If Dry Flies and Big Rainbows Are Cool.....

Then consider Chopaka Lake.....Miles Davis

Just back from our annual Memorial Day Trip to Chopaka Lake in North Central Washington and I must say, the lake did not dissapoint. 

There's something beautiful about falling into a rhythm of an extended trip.  Gone are the hurried motions and actions of a one day, get it all in and have fun marathon.  You calmly move into a pace that allows you to enjoy each little moment, try new bugs and techniques and in this case, revel in 4 days of kick ass fishing

Up the nasty Chopaka Grade on early Friday morning, finding the crowds much less than last year at the same time.  Maybe the threat of constant rain kept people away...sounds great to me.  We nailed a choice camp site, and within an hour the rain stopped and we embarked on our pontoons to do battle on the lake

Along this year was good buddy Brian and OMR himself.   Could there be much better than a trip with one of your best friends and your dad, who's really my best friend of all. 

Soon a routine was developed.  Up around 7, and OMR's show began with killer pre fishing breakfast.

Out on the lake by 9am, and back around 4:30pm for cocktail hour and dinner at 6.  Finish dinner, tell tall fish tales and back on the lake for another hour of trolling buggers for savage strikes

Fishing was a shade under ridiculous.  Only one day out of the 4 did we not have our way with the hard fighting, jumping and big rainbows of Chopaka.   Fish were picked up a consistent rate on Chronomids in the mornings and trolling a full sink in the after dinner fishing session, but the star of the show was what this lake is known for

Mr and Mrs Mayfly came on every day like clockwork after lunch to almost mid afternoon.  Keying in on cripples who just spent too much time trying to shed their nymphal shuck in the surface film, the cruising bows of Chopaka crushed Callibettis Cripples without a hint of wariness. 

During the height of the hatch, an audible "slurp" could be heard all around you.  It was like the dinner bell rang and you were serving filet.  The only frusterating thing was that mayfly cripples tend to be not the most durrable bug, but thankfully OMR saved the last 2 days by a bit of bench time at camp

Our final day we had to pull ourselves off the water at the tail end of the hatch.  Brian and I both looked at each other and in unison said...."Oh my god, that was rediculous"

Honestly, it was the best 4 days of lake fishing I have ever had.  Chopaka Round 3 is already scheduled for Memorial Day weekend 2011.  See you there