Trips of note:
Family and Friends on the Yakima River
Project Healing Water Fly Fishing Two Fly Tournament on the Yakima River
Fishy Friends on the St. Joe River
Fishy Friends on Kelly Creek and the North Fork Clearwater River
- 12/29/2010 - OP Scouting Mission -
My friend Rob had Wednesday off and wanted to go check out a few walk in spots on the Olympic Peninsula. After checking our family schedule it was clear to go for the day. There was no real trip report of note for today. It was a couple of guys working on spey casts and driving to a few walk in spots that might provide some access when one or both of us can align our schedules for a quick trip to the water. As we walked in to fish on long run, in a spot where the water was still running a bit fast for our liking, one angler was walking out with a nice hatchery steelhead. Right after we got there, a pair of gentlemen fishing spinning gear came to the run we were fishing. The pair of them stepped into the run about 50 feet below Rob. Fifty feet, are you serious? Actually, I said exactly that, from above Rob, and loud enough to be heard I'm sure. I've never been one that can't project my voice. "Are you serious?" I asked. Well, intentionally not looking at us these two proceded to start fishing. Rob could not even swing his fly to the hang down because it would have wrapped the first guy's legs. I'm thinking that I would have been swinging each cast fully, not looking for trouble, but not looking to give up the spot we just hiked to get to.
I had asked Rob to fish below me, partially to watch his casting and offer him any help. You see, I'm a helpful guy, can't cast worth a crap, but can often see others do things that might be easily corrected. I also wanted to be able to call him a low holer should he hook up beneath me! Now with him pinned high by our two new friends I decided that moving was the right thing to do. I stepped out of the run and began heading down river, admittedly with intent to slip in about fifty feet below the lower guy. I was going to have Rob move in below me again, but something strange happend. The younger of the two low holers saw me moving down river and immediately began to sprint, I'm talking all out hauling back side, down river. If I slowed down, he'd slow down. If I made progress on closing the narrow gap or pulling even with him (me on the bank, him in now ankle deep water) he'd increase his speed to stay below me. I announced to him that he was full of crap for stepping in tight below us but not allowing anyone else to move further down the run, to which he had no reply, just turned toward the river to make a cast as if we were not speaking the same language. I had basically driven him down the run quite a bit. Rob was below the other gent and making ever improving spey casts as he stepped regularly downward in the run. I posted up a bit above the lower gent. I swung my fly working the reachable run in various angles.
Eventually the gent below me moved out of the run and way back up top. Rob and I then swung through the end of the run before calling it a day. No fish hooked, no tugs noted, but we made a lot of good casts (and admittedly, some not so good). I showed Rob a few walk in spots that I knew, talked about a few more and we had some good chat about trips we've made and trips we hope to make later this season.
- 12/28/2010 - Lone Lake -
I headed to Lone Lake after a leisurely breakfast with the girls. It was my first trip to Whidbey Island to fish one of the local lakes and I was eager to see how the trip plan worked out. It took about 75 minutes to get from my driveway to the Port Townsend/Keystone ferry terminal. A brief wait for the Chetzemoka allowed me to pick up a couple pairs of snowshoes for the girls at the local Swain's store. Boarded, 30 minute crossing and 20 minute drive to the lake. I was met there by Steve, a local to the lake and friend from a few previous fishing outings. He could not fish, but knew it was my first adventure on his island. As a true Islander Host, he showed up, handed over three of his favorite flies and pointed out three areas that should be worked with great detail this time of the year. Then he was off to his errands and I was off to fish. The WFF character known as Chef was out there too, with friends JC and Mary. Each were catching fish here and there, but rumor has it JC was on fire! I worked one area that Steve had pointed out, and based on my 1pm start time I figured I'd work that area pretty good for a couple of hours and see how it all would go. I caught three nice fish in this area, where the high grass bank slowly tapered into a shallow shoal. My first Lone Lake rainbow was a feisty and fat 18" fish that made me appreicate the trip as early as the hookup. Two more followed in this same area, 15" and 16" respectively. I moved around a corner a bit and caught another 15" fish and contemplated working further around the shoreline. Despite the nice warm day with patchy clouds affording some sun breaks, light was fading fast. I decided that I'd get a bit of leg work in by kicking around the area of the lake I was in, but a bit further from shore. While trolling a meaty streamer I got one really hard hit, but missed the fish. I was surprised that the hook did not bury deep as hard as that fish hit the fly. Fifteen minutes later I was stripping in the streamer. I was trolling away from the boat launch and was going to turn around and kick back in and call it a day. Wham, another pretty solid hit, but noticably not as violent as the previous. A moment later my fifth fish, this one only 14" but plenty fat and feisty was in the net. I noted he was wrapped with some dark mono, so I clipped it away, all three of the wraps. The line had made a noticable grove in his sides, constricting him as he was growing. The fish was calm as I worked on him in the net sitting on the surface of the water. Once done, I dropped the front lip of the net and he swam away as if he knew my work with him was done.
