Fishing
Reports
(Jan. 2005 - present)
(Jan. 2005 - present)
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Fishing
Reports
(Jan. 2005 - present) |
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Late Season Skagit & Sauk River Flyfishing Guide Trips November 15-February 1 Stories
& Articles
Gift
Certificates
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Dolly/Bull meets Skagit Skater |
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12/25/05 "Going. going, gone! " Rivers are headed out. No, they are gone..... Weather has gone warm, freezing levels up. Flooding is around the corner. The good news. The rivers were fishing very well until this pineapple express. Winter steelhead are showing in all the North sound rivers. We have been fishing the Skagit below the Sauk the most. Skagit: 14,600 cfs and heading up. Only fishable up to 10,000. Look for good numbers of winter hatchery steelhead to continue as the high waters head back down. Your standard winter steelhead patterns will get it done. Fish the soft edges where the steelhead will migrate to stay out of the heavier flows. Many guys miss the boat. My guides and I will fish our lightest sinktips when the flows are up. Fish in close where the steelhead are. Sauk 12,200 cfs. Not fishable until it drops below 7,500. Sauk has steelhead and Dollies. Find the rocks, fish the edges. Love that river. Haven't heard of any wild steelhead showing yet, but as we get further into the winter, they should be coming. In twenty years as a fisheries Biologist, I would love to tell you I have seen a definitive correlation between the return of winter hatchery steelhead and their wild counterparts, but really haven't seen it. Stilly N.F. 10,000 cfs. Fishable at 3,000. Gone Skykomish: 26,000 cfs. Fishable at 10,000. Really gone. Me? Mike was fishing the Skagit preflood, and I spent most of my time poking around the local waters, and up at Jeff's ponds. Biggest trip was Jeff's Ponds. We never bothered with any of the other eight lakes, on this 90 acre complex. We went directly to 4.5 acre trophy waters. We were both set up with my version of a Denny Rickards Sealbugger with a beadhead. These big rainbows love to cruise edges, so we tied on our leaders to 3x fluorocarbon and fished floating lines. Never even stepped into the lake except to net a fish. Gentlemen fishing. I won't fill you in on all the gory details but it seemed every time I looked up, Bill was being towed around by another monster rainbow. Right now it is mini leeches and young dragonfly nymphs. Fish ran from your eastern Washington bows to nearly eight pounds. Most averaged closer to 4-5. Only thing I felt bad about was the fact, we never got to fish some of my favorite haunts on any of the other lakes. Poor baby.......As this weather front was moving in, I was thinking my rivers are probably going out. With so many protected shorelines, even this isn't a problem at the ponds. Life should always be so difficult. Back at the rivers: I would look for a pulse of winter hatchery steelhead in on this rain, Supposed to clear and drop so we will fish Jeff's Ponds early in the week and hopefully back on the Skagit (maybe even the Sauk) by weeks' end. 2006 Flyfishing
Schools: February 3 or 4 flyfishing schools: Now that isn't fair. I haven't even advertised these schools yet, and already our Saturday school is full. We may add another day for this popular fishery. We will see. I am asked all the time, which river is my all time favorite in the spring. It used to be easy. It was the Sauk. Now I would say it is a toss up between the Sauk and the Olympic Peninsula's "Chosen River" (Yes, it is a pseudonym and Yes, it is an actual river.) Mike and I have a few dates left for the coast
this spring. A few more than that for the North Sound streams. 
I have had a chance to clarify a few points in the How-to article, Cold Water Takes. This new technique in detecting the gentle bite so common in winter steelhead, revolutionized our approach to fishing winter steelhead. Check it out. Winter native steelhead.......something very romantic about that sound. I guess Mike and I will just have to handle big rainbows and Dollies, sprinkled with the occasional hatchery steelhead.......until the rivers come down.
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
The holidays find the north sound rivers down and fishable. Cool weather has kept the snow locked up where it should be......in the mountains. Waters have been running cold and very clear, excellent for winter flyfishing. Skykomish River: 1,200 cfs as of Sunday Morning. Chums and silvers are all but gone, but winter hatchery steelhead are trickling thru. Don't expect to be alone. Hearing rumors of a few wild natives showing? Now that would be cool! The defined gravel bars and easy wading (most places) makes the Sky, a friendly steelhead flywater . Fishing strategies: While fishing around winter gear anglers, I have mentioned I prefer to fish the softer colors such as blues, blacks and purples in marabous and Practitioners. Any of your silhouette colors will work. The forecast calls for rains thru the week, try fishing upstream, from High Bridge to the Sultan River, if the waters dirty below the Sultan River. Here is another tip: Fishing pressure tends to move steelhead to the edges, especially in clear water. Most anglers don't bother fishing the riffley heads and few will fish the broken wake in the tailouts. Fish high and low in the pool when the steelhead are trying to hide. You will be surprised.
Flies & technique: Bobbers work but we prefer swinging flies on sink-tips. Poor Mike has had a back order on his Yancy lines. Take heart. I promise we will have some to demo in our upcoming Skagit Winter Steelhead schools February 3 or 4. This is what Don W. had to say about the Yancy in his recent Dickson Flyfishing adventure. Speaking of Schools: Be sure to check out our new Flyfishing School calendar for 2006. See why we believe the: "2 nights at the shop, 1/2 out casting" is a traditional but ineffective approach to steelhead.
Skagit: 3,500 > 6,000 cfs. The late running Silvers and Chum, this winter, are in their final chapter. It was a very decent run of fish. Winter hatchery steelhead heading to the Cascade River, and Sauk and Skagit are both seeing some really dandy Dolly/Bulls coming out. Anything resembling a flesh fly is the drill. Too cold to take them on top. Wait for this rain water to hit. Sad: A buddy stopped in a local takeout the other day to witness some guys in a big sled being checked with seven dead Dollies, smallest had to be over 23." Imagine if we could make the Skagit a selective fishery? A world class fishery! Maybe then we could say "If we error, we would like to error on the side of our wild fish." Seems like I heard that, somewhere. What a great idea! We always deliver a bunch of
Gift
Certificates for our guide trips and fishing equipment at Christmas
time. This year we seem to be sending out a lot more Gift Certificates
specifically for our 2006 steelhead schools. Welcome! Glad to have you.
