Limebelt

 I talk to Tomac this morning and were met up at the Limebelt to hook up with some Brookies, Try to get in and out before the thunder clouds rolled in and chased us out.

Limebelt is off the Conconully road in about 7 miles.  

The water is cooler, with the lake being surrounded by the hills and just a little under 2700 ft elevation. Very cool scenery, on the way in I saw a cow moose with her pretty new calf.

 There was just a little chop on the water when we launched and less than 50 feet I had my first hook up. Wasn’t very big at 12 inch, but it did put up a good fight. And having my 4 weight might be a bit heavy. I know next time I bring my 3 weight.

Between the two of us we probably put 20-25 fish to the net, I know that I lost at least 6 in the 3 and ½ hours we were there, Damsel nymphs, and my Punkinhead is what worked for me the best. Really don’t know what Tomac was a usein.

The clouds blew in we heard the roar of Thor’s hammers and headed out just before 1:30. We had an awesome day on the water, no monster fish to tell you about I did keep a couple for dinner tonight

Menu

Grilled Brook Trout with Kewelime Sauce 

Oven baked seasoned Baby Red Potatoes           ******** Cheese Cake

Grilled Asparagus with garlic  

          Put backing on your line; even if you never use it.

                     It helps you dream.

Tonasket 6th Grade Camp Fly Tying

   Gary and I headed up to Lost Lake to get in a little Brook Trout fishin in before we do the Fly Tying class for the Tonasket School 6 grade Spring Camp.

 Bill and Ken show up just as we were in the water, they are going to help with the class this year. The fishing was slow all day with Ken doing the best fishing in his pontoon boat. Gary and I were in his 12ft alum. Boat trolling around with his electric motor and going way to fast. We managed to pick up a fish here and there, but not many

.

Out of the water shortly after five, all packed up and headed over to the mess hall.

 I took over Bill’s spot 4 years ago. Bill 90 yrs. young, used to do this class but with his eyes not being what they used to be can’t drive at nite. That’s how he got Ken involved, the night driver.

Ken dug the hell out of helping and it looks like we may join us again next year.

We had 12 kids just the right amount and at the age that they can get into it.  Woolly Buggers is the fly we always tye. I tye one first and explain each step and why, then we all do one together. Most look like they will catch fish. This year we had two kids that were really into it and asked lots of question.

I look forward to doing it every year.  Teaching the next generation 

Something I wrote while working at the fly shop that never got published

North Central WA. Stillwater’s

We all hear about the mica Lakes like Chopaka, Big Blue in the Sinlahekin Valley, Omak, Rocky Ford, Lenice and Nunnally, Here in Eastern Washington.
Well I’m going to tell you a little bit about a few lakes that you don’t hear  much about if you haven’t heard of them at all. Yet easy enough to get to for some great fishing some with hugh fish  but not many and some well worth the day trippin to get to for the time of your life, just to be catching fish  all day long.
 I’ll keep them close to Omak say within a 2 hour drive. And best fished from a belly boat or pontoon boat.
Beaver Lake is 30 ac and holds some fine Bows, Cutthroat and some Brookies. There is FS camp sites and the water is gin clear.
Beth Lake is not far away and is 13 ac. and holds some hard fighting dig down and try and take me out with that bent over 3 weight rod Bows if you get the chance to fish it early and find the carryovers to 24inches and 4 plus pounders.
Davis Lake in the Methow Valley 39ac this lake gets some wind but has a hatch of BWO and Calibaetis that’s out of some Fly-Fishin Fiction Novel.. You have to be there to believe it and the wind is not blowing this time.
 Black Pine up the hill from Twisp 3900 ft. this 18 ac lake is quite and sleepy but the plants of Brook trout and the carry overs are nice the water stays cold late into the summer and not a lot of pressure.
Buzzard Lake off the Loop Loop Pass  gets planted every year with some jumbo Rainbow to hang out with the carryovers and there for the past few years the stories of some monster bows giving your line a tug on gray scuds.
Green Lakes, Big is 44 ac and is close to town The local fly clubs are known to buy some nice fish to help this C&R lake from March 1 till Oct 31
Then again there is the Colville Reservation Lakes that need mentioning: McGinnis, Rebecca, Buffalo, Gold and Summit. You must have a tribal license to fish on the reservation but it is well worth the investment all the for mentioned lakes are stocked heavy with catchable oversized trout. Brook, Rainbow Cutthroat and Triploids  and fished early big carryovers.

