Who...Me?

Something is up over at the Outdoor Blogger Network... It seems that they got my name and number, email and well...posted a "Quickfire Interview" with good ol' RD...So, go on over and check it out!  You might even get a laugh or two... And maybe find out a few things that you didn't know about me.

Hitting The Road...Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

What's better than a road trip?  Mmmm...nothing.  At least, for me.  I must have a portion of gypsy blood in me.  I love to travel.  The farther the journey is, the more exciting it becomes.  But, here we are with gas prices rising steadily.  That limits the times that I will probably venture out this year.  So, I need to be a little more choosy on where to go.  I have a trip that is coming up that will indeed put some of my fidgeting to rest.  For now...  River X is waiting...I'm shooting for April.  And if it is warm enough by then...we will be staying at the river and doing a little bit of camping.  So, here are a few items that I am going to pick up.

Mmmm...Real food!



Comfort...no more sleeping on rocks. 

.

And something more than a flashlight.

That's better!  Now...to pick out some new camp recipies.  Of course, the Snickers and Diet Coke will always be a standby.  But, if I can make a sausage, peppers and potatoes dish?


The last River X meal...



 A little bit better.  And for breakfast...mmmm...sausage, eggs and pancakes. (I love that ready-made Bisquick in a bottle!)  I'm  ready to go now.   I can already smell the aroma in the brisk, canyon air...  : )  A month or so more of this winter fishing... and then the real fun begins!  Journey on...

Today's Ti ppets:  They are coming from you out there!  Since I am not an "accomplished" camper, I will take whatever advice you might have for me. Now,  remember... this girl is from California. Growing up, no one in my family liked this camping stuff...shall we say that they were "indoorsy"?  Anyway, I have had several great road trips with friends in the past few years, that have opened my eyes to the outdoors camping experience.  And I definitely want to do more of it.  So, I welcome your suggestions and remember...I do know about keeping even closed coolers away from my head in the tent!  (Thanks to my friend who I thought knew more than I did)  I never, ever want to see this guy near my sleeping bag again! HA! Even if he does a little dance on a rock in the tent corner to be cute...

A new development since I posted this story...head on over to Windknots and Tangled Lines and you will see Howard's suggestions for me.  What a hoot that Cofisher guy is...

Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover ~ Friday's Grab Bag

Well it's a Friday night and I am all tuckered out from my fishing day...  What kind of day, you ask?  Tune in tomorrow for Sunday Tippets.  Until then, I have a little book review in the good ol' grab bag!

A few weeks ago, a fellow employee came over to my desk to tell me that he was planning on selling his house and moving to the other side of the state.  I was surprised when he asked me if I would be interested in some fly fishing books that he had collected and no longer wanted.  Now, why would I say "no"???  When he came in the next morning, he had a stack of books...Not bad, eh?

Of course, it was one of the longest days at work.  I kept looking over at this pile of books, wanting to browse each one!  Finally, I had to put them under the desk.  Haha.  (I'm very bad about presents under the Christmas tree too!!)  Well...it didn't help that he told me that there were notes and directions in the "Guide to Utah" of all his favorite fishing holes.  : )  When I got home, I did a quick glance with each book and decided that there was one that was pretty fun.  One that was different than all the rest... I found a book that would be perfect for anyone that is just getting into fly fishing or that wants to increase their knowledge about it.

   

The book is entitled, "Catch That Fish"...The Essential Guide To Fly Fishing Tactics.  Sounds kind of silly, doesn't it?  Well, friends...this book isn't silly at all.  In fact, it is the best deal I've seen at $7.99 (special value price that my friend paid a few years back) and even a better deal as I got it "free"!!  Peter Gathercole is the author and his insight and knowledge are very well illustrated by the brief write ups on fly selection and techniques.  He talks about everything from what equipment and clothing is used to species of fish to how to tie some of the most common fly patterns.  What is a rainfed river, a chalkstream, a spate river?  I'm still pretty new to all of this I guess...I had never heard of those names...So, I have really been enjoying this "drop in my lap"!   It even has tips on how to fish stillwater; small and large lakes and reservoirs.  The hardcover book was published in 1999.  But, I don't believe that it is outdated by any means...And the hints to matching the hatch and where to cast are going to be tested by this River Damsel very shortly!  Hey, I always welcome improvement...

