Salmon Creek Opener
After a group of customers came into the shop to enjoy their morning Blue Star Coffee, they started talking fish. Upon hearing about their latest Montana trip and how good the fishing was on Rock Creek and of course the Mighty Mo, my bones were twitching for another trip out East. With only two trips under my belt this year, I couldn’t handle the voices in my head anymore. "What are you doing? Why are you still here?" Knowing that a trip would be out of the question for a while, I needed to get my fix on some moving water, pronto.
Coming into the shop days later, I came across a piece of paper that read "Salmon Creek Emergency Opener." With a hopeful grin, I read on. After reading the document I smiled at Greg, our fly shop lead here in Omak. "Break out the Hoppers!"
That evening I made plans to meet up with Matt Featherly, our archery lead, to catch some brooks on dries.
Arriving at the fishing site (which happened to be our Uncle Dave’s private land), I rigged up my 3 wt St Croix and proceeded to do some scouting before Matt arrived. The very first section I walked up to had shrubbery on the far bank and grasses on my side with a perfect foam seam running next to the far bank. Waiting wasn’t an option- hard to be a patient friend when the fish are furiously taking dries. I already had three fish by the time I finally heard Matt walk up. He was smart enough to bring mosquito spray and after dousing ourselves, we began the second assault. Section after section, fish after fish, we covered the water with flies.
Our most productive was a green Morrish hopper, with fish taking several hits until one would finely take it into the depths. After several fish a piece, we noticed some larger fish feeding. Casting our flies and hooking a few, we discovered they were juvenile steelhead.
Yes, the smaller body of water is home to some beautiful juvenile steelhead. With a vicious take and the flex of his rod, Matt knew this was no 6" brook trout. Simply put, steelhead on a 3 wt. These fish spend more time in the air, than in the water when hooked, and actually take line. Landing his catch with a smile on his face and the thumping beat of his heart practically making ripples in the water, Matt let the fish go un-harmed.
Several fish later and the sun setting, we crossed the creek for the last time and made our way to the cooler. We were standing creekside with the watercolor sky looming and a cold beverage in hand, what a day. Not quite Montana, but Washington served us well that day.
No matter how you look at it, we all see and feel things differently. But put anyone in Matt’s shoes that day or even mine, it would be hard not to feel-connected. So when someone asks you, "How do you fish so much?" I tell them to come on out and get connected, see the smiles, hear the laughs, feel the energy and it will hit you as it hit me years ago, this is why we do it.
Get out, get connected.
'“ Tanner Way