Merry Christmas & best of fishing, Dennis, Mike, Darrel & Jonathan "AKA" The Dickson Boys
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
12/11/05 As we were fishing the Skagit the other day, we checked out some water I haven't fished for a while.....but will again in later February. Water was low.....but fishing well. Some of the pools have changed since the high waters, so reading water is paramount. Saw several other fish caught (all but ours were on gear)......looks like a fine year. I wince at the Dollies coming to the boat launch. Sad. I was wondering: Think we should include the Dolly/Bull as a target species during the March-April C&R on the Sauk and Skagit? Sauk is dropping like a rock, but the fish are there. One of Mike's boys released an eleven pound winter hatchery fish the other day.....don't see many of them on the Sauk. Dollies & Coho still doing their thing. Love fishing waters "where you would want to be there.....anyway." Plenty of Eagles......life is good. Water is cold, even for December, so bringing the fly in "Low and Slow" is the rule. Even though steelhead will lay in many types of water......there are only those pools that you can flyfish effectively. Recognize this water and concentrate your efforts there. Good Karma is a nice read, helpful when you are standing up to your wazzoo in ice water. A concept we teach in the past ten years of winter steelhead schools is; presentation is more important than the fly on the end of your line. Also, if you thought that drawing steelhead to your fly was as simple as casting as far as you can, and throwing a really big mend, you would be wrong. Over casting sinktips is probably the number 1 mistake I see on the Skagit, and I guide it year round. The rivers are prime, the water is clear. You have a choice. You can go fishing, or follow your sweetie around the mall. Any questions? Merry Christmas, Man. The Dickson Boys
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
12/04/05 Rivers have settled into their winter scene. It is beautiful, but it is cold. Water temps are hovering around 35 degrees. Air temps on the Skagit, Sky & Stilly vary from day to day, but are about the same as the water. Precipitation is being locked up in the mountains. River water height on the over-all have been moderate this past week, but on the drop. Look for more of the same if it stays cold out.
Chums and nice silver salmon are still around, while the winter steelhead are coming in spurts. The Skagit River is our user friendly flywater of our North Sound waters. With winter anglers on the prowl, I have mentioned I prefer to fish the softer darker colors because it "Shows them something different." Our Blue/Purple marabou is good, so is Black Bart, which nothing more than a black & purple woolleybugger, with an orange face. A size # 2 is about right. Another fly of mention is our *Egg sucking Leech Green Lead Head (see Streamside Flies) It is a great all species Skagit River catcher, particularly on a falling river. Same flies that take Dollies will catch your winter steelhead. Both weighted flies on a floating line or moderate sinktips will get it done. Egg patterns are best fishing with floating lines and indicators. If it's not rolling along the bottom like the natural, it ain't working. Technique: I won't tell what rod to use or where to fish it. I will tell you the same thing we teach any of our first timers, new to our western rivers. A) Gear your outfit to your quarry. You will have more fun. B) The bigger the river, the closer to shore they migrate. Skykomish River: Don't go over there once the winter steelhead enter. Total jam show. Stilly, North Fork: River has gone to "All gear" until it will close the end of next February. Did you know? Up until the year before the Stilly March & April season has been annually shut down due to under escapement of wild steelhead, it was open for killing it's wild steelhead. Hoh River: Wild Steelhead Release works, just have to implement it, BEFORE the stock is in trouble. More Stilly: River was running dead low this week with maximum visibility above Boulder Creek, but the little stream has got some new winter steelhead. Air & water temps around 39 degrees. Flies & technique: Swing your winter flies, "low & slow," adjust your leaders to water conditions, if you want to move a fish who has seen everything. Sauk: This one would have to be my sleeper, but be careful. The Suiattle is kicking silt and fishing below is a mess. The upper run from Darrington down is better. Dollies are coming out in good numbers now. So glad we can actually regard them as a legitimate fishery. Doesn't it seem archaic to you that we have to maintain a kill fishery in this state to target a species? A simple selective fishery such as the regs of the Yakima would be awesome.
Ask about our custom Eagle Float trips. Lots of attention right now for our Gift Certificates which include all our outdoor activities.
"The biggest problem with this job is deciding what to do for vacation." Dennis, Mike, Darrel & Jonathan
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
11/27/05
Sauk: Still kicking color from the Suiattle, but
nice water up above. River in good shape. Find the rocks, find the fish.
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information November 20, 2005 "It's all about the egg." Many of you know that back in the late 70's, I stumbled
onto and developed a saltwater Chum Salmon fishery called Hoodsport. The
popular Chum Candy fly, is practically a saltwater legend. Of course,
this was back in a time, where C&R was laughable concept. Why would
you ever want to catch a fish that wasn't even good to eat? Besides, all
Chums do is tear up your tackle..... as years have passed, I would like
to think we have come a long way in broader angling horizon. A few years ago, I again stuck my head in the lions
mouth. I ventured into writing about wonderful flyfishing for Dolly Varden
on light fly tackle. The Skagit and Sauk rivers are the finest Char fishing
in the North sound region. I remember as I began writing, the so called
"Experts" answered back by expounding how anyone worth his wading
shoes would never lower himself to actually fish for Dollies.......they
are trash fish, of course, which eat salmon eggs...... Please read Dolly
Editorial Current fishing: Why? Because only anglers who can enjoy all our fisheries are the ones who become passionate about saving and protecting our fish and their waters. It truly takes a village. Skykomish River has fallen back into shape: Anglers are out. Stilly North Fork is about to go bait, so you feather flingers might want to hit that.... Sauk is absolutely stunning right now, can't wait
to get over there. Mike & I just finished our annual Skagit River
Dolly/Chum/Winter Steelhead Flyfishing schools, which would be totally
awesome (right now they are just outstanding) if the Chums weren't just
grabbing everything we put into the water. Back at the ranch: Way too much fun. The ghost tip makes the Yancy multi-tip and wonderful saltwater flats line. Seguar Grand max. is the best flouro. leader out there, in my estimation. Use 0x for dogs, and 3x for Dollies. Egg-n-Shuck, and Black Bart are important now, because the Dollies are keyed into eggs, and good luck trying to keep it away from the puppies! Find the flies et al, online at Streamsideflyshop.com If you wanted to know if your flyfishing reels are up to steelhead, fish now. Chums will show you what's what.
