Lotech's Lodge

Some Flies & Jigs

2011-11-24T05:37:00.000-08:00

Just trying to get through Winter, and Fall isn't even over yet. Here are some flies and jigs I've been tying in anticipation of next Spring.

Damsel Fly Nymph

Baby Perch

Orange Blossom Special

Wanna Be Crappie Fly

Crappie Jig

Wanna Be Crappie Jigs

Black Nose Dace

With any luck at all, we ought to have some Crappie Filets next Summer.

Putting The Garden to Bed

2011-10-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

Winter is on the way and it's time to put the garden to bed. After weeding each bed, I covered the ground with grass trimmings to help keep the weeds down.

Then I cover each bed with a screen to keep the cats out.

Every bed is done with the exception of the parsnips. I remember dad digging parsnips out of the garden with a couple of feet of snow on the ground, so I left them in.

The Five Leaf Grape Ivy is heavy with fruit.

And the Mountain Ash is also heavy with berries. I'm afraid it's going to be a heavier than normal winter.

We had lettuce, carrots, parsnips, zucchini, acorn squash, string beans, cucumbers, Swiss chard, tomatoes, peppers and herbs this year. It's been a good harvest.

Great Day At The Lake

2011-09-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

My partner Sean and I decided to give Clear Lake a try and see what happens.

We were on the water about 7:30 and fished till close to noon. The water temp had cooled some, but I didn't get a reading. I started with a White Magic with red spot and red border, and Sean started with a Perch Scale F7 Flatfish.
SEAN

I got a strike right off, but didn't hook up, and Sean had no action for about an hour. I switched to a Red Magic and Sean put on a brass colored Highland Fling. I hooked and landed 1 fish while Sean kept getting strikes and no hookups. After a while Sean landed a fish, then another, so I switched to a brass Highland Fling also.
ME

We managed to come off the lake with a limit of fish, and most were caught on the Highland Fling. They are a very small spoon that's cut from a flat piece of brass in the shape of a fish. Then it's bent in 2 places and carries a single hook. We drug those behind a Cowbell for me and a Giant Cowbell for Sean. We each caught 5 fish with Sean landing 2 Rainbows and 3 Browns. I caught all Browns, one of which looked a lot like a Tiger Trout. Great day on the water and trout for dinner. How can you beat that?

1st Haircut & Grooming

2011-05-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

Today, our "Lads" had their first professional bath and haircut. We thought that Dexter (the black & white) would be the most difficult. But, it turned out to be that Oliver (the black) raised the biggest Hoop-La. We took them to Pet Smart and Dexter went right in, but Oliver needed some prodding. When we dropped them off, they both suffered some separation anxiety, but Oliver voiced his concern the loudest. During their baths, neither liked it much and the same thing was true about their drying and grooming, but Dexter voiced his dismay more prominently and was the most difficult. When we picked them up, they both were excited to get back home and be with Mom & Dad. The previous pictures are "Before & After" pictures.

Almost 9 Months Old Now

2011-04-01T04:40:00.000-07:00

Our great granddaughter is almost 9 months old now and I hope she never loses her dimples. Her name is Kaiya.

What a charmer!

When did "Happy Hour" end?

New Quilt for our Newest Great Grand Child

2010-11-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

Her name is Lexis Elisabeth Whitman. She was 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and 20 inches long. Here is a picture of the quilt that here Great Grand Mother made for her. She was born to our Grand Daughter Heather in Lewiston Idaho on November 17, this year. Her father, Chris, is serving overseas for our world's freedoms. May the Lord bless all three of them.

St. Joe River, Idaho

2010-10-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

I'm tired of the construction around our house so I'm posting a more pleasant picture to look at when you log into my blog.

This Use To Be Our Driveway

2010-09-24T03:28:00.000-07:00

Work on the sewer continues. This hole is 8 1/2 feet deep. We would have been housebound except for the grace of our backyard neighbors. There is a gate in the fence between our properties, and they let us park our rigs in their front yard. Thanks to Sean & Debbie.

Our House; You cant get here from there.

