Skagit Winter Steelhead Schools: February 4 or 5

Skykomish Winter Steelhead Schools: Jan 14 or 15

Olympic Peninsula Steelhead
Feb 10 - April 30

Steelhead & Salmon guide trips

Mexico Bonefishing
Feb 20 - March 20

*Pay for a guide trip online*

12/26/04

"Christmas Time Rivers"

The holidays find the North sound rivers all over the board. Cool and rainy seems to be the drill and each river handles it differently. Fishing is as scattered as the weather.

Skykomish River: 2,880 cfs as of Sunday Morning. Chums and silvers are all but gone, but winter hatchery steelhead in fits and spurts. Even hearing rumors of a few wild natives showing. Now that is pretty 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 prefer to fish the softer colors such as blues, blacks and purples in marabous and Practitioners. Any of your silhouette colors will work. As the Sultan River still has color, if it rains, try fishing upstream, from High Bridge to 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. Our January steelhead schools will cover much of this.

Stilly, North Fork: 4600 cfs. @ Deer Creek. River is out. We will need a cold snap to put it back to shape. The little stream should get some new winter hatchery steelhead. but staying with them from day to day, is the trick. The lower river doesn't have a lot of great holding water, anyway, so these hatchery brats can really cover some water. Bottom Line: If you don't find where you left them from the day before, get on your horse and move around.

Flies & technique: Bobbers work but we prefer swinging flies on sink-tips. Poor Mike has had a Christmas rush on his Yancy lines. Take heart. I promise we will have some to demo in our upcoming Sky Winter Steelhead school.

Sauk: Not so good news: Even the 1991 flood didn't destroy the holding water like it has now. It's flushing but it will be slow. Wouldn't waste my time, yet.

Skagit: 5,000 > 8,000 cfs. The late running Silvers and Chum, this winter, are in their final chapter. It was a very good run of fish. Mike released a lovely wild coho the other day. Dollies, steelhead and coho are the drill.

Skykomish Winter Steelhead Schools: January 14 or 15. Our annual Skykomish winter steelhead schools are just around the corner. Take a minute to check out our Custom Steelhead schools.
Why didn't I think of that before? We have even added an evaluation form for anglers to decide which school is best suited for them.

Fish Conservation: Why am I am not surprised? Word I hear, is Sparkly 2 is going to propose that All fish that are not to be retained, should be released without removing from the water. Yeah, the Yakima River & and Quality Waters trout guys will have to be thrilled about that one. You can't argue the logic: If the rule is good for one salmonid, I guess it's good for another.

Just when you were ready to throw rocks: Did you know that the Quinault Indian Tribe does not fin clip their winter steelhead? We release them all back to the water, then we don't have to decide. Just thought you should know.......

Merry Christmas & best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike, Jonathan, & Darrel www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

December 19, 2004

Holiday Time

Rivers bounced in high water, during the last fishing report. Skagit fell in to shape by Wednesday. Still the odd chum around, but its pretty much a Dolly show now. Speaking of which, been releasing some dandies lately. A few over five pounds! A single handed 5 wt. and a floating line is golden.

Think Alaska:

Egg patterns and flesh flies are the drill for consistent Dolly fishing, now. Fish them just like you would the rainbows behind the sockeye spawn, in Alaska. There are some wonderful wild Char out there.

Kudo's to you: I don't foresee the WDFW changing fishing regulations to protect the Dolly/Bull in the Skagit drainage, any time soon. I do get letters from anglers and guides who have taken it upon themselves to release these wild Char. Kudo's. It is where a change can start.

Be careful what you wish for: Some people are not going to connect the dots like you do. Not lifting a steelhead from the water during a C&R fishery seems like a good idea. Heavens know, I would rather see that, than a netted steelhead flopping around in the bottom of a drift boat, while the guy searches for his pliers. But. It happens to be a small jump for some people; that if lifting a steelhead from the water is bad, so is the conducting of any sport (such as fishing) that involuntarily induces a steelhead to stick his head from the water (jumping). Ergo: All sport fishing for steelhead must be bad, because steelhead often lifts his head from the water, when hooked.

You think I am over reacting? Wander back to your favorite conservation group and ask them, what is their policy on Catch & Release fisheries? I won't mention names here, but you may be shocked what organizations maintain, all nonkill sport fisheries are considered inhumane. Our very existence of responsible, nonretentive fishing, is being undermined. Careful what you wish for.

The commercial netting is pretty intense right now. The high water has brought in some winter steelhead, but it's never good when the anglers outnumber the fish.

The water is cold now. Flylines Catch Fish is probably the best article I have written on winter steelhead.

Our Flyfishing Schools have gone crazy. Every once in a while even I will come up with a good idea. *Custom schools, where an angler schedules his own day, and we find the other one or two anglers to join him, has just been huge. Total win-win situation. (*contact me for details)

We have also had a ton of response on our Advanced Floating Lines for Winter Steelhead/Dolly class. We still haven't set any dates as yet but we are trying to fit it in our guide schedule. Looks like early February. Keep you posted.

Fishing forecast: Weather is supposed to hold. Lots of eagles down now. I don't need much of a reason to spend a quiet day on the Skagit. Kind of itching to float the Sauk again, if the river will drop just a little bit more........

Rivers will be fishing prime until the weather changes. There are fish to be visited, and much to be thankful for.

Merry Christmas to all,

Mike, Jonathan, Darrel & Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

Best of Fishing,

D

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

December 12, 2004

"Dog days & Dolly nights"

As you read this, the rivers are swollen, and winter steelhead are coming in. The cold nights are dropping waters but the weather Doppler says it may be short-lived. Ah, such is life in the Pacific Northwest.

North Sound rivers:
Mike and Jonathan just got back from fishing the Olympic Peninsula. They found good fishing until monsoon Mary came through and forced them back for home. Darrel and I have been focusing on the Skagit up in the Rockport area. Believe it or not, fresh dogs continue to come up, Dollies continue to head down, and steelhead should continue to trickle in on this high water.

Black Bart continues to be our number one swinging fly for Chums, Steelhead (they will hit anything) and Dollies*. Dollies will grab anything, as long as it has an egg associated with it.

If the river recede, we will have fish.

I know many of you like to fish on your own. That's cool. Some guys will write me and almost apologize for simply asking a question. Don't feel bad, Dickson guides may not have a lot of time, but always happy to get you pointed in the right direction. Here is an article I wrote a while back called Choosing a Guide

Skykomish River Steelhead Flyfishing Schools: January 14 & 15
Schools are pretty much full now. Always welcome to check on last minute cancellations. (Remember, only the deposit will hold the date. If there is a question on your status, just give me a holler.)

New School Concept: We are adding a new concept in our Flyfishing Schools:

Skagit or Skykomish River Steelhead Custom Schools: Class size & different levels. How would you like to have your own private Steelhead Flyfishing school for $150?

This is how it works. Pick a date with us, 20 days or more in advance, and we will set it up. All we ask is that we can add two more guys to your school day. If we can't find one or two anglers to fill your custom 3 angler school? You have a private school, all to yourself. Your guide will still provide all the trick gear and secret flies. (Like Yancy Outfits, & eggsucking CopCars.) He will go over the whole drill of reading water and fly presentation, just like the big class. Private gig.

Will these custom schools take the place of our monthly conventional Steelhead Flyfishing Schools? No way, but it does allow for the guy who is a little group shy, but would really like to learn the mystery steelhead.

Next week we can explore Advanced Steelheading classes such as " Floating line Presentations for Dollies & winter steelhead". (No dates as yet)

Steelhead & Salmon Manners: In my former life, I worked as a Tribal Enhancement Biologist. We would capture wild salmon (and steelhead) from the Stillaguamish River, and use them in our broodstock program. We used everything from scoop traps to rod & reel. We held live adult fish in holding tanks, sometimes for weeks before they were ripe enough to spawn. When you have literally handled thousands of adult fish for extended periods of time like I have, you learn a lot about handling fish. We also know how to handle fish in a C&R fishery. Just thought you should know.

Happy fishing through the holidays,

Mike, Jonathan, Darrel & Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

December 05, 2004

"And you said we weren't going to have any fun"

As you read this, the rivers are in prime shape, and winter steelhead are just coming in. A late shot of bright dogs are swimming the Skagit, and more and more Dolly/Bull Char are showing up every day. Many fish in the mid twenty inch range. Imagine what the fishing would be like if we didn't kill them?

Fishing conditions is all about finding suitable river levels. Check River Levels is a great way to see if the rivers are fit, from your computer. Here is a rough and dirty I use:

Skykomish: 8,000 cfs or below, on a dropping water
Sauk: 7,000 cfs or below...
Stilly at Deer Creek: 3,000 cfs or below...
Skagit is a little trickier, because of dam daily fluctuations. No fishing above 10,000 cfs. from Marblemount gauge.

Black Bart has been our number one swinging fly for Chums, Steelhead (they will hit anything) but our Egg-sucking Cop Car is a great fish finder. Dollies are still locked into anything with an egg associated to it. Egg-n-shuck off floating lines - way too much fun.

Because you asked for it: The most controversial article I ever wrote has to be Doublehanded rods Advantages & Disadvantages. That was some five years ago. This is my five year review.

No, the Beach Popper has little resemblance to our Skagit Skater, but it might work for river fish, too.

Sorry: To my knowledge, no flyshop has the Skater Skater. We don't even sell them on Mike's Streamsideflyshop site.

A) Still working the bugs out.

B) takes 20 minutes to build one

C) We tend to get into trouble when we talk too much about a fly or a fishery

Skykomish River Steelhead Flyfishing Schools: January 14 or 15

Our January 2005 Sky school is filling up. We have been getting great feedback on these educational clinics. We are now considering adding university level classes for those who are already catching steelhead on the fly, who just want to expand their arsenal in presentation and flies. Very cool.

Most guys are just smarter than that: Ever notice how much attention a few guys put into trying to discredit what Dickson guides do? The reason isn't because our little 6 - angler schools, are filling the streams with anglers. That is stupid. You would have to close every retail, cancel every fishing magazine, stop every fishing club outing, to somehow prevent that one.

No, the real reason is because our schools and clinics actually work. We build anglers. Whiney-butts know it. They can't be mad at you for taking the class, so they get upset at me and my guys for providing it. Ah, such is life.

Missing the mark: There is a wise saying that goes something like this:
"Wise men discuss ideas, common men discuss events, and little men talk about each other."

There are so many things that we should address such as protecting wild fish, here in our own state. If we truly are sportsman. Can't we put aside this whiney-butt dribble and get back to saving our fisheries? Our kids are counting on us.

Now that would be a Christmas present,

Dennis, Mike, Jonathan & Darrel.

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

11/28/04

Football and beyond.

Rains and swollen rivers have kept us off the rivers for the past few days.
Mike is out on the Skagit as we speak. Jonathan & I will be out on Monday. This is my catch-up time, so I have been tying Skagit Skaters, watching football, and adding post Thanksgiving calories.

Who would have ever thought?

Back in the late 70's, I stumbled onto and developed a saltwater Chum Salmon fishery called Hoodsport. This was back in a time, where C&R was a 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.....Yeah Baby!

Five years ago, I started writing about wonderful flyfishing for Dolly Varden on the Skagit and Sauk rivers. Better knowns were 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......Experts back peddled.

For the last few days we have been enduring early winter rains, which hopefully will revert back to a stunning late fall. The weather during this time of year can change on a dime. Lovely one day, brutal conditions, the next. High waters have brought in even more Chum salmon in our Washington streams, and from freshwater to salt, anglers are out enjoying both the despicable chum and the trashy Dolly Varden. Late Silvers are showing, again. Does my heart good.

Why? Because only anglers who enjoy our fisheries are the ones who become passionate about saving and protecting our fish and their waters. It truly takes a village.

Skykomish River is falling 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 struggling, but may get to fishable if the cold weather comes.

Dollies are on the Chum redds. Our glue egg-n-shuck is real good. Careful where you wade, careful where you cast! As the Chum spawn and die, the flesh flies will start up again.

Chums are known for the color green, green is about my number four color. Combinations of blacks, (Black Bart), purple, (micro Eggsucker), pinks (Pink Stinker) are all good. Chum Sport which is green, is the freshwater counterpart, to Dickson's' Chum Candy. See, I told you I was a legend in my own mind......

Everybody knows Dollies and Chum won't take in the surface, so don't even bother.

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.

Eggsucker C.C., and Black Bart (both have egg faces) are important now, because the Dollies are keyed into eggs, and good luck trying to keep it away from the puppies!

If you wanted to know if your flyfishing reels are up to steelhead, fish now. Chums will show you what's what.

Winter steelhead are around the corner. By popular demand, we are now offering a Winter Steelhead Flyfishing School on the Skykomish River. Think mid January for this comprehensive school. Course will cover sinktipping with both single and double handed rods.

If your sweetie is having trouble coming up with a present this Christmas. Our Gift Certificate is already getting attention. Good for either Schools or Guide trips

Winter Blues: Mexico Feb 20 - Mar 20 Bonefishing in the Caribbean,.

Accused of about everything, but never of not catching fish,

D & the boys

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

11/21/04

"Can you spell Chum?"

As our Skagit fall schools come to a close for another season, I am again reminded just how much fun they are. So many species, so many types of flies and presentation. It would be hard to relegate but I think the top experiences would have to be Toshi's runaway on a Skagit Skater, (a fish we never did see, it just headed for the middle of the river and took everything)! Maybe it was Jasmine's 15 pound buck chum which ate her egg-n-shuck while targeting a Dolly riffle. Not only did she land this bad-boy (this was her first day flyfishing), she managed it on her little 5 wt. I just didn't have the heart to tell her to break it off. You know in 30 years of chasing chums, I have never had to necessitate a Chum. Pretty amazing when you think about it.

At the day's end, our Skagit Scholars floated down to the Sutter Creek boat launch. A couple guys commented on the jam show going on down at Swift Creek. If they only knew.......

The real good news is fresh salmon continue to migrate into our local streams. Plenty of fishing opportunity if you don't mind getting out and exploring a bit.

Low flows and low temps. continue, good news is, even some early winter steelhead are showing. Darrel released a dandy winter hatchery fish the other day.

The Skagit is still producing Chum and Dollies. Black Bart is very good for Chum on the bright days, Dollies still hanging around the salmon. Hooked a ton of whitefish while chasing the char on Mikes Egg-n-shuck. Jon took this lovely Dolly the other day while he and Mike reconed on the Sauk. Pretty cool. When you catch them on the back end of a redd, pretty obvious what they are feeding on.

Sauk Dollies are holding off creek mouths and soft current seams. This fishery will only get better ... if this next rain doesn't knock the river out. (The Sauk has just come into shape) This poor stream is still silted up, but it is trying to flush. Let's hope.

All the rivers are low and ultra clear. Fish accordingly.

We are already getting inquiries about our 2005 Olympic Peninsula steelhead season. Our plan is to finish out this fine salmon season, fishing through January on our local North Sound streams for Steelhead and surface Dollies. We book our OP trips after the hatchery runts come through and the wild native enter. Think February. Yes, the Chosen River is a real stream, we just don't talk about it.

For a comical read, try Guide Hats in our Stories & Articles section.

Oh, if you wanted that last shot at the North Fork Stilly before it flips over to gear, better hit it before Dec 1.

Best of fishing thru the holidays,

Dennis

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

11/14/04

"So much fishing, so little time."

Fishing continues as the rivers have settled back. More rains are forcasted, We will see. All species are happening. From waiting period Coho, to upriver summer steelhead, everything is in the mix. Me and the guides are bouncing from river to river right now. The Stilly is good above the slide for summer steelhead, SRC & Dollies. Careful where you step. Many Chum salmon are spawning now.

Speaking of which: Early dollies are coming out of the Sauk, and Skagit chum and Coho are throughout the system. One of Jonathans guys even swam a bright winter steelhead, but it was camera shy and wouldn't come to shore. Did I mention the Sky fish are showing well? 2 Bit down to Monroe has a ton of Chum & Coho in it, but when the water goes to air clear, it is time to go with the light long leaders if you want to catch them biting.

I like fishing the SRC, coho, and steelhead on floating line techniques, Dogs traditionally do better on sinktips and scaled down egg sucking leaches, but try the surface. It works. Pays to experiment with line presentations.

All species doing well. Even a gazillion white fish. Think they will ever be a sport?

Letter to Brian: I feel ya Man. Three days without a steelhead on the Grande Ronde is tuff. Here are some of the Grande Ronde photos, our guys took.

Some of the clients asked that names not be added. I can respect that. Ton of thanks to those who contributed in these 91 pictures.

Guys ask me all the time, "Why don't you write more?" I really didn't mean to, but sometimes life turns on a dime. Here it is: "Sometimes it's not about the Fishing"

Dolly Schools: Nov. 19, 20 or 21 Wow!!! That was a hit. All our classes were full but I see we had a couple guys bail for Saturday. We will go over everything from casting with single & double handed rods to three different presentations from Coho to SRC. If you haven't received your itinerary yet, just give me a holler.

To the dogs that bark:

Anyone who has to flame over a bulletin board is a coward. My email is what it is. My phone number is at the bottom. Any guide would feel the same....

Best of fishing,

Dennis

425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

11/07/04

"Meet Darrel"

Every business goes through it's growing pains. We at Dickson's are happy to announce our newest flyfishing guide, Darrel. Come read about him in our Biography section. We are lucky to have him. As they said in Boston,

"We are just a bunch of idiots"

The Fishing week:

We were finally able to get out of the rain shadow for a few days.......the rivers are back to fishing well.

Skykomish River: Plenty of Coho, chums are in and coming. Green works.......cerise/purple is even better. All the fly pools holding fish from Gold Bar to Monroe.

Skagit: Appears the chum run is stronger than anticipated. Just opened for kill. *Dollies are bailing......some big boys coming out. Marabous and bunny leaches will get them. As Chums are in, Mike's egg-shuck is deadly.

Sauk: Was fishing well before the high water. Look for a few more cold nights for the river to come to prime. Couple nasty sweeps in the upper run......so be careful. Pools are beginning to flush in the middle section.

Stilly: River is fishing well, above the Slide, but continues to create havoc below. Everything is in there, now. Some late hatchery steelhead have even shown in Fortson. Hitting a variety of flies. Hazel area is good. Released a 21" SRC, a 6 pound summer steelhead.......and a 26" Dolly, all on the same day......that was pretty fun.

I just love it, when WDFW predicts low.....couple that was a couple freshets, and Voila!.....we get fish in. Now watch it rain tonight..........

Rose a lovely 23" Dolly/Bull (as well as a couple Skagit Chum) the other day. Too Cool. If you haven't already read my *Dolly Editorial, (note: this is a link on Washingtonflyfishing.com) - I pose the question. "Should we be killing the wild Char of the Skagit System?"

I promised you an update on the Skagit Salmon/Dolly/Steelhead School Nov 19 > 22

Here is the latest and greatest:

Nov 19 - 2 slots available

Nov 20 - 1 slot

Nov 21 - Full

Nov 22 - canceled (sorry, other obligations)

So there you have it. Lots of fish around, Drop by anytime.

Best of fishing.

Mike, Jonathan, Darrel & Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

Best of Fishing,

D

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

October 31, 2004

"The only thing predictable about a steelhead is his unpredictability" Dennis Dickson.

Brilliant colors and falling leaves remind us that fall may be here, but winter is coming.

I have barely scraped the desert dirt from under my finger nails. 52 anglers and 9 consecutive 3 day Grande Ronde camp-outs, is a lot of fishing. The guides & I had exactly two days off in that month. What did Mike and Jonathan want to do on their day off? Fish! Can you believe that?

Here is what Willie had to say about his Grande Ronde trip.

I marvel how Michael & Jonathan can bounce right back into the westside salmon/steelhead scene after 12-16 hour G. R. days, since the end of September.

We are compiling a Foto album of all the fishing, which we will send our to our G. R. angling guests, so if you have a special pic, Mike will be happy to include it. Thanks again for coming. Way too much fun.

Back to North Sound Rivers. Rain brought in more salmon & steelhead. Life is good.

Fishing was excellent before yesterday's rain, high fish numbers simply continue in all our north sound rivers.

