With three consecutive days off each week I have ample amounts of time to go have fun. Considering there is nothing to do in town I spend my days off driving to some destination to have various forms of adventure. With the lack of snow and bad avalanche conditions in the backcountry my adventures have mostly been of the fishing kind lately, surprising considering its the middle of winter in frigid Wyoming.
After being sick all last week and missing out on a good fishing trip to the Flaming Gorge. I decided to head down this week to spend my days off fishing. The Green River flows through the Flaming Gorge. This is the same Green River which originates outside of Pinedale. We are fishing the river below the dam, as this water does not freeze. Temperature is currently around 39*F. You don't want to get your gloves wet!
On Wednesday the weather was sunny and about 35*F. I found myself in the middle of a dry fly hatch, and hundreds of trout rising throughout the day. I was able to catch two small rainbows early in the day. However I quickly realized I did not have the right dry fly with me and I didn't have another take. I spent the next four hours watching a feeding frenzy and I couldn't get any part of it. The trout were feeding on miniature dry flies size 22-26. I had nothing that small. Very frustrating to say the least.
My luck changed when I tied on a streamer. I was able to catch five or six brown trout as the day was ending. And just like that the day turned out to be a decent day. I spent the whole day fishing on A section above little hole. There is a nice campground just a few miles down the road called Dripping Springs. I met Chris and his girlfriend Jo back at camp. We made a fire, cooked some dinner, and chatted about fishing until we were so cold we hopped into oversized down sleeping bags for the night.
We woke to an inch of snow and overcast skies. It was windy and frigid, not what you want to wake to on a fishing trip. We all slept about an hour later than planned, nobody was in a hurry to get up with the current conditions. The nice weather yesterday made this morning seem worse and our lazy attitudes showed. Also the water flows change throughout the day, early on the river is very high and tough to fish. As the day goes on the water level drops about 3 feet, the wading and fishing become easier.
Soon enough we were hiking down B section getting into position for the day. It was another slow morning, only one fish caught between the three of us. As the day progressed we tied on some streamers and started catching some browns. We hiked up river and started fishing these side eddies and pools. I caught three browns late in the day, once again turning the day into a decent day. One of those being the biggest brown I have caught, a nice 19 incher. Jo was there to get some good pictures.
With the temperatures dropping quickly and cold wet hands we called it a day and hiked 2 miles back to the car. I said goodbye to Chris and Jo as they were leaving. I was staying another night and drove back to camp. Once I arrived at camp I noticed my dog, Tank, was very exhausted and sore. Two full days of running and playing in the river takes its toll on my out of shape dog. He is also a short haired dog so he has a hard time staying warm on these cold nights out. I made his bed in the back of my truck and covered him with a blanket, he did not move for the next 14 hours.
It was another cold windy night. I sat in the bed of my truck made some pasta, filled two water bottles full of hot water. Put one in my sleeping bag and gave the other one to Tank. They stayed warm all night. I woke up to a bitter cold morning with two inches of snow. The wind was gusting so severe it shook the truck. After about 2 hours of laying in the truck waiting for the wind to die down I made the decision to bail and go home. It would have been a tough day on the water and Tank had some bum paws.
It amazes me how much I learn everyday on the water. I consider myself new to the sport of fly fishing and I struggle with the daily challenges it presents. This trip was no different I picked up some good information. I made it a point to spend some time spotting fish and observing them on this trip. This is an important aspect of the sport, and comes with experience.
Put the rod down grab some lunch and just watch and water, it is an open classroom with lessons being given all day long. I have so much to learn, but the great thing is this time around school is fun.
