Monday, March 7, 2011

Some Like It Hot ...The Firehole!

"Hades' Anvil" - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Standing beside the Firehole River, it's a world of bright colors and steaming pools...what a sight!!  Yellowstone is famous for its stunning geothermal features...including geysers, steam vents, and thermal pools.  This is the first of two stories I have to tell about one of my favorite Yellowstone rivers...The Firehole!!  I have to go back to June 2009.  The beginning of my fly fishing journey.  I took a beginner fly fishing class that took us to some wonderful places...four destinations in fact.  What I didn't know, was that this would be a fast learning experience on what NOT to do when in a river....Ya, leave it up to me to try to get all the attention.  Ha.  Well,  let me tell you first, why this river is so special...where  else can you find one of the most exotic free-flowing rivers in the country?  And with trout to match!  The excitement builds as you rig up your five-weight and head down the path to an unbelievable sight...it's really hard to explain...you have to experience it... And  Old Faithful geyser basin is just down the road! 



Ok, so I can act like a Dork!
The Firehole is great for wildlife viewing... I spotted a moose and bison on the river bank just two miles north from Old Faithful geyser basin, near Lone Star geyser.  I love to watch the animals...something you don't see  everyday.  (Unless you live in Alaska!)  The Firehole River is as unique as it is beautiful.  It runs about thirty miles and runs through the Upper, Midway, and Lower Geyser Basin's.  The current can be quite strong,  but there are plenty of eddy pools that you can get into and stay in one place as you feel the water swirling around you.  Here is a picture of me enjoying life as it was...before the fish that pulled me out of my comfort zone!  So, I'm thinking that this is the life!  I'm fishing with some really good people in the class and we are all having a great time.  I am in the water and ready to cast away!  Oops!  Tangled line...Oops!  A snag underneath the water...Maybe this isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be!   A couple of class helpers were very patient and kind and got me going in the right direction.  I was just starting to feel in my zone...yep, a quick set and a fish on! 


I believe that this was my 3rd  fish as I remember.  It gave me a fight, which was fun until my foot just happened to find some soft crust and down I went...fishing pole in hand, fish still on the end of my line!  Haha.  Oh no, he wasn't going to get away!!  Now, being a novice and all, I didn't think to cut the line.  No, I chose to follow him for some reason...down the river for about 20 ft or so...My arm was straight up out of the water still...Who did he think he was dealing with anyway?  Ha.  By the time I got back up on my feet with him still fighting for freedom, my flybox took a swim!! 


I thought that I had zipped my inside pocket all the way up.  But, now my fly box was riding the current away from me... Oh no, I wasn't going to let my first box of flies (about 100 of them) go down the river!  I reached out to get my fly box and down I went again!  I really wish that someone had this on video...!!!  I'm sure it was hilarious.  The fish was still on my line...unbelievable.  And on a barbless hook to boot!  By this time, I was waterlogged from  head to foot...the only good part about this was that the water was very warm...It was June and the Firehole River is like 70-75  degrees!!  No kidding.   So, enough of the hot tub experience.  I reeled the fish in and found someone to take a picture of this little bugger...Yeah, he was squawking...heck, he had quite the ride.  But, so did I!  Lesson learned...Cut the line if you have to instead of taking a swim down the river...and always have all zippers zipped! 

Before the Adventure!!!  Nice and Dry... : )

   







16 comments:

  1. What? No photos of the action wallowing in the Firehole? I can understand the absence of video, but surely someone must have had their camera handy for a series of action sequence photos? You need to digitally record these types of angling unaccomplishments ;)

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  2. All I can say is this...I had moved down to another section with one guy and he had the choice of helping me or taking pictures of me drowning!!! Ha.

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  3. And thanks Kirk! "Unaccomplished" angling at it's finest!!

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  4. I and many of us have done the same.
    I remember a year ago bending over to release a trout and the small fly box in my shirt pocket falling into the stream.

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  5. My goodness, the knees will heal up but loosing a good box of bugs now thats permanant damage!
    Sounds like fun, addictive, abuse.

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  6. Your post triggered some deep olfactory nerve when I saw that first picture! Been there, beautiful place.

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  7. Well, the good news was that the fly box went drifting towards the bank and around the bend, was another classmate that heard of the incident over the walkie talkie and retrieved it for me! Whoohoo!

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  8. What a story..."hmmm save the girl or take photos...save the girl or take some photos. Holy moly, the fish is still on...save the fish."

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  9. THE RIVER DAMSEL said...
    Hahahahahahaha...Cofisher! Are you seeing a common thread in my adventures? I'm not sure that a fiberglass rod is in my future!! Lol.

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  10. Are you really sure no one took any video? I'd pay to see that about right now! Tee Hee

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  11. You said "firehole"...hehehehehe. (Sorry, that's my inner Beavis & Butthead at work).

    Looks like an incredible place to fish...even with the stumbling and bumbling.

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  12. Mel ~ When I come up to the South Fork to fish with you, just don't "tee hee" too loud, ok?

    Mike ~ Haha...I had plenty of good moments too, just didn't talk about them. But, in Part 2, I will be telling more about the river and the amazing salmonflies!! Stay tuned.

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  13. We clearly fish with a different crowd. The folks I run with on the banks of the Firehole would save me, but not until the antics were photographically captured.

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  14. Ok Kirk, you win. When in Idaho this weekend, we will have those river moments "captured"!

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  15. It looks and sounds pretty awesome to fish out there. Hope I get a chance to check it out one day, and hopefully remain on my feet. Seems like you may have set a precedent for your future trips on this particular outing.

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