With the sizzling summer heat turned up hotter than normal. The rivers and creeks running low since we didn’t get much snow, 63% less than average. Most of the rivers are shut down or in Hoot Owl fishing conditions.    

    I gave Gary a call to see what he was up too. I mention something about going up and fishing Salmon Creek, this afternoon.  The water should be fairly cool coming out of the bottom of reservoir.   I think he was already loaded up and rolling down toward my house with his gear in hand before we were off the phone.

  We spent just a short bit on the creek the wind is pretty what ran us off after about two and a half hours. We started up at MP’s and worked are way down. Stopping the truck and working about a 1/4 mile at each stop. 

We mostly work the creek from opposite sides to be able to cover both banks. It still amazes  me as to as to the size a fish, maybe 3 inch that will go after a size 10 hopper or even bigger. And how many time that you can catch two fish on a hopper dropper setup. 

There are just a few nice deep pools to want to do the Hopper / Dropper.I prefer to either one or the other setups. 

I'm having a hard enough time just tying on a small #12 caddis fly rite now with the wind and waiting on getting my new glasses. Next week the new glasses will be in. I can go back to tying flies and threading even flies down to a #20 maybe.

Gary and I both caught lot of little fish and we each pulled out a lunker to the water we worked. Gary's a 8.5 Bow and Mine was the first fish of the day this 9.5-10Brook.   I'll be heading back up there every chance I get for the next few weeks. 

Also Salmon Creek is now open just like the lowland lakes Saturday before Memorial Day until Oct 31 its in the online WDFW Fishing Reg. book page 73.     

LONG LAKE-FERRY COUNTY

    The time frame may be a bit fuzzy I think it was either June 27^th or  July 2^nd .It really doesn’t matter it’s hot and most of the fishing is down for a least a while.

LONG LAKE-FERRY COUNTY

      I met Gary at his house around 8:30 and loaded my pontoon and gear into his truck headed for Long Lake in Ferry County.  Plan was to be fishing by 9:30-10:00.  We arrived to find we had the lake virtually to ourselves, with just two others on the whole lake.  The water was clear and about 72 degrees, the day was warm with a little wind but not enough to matter.  There was no sign of a hatch going on with very little surface activity so I started out subsurface going down the east bank of the lake.  Gary started down the west bank also going deep.  When we met at the south end we had both netted 4 and 5 fish mostly in the 10-12 inch range.  We fished the south end for quite a long time with good success again the range of fish was between 10 and 14 inches. We headed back up the lake for something to eat.  The other two guys on the lake were not doing as well so Gary and I each gave them a couple of patterns that had been working for us.  It seemed to help as they started having a little more success.

     The biggest thing that I can say is scale down instead of the 5 weight; This is the time to bring out the 3 weight.  I have a couple, Sage FLi 390-4 set up for creek fishing mostly dries so I didn’t get to use it much that day.  My Redington is RS3 390-4.  Next time I’ll be bringing my old bamboo.

    Gary said he was using his booby fly with good success, I gave him a bad time about never trying anything new so after lunch he said he would change flies after each fish netted.  I knew he was having a good afternoon as I watch him change out his tippet several times.  After several trips around the lake we called it a day around 4:00.  We each had had a 30+ fish day. The fish were not big but they were healthy and fought well. We both threw a few dry’s but could not get any of the larger fish to raise.  We did each say that we had long range releases a little more than average, but we netted enough not to worry about it. The weather was hot but not as bad as there 107 in Omak that day.  We were back at Gary’s by 5:30

                                    .  Another great day with friends on a beautiful lake.

We've been a talkin about going and doing the Kettle River, Since we got back from BC. Life is busy tho Family Reunions, Out of towners, Home projects, alot of dumb excuses. But mostly the heat when it is in the triple digits this early in the year. mostly all i want to do is hang at home in the AC. Early morning take out the mountainbike get in my 5 miles by 6:30 and piddle around the house. 

We are talking about making a trip over to the Skagit, maybe hit the Stilly when the Humpies come in. Just do a overnighter Tommy, Gary, Rich, and I just to play with the speys.   

Chopaka

 I wasn’t home long from BC before I was gone again for another camp out fish trip. Never really unpacked the trailer just pulled out dirties, clothes, bedding, and resupplied the foods. Cleaned the ice chest, refilled the bottles I emptied and put into the freezer.

     Thursday June 18^th.  I head up to Chopaka Lake to meet up with some of the OCFFC guys. Some of these Guys I don’t get to see much of Like Jimmy from Utah, Gordo: Kennewick, Mark: Seattle, Rich R: Pasco, Pat S: Anacortes, and Larry, up from Oregon. Some of the local members will be up there too. Some of the local members went up early and camped and fished all week Stew, Glen, Dan B I got up on Thursday and stayed till Sunday.

Every night is a feast Thurs. was Mexican Fiesta, Tacos, Chili, chips and dips, refried beans, salads’  the whole enchilada. Friday is Oyster Night with Clam Fettuccine, toss green salad, French bread, and lots different chesses to fest a pond.    Saturday is Steak and eggs, hash brown.

Our good friend Fred and his wife Kathie were up there and so was Rugby Rodger and great story teller from down under.

The fishing was pretty slow during the day light the wind was blowin most of the time, did have a few sprinkles on Friday night.

The best fishing was just before it got dark, I went out about a half hour before the sun set 9 30ish and stayed out for about an hour and a half before coming back in. catching everything on  dry caddis size 10 and 8s E Zer to ty on and I’m able to use much bigger tippit.

 I do have to say so something and it is out of my control.  I NO LONGER WORK FOR OR AM TYED TO THE BIG R OR NORTH FOURTY FLY SHOP. THE MISS INFORMATION THAT YOU ARE GETTING IS NOT COMING FROM ME IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM.THE GUYS THERE DO NOT GET ANY INFORMATION FROM ME OTHER THAN MAYBE READING MY BLOG.

I fish for myself and ty my own flies. I may go into the shop from time to time but that is about all. None of the guys from the shop fish with me. Tanner had never picked up a fly rod or fly fished before the shop open, and when Keith was hired to fill in for Tom in his absents, Keith hadn’t pick up a fly rod in over 20 years he told us.

I’m no expert fly fisherman and have never claimed to be, but I do know these waters, the bugs for them and the time of year that most go off, in most years anyway. I don’t use store bought flies. I ty and sell the flies I use to catch fish.  I have a reputation that I stand behind as being honest and fair bullshit free.   I do my best in trying to steer people in the right direction, and to the best places to fish.     It has been said that I catch fish when nobody is catching, But then again I have been out there not catching a thing while everybody around me is slaying them.