The boys of summer

I haven't posted in a long long time.  Quite frankly, I sometimes get tired of the fishing interwebs and feel like it becomes wash, rinse, and repeat.  I continue to do what I do, however, which is work, fish, and spend time with my family.  

I've managed to make it east for a couple trips this August, each with a different buddy of mine.  Both times the weather as HOT as could be.  The trade off for the extreme heat is that the W(ind) was quite tame.  We moved fish every session and Chad and I experience the hottest double I've even been witness to.  

A controversial topic seems to come up this time of year, every year:

Low Holing

It is not cool to drop in below a fly angler that is fishing the swing and step method.  Some runs are quite long. Some runs do not have a well defined beginning or end.  Some runs are very popular with spinner, fly, and nymph fisherman.  In any circumstance, communication should be the top priority.  Because a fly angler works down river does not mean he is trying to "own" the entire river.  I've heard that copout way too many times from folks who don't want to behave like adults. 

I kind of see fishing parallel golf a bit here.  Do you show up to the course, race ahead of the group before you, and start putting on the green?  No, you wait your turn as everyone gets their shot.  If someone is slow, you communicate with them and can ask to play through.  Same goes with fishing.  

I will also add this:  If someone asks to follow you through on a good sized run, there should be no reason to deny them.  After fishing through my short camp water run several times, I hiked upstream about 1/2 mile to another run I knew had shade on it.  There was an angler about 1/2 way done with the 150 yard run.  I got his attention to ask if he minded if I followed him through.  He requested that I didn't because it "was his only water to fish until the jet boat came back to pick him up in 30 minutes".  I respected his request and hiked back.  I didn't think it was cool, but that is life.  

I say all this to say, I haven't been low holed this year, but I have been before.  And I will again.  A little respect will go a long way on the river.  Fortunately, most people get this. 

A beauty nate

This guy jumped about 5 times

We save the lil' guys for Simon

Hatchery Steelhead, its what's for dinner.

River of the Falls

With Monday off and the Deschutes fishing well, I hitched up the boat and headed over on Sunday night. I got to camp around 10:30, set the alarm for 4am, and fell asleep in the back of the rig.

Got up and headed down to fish a few runs. The only truck on the road was already parked at the run I wanted to fish. Solution: Go talk to the gent to see if he wants me to follow him or split the run when it gets light. He was game for the split. I basically fished the tailout and got a nice little native buck about 30 minutes in on a Purple Peril of sorts. Met up with Todd, fished the run up top and headed up to launch the boat.

Put in and to my surprise, there were probably more boaters than bankies. Finally found a run. Todd went up and I went down. A guy in a pontoon had already fished through the run, but he was a good half mile downriver, so the water had been rested a bit. About 10 casts in......grab....loop gone, hook set, fight on. I got steel peeled on this one for sure. After a great fight, brought the nice native to hand for a quick release. Back at it, 20 yards down, grab, set, fight again. Another native. Another 20 yards further stuck another. This time, it ended up being a sweet hatchery fish that ran over 30 inches.

Todd and I headed down river, opting for taking our time and letting most of the boats get past us. The clouds were out and fish were on the move. I hooked another nice one right in front of Todd on our next stop. Of course, once I told Todd "let's get a pic of this one" the fly pops out with the fish about 5 feet from me.

I let Todd go throug the rest of the run with his skater. I ate lunch in the boat while he dissappeared around the corner. Looked up behind me and notice and bit of a tailout that I hadn't given a second thought to. Hiked on up there. Big sandy deep pool. Didn't look fishy to me at all. Apparently, it doesn't matter what I think because I got grabbed and ended up beaching a nice hatchery fish.

The evening was dedicated to trying to get Todd to get one on a waker. No such luck, my thinking is the water temps may have been just a bit too cold. We were the last boat off the river and it was one long drive home. Arrived in my driveway at 12:45am! All in the name of steelhead.

Totals were 6 hooked, 5 landed. All but one came on a Green butt purple with a white wing created by master tier Chad Potter. I'm checking on if the fly has a name, but I'm thinking "Fire Starter" in honor of the brush fire just below the run where the fly did big time damage!

Hatchery fish taken from the Sandy Tailout.

Water Train putting out the brush fire.

Hatchery brute.