Gary Lewis - Trout Fishing in the Pacific Northwest: Skills & Strategies for Trout Anglers in Washington, Oregon, Alaska & British Columbia

Skills & Strategies for Trout Anglers in
WASHINGTON, OREGON, ALASKA
& BRITISH COLUMBIA

GARY LEWIS and
JOHN VAN VLIET

Copyright 2008, 2011. Creative Publishing international, Inc. 400 First Avenue North, Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55401 1-800-328-3895 www.creativepub.com All rights reserved

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Editor: Jennifer Gehlhar
Production Managers: Laura Hokkanen, Linda Halls

Creative Director: Michele Lanci-Altomare
Senior Design Managers: Brad Springer, Jon Simpson
Design Manager: James Kegley
Book Design: Emily Brackett
Cover Design and page layout: Lois Stanfield
Illustrators: Maynard Reece, Jon Q. Wright
Photo Directors: Joseph Cella, Ben Streitz
Principal Photographer: William Lindner
Contributing Photographers: Joel Arrington; Frank
Balthis; Hiliary Bates; Erwin and Peggy Bauer;
Randy Binder/Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources; Joseph Cella; Bob and Clara Calhoun/
Bruce Coleman, Inc.; Mark Emery; Ted Fauceglia;
Bob Firth; Jeff Foott; David H. Funk; Calvin Gates;
John Goplin; Daniel Halsey; Tracy Holte; Paul
Horsted/South Dakota Tourism; David L. Hughes;
Spike Knuth/Virginia Department of Game and
Inland Fisheries; Mark Macemon; Mark Miller; Jack
Olson/Colorado Department of Natural Resources;
The Orvis Company, Inc.; Buzz Ramsey; Lynn
Rogers; Mark Romanack; Stephen Ross, William
Roston; Ron Schara; Dick Sternberg; Ben Streitz;
University of Washington Fisheries Institute; Jeffrey
Vanuga/OVIS; Yukio Yamada

Digital edition: 978-1-61673-371-1
Softcover edition: 978-1-58923-410-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lewis, Gary, 1967
Trout fishing in the Pacific Northwest : skills & strategies for trout anglers in Washington, Oregon, Alaska & British Columbia / Gary Lewis and John Van Vliet.
p. cm. -- (Freshwater angler)
Includes index.
Summary: Variety of techniques for catching trout in rivers and streams, including spinfishing, baitcasting, fly fishing. Detailed how-to photography accompanied by step-by-step instruction. Discussion of specific waters in Washington, Oregon, Alaska & British Columbia.
Index--Provided by publisher.
ISBN-13: 978-1-58923-410-9 (soft cover)
ISBN-10: 1-58923-410-3 (soft cover)
1. Trout fishing--Northwest, Pacific. I. Van Vliet, John.
II. Title.
III. Series.

SH688.N74L49 2008
799.175709795--dc22

2008007066

Printed in China

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any meansgraphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping of information on storage and retrieval systemswithout the written permission of the publisher.

Tap. Tap-tap-tap. For trout anglers, theres nothing like that first bite on opening morning. Its that thrill of the new season that makes an angler forget the cold and remember why the alarm clock rang so early on a Saturday.

Oregon is famous for the tackle-busting trophies of Klamath Lake and the acrobatic redsides of the Deschutes. Central Oregon has more trout water than one person could fish in a lifetime. Head east to the Wallowas and Blue Mountains or west over the Coast Range to try one of hundreds of lakes and streams along the ocean. Trout fishing in Oregon has something to offer everyone.

Washington is a prime destination for trout anglers from all over the country. From Rocky Ford Creek and the Yakima River on the east side to Lake Washington, right in the heart of Seattle, the Evergreen State also has something to offer every angler.

Well-known for its well-fed rainbows, British Columbias waters offer big fish and big country for the traveling angler. Bring your fly rod and tempt Kamloops trout with chironomids or troll flashers and a spoon from a cartop canoe.

To many, Alaska is anglings promised land. But in Americas largest state, where do you start? Theres the Kenai Peninsula with its robust rainbows, or Prince of Wales Island with its multitude of rainbow and cutthroat streams. Or head to Fairbanks for trout and grayling in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

In the first chapter we point you to some of the very best trout fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Weve picked destinations within a days drive of the population centers in each state or province. These are the essential waters, representative of many other places in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska. And we give you techniques unique to each region.

In the following chapter, we show you how to catch stream trout under a wide range of conditions. We start by helping you understand trout behavior. Youll learn how trout detect danger, find food, select cover, and react to changes in weather.

Then, we give you a concise course on selecting stream-fishing equipment, including fly rods, lines and tippets, spinning and baitcasting tackle. Well show you how to stock your fishing vest and how to tie a tapered leader.

The fly-fishing chapter starts with complete instructions for rigging your tackle properly. Every important fly-fishing tactic is presented using a no-nonsense approach. The basic fly-casting techniques are demonstrated with clear photos that make each step easy to understand. Youll learn the most productive ways to fish dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, streamers, and special-purpose flies.

The spinning and baitcasting chapter details everything from the basic casting, trolling and drift-fishing techniques, as well as jigging, freelining, and plunking. And we even show you how to use flies with spinning tackle.

The chapter on special situations will help you catch trout under challenging conditions. Youll learn the tricks that help experts catch lots of trout in high water or low water, in heavy cover, at night, and even in winter. We also reveal the secrets of catching trophy trout.

Whether youre an experienced angler or youre completely new to fishing, this book will help you catch more trout in the Pacific Northwest.

Good Fishing!

Gary Lewis
John van Vliet

For limits of rainbows in Oregon, head to Detroit Lake (shown), east of Salem. No other Oregon lake is stocked with more trout.

For the throngs of fishermen who pursue trout in Oregon, fishing season never ends. No matter where you find yourselfwhether it is in the foothills of the Coast Range or the Cascades, in the shadow of northeast Oregons Wallowas, or within sight of the Steens Mountainsgood trout fishing is within an easy drive every day of the year.