Rocky Ford Creek foot bridges replaced for anglers

No longer are anglers getting the run around at Rocky Ford Creek, a fly-fishing holy water north of Moses Lake.

A $185,000 project to install two new foot bridges has restored safe access to the trails on both sides of the trout stream at both the upper and lower ends near Trout Lodge fish hatchery.

During the spring of 2013, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife engineers inspected the lower footbridge and closed it for safety reasons. Bank erosion along the eastern and western shorelines had caused the footbridge approaches to fail and compromised the wooden piers the footbridge rests on.

The agency looked to the long-term and replaced both of the rickety old wooden bridges, installing new, strong metal models on re-graded approaches and new footings.

Rocky Ford Creek is a prize in the desert that’s especially popular with fly fishers in winter and early spring. Anglers must walk to the areas they want to fish, and wading is prohibited.

Anglers don’t seem to mind these restrictions. Some of the rainbows are huge.