Note: This article  was first posted on February 15, 2013.

 

 

 

The bitter sweet:

The good news is: A very nice pulse of late winter native steelhead have shown up in the lower Skagit river, just before the season closure. Big brawly steelhead. The kind that when you see them you think,

"Must be Sauk fish with their thick caudal peduncles and broad shoulders." The kind of steelhead you can't get your hand around the wrist of their tail, nor take your eyes off that big male shovel nose. The kind of fish, you are willing to stomp the twilight chill just to make it onto first water. Where anticipation is pumping  adrenalin so hard through your veins, you don't just feel, you can taste it.
February has always been a big fish month for me. Of the seven Washington state steelhead I have taken over twenty pounds on a fly, five have come from February 10 to March 10. God created large dominant male steelhead to enter first, it's just the way it is.
It used to be; Valentines was the unofficial kick off for another great Skagit River Catch & Release season. Life just didn't do better than March & April. That is why nature built the season Spring right?

But a Skagit steelhead's life has reduced itself into a political football. Those that destroy it's habitat still blame the harvesters, the harvesters still blame habitat.  The hapless angler stares from the shore at the vacant memory of another lost opportunity. The burden is so painful, he can barely drive along the river roads during those early months of the year. It simply hurts too much.
He tells himself it's for the best. Certainly for the greater good. Even as I point my truck & trailer towards the coast, I try to convince myself, it's better for business. Maybe someday I may even believe it.

I hear the Skagit numbers finally came in over escapement for last year. I don't know. It's what I've heard. I know this. I didn't fish. Perhaps the final tally will come in well again for 13.
So I wish I could explain to the powers-to-be, that my being out on the water, transcends the dragging around a hook with feathers. Maybe if you and I could get out on the river, we could call it Fising, or hookless casting. I do find myself conjuring up in my head, hookless fly patterns that would take the pull, but hold no fish. Would that be enough? I wonder.

So maybe this pulse of fish means the ocean survival is up and it will bode well for the few Washington rivers that remain open. That would be nice.
And what does that do for the fish that swim in Beaver Flats or White Creek along the Sauk? The Mixer, Larsons, Chapel or the Power Line pool on the Skagit. Oh don't mind him. He just doesn't get it.

So as I ready for a trip to the coast, I get on line to get a beat on what's going on. I stumbled onto a site that was so foul in language, so rude in commentary, it prompted me in digging up a piece I wrote. Please read River Etiquette.

So there you have it. The North Sound rivers are closed, the coastal waters will be heating up. Watch for that next good rain. The  O.P. rivers shouldn't have anything less. Come join us, maybe we can share a story about the days on the Skagit.


 Best of fishing,

Dennis & Mike Dickson
www.flyfishsteelhead.com

Dave's Chromer Guide: Mike

New - O.P. Partner needed for steelhead trip : March 27th or 28th or April 2nd.
What a beautiful week on the peninsula. One day we literally floated past 2 walk-in guys that both had there shirts off. I'm not that hard up for a tan. Looks like a lot of rain is on it's way though. There seams to be a decent amount of fish in the rivers. Fishing was great to good last week. Dianne was the quickest to ever get a hook up. I threw some line out and handed her the rod and before I could show her how to cast she yelps with "I think there is something on". She ended up landing a nice little 6 lb. hen.
We had one slow day on one of the busier weekend days on a float I normally don't do. I had one of the guys out the day before so we wanted to hit something different. We had one good pull but it didn't stick. The first trip this year we didn't get fish out there :(
The biggest fish we hooked this week broke Tim off in a little tree snag. There was literally nothing around for a few hundred yards except for this little damn snag on our shore and the fish screamed off into his backing and on his 2nd run made a b-line straight to it. I was standing fairly close to it when the fish hung up on it, the slab made a few splashes and rolls, then broke him of before I could do anything about it. Man what a hot fish!... heart breaker.

Dave's 2nd fish.

Couple float warnings: On the upper Queets there is a tree all the way across the river. It's passable but a pain. Stay on the left braids, the right braids have low water and logs/sweapers.
On the float on the Hoh above Oxbow there is also trees across the  river.

Looking forward: I am booking Methow trout trips in late July/early August and Pink salmon trips will start on Aug 15th and go till October.

Tight lines,

Mike

Can you spell rain?

 

The Queets River is an absolute jewel to flyfish. This gentle stream flows through the lower section of Washington's Olympic National Park. Towering Sitka Spruce have lived here for generations as has herds of Roosevelt elk. For all it's splendors though, all this simply becomes the back drop for the late winter native steelhead that calls the Queets river, home. Big, brawly steelhead, hours away from tidewater.
 Yup, if you were looking for that steelhead that can stop your heart while it stops your fly, Queets river steelhead are built for that.

The good news is: the Queets is off to a grand start this year with already fine numbers of returning steelhead headed for home. The fish run doesn't even peak until the end of this month, and some the best fishing continues until the river closure April 15.

The bad news is: The poopy weather lately hasn't allowed for much fishing the last few days. Bummer but when you fish out on the coast, you get to expect it. it's just the way it is.

Flows:
The Queets fishes best from 2,500 - 8,000 cfs. Right now, it's at 15,600 cfs.

Fortunately, the soils out here are "excessively drained", which it a fancy way of saying, the river can come up in a hurry, but also drops just as fast. Welcome to free-stone streams, it's what they do. Mike will be keeping his eyes peeled, because when the Queets drops, it always full of fish.

Last week I mentioned a few of my favorite flies for fishing these waters. That part isn't going to change much.