2010-09-14T17:30:00.001-07:00

They started work on our sewer project again today. We would be house bound, but we managed to get the rigs moved to our back yard neighbor's front yard in time. The way this construction works is, one guy digs the hole and the other guy fills it back in. In between, someone lays the sewer pipe. It's quite an operation and kept us entertained for a good long while. They should be done with the pipes by end of day tomorrow, but nobody knows when they're going to pave. Still, I feel like a little kid watching my Tonka Toys working.

These guys really know what they're doing.

Fishing Enjoyment with Family

2010-09-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of fishing with my cousin and her husband recently at Newman Lake. I have a hard time getting into a boat so they brought a household step ladder along to help. It works great. We traveled quite a ways to get to a place that you can't get to without a motor. This year's fishing has been slow, but on this day we all did very well. I think, (and hope) that the fishing is just going to get better for the next few weeks. A great big thank you to Rick & Debbie. Debbie is my mother's first cousin. But she's still what I call MY COUSIN.

Livin' On A Dirt Road Again

2010-09-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, Aug. 31, Knife River, an outfit out of Idaho, started work on the sewer project in our neighborhood. We're on a culdesac so we had to park one of our rigs in our back neighbor's front yard. They're really nice folks. Anyway, getting around is being a bit different then when we had paved streets. They dug up the asphalt on our street with a grinder and several dump trucks. That grinder operator really knows his stuff. We sat on the front porch and watched for about 2 hours. We felt like we were under temporary house arrest. It was entertaining though.

Poor Taste Ad Campaigne

2010-09-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

I can't believe no one else has complained about this;

This morning my wife watched, and I heard a commercial sponsored by right wing conservatives, designed to sway opinion away from current fiscal policies. We both feel compelled to express our dismay at the way the ad was presented. Regardless of where a person stands politically, left, right, or somewhere in between, it was presented in extremely poor taste.
They chose to use children to convey the message. They used a group of children reciting what sounded like the “Pledge of Allegiance” only in very negative terms. While reciting the message, the children had their hands held over their hearts.
We find it appalling that people who claim to be conservative would use such over the top liberal verbiage, especially in the fact that they used children to defile the Pledge of Allegiance.
In the 1930’s, an evil faction in Europe used the same tactic. He created Nazi youth camps, where children were brain washed to believe in a wicked and racist doctrine. We by no means intend to infer that these people are Nazis, but I could not help but picture these children using the Zeig Heil salute instead of holding their hands over their hearts. My wife and I both believe in our right to free speech, but we both feel that the people responsible for this ad campaign would better served if they publicly apologized and removed it.
I sent copies to msnbc.com, our local nbc affiliate, both of our senators, and our congressman.
I still can't understand why I haven't heard a word about this from anyone.

Time For School

2010-08-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

The boys are six months old now and it's time for school. I don't speak "Dog" but they listen anyway. I think the trick is going to be teaching them to behave without giving them treats. I know they try hard, but I'm also quite sure they have Attention Deficit Disorder.

New Great Grand Daughter

2010-07-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

Kaiya Faye,
Born at 4:30 A.M, July 18th, 2010, 6 pounds 2 ounces, to Michael and Brittany. No complications and a very smooth delivery. What a blessing it is to hold and behold a brand new life. The miracles of God never cease to amaze me.

The Garden Is In

2010-05-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

Spent all day today tilling,fertilizing, prepping and planting the garden. After a full day, and I only fell once, all is ready to go (read grow.) I'll have to wait about 2-3 weeks and do some thinning. Then just wait and look forward with anticipation to some greens and beans. I planted Sweet Pickle Peppers, Zucchini, Pole Beans, Sweet Meat Winter Squash, Swiss Chard and Sugar Snow Peas. Linda planted Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Herbs. Only one item left, Acorn Squash if I can find them. I'm really glad it's done.

Dinner Guests

2010-05-16T06:36:00.000-07:00

I went fishing Saturday and managed only to bring 2 fish to dinner. These boys were more than just a little interested. Looks like I'll have to re-design and repair the screen door today.

