Cogs Outdoors

18/12/2021

This has been a completely chaotic month for everyone, I cant believe this much time has already passed. Back on November 22nd, after the first flood struck the Hope BC area on the 14th, I got out and wanted to see if I could recover and live or dead fish on the Coquihalla, the hardest hit system in Hope.

Filming it became too emotional for me, so this isn't a complete video, but here's what I saw.

https://youtu.be/Pqh_bpRR2io

This is footage I took on November 22nd of 2021, 1 week after the first flood event on the Coquihalla River. We then endured 2 more major floods since this f...

30/04/2021

• FORAGING •

It's prime time to be out foraging for a huge variety of wild edible foods! A little dog walk in the woods led us to a cluster of large Verpa fungi and with a much closer look, found a handfull of Morels to take home. Some fresh and some almost expired.

Some other great wild foods out there are;

°Stinging nettle
° Watercress & poormans watercress
° Elder flowers
° Maple blossoms

*please be sure to research and have solid knowledge of any plant, mushroom and fungus ID before consuming anything you forage*

Now, time to leave the forest and go hit the river ! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

24/04/2021

I wasnt fully intending on making a short video of this swim but I did manage to capture a few cool underwater shots of some Coho fry and a fairly large "mystery fish", could be a steelhead? could be a large Char? What do you think?

Anyways, also another reminder to please please please try and clean up your trash and others if you see it! This is not as highly populated as some of the systems in the Fraser Valley but we still managed to fill an entire black garbage bag by the end of the day!

https://youtu.be/5O-KPfNRGuE

Having the ability to swim in cold glacial waters can produce some great experiences. In this video, we filmed a leisurely swim, found coho salmon fry, some ...

23/04/2021

• REUSING COMPOST•

Over the last few years we've been super conscious of making sure to compost all scrap vegetables, coffee grinds, egg shells, paper towels, leaves, fire pit ashes etc and have been reaping the benefits of it over the last 2 years. I thought it would be neat to share with you what it now looks like, with a very small amount of effort put into it, simply turning the contents once a month or so and just keep on adding to it.

Do you have your own compost box? What do you do to help create amazing soils ? I'd love to hear some of your tips !!

05/04/2021

•Reel Trash Talk•

This video is pretty self-explanatory. Do your best to clean up our outdoors, we definitely need to step it up, we all can.

https://youtu.be/64sYLj-tgA4

This video is pretty self explanatory. Please clean up as much as you can, every bit counts. If we play in the outdoors, we need to take responsibility for o...

04/04/2021

Full video coming soon. 😌🤒

14/03/2021

●TIP●
Its that time of year, cold water, cold mornings but warm, sunny afternoons.

When you inflate your raft in cold weather you may find as the weather warms up, your boat will firm up and actually expand. This can effect the performance of your boat, strain the seems and at the extreme, if your tubes become rock hard and you hit a sharp object, the tubes could actually explode.

Youll want to release some air by pressing on the valve or sometimes simply splashing some cold water on the tubes can help.

☆Near freezing/cold air temps and cold water - tubes contract

☆Hot/sunny days - tubes expand

Happy rafting and enjoy the nice weather!

07/03/2021

■TIP■

Im sharing this video as a few people have asked why I have my spoons set up the way I do and after seeing first hand demonstrations with some steelhead, slowly, people are starting to switch out their hardware.

In this video I walk through step by step what to do and then explain how and why this works.

Have you ever lost Coho right at your feet or when theyre doing those spazzy rolls and flops on the surface?

Are you losing steelhead to their jumps and acrobatics?

Then watch this video and share with your other spoony friends. 🥰🤗

Fishing with spoons and spinners is probably my favorite way to fish for salmon, trout and steelhead. If you're new to spin fishing with spoons and spinners,...

23/02/2021

This rain has me excited for 2 things, raft time and high water steelhead fishing. Because of the time of year, there are so many factors that help fluctuate the rise and fall of local water systems. Snow pack, freezing levels, rain fall, snow fall and a good warm day can all mean something different in relevance to the condition of a system. Not all systems react the same to these factors either, so getting to know the systems your paddling or fishing, is crucial part to pairing with these tools.

This is just another tool for your box but will not tell you the color or physical changes to a river that may have unknowingly happened. ( Channel redirection, log jams and debris etc )

So, do the leg work, figure it out and be safe out there ! :)

https://youtu.be/p6MSMAa0pP4

One of the most frequently asked questions out there when it comes to fishing or getting out into some whitewater on a boat is, How does the water look? Here...

18/02/2021

•EXPLORE•

The last couple of sunny warm days has started to get me psyched for spring and summer local exploring!

