Len -

Sounds like you all had great weather conditions for brown trout fishing. Would be hard to pass up miserable conditions like that, even if the water was a bit on the chilly side. Lots of action and obviously some fine examples of the species.

Not getting more information on the where and what was tried and what worked and what didn't work is a bit frustrating, even though I understand that in many places there seems be a feeling that secrecy is necessary if one hopes to repeat a good experience. Kind of sad, really. ( Where would this Bulletin Board be if every one held all their knowledge on various subjects so tightly ?? )

Larry -

Yeah - I just fish in the winter for the casting practice. All those fish that take the fly are the super nice ones taking pity on an old guy out in the nasty weather. Can't catch the mean ones that time of year, and if you did, they'd probably be so mean that they wouldn't fight as hard as the nice ones who just want you to have a good time.

Water temp definitely makes a difference in where the trout will be and how active they are. Like you said, many days if you ain't bouncing a beadhead on their snout, you ain't gonna be catching much. Nice to hear that the Yakima gives up some good fish on occasion. I hear a lot of reputation for that river, but I never hear specifics that make it sound like the reputation is deserved.

John