Hiking with a side of fishing and bears…

As we approach the end of May I’m beginning to get
excited for the upcoming fishing season. The runoff appears to
be in full swing around here and I suspect that fishing will be
good in another few weeks. I’ve spent some time hiking with
Jamie lately. Now, as some of you might know, I’m not much
of a hiker. However, when there’s a lake that holds trout
involved, I can be persuaded to walk distances without
complaining. Taggart lake in the Tetons is a favorite of mine
for a hike mixed in with a little fishing. I managed to catch a
couple nice fish during our outing and also found time to do a
little exploring.

a cut from taggart

We were also fortunate to see a few Grizzly bears the
other night in GTNP. Locally celebrity, Grizzly mama 610 has
been frequenting the oxbow/ dam area in the park with her
cubs. Unfortunately, the bears managed to evade most
photographers by keeping to the willow bushes. We did
manage a couple of long distance pictures.

bears from afar

Nymphin’ aint easy (unless you’re Jamie fishing with Leon)

Jamie and I ended up getting out with our friend and Dubois, WY resident, Leon Sanderson on Monday. We couldn’t have asked for better weather! Despite Jamie’s determination to fish a dry fly, she listened to Leon and switched to a double nymph setup. After hooking several fish out of the first run, we knew we were in for a great day of Wyoming fishing! We all caught fish- browns, rainbows, cutts and whitefish and even managed to find a few pieces of petrified wood. We celebrated the day by stopping in at the Rustic for cold beers.

Every fishing van needs a Hula girl…

hula

Leon helping Jamie to bring in a trout

Jamie hooking up

Leon and Jamie celebrating a fine day on the water!

Leon and Jamie

Morning snow

Springtime in the Rockies is unpredictable. One day the sun is shining and rivers are high and muddy, while the next consists of snow and the feeling that the decision to put away the down jacket may have been a bit premature.

The lady and I are in Dubois this weekend for some R&R. We woke up this morning to heavy snow, making it feel more like early March rather than May. Despite the blanket of white though, things seem rather tranquil, and curling up with a good book next to wood stove may be just what the doctor ordered. Have no fear, at some point over the next few days, rods will be rigged and we will try to coax a few Wind River brown trout to hand….. There is even talk of floating with our good friend and fly fishing legend, Leon.