 With the some of the driest weather the N.W. has had in some time, i find myself searching for the cure...
The Grande ronde is on my list with flows all month pushing just above normal. Winter fish are going to holp up in the slow deep buckets of most every run from Troy to the mouth. Put your warm fleece on and a good hat as you venture out into the cold and unforgiving waters of any winter river. My best technique is to use a type 4 ten foot tip with a short tippet of 10lbs, short for me means about 30 inches. Tie on a Purple Intruder with a little flash in it and start the Steelhead two step. Just like most dry side rivers in N.W. the temps drop during the night and regain there warmth about mid day, and thats when you will find me knee deep in my favorite run. The other rivers on the east side, Methow, Klickitat, the Umatilla and the upper John Day. (from Service creek up) Its the same techniques , Buckets with tips and a purple spey fly...I will add that the "takes" can be very soft depending on water temps. Temps of 36, 37, are just on the edge of good fishing. Check your river temps and watch your step. I find in the winter the water can warm on a decent day by 5 to 8 degrees and that will make the difference. Its also why I am not much in a hurry in the early part of the day. If waters are too low fish a smaller fly. This of course is completely different on the west side of the Mountains where we see a much more constant water temps and air temperatures on a daily bases. The rivers on the O.P. for example move from 42 to 45 degrees on an average winter day. Rain also warms water temps as well...making for some amazing grabs ! I still fish tips but I fish the entire run while on the O.P. and lots of times with a bright Orange, Pink or Red Spey style fly. Just a little food for thought for this 2014 season. Tight lines  The last week I spent floating and fishing the Olympic Peninsulas rivers. The
rivers where mostly too low and clear to be effective . My first thoughts were to check the Queets river, as it is the largest with some color. mainly looking to see if the Salmon creek factory run had started. As we made our way from the Outhouse parking area just shy of the Salmon river bridge we noticed about eight cars and trucks parked there as well. After the half mile walk to the river we discovered no one had caught a fish thus far. Crossing the Queets is not recommended , but I am a big fella with some practice so across the river i went. Swinging my fly from the north shore of the river across from the salmon river confluence I felt something good would come of it. I swung the fly of choice, a large spey style Winters Hope in honor of my old friend Bill McMillan and the arrival of the winter. After moving through two huge runs and not a pluck I crossed the tailout of the second run and headed back to the salmon river confluence. I passed several anglers chucking guts and jigs , some fly guys showed up as well but nothing happening for anyone. I was there with my fellow spey bums Rick and Greg and as we made or way back to the truck , seeing a small herd of Elk, bald eagles, and bleached out bones of what was left from a good run of salmon we never spoke until we were at the truck..." Hoh river...yea I think there is enough daylight left". We fished down from G and L shake on the lower Hoh with no results. later that night around the fire we drank and laughed until our faces hurt. The next morning with some help from Advil ,and drinking a lot of water we made our way to the Bogichield river. Just down from the hatchery and swung again for hours without a grab. Only seeing a few boats who also were having the same results we decided to head back home for the Seahawks game and watch the win over the Giants. It is the trip for me that means the most, time with friends in beautiful places, and feeling the rivers currents tug at your waders , the sounds of the river, and the thought of all the people elsewhere shopping , parking , eating mall food...I would rather be Christmas Steelheading No matter the number of fish !  This past few seasons (2010/2011/2012) have given me time to think and also to ask some questions about the Steelhead of the Grande ronde, and Imnaha rivers. For more than 25 seasons guiding and working for the BLM, I see more and more fall Chinook and less Steelhead is there a connection ?
According to the damn counts , the Chinook numbers are going up and the steelhead numbers are declining in the upper Columbia tributaries...Imnaha , Grande ronde, Salmon and the Clearwater. This even with the fish factories in full swing, the water releases etc...all good or maybe not...Just wondering if anyone else has seen this first hand ? Is there a connection or just a cycle phase we are going through ? We are expecting huge Chinook salmon returns again this 2014 ...what about the Steelhead predictions ... if I am on track then we will be seeing less returns of Steelhead than last year, and the question remains why are we seeing more Chinook and less upper Snake and Columbia steelhead returns ? I am asking for a good answer not a fight ! 6 -5-14. This is in response to Keith and Steve...My information came and continues to come from the NW fish newsletter. #333 June 5th. 2014. witch states "latest BiOp, calls for the beginning of barging of fish to start earlier , mainly to improve wild steelhead numbers. The added spill in recent years has reduced the number of fish collected for barging , and has likely had an adverse effect on Steelhead returns". Horseshit...I think not ! We started in Denver after my dads 80th Birthday celebration. Heading towards Sheridan Wyoming north straight up I -25 . Seven hours later with the help of 80 miles per hour speed limit we arrived . Sheridan is a great little town , with lots of fun , free things to do while staying there. The Fly shop of the Big Horn mts is a great place to stop and shop and gather info for this amazing over looked area. We where told by my brother Curt to fish the N. fork of the Tongue river (creek) up by the state hwy shed on hwy 14A. The upper area is a gorgeous valley full of willows and Moose , also a heck of a lot of Cut Bows...
Next we traveled the pass to the Big Horn river valley to the west and towards Cody...Oh Cody , great old west type town and talk about a over looked trout fishery. There are rivers in every direction and small off the beaten path creeks as well...too much to explore in a few days. Enter Tim Wades fly shop on Main st. Cody,(NorthFork Anglers) amazing store with a great staff ! Info , flies, everything you could need to really ask yourself why am I going into the park ? But into the park we went, and it was worth it as my son had never seen Yellowstone park. I night in The old faithful inn and amazing food at the restaurant too ! 50.00 dollars for the two of us for dinner was well worth it ! Fished the Fire Hole , the Gibbon , and the Yellowstone on the way out. A wonderful trip and amazing fishing in Wyoming in places that I never heard of... Will go back to see Tim Wade and pick through his fly box ! I feel we might Just want a buy-out with the Hoh and WA. dept. of fish and wildlife. I feel until that happens we are applying only short term solutions to wild stocks of Steelhead and salmon. If we can't get the Natives to stop netting our last wild runs of Steelhead and salmon , whats the point of everything else...This should be the first thing done, then, new regulations on retaining wild steehead ,Like no keeping wild fish, maybe restricting the number of guides,especially guides from out of state on all Washington waters . Increase fees...and make those funds available directly to a Buy-out ! |
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