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| Gunsight Mountain |
Steven, Buddy and I had talked about making today's Total Eclipse, a once in a lifetime fly fishing event by sitting on Anthony Lake for the day. Dale (club secretary) had emailed all club members that this was our intention, several replied that they had jobs, or busy elsewhere, and unable join us for the very rare occasion to log into their fishing diaries. Therefore to share this rare event with all, Dale is posting to the club's blog.
5:30 am for Steven, 6:30 am for Buddy and I, this day started under clear blue skies as we headed for our favorite trout lake; nearer the sun, moon, and stars at 7100 feet elevation.
When Buddy and I got to I-84 it looked like most of Portland's morning traffic was headed east - the same direction which we were headed. Steven said he experienced the same when he got to I-84 coming out of Tri-Cities. This did not concern me much until we got pass La Grande, then I began to worry... How many of these people / vehicles had the same idea in mind as Steven, Buddy and I... Let's Go High and Enjoy the extraordinary view of this very rare event.
Last week, last Wednesday Steven, Buddy and I had been on Anthony Lake, when the east side entrance using NFR 73 was closed by the Bear Butte Fire.
During last week's travel using Hwy 395, and coming from Ukiah on NFR 52, I had passed only 2 vehicles in that 48 miles drive from Ukiah up to the lake. Oh what a difference 5 days can make.
Last week, last Wednesday Steven, Buddy and I had been on Anthony Lake, when the east side entrance using NFR 73 was closed by the Bear Butte Fire.
During last week's travel using Hwy 395, and coming from Ukiah on NFR 52, I had passed only 2 vehicles in that 48 miles drive from Ukiah up to the lake. Oh what a difference 5 days can make.
Talking during our lunch break, Steven and I exchanged the same feelings; that on our way up the mountain each had wondered / questioned if we could get our boat to the lake's boat launch this morning, or would we be hiking up to the lake from a mile or so away? Would we be able to have our boats on the water for the eclipse event, or be standing in line with many others to watch this eclipse??
It was a beautiful morning's drive into the Elkhorns, surveying the damage done by the Bear Butte Fire that had burned the mountains, and closed the roads to the lake the previous two weeks.
As we got closer to Anthony Lake, there was less and less traffic, until we ran into NO traffic at all. When Buddy and I got to the lake, we found only our fishing pal Steven at the boat launch, in bright morning sunshine along with a squirrel munching on its breakfast.
Steven and I got our pontoon boats geared up, lake worthy and jumped in.
As we got into the lake there was a very slight shadowing effect taking place across the area.
The "darkness" progressed until 10:25. At that point wearing our solar eclipse glasses we did not witness a full black out of the sun, even though we were in the path of Totality. I did get a few photos of the eclipse in progress using my Eclipse glass to shield my camera's lens.
I was amazed the we did not go into total darkness, and that I could not, did not see any stars in the sky as I had expected.
After Totality had come and gone, we fished on. Both Steven and I caught 2 fish not long after sunshine brightness returned to our world, and then the bite was off until after lunch.
VIDEO - click box in right corner for FULL SCREEN viewing -VIDEO
After lunch we both hooked into a number of fish. I watched a lone fisher work the lake for maybe an hour, catching nothing that I could tell about. A beautiful sight - white head and tail blazing bright white - while in flight under the sun.
After lunch we both hooked into a number of fish. I watched a lone fisher work the lake for maybe an hour, catching nothing that I could tell about. A beautiful sight - white head and tail blazing bright white - while in flight under the sun.
Steven landed a couple more, and kept two for the day for his neighbor, and I landed two more before sunset for my day's catch of four. When casting distance is not an issue, these Anthony Lake triploids are a lot of fun coming in on the ole SPL 2-wt.
While Steven and I spent most of the day working at catching dinner for neighbors and self, Dale's Buddy watched patiently at the boat launch, greeting everyone and their doggie coming by. At the end of the day Buddy was also exhausted.
A great day to be alive, another great day of catching at Anthony Lake.
A great day to be alive, another great day of catching at Anthony Lake.
A report by Dale McKain
Tight lines and good fishing.
Walla² Fly Fishers
