On the way to girls camp...

July 22-23, 2010

I'll admit I have a little better sense of direction than Tom, for whom the way to girls camp involves a 2 1/2 hour trip in the opposite direction from camp. I stopped at several creeks north of Ellensburg on the way to camp. Two were new for me, to add to my total of streams in Washington that I have caught fish in (which I haven't totalled yet). Any rate, brief report:

Cooke Creek: Small and brushy, difficult to fish most holes, about as big (or should I say little) as Swauk Creek; fished 3.5 miles up from the "T" in the road. Seven rainbows (some may have been cutt hybrids) in 25 minutes, about 6" length. Size 14 tan elk hair caddis.

Coleman Creek: A little bigger than Cooke, also brushy, but a little more open; fished 2 miles up from the "T" in the road (the same "T") just inside the Naneum State Forest. Fifteen in 30 minutes, again rainbows or possibly hybrids, up to 8" to 10" in length. Had to bushwack a bit between fishable areas in the area I was fishing. I'd definitely return here to do a little more exploring of different stretches. Size 14 tan elk hair caddis and size 16 caddis green psycho prince (rapidly becoming my fly of choice !).

Naneum Creek: Fished the same stretch as a couple weeks ago. Water was lower, but still pretty fast in the pocket water. Fifteen in 30 minutes, most 8" to 10", most action in just a couple bigger holes. One brook, rest rainbows. Didn't have time to walk up farther today, still on my list to do. Fished dry-dropper with caddis/psycho prince. All fish in the first hole were on the psycho prince. Switched to double nymph - all remaining fish were on the psycho prince.

Yakima (at Ensign): Fished some from Riverbend down past Locamora. Not a lot of trouty riffles, more deep, fairly fast water. Found three small rainbows and a whitefish. One on a prince, the rest on the psycho prince.

July 23, Swauk below the culvert: It's Swauk! Very overgrown, difficult to fish most places, a lot of very small cutts (3" to 4"), a few up to 6". Shut my temple fork in the door - dang it!