The Boys

2010-05-02T06:23:00.000-07:00

I suppose yesterday's non productive fishing day made me really want to bring something home. So, Linda and I went to every animal shelter in the Spokane area and we found these two guys. They are 9 week old Australian Shepherd/Terrier cross litter mates. The all black one is named Oliver, and the black and white is Dexter. Neither dog is housebroken, but they are a bundle of energy and bring us both much laughter.

Marshall Lake Fishing Trip

2010-05-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

Well, it's May Day and Sean and I decided to go fishing at Marshall Lake. We planned on leaving home at about 7:00 A.M. and we left right on schedule. It was sprinkling when we left, but the weather promised to clear within an hour or two. We headed out, optimistic that today was going to be THE day to go fishing. When we arrived at the lake, we were greeted by quarter sized snow flakes. We could barely see across the lake. The snow wasn't sticking but it was too heavy to even consider launching the boat. With fading optimism, we retreated to the comfort of home. Shore lunch was on the kitchen counter.

Up The St. Joe Again

2009-10-28T04:43:00.000-07:00

I told Sean that I wanted to leave town between 8 & 9 AM. At 8:10 we were both loaded up and ready to go. After a quick stop at the grocery for road snacks and incidentals, we were on the road. Sean is new to fly fishing and had never been to the St. Joe before. There was a lot of conversation about how pretty the river and the surrounding terrain was. I've been there several times before but had never noticed a barn on the far side of an irrigation pond. It seemed fitting to get a photo, so I did.

A few more miles up the river we came upon one of my favorite views. I took this photo last year but still like it.

When we reached our destination, luckily there was nobody there. So we geared up and started working the water. Here's a shot of Sean trying to figure out the knots.

At river's edge, the pool I want us to fish looked perfect. There weren't any fish rising, but there wasn't last year either. Not until I started casting to the pool with a Royal Coachman did any fish start feeding. Then it turned into a frenzy, but that was last year. This year there was no action at all. We worked that spot for about an hour with no results. The wind was blowing so hard upstream that the fly always ended up above our lines. That way the fish would always see our lines before they could see the flies. So, we moved on. Just past a steep switchback and river overlook we stopped for lunch.

We found a place with some rocks acting like guard rails and one of them was just right to use as a table. Hence the name table rock.

The scenery there was remarkable. It looked like the Tamaracks were on fire when the sun shone from behind heavy clouds.

It was a perfect place to stop and enjoy brats on a bun with kraut and chips.

We stopped at one more place to fish that looked like it held fish. And again there was no action. Some locals stopped by and asked if we were having any luck. He explained that the fish in the St. Joe are migratory and have moved downstream. I told him about the great luck I'd had last year and he said that opposed to last year, the freak 10 degree cold snap we had a couple of weeks ago had moved the fish early this year. So that's my reasoning (excuse) for us getting skunked on this outing. It was a great day however and we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We were close enough to the upper end of the river that we decided to continue upstream, over the hump to St. Regis Montana. Then I-90 back home to Liberty Lake, Wa. On the way over the hump we came across a reminder that whether you are ready or not, it's on it's way. Winter, ugh.

We are already making plans for next year and we really enjoyed the day. I hope you like the report and photos. Autumn is beautiful on the upper St. Joe.

Alpha Quilt

2009-09-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

One of the programs available at Eastpoint Church in the Spokane Valley is a program called Alpha. It is presented by Nicky Gumble, a vicker at a church just north of London England. It is a 12 or 13 week class and everyone is invited. All questions are legitimate and respect is shown to all in attendance. Some of the classes are "Who is Jesus?" and "Why Did Jesus Have to Die?" There is a weekend away, usually at a bible or church camp, and if you ever want to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit, that's the function to attend. In short, it's an awesome experience. I have attended Alpha 3 times now and have always looked forward to it, and always come away with a fresh perception of Christianity. It is however, expensive for the church to do, so this year Linda has made a quilt to be raffled off, and hopefully defer some of the expense. She has had some problems with a pinched nerve that is effecting her ability to finish the quilt, so she has enlisted the help of her friend Wanda Wemhoff from St. Maries, Idaho to help her finish the quilt. Their collaboration has produced a beautiful quilt and it will be raffled soon at Eastpoint Church. Linda & Wanda, you are both blessed for what you have accomplished. Thank you!