Monday is not like Tuesday: Every day brings a different tide. Chum and Coho continue to dominate the scene. Rivers like the Snohomish, Skagit, and Stillaguamish are getting it done. If you ever wanted to explore Pacific salmon fishing on a fly, now is the time to get it done. I wrote an article called Flyfishing Pacific Salmon. Might want to check it out. The Yancy line is working, as well as the floating lines and long leaders. As the waters fall: These waters can get deceptively clear. Seagar Grand Max is the best fluorocarbon on the market, and we have been fishing it a lot, when the rivers go to air-clear.

Flies are as variable as the season. One day it's Mrs. Black, next day it's Pink Stinker. Black Bart is a good producer, and one day, all they wanted was a C. C., fished under the surface, on the next...

I think a huge rush, is skating flies across the surface. The Coho can just crush it. Chums & Dollies are not supposed to come to the surface. Guess they can't read.

Pick your poison, baby! Chum Sport and ever popular Chum Candy will work here. For Coho try the Clouser Minnow in Green/white or Pink/white......but fish SRC sizes, not only the big stuff after the rains.

Dolly/Coho/Winter Skagit Steelhead schools: Nov 19 >22 are just around the corner. Fast becoming the most popular school we do. Learn the tackle and technique that river salmon really bite. Every species has his own preferred waters, his own particular flies and line presentation. Should be a bunch of fish, to practice on.

I promise to give an update on what dates are still available, next week. I have prepared a detailed itinerary, as your deposit comes thru. We do get late cancellations. Want to put together your own group? No problemo! We can custom build a school, just for you.

Dickson Watch: My bad. When I advertised the Chum Salmon as part of our upcoming Skagit Flyfishing schools, I was told on good authority, we should be having a *Skagit kill Chum fishery again in 2004, typical of a nonhumpy year. We were just stumbling back from the Grande Ronde marathon, when we put up. *{The Skagit Chum is now open for kill}

I am humbled there are so many who care so much of what Dickson Flyfishing, does.

Next week I hope to introduce you to our newest flyfishing guide. Meet Darrel.

Bad to the bone,

Dennis, Mike, & Jonathan www.flyfishsteelhead.com

Best of Fishing,

D

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

Oct 24, 2004
"Back at the Ranch"

As Mike, Jonathan & I have just returned from nearly a month on the Grande Ronde. I would like to thank my sweet wife for holding down the fort while we have been away.
Here is the scoop.

North Sound streams heat up

As we approach the first of November, Our weather patterns are as variable as the tides. We are now fishing in the upper North Fork Stilly, Sky & Skagit Rivers for steelhead. The Chum salmon are swimming past us all day. The fishing is both floating lines and sinktips, and we are catching just about everything. Way cool. Our top fly is our egg-n-shuck pattern. Dead drifted, no weight and no indicator. Dollies, SRC, and even a steelhead....if you can get it by the Chum. GRRRRR.

We are fishing down into the estuary as weather permits - fishing the tides, but the multiple species and nickel bright fish are worth it. Client fly, Mrs. Black, on our fluorocarbon leader, and floating lines was awesome. I always love the days when the boys are into fish so well, we have to apologize by saying," The fishing isn't always like this". Now that's a good day.

Anyway, there are tons of fish; the straits, along the beaches (try your Clousers), in the estuaries, and up the rivers.

The good news: As water reach oxygen saturation below 47 degrees, and Stilly temperatures are in the mid forties, I simply haven't seen a prespawning mortality, or even stressed fish to hand in any species, as some would propose. The commercials are gutting salmon for the eggs (no market for the carcass), all the while cumulative mortality impact of a river recreational fishery is almost nil, but watch those weather patterns. One day you are golden with great visibility, and the next you are washed out.
Better read your regs. on fish retention. Varies from stream to stream. If you have never fished tidal fish, do it now, it's awesome.

New! Winter Coho, Dolly, Steelhead Skagit River Schools Nov 19-22 Come see why this was our most popular schools of the 2002 & 2003 seasons!

Oct 29 or 30 Tidewater School. Canceled.

Fishing continues over on the Grande Ronde. They are also looking for that rain. The Snake always runs warmer than the GR, so that is a good bet, for surface fishing.

While over doing the GR campouts, I ran into a gentleman, who was a first time steelhead flyfisher. He started talking about this amazing fly he got from the local flyshop that was taking the Clearwater and Snake River fish , by storm. I about fell over when he opens his box, and sitting there, is a spitting image of our Crystal Caddis. If you want to see it, go to our www.streamsideflyshop.com, and look in the flies section.

Our North Sound streams fish so well in November. Come spend a day. Lovely fishing.

Best of Fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan
425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

October 17, 2004

Notes from the Grande Ronde:

"The good, the bad, and the ugly."

We have been fishing and camping the last 16 straight days on the Ronde, I am still a little groggy around the edges, but here is some thoughts and reflections of the fishing thus far..

The good: The weather has been lovely and warm, as we started out early October. We have fished a lot of floating lines, which is totally cool. Crystal Caddis was our top producer during the day, and GR, and Twilight ( a black and white spey pattern) was our dawn and dusk fly. As the waters got colder, we gave way to swinging leeches and marabous in the morning, and left the surface stuff in the afternoons and evenings.

We have run into a few smaller wild steelhead, in the 4-10 pound range, but almost half were in the 8-11 pound category. Little more reluctant to come up, but Wow! Talk about hot fish.

The fall colors have come out. Everyone marvels how beautiful the canyons are this time of year. Our fishing trips are designed to miss most of the angling pressure. Happened again.

The bad: The colder temps the past few days, meant we have had to revert a lot more to weighted flies and or sinktips. The last morning temperature was a bloody 42 degrees! That is Thanksgiving to Christmas temps on our local rivers. Fish continued to stack at the Grande Ronde mouth, and the anglers made the lower river look like opening day on Reiter Ponds.

Even we canyon anglers, have seen way too many hatchery steelhead this year, which are more than OK, but its the wild fish that are your abandoned surface risers.

The Ugly:
A few years ago, a prominent angling author wrote a searing article about some guys who came up to his BC waters and pounded his waters to submission with bobbers and lead eyes. I remember after the reading, I was a little miffed on how this author had the nerve to pout sour grapes while describing how the bobber boys were slaying the fish and he and his cronies couldn't hardly find the fish, swinging flies.

Several of my anglers came up from the mouth of the Ronde this year, telling stories how outfitters were moving into pools, lining their guys up, slinging bobbers and jigs, crushing the fish, while never moving, so no one else could even get onto the pool!

Normally, I go way out of my way to not to poo poo any man's sport, but it was this very type of stack up angling that got Bobbers and such, kicked off the fly-only stretch on the Umpqua River. Might want to review my article on River Etiquette.

Anyway, Jonathan, Mike and I are fortunate to get in on some of the awesome fishing. I remember again, why the Grande Ronde is always one of my favorite fall fisheries.

North Sound Streams.

Tidewater Schools Oct 29 or 30

Our upcoming schools are rocking, I will give a latest on what dates are still available, next week.
Look for our new chum salmon flylines, salt flats leaders, and trick flies coming in. My goal is to have our top 50 steelhead, SRC, and salmon patterns, both freshwater to salt, up on site, in the next few weeks.

Back to the fishing, I have been away for while, but we will be back on the lake this Wednesday, so I will give an update on the private lakes.

Well, about time for a power nap........have to get ready to fish tomorrow.

Best of Fishing,

Mike, Jonathan & Dennis
425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

Oct 10, 2004

" If God were to build one steelhead river, it would have to be the Grande Ronde."

Still scrubbing the Eastern Washington dirt from under my finger nails. Jonathan Mike, and I continue the Grande Ronde 3 day Camp-outs. Even I have way too much fun.

Many Kudo's to all the guys and gals who have joined us, or planning the trip, down on the GR this month. Jonathan runs camp, while all three of us did the guiding gig. Far to many tales to tell.

A GR snapshot:

Days have been warm and water clear, typical for early October. When the October Caddis are coming off, the anglers do very well on our Crystal Caddis. Weather has chilled, and temperatures have dropped a bit. More steelhead are coming but a little more reluctant about coming to the surface. We have resorted to swinging sinktips and nymphing techniques. (No, we don't do bobbers...) Mrs. Black, and the Conehead series are very effective. We have fished the surface in the dry fly water, when the light is off the water...

Leaches and buggers will always dredge up a fish as the water goes cold. I like blacks, blues and purple.

According to my numbers, our CPUE (catch per unit effort) has been up this year. Another high note was the number of well conditioned wild fish we found. The number of "first caught steelhead" by our anglers is very gratifying.

From blitz to blizzard:

I really disdain the "How many/ How big" talk anglers get sucked into, sometimes. I do remember one episode when after a nice day of fishing, when a few of our anglers really got into some active fish in one of our canyon pools. The very next day, Mike and I had the one day off of the whole time, so of course we went fishing. I won't go into detail but I will tell you, it was some of the fastest steelheading I have ever seen, (and that includes BC). To spend that magic morning on that one pool, with my son was priceless.

The weather has been unsettled on many days, and to tell you the truth the warm days haven't returned until the day before yesterday, but the fishing was good.

I will keep you posted on our fishing for the next couple weeks.

North Sound Streams:

Coho will be in, and early Chum are on their heels. If we can get 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 Tidewater Schools October 29 or 30 . Very popular outing.

I am often amazed how consistent the fall flyfishing, is. Way too many choices.

I have been fishing and guiding the GR since the late eighties, so each year going back, is like visiting an old friend. I think I can speak for Mike and Jonathan: It's nice to be here..

Best of fishing,
Dennis, Mike & Jonathan
425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

Oct 3, 2004

Well, by the time you read this, Jonathan, Mike and I will be well entrenched on the Grande Ronde. We will be gone pretty much for the month. I will be sending updates to my wife, and fishing reports through my web master. Can't believe it is that time already.

If you didn't get on one of our 2004 3 day campouts. Be sure to check in. We do get cancellations from time to time. Just drop an email. Happy to have you join us.

As we left the North Sound waters.

Wow! Silvers are really hitting the beaches now, lower rivers too. Try and pink/white or a flor. green/white Clouser minnow......but keep them small.

Stilly steelhead is very consistent. Flies et al, are pretty much the same. Small and drab.
SRC are in the tribs and holding off the mouths. Very fine year for them. Watch for the SRC to get on the hatches......they don't all eat spiders.

Skagit has a ton of Silvers now. Dollies are pretty much up in the tribs. Watch for them to come bailing out, just before Thanksgiving.

Now that was a good idea!

The Tidewater Schools October 29 or 30 have gone over very well again. If you can't get in. We will also be doing our November combination schools, too. No dates set.

North Sound (Seattle north) river guide trips: Later October is a great time for a combination of salmon, Dollies, steelhead, and even SRC. We use both floating lines and sinktips to get it done.

Ahhh......another fine fall on the Ronde. Such is a guide's life.

Hey, if I you seeme out there, be sure to say hi.

Best of fishing,

Mike , Jonathan & Me.
425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

9/26/04

"Here today, gone to Maui"

As I have previously mentioned, I have spent the past week flyfishing the Skeena BC area for fall steelhead.

I would love to expound the accolades of our BC week, but the weather Gods were not with us and we found only marginal fishing along with half the flyfishing world flogging the one piece of water that refused to go out of shape.

To be very fair, I found the area anglers and guides to be very respectful. Not only do they have their rules of stream etiquette, they actually follow them.

It pretty much happens everywhere:
As the anglers start to out number the steelhead, there is always more guys struggling to get "first fish".

More and more river sleds to scoop early water, more and more guys abandoning floating lines & surface flies, trying to dredge up any fish they can find. We are still trying to catch a fish.
Perhaps it is because I just pay attention more now, but as we use the spey strokes with or Yancy rods and lines, I notice more now.

I know it sounds really pompous, and I am sorry for that but, I marveled not so much at how many guys who have gone to doublehanded rods, but how many were so bad at basic spey casting. You ever feel like you just want to go over and just help someone?

The upside:
As the week progressed, the waters dropped and cleared and as luck always happens, we had our best fishing day on our last day on the river.

I remember what Michael Fong said in a past flyfishing lecture.
"If you are not catching them here, don't think for a minute you will catch them in the destination waters, you still have to know how". Yes, such is steelhead.

Apples & oranges:
Are the BC waters better than our desert streams? Not a fair question. They are too different to compare. My advice? Fish both.

I managed to contact our guide Jonathan, to find out about his North Seattle river adventures. He has been guiding on the Stilly and the Skagit system.

Steelhead, Coho and a few late running Kings are the drill. The waters are dropping. He started his anglers swinging big marabou & leech patterns, but switched to nymphs and egg nymphing as the waters came down. J. says their success has been very good.

Mike spent the whole week in the Southwestern waters. He reports of doing very well early on, but as the waters were up due to high water, the Fall Chinook have pushed the steelhead out of the flats and tailouts. Fishing became tougher with the spawning Kings.

Egg sucking leeches & our Egg-Shuck are the working flies.
We all head over the Grande Ronde later this week, to ready for our October fishing.
Grande Ronde Campout $499.

I will be sending weekly fishing reports from the GR. in the coming weeks. My sweet wife has the dubious task of running the bookings. She can give you the status of our fishing, or trip availability in these campouts. Email works. Sorry, our campouts have become so popular with our anglers, we don't bother with daily guide trips on the Ronde.

Up and Coming:
We do have our Tidewater Schools October 29 or 30 which were postponed due to high waters earlier this month.

Fall fishing in the North Sound area is a special time, happy to talk about a November guide day.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com
425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

9/19/04

"Just another day on the pond"

Man, you would think there isn't much going on this past week, with monsoon Mary going through.

A time of reflection:

As the rains continued to pour last week, it was evident I was washed out of my up coming river trips. Oh well, I would head to our private lakes the tomorrow. I took the rare opportunity to handle some Honey-do's around the house. So as I am burning the trash in the rain, I find myself moping over the loss of our Tidewater schools on the weekend. It dawns on me; Our south eastern seaboard is flattened and decimated by hurricanes and torrential rains, and I am worried about a few fishing trips.

"The man worried that he had no shoes, until he met the man, who had no feet".

Tidewater Schools October 29 or 30

The Skagit River has only marginal fishing conditions as we speak, but tons of fish and even more anglers are huddling around the Cascade River below the hatchery. Summer steelhead are there, but mostly it is a Silver salmon show.

These Coho are throughout the Skagit system, now.

North Fork Stilly: Out, but watch for a dry spell.

Skykomish River: Out, Ditto.

Mike's southwest streams are fishing well. The trick is finding a little separation. He and Jonathan have done very well.

"Steelhead can be fooled if you can show them something a little different." The best experience in freshwater is fishing surface flies. You would be amazed how well it works. Try it, when everybody else is throwing the book at them.

Grande Ronde Campout Oct 7 > 9 $499.

If you were looking for that perfect excuse to check out the Grande Ronde and you don't mind helping out a little around camp. We just had a late cancellation for two slots. Singles are welcome. Drop an email or call 360 299 2272. Ask for Jonathan.

A beauty Eh?

By the time you read this, I will be flying into some remote waters of the Skeena drainage, for my annual week, into BC. When the locals see me fishing a single handed 6wt., and a surface fly, they are always curious. Only the Tibor Everglade, gives it away. Twenty five years & a few thousand steelhead later. After some time, even a slightly burned out, Fisheries Biologist/Flyfishing Guide will set his own rules of engagement.

Mike is back to the southwest streams again. He is doing very well skating surface flies in the after hours. Totally cool.

Jonathan is up on the North Sound streams this week. He has the dubious duty of answering phone calls & emails while we are out of town.

I don't know what is better - heading up to Canada to chase more steelhead, or knowing that when I get back, we will be getting ready for another fall on the Grande Ronde. Ah, Life is good.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com


For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

9/12/04

"You really don't want to fish there."

Did someone mention rain?

After the great deluge, our rivers have all peaked since yesterday, and on their way back down.
Mike & I can report some happy fishing on the North Fork Stilly, but with the silt load coming in at the slide below C-Post, the only decent fishing before the rain, was either in the upper river, or all the way down into the tidal waters below Silvana. After the rain. Nada.

Weather patterns: Wow, not looking good for the cowboys. Rivers are at saturation levels, which means: Any significant rains are going to make your rivers jump. Keep one eye on the weather Doppler and the other on the USGS river gages.

I look for poor bay fishing in the saltwater, because the fish will pull right into the rivers with the high waters. River conditions are up and down faster than the stock market, and the tributary fish is an October gig. Here is what I see:

Skagit: Upper river jumped to nearly 20,000 cfs. The Chinook are spawning now. I mentioned the Cascade River will have some good fishing above the bridge, but we need a dry spell. The Cascade will also be opening for the below the hatchery kill fishery so you might want to avoid that. Skagit Coho are in now. Egg patterns, and egg-sucking leeches for Coho and the Dollies are the drill.

Stilly & NF: Stilly was still trying to clear form the last clear from the last rain, and she gets hit again. Weather pattern is iffy at best. Upper North Fork will come in fastest, but don't over look the tributary mouths on both the North & South Forks as well as the mainstem Stilly, if the water clears. Both Coho and SRC will be working their way up the system now.

Tuff gig:
I like clean water for both tidewater Coho and SRC. Coho see the fly better, and SRC aren't feeding along the bottom, as if when the water is dirty.

Skykomish System:
The Sky also took it's jump but now back down to 3,640 cfs, as we speak. The early pulse of even year Humpies had their day, but now it is the ever-loving Wallace River non-biting Coho that runs the show. Don't dishearten. The bigger wild fish are on his heels and these fine biting bigger Coho will push right up into the forks. Follow your fishing regulations, please. Presentation is everything.

September is a fine month for the Olympic Peninsula streams. The never-ending theme is of course is watch those river flows. I always cringe a little when there is enough water for the locals to start running their hardbottoms, again. River attitude changes back to the winter kill mentality when the whack-em & stack-em starts up, again.

I guess the good news is, these guys don't mess with the SRC. The Bogey, Sol Duc & the Calawah rivers, all have fine populations of this underrated fish.

Up and coming:
Stilly Tidewater Schools: Sept. 17&18 Aborted?
Contact: 425 238 3537

Due to the weather patterns we will plan for the schools BUT, October 29, 30 & 31 would be the make-up dates if we get blown off. Please watch for an email from me sometime mid week, to announce if we can make this weekend or not. I will apologize in advance for making the proposed make up dates not until the end of October. Between our September trips and the

Grande Ronde campouts, we just don't have any weekends, in between.
Southwest Washington: Zig & Zag. Yeah, you really don't want to do this. Especially skating flies after hours. When everyone zigs......zag.

Jonathan just returned from a week in southwest Washington. Mike will be heading back down in a few days. It's that bad.

Fishing the early fall reminds of an episode that happened you me years ago on the Stilly North Fork. Read Eagles are like that.

Grande Ronde is only a few weeks away now. It is dry and dusty. Sure, the steelhead will rise surface flies, and scenery is stunning, but it is a long way, and you probably wouldn't like it. Nah, you don't want to go there, either.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

9/05/04

"Must be fall"

The problem with the fall is we simply have too many options. Here are just a few.
Skagit: The Chinook are spawning now. Look for some lovely upriver (prespawn Dollies) heading up the major tributaries. The Cascade River above the bridge, has some dandy fishing, if you are willing to hike a little bit. Don't bother the kings, they have earned the rest.
Skagit Coho are coming now. Watch for the regs. changes, different than the pamphlet. Fish are already to the upper river. Looks like a good run is developing.

Try egg patterns, and egg-sucking leeches for the Dollies et al.

Stilly: Still trying to clear from the Sept 2 rain, look for both Coho and SRC working their way up the system now.

We have our own trick flies for the Coho, but I like hairwings like the Polar Shrimp, and the bigger spiders in orange and black, when the river has color. Getting it down, is not important to SRC, he covers the water column. Fish the Shady overhangs around the wood and rocks. If you are fishing below Silvana. You are going to be fishing tidal influence. I like the incoming tide, but the best time to fish, is when you can.

The upper river has some steelhead but.......I think Mike and Jonathan know everyone of them by name.

