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Dreams on the Fly Blog

The Owyhee River is at 200 cfs today (April 13) and fishing exceptionally well.  We expect the water levels to continue at this level for the rest of the fishing season.  After fishing this river for over 30 years and guiding it for over 10 years, we are happy to report the river is back to it’s customary color of green.  Some folks are turned off by the color of the Owyhee, however it’s actually BETTER fishing!   If you want to fish with Dave, NOW is the time to do so!

The midges have been coming of very well, and the Baetis are beginning to show up.  The Skawala’s are mostly done,  but there are some remnants and the fish will eat eagerly.  The streamer fishing has been exceptional as well as hitting the banks with large terrestrial patterns.  Days are beginning to get longer and it seems our weather…

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Journeys

Journeys Part 1

10 years ago when Dave and I began this business of “guided fly fishing” he said we’d never be able to make a living at it.  I said “ok” and we began our part time business Dreams on the Fly.  We sat down to a computer and developed a logo, opened a checking account, obtained our business license, and I figured out how to build a website, we were off and running.  We were living in Seattle then, and guided some of the well known steelhead streams on the West side of the state.  When the occasional Owyhee request would come in, Dave would take his old Toyota 4-Runner and drive the 8 hr. drive over to guide for a day, spend time with his daughter and drive back, he was limited to weekends.  Dave had another job, working construction on some of the finest homes in Seattle’s Queen Ann District.  So after 12 hours of guiding, an 8 hour return drive back to Seattle, he would pull in the drive, beat and weary from his weekend and off to work his job by 5 a.m. on Monday mornings.  Ah the journey in those days was grueling on Dave.  I was working 10-12 hours a day 6 days a week in a managing a catering facility.  We were beat, but never gave up.

It was the spring of 2004 when we received an email from Kara Demorest at the Diamond D Ranch near Stanley, Idaho asking us if we would be willing to guide in the Frank Church Wilderness (the largest designated wilderness area in the lower 48).  I loved the thought of it, however it didn’t seem too realistic to again drive all that way, plus another 4 hours to the Ranch to guide for perhaps a weekend.  So we contacted Dave’ friend of 30+ years, Jeff Smith, and asked it he would work for Diamond D.  He immediately said yes, and submitted his application for his guides license.  2 days before Jeff was to head up to the Ranch we got word that his guides license had been denied.   There had been some infraction when Jeff was 17 years old on his Idaho Fish and Game record.   It was the very same weekend that Dave’s son Joshua was leaving the US for his first tour in Iraq.  We talked with him almost the entire way to Idaho about the two very different journeys we were on.  Us heading into the wilderness where serene streams, peaceful days and God’s wondrous beauty abounds, and his where uncertainty, stress and fear would surround him.

We worked at the Diamond D Ranch for 4 or 5 days that spring, began getting more work on the Owyhee and knew we needed to address Jeff’s issue with Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board.  It seems when Jeff was 17 he had an illegal pheasant in the back of his truck and was cited.  Jeff appealed the decision, we testified in front of the Board that this was a one time, long time ago occurrence and guaranteed it would never happen again.  Jeff was now free to guide in Idaho.  We headed back to Seattle, knowing Jeff was fully skilled in guiding clients for us on both the Owyhee and at Diamond D Ranch.  It became more and more evident that the Owyhee business was picking up, we were spending more time in Idaho, I quit my catering job, Dave quit his construction job and we moved thinking we both had positions waiting for us in Idaho.  And so a new journey began!

When we got to Idaho we discovered that both the positions we anticipated fell through!  We were both now unemployed, didn’t have much money and no where to live.  Again, Jeff Smith to the rescue along with his generous wife Debbie offered their 23′ trailer in their backyard as temporary housing for us. And yet another journey into the unknown.  More to come, keep checking back!

Journeys Part II

After living in the Smith’s trailer for 2 months during one of the hottest summers on record, we finally had saved up enough money to move into a home.  Continuing to guide at Diamond D Ranch and the Owyhee allowed us to have a summer filled with many opportunities…some great, some life lessons, and some very big changes.

Beginning in September Dave guided elk and deer hunting, a grueling 6 weeks on horseback, mule back and by foot.  This position came about only after Rhonda volunteered, in a summertime conversation that “Dave loves to hunt and is a great hunter”.  That summer Rhonda was diagnosed with Degenerative Arthritis in her right hip and was scheduled for a total hip replacement in January, and in September we headed to Diamond D Ranch for a guiding and care taking position, that would last until Janaury.

