Eb Update

The coffee was perking at 4:45 and the patter of rain was hitting the skylights when I started this day. First, the rain and the morning forecast was a bit north of damp and that was a good thing. Too many of these 90+ degree days. This morning would be cool and damp for two missions: one was to explore a "thin blue line" that had been in my brain for a week. More on that in a later post. The second was to hit the EB. Because of the rain this spot may not be overrun by bathers who seemed to have taken the place over. Earlier this week I saw the fabled Bliss Pool taken over by waders (sans fly rods) as late as 7pm. I guess I can't blame them given this drought and heat wave but it doesn't compute with what we do. I let them have it. With the 65 degree air temperature in the Gorge and with the rain I know they wouldn't be there this morning!

Mission number one was accomplished and off to the EB without getting out of my waders. I was the only one there - no bathers and no flyfishers. I've felt bad about not being here for a while and certainly not like last year where I seemed to live here.

First, the flow seemed just fine. Second, the trout are there too. It was only an hour and a half of fishing on the Bliss Pool ( If you're the only one there then fish the Bliss) but I took 1 bow, 1 brown, lost another of uncertain pedigree and tried like hell to tempt the only free riser that I saw. The first three came up for a size 12 bi-visible. The free riser (rising about every three minutes) had nothing to do with the big fly and since it's rise forms said "nymphing" I switched to a size 16 tan parachute. That usually works but today was no dice.

I left at noon knowing that our boys will make it through August and will still provide sport. As I left the sun began to break through and the first "beach party" appeared.

Word to the wise - Wait until AFTER Labor Day. The swimmers will be gone, the waters will cool, a hint of color will hit the "early" trees" and our season will start again!!

Ken