What a GREAT day even tho I didn't fish.

I have been tying a lot these last few months Chronimids, Damsels Nymphs, Dry Damsels, and lots of different May flies, dries, emergers, and nymphs.
Today was the pay off for all my time and effort. I saw this guy that  Jay today and he asked me what was up with the Big R Store and the Fly Shop And why wasn't I still there.

I'm not there because I used tobacco, The real reason is the kid Manager they hired Paul from Montana, Just out of school, knew it all, and I was old school. He had never fished still waters, but still knew it all.
When he first started someone asked me about him and all I said was"kinda an odd duck."
Will the guy I told that too was going to be his future brother in law and he blew it way out of tex, Telling Paul.  After that Paul would never talk to me unless I asked him something. then it was very short ansured.
 I was terminated the first of August, and a week later he went back to Montana for something was suppost to be back at work on Monday never called and a few more days goes by, He texted the Manage after being gone for more than a week Told him he was not coming back. ( kids these days)

Enough of that I'm quite happy with my life, I fish more, screw off more, work less and make just what I need to pay the bills without digging into our savings and best of all I get to spend more time with my wife and the dogs. OH yea fish more.
Anyway Jay asked if I still tyed flies. after stopping in the fly shop he couldn't find anything he needed to fish the lake around here.

I showed him some of my samples, and before it was all done and over with he bought 150 flies, and his Buddy bought another 45. he didn't even want to look at the dries at this time. but will be calling on his next trip up. and he will be showing my flies to his Buddies and giving out my number.

         Remember buy local,
               Better hand tyed flies,
                     Don't unwind after the first fish.
                             They last longer                                                          

Life is to short, fish more, and enjoy more of whatever makes you                                                 Happy



  

The rest of the story

Thursday:

We hit Big Blue, it wasn’t all that crowded, but there was some boats on the water, Brian tyed into a nice Brown rite after leaving the launch.

I’ve got to say something here now: In all the years that I have been doing this trip with them this is the first year that they have been up and ready to hit the water before 10. The drinking has been toned down a lot. And it is more about the fishing than ever. I have to admit it is lot more fun once again. The boys have matured. I quite the drinking so much 12 years ago after a night of heavy drinking while we were all down at Dry Falls. Riding back to the trailer from Coulee City to Sun Lake RV park with Poppy and him all over the road, stopping to puke a couple of times. We made it by the grace of God.

    O K back to the fishin of the day, I haven’t seen Big Blue so calm there were a few clouds in the sky but the water was like glass most of the day what a difference 24 hour made the weather was great; the fishing was slow for most. I gave Rob and Andy each one of my Disco Dolly Parton (THE BOOBIE FLY) got some laughs and funny looks. Later that day Andy wasn’t doing so well with his choice of flies and so he tyed it on and he just couldn’t believe what happened next Bob was next to him and thought it was just a joke fly too, until he saw what it was doing on the fourth fish Andy got snapped off. Rob never tried it and later asked Andy about it. When Andy and Bob told him he just laughed and said Yea sure it worked. I gave Andy and Bob one before we went back out after some lunch.

       The water is much warmer this year out at Big Blue the fishing is a bit slow I had a great time pounding the shore with dries and did fine.  Ants were the ticket for me getting a couple of browns and a handful of Bows. The fish seem to be skinny and thin. By the time I packed it in the lower camping was filling up fast for the weekend.

