Below is general information about our most popular annual club outings. Schedules and additional details can be found in the Newsletters prior to each outing.
Rocky Ford Creek, Washington
- Location: Central Washington
- Time: Late February
- Point of Contact: Jeff Drowley
Rocky Ford is a catch and release fishery with special fly-fishing only regulations. It is located due east of Ephrata and south of Soap Lake, about two hours from the Tri-Cities. This is the only true spring creek in Washington and it holds rainbow trout as large as eight pounds. The water is fishable all year due to the spring’s constant water temperature. No wading is allowed but waders are recommended in early spring for warmth and protection from the slippery mud in the area. A landing net is helpful to avoid injury to the fish during bank landings. Effective flies include size 14-18 olive scuds, 18-20 Blue Winged Olives, 22-24 black midges, parachute Adams, blood worms and good old brown or chartreuse Wooly Buggers. The club provides a chili and hot dog lunch at this outing. A Discovery Pass or WDFW Vehicle Access Pass is required.
Sun Lakes, Washington
Sun Lakes State Park serves as the headquarters for this outing and provides access to fishing in Dry Falls Lake, Perch Lake, Deep Lake, Park Lake, Vic Meyers Lake, Blue Lake, and Lenore Lake. A floating device (pontoon boat, float tube, etc.) is highly recommended for all of these lakes. Most members camp in the park which has both dry and full service sites or in the nearby Sun Lakes Park Resort which also has cabins for rent. This outing is scheduled for the Thursday through Saturday after opening day in late April/early May. Friday evening features a pot luck dinner.
Leech Lake/Dog Lake/Clear Lake
- Location: Central Cascades, Washington
- Time: Early summer
- Point of Contact: Jeff Drowley
Leech Lake is a small mountain lake in the Wenatchee National Forest on US Route 12 at White Pass. The lake is stocked with catchable rainbow trout (9-13 inch) and some jumbo (1-1.5 pound) rainbow trout. In addition, there are some brook trout to be found. In years when the lake is not stocked, the outing is moved to nearby Dog Lake or Clear Lake, though the fish at these tend to be smaller. All three lakes have campsites available so extending the trip is always an option for those so inclined. A NW Forest Pass or a Senior/America the Beautiful Pass is required for parking at these lakes. Typical subsurface lake patterns (wooly buggers, leeches, damsel/dragonfly nymphs, Carey specials, chironomids, etc.) as well as parachute Adams, renegades, and callibaetis are always successful. There is little to no shore access making a boat or floating device mandatory for this outing.
Anthony Lake
- Location: Northeastern Oregon
- Time: Late August/Early September
- Point of Contact: Craig Anderson (509) 378-7849
Anthony Lake is a 7136 foot elevation, 19 acre lake in the Elkhorn Range of the Blue Mountains. Located 19 miles west of North Powder, Oregon, the lake is a put-and-take fishery, stocked about five times a year with 11-12” rainbows and with a native, self-sustaining population of brook trout. The depth of the lake varies from very shallow to about 30 feet. The campground includes thirty-nine (39) individual campsites, 13 of which are tent sites, and a group camp with an advertised capacity of 10 rigs, although rigs in excess of 30 feet in length are not easily accommodated. A guard station building can also be rented which sleeps about eight people. There are 39 individual sites, 29 can be reserved up to six months in advance of arrival, and the remainder are first come-first serve sites. Vault toilets exist throughout the camping area as well as potable water faucets. No electric or water hookups are present. The group camp is $50 per night and individual sites are $10 per night with additional fees for multiple vehicles. Check with Recreation.gov for changes in the fees, availability, etc. Firewood and ice are available for purchase at reasonable prices from the camp host located proximate to the group camp and guard station.
For fly fishers, nymphs are effective as well as dry flies, and historically red ants work well. At times in August, insects are blown off surrounding trees producing a flurry of rises. Towards dusk, rises can be seen covering the lake. Battery powered watercraft are permitted, although a pontoon boat or a float tube can get you around the lake easily due to the lake’s size. A concrete launch site is available on the southwest corner of the lake and there is a rest room there and on the northwest corner as well. If the group camp is the site of our get together, the lake is quite accessible and easily reached by carrying a float tube or wheeled pontoon boat to launch. Carrying or wheeling a floatation device from individual campsites to the lakefront is not very convenient. For years we have left floatation devices at the lake shore, and they have not been bothered.
