Four Favorite Fish

Here are four of my favorite fish of my short fly fishing adventure thus far. I have only been fly fishing for a couple of years so the fish aren't exactly the biggest fish in the river but hopefully I can replace these fish with bigger ones down the road. My first one is a 19 inch rainbow trout that I caught on the Beaver head River in Montana. It came at the very end of a long no luck day. I decided to try my luck in a deep hole as I waded back to the car. I had just replaced a pink scud with a size 16 prince nymph. This chunky trout took me down stream and with the help of my little bro Alex, I was able to net him and because he was worn out, he took great pictures. This one catch changed my outlook on the whole trip. Great memory. . . .
When it comes to Cutthroats, Yellowstone has the prettiest ones. My favorite little spot to fish of all time is at the end of a 7 mile hike down into Yellowstone Canyon. Here I have spent hours amongst sulphur hot vents and rough rocks pulling in trout after trout. This particular one took a white streamer right out of the roughest of water. He was a tricky one to pull in because the water is rough and walking on the rocks is tricky. He measured 21 inches, not bad for a cutthroat. They are my favorite fish to catch I think just because of how pretty they are. I love all the color.

Alright, this next one isn't exactly a hoss but I really enjoyed working him out of his hole. It was at the end of another long unlucky day, I have a lot of these. This was to be the last stop on the float. I knew there had to be a fish down in this hole so I worked it for nearly an hour. This little 17 inch browny finally took the scud and put up a big ol' fight. My little bro was there again to do the netting and I had myself a descent brown trout.

And just as no fishing trip is complete without a handful of whitefish, neither is this blog. This guy was reeled out of a hole in the Beaver head where I was hoping to find a 20 plus inch brown. I got half of what I wanted with this guy. He measured 20.5 inches and was exciting to bring in because of lack of action that morning. I know more than once I have been saved from failure by the whitefish. Like I said in the beginning, these aren't monster fish but I have huge memories with each one. I do hope to replace them with bigger ones though sooner or later.

Not all who wander, are lost.

This is Gibbon Falls of the south eastern region of Yellowstone. With all the magnificent tourist attractions that are well-known throughout the world, many of the other mind-blowing sights inside the park fly under the radar. In any other state or region, these awesome falls would be a park by themselves. This shot captures the pine trees of the high altitude region, the rough rocky falls, fall color on the smaller shrubs, and the clear blue sky of the west. I've always said that it's hard to take a bad picture when you're in Yellowstone and this picture proves it. This is just one example of the many attributes of the park that most people have never heard of.

Many people look forward to seeing wildlife inside the park or possibly fishing along one of the numerous gorgeous river in the park but very few realize just how HUGE Yellowstone really is. There is however, a place where you are most likely to see a great majority of the wildlife you're seeking. It's the Lamar Valley. While I was here catching some beautiful Yellowstone Cutthroats, I saw many many bison, eagles, elk, wolves, and even a big ol' grizzly. Hayden Valley is also a great place, don't get me wrong. It's probably my favorite spot in the park, but if you're looking for wildlife, the Lamar Valley has what you want. The sunsets aren't bad either.

Some of the wonders don't even have a name (that I'm aware of). Simply find a pull-out, get out your camera or binoculars and walk 15 to 20 steps away from the road. The whole area of the park is breathe-taking. If you stop and look around you can find amazing sights in all directions. In the fall especially, it is easy to find colorful shots with all the yellow birch trees, red and orange shrubbery, the green of the pines, and of course the blues of the western skies. There is never a dull moment inside this unique place. All you have to do is wander to find it.

Snake River with Howard

After my spectacular trip through God's Country (Yellowstone and the Tetons), I drove the eight hours down to Salt Lake to celebrate my father-in-law's 50th birthday. It's a gorgeous drive through canyons and lakeside country. I did get stuck behind a slow moving car through a huge canyon that caused me to be late for dinner but they saved me a plateful of pork and potatoes which I relished. It was great to be able to be there with them for Howard's birthday party.

