Pro Shop | Morgan Thalken | Sacramento California February 5, 2024 – Posted in: Ambassadors, PRO SHOP – Tags: , , ,

Morgan

Pro Shop | Morgan Thalken | Sacramento California

Morgan grew up in Sacramento, California and after tying flies and fly fishing for just three years, was hired by a local fly shop at the age of fourteen to tie custom patterns for the fly bins. This role evolved into guiding and instructing other anglers, as well as hosting travel. It was the beginning of my love affair with the sport of fly fishing.

After college, he moved back to Sacramento, CA, and is fifteen years into a career of land surveying, while still playing a role in the fly-fishing industry. Survey plays into his love for the outdoors, and helps facilitate an expensive taste in fly reels.

Over the years, Morgan has had the opportunity to travel and fish for a variety of species in both salt and freshwater. Nothing, absolutely nothing, haunts his soul like Pacific Coast steelhead. He was fortunate to grow up on an urban river that saw decent runs of steelhead every late summer through the early spring. He began chasing these fish swinging small ugly wet flies with a single-hander and an integrated sink-tip at age 11, biking down to the river with a rod, a vest, and an old pair of hiking boots to wet wade into the dark fall evenings.

Morgan’s search for the grab has only intensified. Since picking up his first Spey rod a little over ten years ago, the search has broadened from Southern Oregon to the remote rivers of northern B.C.  However, the local waters of Northern California will always have a special place in his heart. Spey casting has now spurred a new obsession of rod building. He builds all his own Spey rods, with a very limited production for sale on the side.

Thoughts on the SA brand and favorite SA products: “I have been fishing with SA products since the beginning of my adventure in fly fishing. I have always felt that they have been on the leading edge of innovation and product development. The idea of being environmentally conscious is as important as ever these days. The movement SA is making to be a more eco-friendly company is a great way to lead the industry by example. I am proud to be a part of it.

“This year the Skagit heads have been revamped. It’s rare that I cast a fly line and think man this is way better than the last version!  Well, I did when I cast these new heads. The new Skagits cast so smooth, and throw tight loops, but still have the guts to turn over a tungsten tip. This new design also helps in manipulating your line to set up the proper swing.”

Rigging Tips: “My typical set up includes 100ft of Absolute Running Line looped with perfection loops on both ends. I add a little glue to those knots, then slide a bit of dark colored shrink tubing over the knot. The shrink tube makes a very aerodynamic knot that won’t catch in the guides. It also offers a good visible indication for the placement of the connected head when it’s tough to see in certain lights. I loop the rear of the Skagit head to my running line and off the front I may loop a section of Custom Cut TC Tips. In the 30ft package, I will chop it into three sections of 10ft, or two 15ft sections depending on the river conditions when I plan on fishing. Off the tip I tie on about 18in of 25-30lb absolute leader, and 2-2.5ft of tippet material. This is my ideal Skagit set up for our rivers in Northern California.”