If you are not familiar with the Diamond D I will tell you a bit about it.  Set in some of the most pristine, wilderness in the lower 48 the ranch is located in the heart of the Salmon river mountains.  Located in the Frank Church Wilderness- The river of no return, it is the second largest protected in the contiguous United States after Death Valley.  To be exact 2.7 million acres.  That’s a lot of elk, deer, swans, mountain lions, wolves, foxes and hundreds of other little critters that always made their way into our lives.

 At the ranch we cared for 37 head of horses and mules, keep watch over the buildings located on the 300 acre ranch, kept predators at bay, chopped ice for the hydro power unit that keeps the ranch running year round (read; no electricity for 8 hrs. a day), cooked on a wood stove for all our meals and did not see another person until we returned to Boise in January for Rhonda’s hip surgery.

Fast forward 2 months post-op, we began to make plans to purchase our first home together.  Rhonda had sold her home in Lake Stevens, Washington that summer.  2 years after being a long distance landlord was just a little much.

Of all the homes we looked at, put offers on and even considered purchasing, the house in Parma was the one Dave liked the most.  With “good bones, solid foundation and 1/3 of an acre” we put in our offer.  Of course an appraisal was ordered and in light of that, we knew that boarded up windows would never pass, so we replaced the glass and removed the plywood from the windows and doors.

We looked at homes, property, modulars etc. for over 3 months, putting in our offers only to be beat out by others vying for the same properties  Then after watching a foreclosure listing for over a month on a beat up, abandoned, overgrown monstrosity of a home, we finally went out to PARMA, of all places to view it.  The realtor didn’t even meet us, they told us the combination to the lock and we were on our own.  Many of the windows were broken and covered with plywood, the back door was boarded up, and the weeds were over 6 feet high.  And the downstairs (Dave calls the dungeon) was somewhere Rhonda refused to go.  We had found out from one of the neighbors, someone had been living in the home, with no power, water or heat all that winter.  Using the wood stove located in a corner of what might have been a dinning room on top of red and black carpet.  It was a true mess of a house!  But we were on yet another of our wonderful journeys!

On May 6th we were proud (?) owners of this home that had car parts buried in the yard, marijuana plants growing next to the entry, and 30-06 holes in the bay window in the kitchen which by the way had no place to put a refrigerator.  Oh did I mention little or no power?   Dave’s son, an electrician gutted the entire knob and tube wiring and re-wired the entire house.  In the process we were living in the house, guiding on the Owyhee, tearing out walls (6 within the first 3 weeks), and digging into lathe and plaster.  There was time in this process where we had a 4 outlet gangbox hooked to an extension cord, directly wired into the old electrical box and had to plug and unplug hand held lights, the crock pot, the microwave and an electric skillet.  The bathroom consisted of an angular shower a toilet and a sink all in a condition which made going to the local gas station very attractive.  That bathroom was the first room to go.  Removing closets from the master bedroom and guest rooms, we made it a spa like room that any woman would envy!

 Need more…keep checking back!

Journeys Part III

Remember, all this time we were also guiding on the Owyhee!  As business began to increase, so did the demands of our life.  It went something like this….March on the Owyhee for the Skawala hatch, April in Stanley for steelhead, May through September on the Owyhee below the dam, interspersed with Diamond D Ranch in July.  Then off to the Grande Ronde for October and part of November.   In September 2007, Rhonda found herself with yet another hip replacement, this time for the left hip.  Dave, once again carried the load into winter, with 150 guide days under his belt.   He was exhausted!

A little about Dave Tucker…

Dave grew up in a modest household, his father attending both the University of Idaho in Moscow and the University of Washington in Seattle. Dave’s mother taught music in Bellevue. Living in Seattle, Dave spent a lot of time with his Grandfather fishing the waters of the Puget Sound for Salmon, Steelhead, Sea Run Cutthroat and bottom fish. Those years from kindergarten to 4th grade taught Dave enormous angling and outdoor skills.
His first backpack, at age 6, the knapsack style, took he and his family into the Cascades of Washington and then into the Sawtooths of Idaho. Graduating into wood frame packs for expeditions into the wondrous Sawtooth Mountains, Dave learned his exploring skills. Imagine having the mountain lakes and streams as your “Gameboy”. Catching little frogs and frying up their little legs for dinner. Finding fallen 8′ trees and riding them like a teeter totters, scrambling over boulders and up and down mountain sides he and his cousins would fall into their sleeping bags exhausted and happy.

