[BuckShot44]

Ooooooh baby.. who's all fished the Skagit River? This is where i learned the art of casting a dry fly and it's also the site of some of my most exciting fishing memories! There's nothing quite like catching a hatch and the adrenaline rush as you yard on fish cast after cast.. it was magic I tell ya!

The skagit is a catch and release only fishery thats open for just a short period of time each year. ( i think it's open 2 months only)

This is a great place to go without having to drive forever! (Just this side of Hope)

Cheers & Tight Lines!

 

[professori]

It opens July 1 and closes Oct 31. My favorite piece of water, and I fish it at least 8 or 10 times a YEAR.

 

[Gibbs]

I've promised myself to make the time to get to the Skagit this year.. I have heard nothing but great things!

 

[Flyfisher]

Hey how about a few pointers from those that have never fished the Skagit? I've spent most of my time on still water (Lower Mainland and Kamloops) and a few trips looking for steelies (Vedder), but never made it to the Skagit. Each year, for the last several years, I've been planning a trip but each time something or other :wallbash: has come up. This year is the year.

How about a few does and don't so the trip up is productive. I'd hate to get up there and not have x, y, or z, or spend all day doing something stupid and not get a bite.

Thanks in advance for any Skagit info.

 

[King Fisher]

I've been dying to go out to that river for the great dry fly action I keep hearing about. I definately plan on hitting it this summer. :thumbup:

 

[HOOK]

I plan to get up there this year also. hey Prof you wanna be a river guide teaching me the ways of proper drag free dry fly fishing :thumbup:

 

[BuckShot44]

The Skagit River is allot fun, you'll want to go back time and time again..

Use light gear (~5lb) rod, full floating line with a 9' - 3x tapered leader.

Dry Flies to try: #14 - Adams, Thom Thumbs & Emerging Green Drakes, Blue duns.

When the hatch is on and the fish start rising, its the most exciting fishing you'll ever get.

When the fish aren't rising, try bouncing a nymph off the bottom into those shallow to deep water transition areas..

The water is clear, I remember tossing in a Gold Ribbed Hairs ear nymph and watching it bounce off the bottom of the river heading into a deeper pool, suddenly i saw this fish emerge from the darkness of his deep pool and take my fly, I set the hook and 5 minutes later (seemed like time stood still), I landed a 14" Chrome Rainbow, she fought like a champ, I'll never forget it.

Nothing like actually watching the fish approach, then take your fly. It sure beats feeling a bump on the end of your line on the lake. (not that theres anything wrong with that either)

 

[HOOK]

ok Thanks for that BuckShot now you have me pumped to get there and i still have to wait a long time until it opens :'( I have never fished for trout in moving water. is it that much different from presenting flies to salmon/steelhead?

 

[Fish Finder]

It's where I get my true "A River Runs Through It" fix. :thumbup: One of my favorite times of day to fish it is, what I call the Magic Hour. That last hour before dark. # 16 Tan or Green Lady McConell. Just remember to treat those little guys with care, so they live to give you excitement on another day. Also remember to play it safe out there. Lots of wild life and you're in the middle of the deep 40. I look forward to this summer. :beerchug:

Finder

 

[Lastcar]

Don't let the opening date dictate your excitement...often the river is still high on opening day. This makes for difficult dangerous wading, if wading and/or fishing is an option at all.

It is a fantastic river. You are already away from it all, yet if you walk as much as you fish you can have an even more remote experience. I have gotten to few spots and have just sat and basked in the glory of the wilderness and the beautiful trout stream.

My first year fly fishing I put in 15 days on the Skagit. Last year I only got 5 as I was in interior for the spring/summer 'living' at Tunkwa. I did spend some time in Hope fishing the area's rivers.

Can't wait as I will be more committed to the Lower Mainland this year.

 

[HOOK]

I plan to get up there and away from the crowded areas down here :thumbup:

 

[professori]

I plan to get up there and away from the crowded areas down here :thumbup:

Yeah, you mentioned that twice already in this thread. Is that how you get to 1880 posts?? :happy:

 

[HOOK]

its just my PRE excitement thats all. Im all giddy from the anitcipation of fishing new waters this year :thumbup: :thumbup:

whats the best area to start off with as i have never been up there before. All i know is that its in Manning Park right?

 

[Pat AV]

Planning on getting away from the crowds is one thing, doing it is another. The Skagit can get quite busy on a weekend.

I plan my lower river trips for the char migration, fish dries as I walk up stream for bows and then swing streamers on the way back down for bulls.

 

[11th Warrior]

On the advice of Prof in my lacrosse thread, I'm eagerly anticipating fishing the Skagit in late July!! It's just going to be me and my oldest son for a week so we're going to wet-wade and I'm going to try and teach him everything I know; which at this point, still isn't much.

I've read a lot online about the Skagit and how we saved it from disappearing forever. Not being a very experienced fly fisher, I'm hoping it's going to produce multi-fish days :thumbup: