SmokinAces
12/16/2008 8:30:00 PMIm pretty sure I know your pellet fly. A gold ribbed hares ear? Sounds about right to me, haha! Awesome report and pics. I would have loved to been there with you.
G-Man
12/16/2008 9:04:00 PMGreat report! Got to love the full canvas option, I don't think that I could get my fishing buddies or my kid to join me when fishing in inclement weather without it. I have to make it out there one of these days!
Toni
12/16/2008 9:04:00 PMWOW! What a mess of fish. Great report. I guess you are only crazy if you don't catch anything. Sounds like you were the smart one.
outdoor chris
12/17/2008 6:54:00 AMSmokin....
The pellets that they use to feed the fish at the pens are a dark brown color and cylindrical in shape. They vary in size depending on what size fish they are feeding so we decided to key in on using flies that imitate the middle sized pellet. You don't want to use anything with any kind of ribbing on it, gold, silver or otherwise, it does not look like the pellets used for feeding and they fish will not take those, at least not consistently.
On a number 10 or 12 barb-less nymph hook, tie lead wire around the shaft from the eye to where the hook starts to curve around, then wrap around that brown or olive chenille, get the small size, it ties tighter and looks more like a pellet. One trick I have learned is after I tie the chenille in a cylindrical shape on the shaft of the hook, I tie a single layer of chenille down the curve of the hook and stop it just at the point where the curve of the hook straightens out to go to the point, this covers more of the hook. These fish see an awful lot of presentations and they will not take anything that has a lot of hook showing. Use black hooks, they definitely make a big difference as to how many hookups you will get.
hares ear nymphs are a favorite of mine in some other waters, but not R. W., here you will find that the fish will not take a fly when there is something hanging out like a piece of thread, after we caught 30 or 40 fish on the fly, (my flies seem to have a life span of only around 50 fish or so before they need to be retired). Again, the fish pellet is very smooth and they don't have hairs sticking out of them, its all about matching the hatch .......or the food, in this case, the trout pellet.
I have thrown my fly to the fish and they suddenly just won't bite, so then I know after 3 or 4 misses that its time to check the fly and when I do, I find some little thread or piece of something hanging off the fly, I cut that off with clippers, cast out again and wham!! fish on!! it works every time.
hope that helps!!
The pellets that they use to feed the fish at the pens are a dark brown color and cylindrical in shape. They vary in size depending on what size fish they are feeding so we decided to key in on using flies that imitate the middle sized pellet. You don't want to use anything with any kind of ribbing on it, gold, silver or otherwise, it does not look like the pellets used for feeding and they fish will not take those, at least not consistently.
On a number 10 or 12 barb-less nymph hook, tie lead wire around the shaft from the eye to where the hook starts to curve around, then wrap around that brown or olive chenille, get the small size, it ties tighter and looks more like a pellet. One trick I have learned is after I tie the chenille in a cylindrical shape on the shaft of the hook, I tie a single layer of chenille down the curve of the hook and stop it just at the point where the curve of the hook straightens out to go to the point, this covers more of the hook. These fish see an awful lot of presentations and they will not take anything that has a lot of hook showing. Use black hooks, they definitely make a big difference as to how many hookups you will get.
hares ear nymphs are a favorite of mine in some other waters, but not R. W., here you will find that the fish will not take a fly when there is something hanging out like a piece of thread, after we caught 30 or 40 fish on the fly, (my flies seem to have a life span of only around 50 fish or so before they need to be retired). Again, the fish pellet is very smooth and they don't have hairs sticking out of them, its all about matching the hatch .......or the food, in this case, the trout pellet.
I have thrown my fly to the fish and they suddenly just won't bite, so then I know after 3 or 4 misses that its time to check the fly and when I do, I find some little thread or piece of something hanging off the fly, I cut that off with clippers, cast out again and wham!! fish on!! it works every time.
hope that helps!!
outdoor chris
12/17/2008 6:58:00 AMG-man....last year we had a boat with no canvass, its just simply hunker down behind the windshield time and pull the fleece over your hands and gloves!!! The fishing more than makes up for the cold weather!! Have to admit, I start to shiver just thinking of those days of years past when we were boating up the lake when it was 12 degrees out, foggy and no sun....BBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!
Have to go stoke up the wood stove now!!
Have to go stoke up the wood stove now!!
Anonymous
12/17/2008 11:02:00 AMFifty fish on one Fly is a pretty good life span. I havn't been able to bring myself to fly fish with something that looks like what I feed my goldfish. However after looking at those PIGS i may need to change my way of thinking. I just need to tell myself that this ain't Montana and those ain't wild Missouri River Browns and Bows, but it does look like a blast.
Rob G.
12/17/2008 11:25:00 AMare you puttin in at the Chief Joseph Dam and heading up river? How long does it take you to get to the pens?
outdoor chris
12/17/2008 11:51:00 AMI hear ya on that one! I have often thought, "what am I doing tying these flies?", but you know.....they work! And they work very well. I love to go fishing with my special version of a hairs ear nymph over at Rocky Ford Creek by Moses Lake and catching those big bows, or throwing mayfly imitations to the ever hungry fish at Lake Chopaka, but a fish pellet fly????
But then, what is fly fishing?? It is the art of casting, number one to be sure, but it is also the art of using different materials and putting them together to make a pattern that the fish can relate to as food. If the fish is feeding on mayflies and one casts out a mouse imitation fly, the fish will not bite so well that day!! When I go to the river and they are biting on stone fly larvae I look in my fly box and pick out what best imitates the stone fly for size and color..........that's why we use the fish pellet fly, we are simply matching what the fish are biting on, and does it ever work well !!!!
Match the Hatch,.......... in this case its, Match the brand of trout pellet !
Don't get me wrong, I agree with you completely, but when one thinks about it, look at some of the crazy lures that we use for fishing, although I have yet to see a fish pellet lure......hmmmm, gets me to thinking though..... might have to go to the workbench and think about this!!!
But then, what is fly fishing?? It is the art of casting, number one to be sure, but it is also the art of using different materials and putting them together to make a pattern that the fish can relate to as food. If the fish is feeding on mayflies and one casts out a mouse imitation fly, the fish will not bite so well that day!! When I go to the river and they are biting on stone fly larvae I look in my fly box and pick out what best imitates the stone fly for size and color..........that's why we use the fish pellet fly, we are simply matching what the fish are biting on, and does it ever work well !!!!
