The Greatest Swedish Export Since the Large Arbor Reel

So Long, 2012

Life here in east Idaho is like a Norman Rockwell painting.  It is snowing lightly and the neighbor's sheep are proudly displaying their winter coats - like Texans in Vail. 

Still, this glorious winter weather is not conducive to fishing and I am thinking about some "must do" goals for 2013:

1) Get Back Down to the Yucatan.  It's been two years since I fished Boca Paila Lagoon and Ascension Bay and I am jonesing to get back down there.  This time, however, I want to incorporate a jaunt up to Isla Holbox and Campeche for some baby tarpon.

Campeche Tarpon Photo

2) Explore More Remote High Mountain Creeks.  I've been here four years and there are still dozens of high mountain creeks I've yet to explore.

3) More Night Fishing.  I feel like I barely scratched the surface of the night fishing potential around here in 2012, but I am intrigued to say the least.  I've been tying some skating/waking patterns that should be very productive and look forward to a lot more night fishing in 2013.  The beasts really do come out at night.

2012 was a banner year nationally for the fly fishing for carp trend - and I believe 2013 will be a breakout year for night fishing.

4) Explore the Park. It is going to take a lifetime to get my arms around all of the fishing opportunities within Yellowstone National Park.  

It has been a blast so far.

5) Get the Ranch Dialed.  There are more than a few rainbows pushing 30" at Railroad Ranch that will rise to a well-placed dry fly.  

I haven't landed one yet, but I'll be back on opening day - wadered up and ready for the challenge.

Call In The Swedes.  It's new year's day and I've been sacked with the flu for over two weeks.  Too sick to fish, in fact.  And I am no better today than I was two weeks ago. 

On days like this, when I am feeling really bummed out, I bust out some old tunes from Sweden.  No, I am not talking about The Haunted, Entombed or In Flames.  I am referring to the greatest Swedish export since the large arbor reel - ABBA.

Let's be clear - I don't like ABBA in an "ironic, retro-hipster" fashion.  I eat hipsters for breakfast. This is a genuine, sincere appreciation.

When I feel all hope is lost, I listen to "S.O.S."

I hope your new year is off to a great start.

Merry Christmas

Friday Afternoon 'Bow

  

Every Christmas, we head up to our place on the west slope of the Tetons to rendezvous with family members from all over the country.   It's a  great opportunity to catch up with kinfolk and enjoy some good food.  My favorite winter activity, however, is heading out into the backcountry for some exercise with the goose.

 

 

The goose and I would like to thank you for keeping up with our adventures this year.

A Very Merry Christmas to You and Yours 

 

2012: The Fish Gallery

I will remember 2012 as an exceptional year for fly fishing in some great places - Idaho, Montana, Yellowstone National Park and Turks & Caicos.

This is a video slideshow highlighting some of the fish that made the year special.

Thanks - Brent

Babes in Toyland

We've been given a nice reprieve from the cold this week here in east Idaho.  In fact, the temperatures made the concept of work utterly inconceivable on Tuesday.  Thus, I got out with Shane while the phone rang repeatedly all day - out of earshot on the center console of the truck.

We got into some solid 'bows all day and had a darn good time on the river.  Nymphing works a whole lot better for me when I can take the gloves off and actually feel what is going on with the fly line.

Having an opportunity to fish in relative warmth two weeks before Christmas was an absolute gift and we took full advantage - hitting every stretch of river we could squeeze in before dark.


One of the main ingredients in the recipe for success on this river is the desire to explore new places.  After all, you are probably not the only guy who has fished your favorite honey hole repeatedly for the past few years.  Complacency is not your friend - getting out and exploring new water pays dividends.

Here's some simple math:

1)  20% of the river will hold 95% of the fish.

2)  80% of success involves finding that holding water.

I was never good at math, but I find this concept holds true on most rivers and creeks.  Come to think of it, it holds true on most lakes as well.


I spent most of my time chasing carp last year, but 2012 was the year I fell back in love with trout.  While I still love carp, the complexity of rivers and the multiple dimensions of flows, depth, hatch cycles and seasonal movement are more alluring than ever.

