured in Japan with
heavy steel rowing frames were the most popular form of
river transportation during this time. Tim was proud of the
four man yellow slug he owned. He and his fellow fishing
brethren spent their carefree teenage summer days, drifting
the Yakima River. |
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 In 1982, after
owning several profitable business ventures in Ellensburg,
Tim set his sights and admirations in a different direction
and started the first ever guiding and outfitting operation
on the Yakima River. Irish’s Fly Fishing Guiding Service
was formed and operated exclusively by Tim himself.
During the early years of the guiding operation, Tim worked
exclusively from an Avon raft. Peak guiding periods at this
time were April to October and Tim stayed busy spending many
of his days on the waters of the Yakima. When he
wasn’t guiding the famed river canyon, he spent his off days
working retail at the “Royal Coachman” fly shop in Renton,
Washington. Here Tim had the opportunity to meet potential
clients from the Seattle area and introduced them to the
spectacular fly fishing opportunities on Central
Washington’s, Yakima River. |
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Over the first
several years, Irish’s Guiding Service grew and with it the
demand for more manpower. Tim hired several local residents
training them to work the rigorous summer waters of the
Yakima. Many of these individuals are still around today
operating guiding operations of their own. |
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As the 1980’s
progressed and the Yakima River began to take on its world
wide fame of today, Tim began working on another project. In
order to make this fishery a true blue ribbon trout stream,
the infusion of hatchery raised and planted rainbows had to
be eliminated. Tim and other concerned fly fishermen from
the Ellensburg and Yakima area worked tirelessly to begin a
regulations change on the river. In the late 80’s a
movement was formed and slowly the rivers fishery rules
began to change. |
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First the planting
of hatchery fish was abolished by the state providing the
necessary means for a sustaining wild trout population.
Next the river was designated a “selective gear” regulations
river, which meant bait could no longer be used for fishing.
Shortly after, the Yakima River was selected a “Catch and
Release”, single barb less trout fishery and since then the
fish and the fishing has substantial improved getting better each new season. |
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Tim’s outfitting
and guiding operation flourish and he continued to guide
clients on the fabled waters of the
Yakima, Wenatchee and other Pacific Northwest rivers. Over
the years, Tim's outfitting was captured on film and in
countless fly fishing publication. In the early 90's, Fly
Fishing Video
Magazine devoted an full length documentation of the river
and its seasons of fishing to the
“Yakima River” featuring Tim Irish and his guiding
services. |
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The video is still
in publication today and offers those interested
in fly fishing the Yakima River, a complete and
intelligent account of the rivers biological
seasons, hatches and idiosyncrasies needed for a
successful adventure. Little did Tim know at the time, but his hard work and dedication to
the sport of fly fishing, built the foundation
and paved the way for a now multi million dollar
industry in the Kittitas Valley. |
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In 1993, Tim
displeased with the back stabbing and client stealing
movement taking place with other guides in the Yakima River up and
vanished from the valley. He left behind his guiding
operation and the hundreds of clients that had routinely
patronized his business to the feeding frenzy of hungry
vultures. |
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 Word about his
departure from the Yakima River Valley spread like wildfire.
Fly fishermen around the Pacific Northwest could not believe
their favorite Yakima River guide was no longer rowing and
working the waters of the Yakima. Unfounded rumors
surfaced about Tim's health and well being. Many
wondered as speculations and untruths about Tim's exodus
from the fly fishing industry abounded. In
the Northern most reaches of Chelan County in
Washington State there is a unfamiliar river
that flows with a fast furry and strict
glacierial sediment. It pushes hard and
steep, pulsing over huge boulders and collides
with a steep dramatic, beautiful terrain.
It is rightfully named the Stehekin River. Located in the remote wilderness
at the northern end of Lake Chelan, a small
mountain lodge nestles along the shoreline of
the lake. |
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The Stehekin
Lodge, independently owned and operated in the North
Cascades National Park system has been in existence since
the 1940's. This was now Tim's new found freedom and
passion. Tim departed the Yakima River Valley and
began operating the remote boat/fly-in
lodge located on the banks of the lake. He successfully
managed this outdoor recreation business for over 13 seasons. Many of his
afternoons were spent fly fishing the pristine, Stehekin River. Tim
retired and resigned his management position from the lodge in 2007 and
returned home to his beloved
river in the Kittitas Valley. |
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Mr. Tim Irish can
now be found at the Worley Bugger Fly Co. working in retail
sales. Tim is also in charge and heads up the
education
division of Worley Bugger teaching the craft of fly fishing,
fly casting and fly tying to others. Tim states, “I feel I have a
responsibility to share the knowledge I’ve accumulated
between my ears over the years.” He often backs up this
statement when meeting him as he defines a unique and
thorough presentation of the game we all enjoy called "fly
fishing". A visit to the fly shop in Ellensburg and
you will quickly realize the accuracy of this statement. |
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Tim and his wife
Linda have been married for over 25 years, raised 4 children
during that time and now enjoy 6 grand children. |
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In 1994,
while recovering from a work related iron working accident, I was
given a copy of the Yakima
River Journal written by fly fishing author, Ellensburg native and
publishing director of NW Fly Fishing Magazine, Steve Probasco
by my wife Robin. I sat down and quickly began
reading and absorbing each and every paragraph.
As I turned page after page, delighted with the
reading and the new found knowledge I was retaining, a full page picture of Tim Irish
holding a Yakima River Rainbow adorned the journal.
As I read through the biography of Tim, a strange
feeling came over me, a deja vu if you will. It
was then that I knew during some point mine in my fly
fishing career, my path with Tim Irish was going to cross... and
I mean that in only the best of ways. |
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In 1998
after several years of guiding the river I expanded
the operation and
opened the Worley Bugger pro shop in Ellensburg.
Over the next couple of years, a familiar face from
the Yakima River Journal would pop in from
time to time replenishing some of his supplies.
Each visit, Tim would reintroduced himself . He would sit
for awhile and converse about fly fishing on the
Yakima and
beyond, expressing his concerns about the growing
popularity of the river. I enjoyed the
conversations and always found Tim's good sense of
humor a delight. Then in 2007, the Irishman walked back
thru the doors
of Worley Bugger with a definite skip in step and a whistle on
his lips. You could tell he was happy and
content. |
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Over the
next couple of weeks, Tim and I began lengthy in depth
conversations about our passions, one of course
being....fly fishing. As we talked it soon
became quite apparent to me that Tim was a person of
high caliber. His presence among the staff would
be a perfect match with our business plan and he was
asked to join the professional fly fishing team at
Worley Bugger. That strange, eerie sensation
that I had felt in 1994 had a definitive meaning. Tim now in his early fifties has no
aspirations to rekindle his guiding career and I
can't blame him for that. After all, its no easy task to push a
boat around the Yakima River during the high flows of
summer at any age. |
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Tim's real
passion lies in teaching others what he has spent a
lifetime learning himself. He is now in charge
and heads up the Fly Fishing Education Division of
Worley Bugger Fly Co. " I have had countless glowing reviews from
customers and clients that have enlisted in his
fly fishing courses over the past year". Tim's hard work and dedication to the
sport of fly fishing and Worley Bugger is one I don't think I could
ever repay. We all owe him a debt of gratitude
for setting a standard in which we all now live and
play by. Thanks brother! |
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In 2007, the
Yakima River's prodigal son returned and we couldn't
be happier to have Tim as a member of our staff and
family at Worley Bugger. Stop by and talk with
Tim. You will be glad you did! |
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