If there is a sage grouse in your camp leave it, they are good company.

Well, I've spent the last four days on a little stream in the heart of the windy beast. Fishing was slow, wind was cooling, thunderstorms every afternoon, more stones and caddis' then you could imagine. I caught the biggest fish of my life. A carp that loved a woven stone. I am guessing 30 inches and some where in that range of pounds. That fish was so thick. This silly bastard had both eyes, but he had moss growing on his back. I was on a ridge watching trout roll on the bottom. Then comes up this submarine and starts working the back water. He had a lady with him who I was thinking I wanted to catch, because I only had my three weight and come on... He was facing the only approach I had on the bank. So I sit and watch and he won't change directions I can't climb down and throw to him. What is the next logical thing? Make a cast from the ridge. I have only had a limited amount of sight fishing for carp (see previous post) no problem. First cast a bit short, but he still saw the movement and went to check it out. I pulled it away from him not wanting to get the big guy but wanting the smaller more manageable fish. Next cast perfection, for the big fish. Two small strips, he keys in on my stone crawling on the bottom, little flick of the tail, six inches forward, tail up, short strip to set the hook, he doesnt move, neither does my fly. What the hell? I raise my tip and then he can finaly feel the hook. He doesnt make a mad dash for deep water but a slow steady jog. I scramble after him over sage brush and slide down the ridge into the waters edge. There we have a tug of war for the next 15 or 20 minutes. He makes no hard runs, but does not want to move. I get ten feet he takes nine back. When I finally get him with in reach I have no idea what the hell I am going to do. Net? psh, I would have a handle with no net in the loop and he would be wearing a silly green hat. Try and thumb him? fuck no my fist could have fit in the vacuum of a mouth. Gill him? Nope, enough said. I get him up next to the grass and get a boot under his belly, he just rolls over onto the reeds, what a cooperative fish. He had moss growing on his back!! how long does that take? Enough Carp.




The trout were tough. Did not want anything to do with my nymphing. I had fair success on top, but in the windy South Canada your window on rising fish is small. They were all cookie cutter Cuts in the 16 inch range. Not a thing to complain about with the beautiful fish smashing my little stone/caddis hybrid.

Lessons learned on this trip.
Broken shock mounts do not have to slow you down.
Sage grouse make good camp buddies when you get lonely.
Coyotes will give this boy bad dreams.
Mosquitoes are the state bird of Wyoming. (Nich remember how I said they don't bother me? Bull shit).
A big carp can make your day when the trout are hiding.
Fuckers in drift boats can be assholes
Even in swarms of stones and caddis the fishing can be slow when you are a poor fisherman.
Sight fishing to carp and rising trout, so much better then watching a bobber or Czeching.
Thunder storms every afternoon, maybe another around 1am for good measure.
I NEED a new tent.
Four days alone is about right.