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strawberry shortcake
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Just thought I would start a thread on this beautiful river. We used to fish there when I was a young girl. Coldest river I have ever waded in. Crystal clear with pools below every cascade. My ranch computer screen saver is a photo of one of my favorite camping spots and fishing locations. The river flows into a deep pool cornered by a huge granite rock, then comes back around into the main arm and continues flowing to the right of the photo. Great spot for fly fishing if you can stay clear of trees and don't cramp up wading over to the pool. I'm hoping to give it a shot next week somewhere along the river. We've had thunderstorms up the narrow glacial scarred canyon that feeds this river so the river is quite high. Salmon love to spawn there in August just to the right of the picture, so I'll only be fishing for trout in deeper waters away from gravel spawning beds.
It is designated a wild and scenic river as it courses through the official wilderness in the steep sided canyon, then changes to a recreational designation for the remainder of its trek through private land. The entire length, from it's mouth where it joins up with the Wallowa River, to the upper fork high in the canyon is regulated to artificial flies and lures only, even the stretches that run through private land. Refer to the regs for details. Back in the 50's and 60's, Grandma used worms, grasshoppers, and preserved eggs. These days, if the eggs are artificial, you could use those, but not real worms or grasshoppers.
The trout are said to be smaller but much more colorful and difficult to catch owing to the cold water. However, my grandma regularly caught 12"ers. Of course back then the river belonged to Wallowa County, not the Feds, and we could catch the fish with a worm on a length of string tied to a bamboo stick if we wanted to.
It is designated a wild and scenic river as it courses through the official wilderness in the steep sided canyon, then changes to a recreational designation for the remainder of its trek through private land. The entire length, from it's mouth where it joins up with the Wallowa River, to the upper fork high in the canyon is regulated to artificial flies and lures only, even the stretches that run through private land. Refer to the regs for details. Back in the 50's and 60's, Grandma used worms, grasshoppers, and preserved eggs. These days, if the eggs are artificial, you could use those, but not real worms or grasshoppers.
The trout are said to be smaller but much more colorful and difficult to catch owing to the cold water. However, my grandma regularly caught 12"ers. Of course back then the river belonged to Wallowa County, not the Feds, and we could catch the fish with a worm on a length of string tied to a bamboo stick if we wanted to.
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