A Winter SUP Adventure

Winter.  It can seem to be never-ending.  Months of dark and cold and more cold aren't exactly the kind of things one typically associates with water adventures.  Still, there was at least one brave person willing to challenge nature by heading out on their SUP for a bit of fly fishing fun.

Keith recently told me about a fly fishing adventure on the Little Spokane River.  He said it was something he always wanted to do - spend an afternoon lazily cruising the river while doing a little fly fishing - but life, as it often does, got in the way.

Until early December of last year.  Yes, the temperatures were low (air temps hovered in the upper 30s and 40s), but he wasn't about to let that stop him.  He was gracious enough to share his adventure with me so that I could share it with all of you.

Keith's Adventure

Public Launch, Little Spokane River

On December 3, at about 10AM, I dropped in at the public launch (you do need a Discover Pass to park here when the gate is open) just to the east of Saint Georges School and west of the Fish Hatchery.  I did have to walk an extra 150 yards because the gate was closed.

The weather, from what I remember, was just cold and gloomy.  The experience was still great.  I had the river all to myself.  Just ducks and a couple of deer and me.


Water Temperature, Little Spokane River
I wore a couple of insulating layers with chest waders.  I also wore a rain jacket and a life jacket.  If I fell in, I would have been a little wet and cold, but still safe.  My biggest issue with the cold was my hands, which got wet while fishing.
I did try fly fishing a little while drifting along.  I just sat down on the board sidesaddle and let a dry fly drift along just seven feet away.  Surprisingly, a couple of fish did come and hit the dry fly, which is always fun and a little startling.  I never did hook any of them, which is fine by me. They looked like monster 3" minnows ...

Keith's gear, Little Spokane River
At about 11:30, I pulled out at the Painted Rocks area (rocks painted by Native Americans) and hailed an Uber.  It showed that the Uber would arrive in about 13 minutes, which gave me time to roll up the board and store it away with my other gear.  When Jack rolled up in a sweet Lincoln Navigator, I was ready to hop in (he even had heated seats!).  The Uber ride was only $13.02, which is just a little more than I'd pay to watch a movie at the nearby movie theater.  What a great adventure, how lucky we are to have the Little Spokane River just 15 minutes from our doorstep!
I'd give this adventure 5 stars!
Note: Keith's story is copied here with minimal editing (a few grammer/punctuation corrections only).
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