Match the Hatch,.......... in this case its, Match the brand of trout pellet !
Don't get me wrong, I agree with you completely, but when one thinks about it, look at some of the crazy lures that we use for fishing, although I have yet to see a fish pellet lure......hmmmm, gets me to thinking though..... might have to go to the workbench and think about this!!!
outdoor chris
12/17/2008 11:58:00 AMyes, we put in at the army corps boat launch on the opposite side of the state park this time of year and it takes about 40 - 45 min. to run up to the pens from there. If you launch at the state park, if its open now, be very careful as the ramp is steep and can be covered in ice. At the corps. boat launch they have a barrel that holds sand that you can shovel, ( with your shovel), onto the ramp for traction and that launch is not even close to being as steep as the state park launch.
blufin loui
12/17/2008 1:43:00 PMWOW!! I'll keep a look-out for him/her/it next time we make it up that way.
I'm looking forward to the day we get full canvas or an upgrade, as the cold days are hard on us COLD weather RW fishermen. Last winter from late October til early spring, we only missed one week-end of RW cold weather fishing. What a blast. Hope to get time on the water this winter.
If the boat hadn't been in the shop we would have been on the water trying for those Wow fish, but alas it wasn't to be. Better days coming though.
A note on Pellet fly imitations, I have tied up a couple different renditions of Chris' description, and believe him when when he describes the trout being picky about the pattern. Mine still need fine tuning. The trout would burn over to the fly and just loose interest. This happened several times on past trips, so now I have tied some hopefully closer to the given description. We'll give em heck soon.
Great report and keep your fishing partner happy and warm.
I'm looking forward to the day we get full canvas or an upgrade, as the cold days are hard on us COLD weather RW fishermen. Last winter from late October til early spring, we only missed one week-end of RW cold weather fishing. What a blast. Hope to get time on the water this winter.
If the boat hadn't been in the shop we would have been on the water trying for those Wow fish, but alas it wasn't to be. Better days coming though.
A note on Pellet fly imitations, I have tied up a couple different renditions of Chris' description, and believe him when when he describes the trout being picky about the pattern. Mine still need fine tuning. The trout would burn over to the fly and just loose interest. This happened several times on past trips, so now I have tied some hopefully closer to the given description. We'll give em heck soon.
Great report and keep your fishing partner happy and warm.
Gringo Pescador
12/17/2008 4:22:00 PMI've always wanted to be a "yahoo". Never used a pellet fly, but I C&R a lot of fish using fake fish food, does that count? Outdoor Chris, nice report!
outdoor chris
12/17/2008 4:24:00 PMSteelhead.....
beyond what you may think and I respect your opinion because everybody is entitled to their own thoughts...you have not done much fly fishing in your time I think, ...in my humble opinion, that is.
Yes we do catch a lot of fish, and we do keep the fish that get hooked to badly, that is the way it should be, but in fly fishing, they do not swallow the fly, ever, we are sight fishing and with a fly rod and floating line, you can see the very slightest of a hit and upon setting the number 12 or 10 hooks that we use, the fish always get hooked just barely on the lip. These hooks are so small that they just get into the skin of the lip...that is one reason that fly rods are so long, so you can better play the fish without having to put a lot of pressure on the hook. These hooks are so small that with some bigger fish, they pull out of the lip because the hook staightens out during the fight.
The fish we keep do not leave the water and because we use very small hooks, and hooks that are bar-bless, all it takes is a little push with a finger and the fly comes out, without the fish even being netted or handled...the only thing we touch when releasing a fish is the fly itself. Look at some pictures in magazines with articles about fly fishing and you will see how the fish are barely hooked. This does not hurt the fish in any way and the mortality rate of released fish I think from fly fishing is zero.
I have seen other fishermen take the fish out of the water, let them bang around on the bottom of the boat and then release them, yes, that can be very detrimental to the fish and could shock them or even kill them and I don't condone that type of fishing, but it does happen.
I am not sure where you get your figure of a 30% mortality rate on caught fish but do a little more research on fly fishing and you will see that you are wrong. If you are comparing fly fishing to steel-heading with large hooks, maybe that is why you think the way you do. Next time your in the store, take a look at a nymph hook in size 12 and you will see how small these hooks are. We loose fish because of the small hooks, but we fish that way because it is safe for the released fish and I do care about the future of Rufus Woods Lake more than you may know.
As to the fragility of the Rufus Woods trout, these are actually very hardy fish. The ones that we catch and keep are still always alive in the live well after we get back to Chelan. We have found many hooks over the years in fish we have kept. Hooks in the stomach, throats and mouths, big hooks, like size 1 or 2, lures, corky's on hooks, plastic bait on hooks, and all of these fish were in very healthy shape. These were fish that were caught but the lines broke during the fight probably.
Don't get me wrong, I get very angry when I see other fishermen using power bait and catching and releasing fish because those fish are going to suffer a high mortality rate when released and its against the rules.
I am one to go by the rules always. You did get me laughing about the hatchery part!! I have worked in the field with game biologists doing research and nesting programs and fish planning in the past. When fishing, we leave when we have our limit. When hunting, if a flight of geese lands in front of our blind and its a minute past shooting time, we get out the camera and shot them with that, we hunt and fish and also spend more time than about anybody I know of in the field just enjoying nature. We have put out over 300 wood duck nesting boxes to date, we have over a hundred bird nesting boxes on our property. We grow seeds and grains for wild birds in our field so the quail and chukar have cover and food during the winter. Next year we are going to plant alfalfa in our fields to further enhance the deer population. We spend about $100.00 a week, during the entire year to enhance our property to make it a home to as many animals and birds as we can, property that we treat as a game reserve. Do you do anything to enhance the habitat of wildlife in our state??
You are right about one thing, a very important thing, its not really how many fish one catches, or how many deer you shoot in a lifetime or elk or bear, but its all about being outdoors and enjoying the moment, minutes, hours and days.
Being at the top of a mountain ridge when the sun is first rising and the valley below is covered in a thick layer of fog, the mountains turning shades of purple and pink...or being on the water, the boat running good, wisps of fog rising from the surface, the sun at your back warming it on a cold day, the wildlife on the shore and in the lake.........that is my church and when I feel closest to God and all he has done that is good, and it makes me feel good. I would never do anything to harm that or to desecrate that, but you know, it sure if fun to catch a bunch of fish!!!
