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The Wee Burn Creek Restoration Project |
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Wee Burn Creek flows across Resort At The Mountain Golf Course. For years it was dewatered and chanallized. Through careful planning and much hard work by local residents, Wee Burn Creek is on the mend and supports an increasingly healthy population of wild Cutthroats, Coho Salmon and steelhead. |
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 A juvenile Coho Salmon. |
Every place that features wild game fish is a pretty good place to be at. Our community has a lot of wild game fish. It is a very nice place to live and to visit. Many community residents are working hard to restore all of our endemic game fish populations. This will make our community an even more interesting place to live in and to visit. |
| The Wee Burn (Scottish for small stream) is a tributary of Salmon River in the Sandy River watershed. We took a tour of the Wee Burn Creek 04/09 and saw many small Coho feeding on the surface of each of four ponds. Literally hundreds of fish were observed. These are all wild fish. No hatchery stocking has taken place. |  Baby Cohos dimpling. |
 Water trap habitat. |
Where Wee Burn flows across Resort At The Mountain the stream was channellized in the early 1900's when the golf course was started. This damaged the natural healthy meander of the stream as well as resting and spawning areas for fish. Construction of three small dams to create irrigation ponds in the 1930's blocked fish passage to the best spawning and rearing |
| habitat on the stream. However wild steelhead and Coho salmon have been able to hang on in sparse populations to the present. When Ed & Janice Hopper purchased Resort at the Mountain in 1988 they committed themselves to the complete restoration and enhancement of the wild fisheries that once thrived in Wee Burn Creek. Since then thousands of dollars and |  Spawning gravel. |
 More spawning gravel. |
thousands of man-hours have been spent cleansing agriculture chemicals from the system and restoring the creek to its natural meandering watercourse. The plan calls for blending the golf course and the stream so that the game becomes more interesting and the fishery wins too. Fish ladders have been built at each of the dams. When a new pond was dug a natural artesian spring was tapped that provides cool water |
| year round for fish rearing. Now golf course water traps have become juvenile Coho rearing ponds. Several hillside springs were piped to form an artificial spring creek which augments the summer flow of Wee Burn. Where there once was naked sterile streambed now there are waving water plants and all of the critters that depend on them. |  Resting & rearing area. |
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The restored wild fish habitat is also interesting landscaping for the golfers. Everyone wins. |
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The article above was written on
April 11, 1999. |
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Wee Burn Creek 2003 |
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In 1988 Wee Burn Creek was a nameless straight-line open ditch full of herbicides and pesticides, a refuse dump for heavy metal poisons in a hard liquor and polyester environment. Now it is a shaded woodland stream that meanders as it segregates fairways in what is possibly the best golf course in the Pacific Northwest. |
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"Environmental stewardship is good business", said Ed Hopper when asked about how the restoration of Wee Burn Creek has effected his business. He went on to say that, "Golfers like the intimacy of being separated from other golfers. The stream corridor adds beauty and challenge to our course. And golfers like being part of the solution for wild fish restoration." When restoration was begun, hundreds of |
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willows and other native shrubs were planted along the barren banks of Wee Burn. They now cool the water and provide cover for fish. With the shade there is also less evaporation. With this shade and the water from the springs, the creek now has enough volume to create pools with gravel bottoms and log-jams for cover. The other day Ed, Tony and I watched dozen and dozens of one and two year old juvenile salmonids feeding in pools that didn't exist in 1988. This natural hatchery has to |
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have a very positive effect on the present and future
fishery in the Sandy River Basin.
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| Rio DeepSea Fly Lines | ||
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On a recent trip to Loreto, Mexico fishing the Sea of Cortez for Doroado and Striped Marlin we tested the new Rio DeepSea Fly Lines and were so impressed that we just had to add them to our inventory. After using lines made by 3 other competing companies the DeepSea was more tangle free and easier to cast than any of the other models. The extended intermediate belly makes for smoother turn-over. The very slick intermediate running line combined with the fast sinking, density compensated heads make for |
