Odds and Ends

I promise...I only take my pontoon out!!!

                            Try some worms...they take the edge off of a slow day...

Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

                    A beautiful lake picture from a friend's ranch in Texas...

"Live Life One Day at a Time."

Stop every now and then.  Just stop and enjoy.  Take a deep
breath.  Relax and take in the abundance of life.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.        
                                                           

                      

Lose yourself in nature and find peace.

Everything you do can be done better from a place of relaxation.


Let loose of what you can't control.  Peace and Serenity will follow.    

             

                                                  

I found some interesting fishing techniques...

Last, but not least...where I will be volunteering for the World Cup Freestyle Championships this week...!


DEER VALLEY, UTAH

My Work...Errr, Weather Station

This week's photo prompt from the Outdoor Blogger Network (OBN) is the following question:  "So lets see those Outdoor Blog Work Stations. Do you have an Outdoor view from your computer?"  Oh, I most certainly do!  You see, my family room window looks right out at the Little Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake City, Ut.  Nothing could be more perfect for me, as I am an avid skier and fly fisher.  All I have to do is look up the canyon and check out the forcast of the day! (as you can see in the pic...it's a perfect fishing day)  My computer is looking at this beautiful Wasatch mountain range where ten minutes up that canyon are Alta and Snowbird ski resorts...ya, not too bad.  And beyond the canyon, on the other side of the mountain are the Weber and Provo Rivers...AHHH!!!  I also have a gorgeous flag to look at from the elementary school behind the house.  A perfect workstation location, but a little hard to work sometimes, if you know what I mean...See ya, I'm heading out!

A New Look!

Gee, I feel like brand new!  Dust off the shoes and come on in!  The construction is finally over and my little place in blogger heaven has had a face lift of sorts!!  I hope you like it...many hands took part in the creation.  All you have to do with these wonderful OBN bloggers is put out a photo and their creative juices start working!  I sure do appreciate their kindness and good will in behalf of a not-too-proficient web designer...muah!  OWL JONES and COFISHER...you rock! 

Lights, Camera, Action!!

Ok...so this writing prompt has come from Owl Jones of http://southernblueridge.wordpress.com/  (from a recent post...)  If there was an action movie made about my life...who would be the actress playing "The River Damsel"?  After much consideration (and a few chuckles) of thinking about the poor soul that would have to endure such a "wonderful" part...hands down, Meryl Streep.  Sure, she's older than me (ha)...but, I will take her experience in film anyday and she has already done one river movie (The River Wild)...She even had fly fishing lessons for it.  And I can loan her my pontoon for some floating...I'm sure that she would do an awesome job rescuing overturned tubers, camping with tent mice, wading the "big waters", and bringin' in the fish (INCOMING!!!) a la "A River Runs Through It"...Can Brad Pitt be in this movie too?  Maybe he could give a helping hand to the "Damsel in distress" as she slips on a rock while Mr. Brown Trout trys to take her down River X!  That would be reallllly nice!  And lets throw in an adventure with a bear in the campgrounds...rrrrraaaaarrrrr!!! Wait...that's a part for Sarah Palin...

Yes, I can see it now..."Adventures In Every Riffle"!  Coming soon to a theater near you...                        

                                   

Produced by:  GoneFishinProductions                            Directed by:  Owl Jones

                                                       

Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

A new weekly post to give a little lift for the upcoming week...Maybe a little fishy at times...but for the most part, just a few words of wisdom to tip off your week and getting it kick-started!

" What others think of you does not matter, what you think of yourself does. Think positive. Positive thinking will equal in positive results."  Written in 2011 by Joan Shaw --- Canada

RD:  I believe in P.M.A. (Positive Mental Attitude)  If I go out saying that I'm going to catch a fish, I usually do...On the other had, if I look at it with a negative spin and stay in that funk...well...I just end up getting frustrated more.



"Stop looking at what's wrong, and instead start looking at what's right about yourself, others, or any situation in general. Nothing or nobody will ever be perfect, so why not just enjoy it to the fullest? Life is too short and time flies. Make an effort to see the beauty in everything before it's too late."  Written in 2011 by Nubia J. --- Submitted by N. Jara ---

RD: It's important for us to give ourselves a break once in awhile...I know that I'm far from perfect in my fly fishing knowledge...it's a day to day learning experience.  Even on a skunk of a day...I can enjoy the beauty of the river and reflect on my week ahead.

