The fishin' thread (NWexplorers)

[dreamr]

I read back through our conversations in this NWforum, and the theme of fishin' keeps poppin' up. The point we need to go FISHIN'!

Keep this thread running, and when you are planning a day on the river, or at the lake. Post it.

If ya want some company, surely we'll oblige. Well at least one of us may.
If you want to be alone, give a report. That way those of us at home can enjoy the fish tales as well.

Also, we can plan some mountain 4x4 fishing/camping trips

This is a good place to share some of those tricks and tips.
For me to use

Lastly post up your fishing interests.

Me I grew up fly fishing the snake river, And spin casting for cuthroat and rainbow in the mountain lakes of Idaho.

Not a lot has changed I suppose, other than I haven't had a fly pole in my hands for 5-10 years. I primarily fish high mountain lakes in the north and central cascades these days. And it's usually a bit of a hike as I seek the meadows filled with heather and wildflowers. Where the land is divided by the granite and ice leaving small pockets of beauty, with gem colored lakes filled with fish. Or salamanders if you pick the wrong ones

We find that it is a little early in the year for our kind of fishin

Wonderful hike though.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

You made me cry

I too, long for those sceninc vistas with lupine, indian paintbrush and intoxicating sweetness of an alpine meadow with a babbling brook running through it where I floated a hand carved wood boat while the rest of the hike group started dinner, (circa 1967, age 9).

Of course, that was before you were born.

I'm in the process of purchasing some new boots for backpacking and intend to try to get in better condition so I can keep up with your bad knees and maybe spend a day or two in my childhood.

As far as fishing goes, I prefer smaller rivers for the ease of wading.

The Taylor river in the Middle Fork basin is a challenge. It is refered to as pocket water and you get about 3 casts per pocket before you put the fish down for 1/2 hour.

I tried the South Fork of the Snoqualmie a couple times last year but didn't dedicate enough time to each outing resulting in only a few fish in the 6"-8" range.

My favorite by far is the Yakima. Late summer, when the DNR drops the flow, wading the upper Yak around Golf Course Road has been enjoyable but I long for the coverage and scenery provided by floating the canyon in a boat.

Another place I'd like to get back to is Forde Lake between Tonasket and Oroville in NE Wa.

There are tons of Brookies in there and around the first week of June, they can't resist a Damsel fly nymph. I must have cought and released 100 fish in 1 day, the last time I was there. A fish on every cast. So many that by the end of the weekend, I couldn't raise my arm anymore.

I have taken a float tube to Talapus lake while there was still some ice on it. 4"-6" fish, but damn that water was COLD.

I'd like to go further up that trail, past Pratt lake and around the corner to the Tuscohatchie lakes. It's far enough to deter the day trippers but not so far as to spend all your time getting there and back.

Man I gotta get in shape!

Check out Creekside Angling Company In Issaquah, these are great guys. www.creeksideangling.com

 

[ALLOUTWAR13]

too bad I am in Pa

Fishing starts on april 17 here and guaranteed Ill be out on the streams of potter county Pa, and fly fishing Yellow Breeches in York. Im also thinking about a little excursion back out to Montana if anyone wants to go fish the Madison and Yellow Stone rivers.

 

[dreamr]

Re: You made me cry

Originally posted by Albino 94LTD


I'm in the process of purchasing some new boots for backpacking and intend to try to get in better condition so I can keep up with your bad knees and maybe spend a day or two in my childhood

I have taken a float tube to Ollallie/Talapus lakes while there was still some ice on them. 6"-8" fish, but damn that water was COLD.

I'd like to go further up that trail, past Palmer lake and around the corner to the Tuscohatchie lakes. It's far enough to deter the day trippers but not so far as to spend all you time getting there and back.

It really isn't to hard to keep up with these sore knees anymore, I only make it about 10 miles a day vs. the 20 I used to be able to do on backpacking trips.