Friday:
             The Adventure continues:  Buffalo Lake Colville Reservation 9:30am

We met up with RB just above Rebecca Lake so he could lead us in to the sandy cove just be on Eagle Cove.

With a light chop on the water we all put are backs to the lite wind and headed to our left. The fish were rising here and there, the sun was bright. We all had hook ups before long but it was still what I call slow. The DDP was working for me until I was snapped off. Without another one, gave them all away.

Just about noon most everybody had headed in it grab some lunch and more beers, Rich and I stayed in the first cove and were hitting a fish every once in a while on dries. Rich on #14 Parachute Adams, Me using a # 16 May fly. I changed out to a emerger pattern on a long leader and the hook ups were plenty. Rich changed up to a Calibaetis nymph and the fish were coming to him more often.

The rest of the boys headed around the corner to the right after lunch to troll that side. At four when we all got back together the reports were awesome from them. Bob hooked into servile 3-5 lbs. fish lost a few but all of them having an outstanding time.

We saw moose on the ride out, a pair of young Eagles were being taught to catch fish by their parents on the lake one of the youngin did a nose dive and tumble into the water and was quite the site to see it trying to get to shore. I lost site of it while getting a tug on the end of my line. Hooking a great 3-4 pounder but loosening it just as I went to put the net, snap gone with my fly.   I’m not into trolling and only catching a fish here and there on a dry is so much more fun and exciting then casting and stripping, But to each their own.

We all had a great time and yes I will be back to Buffalo Lake sometime soon. I saw some BIG BOYS cruzin well over 6lbs. The challenge is there for me to dry fly one in.

We all met back up in Omak for the traditional Mexican dinner at Rancho Chico, Great food great people.

                              Saturday: There adventure  is unknown to me.

 I needed to go to Aeneas Lake for the Okanogan County Fly Fishing Club breakfast meeting. While the Wetsiders, were going to Lost Lake after much debate. I’ll give the report after I have breakfast with them today.

I didn’t catch much as neither did very many of the other anglers that were on the water, the lake looks like it is getting ready to turn over, pretty murky.

My main goal was to dial in the new line from S/A Sharkwave GPX Stealth, WF#5 front taper, 6.5 belly 26’, rear taper 5.5, with a 38ft head. It is a great improvement over their old discontinued textured Sharkskin, which was to abrasive for me and after fishing dries all day my fingers were raw from stripping and shooting line even for short cast.  I put on my Nautilus that I use with 6954 Sage One that I use for dry fly fishing. 

         So far I love it, I can cast 60-70 ft effortless,  doesn’t make a lot of noise going thru the guides, soft enough to lay out long and straight (even tho it does need to be starched a bit at first)

I tyed on a 12ft leader, 2ft of tippit, and an size 16 ext. body Calibaetis and pitched it out 45-50ft. Then I noticed the Brown Drakes going off, I didn’t have any with me, but I did have a Parasail style emerger, It was a fly I tried tying a while back that I haven’t used much, I only tyed 6 because they were so hard to tye.

      I backed the pontoon boat back off the shore line another 20 more feet and laid out a 40-45 cast any farther I don't think I could see it, it flew straight and true settled on the water nicely gave it a couple of twitches. Out of the shallows I see the swirl and the big mouth slams my fly and takes a run, the second run takes me into the backing. I get about 30 feet back on the reel and then another run, back into the backing. I woot and holler Gary is off to my right maybe 300 yds. and 10 minutes later here comes a big Brown of 23 inches to my net the fly is half way down his throat, I battle to retrieved my bug, but got it.

  My day is done I need not try for more, I am Blessed, he was a worthy opponent, I am fulfilled. The wind comes up as I’m headed to the launch my day was perfect,  got loaded up Gary and I talked about heading to Chopaka on Wednesday. I’ll be home by 2 what a great fish.

