Date: Sat. Feb 23rd
Time: 8:00 am
Where: Eagle Fern Park
Rod/Line: 7 to 9 weight rod with a floating line.
Leader: 10 to 12lb Maxima
Flies: Egg patterns (Gorman's Caballero Egg, Babine Special , Glo-Bug Lifters, etc.)
Other: Waders, Strike indicators, BB split-shot
Directions: Eagle Fern Park



Activities
Coffee and donuts will be provided in the morning. Aaron Shook will give us an on the river (creek) presentation starting around 8:30 am. After the presentation we fish! We'll meet back at the park (covered area) around 11:00 am for some good chili (compliments of Lane), and hopefully some good fishing stories.  After lunch there's a post fish-along fish-along!  After we fill our selves with chili and corn bread we'll be heading up to fish the water below the hatchery (weather and water permitting).  If you've never fished that section of Eagle Creek you owe it to yourself to join us.

General Fishing Information
One of the best techniques to use on creek is to dead drift egg patterns under a strike indicator. Another great approach, and one that I believe Aaron will be demostrating, is short-line (high-stick) nymphing techniques.  The water bellow the hatchery is full of pocket water where short line nymphing can be extremely effective.

Fishing Report - Updated 2/15/08
Eagle Creek Hatchery has reported a steady stream of fish since the beginning of the year.  As of 2/16 they have seen 846 fish return to the trap!

2008 Steelhead Counts (Eagle Creek National Hatchery)

 
Final 2008 Steelhead Count (Eagle Creek National Hatchery)

The total fish processed by the hatchery for the 2008 run was 985 fish.  The additional 139 fish not accounted for in the above chart came in between Feb 19th and March 31st.

The Post Fish-Along Report

We had a great turn out and the weather was perfect, we had sunny skies and 50 degree temperatures.  The only problem was that it had been like that all week.  The creek was low and clear and there were very few fish in the system.  Aaron provided us with an on the water demonstration at the park.  His technique is simple yet effective.  He uses a "short line" technique to maximize the time his fly is in front of the fish and minimize the time it's in front of rocks. 

After Aaron's presentation we went fishing.  Several of us decided to make the 20 minute drive from the park and fish the water below the hatchery.  Aaron also decided to do a little (more) fishing and offered some additional help to those who made the trek to the upper creek.  After watching him fish and listening to what he had to say I think I can summarize his strategy and techniques as follows:

• Find (spot) the fish.
• Get the fly down to the fish (use a lot of lead and vary the amount  depending on the flow).
• Use a "short line" nymphing technique.
  
• Cast to the fish in rapid succession (in other words - don't cast to rocks).
• Don't fish for steelhead like you would for trout.  In other words you can actually get very close to a steelhead without spooking it.
  
• If you can't see a fish look for likely holding water and give it 4 or 5 casts in the best "soft" water.  If nothing takes move on.
  
• Be the first to fish the pockets and runs.  In other words, get up early.
  

These tactics seem to work extremely well, at least in the type of water you find below the hatchery on Eagle Creek.  Aaron was the only person out of the group to catch a fish.