Wow I just got back from the CWFI Central Washington Fish In. What a blast . Finally meeting everyone I have chatted with and posted with on FAOL . Meeting new friends and catching up with old friends.
Putting names to faces.
You start off fishing in the Hatchery that is called Rocky Ford Creek. ( well it is not really a hatchery it just looks like one ) Imagine walking up to a crystal clear stream and seeing 20 inch plus trout cruising slowly by seemingly not a care in the world. Not just one or two fish but Hundreds of them. Every bend and pool holds several monsters. The largest caught that I heard about during the fish in was a monster 28 inch rainbow caught by Denny Conranch. It was the biggest he?d ever caught and he has been going to the Fish in for many years. The fishery on the creek is flyfish only, single barbless hooks only, Catch and release. You are not supposed to lift the fish out of the water even for a brief picture. Nets must be knotless. Wading is not allowed because the creek ecosystem is quite fragile. Simple rules to follow and a small price to pay for preserving this wonderful Spot.

Rocky ford bubbles up out of the ground, flows for nearly 4 miles and then disappears underground again. It is a very unique fishery. The upper section of the Creek has large quiet pools filled with fish .The lower section of the creek is faster water which also holds lots of large fish. I caught most of mine there with nymphs.

For the handicapped there is a pier over the creek that has access to a large pool with, you guessed it, very large fish.
There is ample parking and primitive washroom

As far as I know everyone caught at least one large fish during the fish in. Several of us caught quite a few. Anyone that can lift a rod can cast far enough to fish Rocky.

Some casts need only be 20feet or so and most under 30.

Speaking of casts , Jim and Deanna showed up at the Oasis campground and gave everyone that asked some casting help. My casting has been described as a shutter flapping in a hurricane so I stepped forward for instruction. Deanna started me off with some sage advice and encouragement. I began doing better almost at once. Then Jim stepped in telling that I had a major problem which he showed me how to correct. Two days later at Stan coffin when my cast was going all to heck , I finally remembered jims words of advice. I put my hand in my pocket, made a cast and everything started to work once again. Thanks Jim and Deanna , I am very grateful . Now if I had just stayed long enough in Lowell , I?d have learned all this last year.

But Rocky Ford Creek isn?t the whole fish in. Cary (Linemender) , one of the hosts of the fish in along with Steve ( Z ) went out of his way to take me to a Bluegill lake. We spent an awesome day at Stan Coffin lake having fun catching bluegills. It took a while but we finally found them in the deep water instead of the shallows where they should have been . Cary thinks that we were about a week or two to early . Soon as one boat found the fish there were 3 boats parked over the good spot with everyone catching fish.

Fishing from shore the previous day , Cary and I were making our way around the shore . I followed him out to a likely looking point and noticed that there was only room for one caster. I stood about 15 feet behind him while he gave it a try. I noticed a small movement at my feet and there about a foot away was a small coiled rattle snake quite light tan in color. I determined that it wasn?t a threat but was just sunning itself in the chill morning air. Its Head was facing away from me. No one would believe me so I quietly called Cary over to see it. As he approached I spotted a second one darker one about two feet from him. Neither snake were interested in us and as we stood there admiring them they slowly moved off. The first smaller snake had four sections of rattles the second larger darker snake had only two or three buttons We moved down the lake and continued to fish . Two fish and game fellows showed up to clean the potties . We told them about the snakes. One of them wanted to see a rattler so we took him to where they were . While we were looking for one, one slithered out right at our feet less than a foot away from all three of us. Cary and I laughed like mad as the brave fish and game fellow High tailed it out of there post haste. He was no longer interested in seeing the wildlife.

Cary and I made an unsuccessful hike trying to find Ancient lake. The trail being indistinct in places. However the hike was the highlight of my trip, even more so than the fabulous fishing. We encountered desert plants that I had never seen before. I had to stop and examine each new species as we came upon them. We saw a very large owl going to and fro from a hole in the Basalt cliff with food for a nestling. I was able to add at least three birds to my life list. Cary and I are both amateur birders. Even the amazing shapes of the Basalt Rocks and Coolies amazed me. Finally though we found a lake to fish and had some success with some smallish bluegills. And how dumb is this? I forgot to take my camera on our hike!