    

  We were to meet for breakfast at eight this morning but when I got down there at quarter till they,    ( the Wetsiders so called Buddies) had packed up and left. No call, no text, I guess I've been shunned, for not showing up for the last night drunk,  My life goes on and I’m still happy and not hung over.

    Anyway I would much rather give a firsthand report of Lost Lake which I will do. On the 27 of May Gary and I do the Tonasket 6 grade camp, We will be fishing all day and teaching some fly tying to a class of 12.

It’s always fun the kids are great, and every year there is at least one or two that stick with it.

I have a awesome bunch of people to fish with just about any time I call them someone is in, It's not a competition between us we can all learn something from each other, and all have the same ethics. The fun, the fish, the adventures to come. 

We lost a good friend this past week Paul Moses, he has gone off to meet his maker, where he will never have wind knots, snapped off flies, or louse another flyrod to  a fish while he digs out a sandwich from his lunch box. Paul you will be missed.

Cold, Rainy,& Lip Rippin

Wednesday 9am Buzzard Lake, the air temp. was a cool 43, and it was raining like a cow peeing on a big flat rock. There was my group out on the water already Andy had a fish on when I pulled in and got out of the truck.  After gearing up and getting out in the water, I forgot to bring my refreshments and anchor, I had on my older rain coat and within an hour my arms were wet and I remembered why I used it only as a wind breaker. ( Simms was bac at the house in with the Steelhead stuff)

 The fishin was slow to start out I made my round the lake and said my howdy’s to everyone that I knew. Bumping a few fish here and there and only putting one in the net.

   By 11:30 the rain was coming down harder and most of the guys were ready to bag it and head into Omak and get to their rooms.  To warm up and have something to eat.  Their cold liquid breakfast of champions wasn't cutting it. The six of them headed out.

  It left 4 other guys and me on the water.  

My last few bugs I tried quite working and so I thought about trying something real small. I could see every once in awhile a fish shrill at the surface, couldn't see any hatch going off with the rain coming down.  an #16 soft Hackle Peacock and pitched it out let it sink a count of 5 three times, nothing then a count of 7 nothing,  count of 9 third strip bent rod. A nice 16 inch Bow. Again just about the same thing Bam. Bent rod and the Bow was soon out of the water. This went on for 6 fish and one of the guys came over and asked what I was using I show him and he had nothing close to it. I gave him one and told him the count before long he was hooking up. Then his partner came over and asked to buy some from me. I gave 3 to him and with many thanks left my fishing zone.  

   By 1 I was drench and thirsty. I headed for shore.   I netted a few fish. Largest being maybe 18 inch lost a larger one just before the net. I was going to release it anyway. LDR

I received a text while on my way down the hill the Wetsiders were heading to the Greens . I headed home grabbed a sandwich and changed into dry clothes and headed to Big Green. If you like catching lots of Bluegill and few trout this is the place to go at least today was. The rain had let up and the lake is turning over murky green. At 5:00 we called it quits. 

   I think the plan is to fish Big Blue on Thurs. but with these guys I never know. their minds change with just about every beer. 

 Where ever we go its sure to be a hoot. Danny the ring leader, his Dad Richard just turned 70 on the 11th, Andy the come along, Bob the new guy, Brian and Rob his brother inlaw, Shawn is missed this year, his first in over 20 years. Jeff just couldn't get out of work.  This is my 17th year of making the May Fishing Funny Farm,and Drunk Fest, I don't drink like I use to and neither do some of the other guys. It's all about the get together once a year, I don't see them but once a year anymore, and they don't see much of each other either, So this is the time to catch up cut loose and rip lips.

