The wetside adventure III I forgot to post

Wetside Adventures III

 This may not interest anybody  but
Dec. 8th   7:30 am
I’m sitting at the Riverside Café in Mt. Vermin checking the river flows looking out the window, it’s pouring down rain the wind is howling. The TV above me is saying we have another storm coming in and are looking at flood watch all over the PNW. With record breaking levels of rain already, and more predicted for the rest of the week.
River Flows
Skagit has jumped from 5.12to 6.98 at Rockport just needs to be down to the 5’s
Stillaguamish  jumped up  4200 to 6620         Arlington
 Skykomish     jumped up   3630 to 6840          Gold Bar
Guess I go back to Lil Ruthie’s and twist some bugs.
1:30pm Still raining so off to the Skagit River Brewery for lunch and beer, If you go try their Skagit Brown (god stuff) food is good to.
For the next six days all it did was rain and more rain. No Fishing. I did more time spend my time eating breakfast at the Riverside Café for some awesome bisques & gravy with hash browns on the bottom.   Skagit River Brewery for  lunches and some of the finest brews around.
The day before we left I meet up with one of the OCFFC members that now lives in Anacortes, Patrick Smedile at the Rock Fish Grill for lunch. Good to see his.
We had the big storm follow us all the way over the mountain and the snow held off till we hit our driveway

The Christmas Eve Present

It was the day before Christmas
 I was out of cash
 All the presents were paid for
 So down to the river
All icy and cold
To stand in the water
With my Spey pole
Flinging a fly
Hoping for the pull
From the top of the run
Working down stream
Fling after fling
 Almost the bottom
Deep in the seam
I get a good pull
The pole gets a bend
My reel starts to sing
The battle begins
Tug-A-War for sure
Slowly I collect back my line
It seemed like hours
But really was a short time
To my hand comes
A really wide tail
This Christmas present
Came from the Pacific
All the way back from the sea
I thanked him for
The pleasure that we just spent
I set him free
Back to the wild
On to his travels
I leave the river
All happy and content
By Putmbac 1215

Wetside adventure part II

Saturday 12/5 Stillaguamish River    

I put calls out on Fri. to see if anybody I knew was up to doing River fishing in the rain, wind and hi water. Shawn couldn’t make it work. Dan doesn’t fish the rivers no more, gave no reason. ( musta fallen down once or twice and is scared I figured ) wouldn’t say. Jon was getting off at 7:30 am and needed to sleep, but would meet me for breakfast at Denny’s off the I 5 next to the Stilly. Jamie was up for it but couldn’t make it till Monday.

8am it was just getting light out the rain was coming down and I pulled into Denny’s parking lot. Wanda, Jon’s wife pulled in right behind me and parked next to me. Surprise to see her!! She had just talked to Jon he was running late with the traffic and the heavy rain. Jon showed up about twenty minutes later and he looked beat. Rough nite at Boing.

I guess it was getting close to 9:15 Jon was ready to fall asleep sitting at the table. We said are good byes and I headed off to the water.

The Stilly at Big rock just east of the I 5. The rain had let up just a little and long enough for me to get into my waders with- out being soaked, Winston put together, I walk thru the silt muck and get down to the river and it’s CRAP. I walk back out find a deep water puddle to rinse off the muck before getting back into the truck with rod broke down and in the front with me. Up river we go Stop at Haller Park to check the river, just as bad. Continue up 530 along the North Fork of the river get past the slide from a couple of years ago.  Man that was something to see just how much slide away. I found a spot that I fished many years ago it was full of trees and debris. Keep moving east and check out the Sauk.

 Sauk River. 1PM

   My first stop on the Sauk was before the Sulattle dumps in the rain once again let up. I grabbed my rod and headed for the hole. The water looked real good and fishy from the road above, the wind was calm and it didn’t look like anybody had been on the old trail to the hole yet, but there was a truck parked just up on the road.  My old trail had grown over quite abit, but I made it to where the hole use to be the river had changed and shifted the bar was now up river. I made my way up and found a guy Tim working the water with a float and jig he had pulled out a nice wild hen SH he said about a hour ago but nothing since. And he was about to leave. He also said. “That one of his Bud had pulled out a couple of big Bulls out of here in the last few days

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    I dug into my box found a fleshy looking fly tyed it on and pitched it out in to the flow after 7 or 8 swings, I moved down to get by a boulder in the water and just as my line went behind it Boom a hard take and dogged down no movement just head shaking, I kept the pressure on and slowly moved down river. He moved into the current and and took a short run down, then back out of the current but closer to me I moved down a little more and was able to retrieve line and then another short run at me I back up as I was reeling and soon felt the shooting line to head connections made it thru the first few guides, then a couple more, with the pressure at the right point I laid the rod to the up side of the river and got another big move. The leader was out of the water, I could see the Bullhe turned and saw me and took another short run but he was spent. I was able to he down river from him and bring it to hand. NICE Bull about 30 inch long and maybe 12 lbs.  My wet day is not shot. I went back up to the top of the run and worked my way thru 3 more time with nothing.