The Kettle Valley Railway is an amazing piece of engineering history that winds throughout southern British Columbia, joining some cool little towns like Midway to Rock Creek, then north to Myra Canyon, down to Penticton to Princeton, Coalmont, Brookmere, then along the Coquihalla and finally to Hope.

Some sections of this old rail system have now been turned into tourist attractions, walking trails and bike paths and some pieces you might just stumble accross while hiking in the woods.

This section, is accessed from the top of Hwy 5 on the Coquihalla and is completed at the Portia exit on the highway. It's an amazing, fairly easy ride for anyone looking to enjoy some deadly scenery.

This is one of the nicest bike rides Ive done in the area, 28km of gravel riding, camp spots, beautiful scenery and a ton of history. ...

25/01/2021

For many, fishing is a social activity wether or not you're getting out with family,friends or maybe clients. But for many of us, fishing is a way to escape from everyone and everything.

A way to connect with nature and have some time to reflect upon ourselves.

Fishing is a proven form of self-therapy and is known to help with social anxieties, PTSD and a number of other mental health struggles.

This is Cody's story.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VkYe4Aj7YU

For many, fishing is a social activity wether or not you're getting out with family or friends, or maybe clients. But for many of us, fishing is a way to esc...

20/01/2021

What's Cooking Wednesday!

There's been so many times when I would head out on a quick day trip or fishing trip and realize whatever I packed for food wasn't quite enough or I kept bringing the same old thing, granola bars and dried fruit or my favorite toast with peanut butter. This year we've been experimenting with different homemade snack foods, and this recipe is super easy, super tasty and definitely fills you up when you're outside burning up calories. Bring some bread or veggies to dip in and you're golden!

https://youtu.be/SiItrmyu1dI

Not sure what to bring out on the trail or when your out for a full day of fishing? Here's a super simple recipe packed with a ton of health benefits, includ...

14/01/2021

Whats Cooking Wednesday!

Part of what I enjoy most about the outdoors, is being able to bring some of its inspiration into the kitchen wether its fish, foraged food or just some random ideas when out hiking.

Here's one of my favorite baked COHO salmon recipes...pair this with some ginger rice and a salad...and BAM..you're a chef now.

https://youtu.be/cLVRoetDolE

Whats Cooking WednesdayPart of what I enjoy most about the outdoors, is being able to bring some of its inspiration into the kitchen wether its fish, foraged...

07/01/2021

•SPOONS•

There are certaintly times when throwing spoons can be the most effective way to mustle out a fish or two especially when applied in a river or stream. Dirty, colored water is definitely one of those times.

My top 3 spoons for steelhead fishing are:
☆Gibbs Delta 35 koho spoon: Green scale with fire orange back
☆Gibbs Delta 35 koho spoon: Brass
☆ Prime Lures 2/5oz oval spoon in Flourescent green/silver

What kind of spoons do you like to use?

02/01/2021

Its important to realize that we all have different reasons for hitting the water and that even though our common goals may be different, the power of fishing continues to change lives.

Its amazing the positive effects fishing and the outdoors has on people and it also shows us how important it is for us to protect the natural resources and opportunities we have, so ourselves and future generations can continue to enjoy this sport.

This is Jordans story.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF7y0z4e8zY

Its important to realize that we all have different reasons for hitting the water and that even though our common goals may be different, the power of fishin...

02/01/2021

•Canyon Gems•

One of the many cool pieces of history left behind in the Fraser Canyon for us to explore. It amazes me that every year, no matter how many hours spent on the river, there are still new things to discover. When you really think about the craftsmanship and labour it took to design and build some of the sites and structures within the Canyon you have to wonder, how did they do it?

02/01/2021

•Morel• There is an entire community that commercially and recreationally harvest these delicious fungi and the culture behind this hobby is something so hard to explain. It's hard work, good friends, new friends, extreme living conditions,travelling and satisfying harvests with the ability to make a few bucks.

I've been involved in these communities for over 10 years and the best thing about it, is every year, you wonder where the next adventure will take you.

02/01/2021

A•NAD•RO•MOUS - fish migrating from the ocean into rivers to spawn.

If you're an angler or even a photographer, being able to witness this cycle is something spectacular. Wether you're out on the flow fishing to bring home a meal or out to see the clouds of fish making their way up to their spawning grounds, think about the amazing journey they endured to get there and how lucky we are to experience the opportunities we have right here in British Columbia.

02/01/2021

The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia and runs over 1300km, through mountains, carving through canyons and settles at the Straight of Georgia in Vancouver. But right here in our own backyard, we live along one of the most daunting sections, the Fraser Canyon.

Its a place I hold dear to my heart and am constantly humbled by its beauty.