Chopaka's Evolution

[iveofione]

The handwriting has been on the wall for Chopaka for years now. I first went there back in the 80's at some point, towing a 12' Livingston up the road with my 1977 F-150 Casa Mark I. There was one other camper in the campground at the time and the fishing was just legendary. But I lived very far away and didn't get back till sometime in the 90's. When I came around the last turn to see the zoo/circus that Chopaka had become I was astounded. Each time I returned after that the experience was diminished and about 10 years ago I decided that the drive up there was a fool's errand when there was so much uncrowded water so much closer, I never went back.

And find uncrowded water I did! Today was an example. Krusty, Eastside Scott and I visited a mountain lake that is a little over an hour's drive away for me. There were two other fishermen on this large lake and they didn't really know what they were doing. We caught dozens of brilliantly colored cutthroats, many that looked like they were just on fire! The fishing was superb with fish being strong and well fed and fighting above their weight. Biggest was over 16'' with the average being around 13-15", great fun on 4 wts.

Find your own Chopaka and when you do keep quiet about it. Bragging it up won't end well. By most any measure today was a splendid day of fly fishing. Not legendary like Chopaka once was but damned good and smile worthy all around.

 

[DimeBrite]

Stock Chopaka with tiger muskie and carp. The crowds will return.

 

[Ron McNeal]

Haven't been to Chopaka but could it be these guys?
View attachment 157319
Columbian Ground Squirrel

Could be... Thanks.

As Old406 posted, they are Columbia ground squirrels. They will eat food that is left out, but I've never heard of them disturbing a tent or gear. Just put your food away, and it'll be alright. A couple years ago I saw an eagle dive bomb and pick off a ground squirrel. Pretty amazing to see that.

Thanks! I'll know for the next (???) visit.

 

[Yardus]

It feels strange to be talking about the good old days as I'm only approaching double nickles this year. Just old enough to know what the old guys are talking about I guess

My first foray to Chopaka was the fall of 1980 in a dark brown doughnut with forward fins that flop out from the ankle (Some of you may remember these. Basically walking in the water. Moving your leg forward the flap/fin would fold backwards and as you pulled your leg back it folded back out perpendicular propelling you forward the direction you were facing). Not sure how my dad had heard of this jewel but the fishing was like nothing I had seen in my short life at that point. Now I was only 10 so not sure how accurate my memory is, but every fish seemed to be 20-24" and fought like crazed banshees. Trolling a simple caddis nymph accounted for only two or three fish an hour but we really didn't have much knowledge on how to lake fish at the time. As I recall the wind picked up, my fly punctured my waders and I wrapped my line around my legs mid lake. This effectively ended my day after four or so hours of absolute joy. My dad, brother and I were the only people on the lake that day.

I didn't make this a yearly tradition until the late 80's when I had a drivers license a renewed hunger for everything flyfishing. This was the time of phenomenal mayfly hatches and everyone in the know knew about it. It could be hard to find a camp site but not impossible. Early mornings we would strip callibaetis or dragon nymphs along the shore, followed by hanging chronies till the afternoon mayfly hatch. After dinner and into the late evening a slow drunken leech troll was always a good time. These were the good old days for me and have great memories of fantastic fishing and die hard fly fishermen sitting by the fire telling storys about the one that got away or the massive cutthroat landed that day.

This is where the story gets a little more fuzzy. Joining the machine and having kids really put a hurt on fishing a few hundred days a year... I remeber seeing bass for a couple of years and the lake suffered. The final straw for me was the next few years after it was Rotenoned. The year after the bottom looked like a moon scape. From my perspective the fishing became mediocre at best, the bug life seemed to really suffer, the fish got much smaller and it became a little more like seafare in May. The term bowl of cheerios comes to mind. It's been many years since I have made that pigrimage.

As I make the final push toward the finish line of my working career, time has become my most important currency. As others have said there are better places to fish these days. That said, I still miss the good old days here...

 

[Roper]

Well, truth be known Chopaka is where I learned to fly fish. This was back in the day of round float tubes and neoprene waders. Chopaka emergers, just shy of the weed bed in the south end where the ticket. That and along with the shoal directly across from the launch. My best visit there was the fall after they killed the lake off because of bass. I have no idea where they got the fish that they put in there. But let me tell you all day long they put a hurt on my six weight. What made it especially memorable is that it was my birthday. Those days are gone. I doubt I will ever go back up on that road. Like I said in my earlier post, there are lakes that are so much closer to the house and they fish as well if not better.

 

[Tim L]

I see through the ruse, this is much akin to the rattlesnakes and tics tactics. I bet that there is a meeting each day on the lake of all the anglers, with a leader detailing out how everyone is to report back to the masses about how “bad” the fishing is. Well played, well played.

Seems complicated from looking at this thread. I just put the algae signs out at Pass and call it good.

 

[Skeena88]

As Old406 posted, they are Columbia ground squirrels. They will eat food that is left out, but I've never heard of them disturbing a tent or gear. Just put your food away, and it'll be alright. A couple years ago I saw an eagle dive bomb and pick off a ground squirrel. Pretty amazing to see that.

We were having lunch in camp on Sunday and a long tailed weasel walked through our tent site carrying a dead ground squirrel home for his lunch. The squirrel looked about 4 times the weasel's weight. Saw a bear ambling along the eastern shore one evening.

 

[Flybox1]

We were having lunch in camp on Sunday and a long tailed weasel walked through our tent site carrying a dead ground squirrel home for his lunch. The squirrel looked about 4 times the weasel's weight. Saw a bear ambling along the eastern shore one evening.

A Stoat? Saw about a dozen working the tall grass for bugs over in the BLM section. Fun looking critters.

 

[Skeena88]

I think the stoat is the same critter as the short tailed weasel. I thought the one I saw at Chopaka was a long tailed weasel, but I could be wrong. He was a bit bigger than the weasels that I've seen around western Washington.