It was a great day on a new to me lake. Glad to share it with brief chats with others. The logistics of getting there made me wonder, did I really come all the way to Whidbey Island and not go to a lake where I could target brown trout? (A species of trout still untouched by my flies, net or hands.) Well, I did. I'll head back to Whidbey, maybe for a prolonged family camping trip where I can get some fishing time around biking, hiking and geocaching. I'll get that brown trout sometime in 2011.
- 10/24/2010 - Elwha River -
Probably a week late because of pretty heavy rainfall, Rob and I stuck to the plan to fish when we could. We found a tree down before our expected parking spot and had to hike 1/4 mile further. No problem at all for the beatuty of this area. It was my first time there intending to fish and it has been years since I hiked in the area. The water was raging, high, turbid and cold. No fishing but the hike and day was great.
- February 26th, 2010 - Yakima River - Derek and his Bride -
Wetakima, Yukima, Rainnastyka, Skunkima on the day off
Had the day off today. So did Derek and his lovely wife. The three of us plotted out a trip before we saw the weather report. By the time we saw the weather report we decided that it is Washington, rain is commonplace and we all three had the day off so we were fishing. Derek is the boat man. His misses is sharing her day off with two guys that needed to get some fishing in. I was the tag along...lunch was on me. I arrived somewhere near the pass where the wind was cold, blowing hard and making me wonder why on earth we were headed out today to fish the Wetakima in what is sure to be rain all day. Derek tried to shine some high road light on the weather saying "report calls for 80% chance of rain". He figured this meant that it would rain 8 of every 10 minutes while we were out. (Later as we pulled out we all realized that every minute of every hour of our trip had constant rain and we were soaked pretty good, despite our quality "waterproof" protective layers.
Okay, enough of this long fingered typing crap. It was cold, DAMN cold if you compare it to last weekend. Air temp on arrival at our put in of East or State was 33-35 degrees (this was at about 10:30 am). Water temp started at about 38-39 degrees. Derek suggests nymph rigs that will allow us to get very deep because at these temps we are not likely to find fish moving much for food. Oh, and it was raining.
Boat in, down the first short stretch so that we could perform our first on the water technical maneuver. It was limbo log time. I do not know the height of the bow or oarlocks on a clackacraft low side boat. That height plus two inches is how low the log was that totally spans the river just below the put in. Now that is done we can start fishing.
No matter what, throughout the day, at least two of us were fishing it hard, every deep pool, pocket of water, cut bank, deep run, you name it we were gonna pound it.
Scorecard: Derek's better half - One solid hookup. She put the hook into it, it put a hook into the end of her rod, a serious bender too...LDR but she got a few looks at it and said it was impressive. Derek and I saw the bend in the rod, we were jealous. I can attest that I still am. Derek - rowed the majority of the day. Fished hard when we banked and when I rowed for a while. Nada. No touches. One sighting of a fish that porposed beside the boat. His call out allowed his wife and I to see it as it porposed a second time. (VERY BIG cutthroat? Nice size, dark brassy to golden color. Wish I knew what it was, but it did not have a hook in it or a sign showing its ID). Mumbles - all talk, lots of casts, nothing touched. I did get to see one fish flash as we passed over a deep hole and I got to see the other fish jump once. I got to row a bit. A driftboat with three people is comfortable to row, but heavier and less maneuverable than my pontoon boat. I found two rocks. Thank heavens for clackacraft "fear no rock". Worst part was I saw and pointed at both of those rocks but just did not successfully pull away from them enough to keep my track from passing over them.
