Clearwater/Grand Ronde Trip

[Rick J]

Bruce and I are leaving this weekend for a guided 4 day float trip with Scott O, Mike M and Ed W on the Grand Ronde - one of the prettiest steelhead rivers I have seen anywhere!!!

We had planned to stop a couple of days and fish the Owyhee for trout but sounds like it is a bit slow between hatches so we have decided to head over to the Clearwater - a first for both of us to check it out and stop off and see Poppy at the Redshed. Also Rod and Mary Ann (former Buzzards Roost - cabin on the rock on the lower Klamath) have moved just outside Lewiston ans we will stop off and see them!

Report to follow next week

[shawn kempkes]

Rick

there are some great runs on the snake Just above lewiston that should be stuffed with fish right now. I would also fish just below the snake below the confluence of the G.R

[Rick J]

Shawn - will check it out - thanks for the input!!

[fluvial]

And it was terrible... bordering on rotten. You stayed extra days to recover. Tell me it was getting worse as you left!:-#

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I did that float & camp trip with Rick once on the Grand Ronde River.

With Scott O'Donnell, Mike McCune and Ed Ward as guides it is a dream trip on a very special river for those who fish two handed rods for Steelhead.

October/November is the timing.

http://www.speywater.com/

Check out the photos on their web site.

[Rick J]

When I recover I will do a series of posts (not sure what the number of photos limitations are per post) but it was absolutely phenomenal!! Group of 6 hooked 65 steelhead in 4 days of fishing! More to come!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde060.jpg

[Dustin Revel]

WOW!!!!! what a trip!!

[Bruce Slightom]

Rick is right, this was a great trip! First light on the Clearwater.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c213/cherylslightom/Fishing/GR7.jpg?t=1254796583

A typical run on the Clearwater.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c213/cherylslightom/Fishing/GR6.jpg?t=1254796800

On the Gran Ronde. Light and shadows.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c213/cherylslightom/Fishing/GR4.jpg?t=1254796931

Some of the wildlife on the river bar.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c213/cherylslightom/Fishing/GR5.jpg?t=1254797055

[Bruce Slightom]

Typical Gran Ronde fish, on a floating line.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c213/cherylslightom/Fishing/GR3.jpg?t=1254797151

Ed Ward helps me land a fish.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c213/cherylslightom/Fishing/GR2.jpg?t=1254797211

Rick doing what he does best.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c213/cherylslightom/Fishing/GR1.jpg?t=1254797266

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c213/cherylslightom/Fishing/GR0.jpg?t=1254797327

[shawn kempkes]

that last picture is a good headshot. what camera are you using?

[Dustin Revel]

I really like the 3rd picture of the first picture post

[Rick J]

Bruce and I left Redding early Friday and drove up 299 (had breakfast at the old BJ's in Burney!- what memories!!). Drove up along the Salmon and got to Rod and Mary Ann's late afternoon - they live in a small town called Winchester in Idaho - couple of thousand feet up on a plateau above the snake and 30 minutes from the Clearwater.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde018.jpg

First time ever for Bruce and I on the Clearwater - big water and can be intimidating until you just zone in on fish holding water - this was up int the air as many folks were really fishing the very slow water rather than the runs and riffles. Hit the Spey Clave up there so never saw so many two handers in one place and had to find an open rock. Most folks are using small flies and floating lines on the river which makes for ease of casting.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde008.jpg

Managed one nice fish around 5# or so but the highlight was visiting the Redshed - Poppy named it right!! It is truly a small shed so packed with fishing stuff it was unbelievable - unfortunately we did not get to meet Poppy in two visits as he was at the clave and likely fishing somewhere.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde011.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde014.jpg

Spent a couple of days exploring then took off Monday for the GR. The road to Boggan's and Troy was special

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde024.jpg

Got to the GR around early PM and decided to fish - stopped at a run where Scott had put me on a fish several years ago when I stayed at the lodge in Troy and Bruce was into his first GR fish and what was cool was it was on a skater.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde035.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde037.jpg

I was soon into a fish as well on the trusty Mossback

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde047.jpg

We each manged to hook three fish in a couple of hours

More later... The Float trip!!

[jayclarkflyfishing]

Great report so far!I can't wait to read the rest.Thanks for sharing Bruce and Rick.

Jay

[mark]

wow, awesome report so far!!! thanks for sharing!!

[Rick J]

The trip:

We drove to Troy and met Scott and Mike packing and gearing up then checked into the hotel – no food in Troy on Monday so hopped back into Bruce’s truck and back to Boggans for dinner. Got up early next morning and drove to Boggans for breakfast and to meet the group – the other 4 guys all knew each other (three from Sonoma and one from Maine). None were all that proficient at the two hander and a couple had never had a rod in their hands but you could not ask for any better 3 instructors and fishing guides than the “three skagiteers”!!

