We have a new fly tying class on the books. If you want to get into tying winter is the best time as you are probably fishing less and have more time to create bugs that fish will reject next spring.
December 1st, 4th & 5th @ the Issaquah shop from 7-9pm. Cost is $80 and everything is included. 5 students max so sign up soon to assure a spot. 425-392-3800.
PS-Scratch your dryfly itch on the Yakim right now before it's over. BWO's Mahogany Duns, October Caddis and more are all a flutter. Get some!-BW
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Personal Fishing Report
The Yakima is on fire. Just go, don't ask questions, just fill er up with the reasonably affordable gas right now and drive. I fished it for the first time in several months yesterday and I'd heard a lot of good things lately and it's all true. I'd post a picture or two but my lap top decided to check out the other day. Instead here's a picture of what you should expect to catch. Get it now before the gettin's gone!-BW
Monday, October 20, 2008
Wish you were here...
You could be here soon. Here being the Wenatchee River. Rumor is it will open again soon for steelhead madness. Albeit a little late for dry line fishing the Wenatchee promises to make a few lucky fishermen's dreams come true. Keep up with the WDFW news releases for an exact date.-BW (Photo: Ken Witlits)Friday, October 17, 2008
Live the Fly Fishing Life in Magazine Form
If you haven't heard by now there's another newish, quality magazine on the proverbial fly fishing block. Flyfishing Life Magazine is run by a friend of ours and is packed with non recycled articles, honest gear reviews and lots of media, pictures and video that is not adds. Though there are some of those of course. Click here to check it out. Give it a rip, subscription is free, you can't lose!-BW
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
PS
Columbia and Snake drainages are fishing pretty well for steelhead right now. Though the weather is a bit chilly there are plenty of fish out there and plenty of anglers trying to capture one. The Methow is open now, albeit might cold and the Wenatchee will open soon. Keep an eye out for the exact date. The Ronde and Clearwater are putting out as well as the Deschutes. The Klick got dirty but apparently has cleaned up so get some!-BW
Wow, it's been a while
Sorry for the big gap between posts. I can at least partly blame it on being gone fishing. Anyway, for those that have been following the Snoqualmie hatchery crisis instead of the international credit crisis, apparently the WDFW has reversed it's recommendation and will continue to plant summer and winter fish in the mainstem Snoqualmie. The Tolt and Raging rivers will no longer be planted but summer and winter hatchery steelhead will run all the way to the falls on the Snoqualmie for the forseeable future. For more specific information contact WDFW directly http://wdfw.wa.gov/ -BW
Saturday, October 4, 2008
WDFW Slap in the Face
I case you did hear about this, there's been an update. Instead of shutting down the Tokul Creek hatchery entirely they want to eliminate all but a paltry 50,000 winter smolts, which sounds like a load but amounts to maybe 500 returning adults if we're lucky. This means no more summer run steelhead at all on the Snoqualmie. Creeky is all about wild and native fish but this is not the river to pull this garbage on. The few wild steelhead returning to the system will see basically no benefit to this action. There have been no scientific studies to back up this move. Only saving money. Thought these specific meetings are over, please write to WDFW and your state congressional leaders and let them know you are not happy about this. If this goes through there won't be much to fish for during the summer on the Snoqualmie. Not Cool.-BW
Public meetings scheduled to discuss proposed operation changes at Tokul Creek Hatchery
OLYMPIA – Proposed operation changes at the Tokul Creek Hatchery designed to support naturally spawning steelhead in the Snoqualmie watershed will be discussed at two public meetings in early September.
The public meetings are scheduled for Sept. 9 at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) Mill Creek office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd.; and Sept. 11 at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, 125 West Sunset Way.
Both meetings will be held from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
During the meetings, WDFW staff will outline proposed changes to operations at the Tokul Creek Hatchery that meet requirements under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), and are consistent with the 2008 Statewide Steelhead Management Plan and recommendations from the Hatchery Scientific Review Group (HSRG).
The HSRG is an independent panel of scientists established by Congress to evaluate fish hatchery operations in Puget Sound, where wild steelhead and two salmon species are listed for protection under the federal ESA.
“We are improving hatchery operations statewide to help support naturally spawning fish populations,” said Heather Bartlett, salmon and steelhead division manager for WDFW. “The proposed changes at Tokul Creek are part of that broad conservation effort aimed at restoring wild salmon and steelhead stocks while continuing to provide sustainable fishing opportunities on hatchery fish.”
