Not Ideal

November 25, 2023 

Tried a couple new routes in but they ended up being a bust which cost us about 2 hours. Diverted to another area and was on the trail by around 10:30am. Hiked in a few miles. Water is stained, fast, and completely silted over. Place looks like a war zone. Timber, trash, and eroded banks everywhere. I was still hopeful as the last time I came here with Steve it wasn't much different. It was slightly more volume though. Fished for hours and no fish were found. Couldn't even spook one. Fish must have been pushed further downriver. After hours of boulder hopping buddy was having back issues so he started to head back so he could lie down and rest in the truck. I was only 30 yards behind him when on the way out perched on a huge boulder while trying to gingerly lower myself down I got a cramp in my left inner thigh. Couldn't move or readjust my body as I was in a precarious position. With my rod placed in my mouth, I managed to wedge myself in between the boulders to lower myself enough to jump down safely. Afterwards I basically crawled to the nearest island so I could try and recover. Pain was excruciating after what seemed like an eternity it subsided enough for me to try to rub and stretch it out. Once I felt it was adequate enough to walk on on I still had another 7-8 foot boulder I needed to get over so I could cross the river. Managed to get out and while I reached a the tributary, where we parked, I ran into a father and son who were spin fishing and said the tributary was fishing great. So I headed into it and checked it out. Looked in great shape. Some silt but it at least looked like a freestone river. Spooked a fish at least 14 inches but it was too canopied to cast with a fly rod.. I managed to reach the truck, opened the back window where my buddy was resting the bed and told him the creek is looking awesome. He told me once he got back to the truck there were fish rising right there in the small opening where we parked. He managed one and went to sleep. With him avoiding the skunk I was determined to do the same. Getting the skunk on a local is pretty insulting. With only an hour or so of light I hiked up the creek. I've always bypassed this section and fished further upstream so I had no clue where all the openings and holes were. The pressure was on now to avoid the skunk. First two I either was too late or when I set the hook my rod was interfered with by an overhanging branch. Fishing this creek is hard because it's very canopied and everything thing that will interfere with your cast will. Anxiety grew as daylight faded, castable fishing spots were becoming harder to come by. Eventually I managed to get one to stick and come to hand. Pressure now off, I could actually enjoy the last remaining minutes of light. Managed to hook, loose or miss another 8 or so before heading back to the truck just before the sun went down.