Bac to Salmon

Today this time by myself, again with the Sage Flight 3704, same as yesterday only this time by time I arrived at my two favorite hole the wind had picked up and I and I had to use the Sage FLi 3804 to punch through the wind. Pitchin small dries  up against the bank, I had to get them so that they would float just at the edge of the undercut banks but when I did the action was hot and heavy today digging out a couple of larger fish in harder to reach spots.

I threw some hopper and ran a sz 18 midge under it and pick-up a nice Brookie that was fat at 15”. I don’t see many of them in here like I used too.

Thinkin that next time I’ll go up farther and fish the rattlesnake hole. Last year Pat gave me some good reports. Just Me and the slivery spineless things don’t let along much. I like to watch where I’m fishin not steppin.  The water level seam to be up a little higher than last year. I know one of the places that last year I was thigh hi crossing and today crossing it was waist high. And the water is colder too.

Still way too many small fish under 8 inches the critters like them when I throw my share up on the bank for them. Two of the bleeders I threw on the bank yesterday were gone today and raccoon track were all over in the mud.  And a gray heron pick up one today not far away from me. Really surprised he came in so close, he watched me from a tree for the longest time.

I’ll try to get back up there later this week either before or after work. Gear in the rig just got to go.

                       Remember Sweat is the Cologne of Success 

Day 6 of BC Morgan again last full day of fishin and Big Fishidis

  We deiced to go back to Morgan lake and try it out again, maybe with the cooler days and nights, the water temps would drop 70-71 to maybe the mid 60s and the bite would pick up somewhat like last year’s big fish-days

   We all had it “BIG FISHIDIS”  you know that thing that gets in your mind and you just have to catch that one more big fish to set you free. All true fishermen get it one time or another. I've had it many times and I'm sure to get it again & again. Be it on a Steelhead, a Brown, Brook, Bow or maybe on a Bass once again, but I'll get it.
    The weather did make a change to the lake the water is cooler now at 65 but still real cloudy with low visibility maybe two feet or less.  

    By 9:30 were back at Morgan there is one other angler there getting ready to go out. He is in the water well ahead of us. He makes a bee line power stroking to get to his favorite spot drops anchor and starts working the bobber lobbin rig in all directions. Mostly in 12 foot of water, he looks like he fishes here a lot being a local. Well after about a hour he pulls out of that cove, back on the ores and heads over to the north end of the lake. Passing Gary on the way, ( I found out later he was talking on the phone with someone about the lake.)  

   It was about a hour later after we started fishing that another angler show up in his 12 ft boat put all his gear in and motored out into about 25 ft of water dropped front and rear anchors, rigged up and found bottom and started fishing straight down like so many do here. I watched him change up flies at least 6 times never moving. After two hours of nothing he was heading in along with the other guy that had just left. Both without catching anything that any of us saw. Well I wasn’t catchen anything either and it didn’t sound like any of us were catchen either, I headed in and started pulling my stuff apart and getting ready to head out to another lake we talked about going to Walliper lake just down the road from camp.  Shortly after I made it to shore everybody followed suit.

    I’m a creature of habit bed every-night about the same time, up extra early between 4:30- 5ish, put the keys in the same spot always while fishing and so forth.  Well this time when we got to the bumpy drive into Morgan I took my keys off just leaving the ignition key in. ”Well I’m now out of sync” we head out and I grab my keys off the dash and with the fob lock the truck. GO FISH!!! When I came back in I unlocked the truck threw the keys on the dash like always and started loading up. So did everybody else. We had decided to stop in Logan lake get some beer and head to Walliper. Rich starts his truck and I go to start mine. NO IGNITION KEY.

The search begins, I’m totally lost I check where I put the keys maybe it fell off the snap lock to the rest of them, after crawling around on the ground looking still in my waders, everybody else looking on the ground all around we tear up everything inside of the truck 20 minutes or more goes by I’m about to loose it, I’m over heating and really getting stress out. I've never in all my driving days lost my keys excepting once, and at that moment when I did I knew it. I was at Pass Lake in Anacortes, only a short 5 miles away from home. I put my keys in a pocket that was bottomless with a big hole, I heard them hit the water and saw them sinking to the bottom. So I don’t really call them lost.