Howard and I left first thing the next morning after getting all the supplies together and loading the boat. It's about a 4-5 hour drive to the South Fork of the Snake River near Idaho Falls. This stretch of river runs through a picturesque canyon full of Bald Eagles and fish. Three years ago I had the pleasure of making this same trip with Howard and we saw not only these animals but had a close encounter with 2 bull moose. One wandered into our camp one evening and then we saw one on the river as we floated by. It was one of the neatest experiences of my life. Though we did not see any this time, we still had an extremely successful fishing trip.

We stopped at South Fork Outfitters to set up the shuttle and to purchase some flies. Howard had fished here with Karen and her boyfriend the week before and had some luck with a new imitation called a Rubber Legs. It imitates a stone fly pretty well. We were using this brown pattern and an orange pattern. The fish seemed to prefer the orange when both were offered.

We hit the water late in the afternoon so most of our time on the river was spent fishing from the boat, looking for our first campsite. Howard c aught a few whitefish but I went without the first day. We set up camp right outside an bald eagle protection area (one of many). We snapped a few pictures and enjoyed Campbell's beef stew and left over pork. It hit the spot. We warmed the stew and meat up on my Sterno stove. It worked great. We went to bed at dark and woke up early the next morning to fog and a little frost. It was also pretty darn cold! When the sun came up, we soaked it right in. It did warm up back into the 70's later that day so it was only a short-lived chill.

That day, the fishing picked up. I started out using two of the rubber legs at once but decided to save some frustration and time untangling knots by switching to just one fly. That seemed to do it for me. I caught a good number of whitefish that day. We found the best water on the river and pulled out whenever we saw the opportunity. Because of the quarter-sized blisters I obtained on my hike in Yellowstone, I found walking around in my waders a bit painful. But the success we had fishing was well worth the little bit of pain.

Early in the morning, a male bald eagle soared only 30 feet above us and cruised down the river. We saw him again the next morning. It was truly a majestic flight. We had ourselves some peanut butter and honey on multi grain with powerade for lunch in the boat. It was refreshing and the bread really filled us up. We continued fishing through the day till nearly dark when we stopped to set up camp again. It felt great to take my waders off and slip on some flip flops even though it was still pretty chilly in the evening. It didn't get as cold overnight this time but we awoke to find a raccoon had gotten our lunch and spread the garbage around. Darn; n o lunch today. We bathed in the sun when it rolled around and set off again. Today we would cover the most ground trying to get to the pull-out at a decent hour. We caught lots of whitefish again. We both caught a cutthroat a piece and Howard caught a few browns and a rainbow. He's quite the fisherman. We found a spot where Howard caught 16 whitefish and a handful of trout in 45 minutes. I caught about 15 whitefish in this spot too. Great spot! All the trout were caught in the shallows (up to a foot and a half) and not in any real features.

I really enjoy fishing from the boat while drifting. We found we were having great luck in

water about 3-4 feet deep and often in flat featureless water. It's really neat to be able to have long drifts without mending and see the fish strike from above. Using the net is fun from the boat and its convenient to have a good place to set the fish and take out the hook. It's a lot of fun. I took a lot of scenic shots from the boat that last day that included a cave, fall colors in the trees, and features of the river.

This trip was truly great. We caught a lot of fish and the camping was awesome. Fall was showing its face and the temperature was perfect. I think though that my most vivid memory has to be the eagle flying over the rive each morning. We saw so many eagles, some of which were perched right along the river. They are not only a rare sight but they are big, beautiful, and majestic. They are nothing short of perfectly graceful when they soar above. I'm truly thankful for the opportunity I have to go fishing with my father-in-law in so many neat places and look forward to the next great float.

