Jeff Norman
Lake Hannan – June 6 Outing Report What the Hail Happened? By Jeff Norman, OFFC President “Situational Irony (noun): Marked by a striking reversal of what is expected or intended.” — Merriam‑Webster Online In fly-fishing, we learn to manage the curve cast — but what about a curveball? Especially when the pitcher is Mother Nature. Such was our adventure at Lake Hannan during the first week of June. June, with flowers in bloom, bees pollinating, birds in the nest, and lake waters warming. What could possibly go wrong?We’d enjoyed pleasant weather in the days leading up to June 6. But by mid‑week, forecasts converged on a less cheerful outlook: pass‑level snowfall, small hail, and a chance of thunderstorms. The low was expected to lift by late afternoon, so I made the call to proceed with the outing.Twenty‑two OFFC members signed up. Lake Hannan has its quirks and mysteries, but it can reward the persistent with fish in the 20‑inch class. I arrived at 8:00 AM to dry, cloudy, calm conditions — dry at home, dry on the drive, dry at the lake.I launched at 9:00 and headed for the west end, an area I hadn’t fished much before. The first squall hit at 9:30: a cold downpour, then lifting clouds and flat calm. I was layered for foul weather — wool, synthetics, parka, half‑finger gloves — and figured I could handle several hours of on‑and‑off storms. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. About the only thing we didn’t get was a thunderstorm. I checked in with every angler to make sure they were layered up and staying warm. I reminded folks to keep hypothermia in mind and head in if needed. I’m pleased to report that everyone took the conditions seriously and dressed accordingly. But the squalls kept coming. I counted three that delivered small hail. Most anglers were off the water by 1:30 PM, though Kim Chandler and Robin Twyman made a second foray once conditions briefly improved. Fishing Results Despite the weather’s best efforts, we have some solid curveball hitters in this club. I don’t have all the stats, but I was told that Michael Supple and Paul St. Pierre each landed two 20‑inchers, and Kim Chandler caught one as well. I managed a 12‑inch fish stripping a small bead‑head olive Woolly Bugger, and I know others caught multiple fish. Looking Ahead We’ll get another crack at Lake Hannan on September 19. Here’s hoping for a warm day and a big dragonfly hatch. Kudos to the Intrepid Dozen Thank you to the hardy anglers who fished through the elements:
Michael Supple, Paul St. Pierre, Rodney Bryan, Robin Twyman, Kim Chandler, Tony Brooks, Brian Huntoon, Terry Provonsha, Ralf Miret, Greg Mortensen, Bill Courshon, and Ron Gibson. My apologies to anyone I may have missed — please let me know and I’ll update the report.
Regards,Jeff Norman425-351-0799
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