   The guys see me going into overload and tell me to sit down take off the waders, relax a few, Scott’s phone has internet and reception he looks up a locksmith and gives me the phone.  The locksmith tells me. “Your 09 has a chip and that is a dealer only item. Well it’s Sunday the dealer is closed. An hour from Kamloops two much gear for one rig. Back to searching. Gary starts pulling everything out of the back of the truck now a hour has gone by the weather is getting as hot as me and then Gary yells out Greg come here look down there is that something between the tailgate and the bed. That’s it but it’s jammed in tight and everytime we try to lift the gate it gets tighter and I can see the key bending. With everybody trying to grab it with hemos, channel locks, lodged in tight.    Remove the tailgate it is finely free but the key looks like a horseshoe well bent, slowly I straighten it out the best I can till I see it cracking. Try it in the ignition and the truck starts. SAVED and Gary has a new nick name Mighty Mouse my hero. Two and a half hours later we’re in Logan Lake getting Gas and next stop some well-deserved adult beverages. But while getting gas Scott heard a story of someone catching a 6 or 8 pound hawg in the lake. We talk about fishing there and cruze down to the lake watch all the people and lots of them but know body is catching. We pulled out and headed to Walliper Lake.

    Walliper is another lake that I wouldn’t mind coming back to with a lighter rod maybe a fall lake. It’s full of fish mostly small but I’m sure there has to be some bigger ones in it. My first Bow was 16 and I caught some at 14 and was broke off once on the take so I don’t know how big that one was. But it snapped me off like I had 7X tippit on when I had 3X. The deepest water I found was 16 feet and most of the fish I caught and I caught lots in the 6-10 in range on a dry like and a soft hackle for a while every cast produced a fish.    

Rich or “TE”  short for the, The Entertainer, he ventured out farther and said that across lake was deep  at 35+ feet.

  It was getting late and we still had dinner to make my Kilbosa  Stew, well we had lots of spaghetti sauce left over and I used up the mushroom soup mix so I added the veggies and Kilbosa and TE had some left over garlic bread. That was dinner in the dark.  Tomorrow do a little fishing early pack up by noon and head home.
     That plan changed after I called home to make sure that Ginny had taken her meds. She remembered that she had a doctors appointment on Tues at 1:30.


       Gary and I gave Rich the nick name TE on the ride home. Rich is full of stories of work, hunting, fishing trips, the many places he he has been too, family, friends always good and very entertaining. plus he is full of music not only playing the guitar very well but has a sing voice that puts a lot of professional to shame.

The drive home was uneventful until we got to the boarder crossing back into the states. I didn't know that we had oranges in my cooler and NO FRUIT from Canada is allowed in the US just like no wood is allowed in Canada. So with Mr. Bored the guard I received the third degree and was told that. " In the future I'm to know of everything that is in both my truck and trailer or that I could be fined up to Three Hundred Dollars for not declaring contra-band."

    We all had a great trip and are already looking forward to coming back up next year. Starting the planning in January or February and think of heading to a different region, well never know what the weather will bring or how good the fishing is until later.
     Last year was hot where most of us didn't even use out waders in the water. Sunburns and lots of bugs in camp. this year windy, wet and almost cold, only some lost and found keys for unwanted entertainment. Some things to remember for next years adventure. LONGJOHNS needed or not we're all bring them. Total miles on this trip 767 no vehicle problems.      

Takin a neighbor kid Fishin up on Salmon Creek

   It’s been cool for this time of year, but I don’t mind, Was gona go over to Ferry County and fish Long Lake.  That got changed up, When I had one of the neighbor kids come by and asked me about fishin,  So I asked him if he would like to go with me and try doing some FLY-Fishin. He never done any, he said. I’ll have to ask his parents. That was his first good move. “ask the parents”.

