"On the way" to the airport (Tom's way)....

Carlynn was flying home from visiting her sister in San Antonio, so after Saturday chores we decided to stop at the Tucannon River "on the way" to picking her up. Well, at least the airport is on the way to the river, and on the way back.

It was beautiful weather for a fall fishing trip, nice temperature, and just a few drops of rain. We stopped at a pullout where the river was maybe 100 yards from the road, but what a 100 yards! After following what appeared to be a fishermans trail, it quickly degenerated into a series of intersecting game trails through chest high grass, fallen branches, swampy ground, and rose and blackberry thickets. Then I saw a few piles of blackish-blue poop and an elderberry bush stripped of most of its berries with the grass trampled flat underneath it. I realized we were probably following trails made by the smaller cousins of the bears who made similar trails and left similar piles in Alaska. It would have been less disconcerting had I not just read the story of a Leavenworth man who lost his eye in a vicious attack two weeks ago by a black bear outside his cabin.

Well, we made it to the river after about 20 minutes of struggle, and found enough fish to keep us happy, none with much size, in contrast to my last trip two years ago about this time of year. I spent most of my time coaching Melinda and helping her wade through the water, which was a little fast in this stretch for her to wade alone in most places. She was able to catch several fish on her own.

Sarah handles the rod very well, and caught a good number herself.

What a smile! But she wishes that when she got the Merrill Orthodontics smile, she didn't also get the Dr Tom fish size along with the smile.

OK, I found a little time to fish towards the end of the day. I'm glad Tom didn't do my braces!

There were October caddis all over, but the fish didn't seem to be looking up for them much (except in a pool of slow water where Sarah was harrassing baby fish barely bigger than the Stimulator Chew Toy she was fishing until she snagged one in the belly and felt bad and moved on). Most fish were on nymphs, black double-bead stone and the psycho prince.

After not quite as bad a bushwack back to the road, we continued our trip to the airport (via Ray's Drive Inn and milkshakes in Dayton) and found Carlynn waiting for us - her flight arrived a half-hour early. I don't know if she tried calling, but I would have told her we were on the way....