Lincoln Park SRC report

[obiwankanobi]

Currently I am unemployed, semi-retired, has a much better connotation, but being that I am only 28 I'd better start working soon. I have enjoyed going to Lincoln park about 4 times a week, usually on the weekdays and SRC fly fishing. My best day was a 8 fish day with the largest being about a 18" two-three pounder. Each day I learn a new lesson on the water. First, if the weather is cool, cloudy and rainy, expect success. Second, if the weather is like today or last Friday, expect at the most a 1-2 fish day, but that is a stretch. My setup is a #6 weight XP with a 1X tapered flouro leader. I tie all of my own flies, but what seems best is a sparsely tied white/chartruse 1.5" clouser. I have really found that Williams Point is the best place to fish, as the incoming tide forms a triangular shaped wake that glances off the point and large schools of sand lance and anchovies hide. For playful purposes I use Lelands famous popper, but when I want to get serious the clouser is my bread and butter fly. If anyone wants to accompany me or wants to know more, hit me up! Otherwise that is all I know!!!

[jonbackman]

Obiwan,

great job getting into the SRC's at Lincoln Park. I live pretty nearby, and have spent a fair amount of time down there, though not as often as you. I have been into the beach flyfishing thing for about a year, so it has been mostly learning up to this point. I've heard of plently of people catching cutthroat at Lincoln Park, but in all the times I've been there, I've never caught one, or even had one on for sure. I've had my share of fishless days, but I've caught some salmon (blackmouth or silvers) all rather small. I'm interested to hear you say that you've been catching such high numbers of SRC's. Have all of your catches been recently, or have you fished the park at all different times of the year? Maybe I'm doing something wrong,:confused: but I don't think so. I've researched tides, tried different times of day, tried plenty of different flies and colors, but not a single SRC at Lincoln Park for me. Anyway, I'll keep trying, but I have to say, if you've really been catching that many cutthroat at Lincoln Park, I've got to get down there more often.

[obiwankanobi]

Jon,

Thanks for the reply. Here is my scholarly information. Last summer, I was new to the area and was invigorated to get out there and catch these infamous SRC's. Being a long time mountain CT chaser, I was assurred that I wouldn't have any trouble catching the same fish that I have caught in MT and Idaho for years. I tried about six times last summer and a few times over the winter and never bumped a thing. Well, I did catch a sea version of a sculpin, which was dead weight on the end of my line. Well almost to the brink of talking to Dr. Phil about my tattered SRC chasing ego, I was fishing about a month ago and had a huge hit on Leland's popper. I threw a cast back to where I got the voracious hit and immediately the same fish or a different one crashed on it again. Well after two hits and 6 casts back to the same spot, I tied on a small Clouser and within a few pulls, whammo, I nailed one and fought it for about 5 mins. The trick I have seen is that you have to be there just as the tide is coming in, not right at low tide, but just soon after. If you wait too late and the pond (i.e. Puget Sound) is full of water, I can't bump a thing. I am also serious about the weather. When you can invision yourself in the Bahamas chasing bonefish, then you wont catch an SRC. It seems when you are getting the wind blown in your face and the rain is against your cheeks, I have had my best days. Lastly, I have tried a variety of retrives with clousers and my most productive retrive is vigorous 18" strips. Basically, if you don't look like you are trying to start a pull start lawn mower that has been in the garage for 10 years, then strip faster. It seems to me that these fish love the chase and I have seen fish torpedeo at my fly just skimming beneath the water. The very last word of wisdom this Jedi can teach is that when you approach the waters edge, cast several times PRIOR to wading, as I have caught very sizable fish 10' from the shoreline. Keep on trying, young Jedi and soon you will be a Puget Sound Bonefish Master.