   While he went home to ask, I went in the house and pulled out a couple of 3 weights, Sages a Flight 3704 checked the reel, line, and put on a new 7ft. 6X leader.  My other Sage  FLi 3804 had on intermittent line for fishin Crappie, so I changed spools to a dry line with a new 7-1/5ft 6X leader. Found a couple of creek fly boxes and my vest.

  In my vest, I that I hardly ever use I found 6&7X tippit, chap stick, Dry-R-Fly power, MFC fly floatant,  some small indicators, the NZ best indicators, hemostats, nippers and a full box of hoppers all different sizes, on one side and different beetles and bugs on the other.  Even my water temp gage and a dirty brown trout buff, I thought that I lost both long ago. The mag clip was still on the back to hang the net.  

Jason came back over about an hour later. He needed to know some answers for his parents to decide.  Where we were going? What time are we leaving? How long were we going to be gone, and if I had a cell phone # that he could give to his mom and dad to call if they had anymore questions.

    I gave him two of my old business cards, and told him that. “We were go up Salmon Creek, above the Green Lake Road to fish a couple of holes, then up a little farther to a piece of tribal property to fish then maybe up to the Happy Hill area. And if we leave around 8 we should be back between noon and one o'clock.  Then I wrote on the back of the cards call me if you need more info.

 As soon as I gave him the cards he was out the door and down the street. I looked at Ginny, “That boy is excited!!” Less than ten minutes later the phone rang and Jason’s dad was on the phone.  

The call went something like this:

You’re the fishing guide that lives down the street?

 Yes that me, but I’m not guiding any more just fishin for myself and taking a few old Buddy’s,  from time to time. teaching kids how to tye flies, just having fun again.

   Jason can be pretty tuff at times, he gets bored pretty fast, when he was younger he didn’t want to fish very long unless we were catching fish, no patience always wanting to play with his game now.       But it’s been a while since he and I went out together, maybe a couple of years.

I’m sure he’ll be OK, if he does get to bored I can always bring him back home, I have no problem with that. I think once he catches a fish or two it will be hard for us to stop. But I’ll have him home before 1.

  "What does he need to bring?"

Maybe something to drink and snacks to munch between fishing holes, some shoes that he can get wet in, and maybe light jacket. I have everything else.

    Sound good to me and here is my cell number in case you need to get a hold of us. I’ll have him down at your house at 8.

I said. “Thanks, I’m sure we’ll have a good time and he’ll catch some fish. Good night.

   Saturday morning 8 sharp Jason was at the door ready to go. Everything was in the truck already and we were off. I asked him what he did for fun and all he said was. “Play games, watch TV and go to school. You know there ante a lot of other kids that live rite around here.” Then he started telling me about this new game he had to get to play. “It’s soo cool. Have you played it before?”

“Jason, I’ve never played videos games, I don’t hardly ever watch TV, that there are so many other things to do. 

By then we were pulling into our first stop. I gave him a pair of sunglasses and asked if he would like some bug spray to put on. Pulled out my vest, put the rods together, but didn’t string the rods or put on a fly.

While he keeps talking about this game he had to play. The way it sounded to me he had been playingit for a long time.

                    Salmon Creek about 8:30          A little overcast and 58  

 The short walk down to the creek I saw a couple of Damsel, some hopper, and on the water PMDs. and a little beetle. I pointed them out to him.   

 There isn’t a lot of room for a back cast so I put on a small beetle, tyed it on it has a red top so I could see it and pulled out some line. Handed the rod to Jason and show him how to just dangle the bug along the edge of the water. Before I turned around I saw the lips come from under the bank and grab the fly. Jason saw it to and jerked the rod up hard and fast sending the little fish skywards up and over our heads, snapping off the fly.

Excited Yes. I retied on another and told him to just lift the rod slow if it happens again. This time I didn’t  try to tye one on  my line. And soon another fish sucked the fly down and this time Jason just lifted the rod and the fish up and out of the water.