Skykomish System:

Great time to fish around the mouth of the Snoqualmie River. Awesome for SRC. All your breather patterns work. Try greaselining up around the Tolt River, for a surface rising steelhead. Surprisingly good in the after hours. A Crystal Caddis or a riffle hitched Lady Caroline is magic. Keep them small.

The Upper South Fork Sky has taken its fish. Lovely time to poke around. Money Creek to Baring is golden. You can fish with nymphs & bobbers, but it is a perfect time to swing flies in the surface. All will work, but again keep the patterns small. #6 > #10 is about right. The water is very clear up here, and the steelhead can see everything. Watch for rolling fish in the late evenings.

Lower Sky: Coho and SRC are doing the drill. Fishing from the Sultan River on down has fish.
Chinooks are spawning now, so again your egg combination series will be the ticket.

The Olympic Peninsula streams were no exception. Look for fine fishing around the Bogey and it's tribs, Sol Duc, and the upper Queets. All for summer steelhead, Coho, and SRC.
If you don't mind more climbing than hiking, the upper Quinault has some really cool canyon pools above the bridges.

Southwest rivers have been quietly getting it done all summer, so nothing new there.

Up and coming:

Stilly Tidewater Schools: Sept. 17&18 Perfect. Fish are coming nicely, classes looking good. I am tying some surface skaters as we speak. Neah Bay Coho killed them. What will Stilly tidewater Coho do?

Jonathan will spend the week in Southwest Washington. Mike & I are running gigs on the North Sound streams.

Fishing Politics:

Wild Steelhead 2 year moratorium defeated. If you were able to find a moral victory in reducing the kill, I am happy for you. Won't change anything. You know it, & I know it.

By now you have heard me talk about the wild Coho release of Neah Bay. Received some very interesting comments from around the region. Here's a letter from Miles, BC Ministry of Fisheries. (when I wrote my response the WDFW Commission hadn't ruled yet)

Yeah, but at least we are fishing!

The Grande Ronde campouts: We are asked about our GR campouts everyday. Here are the top seven questions:

So many choices, so little time.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

8/29/04

"Locked & loaded"

Ok, it rained more than just a little. The week was a basic blow-out, as the river levels rose to nearly 20,000 cfs in some waters. Mike had some good fishing on the Stilly on it's way up. Look for both Coho & Searun Cutthroat along with your summer steelhead as the water subside. Tidewater to upper reaches, all will have moving fish.

Jonathan found the similar fishing conditions on his Olympic Peninsula gig. The Sockeye are waning but good numbers of Coho are pushing in now. SRC fishing will be outstanding. Use breather patterns such as the spider series, as well as Stimulators on the surface.
Spent some time on the private lakes last week, as the rivers were gone. That was fun. All the rivers are down and fishing should be good, with a fresh new look on the Skagit and the Skykomish rivers. If we hit another dry spell, look for good waiting period Coho in some Puget Sound bays. Fun, but very frustrating at times. Check out Flyfishing for Pacific Salmon.
Wild Steelhead 2 Year Moratorium:

First let me commend all those who took the time to email and send letters in behalf of the wild steelhead, and all us anglers who fish them. I know it is politically incorrect to project my views because there will always be those who take offense, but I will always defend the protection of the wild steelhead. The statewide two year moratorium is a great start.

I would like to think, my guides & I work hard at instilling good conservation, & river etiquette in our flyfishing schools, as well as guide trips. It really does take the voice of the village to make the change.

Our Tidewater Schools September 17 & 18 are getting close: (Two slots available each day).
My guides & I will be fishing locally until we finish the Tidewater School, before heading up to BC to fish the Skeena area.

The Grande Ronde campouts: Even though we chase steelhead throughout the year, it seems like I spend half my year reflecting upon the previous season, or anticipating the next. Can't believe we are that close to October, again. I guess it's time...

Wanted: An Outcast 1300 pontoon raft. If you have a line on one you can drop me a line or give me a call at: 425 238 3537

Forget Hawaii this winter? We have an awesome gig we have spent the last several years putting together in souther Mexico. Check out Mexico Bonefishing.

Oh, and remember, you don't have to book a trip to pick our brain, when it comes to flyfishing. We are happy to talk.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

8/22/04

"Right on the money, Honey"

Just returned from a couple weeks out on the coast. Totally cool. Thanks to Mike and Jonathan for holding down the fort, answering emails and phone calls, fishing reports et al., while I been away....again. Many kudos to my good friend Gary L. for lending me his lovely Grady White while we played the salt for a while. Weather was wonderful, and fishing, amazing.

What a novel concept:
The State fisheries management for ocean silvers at Neah Bay is right on the money. Since the mass marking of Coho, (the commercials finally bent to it, screaming and shouting), wild fish are released, and marked hatchery fish can be retained. There are so many upsides to this fisheries management, it would take an entire article to go through them all. Things like; anglers still retaining a hatchery fish while the wild Coho continues his journey to spawn, more recreation, longer seasons meaning more jobs, more commerce. I could go on and on. Kudo's WDFW, you definitely got this one right.

Sad irony: Who would have ever thought that the salmon people would figure this out while our wild steelhead are hanging by thread? Go figure.

It's raining! Never thought I would be praying for that. This weather opens all kinds of doors.
Skagit: Water is being pushed. Had a lovely couple days chasing Dolly/Bulls as they migrate for their natal waters. Try fishing sculpin patterns, and small baitfish flies. Lots of fun. Rain will push both Coho and SRC into the rivers. Kings will start spawning, so egg patterns will start up.

Sauk: Let the waters settle and go back to your tributary fishing, big Bulls will be pushing up along side the wild rainbows.

Stilly: A day too early; So the other day, I am talking to Dad.(Grandpa to some) I just got back from Neah Bay. It is not like I didn't have a ton of things to catch up on. He calls. Wants to chase SRC down in the tidal waters. We decided to drop things and go fishing in the lower Stilly, maybe the cutthroat are in. He has this new fang-dangle pontoon raft thing with battery and trolling motor, I have my inflatable kayak.

I get this really great idea. I hook up my cell phone on my chest waders shoulder strap so I can receive in coming calls. Just like the Cops do, All I have to do is lean my head over and talk. Pretty cool. So I am casting my way down this river bank, floating along in my boat. Feeling pretty good about the phone. I have already, sorted out a couple up coming fishing trips with Jonathan, (my other fishing guide), worked out some details on a big Fisheries consulting project, that Josh and I head out to, later today, and my phone rings. Now after a couple calls with my phone hooked to my shoulder strap, I am thinking that might not be the safest place to keep the phone so I strap it to the bibs of my chest waders instead. I go back to fishing. My phone rings, I unhook it from the bibs. It is the guy from this outdoor TV show, he wants to shoot an episode on the Grande Ronde River, Me and my guys as featured guides. Looks pretty serious. So I lean my head over and assume the phone pinned from ear to shoulder position, and continue to cast......but I forgot to snap in the phone to my shoulder strap. Eric the producer and I are doing some serious tire kicking, as I am casually flipping my fly from the raft into the eddies and seams along to cut bank. A fish strikes. By reflex, I lift the rod into the fish, thus raising my head, and sending the cell phone, down my back, (heaven forbid it would land in the boat), bounces off the pontoon, and into the river. I torque my body so hard around just trying to grab the phone, I just about tipped my boat. I soon found two truths in the world.

A) cell phones don't float

B) Trying to later explain this episode to Eric the producer later of why I cut him off, was almost as hard as telling this fishing story to the cell phone company lady. You understand.

Oh well. I always look for the first significant rain after August 15 to push the Searuns into the river, and this is it! Coho are coming too. All river systems are locked and loaded. Might be a good time to read Searun Cutthroat tactics. Waiting period Silvers will assume the position. Steelhead rejuvenate and start heading back to home waters. Bottom line: Let the weather system pass, and head back out. It is a new game now.

Our Stilly Tidewater Searun Cutthroat & Salmon Sept 17 & 18 are filling fast. I apologize for only doing the two days. We are traveling a lot in September, so we couldn't slot as many days as I hoped.

Speaking of traveling: The October campouts on the Grande Ronde is the most popular gig we do. If you haven't received the 2004 itinerary yet, be sure to send in your $250 deposit so we can fill you in. I live for this one.

Best of fishing to you all,

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com
Cell # 425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

8/15/04

Another beautiful week in Washington. It is nice to comfortly wet wade. My waders leak anyways.

Dennis is still chasing salmon in the sound. They are doing great.

I have still been running back and forth from the O.P. to the local waters. Putting some time on the road. On the Sol Duc I did most of my damage in a hole that I would walk guys into in the evening. There are a few nice walk in spots on the lower part of the river. Sockeye and SRC's were the ticket. That is pretty much the key right now fishing at first light and last light. You can still catch fish during the day but it takes getting the fly a little closer to their noses.

I have been mostly walking in to spots on the local waters too. Spending some time clearing out some of the trails too, the vegetation is growing fast.

The local waters are holding a decent number of fish in the usual spots.

On the stilly I have seen sockeye, SRC's, steelhead, Kings and some really big Dollys. The fish are starting to see a few flies. It is time to start showing them something different. I have seen a few gear fishermen, guys using fly rods with spoons, and even those little white Styrofoam bait containers. It would be nice to see more enforcement on the N.F. Stilly.

On the Skagit we have seen some silvers already. There are kings around but they are hard to get to with the fly. Only a few steelhead are being caught.

The Sauk still is unfishable below the Suiattle. Above the Suiattle there is a little bit of visibility and a few fish around.

Here is a side note from the Wild Steelhead Coalition:

REQUEST FOR LETTERS! THE AUGUST 28 STEELHEAD
MORATORIUM HEARING IS FAST APPROACHING!

PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR WILD STEELHEAD! SEND OUT YOUR
LETTERS TO THE FISH & WILDLIFE COMMISSION. TELL THEM
THAT YOU WANT THE TWO-YEAR WILD STEELHEAD MORATORIUM
TO REMAIN IN PLACE! AT THIS TIME WE ARE ON THE BRINK
OF HAVING THE MORATORIUM REVERSED.
MAIL YOUR LETTERS TO:
Washington Fish & Wildlife Commission
600 Capitol Way North
Olympia, WA 98501-1091
OR E-MAIL:
Commission@dfw.wa.gov

Mailed letters have more weight then do email letters
so if you can take the time to type one out and mail
it in that would be great along with an email.

GET THOSE CAR POOLS ORGANIZED!
While letters are vitally important, being in
attendance at the Bremerton hearing on August 28 will
do even more for our cause. The City of Forks is
planning to bring a large contingent of people who
want the moratorium rescinded. We will need more
people than ever to meet this challenge.
If you plan to testify you will need to have a
copy of your testimony for each of the commissioners
and other officials who will be at the hearing. Even
if you do not plan to give testimony, your presence is
still imperative.

Thank you for your continued support.
Les Johnson, VP Communications
WILD STEELHEAD COALITION

Tidewater Searun Cutthroat & Salmon Sept 17 & 18 are our next flyfishing schools. Last year these single day classes filled early. Pretty popular. Cost $150/angler

See you on the water,

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

8/08/04

As Dennis is out salmon fishing in Neah Bay me and Jonathan have been fishing both the peninsula rivers and the local ones.

The fishing has been awesome out in the ocean for salmon. Dad's first day out he was boasting about doubles through out the day. Not sure if I'll get a chance to do it this year. The rivers have kept me busy. If you get the opportunity I would take it.

Just before Dennis went to Neah bay we fished the Sol Duc. We floated from our red raft. River was skinny but we didn't have to get out and pull too much. We mostly fished surface flies until we came to spots that were holding Sockeye. Very spooky fish and not too aggressive….until you hook into one - great fighters. Lots of bright fish, kinda fun to watch them in schools moving up the shallow rifles and onto the next pool. Dennis cornered a few fish off in about a foot of water and managed to time his fly right to hook into one long enough to blast down river and throw his fly. Sight fishing is so fun. Watching a fish follow your fly can make it hard not to be too trigger happy. Very fun river lots of character and we had it all to ourselves.
It was comforting to fish in the rain again - good thing I remembered my rain jacket. I was just expecting a sprinkle.

Friday's rain gave a small jump in our local rivers. Made for a very fishy day. The rain should get more of the SRC's to start moving into the rivers. The humpys in the Snohomish system should start popping their heads in the river too. We ran into a couple of them on the lower Stilly on the off year a couple years ago.

Tidewater Searun Cutthroat & Salmon Sept 17 & 18 are our next flyfishing schools. Last year these single day classes filled early. Pretty popular. Cost $150/angler

Life's short - wet a fly!

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

8/1/04


"Rain For Rent?"
After flyfishing for past some forty years, I have come to the conclusion we flyflingers are natural whiners. We complain if the water is too high, too low, too clear or too dirty.

Right now is a great time to hit those tributaries and alpine lakes you have waited all year to become fishable. I managed to get off of work early enough to fish the upper upper S. river the other day. The water was clear and cold. Air was fresh and cool. It felt good.

The sun was still out on the water, so I only made a feeble attempt at fish surface dries. Even though I was way the heck and gone, riverside foot prints preceded me everywhere. Several river crossing still brought little separation. I came upon a lovely little run that I remember a small wild steelhead that made short work of my trout rod a year ago, but today, I was trout fishing.
I set up with a two fly rig. Probably my favorite in the no hatch zone, is a beadhead Hares Ear as a dropper, and a PTN as the point. My strategy is simple. When the fish aren't looking up, I fish down. Surface fish are usually the most aggressive, and the first to get eliminated from the gene pool. Guys tend to fish the surface, only a few really nymph well. I was too tired from chasing steelhead all day, to tromp any farther in pursuit of virgin waters. Such is dealing with fishing pressure.

Too funny. Funny how we lock ourselves into modes. Here I am, working my way up a lovely run. Seems like every few casts I was into another fish. There was one large bright flash and a parted leader, but mostly it was tributary sized rainbow trout. Jeez......if Whitefish were suppose to be fun, I was having a ball.

Way too funny. I swear everytime I would hook another trout, I took off my deep rig, and try another surface dry. Stimulators, Wulfs, parachutes, and even cripples. Nothing was doing. I would put the "worm rig" back on and "Whack", I am into another fish. I ended up leaving it on. Sometimes you just want another fish.

I finally finished at the head of that run and I come across a pretty little run further upstream, I call the "Log Jam" pool. (As if every corner in every western stream didn't have large woody debris.) In Fisheries, we term it as LWD.

Anyway, it's a short little run which drops quickly into a deep swirly pool. Big fish water. I cast my little rig in there just kind of enjoying the drift I was getting, and the line stops. I lift. At first I thought it was fish, (that's why I set), then I thought it was sunken sweeper, and the next second, a Chinook hen above 15 pounds comes completely out of the water, tail dancing across the logs and pool. In the corner of her jaw (she was only about 20 feet away) was one of my two little nymphs.

All I could say was "Oh oh....."
Zzzzzz went the Tioga and the 4x parted. Hmmm, I decided, thats a good time to go home. Such is life on a mountain stream.

Jonathan has been chasing steelhead, Dollies, SRC and a few salmons out on the coast. He says we need more water. Oh really? Fishing was decent.

Mike and I have been staying pretty local. He has been fishing well on the Stilly, while I have spent time in the upper local watersheds. I did catch my first SRC of the summer. Time to start playing the tides in lower estuary waters. If you are new to saltwater beaches, you really ought to try it. At first you will think it is way different than your stream fishing, but if you will fish your tides as you would a river seam, it is closer than you think. Some day I will write about adventures of beach fishing, I really enjoy it.

On the Political Front: I don't have to expound my views on wild steelhead moratorium. If you have followed my writings anytime in the past 5 years, that is pretty obvious. Wether you consider the WDFW part of the problem or solution. I will let you be the judge of that. This is what Steve and Ken, close friends and clients had to say about the gig.

Tidewater Searun Cutthroat & Salmon Sept 17 & 18 are our next flyfishing schools. Last year these single day classes filled early. Pretty popular. Cost $150/angler

So there you have it.

You can't be fishing if you are not fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, and Dennis www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

7/25/04

"Wow! Where do I start?"

Mike & Jonathan have been fishing the Skykomish and Stilly waters this week. Mine has mostly been over on the Skagit drainage.

New Zealand trout hunting:

I still have to say the North Fork Stilly, has taken top honors this week. The steelhead are potted up now. That rain that was suppose to happen last week, never came. The fish are still takable (is that a word?) but guides have had to change tactics to move them.

When I first move onto a pool, if I figure we are the first anglers through, I will often put my first guy on a surface fly. This is that time of year if you can "show them something different" you can often fool a steelhead. So few anglers have confidence in fishing the surface, the results can be amazing.

I am reminded of an episode about fishing a fine gentleman last summer from out-of-state. This whole steelhead thing was pretty new. Bottom line, George had never done it before.
Anyway, so I tell him it is a little like his experience trout fishing big Browns in New Zealand. He started crouching before we even came close to the water. Now this Stilly N.F. pool, was up near French Creek. These are primarily hatchery steelhead, and they are not suppose to rise.

I positioned him above the pool, riffle-hitched his waker, and started his fishing up in the fast and turbulent head of the this little run. I remember the water was rushing so loud, I was literally talking in his ear, for him to hear me. I kept telling George that whatever happens, no matter how big the splash, don't set the hook. Let the steelhead barb himself.

On about his forth cast, I am already thinking, "OK, if we don't move a fish, lets set up for sinktip and"....... all of a sudden this lovely eight pound hen, jumps two feet in the air, does a half gainer, and comes right down on the fly. Hits it perfectly. We were both in such shock, (I have seen this move one other time, ten years ago on the Wenatchee), George does the one very thing he should do......nothing, and the line snaps up tight.

I simply say, "He's on."

George lifts the rod, the steelhead goes crazy, and the rest is history. Oh Yeah. He landed the fish.
Needless to say, all George wanted to do for the rest of that day was wake flies through roily heads of pools. Such is steelhead flyfishing. Show them something different.

Rivers are down now.

Stilly: Water is low. Water is off color below the Slide, gin clear above. This is what Willie had to say about his Stilly day. Won't be long before we will be looking for Searun Cutthroat in the lower river. I watch for the first significant rain after August 15. Stilly tidewater will start pushing fish. Try fishing the incoming tide, when the light is off the water. Mornings are good, evenings are better, and dark days, the best.

Summer steelhead have settled in the North Fork now. A rain would be nice. Such is life along the Stilly. We catch all times of the day.

Skykomish River: Early season, I generally fish low from Monroe to Sultan, as water levels drop, I move up from High Bridge down to Sultan. Now is time to start exploring up in the forks. Really cool water. All your summer time techniques will work here.

Skagit System:

Sauk is puking below the Suiattle, marginal below the Whitechuck, and falling in nicely up above. Little early for the Dolly/bull arrival, but there is enough going on to make it interesting. resident trout and an occasional summer wild steelhead is the gig.

Upper Skagit is fishing well. The Kings are doing their thing, Dollies are sneaking up, and resident trout are found in the upper watershed.

Guys are asking when we are going to be conducting another steelhead school. As we will be tied up flyfishing the saltwater & fresh, of the Olympic Peninsula, through the month of August, our next north sound steelhead classes will be held in mid September. Summer Steelhead /
Searun Cutthroat will be the topic. More on that as we get closer.

If the Grande Ronde is in your October plans, its time.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, & me. flyfishsteelhead.com

Questions? 425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

7/18/04

"Back in the saddle, again."

Well, life has settled in since the western state road trip.

Mike & Jonathan have been fishing the Skykomish and Stilly waters while I have been away. All three of us have been back to guiding early in the week.

I would have 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. If the action continues, 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 Woolley 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.
If we get a river rise in this change of weather, we are hoping for more fish.

Searun Cutthroat are playing along the beaches. Early fish will be playing the tides. Is it really that time already? Read my article on Searun Cutthroat tactics.

Jonathan is the hot hand so far. Last I heard he and his clients have accounted for some 16 steelhead to hand already this summer. Kudos.

Mike has done surprisingly well on the Skykomish, but I think they have accounted for as many chinook as they have steelhead. 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 the 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.

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!