Fishing high mountain lakes at that time consisted of a clear bubble with a fly behind it on spinning rods. The cutthroats, brook trout, rainbows and grayling were plentiful and the bull trout, which they called Dolly Vardens were a feast (they were not endangered at that time), in fact they were often times the main fish in the system.

Rocks became the ammunition of choice for the abundant and unsuspecting Spruce grouse. Not known for their intelligence the grouse became a true treat for dinner. Fresh Huckleberry pancakes for breakfast combined with freeze dried eggs and potatoes the Tuckers never lacked. Foraging for mushrooms and many of the Salmon River and Sawtooth mountains natural culinary delights, cooking over campfires these trips could be weekenders or 8-9 days escapades.

Living in Boise, his father a professor at Boise State University and teaching environmental sciences, the family would backpack several weekends a year as well as plan an extended trip at least once a year. Dave was 12 years old, when his father’s associate Bob Freedly taught him how to tie flies. Learning to tie Renegades, Royal Wulfs, Humpies and the like, produced not only flies with the expected fishing results, but results that would offer him a career. With no You-Tube or videos of any kind it was Jack Dennis’  book, Western Trout Fly Tying Manual, Volume 1,became Dave’s best friend. Now battered, beat and coffee stained this book remains in Dave’s vast collection of treasured books. Jack recently moved to Salt Lake, but we see him a couple of times a year, we need to remember to have him sign Dave’s beloved manual.   More to come, be sure to bookmark this page to return to see the next journey!

Spring has sprung on the Owyhee River

The Owyhee River is at 200 cfs today (April 13) and fishing exceptionally well.  We expect the water levels to continue at this level for the rest of the fishing season.  After fishing this river for over 30 years and guiding it for over 10 years, we are happy to report the river is back to it’s customary color of green.  Some folks are turned off by the color of the Owyhee, however it’s actually BETTER fishing!   If you want to fish with Dave, NOW is the time to do so!

The midges have been coming of very well, and the Baetis are beginning to show up.  The Skawala’s are mostly done,  but there are some remnants and the fish will eat eagerly.  The streamer fishing has been exceptional as well as hitting the banks with large terrestrial patterns.  Days are beginning to get longer and it seems our weather has leveled off with highs in the mid 50’s to 60’s and the best fishing to be had is late afternoons.

For Everything There is a Season!

Owyhee Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Owyhee River in Eastern Oregon near Adrian, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1932

2006

during the Great Depression, the dam generates electricity and provides irrigation water for several irrigation districts in Oregon and neighboring Idaho. At the time of completion, it was the tallest dam of its type in the world (it was surpassed about two years later).

The dam impounds the river to create the Owyhee Reservoir, with storage capacity of nearly 1,200,000 acre feet of water. The more than 400-foot (120 m) tall concrete-arch gravity dam is owned by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and operated by the Owyhee Irrigation District. Haystack Rock Road is carried over the 833-foot (254 m) long crest of the dam.

Water stored at the reservoir is used to irrigate approximately 120,000 acres (490 km²) for use in farming.  Four different irrigation districts utilize the water from Owyhee Reservoir. There are three hydro-power generating facilities at the reservoir added between 1985 and 1993, with seven megawatt and five megawatt turbines at the dam and power sold to the Idaho Power Company. Owyhee has a unique spillway located part way up the dam that utilizes a 60-foot (18 m) in diameter tunnel to send excess water to the river below during Spring run-off.  The United States Bureau of Reclamation owns the facility, and the Owyhee Irrigation District operates the dam.

The most visually spectacular site is the “Glory Hole” spillway with its ring gate control mechanism.

We survived and will again!

The 60 ft. diameter crest of the spillway is located on a promontory in the east side of the reservoir, about 300 feet upstream of the dam.  The ring gate consists of a concrete base and an operable, floating, donut-shaped gate.  A control gallery and a float well are located in an adjoining concrete pier.  The steel ring gate is hollow, and therefore buoyant, so it can float when the chamber fills with water from the reservoir.  The Owyhee River below the Dam is very popular with fly fishers, with the fish average around 18 inches.  The lake also provides excellent waterfowl hunting, and the surrounding hills and canyons offer many opportunities for the pursuit of upland game birds.  A variety of wildlife may be observed in the reservoir area, including wild horses, bighorn sheep, golden eagles, pelican and cormorants.

• Did-ja-know how the Owyhee got it’s name?

In 1819, three Owyhees (Natives of the Hawaiian Islands) were detached from Donald MacKenzie’s Northwest Company’s expedition to trap on the river. When MacKenzie came back to meet them the next spring, he learned they had been killed by a band of Bannock Indians. The river and the country around it were named Owyhee for these men.

