And the new infO is.....

...a bit late in coming??

Well, it's been hot for several weeks now, and as with most the state, smoky. But it's the heat which has the fishing report somewhat void of information.

I have been receiving quite a few inquiries regarding the Blitzen the past few weeks, and with each visit or call I'm pretty much saying the same thing: how about we leave those fish alone until the water temperatures drop!  We have been seeing temperatures of that system in the 70's nearly everyday now for the past month or so. With those temps, fish get quite stressed.  While redbands can take the 'extreme' temperatures a bit better than other sub-species, they are still quite susceptible to mortality when hooked and fought in these low water-high temp conditions, so please fish responsibly. If you see a dozen fish gathered tightly together in a hole, they are seeking refuge near a cool seep/spring. Watch, and don't bother them! Friends don't let friends stress trout. :)

The stillwaters are a bit 'green', as one may imagine.  And to be honest, I haven't heard of any local fishing reports for several weeks now. As for myself, I've been slacking, moving and painting a house for my parents, playing with my 10 month old granddaughter, and waiting for cooler temps to go chase elk with a bow, all the while being patient(?) for cooler days and nights, the fall desert fishery, and of course, the fall run of salmon and steelhead on the coast. Gladly, the house in Brookings survived the inferno down there; now just hoping the fishery in the Chetco isn't affected too badly.

Once things pick up here in the SE part of the state, I'll post some updates. Until then, breathe well, stay cool, and keep on tying!