Where: Snoqualmie River, Methow River

When: Last Friday through Thursday

Species Pursued: Steelhead

Song of the trip: “Texarkana,” R.E.M.

It’s the middle of September and I suddenly realize that I have four weeks of vacation left to burn.  Understandable, given that fishing this year hasn’t warranted a need to take time off and temporarily live the dream.

Still, there’s something unmistakable about the feel of Fall; a sentiment that permeates everything, chilling your hands in the crisp morning air then later warming your face in the afternoon sun.  With every fire-orange leaf that falls during the dwindling warmth, you’re …

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Where: The River

When: The past two weekends

Conditions: Ranged from overcast and cool to foggy then sunny and warm

Species Pursued: Steelhead

Flies used: General Practitioner in Orange, Black, Purple

Song of the day: “Joker and the Thief,” Wolfmother

Steelhead are back on the menu (figuratively, not literally) and it’s been all I can do not to obsess about it since the rivers re-opened.

And I am nothing if not obsessive when something captures, or in this instance, recaptures, my interest.

So it is with steelheading–so much so that the thought of bailing on my upcoming AK trip …

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Where:  A lake

When: Sunday

Species pursued: Rainbow trout

Song of the day: “If It Makes You Happy,” Sheryl Crow

The general lake opener.  For many freshwater anglers, of all persuasions, this marks the beginning of the fishing season.  In an attempt to find a sheltered beach, I stopped by at least one lake to get an eyeful of the spectacle.

True to tradition, both the parking lot and put in teemed with fishermen, an undercurrent of pent-up winter angst punctuating the chaos.

I know, it sounds crazy, especially to those that treasure solitude, but I can relate to …

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Where: Omak Lake and Lake Lenice
When: Saturday and Sunday
Conditions: Alternating sun and clouds, mild temperatures
Flies used: Lahontan cutthroat: Beadhead, rubber-legged hare’s ear;
black crosscut bunny Gotcha; gray over white clouser. Rainbow trout:
glo bug, stillwater nymph, Sno Cone

Song of the day: “Better Off Alone,” Alice Deejay (Click the title to see how fishing went.

“Are you going back?”

“I have to. I need to find out if it’s going to be any different. I
won’t be fishing the following weekend, after all. Besides, I’ll be in
…

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Where: Lake Lenore and Rocky Ford
Conditions: Cold in the morning, warm in the afternoon; relatively calm and sunny
When: Saturday and Sunday
Flies used: Lenore: Rickard’s stillwater nymph, rubber-legged hare’s
ear (natural), black zonker, burgundy wooly bugger. Rocky Ford:
Rickard’s stillwater nymph, apricot glo bug, white bunny leech

Song of the day: “L’Inno Nazionale,” (The Italian National Anthem) (Click the title for a sample and crank up the volume!)

“There he is!”

I turned over my right shoulder, half in disbelief, half in the kind
of familiar disgust you experience …

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