COMING SOON! THE HOPPER SKIPPER JUMPER!

The Hopper Skipper Jumper! This zany, somewhat crazy, but very amazing pattern is a fabulous attractor pattern. To be released this fall. HOT! That's all I can say right now.

HEADWATER SOLITUDE

 I know that all of us have lives that cause us to ponder and search. It seems I have a propensity for it. I've always been a quiet ponderer, but recently, I have realized that life is short. Without going into too much detail, I will say that my brother, who is only a year and a half older than me, had a main artery in his heart rip open a few years back. Miracles and a dedicated and talented surgeon saved his life. This incident confirmed my feeling that life is short. It shook me up. Alix Kate Shulman quotes a friend who suffered from a heart attack and subsequent surgery in her book, Drinking the Rain: "I've learned two main things from my heart attack. The first one is, if I survive this surgery I will never rush again. The second is this, I'm going to show my love as often as I can." I like the idea of not rushing and showing love often. Those ideas go with solitary ventures into headwaters.

One of the things I have been trying to be better at, is seeing beauty in the landscape, the plants and animals, and in the feelings I have while outdoors. This is the attitude I carried with me as I searched out the wild, native cutthroat in a local headwater creek.

I walked to the bridge and dropped down to the creek. I was wet wading with shorts and light-weight hiking boots. I stepped into the water and felt the initial sensation of cold wetness. This sensation soon subsided as my feet became used to the temperature change. The rocks were slick and I had to be careful as I moved around the creek. I've tweeked my back slipping on round, slick rocks. Back pain can cut into fishing time so I've learned to be cautious as I wade.

I cast into several pockets and seams and caught a couple of lively, and brightly colored native cuthroat trout; the exact treasure I had hoped for. Each trout was handsome. I looked for the orange slash of color under the jaw and noticed the dark spotting, the bluish par marks, the rose gill covers, and the tea-stained fins and tail. Other colors jumped to my eyes as I admired and released each fish.

After catching a number of fish, my mind wandered. I noticed the green in the streamside grasses and the yellow, lavender, and orange in wildflowers. Deep dark pines along the canyon side gave hints of refreshing shade on a sun-hot day.

I made it up stream about a mile and sat down on a large rock. I ate a granola bar and drank from my water bottle. As I sat, I listened. I heard the voice of the creek: a gentle and bubbling voice with an occassional deep bump when rocks rubbed together. The sounds became soporific and I closed my eyes long enough to start a dream. I was moved to alertness by the call of a bird. I looked around. I stood and gathered my gear. One more trout, I thought, as I placed my cast along a small undercut bank. A quick rise and a lift of the rod brought another cutthrout from its lie.

I followed the road back out to my car. I glanced down to the creek from time to time. I'll be back I whispered. My life is too short to not share a portion of it with my friends.

DELICATE NATIVE BONNEVILLE CUTTHROAT

THIS IS CONSIDERED A NICE FISH ON SMALL HEADWATERS

WILD CUTTHROAT

WILDFLOWERS ADD TO THE BEAUTY

SMALL BUT AGGRESSIVE

MORE COLOR

3-WEIGHT ROD PERFECT FOR SMALL NATIVES

Hopper Offer

Hopper time is right around the corner. If you would like to try the Twisted Foam Hopper that I tie, please notify me by email. I will have time to do 1 dozen for 4 individuals. The first 4 to send an email with get the flies.

Here is the deal: $15.00 per dozen. Price includes shipping to U.S.A. only.  Flies are tied on size 10 Tiemco hooks. Body is tan and yellow. Allow a couple of weeks for delivery.

Remember, first 4 to send an email.
cutttrout16@msn.com

Quick Stop

My son was at a camp this past week. Parent's night was Friday night. On the way to the camp I had a chance to stop for just a few minutes and throw a fly. The last time I was at the river it was mud and ragging. yesterday, it was low, clear and beautiful. I hopped around on a few rocks and got in casting position. I knew the trout would be lined up on the far bank in the overhanging willows. After several good drifts and no rises, I tucked a decent cast on the very edge of the hanging limbs and nailed a decent brown trout. I feared that he would take me into the willows so I tried to horse him out. A couple of lively and quick jumps sent butter-yellow flashes downstream. I pulled to hard and fast and my fly came back toward me like it was shot from a sling.

I made several more casts into nice water and picked up a couple of small browns. The small browns were on the fly as soon as it hit the water. They were inhaling it. Instead of the corner of the mouth hookup, these little trout had the fly down in their mouths. I had to use care and hemostats to remove the fly and release the fish.

It felt good to stop for a few minutes and look at the river, cast and catch a couple of trout. When the water is clear, the color of the river rock is so stunning. The sky was perfect blue. The stream side brush alive with green. The mountainside cliffs gray, white and pink. Deep conifer stands looked purple in the side canyons.

I'm glad I left a little early on my way to my son's camp. Mixing the beauty of the river with the beauty of spending the evening with my son made for a very enjoyable time. In a few days he will leave for a couple of years. I will have him in my heart and thoughts as I fish this section of river for the next two seasons.

RAGING FLOODWATERS!

The wet spring (raining yet again today) and the transition from cool temperatures to hot a few days last week has the rivers, streams, and creeks bank full and flooding in some places. I hate when this happens. To help stop the flooding, big backhoes end up in the rivers dredging them--not a good thing for pristine trout habitat. I know what's more important, trout habitat or human habitat? I took several physical geography and geology classes in college and we discussed the pros and cons of building homes in flood planes, alluvial deposits, and mountain side slumping areas. If I remember right, it just wasn't the smartest thing to do. I wonder if the landowners who were so adamant that fishermen stay out of "their" streams and helped pass House Bill 141 last legislative session ( which keeps fishermen out of public waters flowing through private land) are happy to have their privacy invaded by sandbaggers. Funny how the tables can turn. Maybe the flooding is God's way to show them they were being selfish?

I hope they don't have to get into the middle Provo River and dredge. That area was ruined back in the early 80's and the last few years it was rebuilt to put the river back into its historical, meandering bed. Sandbagging is in full force on the upper Weber. I drove past the lower Weber today and it is bank full and chocolate flavored. The Ogden is prime for kayaking and running silted green. On a good note: the Logan , Blacksmith, and streams and creeks up north seem to be okay--so far.

I'll be dreaming of late summer and fall fishing, patiently waiting for the waters to drop. It seems I have to be patient for lots of things this year--waiting for the waters to recede and waiting for the air to clear. Patience!

Custom Trout and Fly Chandeliers

Please view one of my custom made chandeliers http://www.crossingopenground.blogspot.com/
Email me if you are interested. Thanks.