Rocky Ford Creek

  Well Poppy didn't make it, he had forgot that he had told his  father-in-law Jim that he would take him hunting over the long weekend if he didn't already get a deer.
      As it turned out it was just JB and I that made it to Rocky Ford, that's cool more one on one time making sure that JB gets into fish.

8:30 Nov. 25 overcast skies but a warm 40 with very little wind.

I had brought JB a pair of my Simms waders to wear but with his long ass galut feet and him only having a pair of  tinny runners he had to wear his old neoprenes. 

 Without us seeing each other for servile years He said something in the line of. "I just can't get over how gray your hair and beard have gotten. "  I just let it roll off. After us getting suited up and the rods strung, JB asked me what are we using?   

His line had been on the reel for so long with out being used looked like a pigs tail or slinkly. So we had to give it a good stretch to get the kinks out tye on another leader, old school line so we had to  cut off the looped 4X leader and put a nail knot EZ stuff. Then when I saw he was going to tye on some old 5X mono tippit on I stopped him there and gave him a spool of fresh 4X fluorocarbon, told him to tye on about 2 feet. He had to think about it a minute or two to remember how to do a blood knot but he got it. then I gave him a box of flies first the box without some tippit tyed on. " Come on Gregory! I can't see to tye those on. You got a pair of cheater I can barrow? Then I handed him a box with the tippit tyed on, just use a surgeon's knot or a blood and you're ready to go. 

    He ask me what I was going to start out with? 

  I'm starting out with a Sz 18 brown pheasant tail without a indicator, and showed him. He went with the same. 

We were on the water by 9:30 and there were 5 or 6 guys down at the pinch off mid stream. It took awhile to get his casting down. Hi sticking it so that his back cast didn't get hung up in the reeds behind him but he got it. getting the feel of the drift was the next challenge, but he pick that up pretty quick too. 

We leap frogged from spot to spot working our way down from the middle of the creek on the west side down to the bridge I hooked a 5 fish and landed only 2 by 11. JB being a lil rusty got snapped off and we had to retye on another bug.  We crossed the closed bridge and started back up the east side and by the BIG ROCK JB got his first good hook up and didn't get to excited and played the fish like a old pro. Slipping, sliding and falling down in the shoreline slime, but he keep his rod tip up and and this one was in the net. I was above him saw the hookup and was able to strip my line in while watching make the run down to get the photo shot. JB was one happy Boy just like a kid with his first fish ever catch ever on his own.

I just wished I had my GoPro so that I could show everybody the new dance steps that he did. 

The sky got dark a few times with the threat of rain, but never dripped down on us other than a small amount, another good thing with both of us leaving our rain gear at the trucks. It was early afternoon that I had to peel off my sweatshirt and just leave on my lite jacket. 

   By 1:30 we had made it to the middle and the pinch off there were 5 guys fishing here and on this side and 4 more from the other lots of casting and no catching.  JB  found a spot to work while I keep heading up.

  I found a small clearing in the reeds looked like a good spot so I headed in. About half away I stepped into a Muskrat hole a sank to my knee, and fell on my ass, swamp muck all over me. Picked myself up got as much as the muck off and made it to the water. Small peninsula maybe 3 feet wide. strip out some line after dipping my reel into the water. I saw a couple of fish rising and had to do a long roll cast to get out to them. Third cast hook up and the fish took off up the creek. I put some pressure on and stepped back and off the edge I went into about four foot of water landing on my back snapping off the fish and almost swamping my waders. Now both boots are full of stinking swamp muck my back is all slimed my tyed on sweatshirt is wet and flopping on my ass when I walk and I no longer have a fish or fly on my line. I work my way back out missing the Muskrat hole and retye on another fly this time a Sz 18 BWO emerger after see several fish  and look slurping off the surface.
I found another split in the reeds and headed in watching a couple of fish rise to the far side I stripped out what I thought would be enough line to make my cast, but I fell short by 8 or so feet from where I wanted it. As I started to strip back in with that little wake it was taken by a brut and my O my did it like to run and jump. he headed bac at me and then turned and headed into the weeds I laid my rod down and was able to get it turned, heading into the stronger current we did a little tug a war and I soon was going to my knees to scoop it up. With the long leader I put the leader thru the first two guides and at the third guide and the thump I was just about able to reach with my net handle fully extended rod bent bac behind me his head almost in the net a wiggle from him and he was gone. along with another fly.
    Licking my wounds and with my head down JB comes walking up just as I made my way out to the trail. " Bummer Brother, I saw the whole thing that was a nice fish, I would of live to get a picture of it with you. My reply. Lost another fly but he was worth it and was going to have to let him go anyway.
JB....... "How the hell did you get so muddy, you look like you been rolling in the muck?"
            I told him about the Muskrat hole firsh them about the hookup and fall.
  JB...... "I heard the splash but didn't know it was you was down at the spot just below ya."
We both got a big laugh and JB said "I'd give ya a slap on the bac but don't wanta get my hand all mucky.
By now it's getting to be close to 2;30 and so we decided to start working our way back towards the trucks since the sunset is close to 4. On the way back JB hooked into a couple more One was huge got it close but the fish found a good hiding place in the weeds and He couldn't free him. but could see him. I suggested we cut the leader and as soon as we did we watched it swim away looking bac at us laughing all the way.
 We stopped at the big rock where he landed his only fish He gave it the go again with no success and had me give it a try. My second cast and drift it was game on almost all the way to the net then it spit the fly and was gone as fast as it could swim.
We then headed back over the bridge and worked our way bac up I found a spot I wanted to try, JB watched a while until I caught the weeds across from me and I had to break off and retye up all my stuff. By the time I was done he was long gone heading bac to the middle. I stopped twice more and got me another fish, then another hole and hooked up but lost it, slipped on my ass again. By now it was getting to the point where it was getting to hard for me to try to retye on another fly so i headed to meet up with JB.
 On the way I met up with a fellow (Jack) that was there from Portland he and his son had been coming here every year Thanksgiving weekend for the last 9 years since his wife passed away. and this was the only time he got to see his son who flies out St. Louis for the trip.

