Time: 4:00PM – 5:15PM
Location: West of La Poel picnic area
Fish Landed: 0
Lake Crescent 08/12/2014 Photo Album
Jane and I returned to the parking lot by way of the Sol Duc Trail and found a picnic table where we consumed our lunch. We brought our swimsuits along in case we decided to stop at the Sol Duc Hot Springs, but we did not have much information about this experience. After a six mile drive on the narrow dirt road we found a relatively close parking space and entered the lobby of the spa where we found a sign displaying the prices. An adult all day pass was $12.25 and a senior pass was $9.00. We felt these were reasonable, so we made the purchase and spent an hour in the hot springs. There was a regular swimming pool and three round hot tubs with several rows of lounge chairs off to one side.
The water was a pleasant hot temperature and the air smelled like sulfur as is typically the case at natural hot springs. We began soaking in one of the smaller pools and then moved to the largest one that was distinguished by a bubbling fountain of hot water in the center section. After an hour of soaking and people watching, we exited the pool and grabbed our towels and used the locker rooms to shower and dress.
As we left the Sol Duc Hot Springs, I asked Jane if she would mind if I fished in Lake Crescent for an hour or two before we returned to Forks. I remembered that a fairly dense blue winged olive hatch occurred between 3PM and 4PM on Monday, and I was curious to find out if it might happen again. Jane agreed with my proposal, so we drove east again until we reached the La Poel picnic area where we turned left and circled the small peninsula to the next to last table.
Blue Color of Lake Crescent on Tuesday Afternoon
Jane decided to read, and I prepared to fish in a small cove that was just west of where we parked. I tied on the same stimulator that fooled three cutthroats on Monday and began making long casts parallel to the shore again, but on this Tuesday I was unable to land any fish. The mayfly hatch never materialized, and I spotted only a few sporadic rises. I did manage one momentary hook up, but for the most part, it was a lot of casting and waiting with no reward. At least I achieved some closure after rushing away from some decent action on Monday afternoon.
Water Fished on Tuesday