I don't know about you, but my winter fishing was in the dumpster. Trip after trip was cancelled due to high water. Finally everything came together in early March: good levels, steelhead moving in, a good guide lined up for a special trip. What happens? I get sick the day before the trip.

The next week, my wife Barbara and I camped on the coast. I brought fishing gear, but it rained all night and the river blew out. Three weeks later we went back to the same campground, and the river blew-out again. Sigh.

Spring trout fishing was no better. No trips to the Deschutes for blue-winged olive hatches. Missed the March browns due to muddy rivers or competing obligations. Didn't get to any lakes.

From late November through late June, I planned a lot of fishing, but only managed four days on the water. I had one solid pull from a steelhead, but the fish came unbuttoned after five seconds. So for seven months I went without a fish. (I'm not counting a week of bonefishing in the Bahamas because that's cheating.)

The Winter of My Discontent Made Glorious Summer by This . . .

"Son of a . . . " My dry fly disappeared in a massive swirl, and a big Deschutes redside headed downriver. He took me into the backing--twice--and eventually came to hand. A fat well-colored fish, his nose lay at the tips of my fingers while his tail extended past my elbow.

Tuesday last week, the world became a different place. Warmer and drier, for one thing. Filled with fish, for another. Is summer finally here?

Last of the Winter Whine

That nice trout was one of many that was caught during a three-day trip to the Maupin area. I was joined by Eric Hillerns, a graphic designer responsible for most of the good-looking parts of Westfly.

The trip started ominously: we were buzzed by a rattlesnake while walking to the first hole. But noisy snakes didn't keep us from the water.

Although there were only a few golden stoneflies left, I started with a Clarks Stonefly in the faint hope that I hadn't missed the hatch entirely. A couple of quick casts, and voila! a cooperative trout ate it. In the next five minutes, four more trout rose to it, with one getting hooked. Then they turned off that pattern. So my entire salmonfly season experience lasted only five minutes this year. But that was five more minutes than my blue-winged olive and March brown fishing!

For the rest of the evening and the following two days, we took trout on size 14 Elk Hair Caddis and yellow Sparkle Duns, and size 16-18 caddis pupa patterns. The Sparkle Dun was the most reliable; the pale evening duns were still hatching, and trout were looking for them. And, oh yes, we got buzzed by another rattlesnake.

This trip dropped the curtain on the Winter of Discontent. It had everything--plenty of trout, lots of dry fly action, warm pleasant weather with no crowds, good company, and even some hints of danger.

Omens for the Future?

The Deschutes is my favorite river in the world, but for several years I have focused more on steelhead than trout. In fact, this one three-day trip was more trout fishing than I did all last year. It got me to thinking about the season to come, and I made mental notes of things to do, places to fish:

--More trout fishing. Lots more.

--Shad in the Columbia and/or Willamette.

--Smallmouth in the Willamette. Cripes, I live a stones throw from that river; you'd think I'd fish it a few times, gas prices being what they are.

--Cutthroat on the north coast.

--More lake fishing. I love the lakes, but I've neglected them for several years.

--A return visit to some of the waters where first I learned to fly fish.

--Davis Lake for largemouth.

--A trip to Yellowstone country.

--Carp.

--Hosmer and Crane Prairie. It's been far too long since my last trips there.

--Maybe this is the year I'll get serious about Klickitat steelhead.

--I'd like to take my wife to the Yakima

--Migratory coho in Puget Sound.

--I want to borrow a bike trailer and see how far I can haul my small inflatable boat up from the mouth of the Deschutes.

--Speaking of bikes, how about a "Tour Deschutes" that goes from the mouth to Mecca Flat?

--And it's been a while since I floated the entire Deschutes in my raft.

--And, and, and . . .

It's easy to get carried away at this stage of the season. But after the Winter of Discontent, I feel I have a right to dream big.

Tight lines!
Uncle Fuzzy

Winter of discontent, fine I understand. But how about a spring of discontent? The last fish I remember catching was a trout on rock creek in early April, shortly after that the rivers in western Montana blew out and have been that way until just now. I won't fish lakes, can't read the water, so I haven't wet a line in about ten weeks. With gas prices I can't afford to drive to the water that is good. Hopefully this weekend or next I will get a chance.

Geesh do I sound like a whinny little baby? There are a bunch of us in the same condition here in western Montana.

mtcross

Thank you scott, i knew you had this on the back burner. been waiting on it.

moon

Winter of Discontent for fishing. Skiing kicked butt. I got in over 25 trips and most of them were good powder. We had snow in Cheney-by-Gosh Washington on June 10th. But then there was that accounting class... and I didn't get to fish until last week.

I fished the part of the salmon fly hatch where the birds have keyed in to the dries, but the fish hardly know the bugs are on top. I did get to hear the whine of my drag, but only until I popped my tippet.

Summer is mostly here, days off are marked. Look out trouties.

Alright Uncle Fuzzy! I like the Blog idea.

While your at it why not add some Idaho rivers to your to do list? Although the list you have should keep you busy a while.

KD

Well, I have to pass through Idaho to get to Yellowstone. And to get home again. I suppose I could be persuaded to cast a few flies in Idaho. Save some fish for me!

Hey Scott,

I am so very pleased to see that your blog is up and running. Nice work! And every bit as pleased to see that the recent Deschutes trip provided for an initial entry. That trip was exactly what I needed to shake off the winter rust. I wrote up a post (The grass is greener) as well at Bespoke. A little out of place for a Weblog about design, but I just couldn't help myself. After all, these are the outings which make time away from the office all the sweeter. http://www.bespoke.pinch.nu/

Oh, and this blogging thing? As if you didn't have enough pulling you from the river (and apparently, the lakes) already!

Best,
Eric

Nice blog idea Scott. Yes, the Winter was not cooperative for local fishing. Still, I pounded the water with the spey with a low SPH (steelhead per hour) rate. My only Spring problem is that so many golf commitments keep me off the water. I golfed 14 of the last 15 days. In fact, I stayed in Sisters the last three days and had no time for the Metolius.

I play a tournament in Albany on Monday but am trying to motivate myself to go to East Lake on Tuesday/Wednesday before more golf beginning Thursday. I really have it rough but if you want to get together for some lake fishing let me know. Your list of fishing goals is very close to mine.

Dear Fuzz:

I asked you once about your blog plans when you mentioned starting one. How would you feel, about a blog on helping me, and I’m sure others - when it comes to lake fishing. I do fine on my home waters, and if given the time, can figure it out on lakes I have never fished or seldom fish. But, I would like to learn more about what you know about short cuts to a faster start at figuring out new water, especially lakes -when only having a day to spend on new water.
And don’t give me no chit about “young man, there are no short cuts in life” cuz you old farts out there on the lake catching fish, didn’t get to be old farts out there on the lake catching fish – without learning and having some tricks up your sleeve…
Anyway, I want to catch more fish, faster please….

Moon

It's coming, Moon.