• And The fish we’re introduced when?

Browns were first introduced into the lower Owyhee subbasin in 1990

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And how does it help our communities?

• Irrigation of crops $135 million
• Livestock Industry $81 million
• Recreation 155,000 visits-$4.2 million
• Flood Damage Prevented $657,000

 

Seasons come & seasons go......

The Owyhee River flooding? Panic?

After 30 years of fishing the Owyhee River and 8  years of professionally guiding it.  Dreams on the Fly thinks it’s time for  information for all  anglers  concerned, panicked or just plain wondering .  What about the fish or lack of, how about the bugs will there be any?

Based on our experience below you will find our opinions, about short term, long term as well as historical data about snow, weather, water and more!

Snow pack, elevation, weather, timing…they all contribute to determining the flow of the river.  In addition the Owyhee Irrigation District is the managing entity for the water flows on the Owyhee.  The Bureau of Reclamation manages the structure of the reservoir.  The Oregon Fish and Wildlife manage the fish.  The Oregon State Parks and Recreation manage the reservoirs parks and camping.  The Malhuer County Road District manage the roads.  And last but not least the Bureau of Land Management manages most all the land (other than a very small percentage of private land).  Oh yes, there is The Oregon State Police which have  jurisdiction of licensing,  game and traffic violations.  This river has more variables then any river I know.  Now add in the variables about the weather and when, how and what are we going to fish on the Owyhee!

It’s difficult to determine when the fishing will be at it’s best on the Owyhee.  We have put together some data for all who are considering fishing the Owyhee in the near future.  This is data provided by a number of sites that we’ve researched in order to offer you, the angler, a glimpse into the “Crystal Ball”.  We have also give a synopsis of our experience in the past with the water levels, and our “two cents” about when and how the Owyhee River will fish again.

Click this image to see historical snow pack in the Idaho Owyhee Mountains

For all of you who are wondering about the effects of high water on the Owyhee fishery here is our take based on past experiences.  High water on the Owyhee is not a new occurrence, traditionally the river has a spring flush every three to five years.

Short term:
The fish will be displaced into different holding water while the water is high, usually in the willows and slower moving portions of the river along the edges. Most of the fish will survive and be healthier for the extra exercise. There will however be some mortality amongst the older and unhealthy fish that would not have made it through one more season. Yes, some fish in the lower river may be flushed out into agricultural land, but the river and the fish will survive.

The hatches may be messed up or sporadic for the duration of the high water and even perhaps all of this season.  There will be an influx of warm water species such as bass and crappie into the river from the reservoir above, but these fish will not survive for more than a season in the cold river water.

The weed beds probably will be washed out as well as the insects that live in them.  Populations of Callibaetis and Pale Morning Dun mayflies will suffer.
There will be all sorts of debris along the bank as well as dead crappies and bass hanging from the trees.

Long term:
The river bed itself will have been flushed free of silt in many places creating more areas of spawning gravel.  The insects will come back in good numbers especially those insects that are more suited to gravel bottoms such as Caddis and Stoneflies.  The Callibaetis and PMD’s will come back as the weed growth starts to re generate.

By the time the next spawning season rolls around the fish will have re-discovered their old haunts and will be back in the same old places falling for the same old tricks.  Those fish that survived the high water will be healthier for the experience.

And maybe the crowds will have thinned out some, with thoughts that the river has been devastated and does not fish well anymore.

On another note:
Legal guides are only allowed walk and wade fishing on the O below the dam. They may have an Oregon guides license, but they also need a commercial use permit issued by the BLM.  None of the use permits issued by the BLM have any stipulations regarding boat guiding on the river.  PLEASE if you see any guides using watercraft to conduct business on the Owyhee below the dam contact the Vale BLM office and report the violation.  541-473-3144  or email at   OR_Vale_Mail@blm.gov

The Grande Ronde is heating up!!!

Water levels have dropped a bit, however night time temps. are cooling as are the days!  Results have varied, however Dave can get most folks into fish when others struggle.  Something about “going the distance” for the client!  Jeff picked up 4 fish in 45 minutes!  Great day!

Grande Ronde Shaping Up!

Spawning on the Owyhee has begun!

Every October we come to this point, mother nature has it all figured out.  Our beloved home river the Owyhee is host to thousands of Brown trout staging to spawn and give way to an entire generation of new fish.

