How about I just pat you on the butt as you walk by?
Cowpies
I have used this forum for the last nine years when I needed to sort out information. I was never a member.
It seems, when Crab Creek comes up, that many people have many things to say. Bravo. It kept me out of there for six years.
Is it a cow dung smelling, rattlesnake breeding, tick infested drainage in the high desert? Sure sounded like it. Sounded like it was awful. Except that it may, or may not, hold big fish.
So I went to find out. It was hard for me to even really get good data on how to get to the public areas. I eventually found one and explored.
It's covered in cow dung....this much is true where I went. It's tricky to fish well....also true. It's tiny...true.
It's crawling in rattlesnakes. I covered about 8 miles out and back. No rattlers. Granted, I didn't fish into the evening. I was told to wear my waders for the simple fact that it would help keep the ticks off. Didn't see a tick either. I did do the "crevice check" after the outing just to be sure. Nothing to report.
As for the fish. Well, it took me about 3 hours until I figured it out. I felt like packing it up and going home. But then there was this section of water. And in that section a mammoth rainbow swallowed my streamer like it was a midday snack. It then proceeded to take flight high above the weeds on the opposing bank numerous times. I was sort of amazed. Not sort of....but truly amazed. I started laughing out loud.
I lost it. I figure about 23 inches since it appeared so many times in the air. That's a really good fish for me. I'm used to 15-19 inch cutthroat on the streamer. They really just pull. Nothing like what this bow was doing. If I'm honest, it kind of also made me mourn my normal rivers. I just don't get fights like this and they are so much more entertaining.
It kept me going and energized for hours after. I had a number of other hookups. A big brown for sure. Got him to the bank and his last hoorah was just enough.
I also scared a lot of big fish. Try as I may, I could not see them on the bottom. So many times I watched big fish spook and swim away. I'm not used to any sort of ninja-style fishing. Heck, I wasn't used to any of the fishing I did at Crab. That grass is a real pain, but at least it lets go. I lost less gear at Crab than I would on my normal river for the time spent, but I hooked on to things every third cast.
I'm curious as to the response to this post.
It is kind of disgusting. It is a pain in the butt to fish well.
But....
It does seem to have those big boys. That lore seems to hold true.
I can also see, since it took so long for me to get into the rhythm of it all, that people would get turned off to it too soon. I was pretty shocked at the difference in the river and my surroundings after walking a few miles.
I went from quitting to doing another five hours of fishing.
Looking forward to going back. Maybe the rattlers and ticks come out in May?
It seems, when Crab Creek comes up, that many people have many things to say. Bravo. It kept me out of there for six years.
Is it a cow dung smelling, rattlesnake breeding, tick infested drainage in the high desert? Sure sounded like it. Sounded like it was awful. Except that it may, or may not, hold big fish.
So I went to find out. It was hard for me to even really get good data on how to get to the public areas. I eventually found one and explored.
It's covered in cow dung....this much is true where I went. It's tricky to fish well....also true. It's tiny...true.
It's crawling in rattlesnakes. I covered about 8 miles out and back. No rattlers. Granted, I didn't fish into the evening. I was told to wear my waders for the simple fact that it would help keep the ticks off. Didn't see a tick either. I did do the "crevice check" after the outing just to be sure. Nothing to report.
As for the fish. Well, it took me about 3 hours until I figured it out. I felt like packing it up and going home. But then there was this section of water. And in that section a mammoth rainbow swallowed my streamer like it was a midday snack. It then proceeded to take flight high above the weeds on the opposing bank numerous times. I was sort of amazed. Not sort of....but truly amazed. I started laughing out loud.
I lost it. I figure about 23 inches since it appeared so many times in the air. That's a really good fish for me. I'm used to 15-19 inch cutthroat on the streamer. They really just pull. Nothing like what this bow was doing. If I'm honest, it kind of also made me mourn my normal rivers. I just don't get fights like this and they are so much more entertaining.
It kept me going and energized for hours after. I had a number of other hookups. A big brown for sure. Got him to the bank and his last hoorah was just enough.
