Consider ringing in the New Year with the North Sound Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing program at Pass Lake. Weather dependent, we’ll gather at the lake at approximately 8:30am for several hours of fishing, fish tales, and camaraderie.  Contact Jeff Sturm for more information. You Do NOT need to be a veteran to join us! jeff.sturm@projecthealingwaters.org PHW North Sound Facebook Homepage,www.projecthealingwaters.org

Pass Lake is OPEN...so instead of fighting the ferry line and braving the malls, consider opting outdoors this coming Black Friday (Friday, Nov  29th) and joining the North Sound program of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing at Pass Lake.  We will be meeting at the lake at approximately 8:30am.   Contact Jeff Sturm for more details.  You do NOT need to be a veteran to join us, all are welcome. email:  jeff.sturm@projecthealingwaters.org PHW North Sound Facebook Page www.projecthealingwaters.org

I spent another few days on the Yakima this past week: one day DIY floating with Steve Sintay and the second day floating with the club via McGinn’s diligent oversight and cat herding. I drove over on Monday with my fishing rig (1993 Mitsubishi Delica van and 2023 NRS Slipstream 96 raft) and spent two nights camping at the Big Pines BLM campground in the lower canyon (about 5-miles downstream from Red’s).  I did not fish on Monday as it was too windy to even think by the time I got into the canyon at 6pm. Snow on Steven's Pass Big Pines BLM Campground I met Steve at Red’s on Tuesday morning.  We stocked up with sandwiches and flies before playing the vehicle coordination game.  We floated from Umtanum to Big Pines and launched from Umtanum around 10:30am.  Steve was up front while I rowed and it was a really slow morning with the river up a bit and off-color.  The wind didn’t help things, but at least the sun was out. Steve working the water The only fish we managed to coax from their tight-mouthed sulking was this rainbow hiding under some trees at McPherson, about midway between Red’s and Lmuma.  I was fishing two nymphs under an indicator and he took the bottom Duracell. The day's only fish We enjoyed dinner in Ellensburg that evening and hit the water with Red’s the next morning (Wednesday).  I don’t have any pictures from that day, but Ken has posted quite a few.  We floated from Ringer down to Lmuma (a leisurely 6-1/2 hrs, give or take)  It was another day of tough fishing, but both Steve and I managed to get a couple of rainbows as well as a few whitefish.  The weather was gorgeous--sunny and warm with only a few occasional gusts of that notorious Yakima wind!

Long time listener, first time caller - I'm fairly new to the stillwater game, but with the pandemic upon us I decided to spend some time this winter figuring out the Island's lakes. To that end, over Thanksgiving weekend I took my float tube out to recently stocked Cranberry Lake and ended up having a pretty good day. Since WDFW has been stocking Cranberry Lake a lot this month (from WDFW website: 11/3 - 500 rainbow trout; 11/4 - 1,000; 11/5 - 500; and 11/22 - 2,000) the odds looked promising for this stillwater novice. Also, since the word was obviously out on the stocking schedule, I definitely wasn't alone on the lake (I didn't count, but I would guess around 15 other PWCs milling about and a lot of folks fishing from the shore), but there was plenty of space for everyone. I brought along two rods, one strung with a floating line and one with an old full sink line. The floater with a Woolly Bugger along the banks was fruitless (but in all honesty, I didn't expect much since I was there in the middle of the day, however I thought it might be worthwhile for a bit). After 30-min or so of flogging the banks, rootballs, and downed trees, I moved to deeper water and tried my 6wt with a full sink line. I used a large'ish white beadhead leach pattern and smaller black Woolly Bugger. I had some action on the leach, but both fish came unbuttoned pretty quickly. The smaller Woolly Bugger proved more successful and I ended the day with four nice 12-16 inch fish netted and another two lost (for those keeping score at home: 4 for 8 for the day). While I was feeling pretty good about myself, I couldn't help but notice an older fly fishing couple in an anchored green john boat that were catching fish left-and-right the entire time I was out there. I didn't see an indicator/bobber on their lines, but based on the way they were casting, I suspect they were practicing some variety of chironomid black magic (long leaders and only a single back cast)...I guess I have some homework to do!?!? Anyhow, after about three hours I decided to call it a day after I lost all sense for feeling in my feet! All in all, a good day!