Thursday, September 25, 2014

Autumn Equinox Rain, and a New Moon







Your Olympic Peninsula fly fishing guide,
Catch & Release, Fly fishing only!

Autumn Equinox Rain

  This autumn equinox came on with a splash! We are definitely in the big change to cooler and wetter weather here now. And I am not complaining. The weather moved in fast here, with a big low front on the Pacific coast that has driven some much needed rain across the parched Olympic Mountains. The rivers jumped up pretty quickly here today too.


Graph of  Discharge, cubic feet per second


   
    The barometer came up to nearly 30 mm on Thursday so this storm has been moderating, with light to brief, heavy rainfall, mixed sun and clouds and WIND. I hear that the coast had 50 knot winds and waves over 30 feet high! And the rivers also calmed down. We have more rain coming tonight and into Friday. I was driving home across the Hood Canal Bridge tonight and I could see curtains of rain enclosing the Olympics in a misty shroud. The mood is definitely changing. By the weekend they predict that we will have gotten some 2 to 5 inches of rain. But mostly it is a soaker. This is the beginning of autumn in earnest. And the rivers will rise some more too. This is going to get some fish moving now, in the saltwater and in the rivers. A perfect launch to our autumn fishing. And the coming weekend is supposed to be very nice. 

   Speaking of the Hoh River, last week I mentioned that the National Park Service had temporarily closed all fishing on the Hoh River, within the upper river reaches inside of the Olympic National Park boundaries, including the South Fork Hoh River, to protect the spawning Chinook salmon there. Check the dates and boundaries in each of these following links carefully.

http://www.nps.gov/olym/parknews/emergency-closure-of-all-fishing-in-the-upper-hoh-and-south-fork-hoh-rivers.htm

 Today the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife closed all fishing on the state waters of the Hoh River, from Morgan's Crossing upstream to the Park boundaries. 

 https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/erule.jsp?id=1496

 Once those Hoh River chinook salmon are done spawning in a few weeks, you can get up there and cast a fly to the summer steelhead and cutthroat. 

    Meanwhile, we will be getting some serious October Caddis action out here for the next month or more on our rivers. And those cutthroat and steelhead will be willing. Many of our west-end Olympic Peninsula coastal rivers hold sea-run Cutthroat, and by now they will be fat and sassy after a summer of feasting on saltwater forage. Getting back into the rivers during the October Caddis hatch means that they will be reckless about dry flies. 

   Oh yes! Here's some cool summer steelhead flies that my friend Leland Miyawaki ties and fishes with. You can connect with him at the Orvis Bellevue fly Shop.

Leland Miyawaki's "Phat Flies"

   September 24th- The New Moon


Reading the signs . . .

     As if fresh running rivers, mild days and crisp cool nights, October Caddis hatches and willing fish weren't enough for us, the coho salmon are coming home now too. And this weather is really going to spur them on as those rivers freshen up on higher flows. So for the next few weeks we will also be enjoying beach fishing with the increasing tidal energies of the waxing moon. The full moon in October is on the 8th, (and it will be a lunar eclipse event as well). I know that some people swear by them, yet I have never really followed the "Solunar fishing tables" with any serious intent. But when it comes to saltwater fishing it does pay to be aware of the moon phases as this drives the tides. Big tides, rising rivers, cooler autumn air rushing in, Oh man. It's hard to mourn the loss of summer sun and warmth with this much good fishing in the offing. Break out your sweaters and warm hats! I love the smell of cedar wood smoke in the cool evenings. . .

   To learn more about Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula fly fishing call or write for more details. I would be happy to help you plan your Olympic Peninsula adventure.

 

Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishing Guide and Instructor

  I am guiding fly fishers on the Olympic Peninsula beaches, rivers and streams. We walk and wade, fly fishing for sea-run Coastal Cutthroat trout in freshwater and saltwater, and in the rivers for trout and summer steelhead. This is strictly catch and release, traditional fly fishing only. Lunch, snacks, soft beverages, and use of some equipment is included. Personalized and private fly fishing and fly casting instruction, and guided trips are available, for beginners through expert anglers. Public presentations, Naturalist guide for rowboat picnics, Tide Pool and river trail day trips. Please call, write or email for booking details.
  