I never got a chance to thank all the guys who joined us on our Stilly Floating Lines Steelhead Schools. Good times for sure. If you haven't gotten your lecture notes by this weekend, just give me a holler, I am probably having a presenior moment. For those who were interested in the Grande Ronde Steelhead this fall, better contact me now.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, & Dennis flyfishsteelhead.com
1 888 435 6499
Cell 425 238 3537

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

7/11/04
" Road trip?"

First let me say how much I appreciate Mike for handling all the emails and phone calls for the past two weeks, as well as Jonathan for last week's fishing report.

Me? My wife and I have spent the past 14 days traveling & fishing our way down to a family reunion in Utah and back. Went something like this:

Our first stop was in the Wise River area on my favorite "Big Hole River", Montana. Water was running moderate. PMD's were hatching spastically throughout the day, and Caddis that evening. Weather was unsettled, dry fly fishing was poor. Nymphs were OK but the beadhead soft hackle, Olive Willie just crushed them that evening. I caught a bunch of rainbows and browns but the fish were smaller this year. Only a few in the 20 inch range.

Next stop was Swan Valley, South Fork Snake River, Idaho. Hatches were golden stones, and PMD's. Great surface action, especially in the riffles. Rainbows, cutthroat, and browns were the gig. Fishing was great last year, even better this year. Trout to 23". Wonderful surface action. Can't say enough. Pretty much a boat show.

Provo River: Weird. I fished the Artificial Only section above Sundance. First time on the water, so at first I just poked around. There was anglers upstream and more guys downstream. Rafters were coming through every two minutes. I am not used to guys coming up and fishing twenty feet away. I am also used to wiley browns being put down by any shadow or even a bad cast. I soon realized if these fish stopped feeding every time a boat went over them......they would never eat!

It took a bit to figure the BWO hatch but the Provo brags of 5,000 fish per mile, and now I don't doubt it a bit. I only fished a 100 yard stretch over the next 4 hours but I handled some 30 fish, all browns, and the largest were pushing in the mid twenties! (Inches). A tiny PTN 4 feet under a Club Sandwich was the ticket. Tons a of people but yet the fish........weird.
Did the family reunion gig, which was fun. Past the Logan River, again, but the crowds were insufferable. Didn't even stop.

Ended up back in Montana, and fished the Beaverhead outside of Dillon for a day. Very cool. Undercut banks, riffles, pools and eddies were all holding fish. No pushovers here, but the trout were there and some were big. I lost a large brown that ate in a riffle then ran all the way up into the next pool, and broke me well into the backing. Totally cool fish. I decided these guys are way too big for this little stream!

Spent the next morning on the Clarks Fork above Missoula Montana, but not much happening so we beat feet for Rock Creek.

We fished the afternoon to evening in the middle section. Found some quiet water but the surface action was spotty even though the Sally Stones and PMD's were coming off well. My brother Rob and I went to the dropper system and found some lively action in the deeper faster riffles. Rainbows were the drill but the big fish eluded us. Too much fishing pressure but the backdrop is just stunning.

I was drooling as we drove through Lolo pass along the Bitterroot River and then the Lochsha but I guess there is always next year, right?

Back at home:

Mike & Jonathan have been splitting time between the Skagit, Stilly and Skagit Rivers. Steelhead, and Kings are the gig.

Coming up:
We got guide trips through the week and the North Fork Steelhead School on the weekend. I guess I am home.

Mike, Jonathan, & Dennis flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

7/5/04

"Things are heating up"

Summer is definitely in full swing and fishing is just getting better. The cooler days of June are giving way to the warmer days of July. Rivers are on the drop as the remnants of the snow pack melts away and things settle in for the remainder of the summer season.

Dennis is chasing trout in Montana, Idaho and Utah while Mike and I have been fishing local streams. Dennis will be back just in time for our North Fork Steelhead School coming up around the corner.

Mike has been busy on the Skykomish River and private lakes. Mike reports that the fishing has been pretty decent for hatchery summer steelhead and kings. The kings are definitely making a good showing. Mike says that while he has had to work hard to get his clients into summer steelhead, he has managed to find them on almost every trip. The numbers of them in the river are not quite what he would like to see but still worth the effort. Mike has been finding some Kings willing to tangle with a fly as well, which has made for some pleasantly surprised clients. The water is starting to get low and has been running pretty clear on the Sky.

I have found myself guiding and fishing the Skagit and North Fork Stilly. The Skagit River has plenty of kings and Dollies/Bull around. The Baker River is starting to get Sockeye as well. Fishing above the Sauk has been inconsistent due to all the run off being released. When water levels have been down we have managed to have some good days for large Dollies/Bull but have then followed those days with slow ones when the levels rise. The dams continue to release lots of water making the usually clear water above the confluence of the Sauk very undependable. At times, the water levels have been all over the place making fishing the fly a little tricky. The river levels will hopefully settle down soon and things should improve.

The Sauk River is in full run-off right now limiting the visibility in the Skagit below it to pretty much non-existent. As is, the Sauk River below the Suiattle River is not a viable factor this summer for fishing.

The NF Stilly has gotten a shot of summer hatchery steelhead recently. Last week I fished a few spots above Deer Creek that produced several chrome bright 3 salt fish that gave me all I could handle. Should only get better here with the arrival of the 2 salts fast approaching. Visibility has contiued to improve below Deer Creek with the Hazel slide being the remaining culprit to any major turbidity in the water.

North Fork Steelhead School : July 16 &17

We are looking at another fun class, this year. If you have never taken a top water steelhead before (or any fly caught steelhead
for that matter), come join us for a day. There are still openings available for both dates. Love to see you out there!

Top Summer Pick: No question - Neah Bay surface fishing for ocean Coho. Reports are fish are showing already! August is hot.
Top Fall Pick: Grande Ronde Steelhead in October. Surface fishing at its best.

Dennis, Mike and I are looking forward to getting back over to the OP later in the month, July 20th thru August 15th. Chasing summer steelhead in rivers and salmon in the ocean...what a gig! Ask us about it.

Have a great week and best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, & Dennis flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

6/27/04

"On the road again"

We have been all full of hustle and bustle this last week. I am tring to get ready for a two week road trip. Mike & Jonathan are minding the shop while I am out.

This year we will start our fishing in Idaho, and fish on down to the Big Hole River in Montana. Read Big Hole Browns, We leave there to spend a couple days fishing the Stonefly hatch on the South Fork of the Snake in Swan Valley. From there I am off to Jackson Hole and poke around some spring creeks, and finally end up in Bear Lake Utah. I am hoping to hit the upper Green, but that may be a stretch. Do a family reunion thing, and meet guys fishing my way back home. That ought to cover my trout addiction for a while.

Back to Last week:
Mike finally had a blank day on the Sky. It was one of those times, where there was someone in every pool he wanted to fish. Such is life as a guide day. He has been doing very well, but then he is good at it.

Just when it was coming in:

The Sauk and Skagit are in full runoff now.

The Skagit jumped to 13000 cfs (California must have turned on the air conditioning)
Steelheading has been spotty, but there are plenty of kings moving, if you bump into one of those, and the Dolly/Bull just seem to keep on clicking. Egg-sucking leeches seem to work well, but you will need to let the water settle again. Creek mouths and soft current seams are ticket.

The Sauk River is gone: Major runoff here. It has been so cold, the snow melt has just broke loose.

Too funny: Everytime we get more than two days of sunshine in a row, the weatherman, is calling for drought conditions. Today it is raining.....again. Go figure.

North Fork Stilly:
Jonathan and I fished it the other day. I was experimenting with a new version of our surface skater. He was playing with a sinktip. I had to meet a guy later that day ,so I couldn't stay long. Apparently he hit a nice summer steelhead in the middle river that evening. Reports are so-so at best but it is still early season.

The Hazel slide continues to do it's nasty but Deer Creek is running clear, so the water below Oso is looking good. Both wild & hatchery fish are coming so the tradionaly start of July 4, should be on the money.

The good news is we saw a ton of hatchery smolts going out that day on the Stilly. Then it hit me. We have't seen many hatchery smolts for the last two years. Hmmm...looks like they are back.

North Fork Steelhead School: July 16 &17
My apologies for any confusion on the dates. We are looking at another fun class, this year. I consider surface steelhead flyfishing to be the best freshwater flyfishing experience I know. If you have never taken a top water steelhead before (or any fly caught steelhead
for that matter), come join us for a day. I will have Jonathan post any available openings next weekend.

Speaking of WDFW: I am fortunate enough to be on their newsletter survey. I get their blurp about the proposed two year wild steelhead retention moritorium. You talk about about a bush league blatent push to over turn the Wildlife Comission decision. Gee Game Department boys, why not tell us how you really feel? I have said it before, the wild fish release anglers can probably fight straight up against the lobby of the fish killers, but not the Whackers and the not so quiet WDFW, backing them, too. Welcome to reality.

Skykomish River is probably fishing too well. Waters are in, and a few steelhead are showing, but the Kings are coming in good numbers. Try fishing in off colors like Black & white, or Blue & Purple.

Top Summer Pick: No question - Neah Bay surface fishing for ocean Coho. Reports are fish are showing already! August is hot.

Top Fall Pick: Grande Ronde Steelhead in October. Surface fishing at its best.

Release them gentley, your kids will appreciate you for it.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, & Dennis Flyfishsteelhead.com
1 888 435 6499

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, & Dennis flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

6-20-04

"Just when you thought it was safe to get back into the water"

A busy guide week for sure. Waters on both the north sound streams and the Olympic Peninsula are down and fishable. King salmon, summer steelhead, Searun Cutthroat and Dolly are the players.

Mike has spent most of his guide week on the Skykomish River. Doing well on sinktips and winter patterns such as marabous & egg-sucking leeches. He has new version of the blue/purple in a string leech that he really likes. Both Highbridge to Sultan and Sultan to Monroe sections of the Sky, are holding fish.

Jonathan & I have been on the upper Skagit. Surface fishing was great......until the dam people decided to release a ton of water. Then it became a sinktip show. This what Charlie had to say about this day with Jonathan.

On a slightly different note, I had a gentleman out on the Skagit, a while back and he had built a beautiful little double-hander, that actually throws a standard 6wt. It was impressive enough watching him wield away with this rod, but I knew it was gold, when he rose and landed a lovely 22' Dolly/Bull. The fish pulled the rod to full flex, taking him into his backing. Five minutes later, the Char was at the bank - Totally cool.

Anyway, J. is getting good reports of multiple fishes moving into the O.P. waters, so he is excited to get back out there. Mike is too happy with his fish, to leave the Sky, and I will probably just hang around the Skagit for a bit.

Skagit River: 6,900 > 10,000 cfs. River is in snow melt. Water visibility is around 6 feet above the Sauk, but zilch below. Summer steelheading is spotty at best. Nice upstream Dollies on the move as are the hatchery Chinooks. Most guys are flyfishing sinktips. Big marabous in pink/white, blacks, blue, & red\orange are the most popular. Mike & Jonathan fish both surface and subsurface, my gig has been on top, when I can.

Sauk River 4,000 cfs. The river came off the big high water from last weekend. It has some visibility....above the Suiattle River, but zero below. Summer low flows in late July thru September is the drill. Fish the big pocket water above the Whitechuck when it does..

Skykomish River: 4,000 cfs. Mike's guiding has been primarily on the Sky. His trips have produced both steelhead and Chinook, with the occasional Dolly/Bull. He still rates the upper Sky (below High bridge to Sultan) as fair to good for steelhead, and Sultan down the Monroe fair for steelhead but good for Chinook. Sinktips and winter flies are the drill until the summer wild fish move in. Water levels are flyfishing well.

N.F. Stilly: 1,100 cfs. The water is down but the water vis. below Deer Creek is just starting to be conducive to surface fishing. Both hatchery & wild summers are beginning to show. Getting river access below Deer Creek is the tuff. I look for the real fishing to begin after July 4.
I think everyone can remember their first steelhead on the fly. Life on Canyon Creek, is mine.

Our annual N.F. Stilly Steelhead Schools: July 16 or 17. One of my past anglers put it well.

"A Dickson School isn't just a fishing day. It is an investment".

That was nice. I hope so. We certainly try. Mike, Jonathan & I will cover our standard sinktip fishing, but the emphasis in this class is on taking summer steelhead on surface flies. If you are lined out on one of our October 3 day Grande Ronde Campouts, this course is a must.

Have a great week!

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, & Dennis flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

6-13-04

"He who has the most fun, wins."

As we began our Saturday Sky School steelhead clinic, I was chatting with one of the guys. Paul has done just about everything hardcore in the outdoors, from rock climbing to competition mountain biking. Man, I am thinking, he is going to think this steelhead flyfishing is a stroll in the park. In his travels from the stunning kickback, to climates that reduced themselves to brutal survival, he developed a basic philosophy that so applies to steelhead flyfishing.

"He who has the most fun, wins".

I love that. Steelhead flyfishing is so many things for so many anglers, but one thing remains a constant. It is not long pursued by the impatient or the faint of heart. You have to want to. If you can't enjoy the journey, find something elseto do..

Now to be fair: The steelhead also not the mystical unicorn, some would have you believe. The more you understand him the more successful the adventure. Pretty simple, really.

Life in the fishing lane

The Dickson guides have had a busy week with guiding on the front end. and the Skykomish Schools on the back. Thanks for all for coming. On behalf of Jonathan, Michael and I, the pleasure was all ours. I think I got everybody, but if you didn't get your steelhead lecture notes, give me a holler. Kudos to Dave on his first fine steelhead during class. Cool.

Fishing Conditions: The weather has been all over the board. Many storm cells, snow levels have actually dropped. Water temps in the Skagit on Thursday and Skykomish on Saturday were both hovering around 50 degrees. Water has been down and in. Fish are around.

Skagit River: 5210 cfs. On a slight rise as we speak. Water very fishable from Rockport up, but total yuck below the Sauk confluence. Summer steelhead is spotty. Nice upstream Dollies on the move as are the hatchery Chinooks. Anglers should be releasing everything. Most guys are throwing hardware or flyfishing sinktips. Big marabous in blacks, blue, red\orange are the most popular. Mike fishes both surface and subsurface, my drill is pretty much on top.

Sauk River 3,605 cfs. The river actually has some visibility....above the Suiattle River. Zero below. Watch for the fishing to improve as the snow water flushed out.

Skykomish River: 4,470 cfs. Mike's guiding has been primarily on the Sky. His trips have produced both steelhead and Chinook. He says he would rate the upper Sky (below High bridge to Sultan) as fair to good for steelhead, and Sultan down the Monroe fair for steelhead but good for Chinook. Sinktips and winter flies are the drill until the summer wild fish move in. Move to more subtle colors.

N.F. Stilly: 1,500 cfs. The water is down but the water vis. below Deer Creek is not conducive to surface fishing so far. Mike & Jonathan have spent time on the little Stilly. Reports of new fish are trickling in, but look for the real fishing to begin after July 4.

If your travel plans include a trip up to Arlington, take a look at the North Fork Strategies. It is an how-to article on flyfishing summer steelhead, you might find it helpful.

Our summer guiding schedule is busy as usual. This year we can only dedicate a couple days for our annual N.F. Stilly Steelhead Schools: July 9 or 10. We will cover our standard sinktip fishing, but the emphasis in this class is on taking summer steelhead on surface flies. If you are lined out on one of our October 3 day Grande Ronde Campouts, this course is a must.

How much fun is that?

Jonathan and Mike have got some amazing gigs going on the Olympic Peninsula streams this summer but my heart will always wonder off to the saltwater flyfishing at Neah Bay. Surface flies for ocean Coho. Now that is hot. Never done it? Check out the newly revised article Neah Bay.

I know fishing for a living is a tuff life, but then, somebody has to do it.

Best of fishing,

Mike, Jonathan, & Dennis flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

6/6/04

"Life is good again."

Our local rivers have reopened again after the May closing. Most steelhead streams I frequent in Alaska don't close. Good excuse to go north, I guess.

Jonathan & Mike have spent some Stilly time. The good news was there is a fine number of wild steelhead spawning redds in the upper river. The bad news is according to Jonathan there is also "fresh" steelhead gear hanging from the streamside sweepers where obviously the poachers have had their way. When you close rivers, you not only lose fishing opportunity, you lose your steelhead through poaching, it's the way it works. Enough said.

Summer Fun steelhead:

Hey, looks like we got a few summer hatchery steelhead showing.

The Skagit (7,100 cfs) is really nothing above an incidental for hatchery steelhead. Even the Cascade River is running dirty, so the surface gig, has gone away for a bit. The Sauk (6,000 cfs and zero vis.) is totally gone as is the Suiattle. Wait until after the snow melt, and try the big canyon pools above the Whitechuck River. Pretty cool for wild rainbows and monster Dollies later this summer.

North Fork Stilly: (6,000 @ Deer Creek) is completely out and will be until the weather settles. I would rate the little North Fork's fishing as "OK". We always seem to get an early squirt and this year is no different. The real 2 salt action will come in after July 4. The new vogue up there on this little stream seems to be a 14' doublehander rod, and Dink bobber and jig. Sure, I guess it's legal and must be effective or some of the Fortson Hole boys wouldn't do it but Geez.....

This high water should continue to move some fish in. I would watch your river levels. The Stilly @ Deer Creek needs to be below 3000 cfs.

The Skykomish (7,700 cfs @ Gold Bar) is generally our early season bright star. This year is no different. Early hatchery fish will be beating feet (er fins) to the upper river, but there appears to be a fair number throughout the system. Waters are up but fishable. Anything below 10,000 cfs works.

Look for the same seam water you fished for winter steelhead. As the water warms, you can find them in the riffley heads and tailouts.

The really cool thing about summer fish (especially wild steelhead) is they are good surface rising fish, given the right conditions.

My stump to stand on:

I am blessed. I admit it... Mike & I get to fish for a living. We fish in many regions of the world in a vast number of flyfishing scenarios. My greatest personal greatest addiction (as many of you steelhead junkies know), is surface flies for steelhead. I have written several articles from How-to's like Surface Flies for Steelhead to the Grande Ronde & Mrs. Brown. If summer steelhead is in your plans, you have got to try it. It can put a serious dent in your fun meter.

When the water is running high and cold, stick to your sinktip and your moderate sized marabous like Hal Smith Special or Mikes blue/purple Any egg-sucking leech will also work in the right speed and right zone.

The Surface gig will best shine as the water lowers and warms a bit (Unless you are like me and have to do it most all the time.) Our Crystal Caddis - so popular on the Grande Ronde, Clearwater, and Snake Rivers, was originated for the Deer Creek wild summer steelhead.

Skykomish Steelhead Schools this weekend. Yes, we will have some 6 wt. and our FLHS to demo in summer techniques but our main focus in this course is Sinktipping. (We provide equipment) After many years of fishing in and around steelhead flyfishing, I would have to say the greatest reason many anglers nymph instead of sinktip summer steelhead, is the watermanship - it'is not so much that it is harder, it's just way different. What would I do as a steelhead flyfisher? I would want to be comfortable with both systems.

Olympic Peninsula:

Jonathan says the OP is sneaking in some early summer steelhead. Kings are around in the Hoh as well as the Sol Duc. There are also the early SRC around the river mouths. This is only going to get better......

Hope to break away to do some early exploration for the Black rockfish and of course Neah Bay Coho. I will try to write more on that in the coming weeks.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

5/30/04

" A red butted Crony, eh?"

Just returned from a couple weeks up in Canada's British Columbia. My wife is from Kamloops so I guess I have been fishing these waters off and on for the past thirty years. Always in the late spring, never in the fall.

I used to take my trout fishing pretty serious. Now I treat it more like a revisit of an old friend. Several of my experiences I have written on site have come from these BC waters. Fond memories for sure.

I know how tempting it can be to get into "how many, how big", but I find that a major turn-off. If I understand the "unwritten rules" correctly, I am not suppose to tell you what lakes I attend, but let me give you some general guide lines.

1) "A lake a day, as long as you stay". Is the motto of Merritt, BC. The Merritt-Kamloops region is considered the Yellowstone of lakes. The shear number of lakes in this region, in a emergent meadow to sub-alpine setting, truly makes it an amazing region.

2) Never assume it is easy. I am reminded of a trade show seminar on flyfishing New Zealand, conducted by Michael Fong.

