Yakima tomorrow.. pretty much all day..
- Thread starter flybill
- Start date
Hope you have a wonderful day.
Bite should get really good between 1:30 and 4:30 as the water heats up.
What a cool way to honor someone.
What a cool way to honor someone.
Have a great day! Today was nice in Yakima when I joined my mom for the Thanksgiving Celebration at her assisted living facility. It was a great lunch with a lot of our family there. Mom was pleased. My dad passed away two years ago this October. He loved to fly fish and we enjoyed many trips together on the Deschutes. This September, my brother-in-law and I enjoyed our annual trip on the river and we are sure that Dad would have been pleased. It was the 48th trip for me and Dad was with me on many of those. Hope you get some nice tugs on the river. Like @Buzzy said, dress warm in layers…
Bambooflyguy
Life of the Party
Good luck, have fun to our dad‘s memories.
jeradjames
Steelhead
Hope you get into something! Or, just enjoying the nice late fall weather, scenery, and food at Red's. I'd put their burger up there as one of the best I've had. I'll be fishing the Yak for sure Sunday with my fiance and possibly Monday. Let me know how it goes!
flybill
Life of the Party
Enjoyed myself immensely! Didn't really take any pictures, but if you have time to go, it's great. Nymphing will work best I'm sure.. Dry and a dropper.. I will float it next time, hopefully in my new boat, Outcast Commander... a used boat.. or rent a boat from Red's or just hire a guide. Life's too short.
Did fish some streamers.. don't worry about starting early.. 11am or noon would be fine.. dark at 5pm or a little later, so a half day trip is perfect. Camped at Umptanum.. one or two others there.. made a fire and stayed warm for a few hours..
Red's and the other shops in the area have it dialed in! Cast a new Winston 4wt.. loved it, but building a 4wt Rainshadown blank.. will sell it if I don't like it as much as the Winstons or Sages that I tried a week ago.. 7wts. Will pick up some new boots and probably waders as well.. a very nice pair of Simms lightweight boots.. on sale for $99.. leave the size 13 for me! HA!
Will post some pictures later, from my phone.. Cheers! FlyBill
Did fish some streamers.. don't worry about starting early.. 11am or noon would be fine.. dark at 5pm or a little later, so a half day trip is perfect. Camped at Umptanum.. one or two others there.. made a fire and stayed warm for a few hours..
Red's and the other shops in the area have it dialed in! Cast a new Winston 4wt.. loved it, but building a 4wt Rainshadown blank.. will sell it if I don't like it as much as the Winstons or Sages that I tried a week ago.. 7wts. Will pick up some new boots and probably waders as well.. a very nice pair of Simms lightweight boots.. on sale for $99.. leave the size 13 for me! HA!
Will post some pictures later, from my phone.. Cheers! FlyBill
FREE boots in Ephrata ;-), still have your name on them.
How’d the fishing go?
flybill
Life of the Party
I haven't forgotten.. might be out again next week.. will let you know.. There's a winery out you way I want to hit.. I was a member, but haven't to the orchards... Beaumont.. great wine!! They call an area the crushpad and have some music.. dinner.. and of course wines..
flybill
Life of the Party
Fishing was decent.. hooked a few and landed 6 .. nice to catch something for a change. Didn't wade, just banked it and worked the seams out a ways.. looked for the cutbanks and other structure.
Was going to make coffee in the hour I was at Uptanum.. forgot the bring the "Jet" (burner) in my Jet Boil, since left one of the two cups at home. Used my cast iron over the fire.. some salt had dumped in it.. riinsed it and boiled it.. threw out that water.. fresh stuff in and my coffee was supper salty.. like sea water salty.. tossed it and went to Reds.. Drank a little beer.. wasn't feeling it so early and used it to dump on the fire.. Beer was good! Just too early, even for me! Ha!
Had a little wood that I had gotten the week before at a little winery, Cultura (https://www.culturawine.com/).. one of my favorites in WA.. Burnt 4 or 5 empty cigars boxes to keep it going.. cleaned my car out of trash.. paper I mean..
I don't have a number one winery or ones.. just a list of what I love, but these are at the top with Betz, Pomum, Long Shadows, Fidelitas, Orenda(https://orendawinery.com/), Elentone (Chris Sherry), II Vintners (Morgan), Stevens, Lobo Hills, Patterson, Gorman, Sparkman, GFW (James St Clairs wines - https://gfwwine.com/). etc.. No particular order.. well sort of.. but not intentional.. for example James St Clairs wines are fantastic.. need to plan a trip out there again and pick up some wines.. I had never heard of them brfore 3 or 4 years ago. . GFW is his passion/side project!! He works full time at a BIG winery.. the name escapes me at the moment..