Autumn in the Grand Tetons

I awoke again around 4:30 but there was no elk outside the car this morning. I decided to drive out to Hayden Valley and try my luck looking for wildlife. I heard the bugling all around again but I couldn't spot any bulls. I got my sleeping bag out and laid on the front of the car looking out over the valley. It was eerily quiet when all of a sudden I heard hooves pounding on the pavement behind me. I turned my head to see a giant buffalo crossing the road. I froze. I've seen first hand how these guys can move when they are surprised. He passed within 10 feet of me. He eventually moved off the road and down the sloping hillside. It was a simple reminder of just how wild the area is. Then I heard a loud HOO HOO! Across the road, in a low tree sat a large owl. It was easily the largest owl I've ever seen. Then, like it was called, a good sized coyote ran down the road, stopped, and kept on running. Yellowstone coyotes are wolf-size and dwarf coyotes around Ohio. I sat there and watched the sun come up over the valley. I then realized that a huge heard of bison were down in the valley but I couldn't see them because of the darkness. I could hear them grunting at each other in the darkness. It was another perfect morning.

I went back to the lodge for breakfast and had the buffet again. I got my money's worth and headed south toward the southern entrance. I passed a few giant elk on the way out. I snapped some photos and kept on. I eventually left Yellowstone Park just to enter Grand Teton National Park. Now Yellowstone was pretty in its own right but there wasn't as much fall color as I was expecting. The Tetons however, was magnificently vibrant and golden.

The majority of the trees inside the Tetons are birch trees and all of them were golden with color. The snow white of the trunks and the extreme yellow of the leaves contrasting against the blue sky was brilliant. I found it hard to drive at any sensible speed because I was enthralled with shooting prolific fall scenes. The Teton Mountain Range is magnificent all by itself but with all the added color, it was beyond imagination. I decided that fall was the best time of year to visit this park for sure.

The best hike and fishing of my life!

After my awesome breakfast, I decided to hike a trail I had done with my cousin Christopher and brother Alex, Seven Mile Hole. It's seven miles down Yellowstone Canyon to a campsite and wonderful fishing spot, but it's also seven miles up hill to get back. The elevation difference is almost two miles and it feels like five. I drove around the Upper Falls area a little bit because it is a sight all on its own and came across a big family of mule deer. There were two bucks and four does along with a handful of fawns. I hung out with them for a few minutes, just me and them. That's the beauty of doing things early at Yellowstone.

Afterward, I found the trail head and began to load my pack. I had two canteens and my hydopack full of water that I got from the ranger station in canyon village. I had some cookies, chips, granola bars, and some candy thrown in for lunch. I brought along my binoculars, camera, bowie knife, rain jacket, and bear spray, of course. I set out at about 10:30 and went at an easy pace. The trail follows the ridge of the canyon for awhile before plunging into a dense pine forest. The smell of the pines is overwhelming and hard to describe to anyone that hasn't experienced it. It was also a little nerve racking and lonely. I came upon a sign posted on a tree about at the halfway point that warned of a bear sighting two days prior. It was sighted in the switchbacks that I was just approaching. This made me think twice about what I was doing but I decided to trudge on and be alert. I also decided not to tell Sara about the notice I had just passed. No need to cause unnecessary panic. I followed the trail down the mountain and eventually arrived at the river unscathed. The scenery on the way is absolutely breathtaking and HUGE! It truly is God's Country. The trail goes through hot vents and geysers, not to mention it hugs steep cliffs and criss-crosses some very steep hills. At times finding the trail is pretty tricky because it isn't very clear and it's on the rock face itself so tracks aren't easily seen.

This is the second time I've fished this spot and I have yet to find a better producing spot. I caught upwards of 30 cutthroats in a 3 hour span of time ranging up to 19 inches. All of them were beautiful fish and great fighters. My one complaint about the area is the lack of a good bank to fish from. The river is very strong here and the bank is nothing but sharp rocks and thermal geysers. The fish are seen right up along the edge of the river so stealth is a must.

I first started using a hopper and a small prince nymph dropper and instantly I got a good one on the hopper. I caught a few more real quickly but none of real size so I switched to nymphing. I caught lots then on small nymphs and pmds. Just for kicks I wanted to throw a few streamers and tries first with a white minnow. I caught lots more but also I found it was hard to get the bigger trout to commit to the minnow. They would follow it in but more often then not they would turn it down. It might very well be my inexperience in the way of pulling it in but it also might mean these fish are lazy. Either way I had a great time and learned a lot about techniques. After fishing for three hours, I laid out my rain coat to lay on and had lunch. It was so relaxing. I developed quarter-sized blisters on both heels so I took my boots off to rest my feet. Talk about your spa treatment. I stared at the sky and got mentally ready for the tough climb ahead.