He said, "Don't let these big-fish pictures fool you. If you are not catching trout in your hometown waters, you are not going to catch them in New Zealand." Such as it is in Merritt, BC.

Sometimes in search of the Holy Grail, guys get the idea that because there is a myriad of waters to fish, there are easily caught big fish to be had in any to all of them. Nothing is farther from the truth. Let me tell you what I have experienced. Yes, there are big fish waters to be had, in fact the second day my Dad and I were fishing a certain lake, a gentlemen killed a supposedly 14 pound rainbow. I didn't see it, but we did see other out-sized fish. But... Day in and day out, all weather conditions, in all lighting conditions considered, hand picked Eastern Washington waters has more consistent poundage sized trout, in more user friendly waters, than BC. Canada monster rainbows are legendary, but so is the moodiness of the lakes when the trout decide to "turn off".

3) Look for separation: Most of BC trout waters are managed to drive to, pull up with a car topper boat, launch and whack some fish. Yes, there is a certain level of pride, to be able to catch trout in local meat fisheries, kind of the Forks gone Canada trout fishing drill, but just like fishing here, if you look for waters, in selective fisheries, especially walk-to lakes, (or fly to) your experience in the Canadian wideness can go way up. Do some homework.

4) A buddy who has been to the lake recently and at the very least, a really good map are very helpful. Most of your BC trout waters are spread through an area the size of Eastern Washington. Many of these waters are associated with a labyrinth of mountain road systems that would make a travel into Lake Chopaka, look like a stroll in the park.

" No, you were suppose to turn at the third old logging road to the left, after crossing the dried creek, not the really old logging road that turned to the left." Sign? What's a sign?

Bottom line: Bring more food, an extra spare tire, and another tank of gas. You are not in Kansas anymore.

5) Bring every trout fly you own, and then still pack your fly tying box. While we were fishing a fine little lake. The Chronomids in a very specific size and color started coming off. The bug was not really black but more of a greenish black, with that little red butt. Only the most slender imitations, fished exactly along the drop offs, were even considered. These large rainbows knew exactly what they were looking for, and where. Anything out of this zone and you spent the day watching three anglers out of thirty, catching all the fish. (Of course no one likes to admit it, but it is kind fun when you are the guy "in the zone". Handing out the magic bug to the other Joes just enhances the experience.

6) Outfitting is everything. When I see a guy put his boat on the water I look for these things. An anchor system, forward and aft on his boat. A Buddy 1200 fishfinder, and at least two rods. The next most important item your arsenal, that plays major huge in unlocking the trout hatch mystery, is a simple little stomach pump. I almost hate bringing it up, because if you don't know what you are doing you can kill fish, but it really works. If you are not comfortable with it, mosey around the launch when guys are cleaning their fish. They always gut their fish there.) Caution: you are going to get some pretty weird looks when you ask them if you can have the guts, but just tell them you are from Washington state, and they will think you are just another crazy Yank!

So there you have it. BC waters in a nutshell, a piece of cake:

Back at the ranch:

Mike, Jonathan & I are getting ready for our local rivers to open, again.

Skagit River: 5000 > 6500 cfs. Not much of a summerrun steelhead stream. Few Dollies but most will be heading up the Sauk later this summer to spawn this fall. Waters will be colored below the Sauk confluence.

Sauk River: Was at 10,000 cfs, now dropped to 6,000. As others, Sauk is coming off the big rain we have experienced the past few days, Don't look for much here, and even that will be above the Suiattle, later this summer. Keep you posted.

Skykomish: 8,390 cfs. 2 summers ago, we had an excellent return of early hatchery summer steelhead. Last year was poor until late and that was the South Fork wilds. Look for this water to scoot some early fish up around Reiter Ponds area. Fish your cold water winter sinktips and flies.

North Fork Stilly: 3,000 cfs. It is fishable up high, wouldn't bother with the lower river until it drops back into the 2,000 cfs. range. Major spawning up above. This high water should flush them out. Dink bobbers and jig boys will huddle around Fortson, whacking the new summer hatchery fish. Whatever.

Olympic Peninsula:

Jonathan reports a low water condition, but the rains have changed all that. Said they swam a lovely wild Chinook in the Sol Duc the other day. New hatchery summer steelhead are beginning to show.

Annual Skykomish Steelhead schools. June 11-13. Focus in this class is on reading steelhead holding water, and surface and sinktipping techniques. Our Skykomish schools always get a lot of attention. This year is no different. If you are planning to attend, don't forget your deposit. The Itinerary is located at the bottom of the school page.
Friday: Full
Saturday: one slot
Sunday: 2 slots

"If we are accused of putting too many anglers into steelhead, we plead guilty as charged"

Favorite Places: If you are coming from Washingtonflyfishing.com you might want to place flyfishsteelhead.com fishing reports in your favorite places. We are flying solo, again.

See you next week!

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

5/23/04

Guys & Gals,

Mike and Jonathan are chasing Kings and stelhead over on the OP.

I am up in the Canadian Kamloops area chasing trout.

Back next weekend with full report on doings.

Best of fishing to all,

Dennis, Mike, and Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

5/16/04

" Trout waters & beyond "

May is always an interesting month. After our foray chasing Alaskan steelhead, this last week found Mike, Jonathan & I fishing assorted trout waters.

Yakima: Mike is over fishing the Yak. as we speak. He says the dry fly action is pretty good. We will see what this change of weather has to say about that.

He and I have been doing some intro flyfishing classes up at Jeff's. Fish are happy, mucho hatches, and so are we.

Jonathan has been plying the Olympic Peninsula waters. Sol Duc has some new Kings in it, along with a sprinkle of summer hatchery steelhead, but is waiting impatiently for the Hoh to open back up for Kings & C&R steelhead. Listen, if you are looking to head over better check your regs, kinda tricky. OP waters are low. Fish are pooled up. Flash flies, and marabous are the drill.

Did manage to sneak away and fish a couple saltwater beaches. I can't tell you about flyfishing Dollies because it is not open for killing Dollies, but if you fish foamheads in the surface or sinktip Clousers on Camano Island & Whidbey beaches, you are going to find some awesome fish, while fishing for Searun Cutthroat. Stick to points and coves, Of Course, watch for bait. Pretty Cool.

Next week, we head back up for our annual BC trout fishing. My wife's parents live in the Kamloops area so these are old stomping grounds for me. Will let you know how that goes.

Summer Steelhead Rivers:
With the June 1 opener just around the corner, it is just a couple weeks before me and the boys will head back to work for serious. According to the river levels, the snow pack hasn't broken loose yet, but here is an upcoming preview.

Skykomish River: A fine steelhead flyfishing stream, look for a lot of guys in a lot of boats, running up and down the river around opening day. I call them "Chevy truck commercials" because they only seem to have to two speeds, flat out, or stop..... I wait now for the second week to hold our annual Skykomish Steelhead schools. June 11-13. More fish in and the boating pressure falls way off. Look for the best fishing to be up around Highbridge. River is running moderate, but the snow pack release will raise the water, and all the steelhead will move to the soft current seams. (Where we like to fish)

Sauk & Skagit rivers: Rivers are running moderate. Not much in the way of a hatchery steelhead. Dollies & the wild Sauk summers will intro a little later.

North Fork Stilly: The little NF is running low, but as mentioned, that will change. We always get an early pulse of summer hatchery fish to Fortson around the June opener. Bobbers & jigs is the norm. That is more and more late spawning wild winter fish each year from C-Post upstream to Fortson. Release them gently.
Flies: everything works. I like Marabous and practitioners, but steelhead will hit it all. Find them and slow it down.

Flylines: Flylines Catch Fish is probably the most informative article I have ever written. Guys buying or not buying multi-tips because of a loop connection is like selecting a set of golf clubs because it has better stitching in the bag. Looks good but it isn't whats critical. Just as selecting the right club or iron for the golf shot will make the gig, so it fishing the right tip for the right pool.

Somebody wasn't paying attention: The number one tip that many many of the old guard fished forever was the SA high-speed, high-D. This line is the equivalent of the type 4 sinktip. The most commonly used tip of the multi-tip system we use in the Yancy, is the type 4. You are right, neither Rio or Airflow even carry this tip in their arsenal. Steelhead don't care about the politically correct. You shouldn't either.

Every year I get asked: So which boat would you buy? Well, I have more boats than you can imagine but we fish for a living and fish a lot of different scenarios Here are some thoughts on buying one. Rafts & Hardbottom boats. Take a look.

Our summer steelhead season is almost upon us.

"There is steelhead, and then there is everything else....."
Dickson

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

5/10/04

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

Staggering in at 2 am, from another Alaska steelhead trip, I will be lucky to even find the keyboard, let alone write something coherent.

Spent the last ten days, chasing Situk River steelhead, out of Yakutat. It has been a couple years since I have been up, so it was fun to get back and visit. I was also fishing with some long time friends, and that is always a treat.

A Yakutat steelhead quick snap shot:

Yup, we found some fish. It is not really a sinktip show. Most guys take their flylines off and do the Michigan drift fishing gig, with split shot and glow bugs. I refuse to do that.

I did try the Skagit Skater, to see if we could rise a fish to the surface, and the Dollies loved it....but the steelhead were not impressed.

There are several lodges working the river, so finding a piece of water can be tricky but it is a lovely setting, with lots of birds and wildlife. We saw eagles every day, a whole family of river otters (not exactly what you are looking for when you are working a pool!) and even a Brown bear leaving the town dump.

The rental cars are always an adventure, (I remember one episode a few years ago, when we hit a good chuck hole and the entire tail pipe assembly fell off. We had to Jerry rig it back together with a beaver pole and fishing line. That was a nervous time tring to limp back into town in one piece.)
This year we were much more fortunate, and everything stayed intact.

Seems like everything in town including Leonard's Landing, and even Glacier Bear Lodge are going out of businees. Heck, even the hardware store is up for sale. Life is changing in Yakutat Alaska.

I know a really good welder would have all the work he could handle if he is into cars, boats, and drift boat trailers. Humble for sure.

Our top flies this year: Egg-sucking leach, egg-n-shuck, micro flash flies, and glow bugs.

Olympic Peninsula:

Jonathan just got back from fishing the Sol Duc. Summer steelhead (C&R) are nosing in, but the Jack Chinook are a lot of fun. Try Flash flies and egg-sucking leaches with cherise colored heads. He says he has been finding a pod or two in the lower river, each day. Looks like the SRC are going to be in good numbers this year. A #12 yellow body stimulator, is good for the surface stuff, while the spider series gets it done for wets. Totally cool.

Mike has been chilling on the Private Lakes. Jeff's Ponds are a 90 acre complex. Multiple lakes, multiple hatches Beadhead, flashback Pheasant tail nymphs, and black leeches were the ticket. Wonderful waters for the newbie.

Sixth Annual Skykomish Summer Steelhead Schools: $150. / angler
June 11, 12, or 13. Single day classes. Who says it should take two years to catch the first one? Next week I will post class availability. Anglers at all levels welcome. Equipment provided.

The Fishing Dog and , Mouth To Mouth Combat are two funny stories, about flyfishing the Canadian lakes. Look in the Stories and Articles section at www.flyfishsteelhead.com
I will be here all week, don't forget your waitress,
D

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

5/2/04

Here today, gone to Maui.....er Alaska!

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

What a crazy week! Got back from our Mystery Lakes gig on the weekend. Here is what John had to say about his experience about this Eastern Washington hideaway.

Spent the week fishing with Hal on the Skagit. That was cool. Yup, he jumped some fish, always does. More on that.

Jonathan just got back from fishing the Sol Duc. Steelhead are swimming. He says he has found a pod of Spring Chinook in the lower river. Totally cool. These suckers are totally hot. Now, if I just wasn't leaving town....

By the time you are reading this Mike and I have just finished another season on the Skagit drainage.

North Sound Waters: Close April 30 until June 1. (See regulations)

Sauk: 4,600 cfs. (1-2 feet vis. below the Suiattle) The Sauk was a sandpit but of course somebody forgot to tell the steelhead. They came in good numbers. Let's hope the local poachers don't find them. This watershed is going to need all the help it can get.

Skagit: 4,700 cfs. (@ Marblemount) Fishing was good to excellent depending on where and how you were fishing. I fished the surface, Mike fished both sinktips and surface. This is what Monty had to say about his Skagit experience. I have since learned you don't talk about new flies, just looking for trouble. Anyway, it was a really fun spring. Thanks to all who enjoyed it with us.

Fishing Forecast:

Jonathan will hold down the fort while Mike and I head north. We should be back by the 10th of May. More on that when we return.

J. will fish his local saltwater beaches around Whidbey Island, in May. Summer will find him poking around the Olympic Peninsula waters.

Mike will fish Mystery Lake and the Yakima River until the rivers open again. Me? My time will be spent in BC waters, , back to do some early summer steelheading/schools and then on down to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in later June

Sixth Annual Skykomish Summer Steelhead Schools:
June 11, 12, or 13. Single day classes.

A Fisheries Biologist approach to steelhead flyfishing. Focus is on reading water, and surface and subsurface presentations for summer steelhead. Casting lesson included. Special emphasis on conservation as well as river etiquette.(Classes filling)

The Wild Steelhead Coalition

What: The May General meeting
When: May 5th
Where: Bothell American Legion
Time: 6-7 meeting and swap tales in the bar. 7-9
General meeting

Presentation:
Dan Rawding WDFW Region 5 biologist.
The Talk
The Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment model (EDT) was
develop in the 1990's by Mobrand Biometrics. It
relates salmon and steelhead performance to the
quality and quantity of stream habitat. WDFW has used
the EDT model to assess current steelhead performance,
to set subbasin goals, and to develop habitat
protection and restoration strategies. The EDT model
has broad application for steelhead populations
through out Washington and has been used extensively
on the Columbia River. This presentation focuses on
WDFW application of the EDT model to Lower Columbia
River winter and summers steelhead populations.

Background
Dan Rawding graduated from the University of
Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries
Science in 1982. He has worked with salmon and trout
for over 20 years as a biologist and a fishing guide
in Washington and Alaska. During his initially
employment he assessed salmon habitat, monitored
recreational fisheries, and conducted surveys to
monitor adult and juvenile salmon and trout
populations. During the last decade as a stock
assessment specialist, Dan supervised programs to
monitor salmon and steelhead escapement, and develop
recreational fishery management plans. He is
currently working with other scientists, as a member
of the National Marine Fisheries Service Technical
Recovery Team, to develop de-listing goals for
threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead
populations in the Willamette and Lower Columbia
Rivers.

Sincerely,

Jeff Johnson
Wild Steelhead Coalition
1st VP Membership
http://www.wildsteelheadcoalition.com

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

4-25-04

"If it is good for the fish, it's good for me."

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

So I am driving in my SUV with my lovely wife, and we are passing a local lake with cars, trucks and trailers jammed in around the pond, tighter than a Wal-Mart Saturday parking lot. Anglers are everywhere.

"Hey Sweetie," I muse. "It is Opening Day of fishing season.
She just looks at me and says. "So when did fishing season ever close for you? "
Hmmm, good point.

Sorry I wasn't able to get last weeks fishing report to you. Webmaster was out of town, and Dicksons' were running gigs that spread from the Olympic Peninsula to Eastern Washington, so it was easy to drop the ball. My bad.

As mentioned, Jonathan was out on the OP chasing steelhead, while Mike and I were chasing the Skagit fish. Mike hung back and finished his week on the Skagit, while J. and I headed to the east side to run our annual E. Washington Lakes gig. Just returned.

Olympic Peninsula

River levels:

Queets: Closed April 15

Hoh: Closed April 15

Olympic Peninsula WDFW fishing regulations change quite a bit after April 30 so you want to check on that.

Sol Duc: 2 boards; very low, 6-8 feet of vis. Steelhead heading up, steelhead spawning riffles (careful where you walk, and steelhead heading out. Bright Spring Chinook and Searun Cutthroat showing up! As Jonathan lives within striking distance, our plan is to continue to fish the Duc throughout the summer. Sinktips are the drill. Flash flies & G.P's will catch the Chinook. Marabous and leeches for the steelhead. Keep you posted as we move into summer.

Bogachiel: We were hoping the last storm was going to have some rain in it, but no go. Bogey is a summer low. Air clear and steelhead have gone to hiding. Below SR 101 is the drill. The Duc is a better gig. Bogey closes April 30 until June 1.

Hoh: Opens May 16. (see regs.) The Hoh is our May sleeper for it has a good biting King, more steelhead than a guy wants to admit, and Dollies heading both up river and down. Sinktip show. Flies & techniques same as Sol Duc. Bigger flies and shorter leaders in the colored water.

North Sound Waters: Close April 30 until June 1. (See regulations)

Sauk: 3,200 cfs. (1-2 feet vis. below the Suiattle) The water is down a bit, but the color sucks. Cooler weather may help. The Sauk has some fish in it, but the water and landscape is so ugly, you would really have to want one. Not my choice of rivers for a while. The waters above the Whitechuck should be excellent for Dollies & resident trout, after the snow pack comes down. Think August.

Skagit: 4,390 cfs. (@ Marblemount) Waters are warming now into the upper 40's. Air clear above the Sauk, but down to 3 - 4 feet, below when it finally mixes. Good fishing from the Sauk Confluence to the Baker River for late returning steelhead. Dollies continue to steal the show.

Best to have a boat and cover some water. Both the Sauk & Skagit close on April 30.
Fishing Forecast:

Jonathan is heading back to the OP for the week. Plenty of bright fish moving in the Duc. I mentioned the Spring Chinook are coming (Jacks are really cool!) and the Searun Cutthroat almost get in the way. A #8 March Brown comes off every afternoon, and the SRC really get on them, so watch for that. Life is tuff. A yellow body Stimulator will imitate the little Sally Stone that are beginning to come off. Mike & I will do the Skagit until this weekend. He fishes sinktips & floating lines. I pretty much fish the surface.

Mystery Lake: Lake run steelhead, "hard to hook & harder to hold"

Jonathan and I headed east and do our annual Mystery Lake school gig. Friday started off calm and flat, but the winds carried the front, and anyone who fished Friday, can tell you the winds on the east side all but blew us off by afternoon. Boys worked so hard during the day, that by evening (when the sand stormed subsided) the fish went into a feeding blitz until dark, and then it was over. Only J., and one other guy on the whole lake Friday evening. Saturday, the weather settled, and the fish got happy. Rainbows to 24" were happy to snub all but the best Choronomid presentations, but we did run into some really lovely fish. Emergers were golden, but you had to get it right. The really cool thing about Mystery is everyone who fishes it, it convinced they are the only ones there. Very refreshing after the many years fishing the popular jam show lakes.
Mucho thanks for all the boys who came. Hope you quietly enjoy it for years to come.

Sixth Annual Skykomish Summer Steelhead Schools:
June 11, 12, or 13. Single day classes.
A Fisheries Biologist approach to steelhead flyfishing. Focus is on reading water, and surface and subsurface presentations for summer steelhead. Casting lesson included.

Dolly Lama:
I didn't realize Chris was going to post the Dolly Editorial on his Washingtonflyfishing.com site. I do want to take a minute and personally thank all those who posted. I have felt for years this wild Char is an amazing fish, and if managed correctly, has a potential to become a world class fishery, right here on our beloved Skagit River.

Be careful what you wish for: It may take while for the powers to be to get beyond, "If there is enough fish to be caught, there is enough fish to be killed.......and if you want to protect them, we should shut the fishery for everyone." Please read an editorial I wrote a few years ago, called Kill and Close.It's little out-dated and focused on steelhead ,but you will get the idea.

A Rose by any other name: For you steelhead bums (which I admit, I am one), who barley review the Dolly/Bull above trash, you need to listen, you are not connecting the dots.

It wasn't the Spotted Owl which changed logging practices in out region, but the bird was the excuse for doing so. By the same token. If we manage the Skagit drainage into a selective, year round fishery, for the protective management of the Dolly Bull trout, that same management will also protect our wild steelhead. Everyone wins.

