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Skagit River - February 4th, 2005
supplied by: Pacific Northwest Sportfishing
FISHING: Good
Overall we've had fairly decent fishing this past week. We've fished the Skykomish, Skagit, and another north sound river and have found fish in all of them. Every river in the north sound is in shape and fishing well right now, including the Stilly and Sauk Rivers. We're kind of in that between time right now with the hatchery run waning and the wild run yet to develop, but I would expect a good showing of wild fish here in the coming week or two. With the wild run on the horizon I for one will be getting quite a bit more serious about the steelheading, since the hatchery fish really don't do much for me.
If you're gearing up for wild fish a little bigger is generally better. 6" pink worms, plugs, sand shrimp, large marabou flies, jigs that are a size or two bigger than your brat jigs, etc. Wild fish are the opposite of their docile hatchery in-breed relatives. They are aggressive, territorial, and generally pissed off at the world. Put something large-and-in-charge in their wheelhouse and hang on!
Once in a while I get a chance to actually fish for myself and I have a very narrow list of people who get the invite to join me. These people are those that are content to spend time with friends, enjoy the scenery, have FUN, and if a fish comes along it's one helluva a bonus. Between rowing, which I don't mind and enjoy, and keeping things moving along I'll generally get to fish about 25% of the time if I'm lucky, usually less. If I can spend a day like that with quality people I'm happy as a pig in mud. Still a few dates available throughout the catch and release season on the Skagit system (March/April) and in February for those interested in tussling with a big, nasty steelhead.
Until next week...good fishing!
Weather and Lunar Phases
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Skagit River - February 1st, 2005
supplied by: Dickson Flyfishing Steelhead Guides
FISHING: Fair
water levels - click here
All over the board" Rivers headed out.....again, now they are back. I have seen plenty of winters that were warm and rainy. I have seen a lot that became clear and cold. Can't say that I remember a winter that was warm and dry. Weird. We certainly never seem to have the same winters twice in a row. By my feeble calculations, we are about due for a warm and rainy one. I just hope we get some snow pack with it.
The rivers are back to fishing well.
Sauk had steelhead and Dollies. Darrel & company are swimming some fish. So is John. Cool. Skagit is much the same. Stilly was quietly getting it done, and even the Sky got a squirt.
Me? I took off for a ski trip for a few days, and Mike spent most of his time poking around the local waters. Jeff's ponds is happening.
Maybe the biggest trip of the week was a Lakes day with my 82 year old friend & client, Bill. We never bothered with any of the other lakes, on this 90 acre complex. We went directly to the trophy waters.
I set him up with a Denny Rickards Sealbugger with a beadhead. These big rainbows love to cruise edges, so we tied on our 3x fluorocarbon leader and fished floating lines. Never even stepped into the lake except to net a fish. Gentlemen fishing.
I won't fill you in on all the gory details but it seemed every time I looked up, Bill was being towed around by another lovely rainbow. Right now it is mini leeches and young dragonfly nymphs. Fish ran from your eastern Washington bows to fish we measure in pounds. Only thing I felt bad about was we never got to fish some of my favorite waters on the other lakes.
River fishing:
I would look for a pulse of winter hatchery steelhead if we get this rain. The Skykomish is already low but the Skagit is still pretty high. Try the Sauk.
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Skagit River - January 28th, 2005
supplied by: Pacific Northwest Sportfishing
FISHING: Fair
No fishing for us this past week! Between flooding conditions and a trip to Ohio for a family funeral we've been mothballed. The upper Skagit was fishable yesterday with about 2 feet of visibility and today the middle river below the Baker had a little over 2 feet of visibility. Most of the color in the river is coming from the Baker and Sauk Rivers. Flows are still up a bit, but fish the soft edges and the fly water over the bars and I bet you'll find a few early wild fish hanging out. Though there could still be a few hatchery brats around, we're pretty much closing the chapter on the dismal brat return and gearing up for the big dudes. One of these years maybe WDFW will actually figure out that their Skagit steelhead hatchery program needs to be revamped.
The Skykomish and Snoqualmie Rivers are fishing well already and we heard some great reports of hatchery fish a couple days ago in the Snoqualmie. As for the Stilly, the flows are down but I would expect it to fish marginally for at least a few more days. The poor Stilly has really taken a beating the last few years.
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Skagit River - January 24th, 2005
supplied by: Dickson Flyfishing Steelhead Guides
FISHING: Poor
water levels - click here
From "Arctic Blasts to Monsoon Mary"
As the aftermath of recent flooding begins to subside, it is sobering to realize, our weather swings are not even a blip on the page compared to events around the world.
We only had a tiny window of fishing as rivers went from bone chilling cold to flooding over their banks. I have no idea what we are supposed to do for a snow pack this year, Weatherman says we are supposed to slide back into the dreary Pacific northwest weather patterns this week. Whatever the heck that means. Rivers should settle in. As the hatchery winter steelhead finish their venue, the large winter native steelhead are coming around the corner. I will be the first to admit - I just don't hardly get excited about winter hatchery steelhead, but I live for the kick-butt wild fish. What would fishing be, if we didn't have something to look forward to?
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Skagit River - January 24th, 2005
supplied by: John's Guide Service
FISHING: Poor
River Levels - click here
Skagit River:
River Conditions:
We lucked out in a way here on the Upper Skagit as Tuesday's and Wednesday's flood didn't do much cutting at all (good for salmon redds), was just some real high water.
- Skagit above Marblemount is now glacier green up and has 2-3 feet of visibility. Still a bit high but definately fishable down to the mouth of the Casacade where most of the color is coming from now.
