Doug Rose Flyfishing

A  STEELHEAD AND CUTTHROAT MORATORIUM   

There is plenty of fly fishing opportunity on the Olympic Peninsula at the moment–salmon in saltwater, Elwha rainbows, the big lakes, nearshore bottomfish, and mountain trout. But the Hoh is high and has that proverbial ”wet cement” look, and the Quillayute System rivers are way too warm and low. Yesterday the mainstem Calawah in town was 68 degrees, the Sol Duc at the Quileute Road bridge was 70, as was the Bogachiel at Wilson’s. That is way too warm to subject fish to the stress of fighting and handling them. I won’t be fishing or guiding on any of these rivers until we get some significant rain or, alternately, it cools off enough for the Hoh to clear up.

Interestingly, the Queets and Quinault haven’t risen as much as the Hoh. I haven’t seen the Queets for a couple weeks, but it was in good shape the last I knew. I don’t have any recent information on the Quinault.

The best river fishing on the Olympic Peninsula right now is on the Elwha. I fished it last week, before the heat wave, and caught 10- and 12-inch rainbows between the dams. It was very early in the day, with no insect action, and I used a soft hackle. Other fly fishers have been doing very well on the middle river in the evening with dry flies. This is the time of year for Golden Stones, Yellow Sallies and hordes of medium-sized caddis. I am guiding exclusively on the Elwha until the conditions on the West End improve.  

As far as fishing for fun goes, I am heading down to Kalaloch this afternoon for surfperch, and I’ll try for a coho and some pinks from the beach next week. My cutthroat clinic partner, Ron Hirschi, has gotten a bunch of coho already. I am also planning trips to Lake Crescent, Lake Ozette and Lake Quinault with the canoe next month.

Summer steelhead and sea-run cutthroat in West End rivers are always my first choice, but there are plenty of other ways to have fun with a fly rod on the Olympic Peninsula in summer.

WEST END WEEKEND July 25-26–I still have two spots open for my summer steelhead and sea-run clinic next weekend. See the Summer Newsletter for details. 

Summer Steelhead and Cutthroat Journal–7-18-09:

I see it’s been a week since I last posted. Boy, summer is going by way too fast. I was on the Hoh a couple times this week, for three hours once and an hour-and-a-half the other time. I didn’t get a thing. I had a real sharp tug on Thursday, but it was in the softer water at the tail end of the swing, and I imagine it was a big bull trout.

Incidentally, a couple of people have asked me why I often only fish for a few hours at a time. Well, I am working on a new book, on duck hunting. I live within minutes of most of the West End streams, however, so I can usually squeeze in a few hours even when I am working. I also always check out my favorite spots on several rivers a day or two before I guide someone.   

Anyway, the Hoh has been gradully rising the last couple of days, with each day’s high water a bit higher than the previous day’s. So conditions won’t be as good as they were last week, when we were picking up a few summer steelhead, until the weather cools off again–if it does. I have really enjoyed this rare shot at low, clear water on the Hoh this summer. (more…)

Summer Steelhead and Cutthroat Journal, 7/11/09:

Well, I finally got my hands on a steelhead. After losing several recently, I landed a 10 pound hen on the Hoh yesterday. She was a wild fish, snow white, and spent nearly as much time in the air as in the water. I got her on an orange GP, and a sink-tip. I was using my 8-weight Deer Creek switch rod and an Orvis Battenkill reel.

A short time before that, I caught about a 16 inch “rainbow.” It, too, was very bright and acrobatic. I am told that these fish are resident fish, but they sure don’t look or feel like the rainbows you catch in the Elwha or upper Sol Duc. To me, they have the feel of the salt about them. 

Summer Steelhead and Cutthroat Journal–7/8/09:

Fishing is finally picking up on the West End. I didn’t fish over the holiday weekend, but before that I briefly hooked a summer-run on the lower Hoh. I was fishing from an instep-deep gravel bar that dropped off into a five or six foot deep run. For some reason, the moment the fish felt the hook it swam straight toward the bar, and then jumped. I had him on for about three seconds. The next day, my fishing partner, David Christian, and I fished from his wood boat on the Quillayute estuary. I got a couple cutts on a Royal Coachman streamer. Yesterday, I ran into Waters West’s Curt Reed and his friend, Sean, on one of the Quillayute rivers, and Sean had taken a nice cutthroat earlier. Today, David and I fished the Hoh, and he got a very strong 10 or 12-pound summer-run. He was fishing a Type 5 sink-tip and a Polar Shrimp.

This is what we’ve been waiting for.

I still have some slots open in my summer clinics and seminars:

July 11–Saltwater Cutthroat Clinic–Poulsbo: Join fisheries biologist Ron Hirschi and me for a morning of seining Hood Canal and Puget Sound beaches for the forage fish and marine invertebrates that cutthroat prey upon in saltwater. After lunch we will meet at Peninsula Outfitters (360-394-1599) in Poulsbo for a discussion of the life histories and behavior of the creatures we have seen, and the flies, lines and presentations that tempt them. We will tie several flies that have been developed for cutthroat in local waters. $75.

July 18–Sea-run Cutthroat in Coastal Rivers–Forks: This clinic will focus on fly fishing for cutthroat in the Quillayute System (Sol Duc, Boglachiel, Calawah and Dickey) and rain forest (Hoh, Queets, Quinault) rivers. Waters West’s Curt Reed and I will begin the day with a slide show and fly discussion in Forks. Then we will travel to several rivers and discuss cutthroat habitats, reading water, and the most productive strategies and presentations for taking coastal cutthroat. All participants will be able to practice the techniques we discuss on the water and receive hands-on instruction. $75 

July 25-26–West End Weekend–Forks: This is a comprehensive weekend seminar on fishing for summer steelhead and sea-run cutthroat in West End rivers. It’s designed for mid-level fly fishers who want to polish their skills and want to learn more about the Olympic Peninsula’s coastal rivers. We will begin Saturday morning with a slide show and fly pattern discussion in Forks. Then we will spend the rest of the day and Sunday on the Sol Duc, Bogachiel, Calawah and Hoh rivers. Participants will get in-depth instruction on reading the water, fly selection, line handling and presentations such as the downstream wet fly swing, waking, skating and the greased line. Limited to 6. $250.

August 1–Saltwater Cutthroat Clinic–Gig Harbor: This seining clinic with Ron Hirschi and me will focus on the waters near Gig Harbor, and we will meet for the discussion at the Gig Harbor Fly Shop (253-851-FISH). $75.