There are several other lakes near Anthony Lake including Grande Ronde Lake and Mud Lake. In summer months a highway to the west can get the angler down to the headwaters of the John Day River. The Anthony Lakes Ski Area is adjacent to the lake and pizza and other foods are available at the ski area buildings. Several hiking trailheads are nearby and for the less enthusiastic, an easy walking trail circles the lake.
We have had difficulties booking the group camp in recent years, but are working to reestablish our outing there. The outing is typically held in late August, although we may be switched to the weekend after Labor Day. Check with the newsletter for exact dates.
Directions: Take the North Powder, Oregon exit off I-84 between LaGrande and Baker City. Head west (right) toward the mountains and follow the Anthony Lakes highway 19 miles to the lake. The campgrounds are located to the left just before the ski area and signs direct the visitor to the campsites and day use facilities.
Lochsa River
- Location: Central Idaho
- Late August/Early September
- Point of Contact: Craig Anderson (509) 378-7849
The Lochsa outing is held at the Wilderness Gateway Campground on U.S. Route 12 between Lewiston, Idaho and Lolo Pass, Montana, approximately 260 miles from the Tri-Cities. The Lochsa River and the Selway River join in Lowell, Idaho to form the Clearwater River which in turn joins the Snake River in Lewiston. The river follows Route 12 for many miles, so the opportunities to fish are numerous as the land adjoining the river is public land. There are four loops in the campground and the B and C loops are set up with individual campsites. Loop A is a group loop and D is for campers with horses. A shelter is located near the entrance to the campground and adjacent to a dumpsite and restroom facility. The shelter is capable of handling a large group of people, easily 50 people and a potluck is normally held there on one night of the outing. Vault toilets and potable water faucets are located throughout the campground. The campsites can be very warm during the day, so selecting a site with shade can be important. Generally the campsites on the south side are more shaded. Check with Recreation.gov for fees for campsites.
The Lochsa is a cutthroat fishery, although there are supposedly rainbow trout, steelhead and salmon seasonally present although we have seen little of anything besides cutthroat trout. The river is a freestone river with many deep pools that can be located with a little searching, but cutts can be found in riffles and in tailouts from rapids. River flows in August and September are usually in the 200-300 cubic feet per second range. Experience shows that the Lochsa cutts are not fussy eaters. Any number of flies can be effective, although some of the Casters have found that flies with a bit of red in the pattern can be very effective. Although the road follows the river closely, the road is many places was cut out of cliffs bounding the river and the blasted rock was used to form the base for the road. As a result, getting down to the river in many places involves steep and rocky descents and ascents, and rip rap is a common bank feature. A rope tied to a guardrail or bumper and thrown down the trail leading to the river can be useful. There are many pullouts for access to the river, and a bit of a search at a pullout can locate well used trails leading to the river shore. The water in the Lochsa is extremely clear and wading into what appears to be shallow water can be surprising.
Our outing to the Lochsa is scheduled typically in late August or on the weekend following Labor Day. If the former, reservations are advised through Recreation.gov. If the latter, the pressure is off the campground and sites are generally available on a first come-first come basis. To select a campsite with shade, however, it would be wise to make a reservation even in September. Check the schedule in the newsletter for exact times and other details. We usually have a potluck in the shelter with a couple members hosting the event and providing burgers, hot dog/brats and condiments. A camp host is not present in September after Labor Day, so ice and firewood is not for sale then. Gasoline is available in Kooskia and near Lolo Pass, so make sure you have plenty of gas to be able to explore fishing opportunities on the Lochsa. Searches for fishing spots can entail 40-50 mile round trips, although there are excellent spots within ten miles of the campground.
Directions: Take U.S. Route 12 out of Pasco and generally follow it to all the way to the Wilderness Gateway Campground. A couple of short cuts are available; after crossing the Snake River bridges at Burbank, get off Route 12 onto highway 124, which rejoins Route 12 in Waitsburg; and as you enter Clarkson, Washington, there is a bridge on the left crossing the Snake River just past the golf course on your right. Take the bridge and go left as you get over the river and the road rejoins Route 12 in Lewiston (this avoids going through downtown Clarkson and Lewiston.