Thanks to all my supporters

Dear Friends and Anglers,

I have officially shut down all aspects of my fly fishing business. This blog will remain up as an archive and for when I feel inspired to discuss fishing and fishing related issues. I want to thank everyone who has supported me through this adventure. My clients are incredible people that I really enjoyed spending time with over the years, dating all the way back to 1994 in Colorado. I hope to see many of you out on the river. Feel free to email or drop me a line anytime!

Jason Cross

For local guiding and lessons, please contact my good friend Ed Megill @ cascadesfly.com.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Friday's Frozen Toes

You never intend to go fishing when it is 22 degress with a significant hole in your waders. You can only hope that the sun will come to your rescue. And it did! Friday, Josh, Carl and Ed searched the South Fork with me for the few lonely wild steelhead that hadn't gone all the way upstream passed Skookum Creek. Early morning, Josh, a local who has some secrets, hooked a fish and had another bump and that was it for the day. We covered lots of water, but must have missed the right runs, because when you float 6 miles you can't hit them all. We were the only boat, had first shot at each run (which is important when fly fishing), but no dice!

I think it was the hot Italian sausage soup that saved me from frostbite. Here is a little tip to try when you go out fishing in this type of weather. To stay warm in your extremities place heat packs on your wrists and ankles. This will warm the blood before going to your hands and feet. It works wonders, unless you have a gaping hole in your waders! Also, Carl suggested spraying Pam on the guides of your rod to keep the ice from building up. Now, I have not tried this but I can't see it causing any damage to your gear. Look what salt water and sand does to your 8 wt.

I have to say I am looking forward to February. We have had a great Winter of river conditions but it has pushed back most of the runs. The next water spike could be a productive one. Start out fishing low in the beginning and move up river as it comes up. Send me pictures because this is your month to catch a steelhead on the Nooksack! Thanks to Carl and Ed who have been excellent loyal customers and thanks to Josh for joining us, I am sure I will see you out there soon!
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Local Information

Nooksack River

The Nooksack is our most Northern Puget Sound river. From the flanks of beautiful Mt. Baker and the Mt. Baker Wilderness the Nooksack River travels 75 miles to Bellingham Bay through diverse terrain. Three forks make up the main stem that locals say starts in the town of Deming. The North Fork provides most of the water in the drainage right off the northern side of Mt. Baker and parallels the Mt. Baker Highway often unseen. The Middle Fork is smaller and faster tributary with a steeper gradient and deep plunge pools. The South Fork, although some 50 miles long that stretches into Skagit County, is only fishable for 14 river miles before it closes to protect endangered Chinook spawning grounds.

The North Fork Kendall Creek hatchery provides a decent fishery for winter steelhead and October salmon fishing. Chinook and coho hatchery returns are mainly from the Native hatchery on the South Fork at Skookum Creek. Salmon fishing opens on the Main Stem in early September and stays good through a healthy chum run well into December. Both forks open in October for salmon but can be fished for sea-run cutthroat trout in September. Thanksgiving brings about hatchery steelhead season which carries through into January. Wild steelhead start trickling into the system in December and really show up in good numbers in January and February. Sadly for the fishermen the river closes in the end of February.

The main stem is a true spey rod river with some beautiful classic steelhead runs that will remind you of other nice places you have fished. The forks are smaller and lend themselves more to the single handed rod or a switch rod. The North Fork Nooksack is a wild and scenic river and boasts an incredible population of bald eagles. The river shifts quite frequently throughout the vast channel as the waters rise and fall with rain. Tree roots and log jams make up much of the excellent fish habitat on this fork. The south and middle forks are more defined channels and runs and holes remain more consistent. Wherever you are on this river the backdrop is spectacular. Around one bend you will look back and see The Sisters and the next bend will offer a pristine view of towering Mt. Baker.

Resident trout and anadromous dolly varden are found throughout the system in small numbers with the latter being off limits to target. The North Fork Nooksack above the 100 foot Nooksack Falls can be fun summer trout fishing with light weight rods and surface flies. Some open tributaries such as Canyon Creek can be great fun on the dry fly in July through September for small to medium sized trout. These tributaries of crystal clear cascading water sooth the sole and bring you smiling back to the roots of fly fishing.

Puget Sound Beaches are fun relief from the river and Stillwater settings. Sea-run cutthroat are available for the catching along several nice cobblestone reaches. The shelter of bull kelp beds provide a great feeding grounds for this fun anadramous salmonid. Late summer sees the arrival of solid hatchery coho fishery easily within reach of shore.

Come on up and get away from the crowds. You wont believe how beautiful it is and you won’t regret it. And, oh yeah, you might catch some nice fish!