FISHING WITH FAMILY

2009-07-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

July of '09 was a day on Newman Lake. I'd never been able to catch anything at that lake but today was different. Rick & Debbie know the secret to that lake and they were willing to share. Lucky me. They have fished that lake many times and today was my turn to go with them. I think Debbie is the best of the two at catching fish, but I won't tell Rick. After all was said and done, I caught the biggest crappie I've ever caught and 5 bass. Rick & Deb probably caught 6-8 bass between them, 2 or 3 crappies and a bucket full of perch and bluegill. Most of the perch and bluegills went back in the lake. We launched at about 6:45 AM and we were off the water before 10:45 AM. It was a great day on the water, and I can't thank Rick & Debbie enough for having me tag along with them.

James Gang Reunion

2009-05-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, we hosted a family reunion for my family and for Linda's family. We also had a bunch of friends over. Linda and I worked for about 2 weeks solid in preparation. The work was really tough, but the gathering was well worth it. I think we had between 35 and 40 people show up.
A few months ago, Linda and I met some people at church, and because we both liked fishing, that was the subject of most of our conversations. We had been sitting next to them during services for a couple of months. Because we both had interests in fishing, I shared my blog address with them. As stated in the beginning of this blog, I stated that I was a descendant of the James family out of Oakesdale Washington. Well, the next Sunday Deb (the lady that had been sitting next to me) showed up and grabbed my arm and said, "Tell me you're a James." So I said I'm a James. Turns out she is the daughter of my grandfather's brother. Someone my family has always called Uncle Orville. She is Mom's cousin. She and her husband Rick, along with her sisters Donna, Sheila, Dureen and Marsha were all there at the reunion. Also there were several of Linda's kin including daughters Kerry and Kristy, Sister Anita, grandsons Mike and Ron, and nephew Jon with his wife Diane and their two boys Quinn and Jack. Then of course there was a passel of friends. We had BBQ burgers and bratwursts, potato salad, green salad, fruit salad, beans, cake, pies, and too much other food to remember. We found out that some of our friends and relatives really know how to cook. We had croquet' in the back yard and badminton in the front yard. Kids brought skateboards, balls and frisbees. Everyone had a top notch time, and Linda and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

QUILTS FOR THE GIRLS

2009-04-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Girls Quilts
Linda has been building quilts for our two daughters. They aren’t easy patterns, but the kids are worth it. She has had to concentrate very hard to get all the patterns just right. Both girls were allowed to choose what colors and what patterns they wanted. So, her efforts have been monumental in order to give the girls what they want. She is done with the first one, and now working on the second quilt. I really like both the quilts, and I think the girls will like them too. Here are some pictures of both quilts. One is complete, and the other is in progress.

It Was A FUN Show

2009-03-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

Mike, Aaron & Anglin' Archer

Inside Our Booth

The Four Cabelleros

Lotech Joe @ The Vise

Well, the show is over, and it was a great event. We welcomed some new premium members and a few really nice sponsors. It was great being surrounded by nothing but people who fish. All four of us, (Mike-Aaron-Marc-Me)were there all 3 days and we met a lot of really great people. Many of those folks have been casual members for some time. Many have been participating members, and it was great putting faces to names. Some family members and some new members, have upgraded to premium membership. I wanted to buy everything I saw but I only bought one cheeseburger and one ham sandwich. I didn't tie up near as many flies as I thought I would, but I talked way more than I thought was possible. I wish you all could have been there. We're a great family and we're going to get a lot better in the future.
GREAT SHOW

Great Western Sportfishing Show

2009-02-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

I went to the 1st annual Great Northwest Sportfishing Show last year and I was thoroughly pleased with it. This year the show is scheduled for March 6, 7 & 8. I'm privileged to be going as a member of washingtonlakes.com and I'll be there all three days tying flies. The venue is at the new convention center in Spokane, on the N/W corner of Division and Spokane Falls Blvd (old Trent). Here is a link to the show's announcement; THE SHOW
If you get the chance come and see the show, and me, and experience what the Inland Northwest has to offer in the way of outdoor pleasures, then come and enjoy.
God truly blessed us when He made our home.