My favorite part about this book has to be the split pages!!   Each section tells you how to fish that particular area of water on the top half and then gives you helpful "try these first" flies on the side of the page.  Then, all you have to do is flip the bottom part of the book to that fly to match up... Ok...I like interactive books, I guess!   I know, this might sound "elementary" to some, but it is a great way for someone to learn about fly fishing or just brushing up on their skills.  The fly patterns are very large and colorful and really bring the fly to life.  You can really see the detail which is great also.  You can pick up this book "used" on several sites on the internet.  If you want to add a book to your collection...give this one a try!  And you can get it on the cheap... What's better than that??  : )

Oh...and that wasn't all I received from my friend who was tossing things out.  Are you ready?

Hmmm...Where to put these?

Oh, No You Don't!!...Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

I really don't know how to better describe the events of yesterday's fishing trip, except to show a few pictures.  I believe that they will tell it all.  In the end,  I decided that I need new fishing gear... Knee guards...or just better judgement.



Minus the hocky stick, of course.

There is this term called "Combat Fishing"...it usually relates to the density of fisherman on the river.  But, in my case, it means...one River Damsel in a stretch of stronger current with one 20 + inch brown trout. (You will have to forgive the missing picture of the actual battle...needless to say, there wasn't time to take a few pics!


A freshly fallen 8 inches of snow welcomed me as I started my journey...

I was excited to try out my new 10' 4wt fly rod...

but, because I left my Lamson reel at home, the low cost back-up had to be used.

The first catch of the day was this "teenager" of a Brown Trout.

The new rod had been "initiated"...

Then, I had it in my mind that there would be bigger fish down by the bridge. 

And I was right. 

BEFORE...

Then, this is where the story goes...downstream!!  In more ways than one.   

 I really want to blame this mishap on the lousy back up reel, but it could also be the angler involved.  : ) This reel was supposed to come with some sort of drag system!   I couldn't tighten it up...And all of a sudden, it was reeling out of control with a 20 plus brown on...He showed me his head and yellow tail once as he pulled away yard by yard.  Oh, I wanted this guy!!  But, he was determined to go back down deep.  My rod had a beautiful bend in it...if we are looking for something postive about this experience!  Sooner than expected though, I was to the backing of my line.  Now, it was nervous time.  He was too far away from me going downstream and the shear force made me stumble over some jagged rocks underneath.  My knees screamed in pain.  Still holding on to my fly rod with every bit of strength I had left,  I tried to reach back for my clippers.  I was not going to lose a new rod by golly!!  But, before I could find them and cut the line...

Mr. Brown...broke off.  Insult to injury! : (  Well, at least I saved my line, I guess!

   

AFTER...

And my suspicions of what might happen if I fell hard enough one day were answered.  Patagonia makes a good wader.  But, I totally believe in reinforced knees, which my first Cabelas waders had...I wouldn't have had the holes, I don't believe.  Now, hopefully the patch kit fixes them...

 

And finally home to give it a rest...a few scrapes to the hands and a few bruises to the knees and ego.  Whether I could have brought that fish in with a different reel is beside the point.  The "reel" factor was that I wasn't in an area that I should have been in.  Yes, it was a spot that had a lot of boulders and pockets water.  Good holding spots for trout.  My sense of balance is not as good as others.   And the current was stronger than I should have ventured out in.  So, my tippet today would be to fish in those waters that are in your comfort zone.  Don't risk your safety for a silly ol' fish!  (even 20 + browns)  Hindsight.   I think it's time for the hot tub. 





Bear...Errr, Bison Watch At The Lamar

Last year, I had a Picasa failure with my pictures that were connected to about three months of posts...vanished, gone!  So, I am re-creating a few of my favorite posts and applying photos once again!  For those who already commented on the story, thank you!  And for those newcomers that might not have read this story about one of my times on the Lamar River in Yellowstone...one of the most perfect habitats for fly-fishermen...enjoy!

