Fished Chimney Tops Lately?

[ijsouth]

I love the entire WPLPR watershed, but one thing I've noticed is that it can push quite a volume of water down its streambed. Even back in November, the last time I was up, the water was higher there than anywhere else - I had to be very careful wading. I second the boulder-hopping scenario described above, and would add that it seems, at least to me, to be particularly slick as well - I always end up with a new gash or bruise on this stream. However, it's great, particularly in the warmer months, when it seems to be a bit cooler than other streams.

[Rog 1]

I recall reading somewhere that the WPLP has the highest gradient of any river east of the Mississippi....this may not be accurate but after spending a day rock hoppin up through that gorge it will get my vote....a lot easier to fish when the water is managable.....have spent many a day elsewhere in the park after getting to a put in point on this river and looking at the water....I have found that the upper reaches do fish better in the warmer months through October.

[oody3wt]

The WPLP is a pretty gnarly stream. My buddy is on the olympic kayak team and trains up there when its pushing high volumes. He says its a great place to lose life and limb. I like the fishing.

[pineman19]

oody3weight,

Your buddy has more "Stones" than me, I wouldn't wanna take on one of those big greenback boulders head on in a little kayak. I'll stick to wading when the water isn't too high.


Neal

[nvr2L8]

After a particularly hard rain in early fall (one of the few last year), I went up to Road Fork and WPLP. WP was raging but, since I made the trip, I tried to find some spots along the edge where I could at least throw a fly or two. As I had my head down tying on a fly, I heard this CRASH that just about made me jump out of my skin and it was a kayak hitting a boulder in mid-stream. In all, there were 12 kayaks that past me on the stream in a short time and they were flying down through the gorge. One was using oval paddles strapped to his hands that looked like a sure-fire recipe for torn rotator cuffs.

Needless to say if it was a great day for extreme kayaking, it was a lousy day for fishing but it was pretty crazy just watching those guys roar down the river - scary stuff!

[jeffnles1]

My son and I fished up there last summer. The water was pretty good considering the drought and we caught a fair number of fish from the picnic area to about 300 yards upstream. Like has been said, it's a lot of boulder climbing. Some of those rocks are the size of my living room. Be careful as the space between the rocks on the stream bed can catch you by surprise and what is knee deep water can suddenly become chest deep in about three inches of space.

Here is a photo I took of the area. It is quite beautiful and worth the fishing. Just be cautious of where you step and watch out climbing over and around the boulders. They can be slick. I fell once but did not hurt anything more than my pride. What hurt most was when my 12 year old son started laughing and reached down his hand to help the senior citizen up off the ground.

Jeff

[Rog 1]

Great photo....that river used to be a sportsman stream when I began fishing in the Park....anything under 16" had to be released...the numbers game at this time was unbelievable...60 fish days were not uncommon..there was also a hatchery in the picnic area that was a campground back then....largest trout I have taken in the park came out of the lower gorge several years ago...16" bow on a #14 EHC....