Meet Marlin LeFever. People joke, “Oh, your name’s Marlin! You must like to fish?” And they are absolutely right. Marlin is the founder of Fishing Addicts NW, or as they are fondly known as “Addicts”, and now called Addicted Fishing. And the name is exactly as it sounds. These guys are ADDICTED to fishing and anything outdoors related. From the rivers and lakes all the way to the ocean, these guys not only love fishing, but have the passion and drive to share their knowledge and skills to anyone wanting to learn more about it. Their motto is, “Educate, entertain and inspire.” And they aren’t messing around! Over the last 10 years Marlin has grown a substantial YouTube, Facebook, and social following. Their videos take you all across the Pacific Northwest. Showing off the natural beauty of the area, the monster fish they can catch and the tools they used to do so. Here’s what I’m talking about.
EPIC FISHING IN THE PNW: NO RIVER NAMES
Last summer, a fellow fishing enthusiast and Addicted supporter reached out and invited Marlin and his buddy, Jordan Knigge, a local fishing guide, to come out and fish on his private property in Eastern Oregon (#NoRiverNames).
“I usually try to do a little research into people, when we get invites like this, but his email seemed professional and I don’t know why but for some reason I just didn’t this time,” said Marlin. The guy talked the big talk and told Marlin the fishing was awesome, and they had to come check it out! Marlin was hooked. Fishing a river on private property, plus a river he had never fished before? How could he pass that up!
It wasn’t long before the details for the trip were worked out and a weekend camping trip was planned. The Friday afternoon came for Marlin and Jordan to pack up the Toyota Tundra TRD PRO with their Yakima® ReelDeal Fishing Rod Mounts (Marlin packed 6 rods conservatively), the SkinnyWarrior Narrow Cargo Basket, and the Yakima RoadShower. They were set off on the nearly three-hour drive East.
They met up with the property owner and followed him down a gravel road. And when we say followed, we mean mobbing. The excitement was already potent, and the guys were excited to get to the river where they would be setting up camp. “I don’t even want to think of a time before using the Yakima® ReelDeal. It’s so nice being able to stick your rods up there and lock them and not have to worry about it,” said Marlin thinking back to them cruising down that gravel road at 60 mph. They reached the river around 11:30 p.m. and after chatting with the property owner they realized real quick this guy was their kind of person.
The guys finished up setting up camp and setting up their gear for the weekend of fishing ahead of them. The reels and supplies were covered in dust from the drive, so the RoadShower worked slick to have everything cleaned up and ready for the next day. They only ran into a couple close calls; with a bird flying into Jordan’s face and a black widow spider who set up her own camp in the fishing cabin. But soon they were relaxing with dinner and some beers and making a game plan for the next day.
Though these guys were experienced anglers, this river and land was new to them. “Me and Jordan were getting super excited at this point, but we didn’t really know what we were in for,” said Marlin. Their new buddy was talking up the fishing a lot, but they weren’t really sure how it was going to go.
INSANE SUMMER STEELHEAD
The trip did not disappoint! “It ended up being insane! Like some of the best summer steelhead fishing I’ve experienced in a long time,” said Marlin. The fish were biting, and they could not stop catching them! “We literally caught them on everything; float fishing jigs, twitching jigs, spinners, worms, and more. Jordan even got a fish on a top water fly fishing setup. Getting a steelhead to hit topwater is a huge accomplishment! We couldn’t have asked for better fishing or a better day,” said Marlin.
Marlin isn’t done with Addicted yet. He hopes and plans to continue growing the following. As a kid things weren’t easy for Marlin growing up in the foster care system, but some of his favorite memories were of fishing. He remembers thinking, “That’s a BIG fish,” when his dad came home with a great catch. Or being an Eagle Scout and learning from his scout leaders how to fish for trout. “I want to inspire people to build a love of fishing and keep all outdoor sports alive,” said Marlin. Fishing licenses decline every year, little by little and he just wants to see that change. And Marlin doesn’t want to see outdoor sports disappear. It gave him so much joy as a kid and still is his passion today, so he will keep making and inspiring the next generation to keep fishing alive.
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