“Keep it in the water while I need to wet my hands in order for me take the fly out of his mouth.”  I told him. The small 6in fish was flippin and a floppin around and so was Jason.

“It’s not very big” he said.

“There’s bigger ones sometime the little guys get to it first.” I said.

After him catching 5 or 6 fish, we moved down the bank about 30 ft with a clearing behind us, pulling out just about enough line to get the fly across to the opposite bank and showed him a little casting in no time he was doing find. Then teaching him to mend was a bit different story, but he got the hang of it too.

I just got my rod rigged up and Jason was into his first big fish 12 inch. He played it great all the way to the end stripping in the line with coaching I had the net in hand slid down the bank on my ass stuck out the net and the little bow was gone as it came out of the water. Jason was a bit disappointed at first but still had the fly.  He sorta did a roll cast  got the bug back in the current, mended and fly down before I could get back up the bank. This fish was only about 10” and he played just rite and I stuck out the net and he dropped it right in.  That’s when I went looking for my phone to get the picture. No phone, Shit where is it? Not in any one of the pockets of vest. Not in pants pockets. I got the hook out fish back into the cool clear water and ran up to my truck. Checked my sling and all over the truck, Nada, Zilch, Bummer.

I went back down and Jason was sitting where I left him. He broke off the fly in the grass behind him.  

I asked him. “Could I fish for a short time while you watched me.”

“Yea, I guess so. I had my 3704 Sage, stripped out maybe 20 ft of line and laid the fly about 2 feet from the opposite bank gave it a little mend and fly down just a little guy and was off as fast as it was on. Next cast same thing. But on the third cast mend nice float down the seam big swirl and fly down. Then it started heading down creek. I put the brakes on  slowly the rod bent deep and out of the water a nice 12 Bow.  I took my time and got into the water , Jason handed me the net. And I scooped it up, the released it.

When I got back out of the water and up the bank.

Jason asked. Why didn’t you keep it?  

“So it will grow up and maybe next time we come here you can catch it.

Jason: “Cool”

I tried on another fly for him and we moved again. This was pretty slick water with a deep trough down the center. I had Jason put the fly at the top center and just shake out some line and let it drift down slowly and midway down  the big gulp, swirl and fly gone. But not lost as he pick up the slack another fish took the fly and started running back at us then turned and into a submerged tree branch. I had Jason run down to be below the branch and he got the Bow turned and out back into the current. This kid is natural instances fly fisher. Soon we had it in the net.

“Great job, I’m proud of you, I couldn’t of done it better myself.“ I told him.

Before we knew it our time was running out and we had to head back towards the house and get him home by deadline, we made it with just minutes to spare. His Dad came out and I told him what a good time we had and Jason started telling him about all the fish he caught, and how many.  

So where are they?

We Putmbac so they can grow bigger for next time!!!!!!!

I really did have a great time on the water and I’m sure in the future Jason will be going with me again. Soon I hope.   

I found my phone sitting on my desk. 

BC Day 5

Lodgepole Lake:…..   Elev. 4270  the water along shore as clear as a good Gin. water temp. 57, the sky full of dark clouds but it’s a bit warmer today.

    Our camp fire wood guy, told us about this lake said it was quite popular with the locals.    We wanted to try something new and close to camp because of the relentless rain, and if it didn’t work out then close by is Stake Lake.  

    The second day of suiting up at camp it rained most of the nite and was raining all the time we ate breakfast.

   Following the direction given we found it with no problem the launch is a bit rough but very doable. In the water by 9:30 I was the last to get in I sat in my truck and picked out some flies so the rest didn’t get soaked. I made my way what I think is north could of been east or west really for all I knew. With my back to the wind on this end it’s shallow with a sandy bottom so I pulled up my line and made a cruze thru the shallows looking for bug life I saw some mini leaches and a couple of small maybe ½ inch crawdads.  But along the shore line I saw lots of rises so I worked my way back and dropped anchor in 10 foot of water and with my dry line put on a #16 Peacock hackle and pitched right at the shore short slow strip and fish on not big and the 5 weight was way too much for it. For over a haft hour every cast produced a  fish the biggest being a solid 16. 