I will tell you one thing that is for certain, if you could prove to me that I am killing so many fish, I will stop fishing that way, guaranteed!!!!
I do have some experience in raising fish as on our property we have 2 ponds that we raise and catch and release trout time after time with no dead trout, and if they did die, I would know about it because the ponds are not that huge. Fly fishing we have probably caught the same trout 20 or 30 times over the years and they still live and grow.
When yo speak of greed and ethics......its not greed, its just plain having a good time and fun. I write on here well OK, yes to boast a bit, after all, I am a fisherman and you should know that, if you are one yourself, but I like to teach and let others know how they too can have fun on the lake, using my experience as a guide as well as all the experience of others that post blogs on here.
Happy fishing............
beyond what you may think and I respect your opinion because everybody is entitled to their own thoughts...you have not done much fly fishing in your time I think, ...in my humble opinion, that is.
Yes we do catch a lot of fish, and we do keep the fish that get hooked to badly, that is the way it should be, but in fly fishing, they do not swallow the fly, ever, we are sight fishing and with a fly rod and floating line, you can see the very slightest of a hit and upon setting the number 12 or 10 hooks that we use, the fish always get hooked just barely on the lip. These hooks are so small that they just get into the skin of the lip...that is one reason that fly rods are so long, so you can better play the fish without having to put a lot of pressure on the hook. These hooks are so small that with some bigger fish, they pull out of the lip because the hook staightens out during the fight.
The fish we keep do not leave the water and because we use very small hooks, and hooks that are bar-bless, all it takes is a little push with a finger and the fly comes out, without the fish even being netted or handled...the only thing we touch when releasing a fish is the fly itself. Look at some pictures in magazines with articles about fly fishing and you will see how the fish are barely hooked. This does not hurt the fish in any way and the mortality rate of released fish I think from fly fishing is zero.
I have seen other fishermen take the fish out of the water, let them bang around on the bottom of the boat and then release them, yes, that can be very detrimental to the fish and could shock them or even kill them and I don't condone that type of fishing, but it does happen.
I am not sure where you get your figure of a 30% mortality rate on caught fish but do a little more research on fly fishing and you will see that you are wrong. If you are comparing fly fishing to steel-heading with large hooks, maybe that is why you think the way you do. Next time your in the store, take a look at a nymph hook in size 12 and you will see how small these hooks are. We loose fish because of the small hooks, but we fish that way because it is safe for the released fish and I do care about the future of Rufus Woods Lake more than you may know.
As to the fragility of the Rufus Woods trout, these are actually very hardy fish. The ones that we catch and keep are still always alive in the live well after we get back to Chelan. We have found many hooks over the years in fish we have kept. Hooks in the stomach, throats and mouths, big hooks, like size 1 or 2, lures, corky's on hooks, plastic bait on hooks, and all of these fish were in very healthy shape. These were fish that were caught but the lines broke during the fight probably.
Don't get me wrong, I get very angry when I see other fishermen using power bait and catching and releasing fish because those fish are going to suffer a high mortality rate when released and its against the rules.
I am one to go by the rules always. You did get me laughing about the hatchery part!! I have worked in the field with game biologists doing research and nesting programs and fish planning in the past. When fishing, we leave when we have our limit. When hunting, if a flight of geese lands in front of our blind and its a minute past shooting time, we get out the camera and shot them with that, we hunt and fish and also spend more time than about anybody I know of in the field just enjoying nature. We have put out over 300 wood duck nesting boxes to date, we have over a hundred bird nesting boxes on our property. We grow seeds and grains for wild birds in our field so the quail and chukar have cover and food during the winter. Next year we are going to plant alfalfa in our fields to further enhance the deer population. We spend about $100.00 a week, during the entire year to enhance our property to make it a home to as many animals and birds as we can, property that we treat as a game reserve. Do you do anything to enhance the habitat of wildlife in our state??
You are right about one thing, a very important thing, its not really how many fish one catches, or how many deer you shoot in a lifetime or elk or bear, but its all about being outdoors and enjoying the moment, minutes, hours and days.
Being at the top of a mountain ridge when the sun is first rising and the valley below is covered in a thick layer of fog, the mountains turning shades of purple and pink...or being on the water, the boat running good, wisps of fog rising from the surface, the sun at your back warming it on a cold day, the wildlife on the shore and in the lake.........that is my church and when I feel closest to God and all he has done that is good, and it makes me feel good. I would never do anything to harm that or to desecrate that, but you know, it sure if fun to catch a bunch of fish!!!
I will tell you one thing that is for certain, if you could prove to me that I am killing so many fish, I will stop fishing that way, guaranteed!!!!
I do have some experience in raising fish as on our property we have 2 ponds that we raise and catch and release trout time after time with no dead trout, and if they did die, I would know about it because the ponds are not that huge. Fly fishing we have probably caught the same trout 20 or 30 times over the years and they still live and grow.
When yo speak of greed and ethics......its not greed, its just plain having a good time and fun. I write on here well OK, yes to boast a bit, after all, I am a fisherman and you should know that, if you are one yourself, but I like to teach and let others know how they too can have fun on the lake, using my experience as a guide as well as all the experience of others that post blogs on here.
Happy fishing............
The Quadfather
12/17/2008 5:08:00 PM"Yes we do catch a lot of fish, and we do keep the fish that get hooked to badly, that is the way it should be, but in fly fishing, they do not swallow the fly, ever, we are sight fishing and with a fly rod and floating line, you can see the very slightest of a hit and upon setting the number 12 or 10 hooks that we use, the fish always get hooked just barely on the lip. These hooks are so small that they just get into the skin of the lip...that is one reason that fly rods are so long, so you can better play the fish without having to put a lot of pressure on the hook. These hooks are so small that with some bigger fish, they pull out of the lip because the hook staightens out during the fight. "
This is very true! Fly fishing almost always hooks fish in the lip. As was said, with fly fishing you are constanlty watching your fly or the last part of whatever line you have floating. and it's BAM, set hook, you aren't waiting until they've chewed on it.
Congrats. on a great day on the water.
This is very true! Fly fishing almost always hooks fish in the lip. As was said, with fly fishing you are constanlty watching your fly or the last part of whatever line you have floating. and it's BAM, set hook, you aren't waiting until they've chewed on it.