I later found JB and he just got to where he wanted to be and had his line out said he'd be up shortly.

At the truck I started pulling all muddy stuff off and noticed my net had come off its magnet holder somewhere between talking with Jack and seeing JB, and by the time JB got up to the truck it was to dark to go look for it.

We headed in to Soap Lake to see about getting a decent room and some grub, we stopped at the market to pick up Beers and some milk. I asked a couple if they knew of a good place to eat and a to get a room. " Better go into Ephrata son the man said just about everything here is shut down for the season. Unless you want to spend big money to stay at THE LODGE and what they'll charge you for a room we can live on for a month, We also heard that you can buy groceries for a family of six to eat a week for what it will cost ya for a meal.

So off to Ephrata we headed. JB googled cheap motels in Ephrata and came up with three. The Knight was the frist place he pulled into I followed. 50 bucks gave us a nice room friendly desk clerk, discount for TU/AAA members. Just wan't to see my ID. Which by the way I didn't know that I had left it in my pants bac home But I showed her a picture of me from one of my other C cards and that was fine. we were paying cash anyway. She also told us about a sports bar that had the best food around for the $$$$$. So after a quick check of the room and throwing what we could in we headed to The 12 Hawks Sports bar. Giant Burgers and very reasonable. I'll be back there again. both places.

It didn't take us long after the dinner a few more brews at the rom befor we were dead asleep. Saturday morning up early before the sun hitting up Walmart for cheaters for JB eyes, then to grab some breakfast and bac to the creek. I headed out looking for my lost net. JB headed bac to the east side of the creek so that we weren't lookin into the sun when it came up.
  Never found my net but I get get a small bow that was only about 10" the only fish I landed that day, I hooked many (4) lost them all way before they would of made it to the net.  It stayed overcast till about 9:30 and with a bright sky the fishing completely turned off. we stayed getting in lots of practice cast and by noon we noticed that most everybody had left.
We headed back to our trucks and never even pulled off the waders and headed up to lake Lenore, it was as calm as glass we checked to see if we could see any cruzers, Nothing JB talked about meeting up with a friend by three rivers to do the late Muzzleload deer hunt. We said our good byes and we both headed up 17 stopping at the Dry Fall overlook to be amazed at just how low the water was no mre Island to row between.
Another round of good byes and we'll have to do this again soon. We both had a blast. The highlite for me was just getting him there and the bonce wasn't me catching fish it was watching him and it resparking the fire for him to want to make the time to do it more.

 
     

Good times so glad JB could make it.

A unexpected call

Sittin here thinkin about what to tye up next now that the Rocky Ford Creek boxes are almost full, nothing larger than a size 16 and down to sz 22. Scuds, Flashback nymphs, some Pheasant tails, different Midges, Dries, Bloodworms, emergers, Chironmids. zebra midges. Most have the tippit put on while in the vice so that I can get bac to fishin when broke off.

sz 20

Two boxes

So anyway first Jon Boy calls this morning, said he was in to going, and just a couple of minutes ago Poppy called said he was in. 

