Just back from the Central Washington Fish-In and we had a great time. Got to see some old buddies and meet some new folks as well.

We arrived late Thursday and decided to stay at the new campground, the Best Western. Soft beds, heated pool, refrigerator in the room and Home Box Office on the telly. (Okay, so it's a motel, shoot me.)

After a good nights rest we hit Rocky Ford early on Friday morning, light overcast and a hard wind blowing upstream. Rocky Ford is a high desert spring creek. The water levels this year were higher than what we've seen in the past few years by about 12-18 inches. Very clear water and light vegeatation in the faster moving stretches.

There were also a larger number of smaller fish this year, many running 12 to 16 inches in length, competing for food among those older fish that run over 20 inches, some well over 20 inches.

I had made up my mind that this is my year to fish wet flies and only wet flies so I tied on a trusty Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle and started working the head of a nice run. VEE went directly to a dry fly, enjoying the thrill of a take on the surface. In just a few minutes I was hooked up with a very nice trout who took me into some rocks and broke me off. VEE asked what I was using and I handed her half my supply of PT Soft Hackles, tied on a new fly and went back to fishing. Working down stream I managed to hook into and fight several more nice fish, only to have them come unbuttoned after a few seconds. VEE also managed to get into some very nice fish, only to have them get off just as they were being brought to hand. I say that if you can touch the leader, then the fish is caught, VEE managed two or three to my one.

During the windy day there was a huge hatch of blue winged olives and not a single fish was rising to partake in the ready feast. There was really no movement of fish during the hatch, so it looked like they weren't going after emergers either.

Back out early Saturday morning and I notice that my supply of PT softhackles is dwindling rapidly, half to VEE, a few to FAOL'er JZ and a couple other guys on the stream. I was down to my last two. Walked down to a spot that I knew from yesterday held a couple of bruisers. Spotted them both pushing a smaller fish out of the feeding lane. Cast slightly upstream, nice drift, fly starts to swing and the smaller fish darts in and grabs the fly. Bring him to hand and he's a bright shiny Rainbow of about 16 inches. Kneel in the muck at streamside to make sure he's well revived and will live to fight another day. Then I remember I'm not wearing waders and my knee is now soaking wet and muddy.

Recheck the spot and both big fish are still in the feeding lane. Every once in a while a flash of white mouth on one or the other. They are feeding. No small fish around, duplicate the first cast, watch the fly drift into their lie, both fish open and close their mouth at the same time. Did one take the fly? If so, which? The fly line, momentarily forgotten bellies in the stream and the hook is set. It's the far fish and he does not like the sting of the hook. After a short but mighty battle my line, leader and fly come flying back at me. No fish attached. My very nice PT Softy has been straightened out. Darn the luck.

All the fish caught by VEE and myself (okay, more for VEE than me) came on PT Soft Hackles, a fly called a POP fly (Partridge, Orange and Peacock), and the old standard Partridge and Orange.

Ah, now to get back to the tying bench for more PT Softies.

Oh yeah, had a great time visiting with all the folks from FAOL as usual. There aren't many folks I like to share a stream with, but FAOLers are always welcome.

REE