You caught fish @ Ollalie!! Talapus yielded a couple brookies, but I spent 2 days on Ollalie without a bite. Of course on one of those days I hiked to all the other lakes in the area too. Tuscohatchie has a lot of good fishin, especially if you bushwack up the stream to the upper Tuscohatchie lake.
I have also heard pratt is good (on the way to the tusco's). And if you take a slight detour here.
there is Lake Kulla Kulla (big lake w/rainbow)
Mason and Little mason lake (never fished)
Blazer lake (never fished)
Rainbow lake (rainbow and brookie) Nice camp spot
Island Lake (never fished, but there are plenty swimmin around)
And if you do the whole loop you get a break at Melakwa where there are some good fish, if it hasn't already seen to much action.
Enough on this section of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, there are literally hundreds of lakes up there, and I have access to the stocking records for the high lakes

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Man it hurts to think about this stuff. I wish my dad was still alive.

Want to plan a couple day loop up there for mid May?

 

[dreamr]

I too find a lot of memories of my dad in the wilderness. It makes me regret a misused childhood. So much more time I could have given to my family, and so much more I could have learned.
My father is still with us, but lives in Nevada and his health has deteriorated over the years to a point he can't join me in the backcountry.
It was the only place I think I ever saw him relaxed and comfortable. It is sad to lose that, but maybe I can get him to take that nice shiny f-250 up to a couple of the lakes when they visit in july.

As to the may trip. I would be interested, though I was up in there last year around may, and at 4000 feet I was breaking out the crampons and ice axe. Still alot of the lower lakes will be open, just Pratt, Tuscohatchie's, and Melakwa will still have some "ice bergs"

I also got trapped in a blizzard headed up to the Coleman Glacier on Mt. Baker in may last year. I had all my gear so I was alright, but I bumped into a young couple in shorts and t-shirts huddled underneath a picnic table cloth sipping the last of their water. All three of us spent the night in my 2 man tent, by morning there was about a foot of fresh fall. Silly city folk got a lecture on preparedness before I allowed them to drive away. Then I gave myself a lecture on forgetting to check the weather bulletins after they drove away.

Anyway off topic, but I laughed at your new signature additions there Albino. I really need to pull my scraped and cracked tupperware off one day, but it gives it a bit of character, without sacrificing my shiny new truck

 

[jrgaylor]

The springers are about to run on the cowlitz if you want to try bigger fish( suppose to be a huge run thing year), and only 6 months till the fall run of silvers and kings, just thinking of putting the screws to a 40 pound king starts to get me pumped.

But you have to know where to go or else you run into "combat fishing"

-in redneck voice- "All dem folks from sea'atell coming down here crowding mines river -end redneck voice-

 

[Albino 94LTD]

new fly rod

HMMM that would mean I would need a new 8wt rod, reel and fly line as well as some streamer flies. Whooops, there goes $500.

Maybe I had better get the SeaRay tuned up and go drag Puget Sound. I've already got a checp downrigger for that.

That 'know where to go" wouldn't involve 4wheel drive, would it?

Definetly not into 'combat fishing'. Maybe I should spend some time in Kent until my neck starts to turn color.

 

[jrgaylor]

Having a sled helps to get to good spots where you can throw a bait of eggs,etc.. without hooken someones ear, but then again that helps get you a little elbow room. most of the area you don't need 4WD, the area that did 2 years ago was blocked off ( something about "Mt.St. Helens monument")
I heard something today also at lunch about smelt maybe in the cowlitz.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

So, are you up to schoolin a 'feathered folk' on the 'not so delicate method of club and gun'?

Just kidding, but there's no fish in the freezer right now and I hate that farmed Atlantic crap. I need to check some of the rods and reels I got from Dad's estate. What do you recommend?

 

[jrgaylor]

For salmon
My meat hook is

G loomis gl2 med-heavy spin casting rod
okuma AV40 reel
4-5' of 20lb maxium chamlion leader and 20lb trilene xl main line
Gamakatsu 2/0 octopus hook(s),
size 5-7 corkys(orange,red,black,chartuse)
yarn(orange,red,black,chartuse)
1/4" hollow core pencil lead

Fot steelhead I use size 2 hooks and 8lb maxium ultra leader

My back up rod is very simular
my loaner rod is somewhat simular

I don't know how much of the spring run I will do this year I am in the process of buying a house and you probaly know how much of a PITA that is, if my current deal goes through I should be done in about 2 months if not I am back to square two (already have the loan approvals).

