September Happenings

Right after posting my last update I received a phone call from my parents that changed my focus for the rest of this last month. I am now able to go to Mexico for our family vacation, and I couldn't be happier. A full week of fishing for big game fish, both on the fly and with conventional tackle. Intermingled with surf fishing, hanging out with my brothers on the beach, and snorkeling (hopefully a little scuba) in the Sea of Cortez.

My hopes are that I will be able to have an even more enjoyable time than I am getting myself psyched to have.

After the first week of no work, I was able to pick up a few trips here and there. The dry fly fishing has been slowly fading into obscurity for the season for me. And it has caused me to have to revert to bobber watching.

For dries, small ant like bugs (mombas, triple doubles, and double uglies) seem to be working the best. With the purple triple double excelling at low light.

And nymphs, a deep gunga rig with assorted small emergers and bead head nymphs up top. And strangely enough, a deep rig with a small black wooly bugger trailed by a juju baetis seems to be working well.

Reel Recovery

On Friday afternoon, I was told of a chance of a lifetime. To share my love of fly fishing with a group of men who would appreciate, and be changed by the sport. A chance to buddy up with men who are suffering the ravages of assorted cancers on their bodies.

I went in to be a teacher of fly fishing, and it wasn't two hours into the first day when I quickly realized I was the student. I met a group of men who showed me courage, hope, humility, and gratitude in ways that are rare to see in this day and age.

Early in the day Monday, the volunteer buddies arrived. Most were seasoned veteran buddies, a couple of us were newbies. All of us were accomplished fisherman in one right or other, most just passionate lovers of the sport, and a few of us were professional guides. We had a bit of a briefing on some of the men in the group of participants as to an approximation of their health at the moment. And their previous experience fly fishing. In my immaturity I secretly hoped to get one of the more mobile and seasoned fisherman. But kharma, God, fate, or whatever it is had other plans. And as usual, the end result of God's plan is much better than what I could have ever hoped for.

My first fishing buddy was Bill, a great older guy who had valiantly fought off one cancer, only to be wracked by another. He had seen many things in his life, a few he shared with me. And had the most outstanding outlook on it all. We worked together on his cast, and some of the basics of fishing with a fly. Unfortunately we never got a fish to the net, but I quickly learned graciousness when he shook my hand and thanked me for the lessons we worked on together.

We then went in to lunch, a tasty and simple meal of cheeseburgers, but the real treat were the conversations that abounded. And the smiles solidly etched in every person at the tables faces. We sat eating, and talking excitedly of the mornings fishing and making plans for the afternoon to come. Stories were shared and laughs were had. During lunch I made plans to fish with my buddy for the afternoon's endeavors.

Since Parr, my buddy for the afternoon, was feeling a little tired and needed a nap to recharge a bit. I went with one of Reel Recovery's facilitators to a small pond that none of the participants were on to see if I could figure the fish out a little better. I thought George, the facilitator, and I would both fish but he, a cancer survivor, sat back and watched me fish. And with a little help from the fish I was able to at least appear I knew what I was doing and hook a few, and land a couple nice trout.

Then after about an hour of tooling around on the pond, I headed back to the lodge to meet up with Parr. I got in and he was still in his room resting, so I made myself comfortable and had a nice pleasant conversation with a few of the others in the group. I then was given a chance to listen to some evidence of the strength of each man in the group's character. Including an overwhelming showing of true gratitude.

Parr then woke up and we headed to the same pond I had fished earlier that afternoon. We sat on the banks of the pond him casting out and getting a few eats that we were unable to land, and listening to his stories of his life. Each story was impressive in it's own right as he was a career military man and doctor, who had travelled all over, done so much, tried so many foods, and lived life as some only dream. And now he was courageously facing the ravages of cancer with all the strength anyone could hope to have. Inside, I hoped against hope to help him into not just any fish, but THE fish. And towards the end of it all it happened. He hooked into and landed a beautiful 23-24" Kamloops strain steelhead. The fish fought hard, and Parr angled him like a seasoned fisherman. The day then drew to a close and a few of us volunteer's took off to our campsite for a little libation and fishing to close out the evening.

The next morning we arrived to find that we were a little short on volunteer buddies, so a few of us were going to buddy up with two participants. I was glad to do it, I spent the morning with Tom, and Craig. Two great guys with great stories, and great big laughs. We fished a couple different ponds, and I definitely got my morning's work out in going between them to have small little anecdotal conversations, maybe change up their flies, and to give them little hints to casting a little better, and suggesting new spots on the water to cast towards. Each man got a few eats, had a couple on, and each landed a beautiful Tiger trout. And again laughs were shared, and insights into life were given to me.

As lunchtime arrived, our fishing was done for the retreat. But we had a closing ceremony in which the participants each shared something that they gained from the retreat, and it was then that I was fully hit by the enormity of what I had been a part of. After the participants shared George walked around the circle talking to each man in a very personal and meaningful way. Hardly a dry eye remained as the one on one conversations cycled through and the Event was closed with a final cheer of the program's motto "Be well, Fish on".

As our goodbyes were shared abounding in photos, handshakes, and heartfelt hugs and thanks'. I hope against hope to see all of them some time in the future healthy and full of life. But I know no matter what, the lessons I learned, and the smiles I saw will stay with me forever. I cannot wait to be a part of this again. So until next time. "BE WELL, FISH ON"

Fun camps.