Painfully I slipped my boots back on and started up, and up, and up, and up. It is a tough trail up for sure. I arrived at the car three and a half hours later completely worn out. I then ended my day at Lake Village Lodge. They had a choice of two dinners; turkey with all the fixings, or prime rib with beans and potatoes. I decided on the turkey(it was half the price) even though I LOVE prime rib. When I told the clerk he said he was out of turkey but would give me the prime rib for the same price. Life couldn't have been better as I ate my favorite meal, at my favorite lodge, in my favorite place (Yellowstone) at the end of my favorite day ever!

The start of the best day ever. . . . really!

I had slept in my car in the Yellowstone Lake Hotel parking lot and it got down into the 30's that night. I woke up around 4:30 AM because I was cold and had to use the facilities. I got out of the car and suddenly the air was filled with the majestic bugling of the male Elk. A male and his group of cows was 50-75 yards away and strutting his stuff. I quickly reached for my binoculars because there was no way to get a picture without light at that distance. I then spent the next hour and a half observing them. The bull held his head and full rack of antlers (6x6 I think) up high as he strut around. Steam poured out of his nostrils as he answered all the other bugles from other males in the area, there were lots. It was a constant sound all around and it was awesome. I was looking forward to having an experience like this more than anything else on this trip and I got exactly what I wanted. A buck mule deer came up over a ridge and caught the elks attention. The squared off a bit but the mule deer eventually gave way and left. As the eastern sky turned orange with the sun it reflected off Lake Yellowstone and the world looked golden. It truely was astounding.

A fellow on-looker mentioned he came down from watching wolves at Dunraven Pass so I decided to hop in the car and check it out. I drove along the Yellowstone River where a thin mist was rising and took some neat pictures. I then drove through one of my favorite places, Hayden Valley. A thin fog was rolling down one hill of the valley and up the hills at the other side. It truely was a sight. I snapped some more shots and continued north toward the wolves. I was a few miles from Dunraven Pass when I came upon a bunch of cars and folks with cameras. Naturally I investigated. I a walked away from my car with my camera I came to the edge of a cliff and looked down on an enourmous grizzley bear. It was 10-15 yards down hill and foraging through the trees. I took a quick snap shot and then the park ranger arrived. I was repeatedly told to step away and go back to my car. It wasn't so much the ranger that made me back away as it was the bear coming up the hill to see what the noise was. I backed away quickly trying to take pictures but with both he and I moving, none really turned out. I ended up backing into my car and quickly getting in. I reached for my keys first thing, naturally and decided it wasn't a good idead to test my luck for any more shots as the bear approached. It walked along the passenger side of the car and stood up by the front window. Its fur brushed up against the car he was so close. It then hopped down and ran up the hill next to the road. I'll admit I was a little nervous. It was almost as tall as the car on all fours! I had never seen a grizzly so close before that I didn't need binoculars. It was a pleasant surprise.

I got to Dunraven Pass just in time to watch the pack of wolves run up ito the hills. They were easily 300 yards away but I got to hear them faintly and watch them for a few moments. I then looked at my watch and realized it was nearly 9:00 and I was starving. I made my way back down to Canyon Lodge and enjoyed a breakfast buffet by a huge stone fireplace. It was delicious, warming, and cozy. . . . . . it was still quite chilly outside. It was here by the fire I decided it could be the start of the best day ever.

Day 1

I finally entered the park and passed through the Archway at 7AM. It was 50 degrees and perfectly clear outside. I stopped to see Mammoth Hot Springs and some scenic rivers along the way. I had done some research before hand and I had decided to try my luck fishing Soda Butte Creek near the Lamar River Valley. I saw the first of many buffalo along the way and I came acrross remains of kills that I think were wolves. I found out that the biggest pack in the park roam that area. The buffalo bones are enormous!

