Ron Eagle Elk
10-05-2005, 10:54 PM
The wife and I just returned from a week long trip over to Lowell, Idaho for a little fishing. Man, What a beautiful area! We stayed at Three Rivers Resort in Lowell, overlooking the Lochsa River. Unfortunately, according to the biologists I met, the warm summer and low water made the fish move upstream to find cooler, more oxygenated water. Most of the good fishing on the Lochsa was around mile marker 150. That was fifty miles from the motel. We only made the trip once, but it was worth it. Landed and released several nice cutts in the 15 to 18 inch range. A couple others reported fish to 22 inches from there.
Seventeen miles up the Selway we found the cutts and spent most of our week exploring this area. The water clarity is unbelievable, but the cutts are not at all leader shy. After loosing several fish when they parted my 4X tippet, I switched to 3X. We took several fish from one pool and even after being released they attacked our dry flies with abandon.
The cutts were in very deep holes, hiding under rock ledges and in shadowy areas of the river. They would not hit nymphs or wets, but would rise out of their protected areas and smash anything on the surface. Very exciting takes, because you couldn't see them until your fly disappeared in a splash. No gentle sipping of bugs for these guys.
Large October or Cinnamon Caddis were the flies to have, though one guy went through his fly box to see if there was a fly they wouldn't hit. There wasn't. Small black or brown winged ants were also high on the piscatorial menu.
We fished the Clearwater a couple of times. Once down river from Lowell, where I ran into the Biologists. They had been shocking fish and let us know that the Cutts and Bows had moved up river. In the upper Clearwater there were a few Whitefish and Suckers, not high on my list. On our way home we did stop and swing a few flies through some likely looking steelhead runs with our 6 wgt speys, but no love there. It was fun anyway.
Smallest fish caught was by yours truley, abour 2 1/2 inches long on a size 8 October Caddis. Largest fish caught was by the wife, Vickie, 21 inches on a size 18 Parachute Adams. Go figure.
REE
Seventeen miles up the Selway we found the cutts and spent most of our week exploring this area. The water clarity is unbelievable, but the cutts are not at all leader shy. After loosing several fish when they parted my 4X tippet, I switched to 3X. We took several fish from one pool and even after being released they attacked our dry flies with abandon.
The cutts were in very deep holes, hiding under rock ledges and in shadowy areas of the river. They would not hit nymphs or wets, but would rise out of their protected areas and smash anything on the surface. Very exciting takes, because you couldn't see them until your fly disappeared in a splash. No gentle sipping of bugs for these guys.
Large October or Cinnamon Caddis were the flies to have, though one guy went through his fly box to see if there was a fly they wouldn't hit. There wasn't. Small black or brown winged ants were also high on the piscatorial menu.
We fished the Clearwater a couple of times. Once down river from Lowell, where I ran into the Biologists. They had been shocking fish and let us know that the Cutts and Bows had moved up river. In the upper Clearwater there were a few Whitefish and Suckers, not high on my list. On our way home we did stop and swing a few flies through some likely looking steelhead runs with our 6 wgt speys, but no love there. It was fun anyway.
Smallest fish caught was by yours truley, abour 2 1/2 inches long on a size 8 October Caddis. Largest fish caught was by the wife, Vickie, 21 inches on a size 18 Parachute Adams. Go figure.
REE