Skagit River Silvers

Skagit River Oct. 1

I hit the lower Skagit today around Mt. Vernon with my leaky Simm’s waders. The ones that I just use with my pontoon boat. The water is not cold and my wader only leak when I’m standing in water deeper than my crouch. The river is so low that a didn’t have to go out that far to be into the fish.

With Spey rod in hand I walked out to just above my knees stripped out about 60-70 feet of running line attached to my Scandi head put on a green tail skunk flip out my first cast. And had a bump, on my third or fourth cast I got the take, set the hook and the game was on. Humpy. Ten- twelve cast later hook set again but this one I lost. Then a few more cast Hook-up and another Humpy. I need to be back to pick up Ginny (my wife) I had time to get in a cast or two before I had to leave.

I hooked another Humpy but it came off just as I was going to release the hook from its mouth. ( Good I didn’t have to touch it ugly SOB) Checked my hook and stripped out some more line. Sent the line and fly sailing it hit the water swings less than 5 feet I feel the tickle and set the hook.

Silver. I could tell the difference right away stronger, more power, and wanted to turn and run down river. He came out of the water twice as the hook buried deeper in the side of his jaw. A boat drifted by for the third time. He was there before me and the guy asked me what I was using. I told him a green butt skunk, He just looked at me weird as he drifted away.

Later on in the day I went to the newest of sporting goods store Dick’s they have less Fly stuff then me. So I took the ride over the freeway to Holiday Market. I found out that my old friend David Sanchez had passed away not more than a couple of months ago Heart Attack. David many will miss you. We had many good times on the water together. May you be in a much better place with bigger and better fishing.

 Holiday had a pretty good selection but the pricing is way hi and since David is not there the two different guys have no clue as to what is what can’t ansured some of the simplest of questions, or tell someone about the products that they have. I asked about Airflo’s Poly Leaders or Rio’s  Spey Versil- Leaders  both of them just gave me a like  ?????? They had no shooting line or Amnesia.   

10/2

Pressentin Creek I picked up Wayne at the Hiway 9 Park and ride at 12:40 and we headed up river to try to teach him the way of the Spey. Yea Rite! After about two hours of showing him over and over and over explaining to him he just can’t get it. Watching fish roll just below the Creeks entrance, I had to wet a line myself. So I left him alone while I lined up my RL Winston, and pitched out Wayne got tangled up. Don’t ask me how, but he did. I stopped got him back on track, and went back to the Winston.

 Found a lop knot in my running line about 50 feet from the 510 Skagit Shooting head I to get out at least 75 to get a good swing. Without having my other reel ( Loop bac at the truck ) I went back to Wayne and tried some more. He could do a short roll cast, but that was about it. I told him about me having a problem with my other line and suggested to him to go down to Loretta Creek for a while.

Loretta Creek the fish can’t get up do to no water flow coming in to the Skagit and they were stacked up there was a couple of gear guys fishing the flinging their jigs and such below I put on the Loop changed out the head. Wayne went up river so nobody could see him struggling with his casting.

I threw out and let it swing the gear guy threw up above me and crossed my line, he did this until he finally caught my line. And when I said something to him he called over his Buddy.

Fishing is no fun if you have to fight for a spot.  Wayne was struggling and I just reeled back in and we left.

10/3

Dark thirty I head back up river to Loretta. Just getting light out as I got there I suited up, strung up the Winston with the Loop. Got out into the water stripped out about 60-70 feet of line with a Green Butt Skunk gave it a good cast, watched a nice Silver jump over the shooting head. I was in the zone.  Four or five casts later the tug, the hook set, the games begin. By 10:30 I had landed six Silvers one about 9lbs. and twice as many Humpys. Two trucks pulled in as I was landing the last Humpy and now there were four more guys hitting the water, all gear so I packed it in.

We need to come back in about 45 days hopefully there will be a Chum season when we return, Gota love the Skagit