Sunday, October 7, 2012

Windows

In my kitchen I have a thermometer (the actual thermometer is outside, but the display sits on my windowsill) that I sometimes look at.  Especially when I'm heading out to do something.  The something today was a solo fishing trip.  The thermometer read 32 degrees.  I decided to go anyway.  There are only so many windows in my schedule to fish this fall and I wasn't about to miss an opportunity.

After the hour drive to the trailhead I was shocked to see the parking lot (if you can call it that) completely full.  Not like "oh, I guess I'll have to park a little off to the side" like "oh crap, there's nowhere to park!"  Luckily, I was able to get off the road enough.  I figured it would still be worth the effort because most (if not all) of these guys were probably elk hunters.

My efforts were quickly rewarded as I pulled a couple of Cutthroat Trout from a beaver pond.  It was after this early success that I decided to go further down the trail then I'd ever been before.  I'm not sure how far I actually went, but it felt like a solid couple of miles (although, in wading boots I've never felt sure about how far I've hiked, only that it was uncomfortable).


Amazing looking country! No wonder why the elk hunters would love it.

Fishing was decent all day with the most consistent producing flies being BH Hare's Ear, and a Zebra Midge.  Although I did manage a few on some dry attractor patterns.  Through one, very limited, stretch I managed three or four on A.K.'s Midge Emerger pattern which was pretty cool.  It was in this stretch that I caught a small Brown Trout that already had someone else's Parachute Adams stuck in the roof of his mouth.  Oddly enough, I caught mostly Brown Trout today even though I know this stretch has a good population of Cutthroat.  At least it felt that way, I managed to lose track of the head count pretty early on.
Chernobyl Ant?
Waterfall
The recovered Parachute Adams
Pretty
Really long, but skinny.
Awesome Country
Those red spots were glowing!
Another Waterfall
Really great being out again, even if it was pretty cold.  The return hike was uneventful and I thought my day ended well.  Until I accidentally locked my keys in the trunk along with my fishing stuff and, more importantly, my jackets.  So instead of being able to drive home, I had to flag someone down to call my wife and ask her to bring me a key, then wait for her in the cold.  It wouldn't have been so bad if the wind wasn't blowing.  Long wait, but no story really.  Del hauled up the mountain and arrived quicker than I thought, and I never thought I'd be so happy to see our Jeep.  Thank you to the family that made that call for me!  Saved me from breaking a window...

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