| extremely predictable presentations to depths of 30'. We fished at these depths to the tops of under water sea mounts for snappers, cabrea and large needlefish. During several periods the tide was running very fast so that it was more like drifting over basalt ledges in a giant river. The average depth to the tops of the ledges was about 15'-20'. There were many fish along the grooved tops of the ledges, but there were more and bigger ones from 20'-30' deep in the canyons between the ledges. We hammered the fish on numerous passes as we would run up-tide and then shut down the motor and drift back, casting and stripping as we went. During this trip the Ocean was being stirred up by a series of cold fronts and an accompanying on shore blow. There were no sargasso mats, nor the small aggressive dorado that usually school under them. However, there were scattered populations of some honkin' big adult dorado mixed with a few Striped Marlin and some very large Pacific Bonito. All of the fish had been put down below the surface because of the rough weather. I took a couple of days to figure out that most of the fish were below 30'. There were only two possibilities for success; get your fly down to them or drag something large enough behind the boat to bring the fish up to you. What eventually worked the best, was a combination of both approaches. We trolled 12"-14" bulky, glittery flies which brought up marlin and large dorado, then cast to other fish that followed those fish to the surface. We used the DeepSea lines for both presentations and it handled very well. When a fish was hooked trolling, the engine was shut off. Often in a few minutes, a dorado or two would show up looking for some action. These fish ran from 20-40 pounds with 30-35 pounders most common. The guide would chum them with live sardines to keep them within casting range. They would often circle the boat at around 5'-15' deep and only pick of sardines that had been injured. They would sometimes come to the surface for the bait, but would more often wait until it sunk to their level. The conclusion was obvious; if we allowed our flies to sink as if they too were injured, we go a lot more strikes. I took my best dorado of the trip this way. Patty was playing a big cow dorado of about 30 pounds. A much larger bull followed her in, but was very picky about the chum and ignored several of my best presentations. I saw him take an injured sardine and decided to let my fly sink. I twitched the 300 grain DeepSea line several times to make the fly struggle for life. The big bull couldn't resist and soon after being hooked, jumped twice higher than my head and fought so hard that I broke the extension butt off my trusty old Sage 1090-3 RPLX rod before I finally handed him an hour later. From then on I used my Winston #12 BL5 combined with my Abel Super 11, combined with a DeepSea 400 Grain line and was much more comfortable. There are many bluewater encounters that scaling down the size of your tackle only makes it more sporting for the fish. MB | ||
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| DeepSea
Fly Line Available in 200 – 700 grains. Each size is color-coded. |
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| Item | Description | Size | Price | To Top |
| 20540 | Rio
DeepSea Fly Line, Color: Gray |
200 grain | $59.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| 20541 | Rio
DeepSea Fly Line, Color: Blue |
300 grain | $59.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| 20542 | Rio
DeepSea Fly Line, Color: Tan |
400 grain | $59.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| 20543 | Rio
DeepSea Fly Line, Color: Green |
500 grain | $59.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| 20544 | Rio
DeepSea Fly Line, Color: Clear |
600 grain | $59.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| 20545 | Rio
DeepSea Fly Line, Color: Dark Gray |
700 grain | $59.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
Klickitat River Fly Fishing Trips |
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The Klickitat River is great fly fishing for steelhead from late September through November. |
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The Klickitat enters the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge from the north. |
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Here we can offer guided trips that will appeal to the purist fly fisher, nature seeker and numbers seeker. The Klickitat is similar in size to the Sandy River, but it is in a canyon that might be described as being more like the lower Deschutes. Steeply terraced basalt walls are sparsely covered with conifer forest. Because of annual water flows and Washington State fishing regulations, trips are limited to the period from September 20 to November 30. Small parties are best. Spaces are limited. Spey rods provide the best action. Our guide is highly skilled with a spey rod and can provide plenty of (quiet) coaching. |
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The "Klick" requires only moderate length casts, but a #9 rod is most comfortable. Some fish are large and often large flies produce the most strikes. The fish run is a mixture of wild and hatchery stocks. The Klickitat is easier to wade than either the Sandy or the Deschutes. However, you will want to bring adequate chest high waders and wear spiked sole shoes. Be prepared for temperatures on the cooler side. A water proof wading jacket is good to have with you. |
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Hot lunch is provided and did we
mention that our guide has worked in the culinary industry for years.
Expect to be well fed. Our store at Welches is within a
practical driving distance from the fishing water on the Klickitat. Or
we can arrange motel accommodations in the town of Klickitat.
You will find that fly fishing the Klickitat for steelhead is a truly
memorable experience. |
| Klickitat River Equipment List. |
| The Fly Fishing Shop is closer to the Klickitat River than you may think. |
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| We just
duck down the back side of the Cascades and we are there. We know the river and we are best equipped to fish it. Price: $350 - One day float trips (1 or 2 anglers per boat) Float trip price includes hot lunch, munchies and soft drinks. You must have a current Washington State Fishing License. $100 non-refundable deposit is required. You must provide your own fly fishing gear. You and your vehicle may be required to help with the shuttle. Please call for reservations. |
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The Muddler Minnow is one of the most popular fly patterns in the world. According to Joseph D. Bates, in his classic book Streamers & Bucktails, the Muddler Minnow fly was invented by commercial fly tier Don Gapen in about 1950 to catch Brook Trout from the Nipigon River, Ontario, CA. Since then the "Muddler" has been copied by nearly every |
| fly tier and used to catch
nearly every specie of fresh water game fish that will eat a fly.