I knew James was a winemaker and a fly fisher, with a family and a boat! Super busy like an family man (dad) and he was able to find time to have me come over for 3 hours or so.. maybe 4. I've tried a few times to make it out, but my jobs at Total Wine and Redmond Ridge just didn't have to the flexibility to go at the last minute, unless I called out. I rarely did, and only when I was truely sick.. Cheers!
I've hit a few wineries during the week and done blind tasting of ther wine.. they randomize the glasses.. no particular order... usually number or mark the glasses and I have to figure out what is what.. Started with Long Shadows (0 of 6 right), Fideletas ( 1 of 5 right), Mark Ryan (3 of 5, not including the white which I got the right varietal) and today Orenda (2 o 4 rightf). I'll be taking my WSET 3 soon.. so will stop smoking.. you heard that right.. and focus on my wine palate.. Will probably do online, but considering a boot camp option.. most likely online..
Spent the morning at Reds.. got some great coffee from the barista.. gave her some tamales and she, 5 or 6, and she didnt charge me a thing.
Meet a few people i hadn't in the shop. Checked out a bunch of new geat.. boots, a sling pack and a few Winston rods.. mainly the 4wt!!
Fished two of my newer boo rods.. 7' and 7'6".. beautiful!
Stopped on the pass at Dru Bru.. I have had some of there beers and they make a fantastic root beer! I bought a six pack for my niece.. Checked out the little ski / snowboard museum next door.. will go back for a book and hat.. great place for stocking staffers along with Dru Bru shirts and deals.
Got a case of the Dru Bru Lime Lemon Lager for $20.. a six pack was only $9.. heck of a deal.. I think they were doing deals on other stuff as I saw a ton of cases going out.
Power was out in most of the building and the area actually so the
corndog place was closed. 
I personally think Leland was there before and bought them all to save me from myself..
Stopped in Carnation on the way back at Orenda.. I was a member but hadn't been there for quite some time. They have a library wine sale starting tomorrow and I would highly recommend stopping by to check them out if you have time.. most of the library wines are from 2017 to 2019.. ready to drink or lay down for another 5 years if you have the patience.. not really necessary.. Depends on how much wine you have and store.. and drink of course. I'm happy to share a few or pick up stuff for anyone here interested.. they'll be gone tomorrow, early for sure.. most are 1 case or less.. a few maybe 2 cases..
Then got home about 730pm or so.. great couple of days and honored my dad..
PS - on a random note.. the gold pan was given to me witht he black sand and some gold.. I know to pan it, and use a magnet.. any other tricks to remove the very heavy black sands.. a mini sluice? Just curious..
Rambled a bit.. but have been having fun since I left my job 17 days ago... damn $$ just get's in the way.. ROFL.. HA!
Was going to make coffee in the hour I was at Uptanum.. forgot the bring the "Jet" (burner) in my Jet Boil, since left one of the two cups at home. Used my cast iron over the fire.. some salt had dumped in it.. riinsed it and boiled it.. threw out that water.. fresh stuff in and my coffee was supper salty.. like sea water salty.. tossed it and went to Reds.. Drank a little beer.. wasn't feeling it so early and used it to dump on the fire.. Beer was good! Just too early, even for me! Ha!
Had a little wood that I had gotten the week before at a little winery, Cultura (https://www.culturawine.com/).. one of my favorites in WA.. Burnt 4 or 5 empty cigars boxes to keep it going.. cleaned my car out of trash.. paper I mean..
I don't have a number one winery or ones.. just a list of what I love, but these are at the top with Betz, Pomum, Long Shadows, Fidelitas, Orenda(https://orendawinery.com/), Elentone (Chris Sherry), II Vintners (Morgan), Stevens, Lobo Hills, Patterson, Gorman, Sparkman, GFW (James St Clairs wines - https://gfwwine.com/). etc.. No particular order.. well sort of.. but not intentional.. for example James St Clairs wines are fantastic.. need to plan a trip out there again and pick up some wines.. I had never heard of them brfore 3 or 4 years ago. . GFW is his passion/side project!! He works full time at a BIG winery.. the name escapes me at the moment..