Water temp never got above 40. Fish never got active enough to hit our offering. Derek seined the water to see loads of food sources in the river. Lots of midges and blue winged olives coming off the water all day long. Lots of chironomids or chironomid like bugs in his bug bag. If the fish are eating these, they are getting lots of food!
Thanks Derek, for taking me out again and for fishing a while so I could get some rowing in. Extend my thanks to the misses. It was great to meet her. Thank you both for sharing a wet day on a beautiful river with me.
While slogging through the evening traffic on the wrong side of Puget Sound I called Ben and we hooked up for a few minutes. It was good to see him, his lovely wife and Chromer who is now HUGE.
Everyone is sleeping peacefully as I arrived home at 9:30. It was a great day!
http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/showthread.php/66389-Wetakima-Yukima-Rainnastikama-Skunkima-on-the-day-off
- February 19, 2010 - Teal Lake (Solo) -
Twenty minutes from home is a nice little lake. It is maintained by a local fly fishing club and is selective gear. With only a one fish limit and no bait used this lake is not an ideal place to go to harvest stocker trout for the table, but it is a nice place to get your float tube small boat wet.
On this day I actually brought three fish to hand and I'm going to call that a pretty good outing for a guy that has to admit he's really new at all this trout fishing.
- February 3rd, 2010 - Skykomish River with Leland Miyawaki -
I hope that I can dredge up some photos of this day. Leland had the day off and I juggled my schedule to accept his invitation to fish a little while on the Skykomish. Leland is the Fly Fishing Manager at Orvis in Bellevue, a well known gentleman in the local fly fishing community and a really great guy. Leland told me where to meet him, then when we met he tossed a dark hood over my head and away we went. I'm just kidding about the dark hood, but when you have a chance to walk the river bed with someone who is willing to share valuable places and time with you it should be respected. That day Leland low holed me, watched me cast, told me I was $&#%ing dangerous with the two hander and then spent the next 45 minutes un$&#%ing my horrible casting skills one bad habit at a time. After this little session we finished swinging through the run we were on and departed for another of his spots. This time he allowed me the lower end of the run and as he worked the upper reaches he slipped and got pretty wet.
Now let me ask you a question. How is it that the Fly Fishing Manager from Orvis is wading with his felt soled Orvis boots that are so worn thin that he has no felt left on parts of his boots, thereby slipping and falling? Well, upon further discussion he was awaiting the delivery of his new sticky rubber boots from Orvis and today he ended up getting a bit wet.I remember Leland being pretty wet and I wondered if I might have to assist him back out from where we were fishing to where we had parked. Nope, he sat back for a bit, watched me finish the run and we hoofed it back to the rigs. He treated me to a traditional Japanese peasant lunch and tea, the way his mother used to prepare it he said. After our lunch break, wet and a bit cold, he departed and told me a couple of places to go and fish. I did. No love from the fish today. Loved the day on the water with Leland.
Eventually I'll dredge up some photos and place them here, nothing too revealing, but just a visual record of the day.
- January 29, 2010 - Kitsap County Beaches in search of Sea Run Cutthroat Trout with Derek -
Two weeks ago Derek introduced me to the Yakima River. His eagerness to hit the salt made me see a chance to return part of the favor. The problem was that Derek is a guide and knows the Yakima very well. I am a total novice and know very little. I do know a few places to show him though. We hit a few beaches with pretty high tides and light winds. As I recall it was chilly, but not a horrible day for late January. At the end of the day I had a great time with Derek, but failed to put him onto any fish. Both of my fishing days thus far in the year were with Derek, and both were full of great views, nice water and a fun guy to spend the day with. I was hoping he and I would fish more as the year went on. If you read on you'll see that we fished a few more times and each one was a great outing.