       

May days are here, so are the hatches

  I made it up to Buzzard Lake just south of Okanogan, on Friday for just a couple of hours. The fish were plenty, and only a few that were over 14 inch. Using size 14 and 16 beadhead soft hackles just under the surface brought the best and biggest Bows to the net, pitching them along the shore line with a slow strip. I was dressing them with powder fluent. There was a unknown Guy ( sorry, can't remember his name) new to our way of life and line, fishing or trying to fish when his line wasn't tangled up. But after a helpful lesion on casting and bug selection he put his first and many more fish to net

     Two of my Buddies stopped by early Saturday morning to pick up some of my damsels nymphs to take up to Chopaka Lake and called me last night for me to tye them more. They were the hot bug in the water for them. The guys fishing Chromimids on the south end were into alots of fish, with one landed over 20 inch.

    The wind has been down the last few days and the pleasant warmer days up on the mountain were great. There are some small hatches of May flies going off try some # 14 Parachute Adams. Or my extended body Calibaetis in either #14 or 16. 

  I had enough of them tyed up for them to take up a ½ dozen each.

   Over in the Methow Valley I hear that Davis is fishing gooooood.  Jeff and some of my Wetside Guys (6) are over there now, hitting the Twin lakes over the weekend, while a couple of them went to Davis and put Bows to 20 inch to net. Fishing the water at the far end of the lake from the launch Damsels in a lite olive # 14 worked for them. 

     We plan on fishing Big Green, Lil Green, Big Blue, Aeneas, and maybe get up to Chopaka or Wantacut Blue.

     I will be Fishing with them come Tuesday thought Sunday, this will be our 17^th year doing a get together May trip. It’s always a blast. RB will be joining us and maybe Gary.

  Tuesday night is the first meeting and planning of the BC trip. Gary, RB, Doc and myself. will seat down over dinner and plan the events of June. Food, Camp, Lakes, Travel, Licences,  

                                    

                                       Fish often, Fish hard, Be safe, and Keep it clean.

The wind just blows sometime

 Gary and I decided to go hit Big Blue to find out for ourselves just how the fishing really is.

The wind was blowing just a little we put in at the south end so that we could put the wind at your back and work the middle section. 

  The wind got stronger and stronger and the morning passed slowly away the fish were few and skinny as from the early report. In the two hours we were there we made it almost three quarters of the way to the top of the middle lake. We found a cove to rest in for a while, dropped anchor and pounded the shore with different bugs and only picked up a few skinny torpedoes.

  My gut said I need to replenish the calories I depleted getting this far in the wind. Gary agreed and we let the wind carry us back to where we launched. That didn’t take long maybe a tenth of the time to get back. We talked about heading to the far south end to fish but the light bulb came on and the bubble popped thinkin that it may take us days to return to the launch in this gale.

  The big decision QUITE FISHIN for the day or head to somewhere else. We can’t stop for the day it’s too early and if we go home there will be chores to do.

   Almost at the same time we said AENEAS Lake  the wind will be blowing but we don’t have to go far from the launch wind at are backs  and a few more hours of fishin. We keep on our waders and took off just the minimum stuff from our boats and hauled ass to the lake.

                                    We took Pine Creek road and came in from the south side.

 We were in the water and into fish in no time, doing the disappearing bobber act over and over and over again.  Bigger, Better and Feistier. On the third fish that broke me off I went from a 5X to a 4X tippit.

 Changed out to a black micro leach under an indicator. Lost the last one, I had put on a maroon, lost it too, Indicator and all. This time I changed my leader, but tyed on something that I haven’t tried yet this year my Double Duty Chironomid. Boom it works and works ( gooder) that I thought.

But maybe it a fluke, I’ll have to try it again later. It was getting on to 5 o’clock and I needed to head out Gary was staying a while longer.

