Two short TRs

[JR]

Just got back from fishing the same stretch of river I fished last
Monday (and reported on here: http://tinyurl.com/chvoy).

Today, I fished from noon til two-thirty. There were lots of folks in
the area.... cross-country skiing, hunting Christmas trees in the public
forest, etc., but I was the only fisherman I saw on that stretch.
Sunny, and not as cold as last week... at least when standing in the
sun. ;)

Massive hatch of very small midges (#28-#30?), but again no noticeable
response from the fish. Later, a reasonably good hatch of BWOs and
Little Yellow Mays... compared to last Monday anyway... but I only saw
two rises (the same fish both times, I think).

Couldn't raise any fish to a dry, but I hooked two, both small, on a #20
PT fished under a #18 sparkle dun. Landed only one of them.

If you happen to visit and plan on exploring the river, you might want
to consider not wading or else wearing Aquastealth soles. I musta lost
5 lbs lugging around seven inches of ice on the bottom of my felt-soled
boots.... <bg>

*****

Yesterday I spent about the same amount of time on another spring creek,
about an hour south of here..... Cold. No hatches to speak of. I
managed one small fish on a Griffiths Gnat. My buddy took a good fish
(18"?) on a large olive bunny leech stripped through a deep slow hole.

My friend Gary, an excellent photographer, posted this pic on Westfly of
the river yesterday. Gives you an idea.....

http://www.photosnw.com/westfly/CRW_5911_Fall_River_edit1_small.jpg

JR

[Ken Fortenberry]

JR wrote:
> <snip>
> If you happen to visit and plan on exploring the river, you might want
> to consider not wading or else wearing Aquastealth soles. I musta lost
> 5 lbs lugging around seven inches of ice on the bottom of my felt-soled
> boots.... <bg>

I wear rubbers over my wading boots until I get to the
water then just take them off and stuff them in the vest
until I step out. Works for me.

> *****
>
> Yesterday I spent about the same amount of time on another spring creek,
> about an hour south of here..... Cold. No hatches to speak of. I
> managed one small fish on a Griffiths Gnat. My buddy took a good fish
> (18"?) on a large olive bunny leech stripped through a deep slow hole.
>
> My friend Gary, an excellent photographer, posted this pic on Westfly of
> the river yesterday. Gives you an idea.....
>
> http://www.photosnw.com/westfly/CRW_5911_Fall_River_edit1_small.jpg

WOW. Thanks for the TRs and especially the pic. Very nice.

--
Ken Fortenberry

[Dave Mohnsen]

"JR" > wrote in message
...
> Just got back from fishing the same stretch of river I fished last
> Monday (and reported on here: http://tinyurl.com/chvoy).
(stuff snipped)
> If you happen to visit and plan on exploring the river, you might want
> to consider not wading or else wearing Aquastealth soles. I musta lost
> 5 lbs lugging around seven inches of ice on the bottom of my felt-soled
> boots.... <bg>
(stuff snipped)
> JR

Hi JR,
Thanks for the TR.
Just had a friend who went out in October, and just went through knee
surgery because of a fall with the ice/snow buildup on the boots.
Not fun, I'm sure, but he is doing well.
This . . .uhh . . .my kinda not thinking friend . . .decided to go a day
earlier than me. . . .hmm. . .with me knowing a lot about falling down with
snow/ice on boots., and he decided to try it on his own.
Thus surgery for him . . .and a lot of giggling/laughing from me. ( but I
care . . .really) He'll be okay thank goodness . . . . from his "story"
about the prognoses . . .
me thinks.
DaveMohnsen
Denver

[Tim J.]

JR typed:
<snip>
> If you happen to visit and plan on exploring the river, you might want
> to consider not wading or else wearing Aquastealth soles. I musta
> lost 5 lbs lugging around seven inches of ice on the bottom of my
> felt-soled boots.... <bg>

The "lugging around" isn't bad if you spend most of the time on your ass
anyway. That used to be my standard position when the banks are icy. Now my
standard position when the banks are icy is at home tying flies waiting for
the thaw.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/

[Scott Seidman]

Ken Fortenberry > wrote in news:Zwenf.28472
:

> I wear rubbers over my wading boots until I get to the
> water then just take them off and stuff them in the vest
> until I step out. Works for me

I tried that, but I kept slipping on the lubricants. Perhaps next time I
should try the ribbed.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

[Daniel-San]

"JR" wrote ...
>
<<snip nice quick TR>>

>
> http://www.photosnw.com/westfly/CRW_5911_Fall_River_edit1_small.jpg
>
> JR
>

Nice to see a TR -- and holy cow, what a pic. Nice to hear about 'actual'
fishing. It's only been about six weeks since I was out last, but with a
foot of snow on the ground (+/-) and the generally crappy weather that comes
with that, it fades quickly from the memory.

Thanks..

