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June 2008 Featured ArticlesJune June
Unrealistic Expectations
My fishing year always begins with June. By then the high flows of spring have begun to recede, there is the promise of summer not so far away, and the memory of the dark days of winter and soggy unpredictable spring begin evaporating like steam from wet cedar shakes in the hot sun. Yes, June brings with it the unreasonable expectation of unending days of blue-sky and sunshine from now on out. But, for all its promise, it is a transitional month, and often disappoints us. River levels remain higher than remembered, sunny mornings turn into blustery overcast afternoons, a bright weather forecast dissolves into a dank overcast day, and days of fishing produce nothing because the steelhead are not here yet. It is not June’s fault, we expect too much of it, too early. I have to remind myself to be patient; the summer solstice on June 20 is the turning point. After that I can reliably expect sunny summer weather, and can count on the vanguard of the summer steelhead run to finally begin entering the fly water. Knowing all this I still jump the gun and start in early June, because it has been too long since the spring run in April, and I simply need to fish. Of course there is always the chance that a few fish may have come in early and I might get one up in the Camp Water…old hands say there is always a fish somewhere in those pools, no matter what the time of the year. Water level is nearly always a factor in June, with flows still at winter levels, perhaps as high as 3,000 cfs at the beginning of the month, and tapering down fairly rapidly as the days run on. Many of us who fished the big spey rods and fast sinking shooting heads throughout the winter and spring have tired of that method and are ready to return to pleasure of the single-hand rod with a floating line, and summer methods. Those who do won’t catch many fish, but don’t blame June; it is what it is. The trade off is worth it… that long graceful double haul cast gliding through the air and settling lightly onto the water on the far side of the river...it is as a breath of fresh air. I catch a few in June…fish recently in from the sea, so bright as to be nearly transparent, and with explosive energy that is astonishing, like the one at Upper Baker a few years back The river was still high, but I strung up my new 9 ˝ foot Winston rod, with a floating line and put on an old Scottish fly pattern that I had never used, with no particular expectation. With some difficulty in the heavy flow, I got out on the ledge at upper end of the run and was casting down and across, simply getting the feel of the new rod and letting the fly swing into the soft water below. After hooking a couple small trout that managed to free them selves, there was yet another take…this one hit with authority. The fish screamed down to the lower end of the run, and then came back up at me so fast I had to strip in line to keep up with it. It paused near me for a second or two in about 2 feet of water, and I could see it was 28 to 30 inches, and so transparent it looked like a bonefish. It ran on upstream perhaps 60 feet, taking line and then, turning around and gathering itself, came streaking back down stream on my other side at unbelievable speed …I knew the result before it even happened. When the slack was gone the rod tipped jerked sharply down to the water and the 12 lb. leader popped audibly. P. McRae |
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