Under the proposed operation changes, currently under discussion with tribal co-managers, the department could:
Reduce Tokul Creek Hatchery steelhead production by 10-20 percent and shift the remaining production – 150,000 winter steelhead – to another state hatchery in the watershed.
Eliminate about 20,000 steelhead plants annually in the Tolt River.
Eliminate about 20,000 steelhead plants annually in the Raging River.
Relocate some or all of the 30,000 trout produced each year at Tokul Creek to other nearby facilities. Those trout are produced for the lowland and high lakes fish-stocking programs.
These changes could allow for all or part of the Snoqualmie watershed to be designated as a “wild steelhead management zone” that would be managed exclusively for wild fish populations. The management zone is intended to help increase production of the river system’s wild steelhead populations by minimizing the number of competing hatchery-produced fish on the spawning grounds.
Public meetings scheduled to discuss proposed operation changes at Tokul Creek Hatchery
OLYMPIA – Proposed operation changes at the Tokul Creek Hatchery designed to support naturally spawning steelhead in the Snoqualmie watershed will be discussed at two public meetings in early September.
The public meetings are scheduled for Sept. 9 at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) Mill Creek office, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd.; and Sept. 11 at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, 125 West Sunset Way.
Both meetings will be held from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
During the meetings, WDFW staff will outline proposed changes to operations at the Tokul Creek Hatchery that meet requirements under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), and are consistent with the 2008 Statewide Steelhead Management Plan and recommendations from the Hatchery Scientific Review Group (HSRG).
The HSRG is an independent panel of scientists established by Congress to evaluate fish hatchery operations in Puget Sound, where wild steelhead and two salmon species are listed for protection under the federal ESA.
“We are improving hatchery operations statewide to help support naturally spawning fish populations,” said Heather Bartlett, salmon and steelhead division manager for WDFW. “The proposed changes at Tokul Creek are part of that broad conservation effort aimed at restoring wild salmon and steelhead stocks while continuing to provide sustainable fishing opportunities on hatchery fish.”
Under the proposed operation changes, currently under discussion with tribal co-managers, the department could:
Reduce Tokul Creek Hatchery steelhead production by 10-20 percent and shift the remaining production – 150,000 winter steelhead – to another state hatchery in the watershed.
Eliminate about 20,000 steelhead plants annually in the Tolt River.
Eliminate about 20,000 steelhead plants annually in the Raging River.
Relocate some or all of the 30,000 trout produced each year at Tokul Creek to other nearby facilities. Those trout are produced for the lowland and high lakes fish-stocking programs.
These changes could allow for all or part of the Snoqualmie watershed to be designated as a “wild steelhead management zone” that would be managed exclusively for wild fish populations. The management zone is intended to help increase production of the river system’s wild steelhead populations by minimizing the number of competing hatchery-produced fish on the spawning grounds.
Friday, October 3, 2008
No More Felt Please
Sorry about the lack of posts lately. I'd like to say I've been really busy but more just lazy. I have been fishing though so that's constructive at least. More news on the constructive front from Simms. Hope you brought a wading staff...-BW
Simms to Sopt Using Felt by 2010: Vibram to be the "Sole Sole" of Wading Boot Line
Simms president KC Walsh announced that Simms would stop using felt as a material for soles on on its wading boots effective with the launch of the 2010 line. Walsh made the announcement at a news conference held as the Flyfishing Retailer Expo. He said Simms' decision to do away with felt is a result of the material being implicated in the spread of aquatic nuisance species and fish-killing disease. Walsh noted that anglers have always been among the nation's first wave of conservationists, and with options to felt now on the market anglers had a responsibility to both the resource and the tradition of angling to cease their use of felt.
Simms to Sopt Using Felt by 2010: Vibram to be the "Sole Sole" of Wading Boot Line
Simms president KC Walsh announced that Simms would stop using felt as a material for soles on on its wading boots effective with the launch of the 2010 line. Walsh made the announcement at a news conference held as the Flyfishing Retailer Expo. He said Simms' decision to do away with felt is a result of the material being implicated in the spread of aquatic nuisance species and fish-killing disease. Walsh noted that anglers have always been among the nation's first wave of conservationists, and with options to felt now on the market anglers had a responsibility to both the resource and the tradition of angling to cease their use of felt.
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