Congrats. on a great day on the water.
outdoor chris
12/17/2008 6:00:00 PMhey ol' Gringo,
I am a Yahoo, absolutely for sure.....every time I catch a fish I go....."Y A H O O !!!!!!!" When I stop doing that I will stop fishing! and hey, fake fish pellets is as good as a pellet fly because all a pellet fly is, is a fake fish pellet too!..... so keep up the good work....what do you use for your fake pellet?, always like to try something different.
We started out by cutting a brown plastic bass worm in little sections about the size of a pea and putting them on a very small hook and things just got better from there.
I am a Yahoo, absolutely for sure.....every time I catch a fish I go....."Y A H O O !!!!!!!" When I stop doing that I will stop fishing! and hey, fake fish pellets is as good as a pellet fly because all a pellet fly is, is a fake fish pellet too!..... so keep up the good work....what do you use for your fake pellet?, always like to try something different.
We started out by cutting a brown plastic bass worm in little sections about the size of a pea and putting them on a very small hook and things just got better from there.
outdoor chris
12/17/2008 6:03:00 PMThanks Quadfather, I guess that some guys are just plain jealous!! And I can honestly say that fishing by the net pens, which are, a hatchery....I really try to refrain from fishing in the pens themselves, afterall, that would be unethical!! ha ha ha
Mike Carey
12/17/2008 7:15:00 PMsteelhead64389 - please review the Post Report Comment guidelines prior to posting a comment. If you want to start a thread on the topic of catch/release/mortality use the Forum. Thank you.
blufin loui
12/17/2008 7:32:00 PMWOW, Nice conversation folks.
I want to jump in the pool while it is still warm, and say I have personally watched Chris and a fishing partner doing
their pen fishing "thing". All the time I was there (not catching many by the way), there was only one fish put in the boat, and many that never came out of the water. Slid the hand down the line to the fish and away they went. That can't be done with a fish which is dangerously hooked hooked on a fly, but these fish didn't even have a chance to thrash around boat side before they were free and swimming away.
I personally fish with small jig heads with artificial imitations, maybe this is unfair also because the trout are conditioned to eat the natural creatures I'm imitating, But my conscience is clear and I do enjoy doing battle with fish. When We catch fish there are times when the fish may have the hook deeper than we will cause a hazard to the fish, in the live well it goes. there have short trips to RW just for that reason, BUT the fish we release have been lip hooked and is in NO danger of mortal damage when released. We utilize long (8 or more inch) forceps, and hook releases that allow hook removal WHILE the fish is in the water. There is ethical and then there is personal opinion. It is a right to be able to express the latter, but not at the expense of others. If/when I cross the line of being appropriate, PLEASE members, bring me to task.
This is a GREAT place with GREAT people. We each, the individual, makes this site what it is. Let's be constructive, humorous at times, and enjoy the wealth of info available.
Peace and hungry fish on the waters.
I want to jump in the pool while it is still warm, and say I have personally watched Chris and a fishing partner doing
their pen fishing "thing". All the time I was there (not catching many by the way), there was only one fish put in the boat, and many that never came out of the water. Slid the hand down the line to the fish and away they went. That can't be done with a fish which is dangerously hooked hooked on a fly, but these fish didn't even have a chance to thrash around boat side before they were free and swimming away.
I personally fish with small jig heads with artificial imitations, maybe this is unfair also because the trout are conditioned to eat the natural creatures I'm imitating, But my conscience is clear and I do enjoy doing battle with fish. When We catch fish there are times when the fish may have the hook deeper than we will cause a hazard to the fish, in the live well it goes. there have short trips to RW just for that reason, BUT the fish we release have been lip hooked and is in NO danger of mortal damage when released. We utilize long (8 or more inch) forceps, and hook releases that allow hook removal WHILE the fish is in the water. There is ethical and then there is personal opinion. It is a right to be able to express the latter, but not at the expense of others. If/when I cross the line of being appropriate, PLEASE members, bring me to task.
This is a GREAT place with GREAT people. We each, the individual, makes this site what it is. Let's be constructive, humorous at times, and enjoy the wealth of info available.
Peace and hungry fish on the waters.
HammerinHonkers
12/17/2008 7:33:00 PMI have fished the pens and will continue to fish the pens. I think there is nothing wrong with how you catch fish or the number of fish you catch. You have actually helped me out and emailed me on how to tie the pellet fly. One thing I will say though, it does get old hearing, "We caught X hundred and fifteen trout today," We know you catch a ton of fish and the pics speak for themselves, you dont always need to say the exact number of fish you catch, no matter how massive the number, we won't think less of you if you don't say the exact number. Good luck out there.
Big D
12/17/2008 8:31:00 PMChris
Thank you so much for the information that you provided me via email about tying the pellet fly. I'm in the process of locating the materials tonight. I for one enjoy seeing your numbers posted and it doesn’t get old with me. It is very evident from your reports and the photos that you post that you truly enjoy what you are doing and that you do care about the fishery. I guess it’s like they say “You can please some of the people all of the time or you can please all the people some of the time but you can’t please all the people all the time. I look forward to your posts.
Thanks for taking the time to do them.
Big D
Thank you so much for the information that you provided me via email about tying the pellet fly. I'm in the process of locating the materials tonight. I for one enjoy seeing your numbers posted and it doesn’t get old with me. It is very evident from your reports and the photos that you post that you truly enjoy what you are doing and that you do care about the fishery. I guess it’s like they say “You can please some of the people all of the time or you can please all the people some of the time but you can’t please all the people all the time. I look forward to your posts.
Thanks for taking the time to do them.
Big D
outdoor chris
12/18/2008 7:26:00 AMHammerin......would it be ok then if I just say, well, we caught about the usual today??!!! or I can say, yep, caught a passel of fish today, or more than a few ......that's probably what pissed off Stealhead, will try to refrain from my braggadocio in the future!! ...........of course its not really bragging, merely just trying to be as informative and accurate in my reports as I can be so that if a person that can't fish RW that often can get some idea as to how the fish are biting at a particular time, which, they do change and bite better some days than others.
outdoor chris
12/18/2008 7:27:00 AMI will make sure that I get a close up pic of the fly and put it on here in my next report so all can see how simple it is.
steelhead64389
12/18/2008 11:05:00 AMOutdoorChris,
I apologize to you for some of my earlier comments. I realize some of them were unfair. The point I was trying to make on this blog is that we "all" have a responsibility to the fishery and not to abuse it. I've seen many blogs on Rufus Woods about fishermen being very greedy with these fish. It's obvious there are people who cheat in everything. That wrecks it eventually for everyone down the road. I was wrong by inferring that about you obviously. I have personally scene great places to fish destroyed because of the greed and the carelessness of fishermen who believe there is an endless resource. I don't want to see that happen to this special place! I still have to believe from my experiences as a trout fishermen that many of the fish die sooner or later (not from hooks in their stomach) but by being played out too long, stressed etc. Out of 200 fish caught in a day... you're kidding me to believe even on a small hook that there isn't a mortality factor involved in catching that many fish. Just by shear # fish do die. That's an argument for the scientists I suppose. Maybe Joe Heinlen would know since he is a fisheries manager (biologist). I believe obviously that you care about the resource and I was wrong about that. I just fear too many people will take advantage of this unique place for all the wrong reasons. That was really my point! I despise people who just take and never give. Those kind of people are who wreck it for the people who actually treasure the fish for what they are... absolutely beautiful strong awesome creatures.
