BEST DAY FISHING THIS YEAR?

[bakerite]

What was your best day of fishing , this year? I fished a lot, between Covid and retiring I had more time to go. Three days really stick out for me, the Spring one on a tiny lake in Central Washington that holds trout, but is all less than 12 feet deep. The chironomids were hatching, I pegged my fly at around 9 feet and had a takedown on almost every cast, all over the lake. Most fish were 14-15 inches with a 2 year old every once in a while. The Summer day happened on my annual trip with Marcus. We had been fishing a well known river and the PMD hatch you can usually count on was a bust. After dinner and drinks, we took our tubes and went out on the huge pool we were camped beside. I hooked into a smaller fish right away, but there was a lot of casting with no fish on small flies that imitate local nymphs. Then I put on a Clouser and the last hour before dark turned epic. I was getting a tug almost every cast a caught 10 browns from 15 to 20 inches. The Fall day was the best of all, with three 20 inch fish on hand, a couple of others lost and probably twenty 14-16 inch rainbows in the net, all in about 3 hours and no one else out on what is a popular fishery here in Baker county. Let's share and give thanks for our best days of 2020!

 

[Jake]

The past few years I have fished on more days than not, and by far the best day was one I recently spent in @Nick Clayton ’s boat. I’ve been fishing with my 4 year old quite a bit, but he proved himself oblivious to bitter cold and wind and stayed stoked for 9+ hours. When we got done, he asked if we could go again the next day.

We’ve had bigger fish and higher numbers before and since, but on that day he passed through the gauntlet and proved himself a born and bred Northwest Angler with the mettle of a winter steelheader.

I’ll remember that day forever.

 

[Scott Salzer]

The Blackfoot with Roper. I did well on day one, he did the same on day two. Kettlehouse Cold Smoke and a good Irish whiskey/scotch to close out the days.

 

[Penobscot]

A not so well known stream in Oregon.
Last day of a 6 day trip. Set the ashes free of my Golden Retriever and fished downstream of an area he loved.
A dozen or so fish around 12 inches and 2 around 20.
Pizza and Beer with my buds at the bottom but not before a dip in the pool below some falls.

 

[long_rod_silvers]

I've got two:
Took my 7 year old out for his first opening day. First time with a fly rod in his hand too. I'll never forget the look on his face after catching his first fish on a fly.

Second one: one of my best friends in the world and I have been creekin' eastern washington for many years. He's always wanted to catch himself a big brown. Long story short, for whatever reason it's just never happened for him (despite the fact that he's a great fly fisher). He's watched me catch a few and he's caught his fair share of beautiful red bands, but never landed himself a big eastern washington brown trout from one of the little blue lines. Well, he got one this year. The stoke was off the charts after he landed this beautiful lady. Funny part - I caught the same fish in the same hole 1 year and 1 day earlier. We're eskimo bros now

 

[troutpocket]

Had a great day at a small Basin lake in February trout fishing with @b_illymac. It was just before the COVID shutdown. The fish were gorging on bloodworms. We had the place to ourselves and early spring days are always special after winter.

Over the summer I had a couple great outings to a Central WA lake with Lahontan cutts. The first day I fished with @Buzzy and the second trip with @Irafly. Big fish and good conversation make the world right.

There were others but those were great days.

 

[Buzzy]

Jeff - the year isn't over! Two weeks ago I landed a very nice rainbow that I guessed at 24 inches. I now have a measure net.

Last week I was supposed to meet @thesankers on Roosevelt Lake, I chickened making the 2/3 mile row on the lake, it was rough outside the sheltered bay so I fished inside the log boom.

Yeah - I'm not good at fileting but @wanative's brine recipe is epic. Roosevelt rainbow smoked up for ocha zuke.

 

[wanative]

My best day was in June in eastern Washington. Fishing with @Buzzy I caught several nice rainbows including this one.

It was a great day in my book with both Pat and myself catching some quality fish. Mind you, coming from where I live quality is a relative term.

 

[Irafly]

I can’t remember back that far.

Best is always hard to define for me. Some are better than others for sure, but best is tough.

My last trip out on the South Sound with @Nick Clayton was my best searun day as far as numbers, but not for size. Still what a freaking fun day.

@troutpocket and I fished the lake he mentioned earlier in this thread, and we had our best numbers day there with aggressive big fish and given the COVED crap it really was one our only days fishing together in months.

The opener after the COVED shut down on a the local lake Proved epic for my son and I! He caught rainbow after rainbow after rainbow plus some perch and a crappie. Great day!

Then there was the tuna on the fly with @GOTY and Nick Clayton. Of course I only finally landed one after I used Nick’s rod.

Oh and the perch day on Lake Washington!

Tomorrow I head to Lone with @GOTY maybe that will be the best.

 

[Jim Ficklin]

Real fishing - there wasn't any. Best fishing? I made a fishing game for my Grandson - fish cut-outs, a little "fly rod" & reel, and a "magnet fly." He and I had several great & safe "outings." It was fun watching his little face as his coordination improved.

 

[Swimmy]

Bunch of good days this year and while there isn't one that stands out as the best, dawn patrol during my favorite hatch of the year is always special.

Watching a brown come up to a big dry never gets old. Not the biggest but one of my prettier fish of the year.

Yeah that was a pretty good day.

 

[flybill]

Any of the few days that I actually got out this year! Will be going out in the next few weeks and December a bit as well, so there is hope for a really good day!

 

[doublebluff]

Tuna trip with Nick Clayton. BK Paige, Tall Guy and Cabezon and I had a great day.

 

[Smalma]

Even with this damn virus thing I still managed to fish a lot though I really missed not being able to make trips with family and friends. Had some days with lots of fish caught, other days with some exceptionally sized fish caught, other days where I struggled to catch a small handful of fish. Re-visited many of my long time favorite fisheries and refined some of my techniques and approaches. on other days.

As I enter my 7th decade of fishing I have reached the point in my angler career that any day fishing is a great day! The best trip of the year is now a toss up between my latest trip and my hoped for next trip. With Thanksgiving this week I just thankful that I'm still able to regularly fish!

Tight lines to all and best wishes for even better year in 2021.

Curt

 

[flybill]

Tuna trip with Nick Clayton. BK Paige, Tall Guy and Cabezon and I had a great day.

Oh god, that group is trouble! And you had to hang out with Paige....





Lucky guy!