washington fly fishing: Autumn In August!

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

Autumn In August!

''To everything there is a season . . ."

Western Washington fishing has been delightfully enjoyable this week, as we have been getting cool cloudy days, a little rain, and some freshets in the rivers. This has really stimulated some things around the Olympic Peninsula. And with warm dry weather in the forecast ahead, I expect to see even more of these cycles continue. There are more bugs hatching now, lots more. And we are not even into the fall weather yet. Last night I went out in the dory for a row around the bay. I pulled down along the waterfront, and I met some friends down at the pub for a pint as the sun was setting. It was cool and cloudy, with a heavy wet mist settling in upon us as the night came on and the stars began to twinkle through. Rowing back up town toward the ramp, the sky was filled with swirling mist and fog, and low lying wisps of clouds.

"Night rowing."
photo credit Crystal Craig photography

I ended up staying out late, rowing along, several seals following me, drifting on the tides in the darkness. The water was a soft black, velvety flat plain.The air was so refreshingly cool that I almost stayed out all night. When I got back to the ramp it was midnight. I then found myself rowing through countless thousands of sandlance, swarming in mass along the beach in the shallows, writhing and cavorting in an impossible jumble of undulating bright flashes and darting leaps. Rowing along several hundred feet of beach, I could feel them bouncing wildly off of my oar blades, they were impossible to avoid. I don't recall ever seeing this happen so early in the year. And so I am wondering if fall will come early this year. At any rate, we needed the rain. And that freshening influence in the rivers might help to move some summer steelhead out of their usual low water malaise. That's a lucky thing for August on the Olympic Peninsula.

Summer Steelhead fishing.

The beach fishing has been running just about as hot and cold as the weather around here lately. Most of the salmon fishermen on the beaches are only now beginning to report a smattering of coho catches on each tide. They have always done better around here in September and October. Sea run Cutthroat are our primary game, as we walk and wade, fly fishing from the beaches, and they have not been disappointing. And we will still have at least several good months of this saltwater fly fishing ahead of us. We always look forward to our autumn fishing. By now the sea-run Cutthroat trout that we are catching are much stronger and more robust, fatter, and aggressive. What a difference a few months of feeding in the saltwater since spring makes for them. I just wish we could have a few cool and cloudy, softly misting rainy days every week of summer. I was surprised to learn that our little corner of the country gets less rain than anywhere else for these months each year.

"Evening tide"

One thing that fly fishing can do is to help you to cultivate a sense of gratitude. It's pretty hard to hang onto your ordinary daily stresses and concerns when you are enveloped in the alchemy of bright waters and open air. Breathing in the heavy, sweet scent of salt and tide, and hanging all of your hopes on one cast at a time. Sometimes we forget ourselves, worldly goals and comparisons become meaningless, and our ordinary lives grow dim in our awareness as we open ourselves to the rhythm and pulse of the waters. At some point we are engrossed in the tempo of the cast, the swing of the line across the water, the wind and flows and dappling light will enchant us. Time disappears. One cast at a time we "practice to be quiet." It is no wonder that we get home late sometimes.

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. And we catch and release salmon on the beaches. 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

email: littlestoneflyfisher@mail.com

Blog: http://olympicpeninsulaflyfishing.blogspot.com