I apologize to you for some of my earlier comments. I realize some of them were unfair. The point I was trying to make on this blog is that we "all" have a responsibility to the fishery and not to abuse it. I've seen many blogs on Rufus Woods about fishermen being very greedy with these fish. It's obvious there are people who cheat in everything. That wrecks it eventually for everyone down the road. I was wrong by inferring that about you obviously. I have personally scene great places to fish destroyed because of the greed and the carelessness of fishermen who believe there is an endless resource. I don't want to see that happen to this special place! I still have to believe from my experiences as a trout fishermen that many of the fish die sooner or later (not from hooks in their stomach) but by being played out too long, stressed etc. Out of 200 fish caught in a day... you're kidding me to believe even on a small hook that there isn't a mortality factor involved in catching that many fish. Just by shear # fish do die. That's an argument for the scientists I suppose. Maybe Joe Heinlen would know since he is a fisheries manager (biologist). I believe obviously that you care about the resource and I was wrong about that. I just fear too many people will take advantage of this unique place for all the wrong reasons. That was really my point! I despise people who just take and never give. Those kind of people are who wreck it for the people who actually treasure the fish for what they are... absolutely beautiful strong awesome creatures.
Bodofish
12/18/2008 6:56:00 PMAwesome job man!!!!!! Catchem all day long for the big ones. Save the little ones for next year. ;4) The biologist at the pens said they only live about 4 years outside the pens. Catchem while you can. I don't think the new owners will be as nice about the pens getting rammed and fish released. My 2 cents. I'll be headed back in a few weeks. =)
blufin loui
12/18/2008 11:10:00 PMHowdy steelhead64389,
Hey Man, THANKS for the comment reply, there for a while I was worried I might run into you on the water, but NOW I feel it would be a pleasure to meet ya. From your comments, I perceive a person who is passionate about this great sport we call fishing, and Rufus Woods provides some quality time for this pursuit. I hope you keep that passion for a lifetime. Life is made up of perceptions, and each of us perceive things in different ways, that's just the way it is and makes us the unique individuals we are. If I hadn't personally watched fish being caught by various persons of exceptional experience, I would have been doubtful of the survival rate percentage of caught trout. But by the patient (and kind) folks I've run into and had the honor to fish with while on the RW and other waters of WA state, who have spent time and sometimes great effort to teach this "Show Me State" hard-head the proper manner to do "Ethical" catch & release, I am now confident in my ability to release the RW trout ,and expect with a clear conscience the fish will survive, and to know "when" that is not an option. That said, If I had the skill to C&R a passel of those RW monsters, I would do so., and as I have mentioned in past posts, some of my trips to RW did not include catching very many trout before my limit was filled due to fish hooked in a manner not conducive to survival. (my perspective anyway).
Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday season
Keep up the great work everyone
Hey Man, THANKS for the comment reply, there for a while I was worried I might run into you on the water, but NOW I feel it would be a pleasure to meet ya. From your comments, I perceive a person who is passionate about this great sport we call fishing, and Rufus Woods provides some quality time for this pursuit. I hope you keep that passion for a lifetime. Life is made up of perceptions, and each of us perceive things in different ways, that's just the way it is and makes us the unique individuals we are. If I hadn't personally watched fish being caught by various persons of exceptional experience, I would have been doubtful of the survival rate percentage of caught trout. But by the patient (and kind) folks I've run into and had the honor to fish with while on the RW and other waters of WA state, who have spent time and sometimes great effort to teach this "Show Me State" hard-head the proper manner to do "Ethical" catch & release, I am now confident in my ability to release the RW trout ,and expect with a clear conscience the fish will survive, and to know "when" that is not an option. That said, If I had the skill to C&R a passel of those RW monsters, I would do so., and as I have mentioned in past posts, some of my trips to RW did not include catching very many trout before my limit was filled due to fish hooked in a manner not conducive to survival. (my perspective anyway).
Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday season
Keep up the great work everyone
blufin loui
12/18/2008 11:14:00 PMHi ya Chris,
Yep the faithful ole tub is back in the garage, and IF I can meet all my commitments on Sat, Me and my fishing buddie will try to hit RW for some late evening casting (if the temps don't fall to rapidly). If not then I will look forward to a later trip.
Stay safe out there on the waters (or ice) this time of year. Take all the necessary precautions, and enjoy the adventures everyone.
Yep the faithful ole tub is back in the garage, and IF I can meet all my commitments on Sat, Me and my fishing buddie will try to hit RW for some late evening casting (if the temps don't fall to rapidly). If not then I will look forward to a later trip.
Stay safe out there on the waters (or ice) this time of year. Take all the necessary precautions, and enjoy the adventures everyone.
blufin loui
12/18/2008 11:20:00 PMHey kokeaddict,
These particular fish most likely escaped from the rearing pens when they were smaller, and life in the pens can be rough on the finnage (sp) of the fish what with rubbing against the structures (nets, supports, or other fish) over a period of time. You will see a lot of the triploids with damaged fins. Take a look at the Rufus Woods Video with Aaron and Mike. They caught one without a tail. Nice fish though.
Good luck with your fishing adventures
These particular fish most likely escaped from the rearing pens when they were smaller, and life in the pens can be rough on the finnage (sp) of the fish what with rubbing against the structures (nets, supports, or other fish) over a period of time. You will see a lot of the triploids with damaged fins. Take a look at the Rufus Woods Video with Aaron and Mike. They caught one without a tail. Nice fish though.