Bob Triggs
Little Stone Flyfisher
P.O. Box 261
Port Townsend, WA
98368

Licensed Washington State Guide 
Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Trout Unlimited Aquatic Educator Award
U.S.C.G First Aid/CPR/BLS/AED/BBP/HIV Certified

Phone: 360-385-9618


Sunday, September 21, 2014

Guide's Day Off


Your Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishing Guide,
Catch & Release, Fly Fishing Only!

Guide's Day Off
    I count myself as lucky that sometimes the boundaries between my work and my play get diminished, blurred and indistinct. In the course of many seasons a guide might meet people from all over the world. Some of them will catch fish and some won't. Some will never come back. And a few might return each season. You do your best to help them, show them the water and you try to find the fish, you give them lots of support and encouragement. You try to teach them some things, and you share your water and experience. Some of these people become your friends. Andy has been putting up with me for years. This year Andy and I took a day off to be fishing buddies. It worked out perfectly. 

   
Andy plys the tides.



    Cool and cloudy, no wind, and a fog all morning into afternoon. And we were all alone on the beaches mid week.

Andy's beautiful Irish sea trout flies.

The Compost System of Fly Management:
I just keep adding new flies on top of the ones that are disintegrating in my box.

I got lucky first . . .
A nice autumn sea-run Cutthroat.
Break time on the beach.
Andy's Orvis Access switch rod and reel. Ready for coho!
Three casts into the afternoon and this happened.
.
A beautiful ocean bright coho!

Way to go Andy!
   
   This is one of the happiest aspects of being a guide- you meet some great people. And some of them end up being your friend, and your fishing buddy. Thanks for a great day Andy!

Late September Olympic Peninsula fly fishing update: 9/21/14

   The Olympic Peninsula rivers are still running very low. We have yet to get the kind of rain here that will turn it all on for autumn. The short term forecast ahead does indicate some rain. We'll just have to wait and see. And as I said last week, there are still plenty of great little spots to fish in the low water, and you wouldn't be putting the fish at risk. There are some bruising sea run cutthroat around now, and summer steelhead. And there's more to come. These fish will be holding in shaded waters, deeper pockets and pools, longer deeper glides, and below tributaries where there may be colder ground water upwelling into the main stem rivers. Deep, slow, dead-drifted soft hackle flies, caddis pupae and especially the dry flies- October Caddis, muddlers and Bill McMillan's Steelhead Caddis, skated and skittered across the surface, are all good patterns this time of year. Oh, And right now there are coho running the beaches just about everywhere. Decisions, decisions . . . 

   To learn more about Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula fly fishing call or write for more details. I would be happy to help you plan your Olympic Peninsula adventure.

 

Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishing Guide and Instructor

  I am guiding fly fishers on the Olympic Peninsula beaches, rivers and streams. We walk and wade, fly fishing for sea-run Coastal Cutthroat trout in freshwater and saltwater, and in the rivers for trout and summer steelhead. This is strictly catch and release, traditional fly fishing only. Lunch, snacks, soft beverages, and use of some equipment is included. Personalized and private fly fishing and fly casting instruction, and guided trips are available, for beginners through expert anglers. Public presentations, Naturalist guide for rowboat picnics, Tide Pool and river trail day trips. Please call, write or email for booking details.
  

Bob Triggs
Little Stone Flyfisher
P.O. Box 261
Port Townsend, WA
98368

Licensed Washington State Guide 
Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Trout Unlimited Aquatic Educator Award
U.S.C.G First Aid/CPR/BLS/AED/BBP/HIV Certified

Phone: 360-385-9618



   

Monday, September 15, 2014

September High!



Your Olympic Peninsula fly fishing guide.
Catch & Release, Fly Fishing Only!


September High!


Late Bloomer.
   We have been riding the wave of an extended sunny and warm summer right into autumn. And one thing to remember about warm air, and especially as pertains to the Pacific Coastal climate, is that warm air contains more moisture. So this is building up with each warmer day. And the nights have been getting cooler. So eventually that moisture is going to start falling from the sky. It looks like that is coming later this week. And as much as I like living as though we were in an endless summer of blue skies and fair winds, sunscreen and straw hats, I am welcoming this shift into the annual rain cycle here. But don't break out your pumps and bailing buckets yet. We rarely get serious replenishing rains this early. That most likely happens in October. At this point, we need some serious rainfall. But every little bit helps.  

