March 15: The Ides. Stayed at the Forks Motel in Forks, WA last night. You may recognize the town as the location for "Twilight", the first in a series of books (and a TV series) about modern day vampires living in the rainiest municipality in the lower 48. Or you may not. I didn't. I became enlightened at the place we lunched (yummy Halibut sandwiches) out towards the coast. We ran into a tour bus full of Twilight Trekkies--probably not what they're actually called--and almost didn't get to sit to eat.
Anyway, it had rained all night and turned to drizzle by my 5:30 breakfast appointment with guide, Dan (Rooster) Leavins. The forecast had called for rain, temps in the mid 40's and 25-35 mph winds gusting over 50--just what you really, really don't want when fly fishing. Fortunately, the big blow didn't materialize. Instead, we got low 40's, rain, snow, sleet, hail, some wind--not necessarily unwelcome conditions for steelhead fishing, mind you--but no fish. Not one. Not a strike. Skunked. To quote Patrick McManus, a fine and pleasant misery.
Anyway, it had rained all night and turned to drizzle by my 5:30 breakfast appointment with guide, Dan (Rooster) Leavins. The forecast had called for rain, temps in the mid 40's and 25-35 mph winds gusting over 50--just what you really, really don't want when fly fishing. Fortunately, the big blow didn't materialize. Instead, we got low 40's, rain, snow, sleet, hail, some wind--not necessarily unwelcome conditions for steelhead fishing, mind you--but no fish. Not one. Not a strike. Skunked. To quote Patrick McManus, a fine and pleasant misery.
Dan and his wife, Dayna, run an outfitting/lodging business in Twin Bridges, MT, but Dan guides here in the late winter for steelhead (rainbow trout that act like salmon). Rick Schmitt (I'll pick him up at the airport in Missoula on Wednesday) and I have stayed with them on previous Montana trips. Great place to stay, really good people.
Optional reading: geographic and hydrological details: We fished the "middle" section of the Sol Duc (a river) in the morning and put in at the "forks" of the Calawah (another river) for the afternoon. The Sol Duc seemed in perfect condition--just a bit cloudy (good)--but the Calawah water levels seemed to be dropping and clearing (bad). Pphilosophical notes: I don't hold the "no fish" day against Dan--he handled the drift boat and terminal tackle management details superbly. And he claims it wasn't my fault--always a nice thing for a guide to say. It's steelhead fishing, always a chancy matter in my experience. And Rick Schmitt's, for that matter: he had two good days in a row about 6 years ago and has steadfastly refused to ever go again.
Optional reading: geographic and hydrological details: We fished the "middle" section of the Sol Duc (a river) in the morning and put in at the "forks" of the Calawah (another river) for the afternoon. The Sol Duc seemed in perfect condition--just a bit cloudy (good)--but the Calawah water levels seemed to be dropping and clearing (bad). Pphilosophical notes: I don't hold the "no fish" day against Dan--he handled the drift boat and terminal tackle management details superbly. And he claims it wasn't my fault--always a nice thing for a guide to say. It's steelhead fishing, always a chancy matter in my experience. And Rick Schmitt's, for that matter: he had two good days in a row about 6 years ago and has steadfastly refused to ever go again.
March 16: A much better day, fish-wise. Got 4 to hit, hooked up with two and landed one. The day was schizophrenic: Snow, then sun, then more snow and rain and wind, then more sun, then cold and windy again. Packed up and headed back to Sandy and Randy's.
Hey, all 'n' all, sounds like NICE experiences on & off the river!...although, this trip seems to carry a recurring theme of, "rain & sleet & snow & hail...". If you saw the national weather, you'd see that you keep hitting pockets of the stuff!"A fine & pleasant misery", indeed! Your writing brings it home, thank you so much for apt narrative!
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