    I got on the radio and called Scott to see how they were doing all of them were catching a few trolling around.   

   While I was there a couple of guys showed up with float tubes and put in. I must of spent another half hour there casting and catching the guys showed up and needed what I was using, giving each of them one. I started working my way farther down the shore line. Into some deeper water and switch out to my sink line and a damsel nymph after seeing a few swimming around.  Hooked only one fish in twenty minutes. So I took off for even deeper water in the hunt for a larger Bow.  I did find a 24 in fish in 23 feet, my last fish if the lake. My knee couldn’t take much trolling around anyway today, so I headed back into shallower waters.  For a short time with on success, the headed by to the launch and dry truck. Everybody caught a fish to remember for this lake and yes would I go back to this lake. YES but when I do go back and I will. I plan to bring a Sage 3 & 4 weight rods set up one dry long leader the other Clear Intermitted line shorter fluorocarbon maybe 2ft nymph rig. I’m sure it would be fun. The not knowing if that hawg is going to take !!

It wasn’t much time after I was back at the truck before and not that much longer after that everybody were also headed in.  

Back at camp the weather cleared up of course. We got dry up and pulled the stuff out of my back seat to head into Logan Lake to have some dinner. Finding the only place to eat the Cast & Brew Grill, and come to find out later thru a different door is the beer store. Same cooler just a smaller selection of beer you can buy to take away.

Back to the eats Damn good burgers Gary and I had mine with Orings, Rich had some kind of wrap, looked good, and Scott went for the Buffalo Burger.   

Just Some Pictures of the BC Trip

Pickin & Grinin

A Little Brut

Ready to rip some lips

Ready for another Wet Day

Morgan Lake

One of Gary's Fish

A Fine Stout Bow

Just one of the signs You catch um they pay

US / Canada Boarder Cross at Nighthawk

Me and Rich enjoying a nice Adult Beverage at Camp 

From camp overlooking Lake Lac Le Jeune

Camp Mascots Morgan & Jacko

I'll get to writing the rest of the story soon. 

BC Day 4

   Up early as usual It’s frozen cold outside of my trailer after getting up in the middle of the night, stark ass naked and going outside to peeeee in the trees. It took a long time to warmed back up and when I did get up to stay about 5:30 ice was on everything, couldn’t see the lake from the heavy fog. I started up the truck to sit in and write my notes from the day before and the dash temp read 31 degrees.

     Rich was moving around by 6 with the coffee going and the water for the omelets. Gary and Scott the rear door falling and the two of them were up shortly after with us all huddled in the camper we decided to go hit McConnell Lake. Suiting up in camp.  

McConnell Lake is only a few mile . Elevation 3690 rainy skies and clear water @ 57

We had the lake all to ourselves, except for a few people using the 3.5 mile trail that circles the lake. With on and off rain, light winds, and at this elevation the water was much colder 58.

Once I got away from shore and into deeper water of 8-10 feet a long cast  with my type 4 sink line and a # 10 Punkinhead in 8ft. of water. Bam first fish and I was given the nick name of O-B-ONE, and soon we were all catching having a blast. Gary was out of his slump now with a big smile on his face.

Later in the day I went into one of the coves that Rich & Scott had gone thru it was shallow at 4- 5 ft where I dropped anchor I watched the little ripples for a while and pulled my Sage out and put on a micro leach tyed in wine. Gave it a fling into the wind just before I thought it would hit bottom I started stripping back in lifting the rod as I did, soon I was fighting a nice 12in fish until Mr. or Miss. Loon showed up behind me. Thinking it was lunch time. I was able to put the fish in the net and keep it there while the Loon swam back and forth beside and under me just waiting for me to release. Before releasing it I did some false casting and the Loon left. The fish got away this time anyway. A few cast later a big garb and a much bigger fish, soon I was into my backing and the battle was long and fun.  This fish after getting in the net did the death roll and tingle up my leader so that it was better to cut it off to save the fish, it still took some time to get it to swim away I must of held it in the net in the water well over 10 minutes, when it left it was strong.

