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November 4, 2005
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The Yakima has been cooler and the flows spiked a bit a few days ago, but the current precipitation does not seem to be having much of an effect due to the low freezing levels. The canyon reading is about 1000cfs which is still very low and wadable. On the menu you should expect a serving of Blue Winged Olives in the early afternoon and lasting for a couple of hours. You always hear fall is the best time of the year to fish but people usually pack the rods away at the end of October. Those who do should be chastised and maybe put in the stocks too. Early to mid November can host some excellent BWO hatches and this is the time of the year that all the fish, including the gaggers, are forced to feed on small insects because that's what's available. Often during the hatch the biggest fish will feed right on top with the rest of them. The problem comes when you consider a trout's natural aversion to the avian flu. They really don't like eating concoctions of bird feathers (i.e.-your fly) so you'll have to to use long (10-14 foot), light (5x-7x) leaders and small (#18-22) flies to take fish on the surface. The payoffs for such fishing, other than an aneurysm, are the oh so coveted trout sip and a fish screaming off down river after you've set the hook. Trust us, it's fun. You might also see midges out as the weather gets colder too and the same tactics pretty much apply as you would use for BWO's. The October caddis are pretty much done but if you insist on fishing a big dryfly, or if you just can't see the small bugs, tie on a #8-10 orange, rubber legged Stimulator and tie a smaller nymph dropper off the back. Suggestions would include Princes, Lightning Bugs, red Copper Johns, Soft Hackles. Topwater isn't the only game in town though. Nymphing is deadly effective almost all year around. Especially if you don't see any surface activity, or anytime, just go deep with heavy nymphs dead drifted or swung. Just remember, real nymphs crawl around on the bottom, like lawyers. Ok just kidding, but seriously the biggest mistake people make when nymphing is not getting deep enough. Go with double beads or even tungsten beads. And remember if you're not losing a couple flies you're not in the game. We're not just saying this so you'll have to come in and buy more flies, we promise! Also don't forget streamers. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Get a sink-tip, a big (we're talking #2-4 and like 3-5 inches long) and swing or strip them through the deeper holes and pockets. Streamers don't get much respect but there's a reason that those who've made the switch never go back. It's kinda like digital cable vs. the dish make the switch to Comcast and your hook up will never go down. We can debate that later. Anyway, if you want to catch big, big fish then just dedicate a whole day to streamer fishing and you'll never go back. Westside Rivers: Have been holding their own in the face of the insane rain in the membrane. The local rivers are high but not unfishable. The color is going to be important too. In general for the next few months, if it looks like a river of the Nesquik chocolate milk then quickly get back home, apologize to the wife and try to get a raincheck on your hall pass. Or just head to the nearest bar, toss a couple back and watch the game. Either way there are fish in the rivers. The Snoqualmie has a few late summer run / early winter run fish in right now and should be filling up with chum salmon as we speak. Same thing goes for the Skykomish except probably fewer steelies and more chums. The Skagit, while out of shape at the moment, harbors dollies, silvers and chums in enough force to make you beg for a full body massage at the end of the day. The Hood Canal rivers and estuaries are loaded right now with silvers and chums and fishermen. If you can brave the drive and the weather and the crowds and the bridge, you should be in for some fast action. A quick note- please do not try to fish chums and silvers with your 5-weight, they will probably break it in half, or you may have to perform minor surgery to remove major hooks from the back of your head. In the rivers anything goes for flies and you should go bristling with all manner of small arms and mega warheads. Translation: bring every fly you've got! Salmon in rivers get tricky and snooty sometimes. Throw everything you can at them until you find the one they like that day. This is not to say that salmon fishing is always frustrating, you will also find times when you can't keep them off anything but it pays to go prepared. Again, we promise! this is not another attempt to just sell you flies, we just want you to catch fish. Although if you need to fill in your box we've got thousands of flies to help you accomplish this task. Anyway, for the next couple weeks just watch the river levels closely and when they start to drop get out there and wail away. Eastside Steel: The Methow, Grande Ronde and Klikitat have all been pumping out steelhead as fast as Bush has supreme court nominees. Success should be rated on the hurricane scale. A good day should be rated in steelhead caught vs. number of recent hurricanes you can name. If you're at a 1:1 ratio for the day you're probably doing pretty well. In all seriousness though recent reports have been great, the Methow especially has seen a lot of dry fly action and the Klickitat a lot of big fish. This week saw a sharp drop in air temps and that translates to water temps so when you go anywhere over therebring the dry line and the sink-tips just to cover the bases.You still should be able to get away with summer style wets but make sure and bring a few big uglies. You know, those lead eyed, articulated, freak ties that scared even you when you tied them, ya those. Just to keep you thinking too, the sleeper this year has been the Deschutes. We didn't have a lot of positive reports early but it seems like if you hit it right you can just knock 'em dead. November is when the bigger fish show up too and there is NO ONE on the river. This is the time of year the locals fish that river so you get the hint. Saltwater: Apparently the place to be right now is Hood Canal in the salt and area rivers. Tons of fish and fishermen. Be it combat fishing, shoulder to shoulder or (insert your favorite cliche here) there are just a lot of dudes out there right now. The good news is ther are a lot of fish, namely chums, out there too. If you have a little boat or a pontoon boat you have a distinct advantage to get away from the crowds but even if you're confined to roaming the rocks and sand the usual applies. Just walk a little ways away from the access points and you'll see fewer people. Try to avoid walking around a rocky point at low tide to get away, you'll find out really quickly why no one is over there and get to test you're swimming skills. Chums in the saltwater generally like to eat smaller stuff like a #4-6 Chum Candy style flies. Chums will mistake them for small shrimp or baitfish. They will be very upset that they made such a junior varsity mistake and they will take it out on you! Lakes such as Beaver and Alice are open year 'round, and in spite of cold temps have been putting out some fish. We've had some stellar reports from Lenice and Lenore this week, both of which are open through the end of the month. Add Dry Falls, Dusty and Nunnally to that list as well. Seriously. They're fishing very very well and you will probably have the whole place to yourself and gagger rainbows and browns and cutthroat if you go. Fish a sinking line with a streamer/bugger/leech, or attractor nymph, scud, chironomid...money. Thanks for reading Sincerely,
© 2005 Creekside Angling Company All Rights Reserved
Creekside
Angling Company |
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