Success? Don't you know it is all about being able to extend love to people? Not in a big, capital letter sense, but in the everyday sense, little by little, task by task, gesture by gesture, word by word."  Ralph Fiennes --- Submitted by George Wachirah --- Kenya

RD:  Success is really not about your worldly wealth...It's really about how many people you affected for the good...and how you treat others like you would want to be treated.  Hey, I think that I've been in this fishing "honey- hole" long enough, why not move on down and let someone else have a turn... 

                   HAVE A GREAT WEEK ! ... <"(((((><<                     

Dreams Come True At Lava Creek

OBN has given out a writing prompt this week...a favorite childhood story of the great outdoors...I honestly don't have any fishing stories when I was young because I didn't start all of this until just a few years ago.  (Yes, my mid-life crisis, as my friends and family say, but I call it my mid-life rejuvenation!)  My childhood consisted of other outdoor activities, in Southern California.  I spent many sunny days at the beach and many nights at Anaheim Stadium. (Los Angeles Angels)  Stay tuned, as this story will be coming soon...I always loved being outside, but the "wilderness" areas weren't really close by.  So, I bring you a story of last summer up in Yellowstone, WY.  And for the next month, there will be more adventures from the Yellowstone National Park.

So, we go back to last July, 2010...I only had three days to see as much as I could of Eastern Idaho and the Yellowstone area.  It was a whirlwind trip to say the least!  Eight rivers in three days.  Yes,  you read that right.  So, if you ever want to fish with me, you better be ready to move!!!  Ahh, I'm just kidding around...well, maybe.  Anyhoot, I'm going to share a story that happened on the Lava Creek in Yellowstone on this trip.  A few friends and I had been fishing the Lamar River for most of the day.  On our way back to our camping area, we spotted this creek and just couldn't pass it by.  Had to, had to...you know how it goes!  What a pretty setting on the side of the main highway.  A nice little picnic area with benches, lots of shade, and a creek full of bubbling brookies!  We got geared up and headed down the grassy slope to the contingency of trout.  Oh, this was quite the find...we worked one side of the highway and then the other side.  Some very nice 6 to 12 in brook trout in this creek.

We headed back to our vehicles to get some different flies and there was a family gearing up. We chatted for a few minutes and came to find out the parents of a young boy (about 8-10 yrs old)  had brought their son to Yellowstone for his first fly fishing experience.  What a great thing, right?  Well, it was a great idea, except there was no one to teach him the basics...hmmmm.  His dad had fished with a spin rod a little and that was about the size of it.  But, they had bought a fly rod for the youngster.

So, one of my friends decided that they looked perplexed enough to offer some assistance.  Kind of like Fishing 911...something in a hurry, but effective.  No time for a Fishing 101 class.  So, one of my friends pulled out the fly boxes, tippets and a big smile and said, "Let's start!"  In twenty minutes, tops...the young boy was at the creek pulling out a brookie.  He screamed and then laughed and what a sight it was.  What could have been a frustrating vacation with that fly rod turned out to be a great first experience which will probably lead to a life long journey for him.  It was the best moment of our trip, for sure.  Nothing could top that afternoon when we saw that smiling face with the trout on the end of his line!  We packed up and headed to camp.  A memorable day for the boy and for us too.  Sometimes it is about giving a little time and sharing your talents to make someone else's day a little brighter... ; ) 

Summer Fishing Or Was It?

You tell me...June 7, 2009
Yellowstone Park, WY.  So, if you ever plan on an early trip to Yellowstone, be prepared for any kind of weather!  Have you ever had a weather surprise on a trip?My hubby stayed in the car, while I was determined that I was going to have one more day of fishing!!  The snowflakes falling in the river were actually gorgeous...and when I came back to the car...Hubby said to me, "Who is this woman I married??!!!  (He actually loves the passion I have for my fishing, even though he doesn't fish)  My coat was snowcovered and I got my fish that morning...We could now go home. 

Look Where I Will Be...