   On my way home about 2 miles north of the Big R I get this funny feelin in the truck then pow left front tire goes flat. I find a place to pull all the way off the road, call home to tell Ginny to hold the BBQ I needed to fix a flat tire. ( I have an appointment to get new skins on Tuesday ) So I go to change the tire figure out how to get the spare tire off only to find that whoever owned the truck before me had the wrong size spare. Too big a rim, it’s for a ¾ or 1 ton. So I end up calling to the rescue good old AAA.  He gets me home safe and sound on the back of the flat bed. I BBQ

   I look back as I’m eating and say to Ginny: I had a great day!!! I caught fish at two lakes, I didn’t have to row or kick back to the launch to eat lunch, went to a second lake and had a dandy fine time, catching bigger better fish, with a good friend, made it home to you with just a small delay, all is well, tomorrow I’ll catch up on the blog, resort my fly boxes and fill it with some much need flies, maybe tye a few.

Life is good……..I love my wife, I fish when I want, I have the best of friends, I catch fish,  I eat well, (some time to much) and My dogs are always happy to see me come home too!!    

Lowland Lake opener was last week

  Went Ryan our fish biologist send me a email asking if I could get a few of the OCFFC members to volunteer to help with the Creel for the Lowland season opener. I sent out the Email to the members and got some replies. 

Big Blue, Chopaka, Buzzard, the Greens: all covered by members, I got Aeneas Lake

   We were to take a count of boats at 8am, and then again at noon, ask as many people as I could about their fishing experience, size, and numbers of fish caught and hours fishing. At one time I had counted 16 people fishing at one time. Six started before 8am and while I was doing some trash pickup, between eight and nine, five more showed up.

I had my Buck’s Bag almost ready by the time Gary arrived at 9ish. We were out fishing in no time. We worked the west side catching a few fish here and there. Most everybody was either working the middle or the northeast bay I asked a couple of the anglers how it was going and everyone said just about the same.  Not bad, some nice fish.

    When I got to the north end I dropped anchor and pulled out my bobber lobbin rig set the depth and made my first lone cast into the shallows. I didn't have much time to strip in and tighten the little slack in the line before my indicator was gone. 

Doc. Dave, was sitting in a boat about a 100 yards behind and to the left me with one of his Buddies. They were fishing Chironmids straight down rippin lips. Gary decided to try out his new UK Boobie Fly he built with the UK materials. He picked up 5 or 6 and was pretty amazed at how hard the fish hit it.

   After I got broke off from a nice healthy Bow on my anchor rope. I worked my way around to talk to a couple other guys working the Bay. Ken and Bob were among the others doing good on Chironmids with Bob putting a fish in the net just about every cast. ( Bob’s secret stuff)  It’s all about size, color and shape. Bobs said.

Rich from Bridgeport got there late and came across the lake to meet up with us and dialed in almost rite away.

    I had to work my way back towards the boat launch by noon to meet up with Ryan, Gary followed and packed it up. He had a good day with over 15 Bows best being over 18.

When I got a text from Ryan that he wasn't going to make it anytime soon I took my boat count, and headed back out. At noon just five of us still out on the water.

   I met back up with Rich and we fished together until just about 3:30 the sky was getting black with thunder clouds and the wind was really picking up.

Rich will learn not to try to set the hook so hard while Chironomid fishing soon. (hopefully before we head to BC in June) I had a awesome day on the lake.  

Chopaka had 10 anglers and the fishing was pretty fair I'm hold: 7.9 fish per angler 

Big Blue had 25 anglers the fish a long and thin: 3.9 fish per angler

Buzzard 1.5 per angler

Aeneas  he didn't report  But everybody that I talked to did pretty damn good.

The Greens just a few anglers 9am and everybody gone before noon  the wind.

It was windy everywhere on the opener only the hard core fish addicts stayed with it, or the ones that come from far far away.

 At Aeneas there was a couple of guys from, Bellingham, 2 Seattle, 1 from Skagit

Rich and I were the last on the lake pack up and leaving at 4. Just as I hit the pavement the monosomes hit and hit hard. 

 All the romance of trout fishing exists in the mind of the angler

                  and is in no way shared by the fish

one of the browns of the day