The Muddler was originally tied to represent the cockatush minnow, a
type of sculpin prevalent in the Nipigon watershed. The Muddler
became popular in Montana and Alaska as "the" sculpin
pattern, but in the Rocky Mountain states it was also widely used as
floating grass hopper pattern. It was only natural that Muddlers would also become popular steelhead flies. Pioneer work by such angling legends as Bill McMillan and Bob Grew brought the Muddler to the attention of west coast anglers. Now "Steelhead Muddlers" have evolved into many forms, but are most often fished in the surface film with a floating fly line and long leader. As such they kind of fit into the waking fly catagory. However, Muddlers really aren't waking flies in the truest sense, because they tend to duck in and out of the surface film. This up and down bobbing and weaving action can be a turn-on for steelhead that are hesitant to hit any other type of fly. Muddlers are also fished subsurface with sinking tip lines. When the fly is submerged under tension it is often enveloped in a a large shimmering bubble of air that was pulled under underwater by the large bushy head. The Steelhead Muddler in a variety of colors is a very important fly type to have with you when fishing fall steelhead east or west of the Cascades. |
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| Steelhead
Muddler, Green This is a great spring and summer fly for all of the lower Columbia River tributaries. It has been particularly successful on the Kalama, Washougal and Sandy Rivers. |
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| Item | Description | Size | Price | To Top |
| 21090-04 | Steelhead Muddler, Green | 4 | 3 for $5.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| Steelhead
Muddler, Purple Purple is possibly the most popular Muddler color over all. It is particularly productive for rivers east of the Cascade Mountains. |
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| Item | Description | Size | Price | To Top |
| 21095-04 | Steelhead Muddler, Purple | 4 | 3 for $5.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| Steelhead
Muddler, Red This is s sleeper winter and spring pattern. |
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| Item | Description | Size | Price | To Top |
| 21099-04 | Steelhead Muddler, Red | 4 | 3 for $5.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| Muddler
Minnow A pattern that is deadly all over the world for many species of game fish. This gold-bodied version is a favorite in clear water, and a silver-bodied version is useful in more turbid or glacial waters |
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| Item | Description | Size | Price | To Top |
| 2100A-04 | Muddler Minnow | 4 | 3 for $5.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| 2100A-06 | Muddler Minnow | 6 | 3 for $5.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| 2100A-08 | Muddler Minnow | 8 | 3 for $5.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| 2100A-10 | Muddler Minnow | 10 | 3 for $5.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
| Buddler This little fly was first tied by Carl Perry in about 1980 and became the "go-to" fly for dour mid-season fish on the Deschutes River. It is tied on a 2X long hook and is very delicate. |
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| Item | Description | Size | Price | To Top |
| 2101A-04 | Buddler Steelhead Fly | 6 | 3 for $5.95 | -->SALE ENDED |
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Sale!
30% OFF! Dan Bailey's #3194 Lightweight Breathable Chest High Waders. These really are very good problem-free waders with lots of nice features. We just have too many kinds of waders, so we are closing these out. These waders feature: breathable construction, knee pads, side adjustment straps, built in gear pocket, suspenders, neoprene feet & built in gravel guards. |
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Size |
Largest Girth Chest/Hip/Waist |
Inseam - crotch to floor |
foot size |
Price |
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Small |
35-36 |
31-32 |
7-8 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
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Medium |
39-40 |
33-34 |
9-10 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
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Med.-Long |
39-40 |
35-36 |
9-10 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
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Med.-King |
41-42 |
33-34 |
9-10 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
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Large |
43-44 |
33-34 |
10-11 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
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Lg.-Long |
43-44 |
35-36 |
10-11 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
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Lg.- King |
45-46 |
33-34 |
10-11 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
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X- Large |
47-48 |
35-36 |
12-13 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
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X-Large Long |
51-52 |
35-36 |
12-13 |
Reg. $199 |
-->SALE ENDED |
| New
From Winston! While on a resent trip to the Sea of Cortez, we got to field test a new prototype #12 rod from Winston. As a matter of fact I was lucky enough to give it a good workout on two Striped Marlin and several large dorado. To tell you the truth it may be the most impressive fly rod I have used in years. It is made from a brand new material that builds rods that are incredibly powerful and lightweight. A twelve weight feels like a seven weight from other manufacturers. This new rod is unbelievably strong. With twenty pound class tippet, a wide fighting belt and a healthy 80 pound fish to pull against, this old fat man can put some serious bend into a fishing rod. I pulled as hard as I can pull and lifted as hard as I can lift and this rod took all I could give it. The action built into the rod is very smooth while playing fish. The casting flex in this new rod is much harder and faster than what you might expect from Winston. This rod will appeal to good casters who are physically fit. Most of my fishing was done with a 400 grain Rio DeepSea line and 5" to 12" flies. I used a Mastery Tarpon Series floating line briefly one day with medium sized streamers. It handled both lines smoothly and is capable of producing a whole new level of line speed. I'm still pumped up and want to go back and get some more of that feeling. Winston also gave us an amazingly lightweight 11' - 6 wt. to try. It may become the new standard for "nymph fishing" steelheaders. We have been told that Winston is producing a whole series of rods made out of their new material. This new series will replace the LTX and 3-pc XTR series. Winston Close-out! Winston has announced that its LTX, DL4, XTR 3pc, BL5 and some Derrick Brown Favorite spey rods are being phased out. We've got many of these fine rods and we are going to close them out at 30% off! These are brand new premium Winston Rods and they won't last long. If there is a model that you have been dreaming of, be sure to call or order early. Here is a detailed list of the models that are being liquidated. |
| If you would like to read past "Insiders", click Archives |
| Your commentary is always welcome. Drop us a line: flyfish@flyfishusa.com |
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"Where
the forgotten art of customer service has been found". The Fly Fishing Shop, Welches, OR |
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1(800) 266-3971 |
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Fish
long & prosper,
Mark & Patty
