Tis the season of the LDR.
Bill, Tyler, and i packed into a benevolent Jeff's driftboat (we were a *little* over the weight limit of 800 lbs) and floated the upper Skagit from Marblemount to Rockport. Water was clear and the weather was typically schizo - rain, wind, and sun all visited us for short periods.
There wasn't much pressure on the upper river - we played leapfrog with a spey fisher in a green driftboat, but didn't see anyone else but walk-ins Dec Hogan and client at the Chapel run.
Three of us touched fish. I had a solid grab fishing one of the upper runs around Marblemount. Tyler got a fish on, and saw the silver beast in the clear water, but came unhooked when the fish ran at him. And Jeff, batting cleanup, had 2 fish clamp down on his fly in a couple new runs we explored.
I just got a report from a couple local steelhead hounds that floated the Sky yesterday - one hooked-played-almost landed an upper-teens buck at Two-Bit while his partner was shuttling the car down to the Ben Howard takeout. That was all their action for the day - not even a grab for their efforts.
Sounds like the steelhead are few, but still out there for the persistent. And almost no angling pressure, which certainly is a treat for those of us used to the opposite!
1 week left - sharpen your hooks!
Brian
Bill, Tyler, and i packed into a benevolent Jeff's driftboat (we were a *little* over the weight limit of 800 lbs) and floated the upper Skagit from Marblemount to Rockport. Water was clear and the weather was typically schizo - rain, wind, and sun all visited us for short periods.
There wasn't much pressure on the upper river - we played leapfrog with a spey fisher in a green driftboat, but didn't see anyone else but walk-ins Dec Hogan and client at the Chapel run.
Three of us touched fish. I had a solid grab fishing one of the upper runs around Marblemount. Tyler got a fish on, and saw the silver beast in the clear water, but came unhooked when the fish ran at him. And Jeff, batting cleanup, had 2 fish clamp down on his fly in a couple new runs we explored.
I just got a report from a couple local steelhead hounds that floated the Sky yesterday - one hooked-played-almost landed an upper-teens buck at Two-Bit while his partner was shuttling the car down to the Ben Howard takeout. That was all their action for the day - not even a grab for their efforts.
Sounds like the steelhead are few, but still out there for the persistent. And almost no angling pressure, which certainly is a treat for those of us used to the opposite!
1 week left - sharpen your hooks!
Brian