Having to totally re-rig I replaced everything with a 10ft. 3X leader and tyed on another 2ft of 3X fluorocarbon tippit and a size 16 Soft Hackle Peacock with about a 60ft. cast let it settle down in the water short slow strips the take, up and out of the cool clear water, first run, second run, third run, into my backing. Oh what fun, time passes O so slow and fast all at the same time. So far this is the fish of the trip. Our battle lasted I don’t know how long it was a give and take seemed like forever and when the net was under it was beautiful not the biggest but by far one of the strongest, at maybe 6lbs and 23 inches. This was the time I wished I had the Go Pro with me and the batteries had a full charge.

I took my time to regather my wits, and reflect on that moment engrave that time deep inside of this old brain pan.

   The wind change directions a little the rain came down a little harder and so I slowly stripped off some line and saw a small rise off in the distance. Placing the fly just beyond the rise it hit the water without much different than a rain drop long and straight, let it settle down just a few inches below slow strip, slow strip, the take and the new battle begins again…..  But this one is lost before it began he was up out of the water and broke off the fly.

So I cut back the tippit and this time added some 4X tippit tyed on a sz 16 Comparadun put some clap stick on the tippit about 3 inches up and a drop of float-ant and gave it a long fling. I could barely see it but saw the lips take it and it was back to game on. Wasn’t a huge fish but we did have fun together for the short time. The rain came down harder and the wind blow harder and the net came out and as I dipped the net under the small feisty fishy was gone along with my fly.

 I didn’t want to get all the other flies wet in the rain so I pulled up anchor and headed over towards the other guys. I fished with them for a while before I headed back in to shore. What a good day on the water. 

     None of us took pictures while here and my Go Pro the batteries were down.

 Gary’s report of the lake.

“McConnell Lake:  2 fish at 4-6  lbs.   Many at 1.5-2 lbs.  Great fishing but lots of rain and a little wind had the lake to ourselves.
Fish had great strength and fought like fish twice their size.”

BC Day 3

This is the lake that Gary didn’t have much luck at last year. So better luck this time can’t let a lake get you down. Talking to one of the local regulars anglers…… “Frank told us that the May fly hatch came off early in mid to late April just after the ice came off and hasn’t had much of one since.” We should try fishin with dark green and olive scuds. While talking with Frank I saw lots of action in the cove to the left of the launch and while everybody was headed out in different direction I changed out my dry bobber lobbing line on the Sage and put on a sz 16 Adams, just for shits and giggles pitched it into the reeds and soon I had my first bow. 16 in. then another, then another, everybody. ( Locals said, “OH their just spoaners  and won’t take anything.” )       Wrong I had 4 nice fish none being very big until I was broke off by a fish that knew how to work the weeds.

   I watched a guy anchored up just out of the cove and Gary was in that direction so rather trying to retye on another I took off to catch up with him. On the way out I hooked and put to net a beautiful bow of maybe 4 lbs.  

     When I caught up to Gary the guy that was fishing close by has hooked up and landed multi fish with two lines in the water one having a 20ft. leader and a indicator he was casting and just letting the wind drift it around. The other line he had a small leach on it and was doing great with both. One of the fish was well over 8lbs. that I saw him catch. After fishing with Gary for a while and not getting much action I moved off to fish with Scott and Rich that had gone off to fish where they both caught fish last year. On the way I hooked a bow of maybe 24-25 in but it wasn’t all that heavy on one of my clear tan scuds. Nice fish just skinny. By the time I had made it to where S & R were they were gone so I dropped anchor and changed rods rigged up back to bobber lobbin and found 10 feet of water and gave it a fling slow retrieve back again and again nothing. Back to trolling and stripping catching a fish every now and then nothing large but catching. The wind was picking up by 2ish and I worked my way back to the launch my knee just couldn’t take any more. I had a good day with more than a dozen fish. Most of the locals had already pulled out and were gone when I got back in.

