# Utah



## let's go (Nov 14, 2005)

I've been out of pocket all over the place lately and haven't had much of a chance to get the D70 out. The new job has been keeping me hopping. Recently I was in Salt Lake for the Outdoor Retailer Show and snuck out for an afternoon session on a little stream. I only brought the p&s because I was loaded down with fly gear and water while hiking through the canyon.

Sure wish I'd have had the good camera with me. So many cool things to shoot. But these will have to do until next year.

I got there a day early and went straight to a little fly shop in Heber City for some local knowledge. I had planned on fishing the Provo that runs through town. The guy in the shop was pretty cool and when he found out I had a whole afternoon he sent me on an adventure into the mountains to his favorite little stream. I got the whisper-off-to-the-side kind of directions that let you know you're either getting some great info or going on a snipe hunt. He told me to try some hopper patterns because the grass hopper poulation was booming in this particular area.

I drove on forever looking for the little sign by a dirt road off the highway in the middle of nowhere. About an hour into the ride I was starting to wonder if the guys at the shop were having a good laugh at my expense. Then I saw the sign as I wizzed by. U-turn and I was headed through a semi-desert looking place that just didn't feel right, but I kept going.










As I entered a canyon a few miles off the highway it started looking better. I passed the rock landmarks he had mentioned and then a small campground.










From there it started looking right as the road hugged the banks of a cool little stream.










About three miles later I ran across two guys who had just stepped out of an Orvis catalog. Feeling better. A couple miles later I see another pair of guys and one has that trout guide look while the other has the city guy look and I figure there must be some trout around here somewhere.

Somewhere around 19 miles in I find the landmarks the fly shop guy had said to look for and I parked the truck. I rigged up the 4 wt and walked a half mile or so down river so I could work my way back up to the truck by dark. As I was walking through this meadow I was amazed at the swarms of 1" hoppers going every which way. I caught a couple and threw them into the stream. Both got eaten within a couple seconds. Cool.










Even though the hoppers were everywhere I had already tied on a caddis so I figured I'd try it for a few minutes. It didn't seem to matter. My first cast was sucked in by this guy. The picture is cool, but it just doesn't do him justice. These trout absolutely glow.










It went on like this for a while and then they just started swatting at the fly and not comiting. I tied on the hopper and it was on. The hopper bite lasted through the heat of the day.

As the sun eased behind the mountains the hopper bite died. I could see fish rising up to take a look but they wouldn't eat. Then I noticed that all kinds of birds were flitting around in the bushes along the bank. I got to watching them and noticed they were swooping out of the bushes to the water and then going right back in. I eased over close to the bank and watched some more. It was obvious something was going on. Then I saw it. They were catching some tiny little white bugs that were hovering on the surface in the shadows and the trout had moved over to the same area to feast on those bugs. It was quite a sight as the trout were clearing the water and nailing the bugs in the air. About that time this little guy came swimming up to check me out. I've been told he is a muskrat. That's a new one for me










I'm no expert trout fisherman, but even I could figure this one out. I dug through my fly box and found the smallest white fly in there. **** thing was so small I couldn't get the 5X tippet through the eye and I had to tie on a smaller leader. By the way, forty-plus year old eyes can't hardly see this tiny line they call a tippet leader. And getting a line you can't see through an eye you can't see is akin to threading a spider web through a gnat's butt. I resorted to blind stabbing and eventually got lucky. From that point I had a good hour of fun with trout knocking the little fly all over the place and a few even managed to hook themselves. It was pretty funny because half the time I couldn't even see the fly and only knew where it was by the fish taking swipes at it. Terrible pic, but it shows how small the fly was.










As it got dark the little bugs disappeared and a caddis hatch went off. The trout moved off the banks and started munching on the caddis. I say they were caddis because they looked a hell of a lot like the caddis flies I had in the box. And I like to sound like I know what I'm talking about.










This stream was absolutely loaded with trout. I caught a couple beautiful cut throats, but the vast majority were brown trout. Why they call them brown trout I have no idea because they are really cool looking little fish that deserve a better name.










