Brrr

[Wayne Kohan]

Today I decided to get one more trip to this lake before it closes for the year. The temperatures were predicted to be cool so I took my time leaving home this morning for the 3 hour drive. Found this on my arrival, but of course, that didn’t stop me. Launched my Sportsman’s Warehouse version of the FishCat Scout for 4 hours of fishing. Water temp on the main lake was 39 degrees and the fishing reflected that. I landed 4 fish, the largest at just over 18 inches as measured on my stripping apron. I don’t think I missed any strikes today, that would be a first. It sure gets dark (and cold) fast now, and while I was quite comfortable on the water fishing, I froze my butt off packing up my stuff. I think the launch stays in the shade all day and was significantly colder. As I released the air from the valves, my boat did not deflate and maintained its shape due to the ice that formed over the boat. It was quite a chore to get it rolled up and into the pickup bed under the tonneau cover. All in all, a fun day, wish I had more action, but my expectations were low so it’s all good. Time to go steelhead fishing I guess.

 

[Wanative]

Love that lake.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! For sure! Glad you had fun.

 

[Buzzy]

I guess we know who was first onto the lake!

 

[Wayne Kohan]

I guess we know who was first onto the lake!

First and only! I was amazed at how many hikers and photographers I saw on the trail to the lake. (I refuse to call that a road, and I think it is actually getting worse.)

 

[Buzzy]

First and only! I was amazed at how many hikers and photographers I saw on the trail to the lake. (I refuse to call that a road, and I think it is actually getting worse.)

My wife and I have enjoyed hiking the loop around Umatilla Rock (park where the pavement end, yes: that road is getting worse).

 

[Billy]

First and only! I was amazed at how many hikers and photographers I saw on the trail to the lake. (I refuse to call that a road, and I think it is actually getting worse.)

I can go 40 on that road in my jeep

Love a good die hard report!

 

[Shawn Seeger]

First and only! I was amazed at how many hikers and photographers I saw on the trail to the lake. (I refuse to call that a road, and I think it is actually getting worse.)

I believe the state is intentionally not maintaining it, then another branch might not have to plant it, and the Bureau of Reclamation (and the other 2 agency's) wouldn't have to admit the fixing of the Banks lake dam had a negative impact on Dry Falls lake level.

My conspiracy theory... but look into it and think back to when Dry Falls started to die... after they lowered Banks to record lows to repair the leaking dam, by resealing.

 

[Buzzy]

Dry Falls: A couple of years ago I scratched the bottom of my pram on those damn rocks at the launch, the scratch deep enough to get to wood (sure, that's what happens to the bottoms of small row boats) so I contacted the park superintendent and made an appointment with him to discuss improving the launch. He showed me plans that someone from one of the big Seattle clubs had drafted up for a super launch. I suggested that a trackhoe and some crushed rock were all that was needed - widen it a bit, dig out the big rocks and lay some rock. Then it got complicated - did you know that invasive bull rushes (phragmites) have flowers that butterlfies like? Removing invasive plants because butterflies like their flowers? Tough thing to do. The superintendent suggested there was some kind of "agreement" that the road couldn't be improved (agreement between who?). I can't see how Dry Falls is connected to the Columbia River but somehow State Parks felt like we'd need to do some kind of envoronmental assessment to repair the launch up to perhaps an HPA, what? A tiger or brown trout's going to somehow make it to the big river? That effectively ended my efforts to fix the blankety blank launch. Meanwhile, Deep Lake has a brand new concrete launch with many site improvements.

I certainly don't want to have the road into Dry Falls graded with nice new crushed rock the full length but cutting some of the brush that's beginning to choke it and perhaps filling a few of deep holes would be nice.

As it used to be:



That big, shallow bay to the right in the picture would warm up faster than the rest of the lake so early in the spring it somtimes fished really well.

 

[BigSplashTom]

Ice, no problem just call the Coast Gaurd. Polar Sea has you covered.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

Built at Todd shipyard!

 

[Irafly]

I can go 40 on that road in my jeep
View attachment 92409
Love a good die hard report!

I can do 50 in the Prius.

 

[RCF]

Thread drift sorta. Look at weather to just get there...

This weekend is brrr..

Winter storm watch issued for much of western Washington highlands | Whatcom News

Snow accumulations of up to 3 feet are possible.

whatcom-news.com

Already brrr in EWA:

School delays: Freezing rain delays schools in eastern Washington

Several schools across the Spokane area are delaying the start of school due to freezing rain on November 29.

www.krem.com

 

[Wayne Kohan]

I can do 50 in the Prius.

Is that the same Prius you had when I bought that boat from you about 12 years ago?

 

[dbaken]

I drove that road with my Prius last spring. Glad there weren't any cops watching from above, I probably looked drunk as could be, weaving from side to side on the road at about 5mph.

 

[Irafly]

Is that the same Prius you had when I bought that boat from you about 12 years ago?

Yep! A certain “road” in Canada felt the superiority of the Prius a couple of Summers back.

 

[Irafly]

I drove that road with my Prius last spring. Glad there weren't any cops watching from above, I probably looked drunk as could be, weaving from side to side on the road at about 50mph.

Fixed it for ya.

 

[Matt B]

Yep! A certain “road” in Canada felt the superiority of the Prius a couple of Summers back.View attachment 92948

Any 15 year old with two sessions of driver ed could get through that in a lifted 4x4. It takes real skill (and chutzpah) to do it in a Prius. Respect.

 

[BigSplashTom]

Yep! A certain “road” in Canada felt the superiority of the Prius a couple of Summers back.View attachment 92948

You have my respect if you drove down that road, I mean trail in a Prius.

 

[Irafly]

Any 15 year old with two sessions of driver ed could get through that in a lifted 4x4. It takes real skill (and chutzpah) to do it in a Prius. Respect.

There was a “road” on the way in. On the way out a few days later we came around a corner and there was no road. A backhoe and a bulldozer were clearing the area for a new logging road. They saw us and “created” a pathway for us.

I wish I had video of @Yardus Maximus running in front of me chucking rocks.