Washington--Here I Come...

  We have the trailer loaded up.Taking care of all the last minute details today.Hit the road Monday morning and will landing at Sea-Tac at 11:25 pm.
  Because we are barging our truck and trailer down to Washington,we won't have any fishing gear for 5 days.Our kayaks and mini-drifter arrive at the same time.Hold it---we can't get off-loaded til Tuesday the 6th thanks to Labor Day holiday---bummer.Okay....I'm bringing my 5 wt packable rod.
  Lots to do when we arrive.All new appliances,furniture,and various other stuff.The local mercharts are gonna love us.I know my wife is all excited to go shopping.That should be interesting seeing as she broke her leg Friday loading up the trailer.Does Home Depot provide wheelchairs for shoppers ?Oh well......
  We are very much looking forward to meeting and greeting and sharing good times on the water with NWKA members.I already feel like family.So thank-you in advance for your warm wishes.
  Be seeing you soon.
                                 Mark and Lori

Where will you be settling is WA?

 Our new place is just outside of Raymond.We'll have 1.4 acres on Mallis Landing Rd.The 4 year old house is 1700 sq. ft. not counting the garage and the 24'x36' shop.And we got a killer deal on the whole package.Can't wait to check it out.It does seem strange to buy a place without ever having been there,but that's how it worked out,so we are both very anxious to get some "hands on".
  I have done some elk hunting off this road in the past.Plus I've fished the Willapa River a lot from Tokeland to the upper river.Having lived in Aberdeen for 26 years I am pretty familiar with western Washington.But a guy can always learn more......It's time for more adventures.

Welcome back to the Evergreen State!

Sorry to hear about your wife's leg.

   We finally made it to our new home at 4 am the 30th of August.Lori's broken leg has been a pain,but she's up and walking on it with a "boot".Good recovery in only 3 weeks.
We love our new place.Lots of room--all new appliances and furniture.Still a lot of work to do getting everything put away,organized,and re-discovered.Should be fun.
I am in Prudhoe Bay,Alaska for a couple of weeks (gotta pay for  the move,etc.) but will return home on the 3rd of October.Wife's leg should be healed up enough that we/I can go play.And boy---am I ready to play...

To those who have offered to join me fishing and getting re-acquainted with SW Wa. I'd like to say thanks--in advance--let's get out there in October.I'm all legal,licensed,and ready.My wife will probably not be too keen to go out but that's ok.Heck..she might surprise me and outfish me again. (I doubt it though).Doesn't matter--I'm "jonesing" to get some fish fighting going.And it is going to happen.
CHM--sorry I didn't connect with you last time home--things were a little (lot) hectic.Should be calmed down by October.Any cutties still hungry that time of year ?You paint a good picture of Elk River,we might have to give it a go if you're up to it.
I'm sure I'll be concentrating on the Willapa River,looking for salmon.We didn't have any room to bring any down from Alaska.My neighbors sure liked that part.They scored---big time.So..it's time to stock up with some fresh fish.
Looking forward to putting faces to names as soon as I get back.So til then---keep them lines tight.
                                                                                                                                              Mark

Welcome back!!!  See you at Tokeland.....

    It's early Monday morning,I'm at work in Prudhoe Bay and there are 7 get-ups before I return home.
    I've been searching on-line for salmon action on the coast and just read a teaser from a biologists that the Chehalis is starting to get some fish in.So what's the story ?Anyone been out off of John's River ?Below the Chehalis bridge?Up toward Montesano ?How about the Wishkah or Hoquiam Rivers ?
    All these areas are very kayak friendly fisheries.If you aren't trying them you might be missing out on some outstanding fishing.Trolling plugs,drifting bait under a bobber,even casting spinners all work in these creeks.And there is very little power boat traffic so you get a nice relaxing day on the water.
    A couple of other streams I want to get out on are Smith Creek,the Nemah,Palix,and Nasselle Rivers.And most definitely the Willapa River.That is the closest to home so I will be there 1st.
    I talked to the wife last nite and she didn't sound ready to go out in her kayak yet cause of her healing ankle...but I can talk her into going in the mini-drifter.......
    Getting awefully anxious to get back.It's been snowing for the last 3 days on the North Slope......

Mark,
I know the feeling, I returned from the slope about 2 weeks ago and the first thing I did was launch the yak and go salmon fishing!!! I played around in the saltwater so I don't have much of a report on the rivers. Hopefully it's hot when you get off.
Good luck

Wellcome Home!  Really like the little drift boat, I want one!  Would love to come down and do some river fishing with you some time before the fish are done.  I haven't done the river thing yet, not much good access here in Port Angeles and I don't know how to catch the fish.  but I'm well Acquainted with the salt and you are welcome up here.

Hi Mark, I haven't been fishing much lately, except for a couple of trips to a Pacific Co river to try my luck for hatchery Kings. Lost a nice sized King (casting spinners), and had a couple of good grabs. Lost about $25 worth of hardware to snags, too, since I was wade-fishing or casting from the bank. I think the Coho must finally be running in strong everywhere with the rain we had yesterday, if they can make it past the gill nets. Clearing up here now, already.  It was a good, hard rain! Before this rain, there wasn't hardly any water in the Willapa and other Pacific Co rivers.
According to reports, they are running thick in the Chehalis right now. I've heard talk of lots of pesky seals in the Chehalis, though.
I usually refrain from mentioning my favorite spots, anyway, and of course I don't report much of my cutthroat fishing (especially "where"), as that is very sensitive to any increased pressure.  I actually don't personally know any other locals who mention anything at all on the internet about their fishing, except for a couple of guides trying to drum up business.
In the past I have tried to promote the idea of Coastal Cutthroat being a prime sport fish, rather than a food source. (Whenever someone asks me, "Hey, You know where can I get some trout? Wife's been hankering for a good trout dinner!" I always tell them of a lake that has stocked trout in it.
Now I think it might be better that I don't mention my fishing for them at all. So recently, I haven't been putting up any public reports. I have been communicating about fishing via private message or regular e-mail.

I've been fishing with my non-yak fishing buddies, knowing that I should be out paddling in to a better spot! I might be paddling in somewhere all alone (if I'm lucky) this afternoon!

It is naive to not be aware that there are lurking catch & kill anglers on these fishing forums, (the problem ones being those that don't even bother to follow the regs, and who like to keep everything they catch, often going way over the legal limit), who are just hoping to glean some info from these forums, so I don't like to tell them where or even exactly when I've been having success.

But the Coho are running upstream nearly everywhere right now, I'll bet!
Also, there's a 21 foot @ 15 seconds W swell pounding the ocean beaches right now!
Gotta go, I'm late for the show!

My ocean shore buddies tell me they are hammering fish in Grays Harbor right now!!!

    Thanks for the replies guys......I' getting more pumped by the day.  (Only 5 more get-ups and I'm heading south)
      ohbryant---a couple of others on here have commented on my mini-drifter.Sorry---it ain't for sale.I appreciate the offer to fish P.A. but there's a whole lot closer (Maybe better)fishing near my place but I do have an open door policy at my house....hint,hint
      CHM--hope your surfing was a good time.I know there are predators everywhere on this and other web-sites.I think you can speak of good fishing generically and let them figure the hot spots out themselves.I'm not gonna tell em what rock to fish on.
       I  will be giving you a call a few days after I get home to try and get out and expirence some good fishing.Like I said earlier,we are damn near neighbors.I hope you have some flexibility with your scheduale.......
     And to the rest of you wanting to go fish.....PM me and we'll see if we can make it happen.....I still have many chores to get settled in.....but the window is open RIGHT NOW,ans some times ya just gotta jump in.