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This is actually a report for three days of fishing Mountain Lake on Orcas Island. My wife and I spent a few days camping right on the lake, and so naturally I was out fishing quite a bit. All days were bright and sunny. On the first evening I went down to the lake and started off by working the fly I have attached a picture of (if anyone knows what that pattern is called, please tell me! I just picked them up from the tackle shop because one of the guys said they would work for Cutts) about 40' or so from shore. I don't actually own fly gear, so I was using a bubble float to cast with my spinning gear, plus about 3' of leader. I caught two fish, each about 9", in quick order using that fly. One was on an extremely slow retrieve, the other was doing the best approximation of stripping that I could with spinning gear. My wife spent the time working a black woolly bugger and may have had a hit or two, but didn't get anything to stick. At first I though both fish were rainbows, but they may have actually been Cutts. I didn't check the jaws before letting them go. One was completely missing its dorsal fin. We moved around a bit and also tried some hardware that night (gold variation Kastmasters and Roostertails) but didn't have any luck that way. Lots of small fish jumping.

The next morning we got out onto the lake kind of late, about 10:30, and started trolling for Kokanee. This was the first time I had ever done it, but figured I would see what would happen. On one rod I ran a 1oz. weight with a clown Dick Nite dodger, a red wedding ring and bloody tuna scent, and on the other rod I ran a 2oz. weight with a gold and chartreuse Dick Nite dodger in a sort of speckled/striped pattern, a chartreuse smile blade and a chartreuse hootchie and krill scent. I have no electronics, no line counters, and was rowing; but based upon my estimates, I think that the lighter rig was about 10' down and the heaver rig was about 20' down. Rowed around for a while and finally got a really good looking bite but unfortunately didn't get it to stick. Later on that evening we rowed out to a small island in the lake that we had seen fish jumping around and started working the water a bit before dusk. Lots of smaller fish jumping again. My wife was using bobber and worm and got another 9" cutty, and I started with hardware, a gold 1/8oz Kastmaster I believe. I think I got a hit on that, but eventually switched to an olive woolly bugger. Finally got another Cutthroat on a slow retrieve with that fly just before heading back to shore for the night.

The next morning I talked with some other anglers who had caught three rainbows, each probably at least 16" long, using powerbait and worms floated off the bottom. Briefly worked my olive woolly bugger a bit but left again for other activities. That night right before dinner I went back down to the lake and started working a small black Roostertail with a silver blade real slow from shore. Got a bump or two, and then had another Cutthroat hit it and got it to shore. After dinner I set my wife up with powerbait and worms, which produced another Cutthroat, while I worked the spinner, a Kastmaster or two, and eventually switched to powerbait and worms myself. She had a really good strike at one point with that setup, but nothing ultimately came of it. I also had a strike with that setup, but same story, no fish.

It was a great time at the lake overall. Tons and tons of smaller fish to be had if you just want to catch and release, but there are bigger ones in there too!

CarpMouth

9/18/2014 7:24:00 AM

Very nice fishing report. Sorry you didn't land more big ones. They are in there. Next time try trolling a small lure that gets down. The trout will really hit lures I Cascade Lake and few eve use them, so I would think they would also hit them in Mountain Lake. Two winters ago we fished Mountain with ice on part of the lake and I was the only one who landed a fish...on a small WallyDiver. Good Luck.

Rteg

9/18/2014 1:43:00 PM

the fly looks like a carey special. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=carey+special&id=6C002B607DA13E3CB3554A18971432735F99399D&FORM=IQFRBA#a

CarpMouth

9/19/2014 8:14:00 AM

The over-all appearance is that of a Carey Special ( years ago - 1925 - it was called a Monkey-Faced Louise) originated by Dr. Lloyd A. Quesnel and Col. ? Carey, both of BC I think. It was renamed Carey Special and popularized by the late Joe Spurrier - a sporting goods dealer, also of BC I think!? It is probably the most varied of all Northwest originals (patented patterns). The key element of dressing is a superabundance of pheasant rump feathers. I have tied variations with bodies of peacock herl, black, scarlet or green wool or chenille. This appears to be tied with green wool. It originally was intended to imitate an emerging sedge, but is also an excellent dragonfly nymph pattern if tied in brown or olive! The very long rump fibers help to keep it off of the bottom. One tying option that I saw for this fly, can't remember where, is the tail may be scarlet hackle fibers. Problem with a scarlet body or tail,or any variation of red, is that it appears black in as little as 20 feet of even clear Lake water. This may be more than you want to know.
Bruce

AJFishdude

9/20/2014 12:25:00 PM

Thanks for the info CarpMouth and Rteg, and yes, after going back to the store and looking at the patterns again I agree that it is a Carey Special. Also, thanks for the history CarpMouth, interesting read!

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