Jerry P with an Owyhee Brown Trout

Please be careful if you choose to fish, not to disturb the redds.  You will find newly scraped gravel areas, this is where the fish lay their eggs.  After the 8th of October the water flows from the dam will decrease from 250 cfs to 16 cfs.  This makes the redds even more vulnerable to predators not only from man but also from wildlife.  It is our recommendation that you let the Owyhee lay fallow from pursuit of fish while this yearly phenomenon takes place.

Robert Tomes with Ten & Two Magazine guided by Dreams on the Fly on Vimeo

Robert Tomes with Ten & Two Magazine guided by Dreams on the Fly on Vimeo on Vimeo

via Robert Tomes with Ten & Two Magazine guided by Dreams on the Fly on Vimeo.

Drowning on the Owyhee River

When the weather warms, many anglers get overly confident in their wading.  Many go for comfort and ditch the wading belts, many try to wet wade ( at water temps of 52 degrees) when the air temps are really hot, many drink beer or other alcoholic beverages in efforts to keep cool.  None of these methods are a good fix for hot weather.

Although we don’t exactly know what happened, we do know that someone lost their life on our home river (the Owyhee) last night.  Rivers, streams, lakes, oceans and all bodies of water are unpredictable.  Use caution, all the time, every time.  Use the wading staff, link arms with someone while crossing a river, don’t drink alcohol while navigating water bodies.  Use the wading belts to at least slow down the water coming into waders.  If you do end up falling in the water, point your body down stream or at the very least diagonally down!

Keep cool on those hot dog days of summer…here are some tips:

1)  Hydrate with water, reduce caffeine consumption.  Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol, or large amounts of sugar—these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.

2)  Frog toggs are a wonderful way to keep cool:  The Chilly Pad^® provides an innovative way to cool down while enduring outdoor heat and/or high levels of physical activity. Perfect for anyone engaged in sports or work, the Chilly Pad is made from a hyper-evaporative material that retains water while remaining dry to the touch. When wet, the towel begins to evaporate and cool, providing cool, soft comfort to the user. When it stops cooling (about 1-4 hours, depending on conditions), you simply re-wet the towel in hot or cold water and wring it out. Within minutes, it’s cool again. It’s also machine washable, and comes in its own storage container for years of reliable use. Handy size: 27″ x 17″

3)  Sit is out during the hottest part of the day or go find shade to cool off in.

4)  Sunscreen every place that’s exposed.  Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool itself and causes a loss of body fluids. It also causes pain and damages the skin. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) along with sunglasses.

5)  Avoid eating heavy or hot meals before venturing out in the heat, they add heat to your body.

Heat Stroke or Heat Exhaustion?

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.

Recognizing Heat Stroke

Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the following:

• An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F, orally)
• Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
• Rapid, strong pulse
• Throbbing headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness

What to Do

If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:

• Get the victim to a shady area.
• Cool the victim rapidly using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the victim in a tub of cool water; place the person in a cool shower; spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose; sponge the person with cool water; or if the humidity is low, wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously.
• Monitor body temperature, and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F.
• If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further instructions.
• Do not give the victim fluids to drink.
• Get medical assistance as soon as possible.

Sometimes a victim’s muscles will begin to twitch uncontrollably as a result of heat stroke. If this happens, keep the victim from injuring himself, but do not place any object in the mouth and do not give fluids. If there is vomiting, make sure the airway remains open by turning the victim on his or her side.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. It is the body’s response to an excessive loss of the water and salt contained in sweat. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure, and people working or exercising in a hot environment.

Recognizing Heat Exhaustion

Warning signs of heat exhaustion include the following:

• Heavy sweating
• Paleness
• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting

The skin may be cool and moist. The victim’s pulse rate will be fast and weak, and breathing will be fast and shallow. If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke. Seek medical attention immediately if any of the following occurs:

• Symptoms are severe
• The victim has heart problems or high blood pressure

Otherwise, help the victim to cool off, and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour.

What to Do

Cooling measures that may be effective include the following:

• Cool, nonalcoholic beverages
• Rest
• Cool shower, bath, or sponge bath
• An air-conditioned environment
• Lightweight clothing

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps usually affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. This sweating depletes the body’s salt and moisture. The low salt level in the muscles may be the cause of heat cramps. Heat cramps may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.

Recognizing Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms—usually in the abdomen, arms, or legs—that may occur in association with strenuous activity. If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat cramps.

What to Do

If medical attention is not necessary, take these steps:

• Stop all activity, and sit quietly in a cool place.
• Drink clear juice or a sports beverage.
• Do not return to strenuous activity for a few hours after the cramps subside, because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
• Seek medical attention for heat cramps if they do not subside in 1 hour.