HOW I WISH I COULD FISH

2009-01-22T17:14:00.000-08:00

When I go fishing, I see a lot of wildlife. Deer, Ducks, Coots, Redwing Blackbirds, Otters, Beavers, Great Blue Herons, Eagles and sometimes the best fisherman of all; the OSPREY. HERE is a link to photos that prove it. Fishing by itself is great. But watching nature adds frosting to the cake. Enjoy.

STILL MORE SNOW

2008-12-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

Beginning of Winter '08-'09

2008-12-18T11:23:00.000-08:00

The boss called today at 5:45 A.M. and told me not to try to get to work today. It looks like winter has finally arrived in full force. So I went out to the garage to get the snow blower cranked up. Wow! I was greeted by a lot more snow than I was expecting. I thought, big deal, I'll plow the driveway and go to work. Even with the snow blower, it took over 3 hours just to clear the driveway. I'm not sure why I bothered because I'm not going anywhere till the snow in the street is cleared. It's drifted as much as 3 feet in places.

Mother & Child are Fine

2008-12-10T16:57:00.000-08:00

YAHOO! Looks like I'm going to have to build a new fly rod. I have a little time though. On this day; Dec. 10, 2008, our grand daughter Heather and husband Chris presented us with a new Great Grand Daughter. At 10:49 A.M. this morning, 7 pound 1 ounce, 20", Porscia Marie, by the grace of God, was presented to the world. Mother & Child are both fine and all the right number of fingers and toes are there. I found myself asking about the baby first and our grand daughter Heather second. There was too much to think about all at once, and as a new Great Grand Father I was accordingly perplexed and befuddled. Just too happy to make much sense one way or the other. Linda made the trip from Liberty Lake to Lewiston this morning and as luck would have it, gas was only $1.549 a gallon. That was a small blessing and I'm sure if gas was $30 a gallon she would have made the trip. We are both looking forward to totally spoiling this child.

ALPHA

2008-11-27T10:29:00.000-08:00

ALPHA

Currently, I’m involved with a 3 month bible study group called Alpha. Alpha is a study of the tenets of Christianity. There are 14 studies with study numbers 8, 9 & 10 done at what is called the weekend away. One of the sessions is called “Who is Jesus.” Some of the other sessions are called Why Did Jesus Have to Die, How Can I Avoid Sin and Why and How Do I Pray. The course is presented by a man named Nicky Gumbel who is Vicker of the Holy Trinity Church in Brompton, England. The weekend away was spent at a church camp on Silver Lake just 15 or so miles west of Spokane. All the other meetings have been at Eastpoint Church in the Spokane Valley. At these meetings, we have dinner, sing some praise songs and watch a 30 or so minute video about that day’s lesson. Afterward, we have a discussion around the table of what that day’s lesson means to us. Alpha utilizes a great format where all questions are legitimate, and no one is the teacher. We have a table host who asks questions from a leader’s guided book, and 1 or 2 helpers who are there to help stimulate conversation. This is the 3rd time I’ve attended Alpha, with the last two times being used as a helper. Maybe next time I’ll be the host.
One of the unique things about this study group is the friendships you make along the way. Opening up and revealing some of your intimate feelings about Christianity has a way of making lasting friendships.

At the weekend away, the study is about the Holy Spirit. The lessons are Who Is The Holy Spirit, What Does The Holy Spirit Do, and How Can I Be Filled With The Spirit. It’s a very powerful weekend! If you have ever wondered what it’s like to have The Holy Spirit fill your life with His presence then this is a class you will not want to miss. Personally, I really enjoyed the weekend away and I look forward to the last few meetings.

