We got up late…like typical trout bums in the offseason. I also didn’t feel like getting up at 4:30 am while it was f’ing raining. So we got up late and headed to Forks.

We hit the Bogechiel by 10:30 and swung till 3. I had one hit on a blue intruder thingy. My cast took all that time to get even halfway decent. Troy had an easier time casting but got no love.

We are gonna float tomorrow. Really get into the swing of things. And my boat is itching to get wet.

This place is amazing. Last night the Strait of Juan de Fuca was loud, the way the water sounds out here still gets to me. The smell of the saltwater and campire filled the air. We had thoughts of fish on our minds.

Its so warm here. The minor temperature fluctuations and the sheer dampness of this place boggles me. Its boardshort weather!

The trees keep grabbing my attention, gnarled and bearded with knuckled roots grabbing onto the riverbanks. The mountains, mist and cloud covered only catching glimpses of them. Their scarred sides from logging but full of young new growth.

Its wet. The fire burns dim and cold with how humid it is. It hasn’t dropped below 45 degrees yet. My beard is a curly mess tangled and frizzy from the damp. There is the constant sound of drip…drop…tink…plink…plop..dup..drip. I will take the wet over the hard bitter cold on the homewater.

Checking out and plugging into a different river, different species, different method of presenting a fly…I am completely out of my comfort zone. I am giddy about the place I am fishing, determined to lock into that steelhead swing rhythm. This is relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

Camp life is a welcome change. I didn’t get to camp at the end of the trout season due to losing the roof top in the accident. Its been nice to settle into a camp rhythm too. I coud live like this all the time. I prefer the lack of walls, the quiet, the fishing, just the getting lost in this river life. We only get one of these lives and we get to choose how we live it. I may not get to be with my kids like I want right now, and that will change in the very near future. Until then I will take the opportunity life or the universe…the fly fishing gods…what have you…has presented me with and follow it around the next river bend.

See ya riverside anglers.

Tamarack