Leech Lake Aug 22

[Dave Westburg]

Took four newbies (11 year old, 12 year old, 13 year old and another dad) fishing at Leech Lake. Three of the four had never been fly fishing. They landed 11 fish on #14-16 blue winged olive parachutes. Lots of rises to callibaetis mayflies. We kept a fish for dinner which had mayfly nymphs in the stomach.

Half the fish were rainbows and half were brooks. The rainbows were about a foot. Is there a policy to introduce more rainbows in addition to triploids?

Be prepared for detours if you go. Highway 123 is closed above Ohanapecosh. You have to detour down 410 to Highway 12. Then Highway 12 closed about 10 miles from the White Pass summit so you have to take a separate detour on a forest road around Tieton Resevoir and Clear Lake. The detours increased the drive from Seattle to about 3 hours.

Highway 12 is also down to 1 lane about 10 miles west of the White Pass summit. Work crews are drilling and clearing a rockslide above the road.

[Scott Salzer]

Dave:

They must have done some planting for the small guys. I don't think I've caught a small bow up there, only brooks & trips.

Since 123 is out you can also take Highway 7 down to Morton and then up Highway 12.

MB

[Wayne Kohan]

I'm going up tomorrow with two of my sons, age 9 and 14, to spend the night and fish for a couple days. Neither are avid fly fisherman, but maybe after this weekend.......

I've been up there 3 time so far this year, and have been amazed by how much the fish look to the surface on that lake, much more so than any other lake. It's also been nice to have the west side of the pass under repair, as it has been less crowded than normal there - bummer for you westsiders.......:rofl:

If you are up there on Friday or Sat and see an 8ft Walker Bay with a man and 2 boys, stop and say hi!



Wayne