Good luck with your fishing adventures
blufin loui
12/18/2008 11:34:00 PMOne other thing,
I've read in a couple post where "The biologist at the pens said they only live about 4 years outside the pens".
Where are these 10# to upper 20# fish being caught coming from. Some of the must be pen escapees from the look of the fins, but that would be a phenomenal growth rate if the fish only live the 4 years. I can accept that some of the pen fish are good sized when escaped/released, but still.....
Any enlightenment would be appreciated, and in the mean time I'll try to catch a few more.
Thanks all.
I've read in a couple post where "The biologist at the pens said they only live about 4 years outside the pens".
Where are these 10# to upper 20# fish being caught coming from. Some of the must be pen escapees from the look of the fins, but that would be a phenomenal growth rate if the fish only live the 4 years. I can accept that some of the pen fish are good sized when escaped/released, but still.....
Any enlightenment would be appreciated, and in the mean time I'll try to catch a few more.
Thanks all.
outdoor chris
12/19/2008 8:45:00 AMThat the fish only live about 4 years is true, however, that is not an absolute.....and because of that, some fish will live longer and thus will be able to put on more weight. Then there is the gene thing, certain fish will put on more weight than others, just because of the way that particular fish eats and/or how much food is available to it in its part of the lake.
I read one report, put out by Wa. fish and game, that said a triploid trout can gain as much as 15lbs in a two year period of time, but that is prime conditions with plenty of feed. One thing is for sure, there are huge fish in RW.....I have seen them and its a great thing just to be able to see them, much less catch them. One was big enough that I think it could have been the next state record if it was caught, and no, of course I didn't catch it!
Normally trout will live for about 7 years, that depends on the water temp. Take bass, they will live about 7-8 years in the south were the water is warmer and in the northern states they can live for as long as 14-15 years. Even so the southern bass will grow much larger because of the water temp. being warmer all year in the south, they feed more and longer, under 40 degrees you can let a nice fat night crawler slowly slide down the nose of a bass and let it dangle right in front of the fish's mouth, touching the fish's lips with the worm and the bass will not take it, ( have done that many times with bass in my pond).
I have had, in my ponds, trout that die anywhere from 4 years to a few that have lived almost 10 years. Those were not triploid rainbows though. In some lakes, take for example, Lake Diefenbaker up in Saskatchewan, home of the rainbow world record catches, the fish there can live as long as 20 years, and most of the rainbows they are catching there came from a fish hatchery operation much like we have a Rufus Woods. There slabs of ice have cut the net pens, releasing the fish. Biologists say that those fish are about at their weight limit, just over 30 lbs. When they get so big, they plateau and then start to die. Gives all of us something to shoot for though, with the record there being 33.3 lbs., Rufus Woods is not all that far off of the world record mark.
Just think.......somewhere out there, swimming in an underwater canyon or skulking on the down current side of a rock bar, eating the food carried to it by the river current, I firmly believe is the new world record rainbow trout in Rufus Woods Lake. Who will catch it? If they do catch it, will they be able to keep it on their line?? Get it to the boat and net it?? I would like to think that there are many in the world weight class, they just have to be caught yet.
After typing that, I have to go and hitch the boat up now!!!!!
I read one report, put out by Wa. fish and game, that said a triploid trout can gain as much as 15lbs in a two year period of time, but that is prime conditions with plenty of feed. One thing is for sure, there are huge fish in RW.....I have seen them and its a great thing just to be able to see them, much less catch them. One was big enough that I think it could have been the next state record if it was caught, and no, of course I didn't catch it!
Normally trout will live for about 7 years, that depends on the water temp. Take bass, they will live about 7-8 years in the south were the water is warmer and in the northern states they can live for as long as 14-15 years. Even so the southern bass will grow much larger because of the water temp. being warmer all year in the south, they feed more and longer, under 40 degrees you can let a nice fat night crawler slowly slide down the nose of a bass and let it dangle right in front of the fish's mouth, touching the fish's lips with the worm and the bass will not take it, ( have done that many times with bass in my pond).
I have had, in my ponds, trout that die anywhere from 4 years to a few that have lived almost 10 years. Those were not triploid rainbows though. In some lakes, take for example, Lake Diefenbaker up in Saskatchewan, home of the rainbow world record catches, the fish there can live as long as 20 years, and most of the rainbows they are catching there came from a fish hatchery operation much like we have a Rufus Woods. There slabs of ice have cut the net pens, releasing the fish. Biologists say that those fish are about at their weight limit, just over 30 lbs. When they get so big, they plateau and then start to die. Gives all of us something to shoot for though, with the record there being 33.3 lbs., Rufus Woods is not all that far off of the world record mark.
Just think.......somewhere out there, swimming in an underwater canyon or skulking on the down current side of a rock bar, eating the food carried to it by the river current, I firmly believe is the new world record rainbow trout in Rufus Woods Lake. Who will catch it? If they do catch it, will they be able to keep it on their line?? Get it to the boat and net it?? I would like to think that there are many in the world weight class, they just have to be caught yet.
After typing that, I have to go and hitch the boat up now!!!!!
Big D
12/19/2008 9:40:00 AMHello Fishing People,
I found this article while looking for information about Lake Rufus Woods & thought others would also find it interesting.
RICH LANDERS; The Spokesman-Review Published: November 20th, 2008 02:48 AM
Trout anglers wondering what it might be like to cast into a fish hatchery full of lunkers can quit dreaming and start catching.
North Central Washington’s Lake Rufus Woods has been even better than a hatchery.
And it’s legal – at least for those following the rules on the Columbia River reservoir.
The windfall for fishermen stems from a trout farm that recently folded after losing roughly 300,000 rainbows over the past year from poorly tended net pens and driftwood damage. That’s the assessment of Ed Shallenberger, fisheries biologist for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and a former manager of Columbia River Fish Farms.
“The guy I sold the fish farm to in July 2005 ran the place into the ground,” he said. “Another outfit, Pacific Sea Foods, bought the place out of the bankruptcy a couple of weeks ago, and they’re in the process of making major changes. But it will take time.”
Rufus Woods – the reservoir that backs up behind Chief Joseph Dam and reaches upstream toward Grand Coulee Dam – had a relatively unremarkable fishery until the 1990s.
The change began after Shallenberger helped with the pilot program for commercial fish farming on the south side of the reservoir. In 1994, he moved Columbia River Fish Farms to the north shore in agreements with the Colville tribes and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The sterile rainbow trout – called triploids – were raised and fed in the pens to sizes of 6-7 pounds before being marketed to grocery chains and restaurants.
