Luck on the Hoh River in WA

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Bruce Slightom and Rick Jorgensen where up north fishing with guides Ed Ward and Jerry French last week.

www.speywater.com

[Mark Kranhold]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:Now thats a HOG, good job Bruce!

[Rick J]

Left a week ago Friday mid-day and drove to Kelso. Up at 3 AM and was knocking on Bruce’s trailer door in Forks at 7:30. We headed out to fish on the upper Bogachiel in the park. Fished a few great runs and Bruce managed to hook a big fish on the dangle but it pulled loose – I hate those grabs on the dangle!!!

Next day we met Jerry French for two days of guiding on the Hoh. Ed Ward tagged along on the two days – truly great experience – casting and winter fishing techniques from two of the best!!!!! First morning on the Hoh:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011005.jpg

Gorgeous water - reminded me of a larger version of Redwood Creek and the lower Mattole. We were definitely in rain forest country - awesome trees:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011008.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011009.jpg

It was great fishing with two of the best - great pointers throughout the trip - here are two clips - first is Ed casting and second is Bruce casting and fishing a great run:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/th_P3200013.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/?action=view&current=P3200013.mp4)

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/th_P3210027.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/?action=view&current=P3210027.mp4)

No fish that day but just a great day all around - heavy rain at times but after all this is Twilight Country!!! Last light:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011014.jpg

Next day we did a bit shorter drift targeting softer water. Shawn in a previous post is right - it seems all the fly fishing guys drifting were indicator guys - we saw a few swinging flies but no one else in any of the boats - you can imagine that Ed had some thoughts on this!! In fact he managed to hook a nice fish while we were doing the shuttle in front of the indicator boats who were also staging at the put-in - got it to the bank but it came unbuttoned.

Now this is a swinging fly - Jerry ties incredible intruders.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011017.jpg

I hooked a fish on this fly but it was on the DAMN dangle and I got a couple of heavy head shakes and a big splashy boil before it pulled loose!!

But the fish Bruce hooked was awesome - see Bill's post above. After talking to Jerry he thought it was a 20#+ fish - he said it was the second largest fish he had ever had his hands on!!! And Bruce did a great job bringing that fish to hand in so very tough conditions - major log jams and no place to chase it!! The log jams on that river are really amazing - river is very unstable and changeable!!

Next day Shawn Kempkes was gracious to take us on a float on the lower Bogachiel - pretty different conditions from the Hoh - more rocky bottom.

Here is Shawn's pontoon:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011021.jpg

No fish but a great day - here is Shawn casting on a great run

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011026.jpg

Last light on the Bogachiel and Bruce laying out a great cast:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/th_P3220045.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/?action=view&current=P3220045.mp4)

Next day I fished the lower Hoh for a few hours then chased Bruce down to Tillamook for our next adventure. Great shot of the Olympic Mountains:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011038.jpg

Next morning we met Scott to go fish the Trask. I don't think there are any trips I look forward to more than our trips with Scott! He more than anyone has taught me more about skagit casting and winter fishing techniques. He does not just sit by but is always critically watching your and giving out pointers - Your anchor did not land close enough; you did nto let the fly swing all the way into the bank; and my all time favorite: "HARDER!!!!!" when my casting goes to hell and I try too hard!!!

We have finally got Scott to occasionally fish with us and he managed to pick our pockets hooking a gorgeous fish coming in behind us!!!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011043.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011047.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011050.jpg

The run we did on the Trask has some pretty heavy white water and a portage

Clip going down a run:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/th_P3240063.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/?action=view&current=P3240063.mp4)

Getting ready for a portage:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011052.jpg

And a clip of the portage:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/th_P3240065.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/?action=view&current=P3240065.mp4)

Some great trees down in this area too:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011057.jpg

Hooked one small one-year fish - reminded me of the hot small fish on the Klamath:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011058.jpg

Second day we did a float on the Nestucca - also some great water - managed to hook another small one-year fish but it came unbuttoned at the bank. As always, our trips with Scott are an adventure - towards the end of the day Scott noticed his gear bag with a bunch of reels and equipment was missing so we zipped down to the take out and he floated the next reach looking while we worked the shuttle - he then went up to the original float and did that - right near the take out he ran into a single gear guy in a drift boat who had found his bag so all ended well!! Scott's truck at takeout:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/RickJ/Spring%20Steelhead-2011/SpringSteelhead2011061.jpg

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You can tell it rains a lot in Oregon and Washington from those pictures.

thanks Rick.......

**I think I am a summer/fall guy now at 66.

[Bruce Slightom]

It was a great trip, I was up there for about a week before Rick showed up. I got to fish two days and the rains came and the snow level went up so the rivers were blown out. I did get to fish the Sol Duc before the high water and got to swing a Sol Duc Spey in some of the runs that Syd Glasso fished.

With the rains I hiked and explored some of he area, which would not have happened if the rivers were in shape.

Getting to fish with Ed Ward was the cherry on the sunday of the trip. He really is the Skagit Master. Maybe one of the most thought provoking fishermen I have been around. Jerry French is right there with him and as a guide Rick and I were impressed, we were impressed when we fished with him on the Grande Ronde. Having dinner and hearing the stories that these two have was a lot of fun.

Getting to meet Shawn was a treat, he showed us some great hospitality by rowing our sorry asses down the river.

Trips with Scott are always an adventure.

This trip was a life long dream, I have been reading about these rivers all of my angeling life.

[speyfool]

Nice reports guys. I haven't been fishing in months and I have to live through others for the time being.

thanks

[Nailknot]

Is Scott's Trask fish a hatchery fish? (and a downstreamer?) If so, bummer on both accounts.

Trask does not have a steelhead hatchery, sucks to see hatchery strays spawn there.

[Rick J]

it is a hatchery fish - not sure if it was downstreamer but Scott says these fish are from wild fish stock and it would likely spawn in the river. We did consider killing it - Scott wanted some fish - he likely would have had it been a male.

[Bruce Slightom]

Scott said that it was a "brood stock" fish.

[Nailknot]

Must be a Wilson River broodstock progeny? Bummer if it spawned in the Trask. Should have bonked it.

[trinity]

Cool trip!

[stanbery]

Thanks for the very nice report and pictures.

Jon

[cs2824]

Hi all,
Just wanted to chime in and say Jerry and Scott are Fantastic Guides and funny to be around as well. I got to fish with them on the Grande Ronde last October and learned so much in 3 days fishing with them. They made everyone a better Spey Caster in our group. Plus Jerry showed us how to tie the Intruder his style. :)