Heather's Baby Shower

2008-11-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

Linda went to Clarkston Wa. yesterday (Nov 8) to attend a well put together baby shower in honor of our soon to be here Great Grand Daughter. Heather and her husband Chris are expecting Porscia' Marie sometime in the first week of December. Linda had taken one of her hand made quilts as a gift for Porchia' and she had a great day getting to see some very good friends and of course family. The shower was hosted by Linda's daughter Kerry (Heather's mother) and Gloria her dad's girlfriend. It was a great time for Linda except for the trip home. It was pouring rain with a lot of standing water on the roadway. And, coming down the hill into Spokane the fog was so thick that she told me when she got home that the white line on the right side of the road was a good friend to have. I enjoy it when Linda has fun,and this was one of those times. We are both anxious to see the baby when she arrives.

A New Rod Build

2008-11-07T18:14:00.001-08:00

First thing I had to do was to make sure the reel seat fit the rod. When I ordered it, I asked that it be specially bored to .438" so it would fit. Next thing was to fit the cork grip. It was too long so I had to shorten it by about 1" and sand it flush. Once I acquired the desired length, I bored it out with a rat tail file to a snug fit on the rod blank. Then I assembled the reel seat, cork grip and rod blank using a 50 minuted two part epoxy from Lowe's Hardware. Next thing was to fit the winding check in front of the cork grip. With all that in place it was time to attach the guides and tip top. I decided on chestnut colored nylon wrapping thread with black tipping. The spacing for the guides was determined by a chart made available by Al Campbell from Fly Anglers Online. A website dedicated to fly fishing. With all the guides and tip top in place,I applied a double coat of Gudebrod Rod Varnish to the wraps and let it dry in the rod turner. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Last but not least was a label made for me by Eppie Lew. (Handcrafted By Lotech Joe)She works at the same label shop where I work. I think it looks great.

New St. Joe Pics

2008-10-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

The Shadowy St. Joe

2008-10-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

THE SHADOWY ST. JOE

In those tales & fables written by venerable old friends, we hear stories of ancient rivers and streams brimming with hungry trout ready to eat any hapless bug floating downstream through a foam line or seam between fast water and slow. Such was a day on the St. Joe River of northern Idaho. Don’t get me wrong though, while those highly educated cutthroat were sipping dries, they were also ferociously attacking small streamers, and they were tempted out of some 8-12 foot deep pools to do so.
It wasn’t the best of fishing because we had to work hard for our fish. But, it was the best of fishing trips.
It tumbles out of the Bitterroot Range on the west slope of the Rocky Mountains, and then travels through deep canyons, steeped in history. Added to by a myriad of tributaries on its journey, it builds in volume and flow. The St. Joe is a freestone river & as such can be a difficult river to wade. The riverbed is cobbled with an abundance of round river rocks, and can be tricky to maintain balance. Marble Creek, not the least of tributaries, joins the main flow a few miles below the town of Avery. An exploratory trip up Marble Creek should take you to several enchanted campsites, streams and ponds.

At the confluence of the St. Joe and Marble Creek is an interpretive center.
The museum there (closed when we visited) explains a great deal about the history of the logging industry in the region. If you are there when it is open, stop and visit. It is worth the delay in your fishing trip. It is boarded up during the off season, but in the summer and early fall it is open to the public, and it displays old photos and artifacts depicting what logging was like in days gone by.

