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Bill Kiene semi-retired
09-06-2005, 08:30 AM
I just found this report on the NCFFB:

Klamath---Halfpounder Heaven 9/5/05 10:24 p.m.
This Labor Day weekend was the best of my 9 since starting to flyfish, and the best since 1977 overall. Bjornian numbers. 76 landed of

129 hooked, with about 200 missed. If I could hook the fish the numbers would have been super-Bjornian. Only one real adult, an 18 inch, two pound fish. Most were from 12-16 inches. But if you have caught them, you know that a 14-16 inch halfpounder can kick your butt. Almost all were on bead-head Assasins, mostly copper. Heavy tippet meant almost no lost flies. Except for eleven Saturday morning from Guide Barry Leamon's boat, all were caught on my new 12 1/2 foot, 6-weight spey rod. Really fun. The spey casting was practice for the Babine Sept. 14-20 at Norlakes.

The incredible part was that I was the only one fishing at Klamath River Lodge. This famous, historic place, formerly owned by the Van Fleet family, used to be full of fishermen, with some competition for good runs. Not this year. We were the only ones there Thursday night. And I think that the Lodge water is the best on the river.

The water was greener than usual, with more floating moss than in many years. I was told that a one-day release from Iron Gate Dam boosted the river about Friday night, and it must have kicked some moss loose.

This is not a troll, but Barry gives a no-frills driftboat trip that puts you onto lots of fish, at very reasonable rates. I want to go back in November when the big fish are in. And the Lodge is a comfortable place with great river access to wonderful water.

Friends who had not had much luck got into water just upstream this morning and did very well also.

Few salmon seen, though friends caught three near the mouth of the Salmon River.

Incidentally, the water temp Friday morning was 68, that evening 70, and this morning 66. I like the trend. There was a fire near Oak Bottom campground on the lower Salmon, with lots of firefighters in the area this morning.

I had heard a lot of negative talk before this trip, but the only part that was true was the greener water. The fish are there and they are HOT!!! Lots of good data for Dr. Barnhart's reaserch. Only one of my fish was an Iron Gate hatchery fish.

Bjorn's Dad