TR: Touchet River

Been out to the Touchet place 3 times since Winter steelhead. (Didn't
do great this year despite that it appeared to be a good steelhead
year for others). Not sure that I did a TR on steelhead so I'll just
offer these tidbits. First, apparently the area below Prescott, maybe
10-15 river miles further downstream from my place was productive this
year, a very good sign for the gradual rehab of this river. Second,
the Water Trust recently finalized purchase of a major Touchet water
right about 10 miles downstream and West of Prescott, which is sure to
help put more cold water downstream into what is now mostly a
smallmouth fishery. That will help allot this summer. And finally, the
Tucannon, the other stream coming out of the Northern side of the Blue
Mtns. and a trib of the Snake, had a productive year. Finally, I hear
that a couple of decent fish came out of the #2 pumping hole on my
place. Too bad I did not catch em. Next year.

This spring I got out before the season to work on trees and fish the
June opening. Had some guests, and my son and daughter in-law. When
the season opened it was mostly very little guys, cutts and rainbows.
A few decent bows but generally pretty thin.

It was a wet Spring on the Palouse and our fall-sowed Hard Red Winter
Wheat, sowed no-till looked pretty wonderful, all emerald green and
fat on the former alfalfa ground. The neatest part of that trip was
the flowers. Bachelor Buttons all over, "cinquefoils" (sp?) and
incredible grasses, especially where we had had the cows and horses.

The Ponderosa I had planted survived ok, but I couldn't find much of
the willow etc I had roughly planted last fall. There was some
ignition of the native wheat-grass I sowed on 5 acres last fall, but
it was really hard to tell if it was significant. All the pasture wire
and fence iron got pulled as the deer were running into it. Continued
my test of mowing control of Star Thistle.

Between moving, crappy prices, tarp and wind problems, a big portion
of the unsold alfalfa stack got degraded. My ex-lessee is slowly
moving it to feed his Oregon herd. Prices for this years first
cuttings still suck. Some local bottom feeders are offering as little
as $40 a ton, way below production costs.

July. Got allot more fishing in this trip. The little guys were much
bigger, and the hold overs more frequent. I know that numbers can be
goasch, but numbers sure are good for my attitude. Thin but pretty
continuous hatches thru most of the day, heavy evenings. Trick was to
find them during the day. Undercut grassy edges, even in full
sunlight, were best. I pulled something over a dozen from one stretch
of 50-60 foot. Mostly Mayflies during the day, then a cascade of
caddis come evening. And some smallish hoppers when my eyes got
tired.

One pf the amazing things about this stretch of river is the chubbies.
Wherever there is decent cover there is a decent, and wise fish. Even
some Browns. I am getting to know them but have not yet given them
names. ;+))

The river changes every year, but it seems all the snags have at least
one chubby and wary fish. Unfortunately my wife also has tuned in to
this. But this week i was alone and all the snags were mine. Funny how
rolling, hooking and breaking off a fat fish can be a fine ending to a
near perfect day. I had several fine days.

By this time the wheat was all but a little bit tawny blond, fat and
tall. Earlier fear of rust from the wet Spring required treatment, but
harvest was scheduled a week after i left. I found out last week that
the yield was great and the crop sold above $6 a bushel, a good price.
That is great economic news for wheat country farmers and business up
and down the line. They saved me a couple of bushels so i can play
miller.

I was worried that the combines might damage a row of irrigation
hydrants at harvest. Consequently I went out into the wheat to put a
6" x 4 foot poly pipe marked with an orange top, onto each hydrant
popping up from the main underground line. So midway thru the work I
jump a few deer, but see some swirls thru the wheat, some moving
creatures. Then breaking thru to an open trampled spot I see a larger
fawn, running like hell, then following, a big strong young coyote in
determined pursuit. That night the coyotes were loud and close in to
my camper. But next day i saw a fat fawn, and convinced myself that it
was the same one as the day before and it had escaped. Yep escaped for
sure.

Dave

This trip i did some weed whacking around my pine trees, deep watered
them (big pain in the back), dosed them with rotted pig **** and
heavily mulched with rotted wheat straw. This is a small place and I
am not young so every tree is important. Unfortunately, after screwing
up Giles' chestnut seeds I had no chessnut seedlings to plant. Next
year?