Falling Up

There's a chill in the air, the thermostat is up, and the colors are popping in Logan Canyon.  One of our favorite times of year.  The Waterfowl season has begun, fish are hungry, and there isn't a bad view no matter where you look.  It's panic mode around the hatch house trying to determine how to spend a Saturday... fish? hunt? pics?.... all of the above?.... yep.

Want a "misty morning" look to an image?  Breathe hot air on your lens and then take the pic....

  My kind of fall colors

See the duck....

....get the duck

Have you heard?  Purple flies are all the rage.

Yep, that's my fly rod.  Logan Canyon beavers are a little more than eager.

Double Dipping the Fork

For hunters living on State borders, double dipping is shooting a limit in one state, then driving across the border to shoot a limit in another state (obviously, you need licenses in both States).  Technically, this is legal but frowned upon.  To flyfishers, double dipping is hitting up a body of water that was producing the previous trip and doing it all over again.  To George Castanza, double dipping is just the way chips and dip are consumed.  Gear Guide Wyatt and I double dipped the South Fork after our Labor Day trip.  The double dip produced.

If you've never fished the South Fork, there are gravel bars all over the lower section (of the upper section).  They are in the middle of the river and untouchable by wade fisherman.  They drop off into deep runs, allowing you to anchor and then work the edge.  Gear Guide Wyatt on the edge.

Not a UFO, PMD

We managed 5 species in one day (fivecta?).  Cutt, Brownie, Bow, Whitey, and this Sucker.... sucker.

Bonkin' on The South Fork

You may or may not have heard, but the South Fork of the Snake River is a cutthroat fishery, a Yellowstone cutthroat fishery, to be exact.  Well, tell that to the rainbows that have been making their home in the cool tailwater for the last 40 years.  What's da problem wit dat?  They have been hybridizing with the cutts and slowly eliminating the pure Yellowstone strain.  Among other efforts, the IDFG has asked anglers to bonk the bows.  However, I'm not sure if everyone has been bonkin' them, we caught bows 3 to 1 over the cutts.  Well, the Hatch did our part and filled the cooler with some bonked bows.  My pepsi had a distinct fish smell the next day at work (yes, we have day jobs), but I was more than okay with it.

(You can read more about the hybrid issue and other efforts on the S.F here)

 

 

 

 

 

A true native.  Given the whitey some love...

 

Bonker!

 

 

 

Bonneville, population 24

I love fishing our home waters for Cutthroats.  Bonneville Cutthroats are the native fish to the Bear River drainage and our backyard.  Well, technically, the Rocky Mountain Whitefish is the true native, but no one really wants to admit it.  The Bonneville Cutthroat has been adopted by Wasatch Fronters as the offical State Fish of Utah.  I think they were trying to make up for naming the seagull as the state bird.... Anyway, our rivers have finally hit what we consider a fishable flow and clarity.  Anglers have been having luck all summer long, but The Hatch doesn't consider the river fishable until we can stand in the middle of the river and not end up at 3rd dam, being hooked by a bank fisherman throwing hamburger on treble hooks.  Ironically, the first time we are able to fish the river, we are already into hopper season.

Even the Deke'r got out

"Hey, you new 'round here?"

Saltwater and a Few Odd Catches

When in Rome.... We found ourselves visiting family in the Puget Sound.  No trouts, but we did find a few catches.  Crabs and pink salmon (yes, there is still love for pinks) made for some very tasty meals.

Go to Seattle, get the crabs...

So I head out in the boat, Rooster stays ashore.  I get skunked, Rooster catches this guy from the shore.  Yes, we bonked them.  No catch and release when there's salmon on your line and the barby is just feet from the beach.

A different kind of catch...

And yet another kind of catch.  Pike Street Fish Market.  The whole fish toss thing was a little anti climatic.

The view from Sweets' brothers beach house.  How would you like to wake to this every morning?  Yes, that is Mt. Rainier through the window

 Aaaaah, guess what Deke is getting ready for?  6 weeks away, time for daily workouts.

Friday Popcorn Reel 8/19

Will Benson set out to catch a Salt Slam in one day, by himself.... no, I mean really by himself.  He did all of the guiding, filming, and editing by himself.  Not bad.  So, 4 cameras, 3 fish, 1 angler, and one day later, here you go....

(Will, if this isn't supposed to be out until after the Drake awards, sorry)


Mission... from william benson on Vimeo.

Winds

The Wind River Range of Wyoming as it is officially tagged, is the start of day dreams for backpackers, fly fisherman, adventurers.... and apparently hang gliders?  But everyone who has experienced its immense granite boulders and massive vistas, all call it by the its nickname, the Winds.  Sweets and I will find ourselves in the dead of winter looking over the map and deciding where we want go that summer.  For a fly fisherman, the first thing coming to mind when "Winds" is mentioned, is "Goldens!".  The lakes holding these beautiful fish are a closely guarded secret, making their pursuit most of the fun.  We didn't strike gold on this trip, time was limited.  We did however, find some pretty hungry Cutts and eager Brookies. 

So this winter, we'll be thinking of days like these....

 The new king of the world? Rooster.  Any questions?

 Rooster seeking Brookies...

 He found 'em.

 Ricardo searching for cutts...

 He found 'em.  I'm not sure if it was the harsh winter or this lake is getting over populated, but some of the fish were definitely stunted.  Some looked fat and healthy, others were on the biggest loser diet.  Eat more fish...

 Standing out in a crowd

 My favorite from the trip

 Really?  Hang gliders?  Was there a problem with this?