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.