Float-tubed lake Ballinger, King Co., last week, either the 21st or 22nd -- the second of the two days that the wind was up. Plenty of fish, 8-13 in, feeding on giant red chironomid larvae (size 6-10), scuds, and a tiny whitish crustacean-like organism I couldn't indentify (too small -- size 40? -- to tie a fly for, anyway). My best flies were wooly buggers and Carey Specials.

Neat part was, one of the five or six fish I brought floatside was a cutthroat, with brilliant colors, intact fins, by all appearances a "native" fish; anyway the cutthroat was released although three planted rainbows went to the frying pan, while the other rainbows were released. Everyone on the lake seemed to be catching fish, although the largest appeared to be around 13 inches.

---