Another segment in my Yellowstone series...We move on to the Lamar River!!...In the summer of 2010, I had the opportunity to travel once again to Yellowstone National Park.  It is one of my favorite places to visit and I usually try to make it an annual/semi annual trip.  I went with a couple of friends and out of the 8 rivers that we hit in the 3 day period (yes, that was crazy), the Lamar River has to be one of the favorites.  For sure, next time I go to the Lamar, it will be a full day wading this beautiful river.  The most amazing thing was the emerald green of the water.  And the rocks...absolutely beautiful.  The Lamar River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River.  It is approximately 40 mi. long and is located in the NE part of Yellowstone. 

 It is known for bears, bison and wolves in the area.  When we entered the park, they had told us about the "Bear Watch" that was active in the Lamar Valley which was our destination...I always figured that the bear spray wouldn't help much because if the bear was close enough to spray, it was already way too close!!!  Do you know what I mean?  Well, I guess it does work, so I hear...We headed up in the late morning after stopping at the Gibbon River.  As it was a little ways up the road and with the construction going on,  we hoped that it would be worth the trip.  It was!!  My friends got started before me on the river...which is pretty usual as I am a lagger! 

So, I am getting changed into my waders next to the car when I look in the side mirror and see this rather large bison coming towards the vehicle behind me.  Now, I know not to harrass or get too close to Mr. Bison.  I have seen them many times before on the roads up there.  So, I figured that I better get inside and wait until he passed and was on his way down the road.  While intently observing this animal, I was amazed at the massive body.  I waited for Mr. Bison to change his direction and go across the road and up a hill before getting back out! You bet I did!!  He didn't look like he wanted to play Monopoly, you know what I mean?

As I got out of the car, I looked down into the Lamar Valley and it was just breathtaking!  A gorgeous place for sure.  It is one of the most pristine places in Yellowstone and probably has the most wildlife to view (from a distance is better sometimes!)  Bison were herding in the field across the road.  Now, there was this "Bear Watch" that I was still a little nervous about.  But, being with friends, I felt some comfort there.  But, I was still going to be mindful of it...  Did you know that bears love to fish too???? 

Well...it was time to fish!  And fish, we did.  I brought in a few cutties and a nice rainbow too.  I love the rocks and rills of this river.  Very picturesque.  And there was an added surprise...little ducklings.  They were adorable and very brave!  They were right at my feet in a little pool of water and then, all of a sudden, off they went!  Across the riffles to the other side!  I don't know how they swam across the current, but they did.  It was a rather warm summer day and I almost was ready for a swim myself!  Ha.  A lot of Caddis and PMD's...hoppers as well.  Darn it all, if I didn't have one of those Lamar River Chernobyl's on hand!  I hear they are the ticket...As you go towards the canyon, it gets rockier and a little more treacherous.  But, the fishing is great.  Heaven on earth is here at the Lamar.  The river has deep pools, runs, and undercuts that are packed with native Yellowstone Cutthroat.  The Lamar''s upper end has few fishermen, as you can tell by the way the cutthroat rises slowly from the bottom of a deep pool to snatch your fly!  A few more bears, wolves and animals with teeth also! 

So, we didn't go too much farther up,  as we had excellent fishing where we were.   The heaviest fished section of the Lamar is between Soda Butte Creek and the canyon.  There is a wide open valley of about 7 mi.  Even though it has the most fishermen visiting that part of the river, it has excellent fishing.  The stream has some large boulders, plenty of riffles, runs, and lots of pocket water.  We fished in deep pools too...we loved it all!!  Trout in this section and the lower canyon section, where we were, are mostly cutthroats averaging from 12-14 inches and some up to 18-20 inches.  There are also some rainbows and cutbows on the Lamar closer to the Yellowstone River.  The river is just the right size for fly-fishing, big enough to hold large trout, but small enough so that even novice fishermen will have a pretty good idea where the fish are holding.  And the sunsets...ahhhh.

Well, I am happy to tell you that even though I was looking over my shoulder most of the time for that bear that they told us about, there was no sign of him anywhere...  Or maybe he just hid well!!  I just had to put up with my friends who thought it was funny to make "bear noises"  at me...RRAAwwrr!!! 

Footnote:  The fishing season in Yellowstone runs from Memorial Day to early November, but the best time to plan your trip is between July and September.  Especially, if you are going to the Lamar...runoff usually takes until middle of July for the water to be at a good level.