Hey, so this is what's happening this week. Well they are still releasing water from the dams. This has been happening now for about a week or so. After the first few days the fish really seemed to start settling in. They are very happy and quite content. Although with these higher water flows the wading is certainly more difficult. The fish are feeding and for the most part are being fairly cooperative. Even on the slower nights of guiding we'll still end up with a fair share of fish landed. Also with these higher water flows this has brought some of the much larger fish up from the lake and we have been seeing some true monsters. You just have to be prepared when you get your shot.

   I've been spending some time down the river, mainly below Lake Francis(Murphy Dam). The fishing down in this stretch is also a little high. The wading is slightly easier only because of the gravel bottom and not so many boulders. It is not always the place to fish if your looking for numbers but on the occasion you certainly have your chance at a very large trout. They grow them big down there. I often think with a little better conservation for this area it could honestly be a blue ribbon fishery. For some people fishing several hours for a shot at a really nice fish may not be there bag, but these sections also will produce very consistent evening hatches. So if I have my way, we'll start by slinging sinking lines and streamers for the first few hours and then well end up the evening with floating lines, 12ft 5x tippet and size 20,22 Bwo's. That's not a bad way to spend a late afternoon and into an evening.

   What about the floats you ask? If your going to be here in the next week or so you'll have the time of your life. I spent all day yesterday on the lower float with two lovely ladies, we all had a fabulous time. It was a culmination of finally having warm temps and a slightly overcast day. With just a little rain early in the day everything else was darn close to being perfect. We caught and missed a few fish early on streamers, then finally the fish started eagerly taking Hopper patterns. What a great way to fish. It was awesome, the second best day of Hopper fishing ever. If that wasn't enough, when the fish weren't taking the hoppers they were lined up in the foam lines rising recklessly to size 14 flying Cinnamon ants (the big females). I couldn't believe it, it was like the perfect storm of insect hatches. Both ladies where new to the drift boat experience and they couldn't have been more pleased. Although the fishing was spectacular we still had time to look around, one of them commented" it was almost like drifting through a Victorian garden". I did try to explain that it's not always like this. But while it happens we'll take full advantage of it. I don't know if I'll see it like that again this year, but I'll certainly be looking for it next year.

   Thanks again you all, by all of you reading these it gives me a chance to write about my experiences and relive them all over again.

   Tight Lines,   PEACE  BILL