Three sets of net pens were established and continue to produce fish on the reservoir. Two that are about two miles apart, now operated by Pacific Sea Foods under the name “Pacific Aquaculture,” can produce about 4.5 million pounds of trout a year.
One located another 10 miles downstream, operated by Chief Joseph Fish Farm, produces about 1 million pounds of trout a year.
Fish that occasionally got out of the pens – plus the 5,000 to 10,000 trout the Colvilles contracted for release almost yearly to create a recreational fishery – didn’t go far. They hunkered below the pens and bulked up on natural food and the bounty of feed that drifted down through the nets.
A progression of state record rainbows were caught from Lake Rufus Woods, ending with the current record, a 29.6-pounder caught in November 2002 by Norm Butler of Okanogan.
Another record fish isn’t likely soon, Schallenberger said.
“You’ve got way too many fish in the river and way too much fishing, legal and illegal,” he said. “It’s pathetic.
“In the 12 years I worked (at the fish farms), I’ll bet we didn’t lose more than 20,000 fish, mostly in two incidents. The big numbers of fish they’ve lost in the past year – I’m guessing a minimum of 300,000 – has made for some good fishing, but not necessarily for big fish. Most of the fish are running 1.5 to up to 10 pounds, but anything bigger than that is pretty hard to find now. We had 40,000-angler days there last year. Even with a two-fish limit, that’s still a lot of fish coming out.”
The harvest numbers swell when greed is factored in.
“Frankly, what we’re seeing is piggery,” said Sgt. Jim Brown, Fish and Wildlife enforcement officer for Okanogan County.
“We wrote one or two tickets a month on Rufus Woods eight years ago. Last November, when word got out about the fish escapes, we started writing 15 to 20 tickets a week, and we’re not there every day. Literally, nine out of 10 fishing parties we made contact with earlier this year had violations.”
One couple was caught catching their limit and returning to catch another. “They lied to the officers when we asked if they had any fish hidden in their trunk, and that alone is a gross misdemeanor, a $540 ticket for each one of them right there,” Brown said. “Then each of them got a $378 ticket for possessing twice the limit.”
High-grading is the most common violation, he said.
“You have all of these 2-pound fish out there, but everybody wants to catch the big ones. It’s OK to catch-and-release fish with artificial lures or flies, because they have a high survival rate. But when using bait, statewide rules say you must keep each fish you catch up to your two-fish limit.
“Some bait fishermen were catching 40 trout to keep two, and most of those 40 fish were dying.”
I found this article while looking for information about Lake Rufus Woods & thought others would also find it interesting.
RICH LANDERS; The Spokesman-Review Published: November 20th, 2008 02:48 AM
Trout anglers wondering what it might be like to cast into a fish hatchery full of lunkers can quit dreaming and start catching.
North Central Washington’s Lake Rufus Woods has been even better than a hatchery.
And it’s legal – at least for those following the rules on the Columbia River reservoir.
The windfall for fishermen stems from a trout farm that recently folded after losing roughly 300,000 rainbows over the past year from poorly tended net pens and driftwood damage. That’s the assessment of Ed Shallenberger, fisheries biologist for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and a former manager of Columbia River Fish Farms.
“The guy I sold the fish farm to in July 2005 ran the place into the ground,” he said. “Another outfit, Pacific Sea Foods, bought the place out of the bankruptcy a couple of weeks ago, and they’re in the process of making major changes. But it will take time.”
Rufus Woods – the reservoir that backs up behind Chief Joseph Dam and reaches upstream toward Grand Coulee Dam – had a relatively unremarkable fishery until the 1990s.
The change began after Shallenberger helped with the pilot program for commercial fish farming on the south side of the reservoir. In 1994, he moved Columbia River Fish Farms to the north shore in agreements with the Colville tribes and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The sterile rainbow trout – called triploids – were raised and fed in the pens to sizes of 6-7 pounds before being marketed to grocery chains and restaurants.
Three sets of net pens were established and continue to produce fish on the reservoir. Two that are about two miles apart, now operated by Pacific Sea Foods under the name “Pacific Aquaculture,” can produce about 4.5 million pounds of trout a year.
One located another 10 miles downstream, operated by Chief Joseph Fish Farm, produces about 1 million pounds of trout a year.
Fish that occasionally got out of the pens – plus the 5,000 to 10,000 trout the Colvilles contracted for release almost yearly to create a recreational fishery – didn’t go far. They hunkered below the pens and bulked up on natural food and the bounty of feed that drifted down through the nets.
A progression of state record rainbows were caught from Lake Rufus Woods, ending with the current record, a 29.6-pounder caught in November 2002 by Norm Butler of Okanogan.
Another record fish isn’t likely soon, Schallenberger said.
“You’ve got way too many fish in the river and way too much fishing, legal and illegal,” he said. “It’s pathetic.
“In the 12 years I worked (at the fish farms), I’ll bet we didn’t lose more than 20,000 fish, mostly in two incidents. The big numbers of fish they’ve lost in the past year – I’m guessing a minimum of 300,000 – has made for some good fishing, but not necessarily for big fish. Most of the fish are running 1.5 to up to 10 pounds, but anything bigger than that is pretty hard to find now. We had 40,000-angler days there last year. Even with a two-fish limit, that’s still a lot of fish coming out.”
The harvest numbers swell when greed is factored in.
“Frankly, what we’re seeing is piggery,” said Sgt. Jim Brown, Fish and Wildlife enforcement officer for Okanogan County.
“We wrote one or two tickets a month on Rufus Woods eight years ago. Last November, when word got out about the fish escapes, we started writing 15 to 20 tickets a week, and we’re not there every day. Literally, nine out of 10 fishing parties we made contact with earlier this year had violations.”
One couple was caught catching their limit and returning to catch another. “They lied to the officers when we asked if they had any fish hidden in their trunk, and that alone is a gross misdemeanor, a $540 ticket for each one of them right there,” Brown said. “Then each of them got a $378 ticket for possessing twice the limit.”
High-grading is the most common violation, he said.
“You have all of these 2-pound fish out there, but everybody wants to catch the big ones. It’s OK to catch-and-release fish with artificial lures or flies, because they have a high survival rate. But when using bait, statewide rules say you must keep each fish you catch up to your two-fish limit.
