TR: Touchet, and Tuncannon in Washington State

Feeling that the good weather and property maintenance has eaten into my
fishing and painting too much of late, SWMBO and self headed to SE Wash.
Crossing the Cascades we were rained out on the Cowlitz and the Natches.
Holed up in Yakima first nite, then down the Valley, and across the Columbia
at the Tri-cities, we proceeded up the Touchet Valley to Dayton. Still
raining like crazy. Fished the Touchet down thru town and had a blast on the
Cutthrout using Oldfart Brand ECs and some godawful foam strip and legged
hoppers. Nothing over 10-11 inches but lots. Holed up in Dayton 2 nites.
Second day we went up Whetstone Hollow and over the hills to Marengo, on the
Tuncannon. Puget Power is erecting a hugh wind farm up on top. Both the
Tuncannon and the Touchet flow out of the NW Blue Mountains but one ends up
in the Snake while the other flows into the Walla Walla. This is wheat
country up on the hills, and irrigated grass down along the rivers.

Marengo is one of our favorite places to fish. The fish get enough attention
to be wary, but still within our skill level. Lots of fish, half smallish
but enough 10" plus to provide surprises. And we both rolled or rolled and
lost a couple of local biggies. For me its been this chewed up area where a
rick/rack of logs and boulders is holding the curving river away from some
corrals. I swear its the same fish for three years now. Ill be back.

Sunday, the sun came out and we fished the Tuncannon further down but above
Starbuck. Trying to replicate the rig Bruiser showed me a couple years back,
I did better than usual nymphing. We saw hundreds of deer on the irrigated
pastures within the very large hunting-restricted area on the boundaries of
the wind farm. The scale of this area (the Palouse) is hard to convey. You
could drop a number of small states, or countries into it and still have
elbow room. Also saw the usual road kill of yearling coyotes, but
second-harvested no hair.

On the long drive back I tried to locate some access to the mythical Crab
Creek, unsucess. (Note this is a Washington FFers sick joke.)

Dave

David Snedeker wrote:

...... on the Cowlitz and the Natches.....

. ...proceeded up the Touchet Valley to Dayton. Still
raining like crazy. Fished the Touchet .....

..... up Whetstone Hollow and over the hills to Marengo, on the
Tuncannon.....

Good report and some fine unfamiliar names there. Made me sorta wanna
climb in the truck and go....

JR

"JR" wrote in message ...
David Snedeker wrote:

...... on the Cowlitz and the Natches.....


The Cowlitz, flows thru Toledo (W of I-5) and the Natches is a trib of the
Yakima that comes off the South site of Rainier. Access via the State land
around the 2 hatcheries. Touchet is a small but very long river . . . like
the Crooked in Oregon, but w/out the damn streatch, but with water thru the
ranches (unlike the Crooked !).

. ...proceeded up the Touchet Valley to Dayton. Still
raining like crazy. Fished the Touchet .....

..... up Whetstone Hollow and over the hills to Marengo, on the
Tuncannon.....


http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=...lon=-117.74778 This Marengo in
Columbia County, not Marengo Siding SE of Ritzville. Whetstone Hollow is up
a little out of Dayton on State 12 to the NEast. If weather is good its the
shorter route, but mostly unpaved. You do get to see these very large wind
towers up close on that road but it can get very shakey. Dayton's not that
far North of Milton-Freewater/Walla Walla. Dayton is a very comfortable
wheat-growers town with a brace of decent rests, but Motel-thin. Also, miles
of Tuncannon river South of Starbuck open courtesy of ranchers for just
self-registering.

Are you in Bend? or?

Dave

"David Snedeker" wrote in message
. ..
Feeling that the good weather and property maintenance has eaten into my
fishing and painting too much of late, SWMBO and self headed to SE Wash.
Crossing the Cascades we were rained out on the Cowlitz and the Natches.
Holed up in Yakima first nite, then down the Valley, and across the
Columbia
at the Tri-cities, we proceeded up the Touchet Valley to Dayton. Still
raining like crazy. Fished the Touchet down thru town and had a blast on
the
Cutthrout using Oldfart Brand ECs and some godawful foam strip and legged
hoppers. Nothing over 10-11 inches but lots. Holed up in Dayton 2 nites.
Second day we went up Whetstone Hollow and over the hills to Marengo, on
the
Tuncannon. Puget Power is erecting a hugh wind farm up on top. Both the
Tuncannon and the Touchet flow out of the NW Blue Mountains but one ends
up
in the Snake while the other flows into the Walla Walla. This is wheat
country up on the hills, and irrigated grass down along the rivers.

Marengo is one of our favorite places to fish. The fish get enough
attention
to be wary, but still within our skill level. Lots of fish, half smallish
but enough 10" plus to provide surprises. And we both rolled or rolled and
lost a couple of local biggies. For me its been this chewed up area where
a
rick/rack of logs and boulders is holding the curving river away from some
corrals. I swear its the same fish for three years now. Ill be back.

Sunday, the sun came out and we fished the Tuncannon further down but
above
Starbuck. Trying to replicate the rig Bruiser showed me a couple years
back,
I did better than usual nymphing. We saw hundreds of deer on the
irrigated
pastures within the very large hunting-restricted area on the boundaries
of
the wind farm. The scale of this area (the Palouse) is hard to convey. You
could drop a number of small states, or countries into it and still have
elbow room. Also saw the usual road kill of yearling coyotes, but
second-harvested no hair.

On the long drive back I tried to locate some access to the mythical Crab
Creek, unsucess. (Note this is a Washington FFers sick joke.)

Dave


God Report
We were through that area Thrusday. I knew there had to be fish in those
creeks. I like the area and will go back. Dayton is a nice town, I hope
it doesn't get "discovered".

"B J Conner" wrote in message
news:vId2f.24917$A52.20070@trnddc02...

God Report
We were through that area Thrusday. I knew there had to be fish in those
creeks. I like the area and will go back. Dayton is a nice town, I hope
it doesn't get "discovered".


I understand that there are less than 100k people in the whole Palouse and
at least 1 in 5 of these are with WSU. It is an amazing area for the
sportsman, and an aesthetic wonder.

Dave