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Tough fishing as they bolted upriver - Rookie hooks up!
Posted 05 August 2023, 6:45 pm NDT
Genhui and guide, Theodore, with Genhui’s first ever atlantic salmon!
(larger version)
We don't ofter have to report discouraging numbers, but this has been a rough year when it comes to numbers of fish getting hooked, and this past week was no exception.
On the bright side: the river has returned to excellent condition with water 64F and at a great fishing level. On the down side: fish have been scarce. Just a combination of events that seem to have flushed the fish that were coming in, right up the river. We say this because today we heard of great fishing results 16 miles up river, when we struggled to pick up a few on the Lower Eagle.
The river did rise from August 2-4th which never bodes well for action, and yesterday it plateaued. Yesterday evening was also the best results that the outgoing crowd seen with many fish sighted in the last couple hours of the evening, and 4 hooked.
While the guests departing today had lack-luster fishing results, they were all compliments to our team for their hosting abilities, and guides for putting in a great effort. We are not used to poor fishing, and this year there has been plenty of it. It is foreign territory for us, and we are hoping the entire 2023 season, from the unbearable heat and lack of fish, is an anomaly. I want to say thanks to our team for trying extra hard to make salmon magic happen. From the kitchen and in house staff getting breakfast and coffee on at 3:30- 4am, to the guides trying everything and anything to find them. The effort has been solid and it shows in the comments and smiles and chatter around the dinner table.
A new group in today and with the water level at 2.15m and dropping, and temps still in the mid 60s, there is no practical reason in our experience for there not to be some great early August fishing. Things did start good already today for one rookie all the way from Beijing, China. Him and his fishing partner are rookies in every sense of the word. We outfitted them with fishing gear and flies, and they went off with guide, Theodore, to wet a fly for salmon for the first time in their lives! And it was a successful session with a fish successfully hooked & landed! I hope this sets the tone for the next 5 days for the entire group. We shall see.
-DL
On the bright side: the river has returned to excellent condition with water 64F and at a great fishing level. On the down side: fish have been scarce. Just a combination of events that seem to have flushed the fish that were coming in, right up the river. We say this because today we heard of great fishing results 16 miles up river, when we struggled to pick up a few on the Lower Eagle.
The river did rise from August 2-4th which never bodes well for action, and yesterday it plateaued. Yesterday evening was also the best results that the outgoing crowd seen with many fish sighted in the last couple hours of the evening, and 4 hooked.
While the guests departing today had lack-luster fishing results, they were all compliments to our team for their hosting abilities, and guides for putting in a great effort. We are not used to poor fishing, and this year there has been plenty of it. It is foreign territory for us, and we are hoping the entire 2023 season, from the unbearable heat and lack of fish, is an anomaly. I want to say thanks to our team for trying extra hard to make salmon magic happen. From the kitchen and in house staff getting breakfast and coffee on at 3:30- 4am, to the guides trying everything and anything to find them. The effort has been solid and it shows in the comments and smiles and chatter around the dinner table.
A new group in today and with the water level at 2.15m and dropping, and temps still in the mid 60s, there is no practical reason in our experience for there not to be some great early August fishing. Things did start good already today for one rookie all the way from Beijing, China. Him and his fishing partner are rookies in every sense of the word. We outfitted them with fishing gear and flies, and they went off with guide, Theodore, to wet a fly for salmon for the first time in their lives! And it was a successful session with a fish successfully hooked & landed! I hope this sets the tone for the next 5 days for the entire group. We shall see.
-DL