Yes, I do own a pair of ski pants just like those...but, I promise, it's not me!  We are just a few weeks away from some real fun...Check out where I will be volunteering for a whole week!  Really, it could be worse...

http://www.deervalley.com/skiing_activities/2011-world-championships

Each year, I take a week off work and use one week of vacation to...well, work!  Ha.

                                                   THIS WOULD BE ME!!!

Here's a picture from last year.  There's nothing like the Aerials...and being a chopper"! I'm chopping air pockets with my shovel that are 2-3 feet deep in the mountain to soften the impact of the athlete's fall (when there is one, which is 1/3 the time)...a real workout!  But, something very much needed for this competition!!

And if I'm not too tired after my shift, it's on over to the Provo River to cast a few flies in the water...Well, it's only ten min. down the road... ; )  Wouldn't you? 

                                               Oh No!!! Now he's following me!

And him too?

The Never Ending Riffle...

Now, what is better than this picture?  Ugh, nothing.  And that is why this is my OBN "Photo Prompt" of the week!  One has to love the "forever riffle"...I mean, this is a blog titled, "Adventure In Every Riffle", so it only makes sense!  The water between Quake Lake and Ennis Lake never changes...You will not find any slow pools, boulders, or fallen trees.  What you will find, is a wide river that looks like one long, gigantic riffle.  And so it has been called, the "50 mile riffle".   When I visit my "Favorite Outdoor Place", the first words that come out of my mouth are: "Bring it on, "Maddy"!!"  Ahhh...The Madison River in the great state of Montana.

Who is this fishin' fool?   I need to wear my hair down more!!  Ha. Maybe that's why I show off my nails instead of the fish...so, I look more like a girl...Anyway, I had a request to highlight one of the rivers out here in the West from a fellow "hoot" of a blogger...then, out of the blue...OBN puts up a photo prompt asking for our "Favorite Outdoor Place".  Well, it is one in the same!  How about that?  The Mighty Madison River in Southwestern Montana; a fly fisher's dream...or in my case, a yearly journey up north.  This "Big Water" should not be missed during a fisherman's lifetime.  I have had the opportunity to fish it four times now and in each season.  And every time, I have traveled to a different part of it.  Another excellent stretch of water is between Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake (which was created by an earthquake in 1959).  Quake Lake is a must see...as there is a memorial there in honor of those who lost their lives in the massive slide that created what is now Quake Lake.  And down the road from the slide area, is my favorite fly shop and a pretty well known one, for being in such a secluded place!  Kelly Galloup's Slide Inn...check it out when you are up there.  He is a master fly tyer.  They also have an excellent website and online store...www.slideinn.com.  There's a free plug, Kelly.  Discount?

The headwaters of the Madison above Hebgen has slower pools and easy wading. The Firehole and the Gibbon Rivers in Yellowstone form the Madison which flows into Hebgen Lake.  There are excellent slower dry fly pools there too.  And you can find rainbow and brown trout reaching 5 - 6 lbs. or more...very nice!  I still need to take my pontoon up to Hebgen Lake to find some of those large fish there, since that is where they originate from!  Woolly Bugger time!  

I have caught rainbows and brown trout on the Madison...although I have heard that there is an occasional mountain whitefish in there...I can't remember who said that...anyway, I guess that I enjoy this river so much because I have never been skunked on it...ooops...that was bad luck.  Anyway, I don't know why that is.  It can be a tough river.  But, it can also be a very rewarding experience.  The fish are stealthy and have so much color!  I just love them...love them, love them.  What more can I say?  A large brown in my net just gives me that smile and extra kick in my step...and even if you have one snap off...what a fun battle, let me tell you!  It's worth every penny of gas.

Hatches on the "Maddy" include BWO's (my fave), Caddis, Salmon Flies, and Yellow Sallies, to name a few.  Of course, they have the hoppers in the late summer too.  My success has been on nymphing with large rubber legs and a personal favorite, the "Pepperoni".  Oh, I could go on and on and on about the Madison River, but I will just say two words more...   "Go Hither"!!!   <"((((((><<

Fishitis...Can It Be Cured?

