A couple weeks ago the ending to a steelhead film still sits planted in my mind. The narrator reminds anglers to break from comfort, the exact reminder I needed. This spring/early summer I’ve wanted to do a 3 day trip around the Olympics before schools are out but scheduling kept biting me. A day and a half opened up and instead of hitting known water I went for the adventure.
Adjusting the destination list, my goal was to see the Elwha dam site and most importantly fish Lake Crescent for the first time. While stopping in to see an old coworker now living in Irondale and giving myself one beach to try.
With the reunion a success and beach fishless, I made my way up to the dam site. At first taking the wrong trail to what must of been the old viewpoint (first photo), intriguing to see how nature has re-consumed it and the dam.
Absolutely stunning water.
Afterwards, I headed to the closest campsite on the leeward side of the lake to launch the next morning at 5am.
A couple long range releases and finally I managed my first fish close to the boat. It was BLUE! The remarkable iridescence immediately identifiable shown through the crystal clear water, a Beardslee.
(Cameras struggle to convey the one-off color, photos don’t give them justice.)
The blue shades are lost in backlight but to the naked eye it is much different. Joyous content swept over me and I took the next few minutes relishing in the catch and views.
I managed a few more in the 14-17in. range, and then watched one fish well over 20in take my fly as I rigged up another rod. The large blue-back came up for a black leech swirling just below surface in the prop wash. I heard the clicker spin up between my legs where the rod was held and in desperation grabbed the pole with a bass like set upward. Gone. A tease for next time.
Before the end of the morning I did manage some normal rainbows and I believe a Crescenti Cutt.
Two new species in the bag! I’m already looking forward to a return trip to do a little river hopping, some hikes, a stop in at Buena Luz and more beardslee.
Hopefully this can serve as a reminder to others to get out, break free of comfortable water, adjust expectations and explore new.
Adjusting the destination list, my goal was to see the Elwha dam site and most importantly fish Lake Crescent for the first time. While stopping in to see an old coworker now living in Irondale and giving myself one beach to try.
With the reunion a success and beach fishless, I made my way up to the dam site. At first taking the wrong trail to what must of been the old viewpoint (first photo), intriguing to see how nature has re-consumed it and the dam.
Absolutely stunning water.
Afterwards, I headed to the closest campsite on the leeward side of the lake to launch the next morning at 5am.
A couple long range releases and finally I managed my first fish close to the boat. It was BLUE! The remarkable iridescence immediately identifiable shown through the crystal clear water, a Beardslee.
(Cameras struggle to convey the one-off color, photos don’t give them justice.)
The blue shades are lost in backlight but to the naked eye it is much different. Joyous content swept over me and I took the next few minutes relishing in the catch and views.
I managed a few more in the 14-17in. range, and then watched one fish well over 20in take my fly as I rigged up another rod. The large blue-back came up for a black leech swirling just below surface in the prop wash. I heard the clicker spin up between my legs where the rod was held and in desperation grabbed the pole with a bass like set upward. Gone. A tease for next time.
Before the end of the morning I did manage some normal rainbows and I believe a Crescenti Cutt.
Two new species in the bag! I’m already looking forward to a return trip to do a little river hopping, some hikes, a stop in at Buena Luz and more beardslee.
Hopefully this can serve as a reminder to others to get out, break free of comfortable water, adjust expectations and explore new.
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