Camp rafts (2) and one guide raft put in at Boggans and went down and two rafts went upriver a couple of miles to start the float. That first day was great for Bruce and me – had 8 fish hooked and were feeling great.

Bruce hooked up with first fish of the trip
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde054.jpg

Mike's assist

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde055.jpg

My first fish and caught on a skater - note Bruce hooked up in background - so we had a double!!!:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde058.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde059.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde060.jpg

The first night we camped above Shumakers (pretty much the last access from upstream.) We felt great the next morning and were rearing to go and got blanked!!!! Nobody hooked a fish!!! That put us in our place but we still had high expectations – second night we were still above Shumaker but the camp was full of goats heads – if you don’t know what they are they are miserable little burrs with very sharp spikes and were hell on the three camp dogs so they got special love that night!!!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde072.jpg

Dinner was sea food fettuccini!!!

Bruce and I jumped into camp water the next morning right after breakfast and I managed 2 fish and Bruce has one – so we were back into the run! Everybody had a great day with lots of hookups.

Bruce on again with an assist from Scott:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde074.jpg

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http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde076.jpg

At one run where we had lunch Scott said I could fish the water but only if I picked one of his flies he had recently tied – I picked a very special green butt skunk tied with seal fur, black heron spey hackle and white wings (second from top in bottom row!!). The water was a shallow run with lots of rocks and boulders just breaking the surface and you could cast as far as you could – a really great run and I managed a very nice fish!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde082.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde083.jpg

Camped at Black Widow (last camp site when they did the 5 day float). Dinner was fillet mignon! OK so we did not lose weight this trip!!! Scott’s wife Stefanie is a supper chef!!

Bruce and I opted to pass on breakfast and just jumped into camp water at first light and I was soon into a fish and then another one! Bruce hooked on and then I hooked another – so 4 fish out of camp water. Mike says his best morning ever was 12 fish out of this run!!!
We managed 10 fish hooked this last day! All in all the group had 65 fish hooked in 4 days which included one bust day so that was in three days!

As special as the fishing was, what made it special was the guides and camp folks – Had two young brothers (Ty and Trevor) who broke and set up a superb camp every day and Stef and Jane who helped in camp and kept us fed!!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde098.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde103.jpg

Then there were the guides. Scott has been instrumental in my learning to Skagit cast over the last number of years and Mike really got me to understand the cackhanded casts. Mike is a “tackle pimp” and he is always tweaking rods with various lines so any time I get near him it costs me a bunch of money as I need to buy the new improved system he had figured out that makes the rod sing!!!

Bruce and I have never had the opportunity to fish with Ed Ward and it was a great experience as we fished with him 2 of the 4 days. He spent a great deal of time going over his method of casting – really intense instruction over 2 days. I thought I knew a little about the perry poke and I was right – it was “a little”!!!! He had us casting the 4 different pokes – river right, river left and cackhanded versions of the two casts!! A very cool cast! All three guys are really into short lines and little work – when you get it right the method works with almost no effort!! It was truly and experience I will never forget!!!

Here is Ed doing the river right perry poke:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/GrandRonde097.jpg

[Rick J]

here is a final video clip of Ed doing the river right perry poke - sorry it is grainy - you need to click on video and this takes you to photobucket - click on the pause bar until it runs

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/th_GrandRonde108.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/?action=view&current=GrandRonde108.flv)

[WinterrunRon]

Bruce/Rick,

Thanks for posting your trip, especially the pics. It just reeeeeeks of fun and I had a great time viewing the pics of you having a great time! Next best thing to being there! :D

[Bruce Slightom]

Thanks all for the compliments.

Rick, nice job. Almost makes up for bringing Natasha along on the trip.

Shawn, it is an old Fuji Finepix that I gave to my wife years ago as a present. I got it when she got a new camera. I keep hoping that I will drop it in the water so I can get an upgrade.

It was long over due to see Rod & Mary Ann again. I was able to spend the fall with them at their house on the Klamath for about fifteen years

The Clearwater river was very special, I will fish it again.

The Red Shed was the coolest fly shop that I have ever been in.

All of the crew were great and all of the equipment was first class. I always enjoy fishing with Scott, no miss adventures this trip.

Mike and I went to college together.

Fishing with Ed was information over load. I have been in the back yard the last two evenings practicing the points that Ed worked on with me.

The problem that I have now is how the hell do I get back there quickly!

[jbird]

fabulous report and pics! Great looking fish and services.

I hate goats heads too! They are the Devil and a dogs worst nightmare!