NCW Weekend, Nov. 22-24

It will be just my little fishing partner and I home over a long weekend, so I'm planning on a serious amount of fishing. Possibilities include the usual suspects:

• Chelan for lakers
• Columbia/Methow estuary for steelhead
• Rufus for piggy triploids
• Omak Lake for big Lahontans

Anybody else interested?

I'm very interested. I'll have to see how WAF works over the next few weeks but I think I can make it. Piggy trips on the flyrod at Rufus sounds fun! Although the Methow estuary steelhead sounds better. What would you guess an average chromer runs out there?

Z

Avg. Methow steel run around 24-26" and 5-7lb. I've been seeing a lot of variability, this year. Some down in the 17-18" range, up to 15lbers. Being as these are summer run fish, they're not so likely to still be "chromers".

Wow, some good sized fish. I will be putting this in the schedule. I'll PM you about details when I get the OK from the boss.

Z

Shoot! I'm interested too, but I thought by "long weekend" you were referring to the Thanksgiving weekend. Over the T-day weekend my wife and I will be at our property near Okanogan. Any chance we can hook up on Friday or Saturday (11/28, 29) for the Rufus piggy triploids?

- Karl

We don't have any big plans for T weekend, so a day at Rufus is very possible. Have you been out Columbia River Road? I've fished the Timms' Ranch area before, but not been farther upstream.

Omak Lake, which is on the way from Okanogan, has big Lahontans, too. Prettier than the triploids, but I wouldn't try eating them.

Yes, in mid October my wife and I scouted the Columbia River Road for possible yak launch points (there weren't many). Is Timms Ranch near Nespelem? After Nespelem, I think the next access we found was another 10 or so miles upriver at Seaton's Grove.

Omak Lake would be cool too, I'll let you make the call.

- Karl

The turnoff for Timms' Ranch is just past Alkali Lake. I don't even remember if it's signed- a friend showed me where it is, last year.

Sorry about not replying sooner. I've been putting in extra hours to finish a couple of projects prior to taking this coming week off.

Did you and Z put lines in the water today? I've heard that Rufus has been slow recently... that's good news to me because when I go somewhere that's been hot, it's usually "you should have been here last week, it was awesome!"

Z didn't make it over, that I know. I was hoping J and I could post a big report  , but it was slow. We only picked up 2 small (16-18") trips. Was planning on going to Timms' Ranch, but our local Tribal license outlet was out of licenses, so we went to Brandt's Landing. Very few fish showing, in fact it was the slowest I've ever seen. Usually at this time of year they're swirling around in the shallows. There were none today- both of my fish came on flies off a full-sink line.

Tomorrow- Chelan for lakers!

Would have loved to make it out there with you PS. Sorry for not posting earlier but me and the boss talked on Friday and agreed it was time to get the house ready for the little one. Yep, got a baby girl on the way so got down to getting everything ready. Good news is I've got a ton done and hoping to get out on the water soon!

Z

Hey, no problem about no notice. I figured you would give a shout if you were coming.

Congrats on the expected one- I hope (for your sake) that she enjoys the outdoors and the water as much as mine does.

Would have loved to make it out there with you PS. Sorry for not posting earlier but me and the boss talked on Friday and agreed it was time to get the house ready for the little one. Yep, got a baby girl on the way so got down to getting everything ready. Good news is I've got a ton done and hoping to get out on the water soon!

Z

Congratulations on the new family member. That will keep you busy for a while (about 20 years).

Thanks guys. PS, you and the little lady are my heroes. I hope my girl and I can do the same someday.

Z

Congrats Papa----any names picked out yet???