Time to move on down River. I came to Government Bridge and saw that the gravel bar was still out of the water the river is still fishable. COOL! I jumped out put the rod back together and went out on the bar. The water was pretty dirty but not brown. After an hour nothing and it was getting late. I pulled the Winston all the way down wiped it off and put it in its tube for the day. Wrap the Nautilus. Pulled off the wading gear. Poured a hot cup of coffee from the thermos and headed to Rockport to check on the water heath. Color looks good a bit high if it doesn’t rain to hard tonite I just might fish it tomorrow.  

Sunday 12/6    A NO FISHING DAY

    It rained hard all night long at 6am I checked the river flows up on the Skagit at Rockport the flow jumped up from 5.20 to 6.10 overnight, But the Skykomish was still looking good. I made a call to Ray up in Sultan to see if he could give me any kind of a report.

Ray: Lots of hatchery some natives, weight range from 6 to 10 lbs on the hatchery fish and some natives in excess of over 15 but few and far between. I wouldn’t recommending coming and swinging a fly on the weekend just way to many gear guys to deal with. The last weekend he was there  must have been over 40 – 50 guys working the 100 yds close to the hatchery, and if you get caught crossing the train trust to get into the ponds count on having a $500. fine. I told him thanx for the info and asked if he was free from work on Monday or any other day this week? Nope headed for Mexico on Tuesday and won’t be back until the rain stops or the first of March. He wished me the best of luck and hoped that we could get together some time in the spring.

Monday 12/7

    I pick up my good Buddy Jamie in Everett, He called into work said he was feeling to well to come in and he was going to take a fishing day. His boss understands

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  Jamie told me. “Best not to leave Mt. Vermin. (Yup vermin not Vernon,) at least until 8 am otherwise I’d be in traffic all the way.” So I left there at 8 and he was ready when I got to his house.  We quickly loaded up his gear and we were off heading up the Snohomish River past Monroe and up the Skykomish to the Reiter Hatchery

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    9:20 we pull into the parking area and find a open spot.  We walk down to see if there is any room for me to swing a fly among the gear flingers. Jamie stayed while I went and suited up and by the time I got back Jamie had already hooked his first and was just landing it as I walked up.  I found a spot down river open enough for me to swing had to get out in the current pretty far started out with a black Woolly Bugger with a purple hackle wrap. Swung this for a while then went to a Skykomish Sunrise and before long got my first tug in close to the weeds, but no hook up. After a few more swings the tug and take. Game on I tried to work my way back to shore from being in the heavy current and more than waist deep water. Watch the rod bend and the reel drag I set off the reach shore the SH took a run at me I keep up the tension, he headed out to the heaver current, I brought him in closer, 10 feet from shore and still in thigh water I slip on a rock and almost fell in rods still bent and out of the water he jumps. Not just once or twice, but four, now five times he’s piss off and doesn’t like being pulled around. He takes another long run out into the current, I almost fall again. My Nautilus was doing its job well. I make it into knee deep water I feel the running line and the first connection past the tip into the other guides I see the leader the Winston is bouncing and held high the connection to the intermittent tip is thru the tip now move the fish up above me thru the brush sticking out of the water go to grab the tail and gone.  It’s OK was a wild Buck maybe 30 inches long and 12-13 lbs. I got my fly back didn’t have to get my hand wet all was good no great lost. We spent another hour or so up there. Jamie had another hit and no hook ups I didn’t try that much the current was a bit strong for me I will admit. I got my thrills with the one.

  We bugged out and headed back to Everett for lunch at Scuttlebutt Brewery. They had moved since I was last there into a nice fancy new building the menu has grown the beer is still the best in town and the food is awesome.                        

