Wild Duc Lodge on the OP

Spring steelhead actually starts in January when most of the continent is in winter still. Wild fish start migrating out of the Ocean at guidable numbers providing that crucial start to the season ahead. This January was no exception with no crowds and lots of wild steelhead available between storm fronts. Then February hit with cold weather that we see every season. This season played out to be much different with 7 full weeks of freezing temps in the mornings and snow or sleet daily between periods of cold and clear times. Normal is about 7 days dipping below 32.

As with all fishing the conditions play a major role. As truly professional guides we needed to adapt to these conditions and we did with great accomplishment. I have never been more proud of a guide crew than I was this season, we all overcame adverse conditions. We changed up policy to accommodate our guests willing to go outside the box. We traded in nymphing rods for float rods on many days and provided some really stellar action. we worked as a team, one I barely had to lead, that was done by each and every one of my crew on a daily or weekly basis. As usual we spread out to cover a lot of different locations providing different angling each day to our guests. With the water being historically low and the run at a good size we found a groove in our favorite stretches never overlapping or pressuring the fish into staleness. Much of this was the effect of new fish every day entering on tides. Many anglers went fishless amongst the Forks area guides, complaints were filtering through the grapevine and yet we, Nate , Andy, Caleb and myself quietly kept the catching on target with minimal pressure.

Myself, I hit the Queets a lot fishing amongst AO a few private boats and the few gear boats still around after the bait ban. Fishing the ONP is a gift from GOD managed by our government to accommodate a sort of refuge in attitude from the hum drum of city life. I love the ONP and especially the Queets, its steelhead, its geology, the huge trees all fit my perfect image of a wild steelhead river.
Along about March 23rd or so the weather broke and warmed up to normal temps and along with it, the rains, I was done on the Queets with that but adapted once again to the regular rivers. Of which there are plenty of river miles on OP to fish, just need to be smart about it.
One of my most admired occasions this season was seeing Nate McDonough taking hours a night dying Skagit lines in an attempt to swing the large schools of steelhead holding in low water without spooking them into the ocean again. Not so successful but be we all knew the effort was what makes us a great crew and appreciated by the guests at the Wild Duc Lodge.
I found myself reverting back to early years of guiding steelhead on the OP. Shuffling floats to the Calawah and the Bogy as each rainstorm changed the conditions. The fish were very generous and we in turn appreciative. It was a great year for us and the personal limitation we place on ourselves in order to maintain a high quality service.

As April winded down we found plenty of chrome fish entering the rivers late. As usual on our last days of guiding I wondered why we had to quit. It was not for the lack of fresh fish dispersed amongst the very few still guiding that’s for sure.
We are ever hoping of the easy years like 2008- 2011 but we appreciate the years like 2019 more because of it. The fish are here and always will be as they adapt to the bombardment of human created issues, we will forever respect them as our most sacred icons of humanity.