Hi gang,
Spent a couple days in the Naches area last weekend.
On Friday I hooked up with Pete Van Gytenbeek, Bob Tuck (both
fisheries commissioners) and John (?), a local biologist. They were
showing Pete the river as the commission is planning on recommending
the river be catch and release like the Yakima. The three of them
were in a department raft and I was in my pontoon kayak (Dave Scadden
Escalade--they sell them at Outdoor Emporium and REI now).
Water was pretty low-ish so I probably spent more time kayaking than
fishing, but the fishing was pretty decent, considering we were doing
so right smack in the middle of the day. Hooked the nicest fish of
the day on my first cast--probably a 15" cutt. Hooked a mix of cutts
and rainbows, probably a half dozen, ranging from 10-13".
Pretty water, lots of bugs and food. Probably wouldn't want to go
much later this summer though (in a boat) as a lot of dragging will
have to be done. Although I must say I was able to cruise through
many sections that the guys in the raft had to get out for. We
fished a stretch from below Nile to Hiway 12. Used a Yellow Humpy
most of the day.
That evening I headed up to a tributary of the Naches called
Rattlesnake creek. It is catch and release water. Access is a
little tricky because it is in a canyon, but I four-wheeled into a
nice campsite near the creek about 8 miles upstream. I hooked a few
nice little fish that evening on a cinnamon colored caddis.
Next day ventured further downstream into the canyon, where the water
would be rough and tumbly, then as it made the big S turn would form
a nice pool. It would do this again and again. In one of the pools
I could watch the fish working (I always love watching them!).
Largest caught was around 12, maybe 13". Most were about 10". A mix
of bows and cutts. Probably released a dozen or so from 10am to 3pm
(again right in the middle of the day). Hooked tons more, mostly
smaller guys. Used many different patterns, Stimulator, brown
stonefly nymph, humpy, and more.
They didn't seem terribly particular about pattern, but the strange
thing to me was that once they hit a fly (and I missed or they just
didn't take it well) they wouldn't take again. It seemed weird that
these fish way out in the boonies would be so sophisticated as to
only try once. I've seen lots of cutts go and go again until I hook
'em. But not these guys. And it would often shut down the whole
pool, not just that one fish. Skittish guys.
All in all a nice little trip. Three hours from campsite on the
creek to my home in Seattle, and it's over one of the prettiest roads
in the state, Chinook pass. I'd like to go back again when there's a
bit more water.
regards,
bill
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Bill Kuper
Head Pixel Wrangler
D I G I T A L F A R M
video/DVD/design/multimedia
Seattle, WA USA
http://www.digitalfarm.com
800.676.1410 206.634.2677
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