Dan

[Wayne Harrison]

"JR" > wrote

> My friend Gary, an excellent photographer, posted this pic on Westfly of
> the river yesterday. Gives you an idea.....
>
> http://www.photosnw.com/westfly/CRW_5911_Fall_River_edit1_small.jpg
>
> JR

excellent image; one can really sense the cover of silence that
surrounded you.

yfitons
wayno

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[Gene Cottrell]

JR,
I've fished both the Fall River and Metolius about a 15-20 times each, I
just love the scenery and experience. But, I've never had real good luck at
either. More fish at the Fall River, but bigger fish at the Metolius. I
fished the Metolius near Camp Sherman and down-stream to the hatchery. Hard
wading most of it, lots of walking the banks. I go in the summer and will
probably visit the area next August. Am I doing lots wrong, or is it just
tough fishing there?

Gene

"JR" > wrote in message
...
> Just got back from fishing the same stretch of river I fished last
> Monday (and reported on here: http://tinyurl.com/chvoy).
>
> Today, I fished from noon til two-thirty. There were lots of folks in
> the area.... cross-country skiing, hunting Christmas trees in the public
> forest, etc., but I was the only fisherman I saw on that stretch.
> Sunny, and not as cold as last week... at least when standing in the
> sun. ;)
>
> Massive hatch of very small midges (#28-#30?), but again no noticeable
> response from the fish. Later, a reasonably good hatch of BWOs and
> Little Yellow Mays... compared to last Monday anyway... but I only saw
> two rises (the same fish both times, I think).
>
> Couldn't raise any fish to a dry, but I hooked two, both small, on a #20
> PT fished under a #18 sparkle dun. Landed only one of them.
>
> If you happen to visit and plan on exploring the river, you might want
> to consider not wading or else wearing Aquastealth soles. I musta lost
> 5 lbs lugging around seven inches of ice on the bottom of my felt-soled
> boots.... <bg>
>
> *****
>
> Yesterday I spent about the same amount of time on another spring creek,
> about an hour south of here..... Cold. No hatches to speak of. I
> managed one small fish on a Griffiths Gnat. My buddy took a good fish
> (18"?) on a large olive bunny leech stripped through a deep slow hole.
>
> My friend Gary, an excellent photographer, posted this pic on Westfly of
> the river yesterday. Gives you an idea.....
>
> http://www.photosnw.com/westfly/CRW_5911_Fall_River_edit1_small.jpg
>
> JR
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

[JR]

Wayne Harrison wrote:
> "JR" > wrote
>
>>My friend Gary, an excellent photographer, posted this pic on Westfly of
>>the river yesterday. Gives you an idea.....
>>
>>http://www.photosnw.com/westfly/CRW_5911_Fall_River_edit1_small.jpg

> excellent image; one can really sense the cover of silence that
> surrounded you.

Irony is that there was an effing beagle barking in the background much
of the time. Drove us effing nuts.....

Gary is a regular guy with a regular job but does some first-rate
photography on the side. His web site is:

http://www.photosnw.com

JR

[JR]

Gene Cottrell wrote:

> I've fished both the Fall River and Metolius about a 15-20 times each, I
> just love the scenery and experience. But, I've never had real good luck at
> either. More fish at the Fall River, but bigger fish at the Metolius. I
> fished the Metolius near Camp Sherman and down-stream to the hatchery. Hard
> wading most of it, lots of walking the banks. I go in the summer and will
> probably visit the area next August. Am I doing lots wrong, or is it just
> tough fishing there?

No, I think you've got it right. The Met can be notoriously difficult.
One- or two-fish days are good days, and skunkings not uncommon. One
reason local folks like fishing in the winter is that when the BWO hatch
is fully on, five to ten fish are possible. Some of the the best places
in the stretch you mention cannot be waded safely. Best to fish from
the bank. Swirling heavily weighted flies in the very deep channels cut
in the bedrock can produce surprising results. BTW, I hope you haven't
failed to have the wonderful deli sandwiches at the Camp Sherman store.

There are some very big fish in the Fall--I hooked and lost what looked
like a six-pounder a couple of years ago--but 12-15 inchers are much
more the rule. In the summer, I rarely fail with a small PT fished
under a comparadun of whatever size and color the predominant mayfly of
the moment is. If there are midges on the water, a tiny krystal flash
emerger tied on the bend of a Griffiths Gnat makes a good combo.

Drop me a line before you come in August and I'll show you some spots.

[Wayne Knight]

"JR" > wrote in message
...
>. I musta lost
> 5 lbs lugging around seven inches of ice on the bottom of my felt-soled
> boots.... <bg>

You might want to consider asking Santa for a pair of these

http://www.korkers.com/wetlands/wetlands.html

> Yesterday I spent about the same amount of time on another spring creek,
> about an hour south of here.....

Thanks for the reports and the pictures