Three more streams

July 22, 2011

The big event of the day was dropping Jessica off in Seattle, on her way to Japan for a year for a job teaching English with the JET program. We enjoyed the mini-road trip and a last meal together at a pizza place downtown. A few teary eyes as Sarah, Melinda, and I bid her farewell. Then we were off. Carlynn said goodbye in the morning and stayed at home, so we were free to take as long as we wanted to get home - and you know what that means!

First stop, Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie. This is a sizeable, but beautiful river, crystal clear, but probably higher than normal due to the heavy winter snows and late spring. Since this trip was simply to pad the stream count, I found a pull out with likely water, landed two small cutts, and called it good. On my deer hair headed, rubber-legged fly, what ever it is called (dry). I can't believe I never fished here in all my time in Seattle. Definitely worth a return visit if time permits on a trip to Seattle.

Middle Fork Cutt

Next stop, Taylor River a few miles up the Middle Fork Road. Running a little bit high and fast, but crystal clear. This river drops a bunch, but in lower water would have some nice pocket water. Stopped at the first turnout, turned several, finally landed a little one, but no photo as the phone camera locked up. Turned a nicer fish (10"?) on the deer head thing. Most fish came to the elk hair caddis, size 12.

Left the Middle Fork and headed east for Meadow Creek, a tributary of Lake Keechelus just past Snoqualmie Pass. Nice camping area at the bridge. A faint trail heads upstream, but since I was looking to pad my stream count, I started fishing right away. First hole brought up this little cutt. Caught a few more, similar in size, and missed a few. Nothing I saw had any size at all. Perhaps the parents are farther upstream? Beautiful small stream, lots of nice pocket water and holes, pretty open with not a lot of overhanging branches. Might be fun to explore further up. It appears there may be a road that follows it upstream for a ways. Elk hair caddis, size 12

Meadow Creek Cutt

Finally, stopped a little further west on this road to check out Roaring Creek. It was roaring, a challenge to even get to, with steep short canyon wall and lots of brush. Found one hole with a little slower water, looked good, but no fish to the fly. So on the day, fish in 3 of 4 stream, all three new to me, so mission accomplished with my Washington stream total incremented by three! Every trip is an excuse to fish!