We don't need to reinvent the wheel. Simply tweak it a little. The Wild Steelhead Coalition has some of the best biological minds in our area. Their mission is all about the wild steelhead, but there is no reason that all wild anadromous fish, can't benefit. The Skagit drainage is a perfect watershed to showcase what a quality anadromous fishery can do for our state. Total upside boys. If you are even remotely interested in our anadromous fisheries, you should be all over this one. {My only regret is Mike & I will be steelheading Alaska, during the WSC May meeting, but Jonathan will be there). I certainly plan to be involved when I return.

I really hope we can put our personal vendettas and political agendas away. This is not about you or me. Its about the fish.

Anyway, Happy fishing to you all.
All steelhead, all year,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

4-11-04

" Zig & Zag"
When everyone else zigs, zag.....

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

You got to be loving life. Spring is in full swing. The world in the Pacific Northwest is alive and happening. Wonderful snow pack in the mountains, yet the rivers are warming and the weather is stunning. Salmon fry and smolts are headed downstream, while the wild steelhead adults are headed up. We are busy and life is good. Lovely time to be on the rivers.

A week's recap: Jonathan just got back from another set of gigs, out on the Olympic Peninsula. Plenty of fish in but the rivers are low and the flyguys are working for their fish. Funny how just when the best fishing comes in for a large steelhead to the fly, so many bolt for their trout waters. Not that there is anything wrong with that! Many streams close on April 15 so pay attention to those regs. Our OP fishing will finish the month on the Bogey and Sol Duc.

Mike is out again today. (I try to avoid the weekends, better to let Mike & Jonathan handle the crowds.) Mike and I have been fishing the Skagit system all week. I have focused on some more solitary water of the Skagit, and Mike as been splitting time between the Sauk and The Skagit.
Mike swam a really large Sauk buck the other day. He was checking out some new water for his next day's gig, some a little fishy boulder patch, and on his second swing the big boy creamed his black Articulated leech. This large bright Toad rolled in the surface, and just shot off for parts unknown. Even Mike couldn't keep up. Over the years we have affectionately called these bad boys, "Unlandables". For a steelheader, it is a reason why we fish.

It is a bit of an irony, that as pathetic as the home grounds are for the Sauk bound steelhead, the returning fish appear to be in good numbers and some big fish, too. I would like to see more of the two-salt steelhead we are handling on the Skagit, but the dominant year class Sauk fish are three-salts, anyway. No, it is the spawning grounds and primary nursery areas that will take the hit. I don't expect a great return in five years unless we can heal some banks and flush a ton of sediments, like real quick.

Whiney-Butts:

So John & I am are hiking up to a stunning little pool that we had swam a fish the day before. John and I have fished together many years. He is interested in me and I in him. Sometimes we talk about fishing, sometimes not.

He turns to me and asks, "Dennis, I know you got your son working full time plus another guy, too. Looks like you have come a long way over nearly twenty years. Are you enjoying it?"
John would have never asked this question if he didn't mean it. I stopped and looked at him.
"I love the rivers and love the people we fish, couldn't imagine doing any thing else." I answered. "The only downside at all, is it seems like the more visible we become the more Whiney-butts that come along with it."

He thinks about this for a minute and says," Its pretty obvious you have all the business you can handle, so you know you produce a good service. People wouldn't keep coming and they certainly wouldn't stay if you didn't. Do you want to know my advice to you is?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Sure."

"Don't worry about the nagging, It happens in every successful business." He exclaimed.
Still hard for me, a small time boy from Arlington, as producing the most popular flyfishing report page of Washingtonflyfishing.com. Read Guides Biography.

River levels: Olympic Peninsula

Queets @ (Clearwater) 1,590 cfs River is low, The dry spell came and the river has dropped . Visibility is around 3 feet which is good for the Queets. Flies don't really matter. Jonathan says that both bright and dark patterns are working well. Slow it down and bring it in near the fish. Fishing continues to be good until the April 15th closure.

Hoh: 1,500 cfs. As I have mentioned, the Hoh runs broad and shallow but it has some classic fly pools. Short leaders & big flies are the rule but watch those river levels, as it can fluctuate quite a bit. Watch for fishing pressure to be intense in the lower river, but light in the upper, as the April 15th river closure appears. The selective fishery is golden as it tends to keep the bait boys down in the lower river.

Olympic Peninsula Schools April 17 & or 18th Classes: April 17 & April 18

I know you. As you wade out through the tailout of another steelhead pool, you reel up your line. You get that semi-empty feeling again, because you are fishless.......again. Are there no fish in the river, or are you just not fishing it, right?. Jeez, you have spent bucks on gear, you have read the books and seen the videos. Steelhead might as well be a mystical Unicorn, as mystery as they are to you. Well Bunky, before you quit, come see us. Our 60 angler testimonials section is filled with pedestrian anglers like yourself, looking to get steelhead better. We are always happy to help.

April 17 1 slot
April 18 full
Cost: $150/angler

North Sound Waters:

Sauk: 4,600 cfs. The water is running at a good height and coming up. Snow water is early but beginning to release, Water visibility running 2 - 4 feet. As I mentioned, the steelhead continue to come in, but the holding waters between Darrington downstream to the mouth are minimal at best. Mike is fishing it well. I am sticking to the Skagit.

Skagit: 5,440 cfs. (@ Marblemount) Dams are releasing a bit more water now, due an awesome snow pack . River in the upper reaches is running clear and cold. Not many fish around Marblemount but a few are getting up. The Sauk is getting a good return of steelhead and the fishermen are focusing their attention below the Sauk confluence. I look for more good fishing as we get deeper in April. The lower visibility of the Rockport to Baker River keeps the steelhead within the flyflinging range. Pink & Chum fry are coming out. All salmonid smolts appear to be on the move. Very consistent steelhead fishing.

Fishing Forecast:

Jonathan & I will be fishing locally until mid week, then head back to the OP for guide trips and schools. The good fishing continues, as the tribal netting slows and more anglers head off to their trout waters. We will fishing on the Sol Duc and the Bogey on the OP after April 15. The

Skagit should fish very nicely until it's April 30.

Mystery Lake: April 23, 24, or 25 A public waters located in the Potholes region of Eastern Washington. After chasing steelhead for the past 4 months, getting kind of excited to do the trout lakes thing. If you haven't gotten your itinerary, yet, just let me know.

April 23 2 slots
April 24 1 slot
April 25 full

Grande Ronde Steelhead: (October) 3 day totally outfitted campout $499. Best value on river. Check us out.

Zig & Zag. Guys went to the big rods, we went to smaller. Guys were fishing drift boat dories, we went to pontoon rafts. Guys run the Bonefish flats in guide skiffs, we paddle and wade with our tricked out kayaks. Everybody fishing the bottom, and we start rising fish to the surface. Guides hang around shops and give slide shows, hand out cards with write their name on their trucks.

We do our weekly newsletter, and then fish quietly around on secluded river sections. Everybody does their thing, that is what makes it great.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

4-4-04

"Dazed and confused"

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Spring is in the air. From trees to flowers, you don't even have to see it. You can walk to river, close your eyes and just smell.

A week's recap: Jonathan was back in the action again this week. He just returned from a successful week out on the Olympic Peninsula. Mike is also finishing up a coastal week as we speak. The boys confirm the waters started off well with the falling rivers, but got progressively tuffer as the rivers went to clear and the steelhead head for cover. Kudo's for these guides. I know how hard they work for their clients. Its kind of fun, when a guy will call or write, and gingerly ask if it is OK if they book with Mike, or can they book with Jonathan, again. I like that a lot. Means we are doing something right.

Me? I was nursing that nasty flu all week, while spending lovely days on the Skagit. Monday we fished up in the upper river. Jonathan had fished with Monty and his boy, (great guy) and that day he brought along his angling relative Bruce. Turned out to be a delightful man. We saw a couple fish, fished some lovely water. (The big one got away, of course) A good day to be out but not a good day to be sick. Tuesday I was down for the count and had to cancel, but back out with Bill on Wednesday. Bill as many of you know, has taken a guide day with me every week for a past 16 years? (He says 17, but who knows. We don't even remember how we met.) Cancer has slowed him down. On "Bill days" it's usually just the two of us. Now, I just hold the boat and walk him down the pool. He casts, we talk. I am not sure what I will do when he can't come any more. He is like a second Dad to me.. Hooked a few Dollies, lost a steelhead in a no name pool above Larsons. Neither cared. I am on drugs by now. Thursday is a designated "Books" day. Need to recoup., anyway. Friday found me back on the Skagit.

My plan on Friday was we would fish the upper river, until all the boat traffic went through the popular Rockport to Baker River, gig. We found some new fish, managed to release a lovely buck. The upper river fish tend to be smallish, (but certainly not all!) This one was typical. I swear wild fish always take my breathe away. Seems like we were fishing a new version of our Purple Conehead bugger . Good fly when the water goes to "gin clear". We long lined another fish from the same pool, and then it was over. Drugs are kicking in now, starting to feel human again. Such is the life of steelheading.

Cop Car: Minions and beyond. So I am home on Thursday taking care of the 2 hours of email/day, I get a message from a handful of guys saying, better get over to Washingtonflyfishing.com, They are hammering it out again over Cop Car.
I moan, "Not again....."

River levels: Olympic Peninsula
Queets @ (Clearwater) 2,310 cfs River is in low prime, coming off last weeks high water of 12,000 cfs. and zero visibility. The dry spell came and the river has dropped . Visibility is around 3 feet which is good for the Queets. Waters in the 3,000 to 5,000 cfs, range are the good fishing. Our freestone rivers are either rising or they are falling, It is what they do. Flies don't really matter. Both bright and dark patterns are working well. Slow it down and bring it in near the fish. Fishing continues to be good until April 30.

Hoh: 579 cfs. What the heck happened here? The Hoh came off the high water. It runs broad and shallow but it has some classic fly pools. Short leaders & big flies are the rule but watch those river levels as the Hoh has now gone to summer low. The good news: I mentioned last week the Hoh can go to mud in a New York minute, when it rains. Watch for fishing pressure to be intense in the lower river, but light in the upper, as the April 15th river closure appears.

Olympic Peninsula Schools April 17 & or 18th Classes: April 17 & April 18 remain 2 openings, each. If you have always wanted to learn the secluded flywaters of the O.P., here you go. The most popular comment was that the school save them years of exploring on their own. Very cool.

April 17 - Sol Duc/ Bogey walk-in school
April 18 - Bogachiel River Float

You can book either date for the standard: $150./angler or $295 for the two day combination. Find the description and Itinerary on the Olympic Peninsula page revision for final update. Need to let me know ASAP.

North Sound Waters:
Sauk: 3,170 cfs. The water is running at a good height. Water visibility running 2 - 4 feet. As I mentioned, the steelhead continue to come in, but the holding waters between Darrington downstream to the mouth you probably count on one hand. I know the guys that are doing well and I know their gig, I am not going to rain on their parade, and besides, the Sauk fish need every reprieve they can get.

Skagit: 4,200 to 5,000 cfs. (@ Marblemount) Dams are holding water, but we have an awesome snow pack so life is good. River in the upper reaches is running clear and cold. Not many fish around Marblemount but a few are getting up. Most steelhead and fishermen are still found below the Sauk confluence. I look for more good fishing as we get deeper in April. The lower visibility of the Rockport to Baker River keeps the steelhead within the flyflinging range. Pink & Chum fry are coming out. Coho fry are showing up. Everything is alive.

Fishing Forecast:
Jonathan is headed back to the OP. We look for continued good fishing, as the tribal netting diminishes and more steelhead come in on this falling water. April is all about warm spring days, and rested steelhead We will fishing on the Sol Duc and the Bogey after April 15. Both the Skagit and the OP should maintain good fishing. These dry spells never last. Dennis & Mike will be fishing the Skagit this week as the steelhead are doing remarkably well. Look for good to excellent fishing until April 30.

Mystery Lake: April 23, 24, or 25 A public waters located in the Potholes region of Eastern Washington. After chasing steelhead for the past 4 months, getting kind of excited to do the trout lakes thing. Very cool.

Grande Ronde Steelhead: (October) I know it sounds early but when the guys are asking, its time to calendar. Appreciate all the recent inquiries.

On behalf of Mike, Jonathan, and I, just want to thank all those who make our angling life such a pleasure. It is pleasure to share it with you.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

3/28/04

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"Just when you thought it was time to go trout fishing"

Spring is my second to the most favorite time of year. I just love watching winter give way to spring. From the leaving trees, and eagles nesting, to the wild steelhead headed back to their natal streams. Life is as it should be.

A week's recap: Jonathan has taken a few days off. Mike got chased off the coast and back to the Skagit due to high waters. Even the Chosen couldn't handle it all. No worries. Boys are headed back to the O P as we speak. More steelhead coming in all the time. Life is good.

Hal came out for another week of fishing. He loves the Skagit system, but as the Sauk purely sucks, we spent all our time on the Skagit.

The Fishing:
Sometimes I think we don't get it: When we divide up our ranks between gear types, our voice remains fragmented. Our sportsmen need to come together to save our wild steelhead. Let's do everything we can do to save the steelhead, then worry about allocation. Infighting only plays into the hands of the commercials, and in the end kills everyone's recreational opportunity, as well as the fish we should be saving.....

River levels: Olympic Peninsula
Queets @ (Clearwater) 7,920 cfs River is very high, coming off a high water of 12,000 cfs. Visibility is zero. Watch for a drying spell. We need waters down in the 3,000 to 5,000 cfs, range for good fishing. Flies don't really matter. Both bright and dark patterns work well. Slow it down and bring it in near the fish. Fishing will be good as the water drops and clears.

Hoh: 3,500 cfs. The Hoh is also coming off the high water. It runs broad and shallow but it has some classic fly pools. Short leaders & big flies are the rule but watch those river levels as the Hoh comes back into shape. The Hoh can go to mud in a New York minute, when it rains. Watch for fishing pressure to be intense in the lower river, but light in the upper, as the April 15th closure stops all but the poachers.

Olympic Peninsula Schools April 17 & or 18th Received some lovely letters from the March Oly schoolers. Congrats to Gary for his nice fish. As more steelhead will continue to enter coastal streams, even I am looking forward to doing it again.

Classes: April 17 & April 18 each have 2 openings. If you have always wanted to learn the secluded flywaters of the O.P., here you go. The most popular comment was that the school save them years of exploring on their own. Very cool.

April 17 - Sol Duc/ Bogey walk-in school

April 18 - Bogachiel River Float

You can book either date for the standard: $150./angler or $295 for the two day combination. Find the description and Itinerary on the Olympic Peninsula page revision for final update.

North Sound Waters:
Sauk: 3,500 cfs. The water is running at a moderate height. Water visibility has dropped to below 2 feet. Steelhead continue to move in. As I mentioned, there are few pools that are fishing well, but the over all really sucks. I don't fish the Sauk. Probably won't until next year.

Skagit: 4,200 to 5,000 cfs. (@ Marblemount) Dams continue to trickle water. River in the upper reaches is running clear and cold. Not many fish around Marblemount. Most steelhead and fishermen are found below the Sauk confluence. I mentioned I fished with Hal this past week. He is a fine fisherman, and of course better anglers always make the guide look good. He was not disappointed. I have maintained for years the only ingredient for successful guiding is fishing every day and paying attention. I am pretty blessed. I look for more good fishing as we get deeper in April. The lower visibility of the Rockport to Baker River keeps the steelhead within the flyflinging range. Pink Fry are migrating now, Chum fry are just coming out too. Eagles are nesting. Yup, Spring is here.

As we are in mid spring swing of our late winter native steelhead season, it reminds me of old days flyfishing the Skykomish River during C&R. For you guys that remember fishing the spring fishery on the Sky, here is an article you might appreciate. Eagles are like that, part two


Fishing Forecast:
Mike & Jonathan are headed back to the coast. We look for continued good fishing, as the tribal netting diminishes and more steelhead come in on this falling water. April is all about warm spring days, and rested steelhead We will fishing on the Sol Duc and the Bogey after April 15. Way too many guys leave the steelhead waters, as the best fishing begins. Not there is anything wrong with that! (More water for us.)

Mystery Lake: April 23, 24, or 25 A public waters located in the Potholes region of Eastern Washington. Pretty stoked. I don't get to fish trout as much as I would like sometimes. Very popular school. Word has it the Choronomids are hatching.

Classes are:
Friday: 2 openings Saturday 3 openings and Sunday class is full. I don't think my hands can tie trout bugs right now......

Grande Ronde Steelhead: (October)As we formulate another year on this world class fishery. I won't give a good reason the with Dickson's, I will give you four. Happy to answer any questions.

From Chosen Rivers to Yancy lines, from Skagit Skaters to Cop Cars, many will imitate but nobody duplicates. That's why we at Dickson's are a legend in our own minds.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

3/22/04

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"The good and the bad."

March is just one of those months. One day the weather is in the 60's and spring is alive. The next day we get fresh snow in the hills and the temperature drops back in the 30's. Such is life in the Pacific Northwest.

A week's recap: Jonathan has spent the entire week out in the Olympic Peninsula. He was fishing from the Chosen River on the south to the Forks streams on the North. Week started a little slow for him early on, but just got better and better. His top gig was the Hoh, where they swam a couple steelhead one day, including a large buck pushing 20 pounds. He says his camera wasn't working. Grrr.....

Mike and I hung back and ran some Skagit gigs. Fishing has been fair to good, if you can get out and explore a bit. Our guys marveled rising both Dollies & steelhead to the surface. So much for not rising fish in cold water. I know, I probably wouldn't believe it, either.

All three of us guides ended up on the OP fishing the Sol Duc, Bogey & the Hoh. It was our annual Olympic Peninsula Steelhead schools. The weather and water cooperated and by the buzz we got back from the school boys, I would say it was highly successful. I will try to get lecture notes out to all but if I miss you, just send me an email. I am sure to get some letters back on the gig. Maybe I will include one next week. Thanks guys, we had a blast.

Our April 17 & or 18th Olympic Peninsula Schools are a continuation for the guys who weren't able to get into these March schools. As more steelhead will continue to enter coastal streams, even I am looking forward to doing it again. The Hoh River closes April 15.

April 17 - Sol Duc/ Bogey &
April 18 - Bogachiel River Float
You can book either date for the standard: $150./angler or $295 for the two day combination. Find the description and Itinerary on the Olympic Peninsula page revision for final update.

The Bad:

So I am standing at the counter in the Forks Cafe, and I read the WDFW News Release: Effective May 1: Wild Steelhead Moratorium, May 1.

I came home to find the WDFW release rational. I was tempted to write my own editorial as an open the letter to Mr. Peck but decided against it. Thinking about it only makes me mad.

Back to Fishing:

River levels:

Queets @ (Clearwater) 2,020 cfs River is low, with 3 feet visibility. Water came up on Wednesday but back down now. More steelhead are coming. Seems like water vis. is never above a few feet. Big and ugly flies are the deal. Fishing pressure is moderate.

Hoh: 1,500 cfs. As dirty water stream, the Hoh tends to run broad and shallow. The October floods was not kind to the Hoh but it has some lovely runs. Short leaders & big flies are the rule but watch those river levels.. The Hoh can go to mud if it rains. Like the Queets, big and wiggley flies are the deal. Fishing pressure is heavy in the lower river, moderate in the upper.

North Sound Waters:
Sauk: 3,500 cfs. The water is running at a moderate height. Water visibility around 5 feet. Steelhead are moving in now. There are few pools that are fishing well, but the over all really sucks. I said it before, I will say it again, The Sauk will be back, but it will probably take a year to flush the silt. Let's just hope these fish can find some decent gravels to spawn.

Skagit: 4,200 to 5,000 cfs. (@ Marblemount) Dams continue to hold water back. River in the upper reaches is running clear and cold. As many anglers and guides fishing the north sound waters are forced to the Skagit, the best bet is from the Sauk confluence, downstream to the Baker River where the Sauk fish move through. There is also a lower visibility which helps moving steelhead near the gravel bars. We are officially in the C & R steelhead season. Pink Fry are migrating now, Chum fry are just coming out too. Even the steelhead are looking up.

As we are in mid swing of our late winter native steelhead season. Here is an article you might appreciate. Steelhead flies: Fact & Fiction

Fishing Forecast:
Mike is headed back to the coast in a couple days. We look for continued good fishing, as the tribal netting diminishes and more steelhead head in. April is all about warm spring days, and rested steelhead We will focus on the Sol Duc and the Bogey after April 15. Now that makes for a good gig.