- January 15th, 2010 - Yakima River - Derek Young -
Weather: Overcast with intermittent light rain and early peek-a-boo sunshine
Temerature: Air 38-40 Water 38-39
Approximate CFS: 1000
Techniques: Two nymph indicator rigs (double bead stone with bead head nymph dropper) and streamers
One of my New Years Resolutions is to fish new water. Another is to meet more members from WFF and make more friends. Today thanks to Derek of EmergingRivers I was able to check both of those off. After missing out on a couple of chances to fish with Derek a while back, due to my work schedule, today the planets were properly aligned. I met Derek at Orvis of Bellevue and loaded up my gear already grinning from ear to ear. We picked up Mick just around the corner at his place and headed over Snoqualmie Pass. On the ride over Derek impressed with his knowledge of the various rivers, forks of rivers and creeks. He explained how each one flowed through various gradients, what drainages each system collected and small details about each one. Imagine this, I was actually sitting quietly...tape recorder running to catch all that detailed information. No more than 90 minutes from meeting up we were in Cle Elum getting coffee, some remarkable sandwiches and Derek finalized our shuttle details. Off to the launch, which was still snow covered but we made that Clacka our launch sled and into the water we went. This place looked absolutely beautiful. We were treated to peek-a-boo sunshine through the clouds. While you were getting soaked we were putting on sunglasses and peeling off our top layer as we were experiencing a warmer than expected start.
We got rigged up for some nymphing our double rigs of double beaded stone flies and bead head droppers. The water was much more clear than anticipated. Derek had us drifting our gear through each and every seam and Mick and I seemed to catch on pretty quick. (I must admit that my first attempt at casting this double nymph indicator rig on my 5wt ended up looking like an Old Man Jim windblown double rig birdsnest special...this trout on moving water, nymphing tactic and casting such a rig is all very new to me.) After a nice detanglin it seemed like we were in business. Now Derek has explained the takes will be subtle as the water was still cold, about 38 or 39 degrees, so we better pay attention. I think he caught both of us looking around at the scenery, looking for eagles (we saw at least four) and missing many subtle takes. I think that each of us missed a few takes. I'll admit I must have missed a dozen or more because I'm a talentless slow learner.
Finally, the hookup! Oh yeah, I got you there buddy. I saw you flash that bright silver side. I set with a short strip set and it was on. Just a brief bit later Derek cradled a beautiful wild rainbow, unbuttoned it quickly and off into the deep pool he went having never been lifted from the crisp clear water.
Derek had been talking about casting streamers, and I was game. I've done that before, but having gotten the hang of this I was wondering. Derek rigged up a streamer rod for Mick. I put on one of my reels (not realizing how hilarious that would be soon) and Derek got Mick going into some streamer casting, swinging and slow stripping BAM. After just a few casts Mick is into a very bright nice wild rainbow. I'm in the back of the boat but I'd pay to be out in front of the boat to observe a few things. First, the look on Mick's face as he was new to this type of streamer fishing on the move. Second, the fish looked frisky and was putting up a nice fight. Third, (and from the aforementioned note) seeing Mick try to reel in a nice Upper Yakima wild rainbow using one of my reels which happens to reel on the correct, right, proper side! Mick later admitted to reaching at least three times with his left hand for the handle. I later joked asking him if he turned the rod upside down to reel, he had not, he proved to easily adapt. (I on the other hand could likely never actually reel in a fish with my left hand).
We continuted to toss streamers, each missing a few more fish. Hell, I was so slow to react that I missed a fish that hit my streamer twice hard...I was looking at a bald eagle who was looking at me waiting for me to hook the fish he was watching me miss.
Just before the take out we stopped and got in some quality time working a long run. Because I had brought it along I put together my switch rod and got some casting in using some of the things Mike, Leland, Bill and Brian had taught me on the water last week. I was rocking my double speys across the river (at a very narrow spot, but the casts really were nice) and got in about a half hour to forty minutes of casting before it was time to sled and winch the boat up the snow covered boat ramp.
Retraced our steps to get the shuttle key, drop off Mick, pick up my rig and get home. What an awesome day. Thank you Derek, EmergingRivers, for an absolutely fantastic introduction to the beautiful upper section of the Yakima. Now all I can do is start planning for my next trip out there. I look forward to fishing with you again soon, and encourage others to reach out to you to schedule a fantastic day on the water with one hell of a nice guy. Derek will impress you with his knowledge, skill and demeanor that will make you eager to fish with him again and again. Awesome day today. Thank you.
http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/showthread.php/65182-So-THIS-is-the-YAKIMA-Thanks-EmergingRivers!
[This report posted on 01/15/10 at Washington Fly Fishing, has photos and was the first of many trips to the Yakima for me this year. It was also the first of many times I got to hang out with Derek on fine fishy water. Hell of a start to the year!]
