Some Canyon Therapy

I was talking to some friends, and realized I hadn’t been over to the dry side yet this year. And I needed it. I spent the week watching the forecasts, getting discouraged with the weather guessers calling for rain, snow, wind, and hail. By Saturday afternoon I said hell with it, what’s the worst that can happen?

Drove through some crappy weather, but popped out of the gorge into sunshine. Got to the end of the road, later than I like to start, but there was only one car there. Birders. No way! I had the best part of the river to myself.

Since I had gotten a late start, I beelined up to the top, in case there was a hatch in one of the hatchier spots. No such luck, but I did get half dozen dinks just upstream on the euro rod.

Shed half my layers, and wandered back downstream to another run known for kicking out whitie after whitie, with some nice redsides thrown in for good measure. Had some lunch before wading in here.
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And proceeded to put up a big fat goose egg. Euro close in. Bobbercating further out. Dries when the March browns and bwos made a brief appearance. So, I cruised downstream to the next set of flats and riffles, and finally got on the board. Short, but fat, redside doing what they do so well.

Decided it was time to head back towards the car. Walked under these two, who were no happier to see me now than they had been in the morning. I kept telling them, “ look, if you don’t like this, don’t build your nest on the road. And in about six weeks you’re really going to be unhappy “

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Hit my sure thing spot on the way out, and got blanked. Even worse, there was a guy hooked up in a spot that looks fishy but I’ve never gotten anything there. Stopped at one of the launches to test a line on my trout spey- and made some great casts on a rod I’d been trying to like. Wind picked up, so I ran a Jimmy legs up through there before heading home and picked up redside number two.

so, lesson learned to disregard the weather folks and just go for it.

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Cool to see ospreys heading north. My favorite bird.
Haven’t seen any up here yet but it should happen anytime now.
SF
 
Glad you got out and into some fish! Use any bamboo??
Hi Steve. This was an all plastic day, but it’s time to pull the bamboo out again

Cool to see ospreys heading north. My favorite bird.
Haven’t seen any up here yet but it should happen anytime now.
SF
There were four or five nesting pairs along the river, and it was kestrel central. I love those fierce little birds.
 
Looks like a great day on a beautiful river. Just driving up and down the canyon road is reason enough!

I've been told that from Cascade Locks to The Dalles is one of the fastest climate changes in the world. From rain forrest to desert in 40 miles. Not sure if that is true but I do know Cascade locks gets twice the rain Hood River does, and that Hood River gets twice what The Dalles gets.
 
Very cool, glad you got a few fish and kudos for saying "to heck with it" and just making it happen. I need to be better about that.

I've been waiting for our resident Osprey to show back up here. Should be close to time.
 
I love fishing WAY more than I dislike bad weather. If I can go fishing, I'm going fishing. When it comes to folks who pay me to take them fishing...that's a different story. I don't push them to do something they don't want to do;).
 
Very cool, glad you got a few fish and kudos for saying "to heck with it" and just making it happen. I need to be better about that.

I've been waiting for our resident Osprey to show back up here. Should be close to time.

Something happened over the last few years, and I need to relearn how to make "yes, of course" my default response.

I love fishing WAY more than I dislike bad weather. If I can go fishing, I'm going fishing. When it comes to folks who pay me to take them fishing...that's a different story. I don't push them to do something they don't want to do;).
When people ask if I go fishing in the rain, I just tell them it's no big deal, the fish are already wet. TBH, it was the wind forecast that was putting me off more than the cold/wet. Makes fly fishing a bit more challenging.

My name is Tim and I approve this message. See you tomorrow night? I'll wear my PNWFF old man hat
See you then. I'll have my DRA hat on, which may not actually be so helpful at a DRA event.
 
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