- Skagit above the Sauk has just about a foot of visibility right now...could be fishable by morning barring no more rain tonight. Water is still very high!! Watch the Marblemount Gauge station (link below) as well, when it hits around 8,000 cfs (while still higher than normal) upper Skagit should be fishable again.
- Skagit below the Sauk has zero visibility (read Sauk report below)
Fishing Report:
Should be some great Steelhead fishing to be had once the river drops back into shape!!
Weather and Lunar Phases
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Skagit River - January 18th, 2005
supplied by: John's Guide Service
FISHING: Poor
River Levels - click here
Rivers are blown out and flooding conditions. Check back. Their should be a good shot of fish once the rivers drop back in.
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Skagit River - January 10th, 2005
supplied by: Dickson Flyfishing Steelhead Guides
FISHING: Fair
water levels - click here
"Cold and clear, baby"
Our rivers seem to have two modes. They are either going up and out.......or dropping and clearing. Right now it is low, clear, and cold. The guides & I got a chance to fish both the Skagit and the Stilly, this past week. I know some guys are really down on hatchery steelhead, but I am not particularly one of them. Reasons?
a) Hatchery steelhead provide angling opportunity where there wouldn't be - if the hatchery fish were not there.
b) Under current MSY management, without the hatchery component, many fisheries such as the Summer fishing on the Stilly North Fork would probably be closed. (see a)
c) Having a hatchery steelhead to kill, takes the excuse out of anglers for having to kill wild steelhead, for the table.
Does the hatchery program have problems? Absolutely. Is it enough to abort the entire program? No, but I believe it needs to be analyzed, on a river by river basis.
Anyway, the fishing. Longer lighter leaders, lightly dressed flies in somber colors, (this is a great time for your spey ties) are the ticket. Even gear guys, go longer lighter, and smaller.....you should do the same.
The good news is.....there are some fish around! Hard to say if the fishing will hold, but the early component looks promising. The Stilly, Skagit and Sky all seem to have a few. Cool.
Bad news: When the rivers go to low and cold......the steelhead tend to mill in the tidal waters.......the commercial netting can drill them. Pray for rain? Never thought I would say that! Right now we would probably end up in snow.
As this is the unofficial "Off Season" for many trout anglers, I thought you might get a chuckle out of "Guides Are Professional Liars".
Fishing Strategies: Fish the inside seam water on the bigger rivers such as the Sky or the Skagit. Sled boys tend not to fish here. Think summer low, and put it in their face. Think nymphing, if you are not losing a fly on occasion, you are not fishing. "Tink but don't klank" Brush the rocks....but don't dredge them.
Ever Popular Flyfishing Schools: the Skykomish River schools are all full (If you are in a class but haven't received an itinerary, just drop a line.)
Skagit Steelhead Flyschools: Feb 4 & 5 We do have some room in the Skagit gigs. Come see why it has become my favorite North Sound river over the past ten years. Also, the Custom Schools have become a huge hit. a great way to learn either the Skagit or the Skykomish River steelhead.
Guide Trips: All our spring time trips are doing well. Mike & Jonathan will begin guiding the Olympic Peninsula Chosen River & and region soon. Word has it, even the wild steelhead are showing. The Sauk/Skagit C&R fishery is scheduled for March-April. Darrel will spend most of his time on the Sauk, while me and mine will poke around on the Skagit.
Hope you all have recovered from the holidays!
Best of fishing,
Weather and Lunar Phases
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Skagit River - January 7th, 2005
supplied by: Puget Sound Fly Company, LLC
RECORDED: 
33 °
FISHING: Great
The Skagit river is producing some great numbers of Bull Trout as well as the occasional hatchery steelhead. Even though most of the Chum have already done the dance and now litter the shore and streambed, the Bull's are still eager to take egg patterns. This is the time of year that pale eggs come into their own. These paler eggs represent 'dead' or water logged eggs that have been in the river for some time. Of course swinging for both dollies and steelhead is a very effective technique for locating fish and covering some of the bigger runs on the river quickly (spey anyone?). Flesh flies, Egg Sucking Leeches, Zonkers, Critters, and other streamers will elicit strikes from both the dollies and steelhead. P.S. Dress warm.
photos
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Skagit River - January 3rd, 2005
supplied by: John's Guide Service
FISHING: Fair
River Levels - click here
Skagit River:
River Conditions:
Skagit above the Sauk has unlimited visibility.
Skagit below the Sauk has 4-6 feet of visibility
Fishing Report:
Been another one of those Steelhead seasons here on the Skagit thus far,..they seem to be coming through in spurts again. One day they're here the next day not.
Dollie Varden fishing as usual can turn any mediocre day of steelheading into a great day of fishing and they're everywhere!!
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Skagit River - January 2nd, 2005
supplied by: Dickson Flyfishing Steelhead Guides
FISHING: Fair
water levels - click here
Rivers haven't responded with winter hatchery steelhead, as I would have hoped but, as the Olympic Peninsula streams are starting to get a few fish, that can change, pretty quick.
Skagit is one that quietly gets it done. Dollies continue to move, and there is just enough new steelhead coming in, to make your trip, a good reason to get out of the house. Black Bart, egg-n-shuck, and the Cop Car series are the best producers. If you are into the surface gig, it is happening now.
A vital piece of steelhead presentation that as revolutionized our winter sinktip fishing can be found in the article: Cold Water Takes.
Skykomish Steelhead Schools are full but many have taken advantage of our Custom Steelhead Schools. We even have an evaluation survey to help decide which clinic is best for you.
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