I also scared a lot of big fish. Try as I may, I could not see them on the bottom. So many times I watched big fish spook and swim away. I'm not used to any sort of ninja-style fishing. Heck, I wasn't used to any of the fishing I did at Crab. That grass is a real pain, but at least it lets go. I lost less gear at Crab than I would on my normal river for the time spent, but I hooked on to things every third cast.
I'm curious as to the response to this post.
It is kind of disgusting. It is a pain in the butt to fish well.
But....
It does seem to have those big boys. That lore seems to hold true.
I can also see, since it took so long for me to get into the rhythm of it all, that people would get turned off to it too soon. I was pretty shocked at the difference in the river and my surroundings after walking a few miles.
I went from quitting to doing another five hours of fishing.
Looking forward to going back. Maybe the rattlers and ticks come out in May?
1 - 20 of 111 Posts
I've only been there once. The 3 rattlers my small group saw in an hour was enough for me. You'll never see me intruding on your waters there.I have used this forum for the last nine years when I needed to sort out information. I was never a member.
It seems, when Crab Creek comes up, that many people have many things to say. Bravo. It kept me out of there for six years.
Is it a cow dung smelling, rattlesnake breeding, tick infested drainage in the high desert? Sure sounded like it. Sounded like it was awful. Except that it may, or may not, hold big fish.
So I went to find out. It was hard for me to even really get good data on how to get to the public areas. I eventually found one and explored.
It's covered in cow dung....this much is true where I went. It's tricky to fish well....also true. It's tiny...true.
It's crawling in rattlesnakes. I covered about 8 miles out and back. No rattlers. Granted, I didn't fish into the evening. I was told to wear my waders for the simple fact that it would help keep the ticks off. Didn't see a tick either. I did do the "crevice check" after the outing just to be sure. Nothing to report.
As for the fish. Well, it took me about 3 hours until I figured it out. I felt like packing it up and going home. But then there was this section of water. And in that section a mammoth rainbow swallowed my streamer like it was a midday snack. It then proceeded to take flight high above the weeds on the opposing bank numerous times. I was sort of amazed. Not sort of....but truly amazed. I started laughing out loud.
I lost it. I figure about 23 inches since it appeared so many times in the air. That's a really good fish for me. I'm used to 15-19 inch cutthroat on the streamer. They really just pull. Nothing like what this bow was doing. If I'm honest, it kind of also made me mourn my normal rivers. I just don't get fights like this and they are so much more entertaining.
It kept me going and energized for hours after. I had a number of other hookups. A big brown for sure. Got him to the bank and his last hoorah was just enough.
I also scared a lot of big fish. Try as I may, I could not see them on the bottom. So many times I watched big fish spook and swim away. I'm not used to any sort of ninja-style fishing. Heck, I wasn't used to any of the fishing I did at Crab. That grass is a real pain, but at least it lets go. I lost less gear at Crab than I would on my normal river for the time spent, but I hooked on to things every third cast.
I'm curious as to the response to this post.
It is kind of disgusting. It is a pain in the butt to fish well.
But....
It does seem to have those big boys. That lore seems to hold true.
I can also see, since it took so long for me to get into the rhythm of it all, that people would get turned off to it too soon. I was pretty shocked at the difference in the river and my surroundings after walking a few miles.
I went from quitting to doing another five hours of fishing.
Looking forward to going back. Maybe the rattlers and ticks come out in May?
When I lived in your state, I always wanted to fish there but the Snakes and ticks made me not want to go. They give me the willies.
I'm not sure the response you will get but it seems most of the time a controversial first post pops up it signifies a past banned member trying to stay relevant or a simple troll passing by. I hope you are neither and will offer a welcome. 9 years is a long time to lurk. What made you decide to post?
Also you mean you haven't found a tick...yet
Also you mean you haven't found a tick...yet
Yeah it's not the ticks that you DO see...Also you mean you haven't found a tick...yet
Very interesting. I'd walk a mile or two through cow manure to hook fish like you describe. Ticks? Rattlesnakes? Well, they are pretty much everywhere here east of the Cascades. I've fished Crab Creek three or four times. Don't forget pike minnow, they too swim in the fetid, smelly, cow stained water. Thanks for sharing nine year lurker!