Dennis & the boys
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
"And there you have it....." Rains have come and our once fall has enveloped into a northwest early winter. Rivers are up and flowing now. Getting on the water is all about the freezing level. Seems like every fish in the river is on it's way to somewhere. Our job is to see if he will slow down enough to take a fly. Oh Yeah. Stilly: More salmon continue to come in with the tides, Dollies are up in the tribs now. Summer steelhead are in the North Fork, but you have to try to get past the salmon to find them. Chum salmon are not what you might call discriminatory spawners, so be careful where you wade, while chasing the steelhead. Good to see the fish, though. SRC is also scooting up in the feeder streams, the fine fishing we had, is over for another season. Winter hatchery steelhead will be sneaking, but the quality fishing won't swing for the few more weeks. Sauk: Quietly getting it done. Big year for Dollies and the drought kept the fish in the mainstem, until these rainy fronts. Now they are up doing their thing, and the big boys will be back in a few. Some really monsters this year. Now that the Chums are spawning, the Eggsucking Cop Car and our egg-shuck, is the ticket. Skagit: Thinking Chumsters. Every year I marvel just how strong these fish are. Chums, like Pinks are good biters, but you need to play with the fly colors and presentation is subtle but slightly different from steelhead. If you think the Chum to be caught is that old boot, snagged in the back.......you just keep on thinking that. Got to read Guides Are Professional Liars - streams are too crowded anyway. Black Bart, Pink Stinker, Chum Sport, and the Micro Eggsucker, all get fish. Fly colors change from day to day, so pays to experiment. We use floating and light sinktips, leader length depends on visibility, and our Seaguar Grand Max is the best (more expensive) clear water tippet material I have ever used. There is a lot more places to find Chum than Swift Creek, or the Grandy Creek. Explore a little. Oh, Mrs. Black will take the Coho, remember boys, It's "Pop, wipe your pants" sounds crude but clients will know what I mean. If you go into your local flyshop, looking for these flies......it isn't going to happen. Mike's Virtual Flyshop www.streamsideflyshop.com has the stuff. Dolly/Chum/Winter Steelhead schools Nov 18 or 19: Last call for this school. Wow! Must be doing something right. Anglers sometimes frustrate themselves for years, trying to catch our great fish of the Northwest. Our schools flat get it done. You don't have to take my word it. Check out References and endorsements.......read from past anglers, themselves. From dead drifting glue eggs for Dollies, to stripping Cop Cars for Coho.......we are looking to have a great day for our early winter flyfishing. Of course we will have our Yancy multitips and the very popular Floating Line Head System. Ready to see and fish the trick flies? I am stoked! Guide days: Schools are actually only a small part (but growing)! of what we do. Mike and the boys are out on the water pretty much every day it's fishable. You don't have to book a trip to get some straight scoop. Drop an e mail. We are always happy to help. Look for quality fishing to continue until Christmas. Humble is: "Getting paid to do, what everybody else does for fun." Best of Fishing, Dennis, Mike, Jonathan & Darrel www.flyfishsteelhead.com 1 888 435 6499
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
11/06/05 "Careful what you wish for" I can always tell when it's this time of year. The only thing that is keeping the rivers inside their banks, with all the storm fronts pushing through, it the lower freezing levels. I get a flood (bad pun) of emails, from guys who know if there is anyone idiot enough to be out fighting the winter elements, it has got to be the Dickson boys. Always happy to answer questions. This is what you will find. The Stilly: Forget about it. The Stilly has been out for the past week, and with a new slide opened up on Boulder Creek, and more storms in the forecast, I wouldn't put the Stilly on your to-do list. Watch for a lower freezing level, or an early dry and cold period. The Stilly is a relatively small drainage, and can drop pretty quickly. Look for Chums & Coho in the mainstem, and a mix of older summer steelhead, with a few early winter hatchery fish in the North Fork, as the water drops. Sinktips and winter marabous like "Pink Stinker" are the drill. Speaking of Pink Stinker: The Skykomish is a pretty stable watershed, and not a bad "Dog Show". Many anglers swear by the chartreuse but it has been I experience, that cerise/purple in our "Pink Stinker" is a great Chum color combination, for the Sky fish. (Also one of my go-to winter steelhead flies, so there you go.) Fish it greaseline, with a twitch for the Dogs. If you are snagging fish, stop casting down & across, as you do for steelhead, they don't like that. Sauk: The Suiattle finally stopped puking the glacial till, but the visibility is still less than two feet, even up to Darrington. Early Dollies will be heading out, but if you are like me, just fishing the Sauk, and thinking about some early wild steelhead, is enough to get me out there. You will have the river to yourself. Skagit: This river is barely "IN" right now. I don't like fishing it above 10,000 CFS. because the pools go away, but fishing is better than not fishing, and Coho, Chum, and some big Dolly/ bulls are the quarry. If you are a Dickson Member, the Cop Car series, is the best dirty water fly I have found, but any of those egg sucking marabous will get it done, too. Black Bart is awesome, as the water drops and we get some visibility back. The fly isn't as important as the presentation in the right zone. Oh Yeah: Looking forward to our annual Fall
Skagit School November 18 or 19. Best of fishing,
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
10/30/05 "Steelhead Junkies" You know you are a steelhead junkie when: You have just spent the past month camped out on the Grande Ronde, get home and find out your old stomping grounds is smoking, so off you go..... Poor wife. Seems like all I have done in 2005 is travel. This fall has been particularly crazy. One of the few good things about returning from the Grande Ronde is, it is supposed to mark the last traveling away from home, for the year. Supposed to........ Typical Fall on the Seattle North Streams. Its been raining. Rivers are a little swollen, but fish are coming. I check out my River Flows every day, that I am home. North Sound Streams: Not a lot of spawning Pink salmon this year, but with a little luck, the eggs will make it beyond the critical egg stage. Pinks are trying to wrap it up, Coho are in, Chum are coming in, SRC will start heading up their natal tribs, Dollies will be coming down from spawning......and they will be hungry. Things are definitely on the go. Stilly North Fork: Air & water temperatures have dropped into the 40's. Steelhead flies: As you would probably imagine, egg patterns are good with both Chinook and Pinks are in post spawn. Mike's Glue Egg-n-shuck We are seeing Coho all the way up into the upper reaches of the North Fork, and some really large Searuns are hanging around the steelhead waters. Remember, only the hatchery steelhead are legal. Leave everything else alone. The lower Stilly was fishing well right up to the weekend. Deer Creek and Boulder Creek both blew out, which forced the Saturday Tidewater school, to revamp into an upper river gig. Kudos' to Rod with his first steelhead on a fly. Pretty cool. Thanks to all for coming! The Skagit River: The upper Skagit between Marblemount and Sauk River confluence is actually back up to normal flows: The most amazing amount of summer/fall Chinook spawning I have witnessed in years is now finished. Always good to see the fish. The Skagit River Humpy run was only "OK," but at least we maintained a viable stock. Now it is time for the Chum & Coho show. We do our best chum fishing in the standard steelhead waters. Techniques differ a bit from the standard wetfly swing but they will bite. I think it is really hard to beat the egg-sucking leech patterns. I personal favorite is "Black Bart", The big Dolly/Bulls will be coming out soon. They will be all over the Chum spawn & carcass. (think Alaska rainbows). Speaking of which: Check out our 2005 Steelhead, Salmon & Dolly school November 18 or 19 I need to forewarn you: Guys have been asking about this particular school since before we even headed to the Grande Ronde, back in September. The guides and I really enjoy this multiple species gig. It's not just about the North Sound Rivers: Good time to be hitting those Hood Canal trib. mouths, as the Chum will be smelling for home. Better prepare for a jam show. That why my guides & I will be splitting time between the Stilly, Skagit and the Sauk, this winter. It's a cold time, but a quiet time........until you hook a Chum headed south. I will write more specifics, as we get further into the home town fishing, again. Many have read some to all of my Stories and articles. My favorite is "Charley". What's yours? Best of fishing,
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
10-23-03
"God didn't build enough Octobers." Still scrubbing the Eastern Washington dirt from under my nails. Mike and I just got back from the Grande Ronde Campouts. Jon was over early, but had to get back to help Darrel run the local trips. Very much appreciated the boys hard work and diligence. Many Kudos' to all the guys and gals who joined us on the GR as well as the early Skagit fall salmon trips this past couple months. We had a good mix of first-timers to the GR as well as the boys who have booked with us since we began the campouts in 1990. Think I have had two days off in the last 60. Now I remember why this is a young man's game. Oh well, I could be working...... Far too many tales to tell. This is a Grande Ronde River synopsis I just received from my good friend and client Dr. Richard Gubner. Of course he didn't happen to mention the fact that he and his son Noah are both accomplished anglers.
Days were warm and water was clear pretty much our entire stay this October. October Caddis were coming off and anglers did very well on our Crystal Caddis. Weather slowly chilled, and temperatures dropped a bit. More steelhead were coming but a little more reluctant about coming to the surface. We resorted to swinging sinktips and nymphing techniques in the morning. Mrs. Black, and the Conehead series were very effective. We fished the surface with Crystal Caddis in the afternoons and evenings.
Even though our guides and I fish steelhead twelve months a year. I never seem to get enough of the Grande Ronde. I spend 6 months reflecting on it, and the next 6 months looking forward to it. Ahh, life is good. Small wonder so many guys book a year in advance. Has it been raining? I should have figured. It seems like every Humpy year we follow up the salmon return, with some high waters. Never thought I would be happy to see it come. Rivers are only back to normal. Coho are in, and early Chum are on their heels. If we can keep this high water down, should be plenty of fish to go around, in the local rivers. Speaking of salmon: My sweet wife has been booking up all our Stilly Tidewater Schools October 28 or 29 The Saturday class is full but Friday has two openings. I have been fishing and guiding the GR since the late eighties, so each year going back, is like visiting an old friend. I have to admit though, it's nice to be home, too. Best of fishing, Dennis, Mike & Jonathan
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
10/16/05
The Skagit River has now settled in nicely after experiencing the effects of run off from up high in the system. The visibility above Rockport has finally improved and the color is dialed in up there. Look for fishing to improve on this river and only get better. As the kings and pinks finish their spawning on the Skagit, the dollies appear to have had their fill of eggs and are moving towards leeches and more traditional streamer patterns. The Stilliguamish has some fish as well but small tides have brought smaller pockets of fish. Look for fishing to improve with better tides later in the month. Darrel has reported some success finding late returning summer steelhead that moved up after the last high water. Mike and Dennis continue to work the Grande Ronde - while Darrel and I probe our streams here for salmon, steelhead, and dollies. Best of fishing, Jonathan & Darrel
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
10/09/05 " So here we go, again" The GR got its shot of rain about the same time we started getting ours. The river rose and the fish responded. Fishing was a bit slow late September early October but has steadily been getting bettter. The weather finally began to stabilize just before I left. Mike and Dennis will be over there while Darrel and I run trips over here. On the Ronde, the boys will fish surface presentations in the evenings, while swinging flies along the bottom during the day. Might as well keep an open mind. Some rivers change little after high waters, some change a lot. Personally, I like some change, (gravel recruitment) but scouring and channel change is bad. I enjoy reading new water, and consider it to my fishing advantage. Anyway, now that the high waters are over for now, I will be out fishing again this week. Fishing should be good. Watch those river flows. The Skagit and Sky along with the upper North Fork above Boulder Creek will come in first, then the Sauk and the Lower Stilly. There are so many species available now. It is good to know each species preferred flies, lines, and holding water. Presentation is the other key. The better you can understand a species, the better to get next to him. Watch for Mike to put up our Fall Season Sampler which is a compilation of our best Dolly, Steelhead, Coho, & Chum Salmon flies by Nov. 1 at www.streamsideflyshop.com (Hmmm..... The other day I was asked an age old question.