Just 1 of the Jacko fish

 

When Gary got back and I asked how he did he retyed. “ I don’t like this lake. and really don’t care if I come back to it.” 

Gary’s report: Jacko ? Lake:  no fish one little bump--not my favorite lake.

After fishing we went into Kamloops to see if we could find the sporting goods store, after a couple of U-turn and finding a few city landmarks I was able to pull us into the parking lot. After doing some shopping of tying materials and Rich finding the Boobie flies that he just had to have for him and wife Judy, we loaded back up and headed back out of town stopping at another A&W for a float. I was able to call home and have Ginny get a hold of Verizon to get my phone back to working after being down. A nice girl with Verizon was able to restore my service.

Back at camp it was my nite to make dinner some fat pork tenderloin chops mushroom gravy and salad. We eat like Kings while we’re up here. Was a bit wet so the rest of the evening we sat in the camper and Rich the great story teller keep us entertained, 

BC 16 Day 2

 I was woke up, by a couple of crows doing the hokey pokey on the top of my trailer at about 10 minutes after the sun started to peak over the mountain tops.  I didn’t need to start chopping wood today to get everybody moving by the time I got washed up and had the tea water going Rich was up and had coffee and breakfast started.

Rich made his omelets’ in a bag. There full of stuff,  some with veggies, others with sausage, all kinds a goodies, Gary cooked up Hash-browns a fantastic breakfast and filling enough to keep us going all day.       Well maybe with just a few lil snacks.

This is from the third day with only 1/2 the Hash-browns

Pat Lake or Six Mile Lake........... In order to get to Pat Lk you have to pass by Morgan Lake,  We made it pass Morgan over the hill rolling hills until we came to a place where the water was across the road. It was wide and the water was flowing at a good clip, plus it looked deep. After last years trip up to Wyse Lake we had all agreed not to attempt anything that crazy on this trip. Time to get on the 2 way radios,  So we turned around.and headed back  and launched mid way on Morgan.    

   Morgan Lake...... elevation 1740 ft. lite winds and overcast at 52, water temp bath tub warm at 70, the sky and water cloudy with a visibility of maybe 2-3 ft.

     

     My first hook-up on one of my Punkinheads, sz. 10 on type 4 sink line, came shortly after being in the water with a small Bow of 16 inches. Small for this lake after last year of catching one will over 10 lbs. and many in the 4-6 & 7-8 lbs. range.

  

     Rich’s new boat was loosing air and he had to go back to shore and pump up and bring the pump out into the water with him to keep it afloat.

     I was just about all the way across the lake when Gary hooked into a nice big Bow. I hauled ass to get back across the lake to snap a picture, got it. Then Rich and Scott pulled in and dropped anchors we were all within maybe 50 feet of each other when Scott hooked into a nice fish. I pulled out the Go Pro and while getting Scott on film Rich hooks in to a big fish and it’s back and forth the trying to capture the two of them. While filming I get the tug but was unable to set the hook and then another bump but this time iff’n I didn’t have my rod tucked up under my arm I would have had a lost rod and reel my reel sang and boom I felt the snap.  Another lost opportunity. But that was OKAY the day was still young. It was just about an hour before I got my next hook-up this fish was powerful and did some running into my backing up and out of the water it came with a big flip and lost fish my line came flying back at me, lost fly, broken off. Retied on another and back to fishin. nothing again for a long time I tried trolling bobber lobbin deep water Chromimid fishing just about everything, but as I looked around the lake I didn't see a whole lot of other do much catchen either.  

     We all caught some fish. Some on Chromimids, but not many. The Punkinhead seem to work best and so did a large beadhead green leach. Even the locals weren’t doing very well. We were off the water by 3:30 and back at camp by 5ish. Rich was the big producer today.