I floated Crab Creek once when I was in College. A friend I were mapping and reporting petroglyphs. It wasn't part of anything official, we just found a bunch hiking one day and though BLM would find the information useful and we just learned how to GIS software. That was way more fun than the silly projects we got in class.
Since I grew up in rural Easter Washington, I'm less worried about snakes. And ticks are easily dealt with. I may have pull out my old notebooks and see what kind of fish I can find out there.
If your looking for advice here are a couple of tips: carry a big stick for the snakes. My Grandma use to say pickle juice keeps the ticks away, so drink a bunch.
My worry would be angry Ranchers.
See that's what Eastern Washington is snakes, ticks, and angry rural folk. Think of it as Amazonian repellent.
Since I grew up in rural Easter Washington, I'm less worried about snakes. And ticks are easily dealt with. I may have pull out my old notebooks and see what kind of fish I can find out there.
If your looking for advice here are a couple of tips: carry a big stick for the snakes. My Grandma use to say pickle juice keeps the ticks away, so drink a bunch.
My worry would be angry Ranchers.
See that's what Eastern Washington is snakes, ticks, and angry rural folk. Think of it as Amazonian repellent.
A friend of mine was up there last August and spotted 4 rattlesnakes just in the parking lot. He turned around and left. I cancelled my trip.
The longest spring creek in America or something like that? I guess you could probably get out of the snake territory somewhere upstream but I know nothing about it. You brave those snakes... and I think the only competition for water comes from immigrant workers and their families ( they were killing rattlers and swinging them around when I was there).
Crab creek is the longest creek in the state of Washington.
Your report of catching big fish in small water is BS or maybe not.
There are other small waters in this state that have big fish, most are very hard to fish, much less to even walk to.
I will say welcome, keep the reports coming.
Your report of catching big fish in small water is BS or maybe not.
There are other small waters in this state that have big fish, most are very hard to fish, much less to even walk to.
I will say welcome, keep the reports coming.
Words of wisdom, Bill. Billy knows a lot about failed troll attempts, being banned, and hot spotting small rivers for attention. Billy is speaking from experience.I'm not sure the response you will get but it seems most of the time a controversial first post pops up it signifies a past banned member trying to stay relevant or a simple troll passing by.
G
You forgot to mention the hoards of tick infested wolves that linger in the tall grass.Very interesting. I'd walk a mile or two through cow manure to hook fish like you describe. Ticks? Rattlesnakes? Well, they are pretty much everywhere here east of the Cascades. I've fished Crab Creek three or four times. Don't forget pike minnow, they too swim in the fetid, smelly, cow stained water. Thanks for sharing nine year lurker!
My favorite aspect of fly fishing is stalking large trout in small streams. I know from experience that even a modest amount of increased pressure on many such waters will dramatically reduce success in fishing those waters. For that reason, I might post pics of a stream and a fish now and again, but I never divulge the names of the waters. I think it is a practice most on this forum respect and follow, which is why many of us cringe - usually silently, but sometimes with hostile responses - when someone does kiss and tell.
D
D
I have about a dozen cow shit cricks within 45 minutes of me. You won't see my 6 plates on your creek. Nice work though. Any pics?
Ditto.My favorite aspect of fly fishing is stalking large trout in small streams. I know from experience that even a modest amount of increased pressure on many such waters will dramatically reduce success in fishing those waters. For that reason, I might post pics of a stream and a fish now and again, but I never divulge the names of the waters. I think it is a practice most on this forum respect and follow, which is why many of us cringe - usually silently, but sometimes with hostile responses - when someone does kiss and tell.
D
OP should change the thread title to "North Lake Lunkers."
I had an opportunity to fish Crab Creek with a local that knew it well, but I passed. Should not have passed. That opportunity knocked once only.
If that's your thing, hahaha.How about I just pat you on the butt as you walk by?
1 - 20 of 111 Posts
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