Poppy lives in I-da-ho  and Jonboy over on the wetside,its been years since the three of us got together. The plan is to meet up in Ephrata, early Friday fish all day have some chow, get a couple rooms, twisp some flies, crash, get up early (haha) and get back to the Creek and fish till maybe 2on Saturday then all head home. Should be a blast.

 Jonboy came over when I was still guiding to rip some Steelhead lips out of the drift boat and I got him into a couple of nice ones.

Not a bad day

  

Neither of them get out and fish as much as they like anymore you know that life thing just to busy making a living feeding the family and the hustle for work and responsibilities. 
Where I learned life is an adventure you better enjoy the ride now because tomorrow there just might not be the time.
I truly believe that they will make it, but no matter what, I know that I'll be going the day after Thanksgiving.        Ginny knows that this is what I love to do, and she backs me all the way.
Winter is coming the roads will be getting bad Snow, Ice, Fog, so I had better get-R-done now. 
           Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers and i'll be typing again soon.
                    Fish when you can, rod bent & Tight lines my friends.     

Omak Lake under dripping skies

    Just got bac from Omak Lk 37 degrees a little rain but well worth the trip. I had the lake to myself until just about noon. I was fishin off the north east shore around the corner, the whole beach was empty.

 So what do these guys do after watching me hook into a couple of fish.
   Yeah you know!  they set up camp on both sides of me the one that went pass asked: Hows the fishing?? Looks like you found a pretty good spot...............

Packing his over size tackle box that probably has everything in it from Shamo to silver dollar blue gill, carrying a salmon size rod.

I throw out a couple more cast and brought in another fish and both of them had to rush over to see it. Dang thats a nice fish, ante you gona keep it? As I let it go.........

I let it go and pick up my rod and started heading back towards my truck by the boat launch, stopping on the way here and there casting my line. hooking three more fish.
It was getting time to leave anyway my big guts were starting to gnaw on my little guts.

I had a good time tho with putting 10 fish in the net the rain let up a few times, never really pored hard. Yes it's better to just bit my lip sometimes bear and grin at the others, Oh I really wanted to say something other than good luck. I wasn't going to rune my day..

Gray's last pontoon trip of 16

Took a trip up to Fancher Dam on Sunday for my last outing of the season. 
 Weather was great for the middle of November, overcast with a slight drizzle of rain and no wind.  Water temp was 45 degrees and the lake was almost full of water. 
   I had the whole lake to myself.  It took me awhile to figure out where the fish were.  I trolled down the lake in about 15 to 20 feet of water with a few hits and only one fish in the net using my usual flies for this lake (micro leeches, zug bugs, etc).  Once I got to the east end I saw some fish working the shallows. Not having a floating line with me (big mistake)  I pitch an intermediate line into the shallows with a small pumpkin head (size 14) and started to strip at a fairly quick rate.  The fishing was always great but now the catching was outstanding.  I had a fish on almost every cast and it stayed that way for the rest of the day.  The fish were not big, mostly in the 10-12 inch range with about 70 percent Bows and the rest Brookies.  The Bows were fat and healthy, the Brookies a little skinnier but both put up great battles.  I continues to cast to the shallows in the east end and then all the way back to my rig with great success.  By about 4:00 my feet were getting numb from the cold so I grudgingly called it a day. I did not catch anythng worth getting my phone wet for but it was a great last trip.  Time to put the pontoon away for the winter, clean all my lines, restock the fly boxes and wait for next spring.
 
Weather today was outstanding.  Wishing I had waited a day or two to put up the pontoon.

Lb Blue with Ken

I met up with one of my fishin Buddies, Ken Stone under cloudy skies at about 9:15 this morning and we were in the water in no time. Rippin lips, the water temp hasn’t changed for the fishin sure did. The fish were deeper today until just about 11 then, if you watched the water surface you could start to see the hatch coming off slowly and by 12:30 it was on small Caddis fluttering off the water. I finely made it to my spot and dropped anchor with my Sage Accel 3764 and size 14 Elk Hair Caddis I started pitching into the shallows, lots of rejection and only a couple of takes. I changed out to a sz, 16 and it was game on.

Ken made his way down and after letting him know just what I was doing soon he too were in the game.

For a while it was just about every cast weather you pitched and waited or pitch and twitch you were sure to get a strike.

After putting more than 15 in the net and loosing the size 16s I had I put on a prince nymph in the same size 16 and gave it a fling and almost the same thing. Fish after Fish. It was hard to pull away but I had to go you see I have a new leak in one of my pontoon and I was starting to list to one side pretty bad, bad enough that I went to the ores in order to get back to the launch. Back in the canyon at that time of day (3:30) it was getting dark.so it was time to check out. 

