Left a bit later than I would have liked, owing to the possiblity I might be called into work today. ( Happily, I wasn't )

The road to Bench Lake passes through some of the worst-hit area of the 2008 Mt Adams Wildfire. I've seen the aftermath of a blaze before but never on a road I've driven before the fire hit. It was a saddening experience, and not a little frightening to see nothing but charred remains of what had been a thriving forest only a year ago.

On arriving at Bench, about 12:30 in the afternoon, I made two fortuitous discoveries. First, the mosquitoes were not nearly as bad as they were last year, and second, that the fish were biting and they were big While I was putting my boat in, I saw five, count 'em, five people get simultaneous hooks ups. Folks were coming in too, bringing strigners with them of 18" and larger bows

If THAT won't give you some incentive to get out on the water, nothing will.

Not wanting to leave after catching only two fish, ( the limit at Bench ) I skipped the worms at first and tried jigs, something I'd heard about working for trout, but had never really used before. I had numerous hits, but no takes at first. At one point a nice one grabbed my jig while it was close to the boat, broke off before I could let the drag out.

About 5:00 I decided it was time to switch to worms. My first fish was one of the small brookies that inhabit Bench...and which the rangers encourage you to throw back and do not count as part of your limit, bait or no bait.

But then, wham! Something hit the worm I was fly-lining, and took off like a bat out of Hell. It turned out to be 22" Bow. When I netted him and removed the hook, it came out twisted like a pretzel. While retying the hook, I threw out my other worm rig....sliding sinker, for sloating inflated works off the bottom. While putting the worm on the hiook, it split in two, so I decided to switch to power bait, just for this one cast.

I had just finish tying the hook on the other pole, when I got a hit on the one that was in the water.

That fish gave me one of the toughest battles I've ever had. Just when I would think he was finally starting to tire, zzzzzzzzzzeeeeeee! off he'd go on another long run. I don't know how long he and I went at it, but just as I was about to put the net under him, he made a sudden twist and broke off. ( and yes, he WAS at least as big as my first fish. )

I stood up, raised my fist, and then I looked and saw that less then ten yards away from me was a boat with three small children as passengers

This is your lesson in self-control for today, Grasshopper.

Then next fish was another small brook trout...and then it was getting on time to think about heading back; one more cast, with an inflated worms,floated off the bottom..

The fish that hit that worm took me almost clear across the lake on his first run. I mean it; for a second there, I thought he was going to spool me. 24" he was, and after bringing him in, I called it a day. ( Bench has a two fish limit. )

All in all, an incredible, 5-star day, warm, but not hot, and while Bench Lake was anything but uncrowded, I wouldn't call it a zoo, either.

If you go, remember that Bench Lake is on the Yakama Indian Reservation. You'll need permits both to enter and to fish ( Available at a self-serve station at Mirror Lake, on the way from Trout Lake )

In my opinion, they're more than worth it.

Bench the ultimate of love hate relationships lake.
Here is this sweet little pocket lake that is h*ll to get to.
The road would have to be improved to call it a bad road. This road is not for the weak of heart. Followed a trail of oil back up the hill as someone holed their oil pan on the way out. Single lane dirt with limited turnouts.
Lake is small and limited to boats without motors. They (rangers) called in older gent trolling with a elect. motor told him that no motors was NO MOTORS.

I have gone here and camped as this lake has a great view of Mt.Adams. It is quite and a great place to unwind. But
this fishing is slow.. I had two hits in 6 hrs of being here. missed the first one,, that lulled into a sleepy trance that floating and sun can do to you. 2nd fish was a scrappy 15" rainbow. Had my son with me and he got zip. Watched others fish and they also struck out.

Other lakes are much easier to get to and have more action. I go as the Mt. looms so close you can touch it. The lake calls out false hope and I can read a good book while I troll the depths.

Made it up to Bench lake just off mount Adams on Aug 8. This lake is on
the Yakima Indian Reservation and there is an access fee of $5 per day. The
only bright spot of the trip was the fact that the road had been repaired.
Last year we took many 17-20 inch bows flyfishing with nymphs, but so far this
year we have had no success. We did run across some gentlemen who had boated
a 9 lb. holdover rainbow, so there are still some large fish in the water
there. Expect the lake to be planted soon. Water temp in the upper five feet
of water is about 66 degrees right now so maybe fishing will pick up when it
cools down some.