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January 2, 2003
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Steelheading has been pretty dismal over the last few weeks, with little change in water levels aside from the occasional drenching. 'Why is the fishing so slow' we ask? our best guess is El Nino, low water, logging, pollution, global warming, sea-lions, commercial netting, algae, lack of recycling, one too many gallons of sewage pumped into the oceans'.who knows' What we do know is that fishing is fishing, and while everybody doesn't catch fish every time they go out, most of them (us) manage to have a pretty good time working it out. So from a fishing report standpoint, there's not much to add. The steelheading is slow. North to South. Kalama to Skagit- there are not many fish being caught, from what we can gather here. The good news is that it can only get better, and that there are a few scant fish being hooked into here and there. You can't win the game if you don't leave the bench. Rains may give us hope and bring some new fish into the system. Local Lakes have been decent- Pass Lake has produced some good reports lately on days when the weather is holding steady. Don't: go to pass lake when the weather is predicted to change. Do: go to pass lake any other time. Bundle up- be ready to go deep- nymphs, streamers, chironomids. Lake Alice has a hatch, and some fish to put a dent in it. Lone Lake fishes year 'round, and the same tactics will apply. Bring a full-sinking line, some big woolly buggers (#2-6) in various colors and degrees of flashiness, baitfish imitations can often turn fish-heads when all else fails. (axe Seth). Traditional streamers are also effective- carey buggers, carey specials or nyrges nymphs, woolly worms, and like-that. On the scarce calm, overcast days, you may be witness to a chironomid hatch, in which case having the floater on hand will be advantageous. That's when you can employ the old chironomid-on-the-floating-line technique, which is Top Secret. The only way any discussion of that will be held is in person here at the shop- or you could just tie a chironomid to a long leader and retrieve is very slowly. Strike indicator is optional. Puget Sound: As the days get longer, euphasids will begin to blossom and reproduce and cohabitate and the fish will figure that out, and try to eat them. Your mission: be the euphasid. Or, be a crystal flash crazy Charlie in peal or orange in a #8. Cast it. Strip it. Tease it. Twist it. Intermediate sinking or slow-sinking line is ideal, but a floater will work under the circumstances. Stay home when it's blowing. As always, all-purpose baitfish imitations will work just fine when the fish come around, which they do periodically-the trick is to be there when they do. Look for carnage on the surface- evidence of the kill- little fish being chased down and eaten by bigger fish. Your mission: be the little fish. Yakima River: Has been fishing surprisingly well. The water is low and clear and the fish are eating nymphs and streamers like they're really hungry and not expecting us to be there. Prince nymphs, pheasant tails, bloody marys, lightning bugs, stonefly nymphs'and the like in medium sizes, like #10-14, and buggers and leeches dredged through the deeper holes are patterns we'd recommend this time of year. True, the occasional hatch will happen, and the fish will occasionally rise to the occasion. On the occasional sunny/overcastish day when the wind is occasional, you are the most likely to encounter this occasional event. Be prepared as my kind of short and stout scoutmaster, Mr. Safford, used to say'(his son David never made Eagle Scout, though, despite his father's hopeful tutelage. His older brother, Will, did, however, and went on to major in computer science and stagnate, tragically, in a cubicle in Southern California, while David turned the tables and began to follow the dead). In the mean time, back in Ellensburg, you'll want to bring your Loon Ice Off Paste to prevent pesky guide-freezage, but the fish don't know the difference. Indicator fishing with nymphs can make life a little easier, particularly when the water is so clear and the fish really get a good look at your fly- dead drifted, tumbling, helplessly along the streambed. Of the few who have braved the trip lately, we've gathered a vast majority of good reports. It's worth the drive, and your batting average will be significantly higher than with your spey rod on the west side right now. Rocky Ford is as busy as Bellevue Square Mall on Dec. 23rd. And with good reason. The fishing is excellent this time of year as the spring creek's water temperature remains relatively constant throughout the frigid wind-burned winter months. Scuds, chironomids, nymphs, scuds, streamers, and scuds would be the patterns of choice- ranging widely in size from #14-24. Sometimes, they're eating these microscopic little emerger/dry flies on the surface that you can't really see, but they can. That's when you break out the 7X and the 15' leader and the #22 griffiths gnat and have-at-it. What better way to hone your angling skills. (besides hanging out at Creekside). Speaking of Creekside, have you seen our new, Fantastic Location? You can see the sign from the freeway and in between calls inquiring about sand shrimp, we're dying to walk, talk and breathe Fly Fishing with you. Bring your ridiculous photos and stories and lies in and we won't judge, much, as long as we can eat lunch we're always more than happy to help you pursue whatever crazy flyfishing fantasy you've conjured up while wondering why your mother-in-law got you another George Foreman Grill for Christmas. (no offense, Sue- we actually love it, really). That being said, we shall sign off for the year with one last word(s): Thank you for your patronage. We always appreciate your visits and calls and emails and input. Without you, oh humble (or not so humble) Creekside visitor, alas, we would be but another Jack-in-the-Box with the spiritual ambience of a karaoke bar in Dallas (Kinky Friedman). Happy New Year. Hugh Pastoriza Click Here to See Reports from past years. Copyright ©2002 Creekside Angling Company All Rights Reserved
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Creekside
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