I love to strip a bugger on a sinking line or better yet an I line, it is the closest thing to the bite of a steelhead on the swing, which just so happens to be what I live for. It is a great way to fill the gaps in fishing seasons, April/May fly fishing in Washington state can constitute some really good lakes with impressive trout and scenery. Impressive trout being found easily at Issacks Ranch during April and May.
Upper lake at Issacks
Lower lake at Issacks
Now wile in Montana we are surrounded by historic trout streams and rivers and the lakes are nearly untouched, well, until the word gets out. Last week Mark and I went up to Clark Canyon Lake expecting to see the thirty boats that have been there on past trips. Not a soul around, four boats to a thousand acre lake, I instantly think “ah shat bad idea”. Well we hit it very good on all prospects, no boats, good weather and best of all great fishing on the stripped bugger. This lake is unlike many of the lakes in Washington instead of shoals with mud flats in between, we fish a creek channel entering the river (the red rock river). It will run from 2-3 ft with grass into a five to twenty foot wide channel that will be 7-15 ft deep and has the bottom contour of the origional creek, deep on the outside bends and all that. Good positioning of the boat and an angler can cast up and down the channel. The neastest thing is how the fish will ball up in a particular location within that channel, when thebite is on there is no mistaking where that spot is as fivbe casts in a row will produce good hookups.
Mark on Clark Canyon Lake one of many from the inside channle.
First fish of the day, olive bugger on an I line. Note the wild fish dorsal fin, we get a good number of these I think they are from the Red Rock river.
We finished up without five minutes of down time just before the terrential downpour, heck of a good day.
Next season I will be on Issacks in eastern Washington for three trips April and May dates, come on over with me and get your game on after the steelhead season and during the run off for some lake fishing for trout!