Best of fishing, Jonathan, Darrel, Mike & Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information 10/02/05 " Just another day on the pond" As another Humpy season comes to a close, we say good-bye to the Pinks for another couple years. As we have been chasing them since the second week of August, you would think I would be tired of the Humpies by now. I just never tire of fishing the Skagit. It is that cool. Humpy days are in transition now. In another week or two, and the Skagit River will be taken over with spawning Pinks. I swear there are as many King Salmon in the river as Pinks. All those fish crowding our pools will ripen, and fill the riffles with spawning fish. These are all wild salmon. Didn't cost us a thing. Just had to let them spawn. What a great concept. If the early hatchery Coho are any indication, looks like the Silvers are going to have a good year. The Stilly has a bunch as does the Skagit and Snohomish in the lower rivers. Better take your heart medicine. The hatchery Coho are so-so biters at best, and they can drive you nuts. Fish jumping and playing all around you. Almost makes you want to fish with a net. Heck, I probably have more guide notes on lower river Coho than I do any other species. One day you will nail them, the next day with the same conditions, you don't get squat. The keys to the game seem to be: avoid the crowds (fishing pressure knocks them off the bite) fish an incoming tide in the lower rivers, and concentrate on wild fish. Wild Coho, as in most salmonid species, are much better biters than the hatchery pukes. If this rain happens, look for SRC to squirt up into the tributaries. These little waters that are open will have some of the finest small river fishing of the year, because generally only the spawning sized SRC will make the final run. Fall colors, big SRC in small streams, pretty cool. Mike, Dennis, & Jonathan will be fishing the Ronde for the next few weeks. Mike has been selling the GR flies like crazy. Flies: He still has a few Grande Ronde Samplers, left.(www.streamsideflyshop.com). These are our own pet fly patterns for the Grande Ronde, Deshutes, and Methow River steelhead. Yancy & Brent Carlson are headed back from the Dean and soon to arrive in BC to fish the K. and the Bulkley. Crystal Caddis, GR, and Mrs. Black are just a few of the flies they will be packing up. Mike and I hope to fish the Dean & Bulkley with the boys next year. Just have to work it around our guiding schedules! If you get a chance, check out Surface Flies For Steelhead. I know it may sound uppity, but once you get your confidence up for raising steelhead, I swear it will make sink-tipping feel like trolling. Try it, you will love it. Don't forget our Tidewater Chum & coho school Oct. 28 or 29. Classes are filling already. Have a lovely fall. Best of fishing, Dennis, Mike, and Jonathan For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
9/25/05 For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
9/18-05
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
9/11/05 "Zig & Zag" All over the place, really. Lower Stilly has good numbers of salmon.......even the Coho are showing. North Fork is quite good for Searun Cutthroat. Maybe not the numbers as the tidewater, but good nonetheless. Flies: All types of baitfish patterns are working. Less is more. Keep them small. The Humpies are moving in. Glue Egg patterns will turn on here for the Cutthroat, as the little salmon starts spawning. Try fishing the riffley heads that drop into significant pools. Fish will start to congregate around the mouth of their tributaries soon. Lower Snoqualmie will take some SRC after this rain. Lower Cowlitz is smoking. Not all hatchery programs are bad. Lower Skagit has some color but the salmon are in. If you were thinking the fishing was going to be like two years ago, you are going to be disappointed. If you have to catch Pinks, head over to the Skykomish. That is what everybody else is does. Upper Skagit can be a real sleeper for the Marblemount bound steelhead, fishing the surface will avoid most of the salmon. I riffle hitch the fly and keep it small. Some days you will find them, some days you won't that's why it is called "fishing." Next few weeks will pretty much be the same......always bouncing around, looking for the best of the best. Anglers should have their itinerary, including directions. Watch for a change of location, but if you haven't heard from me.......everything is as planned. No need to reconfirm. Fall is always a busy time............even the October Grande Ronde Campouts are just around the corner. Single anglers are welcome if you are flexible with your timing. Really jacked about our most popular fishery coming up. Speaking of which: Jonathan & I will head for the GR, the end of September. Mike & Darrel will wrestle the steelhead, salmon and SRC on the north sound waters. Jon heads home in mid month, & Mike comes over to the GR when the Humpies are finished on the westside. Got it? Stilly Tidewater School (Part 2) October 28 or 29 This end of October outing(s) coincides with the wild hooknose silvers, and chum salmon. Low water years will find these really hot fish playing in the tides of the lower Stilly. Some of our biggest SRC enter late, and these three amigos make for a really great gig. Best office in the world, D & boys www.flyfishsteehead.com
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9/4/03 "Life turns on a dime" It is not easy to be thinking about my little life
of flyfishing, with so many people are simply struggling to survive. As you know; Mike, Darrel, Jonathan and I spend most our river days, guiding. No mystery there. We ran our Tidewater schools a little different this year. On behalf of Jon & Mike, we want to thank the boys for joining us on this year's very successful outings. The Stilly regs are a bit a quandary this year. The WDFW Regulation pamphlet says one thing, the website doesn't appear to be different, the local tackle shop has "heard" another idea, and the game warden states his case.
Rule
Changes > Freshwater
Fishing > in
a particular river or river system > Emergency rules currently
in effect for Stillaguamish River (includes all forks) (Snohomish County)
Here is an email I recieved on the subject.