We all met on the last night for the pig out?.err ?ahh the?. Potluck? everyone brought interesting stuff to nosh on. There were two wonderful desserts. Them I started on first?well you know? in case lightning struck and I?d have missed out. Then chicken, bean salad, potato salad, cookies etc etc etc?Steve put out two plates of the most delicious smoked, cracked pepper salmon you ever tasted and some wonderful cheese pieces I forgot to get the name of. Cary put on a large pot of crawdads, enough to feed a small army.
I don?t eat hot spicy foods very well. I prefer them quite mild. Food should not hurt your face!
So I innocently asked Cary how are they ? Are they really hot? He said Oh! A little. How do you eat them? says I . You just break them in two, suck the juice out of the head and eat the tail. He was on his umpteenth crawdad as were several others so I figure what the heck? I?ll try one. I break It in two, and suck mightily on the head. Red hot lava smashed into the back of my throat killing everything in its path! I choke trying to breath instantly sending some of that white hot lava up my nose. Steam erupts from my ears and I am sure my hair is on fire. Choking to death I?m quite sure I will never see my loved ones again. Cary says as he reached for another, See not to hot are they? If I could have choked out a reply without losing what was left of my tongue I?d have turned the air blue with curses. As it is I grab my plate and head over with as much dignity as a dying choking man can, trying to make out the food table through a veil of tears. Thankfully I manage to find it and grab a huge spoonful of the creamy blueberry desert to quench the fire destroying me from within. I wipe the tears out of my eyes and gulp more and more spoonfuls of the lifesaving blueberry dessert. I am finally able to breath again without scorching my lungs. I wipe my eyes clear, only to see young kid of 14 look over with pity in his eyes as he tries to stifle a snicker.

After all have eaten and separated into groups I meet the young fellow Luke ( JZ ) a 14 year old , wise beyond his years. I find out that he is the JZ the I have chatted on line with a few times. It is nice to put a face to this young lad. He is the most avid of flytiers that I have ever met either online of off. His enthusiasm is amazing to watch. I tell him he just absolutely has to meet Denny Conranch and see the wonderful feathers Denny has brought to the fish in. We thunder over to Denny?s cache of hen and rooster pelts to ooohh and aaahhhh over them . They are nothing short of amazing. Denny treats us to a short lesson on pelt selection and the history of his flock. I don?t think anyone knows more about raising fly tying feathers than he does. I always learn a lot from Denny?s chats. Not being able to help myself one more time in a row I am seduced and have to loosen my wallet and buy four pelts off of him. Seeing them up close I always have to buy something of Denny?s . I get four pelts.
Including a wonderful blue necked pheasant , the last of its line according to Denny.
Ron Eagle Elk and several others advised me to hide it under lock and key or they wouldn?t be responsible for its safety. Ha ha . Fat chance guys. It is now a Canadian pheasant.

Denny extolled the virtues of his juvenile hens to JZ . You should have seen this youngsters face light up at the sight of Denny?s wares. He asked many intelligent questions some that baffled me (how hard is that? ) but Denny had the answers to everything asked of him. After he had taught feathers 101 to Us he handed Luke a nice dun JV hen for tying soft hackles saying that the only payment He required was that Luke should send him his first soft hackle tied with one of the hens feathers. I?m sure Luke was pleased as punch , what a nice thing to do.
I got Denny to divide up a nice back rooster in half and gave ? to Luke keeping the other half for myself. He should send me the first soft hackle he ties with the black.

Luke had set up his Dan-vice and begun to tie just before we all sat down to eat, but he soon had his spot taken over by the food plates so had to abandon his tying for the time being. So after we all ate he re- claimed his spot and began to tie a fly. The sun dropped below the horizon, it was getting dark but nothing could stop this young man from tying. We all gathered round to watch , everyone remarked about how cold it was and how the heck could he see in that poor light. But Nothing it seemed, could stop him from tying that fly. He showed me a unique technique for making two antenna that stuck thru the bead head. Quite realistic. He dubbed it , legged it and hand whipped it finished. Then to my joy and amazement he handed it to me to keep. It is a fly that I will wear it proudly on my lucky Tilly fishing hat.
Next year I will use a clone of it for gills.

There were many wonderful moments, jokes and big fish caught and lost on my trip. The three that will stand out in the years to come will be the hike with Cary , the rattlesnake encounter and receiving that fly from Luke tied under the most adverse conditions possible.

Steve and Cary , what can I say? Totally awesome show dudes, totally awesome.

At the pot luck.









Desert flower , if anyone knows the name of it please post it thanks



Am I the only one that sees the Devils face in this picture? Ps. The flower I was taking a picture of is right near where we saw the rattle snakes, coincidence? I think not.



Everett , Steve, Mark.



A better shot of Steve?s drift boat.



Steve (Z) and Lady



Sorry I didn?t get pic of the fish , I got them all on video and can?t yet figure out how to extract stills off of it.