I am going to put some effort into keeping a journal of my trout fishing. I want to record each and every trip, fish hooked and landed, fly used etc. I want to, hopefully, show ODFW that their harvest is folly...I doubt I will succeed though.
Anyway which rod do I take? I would like to take one of my bamboo rods like maybe the Dickerson 8013 taper 5 weight or perhaps the modified Thomas and Thomas taper 4 weight but if the weather is damp I prefer to not take them out in the really wet weather. I'll settle on the Winston LT in 5 weight with my Ross Evolution and a WFF4 Scientific Angler Sharkskin line. Tippet will be a safe 5X but there are a few steelhead around so maybe 4X would be better you think?
I've taken care of all my morning toiletries the night before so I can just roll out of bed, brush my teeth, clean Moira's box and go.
Ah the anticipation of opening day. I'll be fishing the north coast in all my usual spots. I'll probably hit the Kilchis first and hopefully no one throwing bait will be in my Legend water where my biggest trout have come from over the years. My biggest is the wonderful pencil and acrylic portrait that adorns the banner of this blog. That's my T&T bamboo and Peerless reel in the picture.
I have a circuit that I fish when I am after cutts so after the Kilchis I will head over to the Trask and then south to the Nestucca leaving the Wilson until last.
Yep that is four rivers I fish and sometimes I include the Nehalem. I know the water will be higher on that river so I'll save it for later in the season since there will be no salmon fishing going on and I will have it to myself.
The early season cutthroat fishing is kind of fickle and I am never sure what my success will be. Some years have been good and some years, like last year, have been very slow....I'll just have to see what is in store for me. When the river levels get low and the water warms up I take a month or two break until fall when the best fishing is.
So it's west on Highway 6 I go as I travel along the Wilson river highway past Jones Creek and what I call the "Shrine to Logging" Might see an elk or two along the way and that is always a treat or maybe a bald eagle.
Despite my rantings and bitching about ODFW and the current state of our anadromous fisheries this day is what I look forward too all winter long. Through the cold and gloom of December and January it's the cutthroat trout that give me something to look forward to.
Here is to the 2010 season and the fish I encounter. Fly fishing is the adventure that keeps me young...ish. I feel my absolute best out on the river, it's like a tonic that even the bad days are good! Good luck to all of you in your fly fishing pursuits this year.
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