I found a turn out and started to gear up for fly fishing. It was a short hike to Soda Butte Creek and I came across more bones. I also found a great spot to start fishing. I was using a small PMD that came recommended at the local fly shop off of a hopper. Right away I caught a decent cutthroat on the hopper but that was the only one that took it. I caught a few others on the dropper and then a few more in the evening on a drake dry fly. None of these cutthroats were bigger then 16 inches but they all were gorgeous. I had a blast and gained a lot of confidence in my abilities. I met an older couple later in the day who were from San Fransisco that offered some advise on flies. . . . . that's when I started with the drake. They later invited me to have cocktails with them that I politely declined. I enjoyed the sunset out on the river and called it a day. I drove down to Canyon Village to have a late dinner at the lodge before driving further down to Yellowstone Lake Lodge to find a place to sleep. It was then that I realized I was destined to sleep in my Camry every night when I heard all the campgrounds were filled up. I was bummed but it really did work out for the best. . .

Yellowstone........ Alone!

Five years ago, my father-in-law, Howard, introduced me to a place that I had only read about and had always wanted to see. . . . . Yellowstone National Park. Since that summer I have been back three additional times and every time I have been in the company of different people. Once with my family of Sara, Nick Jr., and a 8 month old Lilly, once with my little bro Alex and my cousin Chris, and this past month I made the trip . . . . . . by myself. Every trip has its memories, highlights, and of course, pictures. I learn a lot more about the park and its wildlife every time I ago and this most recent time was no exception.

Passing through the Yellowstone Arch is always a special moment for me. It is located north of Mammoth Hot Springs and is in the Montana area of the park. There are always elk grazing along the road up in this area and this trip I was able to see a Bald Eagle soaring in the sky as I passed through this historic Archway. It really is an amazing time. You then KNOW you are in not only the first national park in the world but the most unique.

I drove nearly straight though to the park the day in a half before, starting at 6 in the evening. I arrived just north of the park to a rest stop in Montana at about 11:30 at night. It's a 27 hour drive but I made a few stops at the Badlands, Wall Drug Store, and Deadwood in South Dakota. I slept in in my car every night because I found out that most of the park was closed and only two campgrounds were open but were at full capacity. IT DID NOT RUIN MY TRIP THOUGH. I spent the early morning hours of the first day driving through Iowa where I saw the first of many sunrises. It filled the sky with orange and sparkled through the early morning mists. Deer were everywhere and bucks were more abundant than I had ever witnessed. Its fall so they are in the rutt. It was a long but amazing trek. I finished a historical fiction series of books on cd about Atlantis that was awesome so it made time fly by.

Introduction

Hi everyone. Welcome to my journal. I have decided that I needed to start a journal of my adventures after my most recent trip to yellowstone. Normally I am able to remember all the details of my tremendous trips through the pictures that I take. This past trip, though, I realized that many of my favorite moments of my trip to yellowstone alone occured during or before sunrise and sunset. I also realized that lighting during this time frame is not exactly......perfect. In fact it is horrible. So, naturally, I decided to turn my memories into short stories so that I can better remember them.

Another aspect I am looking forward to about this journal is that I can write down the fishing details that I can look back on. Because of this I can later look at what flies were working well and which ones weren't. I can see which techniques were better to use and how I faired. I might comment on other fisherman that were around me, some of which I might ask of their experiences. I can also determine which months of the year are best in certain areas of the country. Not to mention, I shall be able to determine the best times of the day and best weather conditions needed for a successful day on the water.

Of course I will add photos to as many of my stories as I am able, so as to better describe a feeling or scene. I love taking pictures and I love even more to show them off. Not all of my stories will be of fantastical places or superb fishing trips. Many, I'm sure, will be in local areas with my kids and even more of the stories will take place at my dear grandma's house on her 56 acres of land. I'm looking forward to keeping a journal of some of my favorite moments and I'm excited to be sharing it with anyone who is interested.