Figuring the Snoqualamie was going to be our best shot, Saukit2em and I departed Seattle at 0-Dark-30 for Fall City. The temp was 28 degrees with little to no wind. It stayed this way until we arrived at Fall City. Within a mile of Fall City, the temp rose to 54 degrees with wind gusts that must have been 30+.

Back in the days when I lived in Wally Wally, these were known as Chinook Winds.

Not wanting to fight the winds, we took off for the Skykomish. Again, a mile or so down the road, the temp dropped down to 28 degrees with no wind. By the time we made it to Sultan, the winds had just hit and the temp was back up to 54 degrees. People were fleeing the river at a furious pace at this time. By now, it was no later than 8:00 am.

Figuring the winds were not going to stop, we called it a day and went home.

Who fished Plum's down or the Sultan to Ben Howard on Sunday morning. If you got caught in the winds, did they die down, or did you fight them all day long? How was the fishing that we missed?

Parker

[This message has been edited by parker (edited 01-08-2001).]

Fished Fall City to Neal Rd on Sunday, and it was indeed windy. Never did die down, although there were some areas we found that were somewhat protected. It was indeed strange that it was a warm wind. Felt almost like spring fishing.

There were a few fish caught, but it was much slower than I expected.

I launched at 7:00 fished plums and decided to stay close to the trailor to see if the wind would calm down, never did. pulled out about 10:00. I too expected good fishing, the water was a little high but had great color. saw 1 fish hooked by a guy in a sled,it was quite comical to watch with big water and high winds and probably a 20 lb anchor,lesson here is don't drop the hook in the bottom of a tailout with a 20# anchor in high winds unless you really want to look like a fool!!

Sounds like what the forecasters call "foothill winds". I've known it to be quite calm near Carnation and blowing fit to knock limbs off the trees at Falls City and along the David Powell Road. The same thing occurs on the Skykomish along a line somewhere between Monroe and Sultan. It usually begins in mid-morning and lasts until evening. I don't know what the precise meteorological explanation is, but it's the same phenomenon that can occasionally cause hundred mile-an-hour winds in Enumclaw.

Skykomish Valley wind when there is a low pressure system off the coast (high pressure on the east side) is strong down the pass to about Ben Howard. After that it disapates. I live on the north slope between Ben Howard and Sultan and it was blowin strong. Took a ride up Ben Howard Rd from Monroe to Sultan and talked to the fishers around Ben Howard who said they didn't have a problem, the one's up by Sultan were blown off. So I put the boat in at Ben Howard and fished to Tualco starting about noon on Sunday and had no wind problems. Went home and it was still blowing like crazy. Go figure.

Beezer

The winds were strong enough in Sultan to knock over a large tree that ended up on someones truck in the sultan boat launch parking lot.

Glad somebody else noticed. I was fishing at Flaming Geyser on Sunday morn, thought it might've been just me. It wasnt real windy but you could definitely feel the warmth. When it blew the brush (frost) would start to melt almost instantly.

I will fish in the rain, sleet, snow, hail, freezing rain, nuclear fallout, but I will put my tail between my legs and leave the river in a heartbeat if the wind is blowing as hard as it was Sunday. I left the Sno and the Sky at Goldbar was even worse. Jeez, Parker almost lost his favorite G Loomis hat in the parking lot and he kept telling me to "hurry up in that sanikan, dammit! There's a tree ready to fall over on your boat!". Ironically, I guess that a tree really did fall on that guys truck. That totally sucks and it's a good thing he wasn't in it when it happened.

I also did the Plum's to Fall City drift on Sunday, don't know what I was thinking. I could have pulled a skier behind my driftboat the way the winds were blowing. I don't think I've ever seen a wake come off my tub before. I'm with Justin, I'll fish in just about any condition...except the wind.
Last time I'll do that....

Kev

Encountered very simular winds on my cat scary ...I'm with ya on this...Not again....Os

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Row Quietly and fish a Cataraft
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