 

[Albino 94LTD]

The two spinning rods I have, have 12lb on them. Neither are big enough for Salmon or Steelhead (although I did catch a 7lb steelie on the Green River near Flaming Guyser State park on my 5-6wt fly rod about 10 years ago but that is another story)

Guess I'll stick to dragging the Sound for now.

If you decide to go, like dreamr says, post here and someone might ask to tag along.

 

[dreamr]

That would be fun times me thinks.
Sadly I only have two rods right now. One has the name long since worn off, but I doubt it could handle the big fish. The other is my telescoping 6lb spincaster. Good for a brookie or rainbow, but it be snapping with anything bigger. Maybe taxes will be kind if Shiloh doesn't spend it on her new little Kia.

Good luck on the house jrgaylor!!
One day I too will get a nice little house of my own, where I can smell the pine trees rather than the exhaust. If I would quit buying toys.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

OK dreamr, got my boots, Raichle All Degree Lite GTX.

A little taping on the boot bar at REI and they feel like I've been wearing them for 2 months. Now I have to put some weight on my back when I walk the dog.

This weather is making me antsy to go somewhere and/or do something.

Ideas?

 

[dreamr]

Looks like you got the nice boots there. Heck mine are just 20 dollar K-mart brand.

I wish I would have checked this post before we headed out on the 13th, so we could have brought you along on the weekend adventure.

Shiloh and I left Zaira with friends and headed up to Mount pilchuk for the day. (I spend way too much time up there )

Anyway, here's the consolation. A couple pictures. Note the exposed water in the first shot. I hopped up on the rocks, and could actually see a couple little buggers snarfin up the bugs that must have just hatched. I tried to catch one by hand, but I only got cold and wet

The second pic shows how thick the rest of the ice is though

Picture three is of course Mt. Pilchuk itself. I am debating if the next Saturday hike is going to be up there or to Lake Serene (base of Mt. Index). I guess it should be Shiloh's choice given it is our anniversary.

We all should set a day and go up to the Chuckanut (love that name) Mountains and do a bit of fishin'. I believe that lake fishing is year around up in the hills, and rarely is there any snow up there. If we want to do a family outing, I believe there is a access road most of the way to Lily and Lizard lakes. If you are not familiar with the area, it is up by Bellingham and Larrabe state park. Let me do a bit of research into current conditions and take a look at a map. I will post back with info if anyone is interested.

To the pics

 

[dreamr]

Ahh I forgot Mt Pilchuk Here it is

 

[Albino 94LTD]

That's mountain biking country!

I love Bellingham and Chuckanut Dr, lived there for 4 years (1960-'64) and went back several summers in the late 60's picking berries while dad was taking summer classes at Western.

I think we are available this weekend and tennatively have a sitter for Travis on Sunday.

I have a float tube and a sevylor inflatable kayak.

I don't see either lake on the state reg's.

 

[dreamr]

Ahh, so I should have remembered you saying you were from that neck of the woods at one time. We really enjoy the mount baker area in the summer, and usually end up in the chuckanut with spring fever.

Pine and Cedar Lakes(North side of the Chuckanut) may be a good option also. Shiloh and I like to camp up there. It's about a 2 mile hike in with some steep but smooth hiking. Of course without a 40 pound pack it is probably pretty easy. LOTS of brookies in Pine Lake last may plus 2 nice rainbow's that aren't supposed to be there.

Anyway I will keep looking for my topo's of the area. I am pretty sure there is a way to get within a half mile of Lily and Lizard by road. Not real sure how the fishin is up there. I have heard both good and bad.

Saturday Shiloh and I are doing the lovey dovey thing(anniversary) , and Sunday takes me back to work, but the next weekend I am off the 26 and 27.

sorry for all the pics, but enjoy the road closures on the mount loop hiway

 

[WAExplorer]

Hey dreamer,

Is that top picture Walupt Lake? Sure looks like it. That was my favorite lake about 15 years ago.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

I'll be off the 26th myself, Sounds like some fishing to me.

Maybe some Mtn biking too

let's take it off line.