I try and steer clear of these types of topics usually due to hands tied frustration, but yes Steve the two areas which Todd speaks of previously, (between Barnaby & Chapel) were de-watered and the marker "stones" were either still, or once again out of the water after our return the first week of June. Sadly enough at the upper redd site described, during the last week of April, there was veiwed by myself and angling partner the largest steelhead we will likely ever see in our lifetimes, whose childrens did not live on... This male was holding station with approximately 8 - 10 other fish, all on well defined beds in less than 2' of depth and 12' from water's edge. (In our estimation the fish as we remember saying was, "39 f ' ing lbs." !) It used to be commonplace on June 1 to see "bomb blast" redds, sometimes with large males still present, nowadays reduced to less than half a dozen fish absent "hand grenade" mini-redds.

This unfortunate annual overnight flow reduction has long been a watched act. I might also add that the C&R waters clipped from sportsmen last season upstream of Cascade River to Bacon Creek was a highly suspect happening... Seeing as the put in for this float is at Copper Creek and most mainstem spawners in this upper stretch use predominately four locations from Copper to Marblemount to "hang out" in, why were three of these "nurseries"removed from our effective veiw ? (These top three were in the sit down and row/closed water zone above Bacon anyhow). The best quote I can muster for this would be, "you can do anything you wanna do in there if you wanna"... SCL and poachers inclusive.

I feel a bit odd in relating these Skagit River observations as up until now they have been "seasonal bummers" I have learned to shove down and live with. Hopefully someone can do something with some of these ramblings... I would volunteer to show certain potentially effective folks these internet revealed locations but have in the back of my mind a vision of Silkwood... If this closed season happens to pre-curse another without garnering an increase in numbers of wild steelhead and char, it will be sorely missed as I vow a return of my days on the Skagit to not even be so much as a "dream happening"...

Wild mushroom veiwing anyone ?