Cougar In The Willows

VERY LOW THIS YEAR

Hunt For Fish

find a few-------

.. For some reason the flows in Cougar Creek are down a bit for this time of year. Point bars are exposed and the current is confined to the shallow main channel.
.. The willows and thistles are thick and the stream side game trails are bright green between the thickets.
.. Access to these willow bottoms is becoming a genuine problem. Continued closures of trails and tracks mean that many time-honored access points are not available.
.. Motorized access, (motorcycle, 4-wheeler, SUV, truck, car, etc.,) is frowned upon by the USFS. Walking to many of the "good" places is beyond these old legs.
.. Fishing upstream from the confluence with Duck Creek is as tough as it gets. Casting, happily, is a bit easier this Fall with the stream confined to it's deeper portions and more distance from the willows.
.. Crossing is also easier. Still, there are deep holes and the mud is soft and spongy. On the other hand, the crumbly banks are higher and still a treacherous proposition.
.. Terrestrials and caddis are the standard fare, (until a genuine cold spell hits.) Just about any attractor, or a hopper, or beetle will draw fish. Short casts to snags and overhanging brush can find fish. Shade is important and should not be overlooked.
.. The numerous back eddies that Cougar Creek is famous for have become shallow and stale. These areas will also suck you down to your knees.
.. We'll have to wait and see if the Fall rains freshen the upper creek. Right now anything between the confluence and the park line is an exercise in bird and cloud watching - with very small resident trout added for spice.

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