Here is an piece I wrote discussing the sink-tip leaders I use for chasing cold water steelhead. It's called, Leaders-the steelhead connection. I hope you enjoy it.

On the home front: casting classes will commence as well as our Lakes classes. Mark March 9 in your calendar as I will lead our next lakes class to one my favorite local haunts. You can call me directly for details. Cost is $59./angler, and I will arrange for all your needs in this 4 hour crash course. Sorry, I will only take the first six anglers.

 



Best of fishing,

Dennis Dickson   Fisheries Biologist/Flyfishing Guide
www.flyfishsteelhead.com
425 238 3537

Fresh OP fish

UPDATE - NEW O.P. steelhead School added on March 24th. Contact Mike For info.

"Careful what you pray for"

Mike has been chaffing at the bit, gearing up for another early spring season out on the O.P.'s , Queets river. Not many anglers and fewer guides work these Park waters.

The word out, that the fishing has already heated up. We were just looking for that rain. Never say that about out there! There is real reason they call this area a rainforest.

Should you venture out, here are a few of our favorite winter steelhead fly patterns.

Articulated Pink Leach
Articulated Egg sucking Cop Car
Purple Egg Articulated Sucking leach

Keep them big and wiggly. Big native steelhead are not shy. Especially the tidewater Queets fish.

As far as the equipment goes, bobber fishing does work, but not like it does in the canyon rivers further north. The Queets is a gently flowing big time swing water, so if you have a passion to fish your sink-tips, this is a river to do it.

I like the versatility of the multi-tip system. Just as not river flows the same, neither do the pools that live there. Knowing when and where to change up your heads can spell the difference of a big fish or no fish.

I could write a whole article on leaders but suffice it to say, my rule is; a foot of leader length for every foot of visibility. Fortunately, the Queets is glacial so a short and stout leader is just fine. Twelve to fiften pound tippets are good. Forget the florocarbon stuff here. Go for the an abrasion resistant leader like Maxima or the like.

The Queets wading is relatively easy in most runs, but the casts can be moderate to long. Mike will have the spey rods along so if you haven't done this yet, you probably will. I am just saying!

Back on the home front:
I will be handling the flyfishing newbies in both out casting classes & the Lakes. around Arlington.
Trout are starting to move now. Micro leeches are the order of the day. Remember; "the Ledge, the edge, the hedge". The humingbird 120 is a wonderful horizontal fish finder. You should see it in action!

Guys can't talk about their waters without a serious discussion about their boats. For  the 40 stories and articles on fishing I have written over the years, here is one of the most popular yet controversial. Rafts VS hard-bottom boats

Fishing is already taking off in both lakes & rivers so it looks to be a fine spring. Spring: My second to my most favorite time of the year. Life is good.


Best of fishing,

Dennis & Mike Dickson
www.flyfishsteelhead.com

Quick update - The reports for peninsula steelhead are looking great. I have a couple guys looking for partners on March 6th and 7th to split the trip with. I also have some great dates open in late march that I'll give $50 off on. Due to popular demand I am adding a O.P. School on March 30th. Also a lot of guys over look fishing in April. The weather is a bit nicer and there is still some nice fresh fish.

Let me know if interested.

Mike D

Streamsideflyshop@yahoo.com

425-330-9506

 

 

February 6 2013

 

And so it goes.

 

Well, I am back to writing weekly fishing reports again. I hope you find them informative if not entertaining.

 

The Puget Sound river season is coming to a close early, again. The bright news is, The Queets on the Olympic Peninsula is posed to have another stellar year. If you have a large steelhead in your horizon, you might want to hook up with Mike ASAP. His dates are booking fast. 425 330 9506

 

Me? I get to guard the home front conducting the Casting classes & Lakes Schools for the next few months. You can read all about it in the Flyfishing Made Easy program. Teaching 300-500 fly anglers a year. Guiding isn't All we do!

 

So the river reports:

 

The Skagit in the Rockport area is fishing the best. (5000-6000 cfs. @ Marblemount). Hatchery winter steelhead was short lived at best but the Dolly fishing has held up. Its hard to beat Cop Car for taking these fish, but anything big and wiggly will get a bite. 

 

So many fly anglers have gone to swing fishing with tips but I maintain it is still the most misunderstood technique for taking winter fish. Here is an updated article I originally wrote some 10 years ago called Flylines are what catch fish.

 

Next reports will be relayed from Mike out on the coast.

 

Speaking of which:

 

Dickson Flyfishing will host a second seminar at Cabelas

Topic: Swing Fishing for winter Steelhead, Olympic Peninsula and beyond.

 

We have decided to make this one into a workshop with 10 different displays covering everything from fly-tying to spey rods & equipment. We will have plenty of experts there to answer your questions, plus lots of hands on do-dads.

Mike will be on hand to show his Queets River video, while I will host the show. Here's the Scoop.

 

Where: Cabelas @ Tulalip

When: February 23

Time: 5-7 PM

 

Come as you are. It's free!

 

Best of fishing,

 

Dennis & Mike Dickson

www.flyfishsteelhead.com

 

Sky Hatchery Steelhead 1/7/13

Been fishing the local Puget Sound rivers. They are in pretty good shape and showing a few fish.
I'm Starting to get geared up for some Peninsula wild steelhead. Tying up those big articulated flies and updating my fly lines. Should be another great year. There are still some weekend dates available. We are also doing a few full day steelhead schools.

We are doing a presentation at the Tulalip Cabela's on January 26th at 5pm. Join us!

Join our Facebook page! 

Want to get schooled? Check out our fishing schools http://www.flyfishsteelhead.com/2002flyfishingschool.html 





Happy fishing,

Mike D