On its way out of the deep canyon gorges, it travels through the lowland valleys, and past the town of Calder. A community fishing pond at Calder has been established by Buell Brothers Logging.You are welcome to use the pond, but only if you use it responsibly.
Below Calder, the river travels through widening flats, more private property, ranches and commercial camping areas. By the time it gets close to the town of St. Maries, it goes past the “Misty Meadows Campground.” A great place to camp on the lower St. Joe, alongside the river, with full amenity hook-ups. (No RV dump-I think) A few more miles downriver, and you are in St. Maries, a town of 2,600 with all you need as far as groceries, gas, hospital, high school, hardware, sporting goods, liquor and laundromat.
Below St. Maries, the St. Joe dumps into Lake Chatcolet, then into Lake Coeur d’ Alene, then the Spokane River, then the Columbia and finally the Pacific Ocean. The St. Joe River is noted as the highest in elevation, fully navigable river in the USA.
While backpacking in the hills and ridges, camping in the flats or travelling the river bottoms, it wouldn’t be uncommon to encounter several species of animals. Deer, bears and moose are all fairly common. Ruffed grouse and blue grouse are everywhere. I haven’t heard of mountain lions in the area but I’m sure they are there also. On my first visit to the St. Joe drainage, I stopped to watch several fish rising and I was pleasantly rewarded with the sound of elk bugling in the canyons. On my last trip in, as I rounded a bend in the road, I was surprised to see two mountain goats sunning themselves high on a rock outcropping. I didn’t know there were any mountain goats in the region, but there they were. It seems like with every mile travelled there is candy for the eye and a treasure for the memory.
The history of the area includes mining and extensive logging, continued even today. The region is a Mecca for big game hunters and is of course, a blue ribbon destination for fly fishers.
One of the really neat things about this river is the availability of camping. Along its 90+ mile length is a myriad of camping locations. Some are maintained with permanent outhouses and flat asphalt pads for camp trailers. These camp spots each have a campfire ring, BBQ and permanent camp table. If memory serves me, the cost is in the $6-$8 range per day. If that is more than you want to spend, there are almost unlimited, totally rustic sites available. If your lodging needs lean toward something more secure, there is a motel in the town of Avery. Also available there, is a laundromat. And, Sheffy’s is like a remote lost in the woods “one-stop” with groceries, gasoline, propane and fishing supplies. It is also a great place to find one of those big bratwursts on a hardtack bun.
The Fishing!
All of the St. Joe is catch and release for cutthroat. From Avery upstream is single barbless hook and artificial fly. No droppers. The North Fork of the St. Joe, which runs north from Avery for about 30 miles, is the same. No dropper, single barbless hook, and artificial fly. The fish that inhabit the river include Whitefish, Bull Trout (which must not be removed from the water) and of course the Native Westslope Cutthroat. Cutthroat run from 8” to about 20”. The 18”-20” trout are extremely rare, with 10”-14” being the norm. The Bull Trout can get as big as a few pounds but they are also very rare.
I’ve seen cutthroat caught on streamers and nymphs, but upstream and dry is how most everyone fishes. My favorite flies include: Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis, Red Humpy, Yellow Humpy, St. Joe Special (looks like a black gnat with grizzly wings), PMD’s, BWO’s, and a small Sparkle Caddis. But, my all time favorite is the upright feather wing Royal Coachman.
The St. Joe River is a unique and beautiful fishery, and it should be on everyone’s “at least once” destination list. As such, it can also be very vulnerable. It deserves our kindest treatment and highest respect. If we as sportsmen, in whatever user group we’re in, treat that river right, it will treat us right for many years to come.

So, Welcome to My Homewaters!
Come, Fish It, Enjoy.

Linda's Handywork

2008-10-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

Linda has been working hard at her passion. For over 3 months she has dedicated herself to a wall hanging quilt. Her efforts are very welcome in our house and appreciated a great deal by her soul mate. (ME) If you look close enough, you can see the free motion stitching that adds so much to a quilt that is already beautiful. The colors she selected are perfect for the setting she has chosen for this project. Take a look and enjoy her work.

Marshall Lake

2008-09-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well it was another beautiful day at Marshall. Marc and I set out from his house at about 8:30 AM and made the 1 hour or so trip to Marshall Lake. We took pontoon boats. Mine on my trailer and his in his truck. Very few people on the lake when we got there, and it stayed that way till probably mid afternoon. We were trolling nymphs of various colors getting short strikes off and on. Water temp at the surface was about 63 and at 80+ feet is was 45. Most fish were at the 25 to 40 foot level suspended over deep water. We even marked several fish close to the bottom. That seems quite deep to me for cutthroat, but as far as I know, that's the only fish in that lake. It was perfect weather with only an occasional gust. While I was trolling, I found that because I have to push so much water, I couldn't go quite fast enough. So, I put my rod in the rod holder and started using the oars. The slightly faster pace of the oars paid off for me. I managed to bring 5 fish to hand. I was using a claret colored bugger style nymph with plenty of crystal flash. The hook size appeared to be about a size 10 or 12. I would play out almost all my fly line and troll slow with the oars. Then just wait for my rod to start talking to me. At about 5:00 PM, Marc started getting hits on the surface using a renegade. That fly always seems to work at Marshall. All in all, it was a great day and I'm glad I got the chance to go back once more this year.

