Amazing Fish, Amazing Terrain = Crab Creek

Upper Crab Creek in the channeled scablands of eastern Washinton is a relatively unknown fishery with abundant fish and wildlife and little fishing pressure. Since 1999, our host and guide, G.L. Britton, has leased the recreation on a 4500-acre ranch in east central Washington with almost 5 miles of Crab Creek on the property. While the State allows a 5-fish limit in this watershed, this ranch has been strictly catch and release for 9 years. This has allowed the fish time to frow to the point that an average rainvow is now in the 16-18 inch range with fish hooked almost daily over 20 inches. Along with the wonderful spring trout fishing, we also offer upland birds, waterfowl, and mule deer hunting. The scenery is spectacular with waterfalls, basalt cliffs and an explosion of wildflowers early in the year.

Crab Creek is primarily a nymphing stream with a little streamer fly opportunity. The season runs from mid-February until late June, and again from mid-September until about Thanksgiving. We only run 4 clients per day maximum on the ranch, which makes for a very private and non-competitive enviornment in which to enjoy a day of fishing. Rainbows make up most of the catch with an occasional Brown Trout landed. We practice a strict catch and release policy. Over the last six years this has resulted in our average fish size exceeding 15 inches. Most days several fish in the twenty-inch range will be hooked.

Camping is also available on the ranch in large wall tents heated by wood burning stoves. It is a bring-your--own sleeping bag and pillow operation, but the solitude and nocturnal sounds of the desert result in a truly distinct and memorable evening. G.L.'s knowledge of the region's botany, geology, zoology and history, make for an interesting combination of expert guiding, decent cooking, and continuing points of interest throughout the day.