These feisty 'bows, more than anything else, are responsible for rekindling that flame.

As the day wound down, the wind picked up dramatically - with gusts in the 30 mph range.  It was pretty clear to me our short window of nice weather had to come to an end.

Shane was off in the distance, ever the explorer.  As I turned around to check his location, I saw him approaching - bent rod in hand.  I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I could sense the urgency in his voice. 

When I approached him with the net, two words came to mind.

"Holy crap."

Undaunted

Sub-freezing temperatures are a game-changer.

Fleece, gore-tex and water repellent nylon can not change the fact that humans were not designed for wading cold rivers in winter.  One misstep with numb feet could result in a very deep, cold plunge. 

Maybe your last deep, cold plunge.

Nonetheless, "not fishing" is simply not an option.  The innate urge to stalk wild things in nature carries on despite the cold.

With each drop in water temperature, the fish slow down accordingly.  Your sense of touch needs to be 'spot on,' as aggressive takes are a thing of the past. This is doubly challenging given the cold and wind.

Sometimes, however, it all comes together and you can feel exactly what is going on at the end of your tippet. 

Such was the case with this nice brown trout.  His eat felt like a dental exam. I could feel the fly moving into his mouth in slow motion. 

It was perfect.

Although I landed a few more good fish, my mind kept playing that first brown trout's take over and over  again all afternoon. 

Moments like this make winter fly fishing well worth all of the challenges.

Although our local forecast calls for single-digit temperatures this evening, I am undaunted. 

We Will, In Fact, Be Greeted As Liberators

 

Is there a stranger paradox than the concept of the "real world?"

Think about it.  The real world is defined by human social constructs.  Deadlines, dogma, jobs, wars, politics - these are all just fabrications.

It's been four years since my wife and I left the hustle and bustle of the big city to downshift in east Idaho.  I guess that makes this season four of my own version of the real world.

I like this version a heck of a lot.  

 

In the new version, the pace is set by the flow of the river. 

It's a place where nothing is taken for granted.  Every riffle, feeder creek, slough and plunge pool is an opportunity for exploration.

It's a place where you can learn a great deal by simply listening. These woods and waters offer timeless sermons.

My son will soon learn to love these rivers as well.  The lessons he learns here will provide solace and perspective when the 'real world' comes calling for him later in life.

For now, however, our little world in east Idaho is pretty exceptional.

Solitude is Enough

I woke up at 3:45 a.m. to the sound of whimpering. A western low pressure system brought us some very intense wind and torrential rains and Lucy, our German shorthaired pointer, did not like it one bit.

Our local trout, however, are loving the stormy weather. 

While a lot of people head over to the Salmon River in central Idaho this time of year in search of steelhead, I've been staying close to home to target some nice, healthy inland 'bows.

It's hard to justify the long drive over to the Salmon right now, with the high cost of gas and the lackluster fish counts this year.

Around here, there is a direct correlation between temperature and fishing pressure.  

As the temperatures drop, so do the numbers of fishermen on the river. 

This trend will continue and I expect the fishing to get better as the pressure abates. 

Catching large fish on small flies and light tippet is always rewarding.  Streamers are great fun, but they are big and bulky - and photographing a fish with a face full of marabou detracts from the whole aesthetic.

I was not expecting to find carp actively feeding in 34 degree weather, but it was a nice surprise when my black wooly bugger was inhaled by this guy.

The South Fork

Later in the week, I got out on the South Fork with Shane.  The fishing was a bit disappointing, but exploring remote feeder channels with good company made for a nice day overall.  Here are a few snapshots from our South Fork outing.


Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com  

DIY Dirtbag Fly Box:  A Three-Step Tutorial
If you are a cheap dirtbag like me, you may appreciate Oscar Meyer's new semi-waterproof lunch meat containers.

Step One

Step Two

Step Three

"To give thanks in solitude is enough. 

Thanksgiving has wings and goes where it must go."

Victor Hugo

Have a great holiday.