I knew James was a winemaker and a fly fisher, with a family and a boat! Super busy like an family man (dad) and he was able to find time to have me come over for 3 hours or so.. maybe 4. I've tried a few times to make it out, but my jobs at Total Wine and Redmond Ridge just didn't have to the flexibility to go at the last minute, unless I called out. I rarely did, and only when I was truely sick.. Cheers!
I've hit a few wineries during the week and done blind tasting of ther wine.. they randomize the glasses.. no particular order... usually number or mark the glasses and I have to figure out what is what.. Started with Long Shadows (0 of 6 right), Fideletas ( 1 of 5 right), Mark Ryan (3 of 5, not including the white which I got the right varietal) and today Orenda (2 o 4 rightf). I'll be taking my WSET 3 soon.. so will stop smoking.. you heard that right.. and focus on my wine palate.. Will probably do online, but considering a boot camp option.. most likely online..
Spent the morning at Reds.. got some great coffee from the barista.. gave her some tamales and she, 5 or 6, and she didnt charge me a thing.
Meet a few people i hadn't in the shop. Checked out a bunch of new geat.. boots, a sling pack and a few Winston rods.. mainly the 4wt!!
Fished two of my newer boo rods.. 7' and 7'6".. beautiful!
Stopped on the pass at Dru Bru.. I have had some of there beers and they make a fantastic root beer! I bought a six pack for my niece.. Checked out the little ski / snowboard museum next door.. will go back for a book and hat.. great place for stocking staffers along with Dru Bru shirts and deals.
Got a case of the Dru Bru Lime Lemon Lager for $20.. a six pack was only $9.. heck of a deal.. I think they were doing deals on other stuff as I saw a ton of cases going out.
Power was out in most of the building and the area actually so the
corndog place was closed. I personally think Leland was there before and bought them all to save me from myself..
Stopped in Carnation on the way back at Orenda.. I was a member but hadn't been there for quite some time. They have a library wine sale starting tomorrow and I would highly recommend stopping by to check them out if you have time.. most of the library wines are from 2017 to 2019.. ready to drink or lay down for another 5 years if you have the patience.. not really necessary.. Depends on how much wine you have and store.. and drink of course. I'm happy to share a few or pick up stuff for anyone here interested.. they'll be gone tomorrow, early for sure.. most are 1 case or less.. a few maybe 2 cases..
Then got home about 730pm or so.. great couple of days and honored my dad..
PS - on a random note.. the gold pan was given to me witht he black sand and some gold.. I know to pan it, and use a magnet.. any other tricks to remove the very heavy black sands.. a mini sluice? Just curious..
Rambled a bit.. but have been having fun since I left my job 17 days ago... damn $$ just get's in the way.. ROFL.. HA!
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Come back any time Bill, and thank you for mentioning my wines! I wish I could have come up and met you, but life gets in the way. Drivers Ed for my 15 year old, a birthday party for my 3 year old, and our wine club release party we hosted last night. I actually had my 12 year old ask me to take him fishing with his neighborhood buddy, so we are hitting the golf course ponds for bass and casting lessons today and then I am going to float them down the Yak tomorrow. I hopped in my buddy's boat on Thursday for a couple hours on my way home from work and caught a handful, so hoping I can repeat for the kiddos!!!
flybill
Life of the Party
I'm going to bring you some Orenda library wines next time we meet. Xander the winemaker used to wrk for Chris Upchurch.. very nice wines! I'll be back over to the Yakima on Thanksgiving or Black Friday I think.. we'll see how he weather is.. it sure was cold out there, but nothing like winter steelhead! HA!!
Part 1 accomplished. Got 'em casting and hooking fish on their own.
My son
Neighbor's son
Drift boat on a river is a different story. Lots of moving parts. Hopefully I can help them connect again tomorrow. Stoked they are even interested in trying. I've always told myself (and my kids) I am not going to force them to go fishing. I've "made" them go a few times here and there when we are camping, but other than that I told them if they want to go again just let me know. They haven't let me know, haha! Until today, so hoping for some more success tomorrow. At a minimum they will get a BBQ burger for lunch on the shore!
My son
Neighbor's son
Drift boat on a river is a different story. Lots of moving parts. Hopefully I can help them connect again tomorrow. Stoked they are even interested in trying. I've always told myself (and my kids) I am not going to force them to go fishing. I've "made" them go a few times here and there when we are camping, but other than that I told them if they want to go again just let me know. They haven't let me know, haha! Until today, so hoping for some more success tomorrow. At a minimum they will get a BBQ burger for lunch on the shore!