As it got really dark I had a humbling experience that I detailed at the end of my upcoming September article in Texas Saltwater Magazine. Let's just say it was not one of my finer angling moments and the reason I don't have any pics of the hopper fly for you. But the trip was a blast and this is a place I'll return to as soon as possible.

Sorry I can't share the details of the location as it I was sworn to secrecy at the fly shop over a stack of Fly Tier magazines.

I guess the moral of this story is it doesn't matter if you are familiar with the type of fishing you can still be successful if you pay attention to what is happening around you. The conditions were changing every hour and if I hadn't adjusted I wouldn't have caught nearly as many fish. I still would have enjoyed the fresh air and cool temps, but it was much sweeter this way.


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## Koru (Sep 25, 2006)

brilliant. i love the report and love the photos. how wonderful that you got an afternoon to explore. what an adventure! thanks so much for sharing this. i really enjoyed hearing about your get-a-way. point and shoots are worth their weight in gold.

rosesm


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## The Machine (Jun 4, 2007)

nice pics


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## richg99 (Aug 21, 2004)

Great report and a fun read. You obviously know how to put one word after another!

Since I am spending my Summers in the "frozen North" of Wisc. and Illinois....I am NOT going to get to see the saltwater magazine that you reference. When it is published..can one read your article on-line someplace?

My few experiences with stream fly fishing parallel yours. Right fly; right spot..decent cast and some mending...and it is "fish on" nearly every cast. One doesn't catch the sizes that we're used to, but a 4 wt. will make a ten inch cut-throat or brown seem like a 20 inch speck...regards, Rich


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## let's go (Nov 14, 2005)

Yes sir, you can even get an on-line subscription if you prefer. I've been writing a monthly kayak fishing column in the magazine for about four years now.

http://texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com/


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## richg99 (Aug 21, 2004)

Hmmm I book-marked that one..

I'd like to talk to you about kayaking etc. when I get back. I already own a 15/16 foot canoe that sits idle in my backyard on a pond in North Houston. I've been tempted to go the kayak route, but my old back says to keep and USE the canoe instead. Let's chat ...rich


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## let's go (Nov 14, 2005)

I'd be glad to. Give me a holler when you get back. Meanwhile you might want to take a look at my book. (shameless plug LOL :wink: )

http://www.helipress.com/product/kayak-fishing-book-89.cfm


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## Rusty S (Apr 6, 2006)

Nice pics, are your hands enormously large, or are the fish like 10" ?:smile: rs


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## Gator_Nutz (Sep 27, 2006)

Thanks very much for a great description of what must have been a fantastic experience. It looked very similar to some parts of Colorado that I have seen. I lived there for 12 years and not once did I ever go fly fishing. I just wasn't into that at that time of my life. I could kick myself now for missing out on the great opportunity. Your story was very well done and a great Saturday morning read. I subscribe to the mag but have never paid much attention to any kayaking stuff because I just don't do that. I'm old and somewhat lazy I guess and my boat has to have a motor I will start paying more attention though now that I know one of our members is highlighted there. Congratulations on that and also on your book.
James


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## let's go (Nov 14, 2005)

Rich,

I find a kayak much more comfortable and easier to handle than a canoe. And there are some new cross-over styles that take the positives of both and combine them into a kayak that paddles easily but is super stable and dry. You might want to get by Fishing Tackle Unlimited and take a look at the Native Ultimate. I think that'll be my next photography platform. Plenty of room for gear, stable enough you could stand in it, and high enough sides to keep everything dry.


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## let's go (Nov 14, 2005)

James,

Thanks. I was a homicide detective for way too many years and all I ever got to write about were the facts and misfortunes of others. Now I get to write about fun stuff. 

And you might want to look at the Sept issue. I wrote about some new kayaks coming out. The Native Ultimate I was telling Rich about will now have options for a pedal drive like a bicycle and later this year they'll be offering it with a cool trolling motor set-up.


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## richg99 (Aug 21, 2004)

Now...that is a kayak that might get me going. Price seems reasonable $875.00 or so. Wide, easy seating.. Does anyone in Houston carry it now? regards, rich


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## let's go (Nov 14, 2005)

Fishing Tackle Unlimited carries their full line.


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