[Don Perry]

I'm heading up to Chopaka in 2 weeks and looking for any recent condition information. I know that at that time of the summer it is usually a damsel show but the cool wet spring might extend the callibaetis hatch. A pm would be fine if you don't want the world to know.

Water temps?
Current hatches?

 

[Jmills81]

the mayfly hatch was off the hook last weekend.

 

[Preston]

Callibaetis continue hatching throughout the spring, summer and into the fall. I just got back this evening from three days at Chopaka; the trip was cut short because of some of the worst weather I've ever encountered there. Rain, hail, wind and various combinations thereof turned it into more of a survival exercise than a fishing trip. There didn't seem to be very many damsels hatching yet though I did watch a coot industriously stretching his neck to pick tenerals off the reeds. Most of the angling success seemed to come to those using Callibaetis nymphs, emergers and duns. Unfortunately, the mayfly hatches hatches that made Chopaka famous are still only a ghost of what they were in the past.

 

[Jmills81]

well..they maybe ghosts of hatches past...but it didnt turn down the fishing for us...freaking legit

 

[Connor Parrish]

Just go.....

This was my first trip ever to Chopaka and cant wait to go back

-Connor

 

[Connor Parrish]

Just go.....
This was my first trip ever to Chopaka and cant wait to go back

-Connor

 

[Lazy Drifter]

Fished Chopaka last Friday and Saturday. Decent hatch on Friday from noon till about 3. Went back up Saturday and it was dead as a doornail. We fished from about 11:00 to 2:30 and split. Only saw a handful of fish that day. We were camped down at Blue most of the week and the fishing was pretty slow there but we caught some nice fish. Blue was really high and the feeder creek was rocking. Road to the north from Blue was closed earlier in the week with water going over it. It appeared there was way more water going into Blue than was flowing out. I'm not much of a stillwater fisherman so even when the huge hatches where happening at Chopaka and the fish were going crazy I wasn't hooking fish after fish. I talked to a guy who said he and his dad had been fishing Chopaka for 40 yrs and never seemed to leave satisfied. I guess if was a total no brainer and the fishing was guaranteed then it wouldn't be much fun

 

[Don Perry]

Thanks for the info Preston and HR. It's been about 5 years since I've been up there and I'm looking forward to it. I was hoping to get an idea of which patterns to tie up before I head up. Guess I need to prepare for both Callibaetis and damsels. By "in the past" do you mean when the handicapped fishing platform actually had water under it? That's been a while.

 

[Jmills81]

tie Callibaetis cripples, anything that is defined as a bug trying to throw the nymph shuck and is stuck in the surface film...it makes all the difference

 

[Lazy Drifter]

Yes. Cripples and cloud style emergers is what I took most of my fish on. I like fishing adult damels too but they were not happening yet.

 

[Don Perry]

Just checking to see if anyone made it up to Chopaka over the weekend. Looking for water temp and/or hatch info. Thanks.

 

[Batt B]

I posted a pretty recent report on the main page:
http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/board/showthread.php/68871-Where-would-you-fish

 

[5489]

I fished Chopaka over the weekend - just as the nice weather came on - and so did the hatches. Saturday and Sunday there were damsel hatches follwed by mayflies. It was a bit windy in the afternoons but fish were taking dries. Various Mayfly patterns and Adams - size 12 - were working nicely around reeds and in open water. Most fish were 18" - 20". Had to work for them but it was worth it! Less than 1/2 the camp spots were taken - had to have "car trouble" so I could stay an extra day! Have fun if you go.

LJ

 

[EAJones107]

I too am hoping to hit Chopaka for my first time ever, hopefully this month but it may get pushed back to mid-July. Thanks for the imfo everyone. I assume the famous road going straight up the mountain is as bad this year (with the wet weather) as it has been described in the past? Also, is it diificult to find a camp spot during weekdays?

 

[Preston]

The road is just about the same as always, the first steep grade being the worst but not really a problem if you take it slow.