I have some people coming in from out of town this week. They love fishing the Skagit so I will stay local. Hal got pretty stoked with the Skagit waking fly on the last set of outings in March. I look for more of that as we get deeper in April.

Mystery Lake: April 23, 24, or 25 A public waters located in the Potholes region of Eastern Washington. Perfect timing. Very popular school. Word has it the ice is off and the big boys are cruising. Life is good.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

3/14/04

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"Did I miss something?"

Man, I love the spring. Summer robins have been saying it's an early spring for the past few weeks, but they have been wrong before. Willows are out, Alder is dropping pollen, Black cottonwood is budding, Lilies are poking. OK, it looks like spring, and I love the spring. Not so much because it's spring. Probably more because I made through another Pacific Northwest winter which is nothing short of gray & dreary. Even the return of the Eagles is not enough. Maybe that is why I enjoy wintering in Mexico.

Anyway,
Jonathan & Mike have spent another week on the Olympic Peninsula. This is what Joe had to say about his steelheading day with Mike on the Chosen. I had some guys coming in from out of town, so I came back early, and fished the Skagit.

Holy Snikey's! There were boats, guys, guides, dogs.......everybody was on the Skagit over the weekend. Finally decided it most have been one of your multiple club outing gigs. Now I will admit that me and the boys have been hiding out on the Coast, so I haven't spend THAT much time the past few days on the Skagit river, but I do get my reports from my buddies that do. It's never a good sign when the anglers out number the fish. The fact that the Skagit system goes to C&R after this weekend, may have something to do with it also. Oh, I can just hear the stories. I am reminded of a story I wrote few years ago. It is entitled, Guides are professional liars.

Coastal fishing: The wild winter steelhead continue to come through. Fishing has been surprisingly consistent, weather patterns not withstanding. Jonathan's managed to swim a real "Toad"a couple days ago, but the big fish finished before they did, and that was that. Mikes' guys may have caught the most fish. With the reduction of tribal netting after April one, and the bulk of the steelhead entering in the next few weeks, excellent time to be on the water. If you are still looking for your elusive steelhead on fly. April is the gig.

Fishing: ######
River levels:
Queets @ (Clearwater) 2,420 CFS River is low, with 3 feet visibility. Look for more fish to enter as we get closer to April. Seems like water vis. is never above a few feet, so keep your flies big and ugly. Fishing reports I get is fishing pressure is moderate.

Hoh: 1,250 CFS. but climbing. Another dirty water stream, the Hoh tends to run broad and shallow. It has some lovely runs. Ho h has fish but it does get fished. Short leaders & big flies are the rule.

North Sound Waters:
Sauk: 3,910 CFS. which means the water has been running moderate. Saw a bunch of guys on it on Saturday. My all time favorite river is nothing but a sand pit. Guys will figure it out.

Skagit 4,390 CFS. (@ Marblemount) Dams continue to hold water back, so upper river experiencing low waters, too. Many anglers and guides fishing the north sound waters forced to the Skagit. Simply isn't anything else open. Sad. C & R fishery kicks off in a couple days Pink Fry are starting to emerge.

Olympic Peninsula Schools: As I have mentioned for several weeks, all our March Steelhead schools are full, and coming up this week. (See below for a new addition.) Never quite sure how the weather is going to go, so if you haven't given me an emergency contact number, good idea. I will call into the office 360 435 6499, nightly with river updates.

We have had such an overwhelming response, we have added another two day series, April 17 & 18.

April 17 - Sol Duc/ Bogey &
April 18 - Hoh River Float
You can book either date for the standard: $150./angler or $295 for the two day combination. Find the description and Itinerary on the Olympic Peninsula page revision for final update.

Mystery Lake: April 23, 24, or 25 A public waters located in the Potholes region of Eastern Washington. Perfect timing. Very popular school. Tired of the angling hoards? Class is filling, life is good.

Steelhead Fishing forecast: More is good. Coastal fishing will just get better with more steelhead entering through April. The mandatory wild steelhead release will come in effect, April 1. Many North Sound anglers will get frustrated with the Skagit fishing, and head off to their favorite trout waters and miss the surface action during the Chum And Pink salmon fry out-migration.. Of course, the steelheading hardcores will be happy to have their river back. April on steelhead rivers, a lovely time for sure.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

3/7/04

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"Sometimes, it isn't about the money."

Long time fishing friend and client, Bill Jam taught me that.

I think one of the greatest thrills is showing good friends beautiful places like the Chosen River. Mike, Jonathan and I all got to share this Olympic Peninsula experience in our work last week. Pretty cool. Here is what Rob had to say, and it is worthy to note, Rob and George hit the one day the river went out last week due to a major storm. (Good thing it comes back as fast.)

Even though their day was cut short, it was a special time for me. Rob and I are just a couple steelhead flyfishing junkies. We just enjoy the same things. George happens to be a long time client, who has fished with me for years. His mom got sick, he moved away, and now he is back. It is so good to see him. Sometimes in life, it's not about the money.

Jonathan came over to the OP early in the week. I marvel what a fine person, and a wonderful angler he is. I would put his angling prowess up against anybody I know, and I have seen, a lot.
Fishing this past week was typical for a spring time show. Work hard for a fish or two at the fly each day. Fish numbers are up a little this year, but baby, we have hooked some real dandies! These suckers are hot! (and camera shy)

Here is what Bob Cherry had to say about his fishing day with Mike. As most of you know, Mike is my 26 year old son. He has been guiding full time with me for 2 years now.

My clients who haven't fished with him, yet often ask me, " So what is Michael like?".
I tell them, " Oh, he is like me, ......only a lot younger, and a lot nicer". They always laugh.
Mike is off for a few days on a much needed vacation. Jonathan and I will handle the guiding until later this next week when my boy comes back. He does give me the impression sometimes, he marvels this business even functions when he is not around. He is probably right.

Fishing:
River levels:
Queets @ (Clearwater) 4,770 and climbing. River went out this week, came back and went out again. We are suppose to have some nice weather coming, but out in the OP, that can be a relative term. Look for more fish to enter as we get closer to April. Water vis. is never above a few feet, so keep your flies big and ugly. Fishing reports I get is fishing pressure is moderate, and numbers are fair.

Hoh: 2, 040 cfs. but climbing. Another dirty water stream, the Hoh tends to run broad and shallow. It has some lovely runs, and reports have it, there are fish. Watch it though. This stream is close to Forks, and when the word is out, 50 boat days happen every year. Don't go thinking you are going to be alone. Fish light sinktips, and short leaders. Big flies are the rule. Wonderful river for the double handed rod.

North Sound Waters:
Sauk: 2,520 cfs. which means the water has been running low. Jonathan says a few fish showing in the lower river. Precip packing snow. Watch for fish (and fishermen) to start stacking in the upper reaches in the next few weeks. Typical flies, typical lines.

Skagit 3,780 cfs. (@ Marblemount) Dams continue to hold water back, so upper river experiencing low waters, too. C & R fishery kicks off soon.

Winter flies & Technique: I have mentioned I like big (but not huge) and wiggley flies such as leaches, marabous, and General Practitioners, for my winter fishing.

Go figure: So I call one of the shops the other day looking for the old SA Hi Speed Hi D line for making Type 4 tips for our Yancy multi-tip. The guy tells me nobody is caring this tuff anymore because everyone has gone over to Rio or Airflow lines (if they are not fishing the Yancy).
Wasn't nobody play attention? The type 4 line is the very tip we fish more than any in our 3 tip arsenal of type 3, type 4, type 6 (Yancy also has the optional t-2 and t-8) I mention to the shop guy I marvel that the top line producers don't even carry the t-4. I tell him they ought to talk to Rio and tell them they should add it. He said I am the only guy in the last 6 months who even mentioned it. How shop is that? If it is not popular, how good can it be? Amazing.

Kudo's: You are never going to please everyone, in the flyfishing world. Mike & Jonathan really carry the Dickson business. Mostly, I just try to not get in the way. Always appreciate the fine people we meet, as well as the kind words you give. It's not always about the money.

Haven't been around to play the winter skater gig. Looks like I will stay local early in the week. Let you know how that goes.

2 Year Wild Steelhead Moratorium: Last word I heard it was to begin April 1 for our sportsmen. This is not going to be an easy transition for some of the old guard (WDFW too) so I would caution anglers to be on their best behavior. It wouldn't be a bad thing to review an article I wrote a few years ago called " River Etiquette". April could be a banner month for Coastal steelhead, if tribes cut back on netting, along with this mandatory wild steelhead release.

Olympic Peninsula Schools: All March schools are full. We have had such an overwhelming response, we are trying to squeeze in another two day series, April 17 & 18.
April 17 - Sol Duc/ Bogey &
April 18 - Hoh River Float
Cost : $295 for the two day combination. First six guys get in Find the description and Itinerary on the Olympic Peninsula page. Only thing different from the page is the dates.

Mystery Lake: April 23, 24, or 25 A public waters located in the Potholes region of Eastern Washington. Perfect timing. Very popular school. Tired of the angling hoards? Check this out. I will describe space availability in the coming weeks.

Steelhead Fishing forecast: With the Wild steelhead Moratorium and reduced tribal netting, not only should we look forward to better spawning but better April fishing! It is solace to know what is better for quality angling, is also better for our beloved steelhead.
You see. "Sometimes it's not about the money".

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

2/29/04

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"And the hits just keep on coming."

Right now Mike is spending the week out on the Olympic Peninsula's Chosen River.
Oh, we call it the Chosen because there can be so much angling pressure out on the Coast, there is no reason to draw attention, here, but yes, it is an actual river. Fish are in, the river is flyfishing well. Jonathan and I head out to the coast as we speak. I will be there thru Saturday, off on Sunday and back out, again. Mike will get a breather, fishing the Skagit for a couple days, and then he too, will heads back to the Chosen. Jonathan will be on the OP early in the week , then back to fish the Skagit.

Fishing Closures: Please note the Stillaguamish, and the Snohomish River systems (including the Sky) are closed as of Sunday Feb. 29th. Here is a sobering thought. If my recollection serves me, both rivers were open for a wild steelhead kill thru February, up until the following year, WDFW closed the wild steelhead spring time fishing. I do believe the spring fishing on these two river systems have been closed ever since.

Winter flies & Technique: I like big (but not huge) and wiggley flies such as leaches, marabous, and General Practitioners, for my winter fishing. I advocate the Dark day, dark fly theory, but there are those who do just the opposite, which brings me to the fact of: "It's not about the fly". Of course, this winter surface stuff was not suppose to happen. I guess someone forgot to tell the fish.

Cop Car and Beyond:
I could go into a myriad of reasons why I don't give full disclosure and description of flies such as the Cop Car or the Humpy Skater, but I will give you two:

A) It's not that big a deal. I don't get hung up over flies.
B) I polled some 400 of our clients, and they asked me not to. Period.

Besides, If you were to read my site from one end to the other, it would take you some eight hours to do so. I have legions of information on site that go light years beyond a dumb fly. Why focus on what is not there, rather than the volumes that is?

This weeks fishing:
Rivers are low except the Skagit. Wild fish showing now. Dolly Skater is now called the "Winter Skater" (see below).

About the fishing:
Skykomish River: 1,700 cfs @ Goldbar. (Now Closed) River was low. Wild steelhead coming in, but a ton of pressure out to catch them. Wild steelhead release in effect.

North Fork Stilly: 1,580 cfs. @ Deer Creek. (Now Closed)

Stilly too, is very low. By the number of cars along the river this past week, I would say a few wild steelhead are showing here too. All closed after today.

Sauk River: 2,300 cfs. @ Sauk
More low water. I wrote last week about the effects the heavy silting found in the Sauk will have on returning steelhead. (See last week's report)

The Skagit River: 6,400 > 8,500 cfs Regulations get pretty complicated, better consult current regulations manual, and having a good attorney to interpret, is not bad, either.
The Skagit continues to do it's thing. Some wild steelhead are coming in the lower river. Most of the pools are intact, but the bloody Baker River continues to play havoc taking the Skagit from almost too clear, when the turbines are off, to less than foot of visibility when it is running. Remember the best flywater on the Skagit (in my opinion) is from Birdsview to Lyman. This section is closed during the March 16 -April 30 C&R, because there are too many steelhead in this river section. Huh?

The Sauk confluence downstream to the Baker: This is what Monty had to say about his day fishing with his son Tanner, with guide Jonathan. Good river float for a combination of wild steelhead heading for the Sauk and beyond. Not bad either, to intercept a big Dolly along the way. Water is clear. Summer time conditions.

Get this:
Hal is the airline pilot that comes out on guide trips with me for a few weeks each spring. He says we are in our seventeenth year, which makes me feel older than dirt. Anyway, he loves the Skagit, and we were out playing in some water around the confluence of the Sauk. The Dollies on the 6 wt. and the floating line has him intrigued, so we do that, along with sinktipping steelhead. I tell him of this amazing 10 pound fish a month earlier which came half way out of the water to crash the Skater, but threw the hook, before I got it landed, so I never got a positive ID.

We are on a pretty run and Hal decides to go back to sinktipping. I don't normally fish along with clients, but he likes it, and I kill for skating flies. Reminds me of fishing the Ronde in the fall. So he pulls out and I continue down into the lowest mogul in the tailout. The FLHS on the little rod, is kicking 70 footers, and I am just enjoying the fly arching across the pool. All of a sudden this big fish launches out and across, but misses the fly completely. Now this fish had a dominant rosy stripe down his side. I know. I saw the whole steelhead!

I turn upstream and start yelling and waving for Hal to come down, but he can't hear me over the river dinge. I reel up and hike up to tell him the story. Hal has been around me enough to know when I am blowing smoke and when I am serious, and now I am as serous as a heart attack. Hal doesn't get out of the water. He simply fishes his sinktip and a fly we call "Big Bruise" down the pool, hooks and releases a lovely 10 pound wild buck steelhead, with a definite red stripe along the lateral line, some 10 feet above where I rose the fish. How cool is that? The water was a brimming 41 degrees, A Fluke? Maybe, but not the Dollies. No Sir, we rose a dozen fish that day. Am I going to give up that fly? No way, Jose!

Our Olympic Peninsula Schools are full. We are excited. Your itinerary is located at the bottom of the Oly page.

Couldn't get into these classes? No Worries, we do private schools all the time. Get your buddies together, and think April. We will hook you up.

Mystery Lake School: April 23, 24, or 25 A public waters located in the Potholes region of Eastern Washington. Perfect timing. Very popular school.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

2/22/04

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"Sometimes you eat the bear. Sometimes the bear eats you."

As I mentioned last week, Jonathan & Mike & I just finished a long weekend of winter steelhead flyfishing schools on the Skagit River. Seems like everyone who reads my dribble knows me. (You poor guys have got to get a life!) Just kidding. Most, now know my son Mike. He has been guiding for me full time the last for couple years. Some of you don't know our good friend and fellow guide, Jonathan Knapp. Past client, then to angling friend, off to an Alaska lodge to guide, now back guiding full time with Mike and I. A true scholar and a gentleman. Here is what Bob Anderson had to say about fishing with Jon in our Skagit Schools. Couldn't agree more.

This weeks fishing:
Rivers are low except the Skagit. Few wild fish showing now. New Dolly gig has us jacked.

About the fishing:
Skykomish River: 2,300 cfs
Only did one day this week on the Sky. Dave put together a group to do an instructional steelhead day. Great bunch of guys, and the weather was awesome, but the karma just wasn't with us including a bloody train which blocked off our original put-in. Grrrrr. One thing you can say about my job. "Monday ain't like Tuesday." The river has been running moderate to low, with no rain in sight. The hatchery steelhead are all but gone, and the wild steelhead are just beginning to trickle in. As the Sky will close March 1, if you haven't fished it. Better do it now. Many of the largest steelhead come in now, but lots of anglers out. Not my top choice.

The Sultan continues to add color. I like leaches, marabous, and General Practitioners, for my winter fishing. I advocate the Dark day, dark fly theory, but there are those who do just the opposite, which brings me to the fact of: "It's not about the fly".

North Fork Stilly: 1,860 cfs. Most of our northwest rivers are free flowing, meaning there are no dams. (The Skagit is a notable exception. So anyway, they are either on the way up, or on their way down. There isn't much in between. Right now the Stilly is flirting with summer time flows. We need a rain. Boulder Creek is still kicking some color, but the upper river is high vis. Not much happening, and don't expect much until we get a rain.. Look for a shot of wild fish to show in the last week before the closure, March 1. They always do.

Sauk River: 2,600 cfs.
Low water. I guess you are getting the picture. I have floated it once since the floods. As my all time favorite river in the spring, the siltation of many of my favorite pools, is a tuff pill to swallow. It will come back. It always does. Will it affect the returning wild steelhead this spring? Yes, and no.
Yes: because with the reduced holding water in the lower river, the steelhead will shoot up into the spawning areas faster. Simply no reason for them to hang around in the lower Sauk reaches.

Yes: When it comes to spawning, steelhead are going to find fewer gravels to spawn, but then steelhead tend to be fussy about where they lay their eggs (unlike a Pink or Chum salmon). So that is good.

No: The returning steelhead have no idea the home they left has been decimated. Numbers of returning steelhead this year won't be down. The recruitment going into the gravel this year, now that may be a different story.
I see guys out trying to fish the Sauk, while on my way to fish the Skagit. Personally, I don't think I would waste my time.

The Skagit River: 8,200 > 9,200 cfs
The Skagit is our silver lining. The wild fish are coming in the lower river. Most of the pools are intact, but the bloody Baker River can take the Skagit from almost too clear, when the turbines are off, to less than foot of visibility when it is cranking. A crap shoot at best. Bring your sparsely tied low water flies, and some big and bulkies, because every day it can the turn on a dime. Such is the Skagit fishing below the Baker River.

The Sauk confluence downstream to the Baker: About a draw. Some of the pools have actually improved some, are worse, and others remain about the same. Good river float for a combination of wild steelhead heading for the Sauk and beyond. Not bad either, to intercept a big Dolly along the way.

Marblemount to Rockport: Is lovely classic waters. This is what Peter had to say about his guide day on the Skagit. Water is sometimes too clear, and the upper tribs. do not carry the wild steelhead of yesteryear, but the pressure is down, and the big Dollies are up. We often will raise fish in the mid twenty inch range. Great section to get away.

Life beyond Cop Cars:
Years ago I developed a saltwater fly called "Dickson's Chum Candy" Now they just call it Chum Candy.

In the late Seventies I developed a marabou spey called Blue/Purple. Its a steelhead standard today. More recently I came up with what was then developed as the tidewater Chinook fly, but found to be awesome for wild winter steelhead and Dollies called Cop Car. More recently Mike & I developed the Humpy Skater, for taking Pink salmon on surface flies. Jonathan, Mike & I now have not one but three flies for taking surface rising Dolly/Bulls. Yup; its official, they will come up.

Who cares? Everyone will put down their doublehanded 14' 9wt. to fish a floating line and their trout rod. Think Dollies can't fight? No Offense, but take your big stick to the Yakima in dead winter and see how well your rainbows do. It's the rod.

My point? Like anything, match the rod to the fish and you may be really surprised what wonderful sport these big Char can be on light tackle. Imagine if we actually allowed the Dolly to grow to his adult size like on the Pit River in BC. 23 -30" Dollies on surface flies. Holy Snikeys! Now consider these fish are available in the Skagit drainage, 10 months of the year. World class fishery, write it down.

For you boys who have already figured the surface Dolly thing, Never fear. These flies are way deep in the fly box. Your secret is safe ( except on guide trips.)

Our Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Schools are getting a lot of attention as anglers are preparing to bolt for the coast. Thank you for the wonderful response to theses classes. With the new wild fish release, I look for some wonderful coastal steelhead flyfishing. Happy to show you where and how we do it.

