Pretty Wild Cutts…

jasmillo

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Hit a lake this morning with @Kfish looking for some wild, native cutts. Started off a little slow. Maybe they were still sleeping since we hit it at the crack but they soon woke up and we had a fantastic morning. Good enough that we decided to stop harassing them well before the clock hit PM even though there were still fish rising around us.

They hit streamers, wet flies and dries . We had a really great spell of dry fly fishing at one point that was a bit short lived but fun nonetheless. Catching wild trout on dries with a 4 weight is not something I take for granted in W. Washington.

Oh, and I learned another way to break a rod. Yay for me! When moving spot to spot with your spare rod pointing straight out the back of your tube, look for lily pads. They will indeed snap a 4 Winston quite easily if you’re moving at a brisk pace…

Some of the prettier specimens.
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Bummer about the rod, you Winston you Looseton I guess?

That was some solid fishing, I got my dry fly fix for the year. Some of these cutts were golden with blue cheeks almost like a brown, all beautiful healthy fish that fought hard.

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My Dad had a story he loved to tell. He had this buddy with a sixth sense about fishing destinations. So he tells Dad there is this beaver pond I found, it chock full of cutthroat, Dad sez well the season isn't open yet....

So opening day Dad & him were there brite & early. He took a single salmon egg out of the jar and dropped it into the dark abyss.

It makes it about 1 foot down, FLASH!

They had quite the day on that pond. Gotta love cutthroat 😁
 
My Dad had a story he loved to tell. He had this buddy with a sixth sense about fishing destinations. So he tells Dad there is this beaver pond I found, it chock full of cutthroat, Dad sez well the season isn't open yet....

So opening day Dad & him were there brite & early. He took a single salmon egg out of the jar and dropped it into the dark abyss.

It makes it about 1 foot down, FLASH!

They had quite the day on that pond. Gotta love cutthroat 😁
I new guy that did that and wrote a book or 2 and those are butes.
 
Thanks for the kind words about the Winston. Sadly, this is not the first time she’s been sent home to be fixed up :). I did have a trip back to New England coming up she’ll be missing out on. I realized I don’t own a lot of 4 weights living in western Washington. I have a little 4 weight butter stick and an old TFO pro, and that’s it. May need to pick a solid backup for situations like this. Maybe a classic trout or maybe I’ll just break out the TFO for the first time in years. I just can’t justify paying premium money for a 4 weight like I can for some of the saltwater rods I own in 6-10 weight (bought the Winston on close out). Lots of great budget options for small to medium trout streams.

In my office, about to get boxed up…

😭:cry:😭:cry:

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When targeting cutthroat in western Washington rivers, does anyone have any awesome books or resources they have used? Have been trying to fish for them in past on a river just south of Olympia/ Tumwater and have had a little luck but I haven't found rhyme or reason for the flies they have been eating just very inconsistent. Trying to dial it in since its such a local area.
 
When targeting cutthroat in western Washington rivers, does anyone have any awesome books or resources they have used? Have been trying to fish for them in past on a river just south of Olympia/ Tumwater and have had a little luck but I haven't found rhyme or reason for the flies they have been eating just very inconsistent. Trying to dial it in since it’s such a local area.
Fishing the Sea Run Cutthroat Trout
Les Johnson
Salmon Trout Steelheader

Sea Run
Les Johnson
Frank Amato Publications

More Oregon focused but worth picking up
Sea-Run Cutthroat Flies & Fishing
Jay Nicholas
Self published in 2016
 
When targeting cutthroat in western Washington rivers, does anyone have any awesome books or resources they have used? Have been trying to fish for them in past on a river just south of Olympia/ Tumwater and have had a little luck but I haven't found rhyme or reason for the flies they have been eating just very inconsistent. Trying to dial it in since its such a local area.

If you are fishing where I think you are, do yourself a favor and head further south to the Cowlitz. Start fishing it mid to late August thru the fall. Buggers, spiders, reverse spiders, muddlers etc will all get you into fish that are a nicer grade than where you’ve been fishing. Hell, even break out the bobber and fish nymphs like a lightning bug or copper john. @Paige 100% endorses this method. 😂
SF
 
If you are fishing where I think you are, do yourself a favor and head further south to the Cowlitz. Start fishing it mid to late August thru the fall. Buggers, spiders, reverse spiders, muddlers etc will all get you into fish that are a nicer grade than where you’ve been fishing. Hell, even break out the bobber and fish nymphs like a lightning bug or copper john. @Paige 100% endorses this method. 😂
SF



Hey now, don't be making blasphemous statements about me, I'm strictly a reversed spider guy ;)
 
If you are fishing where I think you are, do yourself a favor and head further south to the Cowlitz. Start fishing it mid to late August thru the fall. Buggers, spiders, reverse spiders, muddlers etc will all get you into fish that are a nicer grade than where you’ve been fishing. Hell, even break out the bobber and fish nymphs like a lightning bug or copper john. @Paige 100% endorses this method. 😂
SF
Thank you! I appreciate your help and tips! I will take that and use it! Thanks again.
 
Fishing the Sea Run Cutthroat Trout
Les Johnson
Salmon Trout Steelheader

Sea Run
Les Johnson
Frank Amato Publications

More Oregon focused but worth picking up
Sea-Run Cutthroat Flies & Fishing
Jay Nicholas
Self published in 2016
Thank you! I will check these out!
 
When targeting cutthroat in western Washington rivers, does anyone have any awesome books or resources they have used? Have been trying to fish for them in past on a river just south of Olympia/ Tumwater and have had a little luck but I haven't found rhyme or reason for the flies they have been eating just very inconsistent. Trying to dial it in since its such a local area.
A former fly shop printed a booklet for fishing a river S of Oly, sometimes referred to as the "little D." Ah, found it right away on my bookshelf. It's got maps and descriptions and a list of way more fly patterns than I've ever tried. And I've only ever used parachute Adams and EHC in sizes 14 & 16, but then I've mainly caught only 8" dinks. You're welcome to photo copy it if you like. But, like Stonedfish suggests, I do most of my cutthroat fishing further south on the Cowlitz, swinging and sometimes stripping smallish Muddlers, October caddis, or Spade and the like.
 
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Are you all referring to a boat or wading on the Cowlitz? If wading, I am curious how the access is? I will get out there and scout on my own, just looking for general guidance on availability of wading access. Thank you.
 
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