Tidewater Silver
I tell my guides every day when I am out on the water, I try to accomplish one of two things: 1) Learn something new or 2) Reinforce something I have known. Personally I think we anglers have a hard time getting better, because we don't attempt to think outside the box. Case-in-point: It used to be Mike & I would flyfish Skagit & Skykomish River Pink Salmon with sinktip lines. Still do on occasion, but fishing the floating lines will not only find the more aggressive fish, it is just a lot more fun, and you just don't snag one. We moved to bobber fishing (excuse me, indicator fishing), and then to greaselining them in the surface. Finally, we began skating flies for Pinks, and still do when conditions are right. (it is my favorite method, because it is my preferred for steelhead). 2003 September, I stumbled into a new wrinkle on accident. I put my guy over a quiet pool, and before I could explain how to skate his fly to the fish, he did what he always does back home in Montana. He dead drifted the dry over the fish. I was about to open my big mouth, when this pretty little hen Humpy lifts up and eats the fly, before I could say anything. Don was happy, I was stunned. Fortunately, I was smart enough, not to say anything. He rose three fish in that pool. All on dead drifted dries. Hmmm..... You can believe or not, that's up to you. I have already built some new experimentals to fish in the next coming weeks. I don't divulge patterns, but I am just pioneering here, too. My advice? Experiment. I try not to pu-pu any man's sport but Buzz Bombs in freshwater. Grrrr.....! Don't even get me started about the jet ski! Skykomish & Snohomish River: Haven't been over there, but I hear there are a bunch of fish. Same flies and techniques should work. Just find some quiet fish. Skagit River, top to bottom: Lower river has poor visibility. Upper river opens
for Humpy kill on the 16th, so I expect more pressure up there. Not sure
why someone would want to eat one up there. Some Silvers are showing,
and few steelhead are around. SRC is hanging around now in the lower river.
Chinook are upriver spawning now and that is pretty cool. Jon, Mike and I will fish locally until the end of September, and then off to the Grande Ronde. Darrel will handle the local gigs until Jon returns. Mike & I will continue the Grande Ronde campouts until later October. Happy to talk about that. Life can be tuff sometimes, fishing keeps me in perspective. Best of fishing my friend, Dennis, Mike, Darrel & Jonathan
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8/28/05 Can it be fall already? As the fall of September approaches, the summer slowly slips away. Daylight is shorter now, nights are cooling nicely. Forecast calls for rain, but we have heard that before. I have lived in these parts long enough to know, we only get X amount of nice days, a year. My fear is that when the weather really turns, we won't see the sun again, ever..... Only in western Washington, do we feel bad when it rains, feel bad when it doesn't. Go figure. Fishing: Some fish just can't wait, and others don't mind a bit. We have spotted SRC all the way up to Fortson Hole on the Stilly North Fork. Most self respecting fish are still holding down in the saltchuck. Dollies can't wait, they have a job to do. So up the muddy Sauk they come. Amazing. Summer steelhead are around, but numbers are down. Other than poking around the outside watersheds, I will just play the salt, until it's Grande Ronde time. Dam counts look promising. Humpies are staging. Some are paying the salt, while I have heard of others sneaking well up into the river systems. Where there are Pinks, the SRC are close behind. I love what I call "cross-overs." A crossover is when you can fish particular fly and technique and catch two or more different species. A great example is skating surface flies the N.F. Stilly SRC. The Deer Creek wild summer steelhead really jump our Crystal Caddis, so it makes a great two for one deal. Same drill for the Southwest Washington streams. Pretty cool. Actually, this is a good time to read Surface Flies For Steelhead. If you are planning on joining us on the Grande Ronde Campouts, I think it's a must read. We are supposed to be set to present our Stilly Tidewater schools, coming this next weekend. I have already contacted the guys and told them we are on hold until it rains. It could be gangbusters if it rains..... Schools are aborted if it doesn't. I refuse to take clients on "boat-rides." We are adding another dozen different fly patterns to Streamsideflyshop.com. They may not be up there, by this writing, but they are coming! Fishing Forecast: Darrel: Upper Stilly for skating steelhead, lower estuaries for SRC, and soon the Pinks. Fishing is "OK." Waiting for the rain. Jonathan: Stilly, Skagit, Whidbey beaches: Just about everything that swims. Ditto Mike: Has been over on the Eastside for the last bit. Hope to get a report from him, soon. Confirms the rivers are low but excellent surface fishing. Me: A bit like Jonathan. All over the place. I am blessed with variety, and lucky to have lots of guys who enjoy the same. I look for the Skykomish/Snohomish to become a mad house with Humpy fishers. The Stilly will get their Skating show. The Skagit is a "wait & see" for the Pinks but we have a couple weeks. So there you have it. A Labor Day rain would be a beautiful thing. Happiness is fishing when everyone thinks you are not, Dennis & the boys www.flyfishsteelhead.com For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
8/21/05 You can take your pick. Now we have flyfishing along our beaches. Whidbey Island is my first choice. Hood Canal, and Central Sound beaches, are getting attention, too. The key to Humpy fishing is to keep it small and keep it pink. Tidewater fisheries should continue for the next several weeks. Dollies, Pinks, and SRC are all about the show. I think the fish have given up on the illusion of a rain, they are coming anyway. Snohomish. Stilly and Skagit systems are all starting to see fish. Tidal changes are the best action. The rivers are moving a good number of Dollies. This wild Char is a fall spawner, and a real shining light, in the local fisheries. Dollies spawn in the upper watersheds, and a good indicator the old logging scars are healing. Summer hatchery steelhead is as about as bad this
year as last year, but there are some wild summers sneaking in. Go figure.
The really good news is, the Columbia Tributary steelhead are moving thru
the dams in numbers, and that will spell well for the Grande Ronde. Tidewater School for Sept: 2 or 3. Looks like our schools are locked and loaded. I will give availability next week. Nights are cooling, leaves are turning in the foothills, and the fish are swimming. Just doesn't get much better than that. Looks like another busy fall. Let your fishing do the talking, Dennis, Mike, Jonathan & Darrel For
information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking
Information 8/14/05 "Saltwater Beaches And Beyond" I got so excited the other night. It actually clouded up for a couple hours. Got up the next morning and we were so far out of saturation, there wasn't even a mud puddle. It is sunny now. I think fishermen naturally complain, anyway, but the Pacific northwest lives on precip. Heres hoping the rain comes gently. Mike and I continued to play from the salt chuck beaches to the lower rivers this week. More Pinks showing all the time in the South Sound. Dollies continue to migrate to their fall spawning grounds, Searuns are staging, and summer steelhead are still poking along. Also, excellent time to be fishing the mountain lakes and creeks. I like the ocean fishing at out in the Straits.
