Monthly Archives: June 2019

Wallowa Lake – 06/01/2019

Time: 3:30PM – 5:00PM

Location: Inlet at the southern end of the lake.

Wallowa Lake 06/01/2019 Photo Album

While browsing the shops in Joseph, OR on Friday, we stopped in a jewelry store that was connected to the Joseph Fly Shop. While Amy and Jane inspected the earrings and necklaces, I inched across the threshold to the fly shop. A different person was manning the store from the person who suggested Kinney Lake on Tuesday, so I began to pump him with questions about fishing in Wallowa Lake. He suggested that the best place to achieve Wallowa Lake fishing success was the inlet area. He instructed me to wade out on the shelf, until my feet began to sink in shifting gravel and then back off a step or two. Using this position, he advised that I should spray casts into the entering current and allow my nymph or streamer to drift over and beyond the drop off.

The Shelf

I left Amy and Jane at the free state parks day concert and hustled back to the campsite, where I quickly climbed into my waders and assembled my Sage five weight fly rod. I added the necessary auxiliary gear and began my hike to the lake inlet area. I circled around the east side of the lake using the highway shoulder, and I slid down a cinder bank and approached the southeast corner of the lake. To begin my quest for trout I rigged my line with an olive slumpbuster and added a prince nymph, that I purchased at the Joseph Fly Shop.

Shoreline in View

I carefully moved to where the first large braid entered the lake on the eastern side of the delta, and I began lobbing casts into the place, where the incoming current conflicted with the waves of the lake. After ten minutes of exploratory casting, I hooked a fish, but it escaped, before I could land it. I moved across the current to the western side and managed to hook and land a ten inch rainbow on the trailing prince. I was rather pleased with this small dose of success after Thursday’s skunking.

Another Prince Nymph Eater

Soon after my first successful landing I generated a couple momentary hook ups, but then I suffered through an extended dry spell, so I moved to the entry point of the next braid, which represented greater flow than the first. In this position I hooked and landed three additional rainbows in the ten to twelve inch range. Each fish was very white and silver with fine speckles along its back. Numbers one and two nabbed the prince nymph, and the last netted fish attacked the slumpbuster. In the midst of this action I also hooked one that broke off the prince, so I replaced it with a size 14, that I tied over the winter.

Respectable

For the final fifteen minutes I waded to the western most channel, which was actually the largest, but I was thwarted in my attempt to add to the fish count. I followed the directions of the fly shop salesman and waded to the edge of the inlet shelf at each place, and much to my satisfaction, the ploy worked. I registered four rainbow trout in 1.5 hours of fishing in the late afternoon on June 1. I am not sure whether the rainbows were stockers or wild, but judging from their bright silvery-white appearance and clean fins, I suspect the latter. Perhaps I can improve my stillwater technique during the extended run off of 2019.

Fish Landed: 4

Oregon/California Road Trip Day 6 – 06/01/2019

Oregon/California Road Trip Day 6 06/01/2019 Photo Album

Another gorgeous day in northeastern Oregon beckoned us to enjoy an outdoor activity. Amy transported her mountain bike from Portland, and she was not part of our rural roads loop ride on Thursday, so we decided to repeat the experience. Our planned ride deviated somewhat from Thursday’s version, as we eliminated the detour to Enterprise and replaced it with a small add-on of Crow Creek Road.

Clouds Hang Over the Mountains

Once again we enjoyed clear skies and perfect temperatures in the low seventies, as we cycled along lush green pastures and ranch fields. The snow capped peaks reminded us that it was still spring, and we were ever watchful for a random deer crossing. The loop totaled 17.7 miles on my Garmin watch, and we all agreed that our cycling choice was perfect.

Pose Time

The free state parks day activities included more music on Saturday along with frisbee golf and fishing skills demonstrations. Once we completed our lunches we walked to the wooden picnic pavilion and discovered another group of onlookers. During a break in the music a woman was presenting a birds of prey talk; and two owls, a falcon and hawk were perched nearby. We listened to the end of her talk and a question and answer session, and then before the bands resumed, I decided to make a final attempt to land a fish from Wallowa Lake.

Head Twisting Demo

Amy and Jane remained at the concert, while I hustled back to the campground and prepared to fish, and this adventure is detailed in a separate blog post. By the time I returned to the campsite shortly after 5PM, the free day activities were complete. Amy, Jane and I debated dinner options. The original plan included spaghetti, but Amy spotted an interesting brew pub sign in Enterprise, and I read about it as well in a northeastern Oregon travel pamphlet. We agreed to visit Terminal Gravity for a beer, and then return to the site D09 for dinner.

Terminal Gravity

Our arrival at Terminal Gravity revealed a fairly crowded outdoor tasting “room”. Picnic tables were scattered on both sides of a tumbling brook, and many were occupied by obviously satisfied customers. We spotted an open table on the side of the creek opposite the main brewing building, and we quickly claimed it. The sun remained bright in the sky and the temperature was absolutely perfect. Young children entertained us, as they splashed and played in the water by the bridge.

Fathers’ Day Material

We each ordered very tasty craft beers brewed at Terminal Gravity, and then we sipped them, while we perused the menu. Once again our good intentions for a camping dinner went by the wayside, as we ordered from the brew pub menu. We were not dissatisfied with our decision.

Amber Brew

Saturday was our last night at Wallowa Lake State Park, so I once again constructed a fine conflagration, and we huddled around the flames and coals for warmth upon our return. Another fun day occupied our dreams on Saturday night.