Northern Washington state

[fishon]

Alright,

I am in northern Washington State with a fly rod, flies, and no idea where to go that you can get access. HELP!!!

[Alastair]

...and BC is just up the road too.

[fishon]

Thanks guys, I am in Arlington Washington if that makes it easier. How do I get to Euphrata?

[akalooker]

fishon,

If you could be a little more specific about your location, you may get information from local people that will save you from driving to the opposite side of the state.

Are you in the North West, North Central, or North East part of Washington State?

Weather permitting and if your in North Central Washington, I'd beline it for Omak Lake on the Colville Indian Reservation and catch some Large Greenbacks! (Lahonton Cutthroats). They average 22" to 24", with larger fish up to 30 + inches swimming around, and you will see them! They are awesome to catch this time of year, and you may just catch the biggest trout of your life.

The water is very slick due to the salinity and the fish are very hard to pick up and hold.

Many areas of this lake are wadeable with mostly fist size small rock. There are large flats that you can walk out 60-80 yards into the lake and only be shin to knee deep. kinda feels like your fishing for bonefish on the flats.

You'll see small to large pods of fish ranging from 2-8 fish approaching from your left or your right, you cast, leading the fish by a few feet, then crouch down, wait for them to approach and start stripping. A fish or two, or three, or the whole damn pod will rush to eat your fly, and the fight is on.

A "Premium" pair of polarized glasses are worth their weight in gold here, and are an absolute must!

Here's a couple of fly boxes filled with some Omak Lake Flies, the second box was photographed and is included in the 2003 article on Omak Lake in Northwest Fly Fishing Magazine.






5-7 wt. rods with a 6wt. rod being perfect, line it with a clear or camo intermediate line, a floating line will also work. Streamers, leeches, and sculpin flies in olive and tan patterns work awesome, and patterns in Redside Shiner (the resident baitfish) in the lake will work.

Don't forget to stop and get a Colville Indian Fishing Permit to fish on the reservation, a small price to pay for the large fish that you'll catch.

There are many other smaller lakes in the area that you can catch all the Brookies and Rainbow trout you want.

Here's a link to the Washington Game & Fish site. In the article under the heading North Central Washington, there is mention of the Lahonton's in Omak Lake. Check out the photo on page 1 showing the average size fish, 3 lbs. Yes! 3 lbs, you'll actually get frustrated after awhile when these smaller fish beat the larger fish in the pods to your fly. Hehehehehe!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!!

[url=http://www.wogameandfish.com/fishing/trout-fishing/WO_0305_01/:2146d]http://www.wogameandfish.com/fishing/trout-fishing/WO_0305_01/[/url:2146d]


If your in another part of the state, someone else will have to chime in and help you out.

Hope it helps and fish on!


[This message has been edited by akalooker (edited 09 April 2006).]

[fishon]

AKALOOKER,

Thanks for the tip. I looked on Google earth, and see it is quite a way east of where I am. Arlington is north of Seattle on the I-5 corridor. I might have to make a day of the trip east, just to get into the cutthroat! I brought a variety of wooly buggers and streamers I use for cutthroat on Pyramid Lake in Nevada. They should work, shoudnt they?

[akalooker]

fishon,

You'd have to check the regulations for if and when the season opens, but if you can make this trip sometime in your future, it's an absolute must. It was one of the best fly fishing trips of my life, Period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I found that leech patterns in olive worked best (see photo of flybox) with tan a close second.

The fish hit and pull very hard (like a freight train) at first, but wear out pretty quickly. They don't jump much, just run, roll a lot, and shake their heads a lot, they also bury their noses in the rocks trying to dislodge the flies, you will have many flies destroyed and damaged after they eat them. LOL!!!

Bring lots of flies, several dozen per person, if your going to be there for 2 or 3 days, you will go through the olive leech pattern flies. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!

There are no local fly shops in the immediate area, at least wasn't when I was there last time (remember Indian Reservation), boondocks, middle of nowhere.

I hooked a massive fish, estimated at close to 38" and this fish almost spooled me on the initial run. I just couldn't stop him, what a blast!

Man, just talking about it gets me all fired up!

Wish I could go, but physical health challenges keeping me down hard right now.

Many additional links and info by just yahoo'ing (lahontan cutthroat trout Omak Lake). The pictures will just do you under.

Hope you have a good time where ever you go.


[This message has been edited by akalooker (edited 09 April 2006).]