(Watch for the hook-nose at Sekiu in Septemberif they open that.) Try
casting Baitfish poppers in the kelp holes for Rockfish. It's a hoot!
I love the Whidbey Island and Hood Canal Beaches, estuaries of the Snohomish.
Stilly & Skagit Rivers (incoming tide fishing best). We will continue
upstream if rivers get that rain, (I hope) and on we go. Humpy patterns. Humpy Cherise is found onsite. Humpy Chaser is located on the Members only page. Our Humpy Skater pattern is a dry fly for Pink Salmon. This fly is like beyond Cop Car. We don't give them up. Almost every other fly is on site, but not this one! I won't tell you clients have to snip it off at the end of the trip, but we don't sell them. You have pet patterns too, right? Flyfishsteelhead.com
Searun Cutthroat Tactics is a timely article you might find interesting. For
information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking
Information 8/7/05 "One man's floor, is another man's ceiling" Ok, I could tell you about the day at Neah Bay last weekend reported to have a bunch of Coho that passed through the Straits. That was one day. The ocean went "grave yard" by the time I came back from Vancouver Island, and coastal guys started wandering half way to Japan, out of Neah Bay, looking for the mystery Silvers. I didn't really start fishing Neah Bay until the late 70's, after I finished my Fisheries degree at U of W, So I suppose there are some who have been at the saltwater flyfishing out on the coast longer than I. But I have to tell you. I have never seen a coho drought like this at Neah Bay. We tried everything this side of bait or spoons. After a few days of pounding away, I came to the resolve the coho simply were not there. We marked some humpies but between the up coming beach fishing, estuary, and skating flies through September. Well, let's just say, it's not like we aren't going to doing a ton of that. For you ocean humpy chasers: Most anglers do not realize Pinks generally travel in the top thirty feet of the water column. Daylight and dark days sometimes find them, right in the surface. (Like a coho.) Many anglers make the mistake of actually fishing below the schools. They slap on their weights or down rigger, and right through the salmon. In flyfishing the ocean rips at daylight, a floating or intermediate line is all you want. Find the school and you are golden. As with any schooling fish, if you realize you are in them, try to stay to the outside of the seam, and fish the edge of the school. You will catch a lot more fish and you won't put them down. You can play the colors as long as it is pink. I fish smaller rather than bigger, I fish sparser, rather than bulky patterns. Pink/white or straight pink, flies are golden, especially in the fog. We have one that imitates and pink krill, that works well. Just remember most humpies like to hit the fly on the drop, so strip, strip, pause, is the presentation. When the sun goes bright, then switch to your heavy sinker lines. The Neah Bay digger is the best I have found, but I am sure there are others.
Seal and Sail Rock overlooking Snow
Creek Resort. I am glad that the kelp fishing is finally getting a little respect. The ocean cliffs and islands around Skagway, Mushroom Rock, and even Sail and Seal Rock hold everything from Ling Cod to Kelp greenling, but it is the pelagic Black Rockfish (Seabass) that hold the show. I am sure there are times you could toss in your kitchen knife and they would probably take a whack at it, but my three favorite flies are; poppers (make sure they have eyeballs, predator fish always attack the eyes), Clousers in the familiar flor. green/white and also the angelhair peacock hurl/white (awesome candlefish pattern)! and our Cop Car. Yup, killer saltwater pattern. I tie my saltwater flies with strands of holographic flashabou. These bad boys really light up the water. River Fishing is all about finding cool, quiet waters. If you thought all the rivers are running too warm, you are wrong, many (OK, most are), but there are some notable exceptions. Only problem is, many of the cool rivers are glacial fed, so the visibility is shot. Pays to poke around. The Dolly/Bulls are on the move, but the Suiattle
River is kicking some major silt so you might want to fish in the Darrington
area, or Rockport upstream, on the Skagit.
Stilly Tidewater Schools: September 2 or 3. Pinks & SRC are already moving in. Looks like another fine gig. Right now there is room in both schools. Grande Ronde 3 day Cabins & Campouts. $550. (not double occ). October. Many of these very popular expeditions are full. Please inquire for specific availability. Because sometimes you just gotta go fishing, Dennis, Mike, Jonathan, & Darrel.
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
7/31/05 The good on the good: It would be enough, just to have the Pink Salmon, coming in the rivers, (didn't say they are always easy to catch!) but the Searun Cutthroat are sneaking in, too. The key is to down size your flies - a little. All your traditional SRC patterns will work. Until the waters cool (this rain?) look for them in the snaggy areas along side a good riffle. They need the oxygen. No, I think the real bonus may be the Tidewater Coho coming in. Many of these are hatchery Silvers, and can drive you crazy as a poor biter, but enough of them do, and they will kick your but# when it happens! Everyone is going to tell you something different, but I really like our SRC & Humpy & Coho, beach flies. You can find out more on these patterns at www.streamsideflyshop.com
Now I am going to ask you three things in your fishing.
Enough said. Mike and I will be busy for the next month chasing these salmons, SRC, and even the odd steelhead kicking around. October Steelhead: Thanks to all who are lined out for our Grande Ronde steelhead camp-outs and daily guide trips. Looks like another special season. Life is tuff, but I guess somebody has to do it. After twenty years as a full time steelhead flyfishing guide, I still can't imagine doing anything else. Release them gently, Dennis & Mike, Jonathan & Darrrel www.flysteelhead.com For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
7/24/05 "Steady as she goes" For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
"Life, as we know it." Well, life has settled in since my western state road trip. (Back again from Idaho.) Mike & Jonathan have been fishing the Skykomish and Stilly waters while I have been away. All three of us have been back to guiding this week. I would like to say the North Stilly has taken top honors this week. The river took a pulse of both wild Deer Creek native steelhead and Fortson bound hatchery fish in the last few days. River is back to low again. Look for the best action from Deer Creek confluence downstream, Hazel, (above the slide), and the skinny water fishing in the Fortson-French Creek area. You are going to need to change up your tactics, depending on which section you choose. The lower river fish will hit about anything from surface flies (Crystal Caddis) to Woolly Worms. The water visibility is only moderate, but the fish don't care, in fact it kinda helps with the bright and sunny days we have been having. The Hazel fish are also seeing fishing pressure, but the water is low and gin clear so fishing early and late are good, longer lighter tippets are better, and time to move to smaller flies. Dead drifting nymphs are excellent if you are good at it. Keep your colors somber, fish have seen all the fancy stuff. Fortson Fish are Fortson fish. I don't spend much
time here, but it has some fish. Think spring creek, It is the guy who
can show him something different, who will get the bite.