    The Olympic Peninsula rivers are running low and clear for the most part. But take heart- The rivers and fish are going to perk up with some rain. It looks like this rain will be coming in around the same time that we expect the October Caddis to begin hatching out in earnest. Cooler nights, shorter days, and a little sun mixed in. This is a nice way to segue into fall. So don't hesitate to explore these rivers and streams as they gradually come back to life. There are summer run steelhead in most of them now. And with a little rain a few more will be showing up this fall. We can have good dry fly fishing for summer steelhead and sea run Cutthroat trout in these rivers through October. I like my own October Caddis, steelhead Caddis fly, tied with Hoh River elk hair. 


Little Stone's Steelhead Caddis

     This year I am also going to be using Derek Young's great fly, The "Yak Caddis," with a little more regularity for Cutthroat and Steelhead on the rivers. Derek Young guides on the Yakima River and on some other very cool waters around the great American West. Derek was honored with the Orvis Guide Of The Year award a few years ago. This guy really knows his stuff. Check him out at his Emerging Rivers Guide Services .


Derek Young's great fly, The "Yak Caddis."
 www.orvis.com/p/yakcaddis/3r8x

     
     And if you simply must get out there on the Olympic Peninsula rivers now, low water be damned, Go ahead! You aren't getting any younger. And like I said, there are plenty of fish around now. You won't have to worry about any damaging warm water temperature issues either. 

    Please be aware that Olympic National Park has closed the Upper Hoh River, South Fork Hoh River, and it's tributaries to fishing for now, as they are trying to reduce impacts on the returning, spawning Chinook salmon. This is why I do not guide for those fish to begin with. They expect another low return / spawner escapement this year. Again.  www.nps.gov/olympic 


   I will also suggest that you bring along some Caddis Pupa flies. There will be countless caddis pupae, drifting in the currents, working their way to the surface now, and for the next two months. One of the really good ones for these waters, for trout and steelhead, is Skip Morris "Brick Back Caddis." And what you want to do is tie this fly onto a long fine leader, at least nine feet long, and using a floating line, drift this bad boy through those deeper slower holding lies, in the dark drop offs and ledges, and along the foamy seams. Skip is without a doubt one of the most talented and enthusiastic fly tying innovators out there today. There's an old saying: "Pretty is as pretty does." Skip's flies catch fish. Take a look at his website if you are interested in learning more about flies, and fly tying, and how to fish with them:
Skip Morris Fly Tying 


"Pretty is as pretty does"
Skip Morris "Brick Back Caddis."
www.skip-morris-fly-tying.com
   
On the saltchuck: 

     Oh how I hate to say "Things are heating up!" . . .But they are. We are catching some really nice wild sea-run Coastal Cutthroat trout from the beaches now. If you want  a solid chance at catching a trophy sea-run: Now is your time and this is your place. We usually have good fishing for these wild trout through October, and sometimes through November. We're also seeing more coho salmon coming through these waters. And anglers on most of the beaches around here are reporting improved fishing. Once the weather begins to change, everything gets moving. So should  you! 



Wild sea-run Coastal Cutthroat trout.
    To learn more about Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula fly fishing call or write for more details. I would be happy to help you plan your Olympic Peninsula adventure.


Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishing Guide and Instructor

  I am guiding fly fishers on the Olympic Peninsula beaches, rivers and streams. We walk and wade, fly fishing for sea-run Coastal Cutthroat trout in freshwater and saltwater, and in the rivers for trout and summer steelhead. This is strictly catch and release, traditional fly fishing only. Lunch, snacks, soft beverages, and use of some equipment is included. Personalized and private fly fishing and fly casting instruction, and guided trips are available, for beginners through expert anglers. Public presentations, Naturalist guide for rowboat picnics, Tide Pool and river trail day trips. Please call, write or email for booking details.
  

Bob Triggs
Little Stone Flyfisher
P.O. Box 261
Port Townsend, WA
98368

Licensed Washington State Guide 
Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Trout Unlimited Aquatic Educator Award
U.S.C.G First Aid/CPR/BLS/AED/BBP/HIV Certified

Phone: 360-385-9618