At home tomorrow I'l have to disassemble and find the hole, do the repairs and maybe just maybe think about put it away till next season or I can find the hole repair and take it out for a few hours just to see if I got it fixed,    

Happy Ken  netting one of his many!! 

gota love this stick casting 40+ ft 3764

Little dri-flies and hungry fish

Sunday's trip to LB Blue lake

9:45 am slight overcast air temp. 47 light wind water temp 46 2:30 air temp 54

Gary and Scott met me at the beginning of the Limebelt Rd, the 6.5 miles of road in to the lake is clear with just a puddle or two, the lake was as calm as could be and the fish were boiling here and there, It didn’t take us long before all three of us were in the water.

I started out almost like always bounding the shoreline I rigged up with the same fly as yesterday my Drunkin-dragon on the camo intermittent line. The water gin clear and you or I could see the bottom at 20 ft. and see the fish darting bac and forth into the shallows then bac into deeper water. All three of us headed down the right side of the launch banging fish all the way.  Then it got slow Scott headed for the south end of the lake along the deep side or across from the launch. While I worked my way bac towards the launch heading south and started picking up fish again in the less than 15 ft of water.

I met up with Scott and we found fish Hungry fish cruzin and picking off Caddis flies as they were coming off in less that 3 ft of water.

I was pitchin a small 14 buzz tail nymph fly that I tye right up close to the shore line when It hit the water before I started my strip came the swirl and smash!! Turned out to be a big broad shouldered Bow. (didn’t know there were any left in there)

We all caught a good bunch of Brookies, I did get a 14 inch Cuttie and that Bow.

By 2 my feet were getting numb and my knee was worked pretty good I headed back to the launch with a happy face.

Inside the canyon it looked like it was late with the sun hidden, the wind never came up. My truck temp gage showed it was 58 what a great time on the water.  

just one of the many

Therapy and the Grand Slam

I received a call the other night from my friend that has the private lake, he asked me how my knee was doing after having surgery on the 27^th of last month.

I said.  It’s was doing well and that I had already went bac to work on the first and had gone to physical therapy twice.

“So do you think you’re up to doing some fishing yet?” Was his next question. “I know you start getting a little cranky if you don’t get in the water much.”

“I was planning on going down to meet up with one of my Buddies from the Wetside to fish Rat Lake again this will probably be his last trip over the hump before winter set in.” 

“Well why don’t you tye me up a few more of the crawdad flies and maybe bring over something you think will work this time of year, you and your Bud and give the pond a try, nobody has fish it since you maybe a month ago.”

“I’ll find out want he wants to do and whip you up some dads and thinkin that maybe some Drunkin-dragons would work bout now and I’ll see you on Saturday morning weather we fish there or head out somewhere else.”

After I hung up I headed back to the bench and whip up some Crawdaddys and look up my recipe for my Drunkin-dragon twisted up a ½ dozen of each and a extra six pac for myself.

   Jeff showed up on Friday and he and RB hit Rat again, I had things to do, some work to finish up and another trip to the therapist for the knee not the head. (I’ll get that therapy on the water) Later that nite RB texted me and said they were having beers and thinking about going back to Rat. Would let me know in the AM. RB did tell me that he caught 15 nice Bows on his last Disco Dolly Parton (DDP) and he needed more.

Saturday morning 8:30 am, just pulled into my friends and got the text from RB, Jeff’s dad pass away and he headed back to the Wetside.

So I fished the pond alone. With eyes watching me from the house.

Under gray skies very little wind if any at all at times. Before I even got the boat completely ready I watched a couple of rises and quickly put the Sage One together, put on a sz. 12 elk hair Caddis and gave it a fling it hit the water and the swirl and gone tight line and first fish a tank of a Bow. By the time I got it landed and released the sky was starting to drip. I hurried up and finished getting the boat ready and into the water. By the time I was ready the clouds got thinner and I took off my rain jacket and put on my hoody.

With 3 rods rigged up one dri, with elkhair caddis. My fast sink, with a DDP and a ol friend from out of the closet my good old Lamiglas 6wt, strung up with a line I had forgotten all about my Cortland 444 intermitted camo, with a Drunkin-dragon. Great line for pulling fish out of the weeds.    