“Some bait fishermen were catching 40 trout to keep two, and most of those 40 fish were dying.”
blufin loui
12/21/2008 5:40:00 PMThanks Chris, for the info on the longevity of the tripps. Put like that I can see the possibilities.
Cold weather, lists to-do, and travel over the passes has kept me from fishing lately, but that will change soon (I hope).
Have a safe and happy Holidays everyone
Cold weather, lists to-do, and travel over the passes has kept me from fishing lately, but that will change soon (I hope).
Have a safe and happy Holidays everyone
fishdoc
12/21/2008 8:46:00 PMOutdoor Chris,
Great post! Nice to hear that the bite is still going!
I'm new to this site and I've enjoyed reading your posts. One great thing about this fishery is that everyone is very friendly and willing to help out newbies. You've personally helped out a buddy of mine get rigged up. Keep up the good work! If you see a white inboard jet, give me a shout, I'm also working on a pellet "lure".
Great post! Nice to hear that the bite is still going!
I'm new to this site and I've enjoyed reading your posts. One great thing about this fishery is that everyone is very friendly and willing to help out newbies. You've personally helped out a buddy of mine get rigged up. Keep up the good work! If you see a white inboard jet, give me a shout, I'm also working on a pellet "lure".
outdoor chris
12/22/2008 8:18:00 AMBig D, a very interesting article indeed and I do agree with the article when it talks about people catching more trout using bait and sending them back. Last year this was very evident when we would be casting and drifting along the shoreline and it would be very common to see a dead trout laying on the bottom. In some cases several trout, especially downstream from where there were people fishing from the shoreline, the fish have enough in them to swim away but don't last more than a few hundred yards before they bleed to death....a very sad waste indeed.
one thing I learned is I never thought there were that many man fishing days on RW, 40,000...that's a lot of fish!
one thing I learned is I never thought there were that many man fishing days on RW, 40,000...that's a lot of fish!
TroutPro
12/22/2008 9:25:00 PMhey Chris, i have a question is it possible to fish of the shore with the pellet fly imation and still catch fish? and i was also wondering what weight fly rod you use and what length would be the best for the rod and leader?
outdoor chris
12/23/2008 8:32:00 AMI suppose you could catch them from the shoreline but the best would be by the pens because that is where the food is coming from.
We use a 9' fly rods in size 6 - 7 with this time of year 6 lbs leader.
In the summer 3lb or 4lb leader is the norm and some days we go to 2lb for fun and to get the hits, remember, these fish have seen hundreds of presentations from fishermen and a lot of times they will go right to a fly like they are going to slam it and 1" away from the fly, they abort the strike...if that happens a lot, go to a lighter leader!
We use a 9' fly rods in size 6 - 7 with this time of year 6 lbs leader.
In the summer 3lb or 4lb leader is the norm and some days we go to 2lb for fun and to get the hits, remember, these fish have seen hundreds of presentations from fishermen and a lot of times they will go right to a fly like they are going to slam it and 1" away from the fly, they abort the strike...if that happens a lot, go to a lighter leader!
PhilSoucy
12/25/2008 3:34:00 PMHey, Outdoor Chris,
It sure looks like you have Rufus Triploids down pat. I'd like to request that when you put that picture of the Pellet Fly in your next report could you also give hook size and materials used. I'd be guessing that it might be on a size 2 or 4, red short shanked Brad's steelhead with a l body of large chenille or yarn of a pellet like color.
But then what would I know? I've never even seen a one of those particular fish pellets and I hear they are made of fish guts and don't have a clue what color that would make them. You've been doing the absolute "Most Rufus of Reports". Thanks.
It sure looks like you have Rufus Triploids down pat. I'd like to request that when you put that picture of the Pellet Fly in your next report could you also give hook size and materials used. I'd be guessing that it might be on a size 2 or 4, red short shanked Brad's steelhead with a l body of large chenille or yarn of a pellet like color.
But then what would I know? I've never even seen a one of those particular fish pellets and I hear they are made of fish guts and don't have a clue what color that would make them. You've been doing the absolute "Most Rufus of Reports". Thanks.
t_wild100
12/27/2008 1:15:00 AMNice! incredible catches.
Congrats bro.
And congrats on having a girl who doesn't hate the outdoors let alone fishing!
Congrats bro.
And congrats on having a girl who doesn't hate the outdoors let alone fishing!
outdoor chris
12/29/2008 6:39:00 AMPhil,
Scroll down to about the bottom of the comments section for this report and there I put down in detail how and what to use to tie the fish pellet fly! The pellets that they use are a very dark brown color and are of the sinking pellet variety.
Scroll down to about the bottom of the comments section for this report and there I put down in detail how and what to use to tie the fish pellet fly! The pellets that they use are a very dark brown color and are of the sinking pellet variety.
lundfish05
12/30/2008 10:27:00 AMChris,
I sent you an e-mail with some additional questions. Great report by the way and very helpful. I plan on making a trip or two in the next couple of months and will report when I get back.
I sent you an e-mail with some additional questions. Great report by the way and very helpful. I plan on making a trip or two in the next couple of months and will report when I get back.
morrow50
1/16/2009 8:50:00 AMHi Chris, I was wondering if you would be interested in "Guiding" me and my buddy on RW? We dont have a boat that is suited for the long run up the river. That plus we would love to catch some of those big fish you post on here! Thanks, MM
outdoor chris
1/17/2009 10:26:00 AMMM........I would love to take you guys fishing, however there is the small part that I can not legally do that because I am not a guide for RW. That may be different in the future, so keep posted and I will let you know when I can.
drabo2000
1/23/2009 9:31:00 AMHi Outdoor Chris,
I am a fly fisherman in San Diego and got interested in matching what our stocker Nebraska tailwalkers are fed at Chaulk Mound Trout Hatchery
where they are raised. Yesterday, I ran across your incredible reports and account of refining your pellet fly. On Dec 17, you mentioned that you
would post a photo of the fly but I have not seen it. Any chance you could post that picture?
Thanks alot,
Steve
I am a fly fisherman in San Diego and got interested in matching what our stocker Nebraska tailwalkers are fed at Chaulk Mound Trout Hatchery
where they are raised. Yesterday, I ran across your incredible reports and account of refining your pellet fly. On Dec 17, you mentioned that you
would post a photo of the fly but I have not seen it. Any chance you could post that picture?
Thanks alot,
Steve