Dec Wetside Adventures

Wen, 12/2
2 inches of snow here in Omak, more expected with a new PNW storm.  We deiced to leave early to beat the storm. We needed to be in Mt. Vernon for pre op. on Friday the 4th. We made the drive with on incidents; the traffic really sucks on the Wetside.by the time we got to Index we were into the rain and everybody trying to get home from work. Interstate 5 was bumper to bumper, rain coming down from Everett to Mt. Vernon it was close to an hour and a half. We pulled into Lil Ruthie’s.
It had been raining since the first of December, with more rain predicted for the rest of the week. I called my Buddy Wayne when we go into town, to see what kind of fishing report he could give me. Nota hadn’t been to the river since the last time I was there in August. He also told me that I needed to get his Discovery Pass in order to fish most of the spots that the tickets were being handed out and that all the best fishing spots were being patrolled pretty heavy up and down the river.
Thursday 12/3
Yup! More rain and windy to boot, steady wind from the north northeast with gust to 45mph. I called Wayne 8am no answer,  again at 8:30 still no answer finally at 10 o’clock Toni answers she just got up. I asked if I could come by and get their D Pass, and to see if Wayne wanted to go up river with me, I’d be there in 20 minutes.
When I got there Wayne was just getting out of bed and didn’t want to go in the rain and wind. Told me the river was to blown out for him.
Now its almost noon by the time I get up to Loretta Creek,  and yes the wind is blowing, but not that bad the sky is dumping liquid sunshine I get suited up, string up the Winston. Where I was standing this time compared to when I was here in August I was now in waist hi water where in August it was ankle deep but the water still had the light green tint with a good two or three feet of visibly to it. Fishable
With a Barbie Special tyed to short 7ft leader, MOW head on 540g Skagit I stripped out about 45-50 ft of running line and gave it a fling I made it just past the outside seam. I tried this for a while then got hung up on a piece of wood floating down stream and was broke off. I guess I was there just about an hour when I got my first tug and hook up. A very nice, Dolly. Then hung up again, and broke off. Retie on another Pink and purple thingy and gave it a fling. On the fifth fling I got the real tug that I was looking for, but it happened on the strip in, I relaxed my stripping gave it some slack and it was hit again this time hard. Set the hook deep hard, my rod bent and the game was on. Twenty five / thirty minutes later and a great game of tug a war. I move my rod up river and lower to my hand the tail of a Ugly Chum, maybe close to 13/14 lbs. big teeth and shaking it’s head. The hook is broke off on a tooth and I let him keep my fly.
I hadn’t noticed but the wind had pick up quite a bit while I was workin the Chum. By the time I got back out into the current and casting again the wind was blowing much stronger and getting hard to cast. I gave it a few more as I worked back to shore and Hooked another Dolly.
I didn’t notice but there was a guy in a truck watching me and when I released the Dolly he honked his horn and gave me the thumbs up. I stripped out some line to straighten it out on my reel and as I reeled it back in I had a smolt almost as big as my fly. So 1 Chum and 2 Dollys not bad for the river being blown out.
    
On Friday the 4th

 We had re-op. and that was at 11:30 am. So after dropping off Ginny at Ruthie’s and the rain and wind blowin, I decided to take the drive up to Bellingham and check out the Confluence Fly Shop.  I had met Scott a couple of years ago while at the Fly Fishing Show in Lynwood. Scott was there in the shop twisting up a couple of flies when I walked in. He looked up, smiled and said Hello Putmbac good to see ya on this side of the mountains.
The shop has a good lay out, great products like Rods from Sage, Echo, Redington. Reels from Able, Echo, Redington, Sage, Solitude. Lots of tying materials and hooks, vices. Lines from Rio and Airflo.  Full line of Simms. They also do casting lessons in single hand and spey. They'll get you dialed in on the right shooting head with your casting style. Recommend what flies to use for the body of water your headed out too.     Do a blog, and a great fishing report. They have some good guides that know the waters, from the Nooksack, Skagit, Sauk, and also do a report on the Vetter in BC. They cover the lakes like Pass and Ross.  I was impressed with their knowledge, friendliness, wanting to help other with what they know and show others what a great sport that we love and enjoy. I will be seeing more of them in the future for any of my needs, and be glad to support them with my $$$$ everytime I go over Fish or just to see friends.

Yea it's been awhile. With my computer down and trying to figure out all the new technology gives me a head a ache.  So I'll try to recap some of the fishing 5hat has been done.
Gary and I hit the Met one more time, Miller's then up to Burma just after we got are first good rain not a lot of fish most had moved up river. I fished the Arrow a couple times picking up a couple of wild fish. The it got real cold and the river was freezing over.
Now its Dec. And I'm over on the wetside we have Doctor appointments and the Skagit, Stilly to o fish.

Fished the Skagit on Thursday up Laretta Co. Did 1ulgy Chum and 2 big Dollies then the wind picked up and bugged out almost got hit by a fallen tree just missed the back of the truck by inches.
Now Sat. And headed to the Stilly.