This last few weeks, I have been working a bit and playing a lot. When the sun has been out the fishing has been quite good. This year, largely due to the flows, we have been seeing days of catching a lot less fish. But the fish that we have been catching have been healthy and angry. I have had more Hot good fights in the last couple months on A than ever before.

When the sun has been high, and the clouds away. I have been having some luck fishing small ant patterns. Black with hackle seems to be the most productive. The lower river has been a lot of fun playing with different hopper patterns. When the sky has been angry, the Purple GT triple double has been best. But more productive is nymphing when the weather smacks ya.

The Walrus Doin his thing

Fire, Great to watch

Another Member of the 20" club

Comp is back. time for some pics

My computer is back up and running and in my hands.

So to kick it off, lets put up some pics long overdue.

Good little Brownie

Salmon Fly

Fishing with an audience

Breaking in the Baby Rainbow Streamer the right way

Fishing at Slough Creek in Yellowstone

Update

July has been a good month, soon after my last post I went to Montana for a week where I fished a few days on the Madison River, and then made my way into Yellowstone park for a few days as well. The fishing was fantastic, as I happened to catch the Salmonflies and Golden stone flies on the Madison. As well as some excellent gray drake and caddis fishing in Yellowstone.

After that fun and relaxing week, and expensive, I hauled booty home in order to make a guide trip for the 16th. After the 16th I worked on and off for a few days, making as much money as I can but still not quite as busy as I would hope.

I have been rowing a lot of A-B days on the few days I have worked, and they have been doing exceptionally well. Hoppers being the main source of fun on these trips.

I will be getting my computer back next week, and when it gets here I will start to update the blog a bit more often. So as always, until next time, Hopefully i'll see you out here for a good day or two. or three, of green river fishing.

Hopper madness is here again

So I have gotten off of a couple days on the river, and I have to say it's about bloody time. The hoppers are finally here again on A. We have been waiting for the dry to start hitting and I am ecstatic. What a homecoming.

A months worth of little adventures.

Well, since my laptop crapped out, and this season has been exceptionally slow. I have been fishing as much as possible as of late.

My weeks have been filled with a little guiding, and a lot of fun floats and fishing adventures on different waters as well as the green.

The weather in Dutch John, was really miserable for a while. Rainy, and blowy, hail, sleet. Just crummy. And when it was so nasty, I was really hard pressed to leave the house. But when I did, it was a lot of fun.

As June waned I picked up a few last trips for the month, and the fishing was somewhat less than spectacular. But better than it had been at the beginning of the month. But in the end, it was a lot better than working a real job.

After my last couple days of work in June I went on a little rally of traveling, partying, and a fair amount of fishing.

Immediately after wrapping up a three day two night campover trip for work, in which it was mostly work, and not much play. My good friend Ryan and I decided to do a little campover of our own. We launched at 7:30 in the evening, motoring through the top half of B, with a little fishing to keep it interesting. The Big Cicada worked well when the sun was on the water. But as soon as we hit the shade, it was all hoppers. The fishing was fairly good and a lot of fun.

We camped at Treetops camp, easily the most beautiful camp on the lower stretch of river. We ate well, relaxed next to the fire and under the stars, and fell asleep with visions of the big fish to come the next day. Unfortunately, the visions never quite hit fruition, But the fishing was still good. And the sun was a real roaster, My nose and face got burnt to a crisp. But with the fishing as good as it was, it was totally worth it.

On the 1st of July, my friend Daniel and I spent the day in SLC, having a good time, relaxing and enjoying being in the city for the day. I then made my way back up to DJ the morning of the 2nd, only to find the guide row cleanup day and subsequent party. That might easily have been one of the biggest I have ever seen up here. My evening ended soon after the arrival of my friends for a series of little adventures.

My good friends Tara, and Kris made their way to DJ for a little 4th of July Weekend fishing and fun. We spent the afternoon of the 3rd on Jones hole, where the fishing was a little less than spectacular. But Joners scenery never dissapoints. It was a beautiful day in the canyon and we had a good time. We then raced home for the fireworks and afterparty in Dutch John.

The morning of the fourth we decided to do a half day float, we floated the "A" section of the Green, with the soul purpose of providing Tara her very first fish on the fly. The learning curve was there, but the fish chose to not cooperate so much, But before the ramp (barely) we finally found success. A beautiful 15" brown. And I think she got hooked harder than the fish.

After leaving the river, the decision was made that I was going to leave DJ for the weekend and come hang out with them in SLC for the rest of the weeked, where we spent the night of the fourth lighting our own little fireworks display and just having a good time with close friends. Then we spent the 5th brewing up a batch of what will soon be a very tasty beer.

Kris and I then spent the day of the 6th fishing the Provo river, and on only my second trip to the Provo, I managed to catch a little brown, not so much but it was my first provo river fish. And I had to work pretty hard to catch that little bugger.

The posts will be few and far between, but I will try to keep some updates going.

The Green has been fishing tough on the upper section, but we have seen PMD's, Caddis, Yellow Sallies, Hoppers, Mormon Crickets, and some Cicada Magnificas (the BIG 17 year cycle cicadas) on the lower river. So it is still a good time and fish the Green.

I look forward to seeing you all out here again real soon.