Recap:
The March 19 & 20 schools will scope out flywaters on the Sol Duc & Bogey Rivers.
March 21 or 22 will be Hoh River float trips. The crash course material of the north sound schools will be adapted and discussed on these fabled peninsula waters. Always a good time. Mike & I will be fishing the Chosen as well as the Forks rivers thru April 30, after which, we head for Alaska.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

2/17/04
"Back at the Ranch"
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Jonathan & Mike & I just finished a long weekend of winter steelhead flyfishing schools on the Skagit River. Water was prime and it seemed everyone had a great time. Perfect timing as the late winter native Skagit Steelhead C & R fishery rolls in. Thanks to all for coming to class.

Oh, I think I got everybody, but if for some reason, I didn't get the Skagit school lecture notes to you. Give me a shout.

Speaking of Natives: Mike, Jonathan and I will be guiding the Skagit and Sky for this next week before heading over to the Chosen river out on the Coast.

The plan is; Mike and I will handle the majority of the coastal gigs, while Jonathan will guide the local Skagit system C&R fishery, Mar-April 30.

About the fishing:

Skykomish River: 2,300 cfs
The river has been running moderate to low, after all the rains. The hatchery steelhead are all but gone, and the wild steelhead are beginning to show. As the Sky will close March 1, if you haven't fished it. Better do it now. The natives haven't shown as strong as last February, but many of the largest steelhead come in now. Great time for a big fish.

The Sultan continues to add color. I like leaches, marabous, and General Practitioners, for my winter fishing. I advocate the Dark day, dark fly theory, but there are those who do just the opposite, which brings me to the fact of: "It's not about the fly".

North Fork Stilly: 2,240 cfs. I go by the Stilly every day on my way to the Skagit. Not much happening, according to my sources. Look for a shot of wild fish to show in the last week before the closure, March 1. They always do.

Sauk River: 2850 cfs.
The Sauk continues to clear but finding decent holding water is the problem as most of the pools have silted in from that devastating flood last fall. Water looks inviting but it will just take mother time, to heal, let a lone to flush the silt and sand all down to the Skagit. I fished the Sauk once since the flood.

The Skagit River: 7,000 > 9,200 cfs
The Skagit continues to click along as if nothing ever changes. Some of the pools, some of the bars have come or gone but all seems to be intact.

Sometimes we will fish the Marblemount area, sometimes from Rockport to the Baker River, but my favorite (when the Baker isn't puking) is from Birdsview to Lyman. (Many river changes here, in the lower river. The Lyman Bar is gone now, and might as well, as the landowner has recently decided, the flyfishers are the guys who are leaving the trash. Go figure that one.

We are just seeing a few wild Skagit steelhead appear, but the Dolly/Bull continues to steal the show. Almost every day we will see a fish in the mid 20 inches. Imagine what the fishing would be like if we discontinued the Dolly kill fishery on the Skagit drainage. World class.

I wrote a Wild Steelhead Coalition editorial entitled " Should we not protect the wild Char of the Skagit River system?"

Best flies for the Skagit have been the Cop Car series, and the surface skater.
Is the Skagit System going to have its popular Catch & Release season? Deciphering the recent river closures appears to be about ambiguous as the regulations, themselves. After reading consulting, I give the answer a really big, "I think so". When I called the WDFW office they said they would get back to me.......

Coastal fishing: Locked and loaded.
Our Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Schools are getting a lot of attention as anglers are preparing to bolt for the coast.

The March 19 & 20 schools will scope out flywaters on the Sol Duc & Bogey Rivers.
March 21 or 22 will be Hoh River float trips. The crash course material of the north sound schools will be adapted and discussed on these fabled peninsula waters. Always a good time. Mike & I will be fishing the Chosen as well as the Forks rivers thru April 30, after which, we head for Alaska.

Never too busy to answer a question. Appreciate you coming by.
Best of fishing,

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

2/11/04
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"From the land of the sun"

Ola!

As we rolled in to Sea-Tac around 1:30 am this morning, I can assure you, I am a little fuzzy around the edges right now.

The last two weeks went in a blur. Yancy, Mike & I fished with and without clients in places such as Ascension Bay, Boca Paila, and the island of Cozumel. Bonefish, Permit & Barracuda were handled. we saw only a few Tarpon, but we were early in the season for that.

I will probably write a story about some of our adventures including a Cuda eating the back half of Yancy's first Permit!

A few high points:
The Mayan Bonefish are available year round. Seeing them takes a trained eye. Making the good cast is the other part. Several good books including Lefty Kreh's Flyfishing Bonefish & Tarpon is a good read.

Winter is stunning in the Cancun area. Storm fronts are short but strong. We saw three on two weeks. Day's highs were mid eighties, night time cooled to 70.

The fishing:
Casting to Bonefish coming at you will yield 75% of your hook-ups. Crossing shots make up the other 25% of your hooked fish, and rarely anything going away. Don't strike and lift., strip strike.
Typical weight forward floating lines will work, the tropical lines are better, and our FLHS, is the best load-&-shoot floating line I have seen. It worked awesome.

Patterns: We found both shrimp patterns and crab patterns worked well. Good to have both. Color and size of the fly is critical. Technical matching the hatch, here. Good to experiment. Good rule of thumb. If there is a question of bug, match the vegetation. In Turtle grass, your greens and grays. In the bright white sand. Dusty white, and pearl & white. Pearl Gotcha's and Ververka's swimming shrimp were our two top flies.

Think Trout: The closest I guess you could compare Bonefishing to, is wading really skinny lake shallows for large spooky trout......in the bright of the day. You get the idea.
I could go on and on.

My most favorite fishing is skating flies for steelhead. Cruising Tarpon is close but wading flats for Bones is right up there. If you haven't done it, you will want to.

Other activities:
So many places I have visited frankly has little for the non-fishing person. My lovely wife Dawn and the girls had a great time. Cancun has tons of theme parks and activities.

A misconception:
Mexico is dirty but cheap: Two words on this. No & No. Maybe around Tijuana, or Mexico City, but not Cancun. Perfect Guys & Girls gig.

Back at the ranch:
Our Winter Steelhead Skagit River Flyfishing Schools: are full. Last count we had one slot available for Sunday. We are locked and loaded.

Our next Schools are our Olympic Peninsula Schools. Great reviews each year, if you are looking to flyfish the O.P. waters.

Just another guide day.
We are back to fishing the local waters for Steelhead & Dolly/Bulls. Hard to imagine yesterday I was wading in the 75 degree waters of the Caribbean. Ah, life is good. Cold but good.

Best of fishing,

Dennis

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

2/8/04

Still in Cancun, fishing is awesome - but can't wait to get back on the river...
I will have a full report later this week - if all goes well.

Dennis

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

2/4/04

Welcome from Cancun Mexico

Weather is great, Bonefishing is wonderful-

Tell you all about it when I return Feb 10.

All Skagit schoolers, all systems are go.

See you in few.

Best of fishing,

Dennis

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

01/26/04

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"Boys were out"

Jonathan & Mike fished the Skykomish River this week. Mike had a very nice day with Bill Stivers & friend. They hooked two steelhead, landing both. Jonathan got Eugene into his first steelhead. I spent time at Jeff's Ponds and up on the Skagit. Fishing was good. (More on that.)

Speaking of the Sky. Here are a couple of letters from the Sky school, James is a fine angler. Very articulate. Paul, you may find particularly interesting. Most guys come to school because they have not been catching steelhead. He and his Dad Gary, handle a lot of fly caught summer steelhead, in their southern waters. They wanted to learn about winter steelhead flyfishing & techniques. Super guys and great fishermen. Here is Paul's letter.

Too funny: It is not unusual to get anglers from near and far to join us in a class. So there we were, huddled around at the Lewis Street parking lot, everybody introducing themselves to each other. Zail mentions he just flew up for the weekend from LA. Asks if he is the farthest from home. David G. quietly mentions he is from Hawaii, (although I think he had just moved to the Seattle area). Perfect timing: David B. (late getting dressed into waders) comes walking up and introduces himself in his thick Irish accent. Zail was just stunned. The more I thought about it, the funnier it got.

OK, fishing:
First off the Skykomish around the Reiter Ponds area is closed to steelheading, High bridge to Monroe is still open. Heard the Snoqualmie was, too? Check the latest WDFW news Release.

More snow than rain.
You would think with all that rain in the low lands the rivers would be out, Not! Rivers are in great shape.

You can check river flows off my Flyfishsteelhead.com > Check river flows for latest. How do you read it? If the Sky @ Goldbar or the Skagit @ Marblemount are above 10,000 cfs, no fishing. Fishing stops in the Stilly @ Deer Creek above 3,000 cfs.

Skykomish River: 3,700 cfs and dropping Sunday morning. Water is down and has been all through the week. Few fish means fewer fishermen. Pools are fishing well. Boys caught fish. Pink Stinker, Blue/Purple marabous and Black Bart (found in fly section of Streamsideflyshop.com) were top producers. Watch for the Sky to continue to drop as cold front moves through. February is always a good month for the large late winter native steelhead. Be gentle, and release them alive.

Skagit River: 7,000 cfs in the mornings, released waters climb to 10,000 cfs by the end of the day. Air temp 30's Water temp 43. Vis above Sauk. 6'. The Skagit is probably the only river I know, that improves in fishing as the water rises. Dollies are smaller now, many of the big ones have been killed in the winter kill fishery. Too many of these wild Char in the 15" - 19" range with hook scars. We need to better protect this fish. Dark and wiggleys are good flies. Our new surface skater is getting it done, but that is all I will say on that.

Hatchery steelhead, continue to come in spurts. Skagit winters are stunning with eagles and all. Lovely setting.

Skagit Steelhead Schools: February 13, 14 or 15. The Skagit schools always gets a lot of attention, as we wait for the arrival of the large late winter native steelhead. This is our sixth annual, school. Both Single & double handed rods are welcome. We cover both casting and presentation technique. Be sure to check out the Skagit school page Itinerary. It will answer a lot.

Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Schools: March 19, 20, 21 or 22 Way too much fun. These are all one day schools. (Space limited)
Mar 19 & 20 are about learning secluded flypools on the Sol Duc and Bogey.
Mar 21& 22 schools are a float rip on the fabled Hoh.
Yes! Many anglers are signing up for Mar 20 & 21 to learn all three rivers. First day is on the Sol Duc & Bogey. Second day is floating the Hoh. Very cool. Glad to have you.

Stilly, North Fork: 1035 CFS Air temps in the 30's Water temp is around 40. Fishing slow to fair depending on who you talk to. Haven't really fished it. Been on the Skagit.

Sauk River: 3500 cfs. Air 30's Water 42 Fishing: Some Dollies coming out, but haven't spent the time. River needs to flush. Vis. 2-3 feet.

Mexico Fishing: I apologize we don't do much advertising about our Bones of the Caribbean. We take groups down each year around the first of February for a couple weeks. I get inquiries all the time from anglers heading down looking for a guide. The fishing is good, but the local guiding is not. We have these amazing inflatable kayaks, as well as our tricked out pontoons. We always fly down our own equipment.. Next year, we may stay for a month. Happy to talk about 2005 trips.

Pardon the interruption:
We will have our lap-tops and calendars. We have email access, so we will continue to book guide trips and steelhead schools, while in the sunny lands of Cancun, Mexico. My next report will be from down south, but Jonathan will be handling the day-to-day business affairs from rainy, cold, Washington. Yes, I am gloating, just a little.

Business as usual.
Jonathan will continue with our guide trips. He can answer questions, as I from Mexico. We will continue to guide the local North Sound waters through the third week of February before heading out to the Olympic Peninsula. Let me know if we can help.

It doesn't happen often, but once in a while, as a guide, you will get a doozy out fishing. Reminded me of the story I wrote called The Cranky Client.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

1/18/04

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Spent the early week up on the Skagit. Dollies and winter hatchery steelhead were the show. Warm wet weather blew the rivers out in the mid week, but we did managed to hold our Skykomish Steelhead classes on Saturday and Sunday.

We have such a good time. Now that Jonathan is helping Mike and I full time, it has really made difference in personal attention at the schools. For all the boys who came and joined us, Thanks! I will try to get the lecture notes out to you, pronto. It is quite the compliment when your boys from the Sky school are already signing up for the Skagit and Olympic Peninsula schools. Of course, Mike and Jonathan do all the work, I just kind of yell and wave my arms a lot..

I included a nice letter from a gentleman named Tom. This is what he has to say.

Skykomish River: 4,200 cfs Sunday morning. Water visibility around three feet, below the Sultan river. We swam a fish on Friday, (Black Bart in a # 2, was the magic fly.), but Sky fishing remained a little cool on the over-all.

Skagit River 12,400 cfs water temp. 43 degrees. Pardon the interruption. The river was already high early in the week, but these rains coupled with a rising snow level have knocked it right out. We fish the Skagit up to 10,000 cfs. After that, the pools go away. Our lovely Skagit hasn't recovered yet, but when it does, oh Baby! If this cold front settles in, we should be golden later in the week. Your traditional sinktip outfits and steelhead flies are all working.

Skagit Steelhead Schools:February 13, 14 or 15. A new wrinkle: Both Single & double handed rod fishing will be covered. You bought the big stick. Just not catching steelhead, yet. Right? Come see why the actual fishing is a whole lot more than simply casting out in the middle of the river and throwing a big mend. Classes filling.

Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Schools: March 19, 20, 21 or 22 These are all one day schools.
March 19 & 20 are both walk-in pool schools. Guess they are pretty popular by the response we are getting. Thank you.

We have two days dedicated to the Hoh. We have conducted these schools for five years now. As a traditional float, the Hoh is always one of my favorites.

Stilly, North Fork: 1,200 cfs. Water jumped, but as a small drainage, the North Fork tends to flush pretty fast. Air Temps 34 degrees to 47 degrees. Water Temps around 43. Haven't fished it much, lately. My reports I am hearing says there is the odd steelhead being caught but fishing isn't as good as hoped coming off this high water. The NF has slipped it's own mini slides, and water visibility can vary even up in Fortson area. Hmmm.

Sauk River: It may look bad but it is! Not much happening. River is silted in.

Texas flats: Jonathan had a wonderful time chasing Reds and Sea Trout. We are trying to slot a few days in mid-May, on our way to our Florida Tarpon fishing. Tuff gig, heh?

We will continue to guide the local North Sound water through the third week of February before heading out to the coast. Let me know if we can answer any questions.

If you are looking for a little anecdote, check out Guides Hats. It is kind of fun.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

1/11/04

"Wow, that was close"

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With all that snow on the ground, we were set up for the mother of all floods. Knock on wood. The ground was frozen, and the weather remained just cold enough, to drain the lowland snow without a river flood,...... so far.

Fishing overview:
Steelhead slowed a bit with all the cold water. They don't like to enter rivers from the salt, when it's that cold. They just tend to mill until the freshet comes. Freshet came. Should pick up again.

Skykomish River:
Spent the week on the northern rivers so not much to report this week. River levels still down but slowly on the rise. Should be excellent by the weekend. Mike, J. and I are planned to fish the Sky, quite a bit this week.

Wild Steelhead Coalition:
Work doesn't allow Mike and I (and Jonathan) to attend much, but it is a great organization with some fine fellows. Great to see the boys are happy and active. You should come. Hopefully, with the three of us working the business now, my goal is someone can represent Dickson's most months.

Skykomish Winter Steelhead Schools: January 16, 17 or 18. Full
Every Year I am reminded how popular these classes are. Classes are full but if you didn't get in, never fear, We have two killer Annual Schools coming up.

Skagit Steelhead Schools: February 13, 14 or 15. Come join on a lovely river we fish more than any other North Sound River. Classes filling already.

Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Schools: March 19, 20, 21 or 22
We are doing something a little different this year. Check it out! With a busy guiding year lining up, it was a bit of a juggle to find some dates, but I think we are set. If you always wanted to learn some of the OP top steelhead streams......here you go!

Stilly, North Fork: Air Temps 38 degrees to 45 degrees. Water Temps around 40 degrees at 10 am. The NF has been leaking slide water from the November flood, even waters above Fortson, have been affected in lower visibility. Water jumped up to 4,000 cfs. but now has dropped back to 2,000 cfs. Hopefully, more winter steelhead will have come in with the freshet.

Sauk River: 7,110 cfs. Couldn't help it. J. and I stopped off to fish the "New" White Creek Pool. Almost quick-sand. It is going to be a while, boys.

Skagit: 9,000cfs Skagit has held itself pretty well.. Air temps 30-50 degrees, water temps. 43 degrees. Visibility good above the Sauk, and fishable below. Like greaseling surface feeding Dollies in the Chum Fry out-migration, much like stumbling on rising Humpy Salmon the surface flies in the fall, we are on our latest "Phenomena". I can't tell you about it yet, because a one-time experience, doesn't make it law yet, but if you know me, it must include fishing trout rods and floating lines. Keep you posted.

Poor Man's Florida: Jonathan is back from chasing Texas Weakfish and Reds. We may head down there for a few days in mid May on our way to Florida Tarpon. (Right after I get back from Alaska steelhead). Busy year.

We will continue to guide the local North Sound water through the third week of February before heading out to the coast. Life is good. Busy, but good.

Best of fishing,

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

1/4/04

"Steelhead: Answer to the winter blues"

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

I hate it when I am right. We never seem to have the same winters, twice in a row. I guess we were due for a big snow year. I am just not sure it is staying up in the mountains, where it belongs.

Fishing overview:
Winter grip has locked the snows and rivers into moderate to extremely low conditions. Water is cold, roads are icy (as are the river rocks!), but rivers are fun to play when cabin fever hits.

Winter Steelhead Flyfishing:
Last week I mentioned how important it was to be fishing the right lines in the right water. That if you can't present your fly where the steelhead are, you aren't going to catch them. There is no doubt the greatest advent in the last few years has been anglers fishing the double handed rod. That's cool. Seriously, I really don't care which rod you use. In fact. we use the double spey in casting the Yancy system, so there you go. I will tell you; the number one mistake I see most winter flyfishers make, is wading too deep, casting too far. Even the guys that know better can't seem to help themselves. There is something about getting the fly "way out there", so he spends all his time fishing the heavy flows. Problem? He never gets his fly down near the fish. "Drive for show, but putt for dough".

Skykomish River: 1300 cfs @ Gold Bar River is very low.
Boats can get you to some of the best waters when the flows are up, but many of the walk-in pools are now available in the low flows, and you can scoop the boats if you get there first. Flies: Stick to softer colors until the river rises. Pick your water carefully so you can fish "low and slow".

My experience: Anglers care a lot more about which fly is used than steelhead do. Steelhead are not feeding, they just react.

Skykomish Winter Steelhead Schools: January 16, 17 or 18.
Our winter schools are very popular and this year is no different. Friday is full, Saturday may have one slot, and Sunday we have room for two, as we speak.

Schools will include: Lecture notes on reading waters & presenting flies. Yancy lines compared with Rio and Airflow. You decide which line is best for you. Cop cars and many other of our trick flies.

If you don't get in the Sky School. No worries: We will have our annual winter Skagit Steelhead School February 13, 14 or 15. More details coming.

Stilly, North Fork: Air Temps 20 degrees to 35 degrees. Water Temps around 37 degrees at 10 am. Water visibility-high above French Creek, moderate below Boulder Creek, and fishable below Deer Creek. Top picks are Fortson area and Trafton to Arlington. Same flies & lines.

Sauk River: 4,450 cfs @ Sauk. Ugly, but slowly getting better. Not fishing it.
Darrington to Suiattle. Water visibility: Fishable 2-3 feet. Many steelhead pools are filled in.
Suiattle down the Government Bridge. Water vis. 2 feet. Pools have changed but this section actually has some holding water. Has promise.
Government Bridge to mouth: Back to ugly. Going to need a year of flushing to move that much sediment.

Skagit: 4700 cfs > 6500 cfs Pretty good fishing. Air temps 20-30 degrees, water temps. 34-39 degrees. Visibility excellent above the Sauk, and fishable below. Winter steelhead continue to roll thru in spurts. "Here today, gone to Maui." Some monster Dollies. Bill Arthur released a couple Mike taped at 27".

Speaking of Maui:
Jonathan is chasing Redfish in Texas, Mike and I will head off after Caribbean Bonefish, the end of January. Trips are full.

Olympic Peninsula Steelhead flyfishing will start the third week of February......when the native steelhead are in!

Happy holidays, stay warm.

Dennis, Mike & Jonathan

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

For information on booking a trip see Rates and Booking Information

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