Isaiah 40:31

2008-08-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They will rise up with wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

Have faith in the Lord and in the end you will always triumph. God has more soldiers than Satan.

Fish Lake Outing

2008-08-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

I hadn't been fishing in a while and felt like I needed to go. So, I called an old friend, Jeff, and we went to Fish Lake. The picture above is the set-up I use to do most of my fishing. Fish Lake is on the back road halfway between Spokane and Cheney, just past the little town of Marshall. The lake was like glass for most of the day with only occasional breezes. Until late afternoon, we were the only people on the lake except for three kayakers. We couldn't have picked a better day to go. Except that is for the fish. I caught two of the smallest Bluegills I've ever seen. Jeff had a better day catching three Tiger Trout. Tiger Trout are a cross between German Browns and Brook Trout. They are sterile as a result of being crossed, and were introduced to Fish Lake to rid it of the Bluegills. One of these days, I hope to figure that lake out so that the catching is at least as good as the fishing. It was a wonderful relaxing day!

Another Bamboo Rod

2008-08-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like I'm building another bamboo fly rod. I traded a collectible fly box for and old Heddon fly rod. It needs a new grip, reel seat and guides. I finished the grip and reel seat and before long I had to take it outside and test it. I found that with a Cortland 333 WF9F,I could get 60+ feet out of my casts. Looks like it's a salmon or steelhead rod. It's going to be fun.

Linda Quilts! Yes She Does

2008-08-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, Linda saw a news item that showed children in an orphanage in Afghanistan that were using a light bulb to stay warm during cold weather. It inspired her to start a ministry at our church called "Comfort Quilts." She would make quilts, and organized others to do the same. They would then be blessed by our pastor, and shipped to Afghanistan for those orphans. Since then she has been making baby quilts for all the homes around Spokane that house battered and abused mothers and children. She has also made many quilts for friends and family. She makes me very proud. This is just one of her offerings. It's called, "Hangin' With The Kitties."

One of Linda's Flower Beds

2008-08-06T20:06:00.000-07:00

Linda has put many hours into our yard and it shows. This shot shows our fountain bird bath and some of her cosmos annuals. The bird bath attracts many different kinds of birds including wild canaries. They are a bright yellow with vivid black markings. And, they are a genuine pleasure to watch.

Building a Bamboo Fly Rod

2008-08-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

Recently I built a bamboo fly rod for our neighbor's 10 year old daughter. I wrote an article about the project and posted it on washingtonlakes.com . Here is a link to that article.

Fishing Partners

2008-08-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

These guys are three of my fishing partners. This was a day at Medical Lake, fly fishing for Rainbow Trout and German Browns. We all fish from pontoon boats like these.

1 Cor 3: 16-17

2008-08-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
This tells me that we need to be good to each other. Because if we've given our lives to Jesus, The Holy Spirit lives in us.

Fishing the Lochsa

2008-08-04T05:03:00.001-07:00

Steve and I getting ready to ply our passion on the Lochsa River in north central Idaho. Linda and I took our vacation at the Three Rivers Resort in Lowell Idaho, Sept. 2007. Lowell is about 98 miles up the Clearwater River from Lewiston. It's where the Lochsa and Selway rivers come together to form the Clearwater.

Our Home

2008-08-03T20:13:00.001-07:00

This is the front walk of our home in Liberty Lake. We put a lot of work into the yard, and it has become a very pleasant place to relax after all the work is done.

The Purpose of My Blog

2008-08-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

I've created this blog to share some of the thoughts, ideas and ideals that are important to me and my family. It will include news and photos about our home, our work, our vacations and pleasures and our relationship with Jesus.