Mike has done surprisingly well on the Skykomish, but I think they have accounted for as many Chinook as they have steelhead. He is back on the Sky, today. The water has warmed and floating lines are working, especially for the wild fish headed for the forks. Contact WDFW about their trucking steelhead above the falls. Had a lovely day on the Skagit the other day? Hatchery Chinook are headed for the Cascade River. Pink & white marabous are the drill, but you can't keep them. Dollies are kind of in between migrations right now, but we did handle some to 23." Bull Trout? The Sauk gets a wonderful run of Dolly/Bulls (heck, I don't even know what to call them anymore) but both the Sauk and the Suiattle are in full snow melt, and as the Suiattle is a glacial stream, it is running the color of a puke brown. Clear Creek area and above is good later this summer. Fine trout fishery. Boys are telling me it is time to be heading back over to the Olympic Peninsula. I am all over that. As the Coho of Neah Bay apparently have already made their onslaught, looks like the coast will be hopping. Come on rain! Stilly Steelhead School July 22 or 23 Had a couple cancellations in the Saturday class. Everything is locked and loaded. Yell if you haven't received your Stilly School itinerary. Humpies Are coming? As the fall salmon start their homeward journey, good time to brush up on your river tactics for salmon. Check out Flyfishing Pacific Salmon on Flies Grande Ronde Campouts: October 15-17 or 17-19. Due to angler demand. We have now added one more expedition to this year's fall calendar. That's about it for now. Rod tip up, and release them, gently.
Best of fishing,
Dennis & the boys www.flysteelhead.com Mike, Jonathan, &
Dennis
Best of fishing,
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information 7/10/05 "And there you have it" I am never going to complain about a rainy June, again. I figured I have seen pretty much all the local scene has to offer, but this low water/high water, deal is really something. The good news is, it has forced me to fish in places, I have meant to, for years. "And the hits just keep on coming!" July is just a continuation of June. Sunny one day, rainy for the next two. So there you go. This is what I know: All the rivers took some rain, Yeah! Summer steelhead have been trickling, this so hold do it. Happy for our schools. (See below) Check our river levels page. Falling waters is what you are looking for. Good time the take a look at Searun Cutthroat Tactics. Guiding: August 15-30 Southwest Washington waters will heat up with combo Steelhead/SRC guided trips. Ask about it! Stilly NF Steelhead School: July 22 or 23 Everything looks like a go, Getting excited
Grande Ronde Steelhead Oct 15-17 is golden. Happy to answer any questions
Best of fishing, For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
7/3/05 "Sometimes you want more" I would have to confess, of all the fishing I do
from Alaska to Mexico, jumping big rainbows has got to be right up there.
I was hoping to hit the sockeye smolt outmigration, so legendary in waters
like the Naknik's Rapids Camp, for big rainbow trout. No such luck. Mike,
Jonathan & I arrived in Southeast a little later than we anticipated.
Work got in the way. Not only this, but the river we planned to fish was
in full runoff, and though we spent the full first day at it, fishing
was simply, "OK." A few rainbows to 5lbs., and couple bright
sockeye on egg patterns. We wanted more. We ended up fishing some tributaries
we hadn't seen before.
Large Alaskan Bow # 6 Chernobyl Ant
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information
6/19/05
Mike & Jonathan are fishing the Skagit today in a two boat, gig. My good wife has had the week off so this was my "Honey Do" week. Do you think some women lay awake at night dreaming of projects to do? We live out in the country woods on a couple acres. Amazing. Anyway. Boys have been out fishing. Rivers are down for this time of year, but there are steelhead and Chinook if you can look in the right places. The 4th of July is the unofficial start of the hatchery 2 salt steelhead as well as the Deer Creek native steelhead, for the Stilly basin. These Stilly wild summer steelhead will show soon, and simply improve through out the summer. Searun Cutthroat are a fall fish. Watch for them in August. Focus your fishing from Deer Creek downstream. These wild summer fish take surface flies very well so if you have never taken a steelhead on top.......well, you're just letting the best part of life, pass you by. Right now there is enough color in the water below the Slide that anything below C-post, I would still be fishing winter flies and technique while the water clears. Two many non-thinkers on the court: I happened to ask the opinion of a longtime angler what he thought of the "don't lift the released steelhead from the water," law. He offered a simple solution that would have made a lot more sense, that most anglers do, anyway. The rule should have read." Any potentially released steelhead must remain out over the water until released." This, of course would prevent steelhead from flopping in the bottom of the boat or being dragged up on shore. Perfect. Anyone who actually fishes, knows that even a few inches of water will cushion a fall, should the fish slip out of hand. Oh well. I wish that was our biggest fisheries problem. Here is a satirical look at Washington's Flyfishing Politics of today. I wrote this story back in 1998. How prophetic. It's called, So what is Flyfishing Back to Fishing: The Skagit system is pretty quiet. The low snow pack will allow for upper tributary exploration, shortly. The Skagit below Rockport is fishable as we speak. Our guides say the fishing is so-so. Skykomish system: Water is down, few kings around, steelhead is spotty. Good time to fish the salt. Speaking of which. Neah Bay continues to get it done. Very weather dependent. Rockfish are the drill, but Ling cod and Kelp Greenling are fun, if you don't mind going down for them. If you haven't skated surface patterns for the Black Rockfish, it is really fun. Look for current edges that push the bait right up into the kelp. We have had fish come completely out of the water after our flies. Too cool. Had the WDFW had been on the ball a few years ago, they would have realized the world class recreational fishery potential, and saved t |
