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| A road bends around a ridge in Pack Forest on a misty morning |
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| Nick and a Western Red Cedar |
Pack Forest was a gift from lumberman Charles Pack to the University of Washington's College of Forest Resources in 1926. Initially only 334 acres, today it has expanded to 4300 acres of forested land.
The forest is primarily Douglas fir, Western Red cedar and a small variety of other mixed conifers and hardwoods. Some of the cedars are hundreds of years old.
One of the winding service roads leads to an old hidden pond. There was initially a spring here that was diverted into a man-made pond that was used for water storage for fire fighting. Helicopters used to lower their water bags into the pond and then take off to dump the water on the fires. The pond is no longer used for this purpose, but now holds some amazing rainbow trout due to its cool spring fed waters.
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| The hidden pond in Pack Forest once used as a fire retardant source for helicopters |
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Backing the drift boat into the pond
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| The author fishing |
The water in the pond was cool, clear and deep. Minnow pattern presentations had no effect on the trout, only insect patterns. The trout taken took a large insect pattern called a superior x-legs. This fly has been my go-to when nothing seems to be biting. It is a lead wrapped shank so the fly sinks quickly. Retrieval should be a brisk haul to imitate a darting aquatic insect.
A superior x-legs pattern tied by the author
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A netted bow
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| A football shaped bow |
The first fish of the afternoon broke my 4X tippet to my dismay. I was disheartened until I had another fish on the line. With some careful netting by friend Nick Reep, a nice male bow was landed.
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The kype on this male is clearly visible
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The rainbow had a prominent kype (black tip of the lower jaw) telling us the fish was a male.
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| Thanks to Nick and his trusty pal Lulu for rowing and showing me the ropes in WA |
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