I have been suffering from withdrawal pains. Some, call it Cabin Fever...When you have an ongoing history of Fishitis, days without fishing are barely survivable. Fishitis can be either active or dormant. When we are fishing, it disappears temporarily, but it lurks somewhere in the back of our minds, waiting to flare up any time we are separated from our rod and reel.

The disease manifests itself in many ways: very strange fishing dreams, total lack of patience with others, constant clicking onto fishing reports and the weather channel, and addiction to reading fishing publications for prolonged periods of time... Combine this with an obsession with ordering almost any fishing gadget one can see in a catalog and you have one very sick monkey! 

At last, I can claim that I'm out of the woods and feeling much better, thank you!  Sort of like a remission of sorts.  Despite the winter temperatures of 20 degrees and the two feet of snow, I fished the Provo River yesterday and found the cure.  Not that I'm going to do it every day, mind you!!!  Brrrr....

And I did get a little bonus for endurance!!!

Footnote:  This post of course, is done "tongue in cheek"...You know that?  Right?!!!



What's In A Name?

So, I've been wondering how people come up with their blog titles and ID names... I'm sure there is some interesting background or a funny story behind some of them.  Maybe something that we never even thought of!  When I look at some of these titles...I think, wow, that could have been mine!  Example:  Windknots and Tangled Lines...Oh, for sure, that could have been mine!  There are some stories behind "Adventure In Every Riffle".   Oh, when I started fly fishing two years ago, I was a little nervous about wading out in the middle of a river.  I don't have the best sense of balance, you see.  So, I bought a life preserver!!  My friends laughed. Have you ever seen anyone with one around their neck fly fishing?  Well, it is now on the back of my pontoon for the lake, which is a must. After a few times out, I got better on my feet and a little braver.  And I now know what my limits are. But, I had to learn the hard way...

My first "Adventure In Every Riffle", was taking a wrong step in a current that was a little too fast for my own good.  Oh, I could feel the pressure against my legs as I was about ready to go under and down the river!  Fortunately, I was just a few feet away from the bank where there were some large branches for me to hang on to, until a river buddy reached out to me and gave me his hand.  Whew!  My heart was racing on that one.  Lesson learned.  If you get your fly caught in a tree...cut your losses!  A full load of water inside the waders and one Ipod waterlogged.  Oh, I sure do love my Simms waterproof bag, which I bought shortly thereafter! That was on the Greys River in Wyoming.  One of the best dry fly locations in the summertime.  What a beautiful, secluded place it is.  Besides that little scare, it was an awesome trip.  Some great camping areas also.  I'm planning on revisting this summer.

The second "Adventure In Every Riffle", was on the Weber River in my own neck of the woods...Utah.  It was a beautiful, sunny day with a great, blue wing olive hatch going on.  I had two fish netted mid morning and was quite excited about the prospects!  All of the sudden, I heard children's laughter and screaming.  I looked upriver and saw a family of tubers coming swiftly towards me.  Now, this isn't a part of the river that gets tubers...in fact, it was the first time I had seen it on this stretch.  A few minutes later, the children's laughter was turning into shrills!  The tubes had overturned due to some low lying tree branches. The mother had her hands full for sure, as the tubes were going down the river and the children were trying to stay afloat in the current of the river even with their preservers on.  The father was lagging behind and not in view yet.  What was even scarier, was that these young boys were only 4-6 yrs old...So, I quickly went against the current as fast as I could go and grabbed one child and one tube with my flyrod under my arm, while the mother got hold of the other child.  Let me tell you, if that wasn't an adrenaline rush!   It took a few more minutes to gather up belongings and head to the riverbank.  The dad came up as we were placing the children on safe ground.  What do you think was the first thing out of the mother's mouth?  Yep,  "It's time to go home!! We've had enough fun"!!  She was so thankful and appreciative of my help and I was amazed that with my poor sense of balance, that I got over there in time!  What you can do when you don't have any alternative than to help!  Anyway, I sat at the side of the river for probably another half hour, just calming down my heart...And thanking God that everything worked out fine.  And as a damselfly landed on the plant next to me, I couldn't believe how this day was filled with so many adventures, beauties, and blessings and how a few fish were just a side note...

                 Thus, "Adventure In Every Riffle" and why I am "The River Damsel".