Gary with one of his prizes

When we got back to camp we tried to fix the poon on Rich’s new boat, getting the valve assembly out was impossible with the limited tools we had. I do and did have the valve tool but nothing able to grip the inside piece. It was a good thing that Gary had his old boat so we pulled off the leaky poon and replaced it with one off the old boat, and put the other in the truck the poon just in-case it was too far out of balance. It worked out perfect.        
   Gary was our top dog on the grill tonight blazon up some New York Steaks.

Stay tuned in there is more to come with day 3 4 and 5

BC Trip PT 1

BC 16

 June 7^th 16, 7:30am:

 The meeting place Smith & Nelson Warehouse, Tonasket.

I pulled in just a bit early and just as I was shutting down the truck and ready to open up the trailer and the back of the truck to load up Gary’s fishing equipment. In pulls Gary and Scott, the bed in Gary’s truck is full of supplies. Multi fly rods with reels, waders, fly boxes, this time he is prepared for just about any kind of fishing adventure, I may take them to. While Scott was pulling the stuff out of his rig stacking alongside of his truck in pulls Big Rich, right on time and pulling his 20ft. trailer (S&G’s sleeping quarters) In goes their clothes and camp gear. While they return Gary’s truck back up the hill to his house, Doctor Dave shows up wishing he was still part of this year’s fishing adventure…………… But with his over extending his rowing up at Chopaka the week before, he just didn’t want to go up and make his shoulder and elbow any worst.

By the time G&S returned we had theirs boats loaded including Gary’s old boat just in case something went haywire with one of ours. Completely loaded we were off to the border crossing at Nighthawk. 

     Nighthawk doesn’t open till 9am and we were just a little early so we waited. When it opened we rolled thru the US side and stopping at the Canadian side the question from a very friendly customs guard. Where are you headed and for how long? “ the Tunkwa region to fish 5 lakes in the next 6 days.  Gun’s or weapon? Fruit or veggies? Tobacco or alcohol? May I see what you have in the trailer? No to all the first questions and sure to the last. 

I open up the back of the trailer. “He said it looks fun wish I was going with you, but you’ll have to take the firewood back to the states wood is not allowed here might bring in more bugs. Then he changed his mind and told us that we could pull forward and put the wood by a fire put off to the side. While Gary and I unloaded the wood he cleared Scott and Rich. 

   We were on are way north along the Similkameen River Valley. With the 2way radios we were able to stay in contact with each other.

  The road up the valley is beautiful nice slow grade with nice easy twisty tourney and EZ uphill grade. There looks like some nice water to fish and lots of places to camp along the river. (Another adventure to think about for the future.) 

 

 By noon we were pulling into Merritt, finding our way back to the grocery store to pick up some fresh fruit and veggies for dinner, then just down the road to Wally World to get our BC Fishing License. Next stop fuel up. Who would of thought that the fire up in Fort McMurray, Alberta would create a gas shortage, but it did most of the gas stations were closed and the ones open had long lines reminded me of the gas shortage way back in the  70s & 80s here in the states. We filled up and down the road to the A&W Rootbeer for a quick burger.

  The place we planned to camp up at Tunkwa was only a hour away, but was wide open and had lots of people in the camping area, so we decided to head back down the road to where we camped last year and find a camp spot. Lac Le Jeune someone was already in our old camp spot but that was A-OK we found another that was just as good close to the what looked like a old pit outhouse but was really a very clean flush toilet outhouse. The Provincial parks up here are out of this world nothing like in Washington every site is cleaned and the grown raked before the next person pulls in, when the attendant come to get your camp fee he also brings you a bag full of firewood, very friendly.

  Camp didn’t take us too long to get setup. Rich was able to back his trailer in close to the firepit and we unloaded the camper next to it and I backed in my trailer next to the camper, once everything was set up it easy time to have a nice refreshing adult beverage. Then onto loading up the boats and gear so that we can get a early start on our first lake. we had a EZ dinner of polish dogs and after Scott and Rich pulled out the guitars and played us some nice tunes while Gary and I sat and listen, there were a few fellow campers that strolled by but only stopped for a short while to listen, staying on the road.