I started out with the Drunkin-dragon, out off the launch about 40 ft and pitching bac at it into 5 ft of water let it sink, but before it got close to the bottom the strike and heavy pull heading for the deep water and digging down and into the backing. 10 to 15 minutes later I got my first look at it a nice Tiger. It fought hard and when it saw the net it took off again almost busting loose. Finally into the net.  What a hogg!!

Check the fly, check the knots and back into the water, staying close to shore and pitching up close to the weed and reeds four or five cast later another take this one ran for the sticks and I was able to move around and pull it out, Beautiful Brown was soon in the net.

I repositioned myself and while doing so watched deep back into the weeds a couple of rises. Switched over to my dri line with the Caddis and gave it a fling it hit the water, I gave it a twitch and slurp it was gone and my rod was bowed with a monster Bow. This brut almost took me to my backing but turned and came rite bac at me, never getting it on the reel, but in the net. With a pile of line on my stripping apron setting the net with a floppy fish really makes a mess of things.

 I got it all untangled and changed back to my intermittent line and gave it a fling again. Soon it was another Brown taking my dragon and tugging on my line.

I hadn’t even made it to the first turn and already had four fish.   Not counting the one from shore. The sky open up for a short while and the wind also did both came and went pretty quick and back to calm and gray. The water temp has cooled off quite a bit since I was last here down to 47-48 and the water level has risen up about a foot. Hiding some of the shoreline weeds. I made it to the corner and pushed out into deeper water of about 16 ft. dropped anchor and worked the corner with the dri line for a while until the lite rain started again. When I decided I really should have my rain coat with me. the truck isn’t that far better go get it. I put away the driline and grabbed the Boobie line and gave it a fling I waited till it went under water and gave it a fast strip once twice three times a charm and BAM fish on. Up and out of the water boobie hanging out of its mouth and my rod flipping around this fish was full of action for the few leaps it made.  To the left to the right  and away it goes knots and fly holding tight. Another Bow in the net.

I’m starting to feel the moisture coming through the hoody and on my shoulders, better hurry up and get to shore and the rain coat. (dumb ass should of took it with me in the first place) I bee lined it bac to the truck pulled off the wet hoody and tee shirt. Put on my flannel shirt and rain jacket and headed bac out fast.   Almost a rerepeat with the Dragon but this time it was Brown, Brown, Brown until something felt different the way it took off not going deep or coming out of the water this fish just stopped and stayed down, thinking I lost it in the thick weeds, but I could still feel the head shake now and then, it must of got me around a branch in the water and hung up I stripped out about 4ft of line gave it some slack and felt it move. Bingo all rested up and on the move again. Slow hard pull out into deep water, readjust drag then the turn heading back into the shoreline weeds. I lifted the rod to the left and put on the breaks slowly a couple of strips and now I’ve got it under control and heading towards me. staying down not letting me see it until I could see my leader a monster Brookie. I dipped the net deep and missed then again this time up and under it. WOW nice fish he was hooked deep in the side of the mouth and I needed my hemos to free the hook. Grand Slam all four fish in under an hour and a half. This doesn’t happen very often not here or anywhere.

The rain quite and became just a lite drizzle off and on more, off then on, my fish finder batteries went dead, but didn’t need it anyway I know the water temp and pretty much how deep it is stayed close to the shoreline working all three lines off and on for a while each did make it all the way around the lake by 1:30. Back close to the launch I decided to make one more pass just to the corner and back before heading out, by then I had caught 6 fish on my caddis 1 being a Brown, two more Tigers on the Dragon and a bunch of Browns and a few more Bows, serval Bows on the DDP but had only caught that one Brookie. Gotta try one more trip out to the corner and back for a Double Grand Slam. I had my best luck with the Intermittent line in 4-8 ft of water, so I looked inside at my fly boxes and found one of Bill Olgalvie’s shedge patterns that worked great for the Brookies up at Lost Lake so I tyed it on and gave it a fling out into the deep water a few times, nothing shallow water again nothing, made the turn to head back to the launch and pitched up into the reeds or just short, let it sink and with a really slow retrieve. Half way back BOOM the take a big splash up and out of the water YES YES another Brookie. Then nothing, lost, strip in check the fly,……….then Bam fish on again, the game begins again 5 or 6 minutes later I grab the net and pull in another Brookie. Double Grand Slam, I am Blessed. Thank you very much. What a great day one that I will remember for a while. O I’m sure some of the detail will be lost like some of the other fish I lost today yes every fish I hooked didn’t make it to the net some were LDR for those of you that don’t know (long descent release) I lost a couple of flies to fish maybe a bad knot, maybe a tooth nicked leader/tippit.

Tiger

Brookie

Fat Bow

the Brown