Columbia Basin - "general opener"

I did some driving around yesterday, lots of folks in the Basin for the 4th Saturday opener.

This morning I headed out "early for me" about 0600. @Wanative and I met up at a trailhead for a hike in lake. The lake we chose is a fairly easy hike, thankfully, as we were both tired from a much longer hike yesterday. The weather was nice, mostly sunny, not too windy to calm at times. Not much of hatch in the deep water but apparently a really good hatch in the skinny water (Scott from Kitsap County took advantage of that part of the lake). Fred and I skirted the drop offs. I was indicator fishing with a black/red jig, Fred was drowning several different flies until he got the right one.


A pretty typical fish - the water was 54-55F according to my Humminbird, Fred's Garmin showed 52.5F (I wonder if there's a way to calibrate these units as no two ever seem the same).

No snakes seen, no ticks hitched a ride. Saw several flocks of sandhill cranes, a rooster pheasant was busy somewhere back in the brush, lots of ducks and geese. It was so nice to get out. Even better, was hearing Fred laugh when he'd hook up. I'm hoping he'll share a picture of a fly he's tied; it worked really, really well today.

 

[Wanative]

I did some driving around yesterday, lots of folks in the Basin for the 4th Saturday opener.

This morning I headed out "early for me" about 0600. @Wanative and I met up at a trailhead for a hike in lake. The lake we chose is a fairly easy hike, thankfully, as we were both tired from a much longer hike yesterday. The weather was nice, mostly sunny, not too windy to calm at times. Not much of hatch in the deep water but apparently a really good hatch in the skinny water (Scott from Kitsap County took advantage of that part of the lake). Fred and I skirted the drop offs. I was indicator fishing with a black/red jig, Fred was drowning several different flies until he got the right one.

View attachment 12374
A pretty typical fish - the water was 54-55F according to my Humminbird, Fred's Garmin showed 52.5F (I wonder if there's a way to calibrate these units as no two ever seem the same).

No snakes seen, no ticks hitched a ride. Saw several flocks of sandhill cranes, a rooster pheasant was busy somewhere back in the brush, lots of ducks and geese. It was so nice to get out. Even better, was hearing Fred laugh when he'd hook up. I'm hoping he'll share a picture of a fly he's tied; it worked really, really well today.

Pat, having worked in the frozen food storage business I learned how to calibrate food testing thermometers.
You have water in a container. Add ice cubes until the container is full of ice cubes and water. The water will cool to 32degrees.
My Garmin Stryker 4 has a calibrate temperature function. I put the transducer in the ice water and calibrate it to 32 degrees. Done, temp is calibrated.
If your Humminbird has a calibrate feature in settings or menu you could calibrate it using a small bucket of ice water.
Picture of flys. Top left fly caught 4 fish yesterday and real close to 20 today in 2 different lakes.
We were kickin' ass and taking names.

 

[Tombraider]

You folks are lucky to have all those places. Why a glove ?

 

[Buzzy]

Why a glove? Why not? Seriously though, they protect my hands from cold and cracking/chapping.

 

[Tombraider]

I've heard cold, probly grip rod better

 

[Wanative]

I did some driving around yesterday, lots of folks in the Basin for the 4th Saturday opener.

This morning I headed out "early for me" about 0600. @Wanative and I met up at a trailhead for a hike in lake. The lake we chose is a fairly easy hike, thankfully, as we were both tired from a much longer hike yesterday. The weather was nice, mostly sunny, not too windy to calm at times. Not much of hatch in the deep water but apparently a really good hatch in the skinny water (Scott from Kitsap County took advantage of that part of the lake). Fred and I skirted the drop offs. I was indicator fishing with a black/red jig, Fred was drowning several different flies until he got the right one.

View attachment 12374
A pretty typical fish - the water was 54-55F according to my Humminbird, Fred's Garmin showed 52.5F (I wonder if there's a way to calibrate these units as no two ever seem the same).

No snakes seen, no ticks hitched a ride. Saw several flocks of sandhill cranes, a rooster pheasant was busy somewhere back in the brush, lots of ducks and geese. It was so nice to get out. Even better, was hearing Fred laugh when he'd hook up. I'm hoping he'll share a picture of a fly he's tied; it worked really, really well today.

Gorgeous rainbow.