Okay, so I have never really been a huge fan of blogs that just post photos with no story behind them. These photos dont have much of a story. After work saturday I went to catch some fish. Here are the photos of them. The one was big.
Okay okay it has been way too long since i have done this. I am going to try and update a bit more frequent. Life has changed a lot in the last six months or so. I changed jobs (the main reason I dont update this as regularly) I bought a condo, and most importantly I have caught a lot of fish. Oh yeah, I also have a bullet hole in my windshield now.
I want to thank the people at the Wasatch Fly Fishing and Tying Expo who came up to me and commented on this blog. It was very surreal, I have never really put too much time or thought into this and did not thing anyone other then the people I have sent it to read it. I didn't really think they read it. Well thank you, you are the reason I am getting back into it. If you are reading this introduce yourself to me again. I forgot your names, I met so many amazing people that weekend. I feel very lucky to have been a part of such a neat event. I hope to hold a part in it for the upcoming years.
Well for updates on fishing lets see. I did not spend much time fishing over the winter, I hate the cold. I did spend a few uneventful days on the water though. The last trip I can think of that anyone might want to know about was last weekend.
A few months ago at a 187 rally I ran into an old friend from high school Matt Lucas. I didnt know he was a fisherman then, and I was quite happy to run into him. We exchanged numbers and spent a few days getting our asses kicked on local waters.
I spent a lot of time talking about the waters I really liked to fish in Idaho and he kept talking about the steelheading up there. I was heading up to Boise for a concert and talked him into coming along . We fished three waters in northern Idaho and western Oregon. We did not catch many fish but we caught some really big ones. Matt caught a brown that went 25" and had to of weighed all of a pound and a half. It was one of the silliest fish I have ever seen It could have been an eel. That fish fought the hell out of him and was quite a decent looking fish for how damn silly it looked. I also took a large brown off that river that made my trip. I got him right to hand when he broke me off. He was in the 22" to 24" range and beautiful and fat. He took a 22 midge. I have been a 20/20 member for quite a while, but the 22/22 is new. If only I can take a 32" fish on a bunny midge. Cheech, I really want to figure a way to make this happen. The easiest way I can think of is to make some sort of a small streamer or egg pattern with a #32 trailer hook. Rediculous.
That day in Oregon was preluded by a crazy night of drinking, there was a great bitch slap (me hitting Matt). Lots of beer, lots of laughs, some falling down, and just plain trouble. We were very lucky not to have woken up with black eyes. Sunday we tried to meet up with a few of Matts friends in Challis. We would have made it in time too if it was not for the foot of snow. Over the night in Boise there was a crazy wind storm. I woke a few times that night and looked out the window to snow flying sideways and kept thinking we would just go home. When it was time for coffee and cruelers the wind and snow had stopped. We started our journey through the Sawtooth Mountain range. HOLY FUCK what a joke. We turned around at one point only to realize the way back down was unpassable too. A two hour drive turned into around 5 or 6. The snow was so bad we had to get out and remove snow from his wheel wells because it was building up and bogging down the car. He has an Outback!?!? The snow was crazy. We finally made it to Stanley alive. We were both overly stressed and thankful to be seeing blacktop again. We fished our way down to Challis and were not having luck. At the final hole of the day we finnally dialed it in. I caught my FIRST!!!!! steelhead and Matt took a few others. I also caught a crazy sucker out of that hole also. He rose a few times. It was strange. When he took I thought I had a small steelhead. When he rose I thought it may be a brown, because I could tell the coloring was off. There are no browns in the Salmon that I know of though. Matt kept saying I had a Bull Trout. I knew it was not a Bull trout because of the colors also. After three rises, one a few feet out of the water, we still had no idea i had only hooked a huge sucker. I sure was a sour boy when I landed him. He was really fun though. So eh...
Well I think I am for the most part caught up. I am headed north again this weekend if anyone wants to come. But for a recap, I had a great trip with Lucas, big fish although not too many of them. I will find a few pictures.
Wow, that fish looks small in the picture. Stupid pictures. I also forgot the hell storm that chased us off the river, and the crazy amount of wildlife we saw. Blacktail deer, mulies, elk, snow geese, canadian geese, too many ducks, a fox, a coyote, and a lot of steelhead gulping air. Does anyone know why they do this?
It has been so long since I have updated this. It is a shame. I have a new job and I am now not behind a computer all day. I am behind my steering wheel for most of it. So as a recap of the last fall....
I was attacked by a moose, and lost my boat.
Caught the largest trout of my life. 25.5 inch cut.
Had some rough trips on the Green
Caught some beautiful fish in Idaho
Going 0 for 2 on steelhead trips, I had a really nice fish on and close to the boat. My guide guessed 35 or so inches. Hard fighting fish. He was up near the boat but still had more running in him so I was close to landing him but not really.
Bull trout have turned into Whitefish for me. I dont mind catching them by any means, but I just want a damn Steelhead. Everytime I go Steelhead fishing, I can only land Bull trout.
The snows have started. I hate snow.
My birthday is this weekend.
here are some pictures. If i think of anything else I will post it with them.
Brian and I went fishing yesterday. I needed a model. I got the shot that I was after. Fishing was slow, but fun. If anyone else wants to let me take a few pictures of them while they fish let me know.
I bought a pair of Dan Bailey "BareBones" waders two years ago to the tune of $129.00. At the time I thought it was a ridiculous amount of money for waders. I had only purchased the cheep Hodgeman waders that everyone has seen. I actually got a pair of those for Christmas the year I bought my Dan Baileys also. They are a bargain!! Some where around the fifty dollar mark. I must have spent three hundred dollars on them since I started fishing. I sure wish I would have invested in some Dan Bailey Guide waders. When you pick up a pair of cheep waders at Allied (remember that) or Sports Castle you are going to get what you paid for, A season of dry fishing, maybe. Some time around January when you are throwing tiny bug rigs on the Weber you are going to notice that creeping of needles on your feet where you have a hole. You'll patch it, but there is something about those cheep waders when they get a hole they turn into swiss cheese over night. More patches then you can put on.
I had my Baileys about a year before I had wet socks at the end of the day. Luckily it happened in the spring. It was early spring and It did get too cold a time or two. I actually had awh
ile where I would wear my Baileys with another pair of Hodgmans on top. It kinda sorta worked, but I felt like a goon. I turned them inside out and filled them up in the tub to find the hole, damn seams were leaking, not a thing I could do about that. I called the shop where I bought them (Four Seasons) and the sales man told me to bring them in and he would fix the hole for me. I did not really want to leave my waders at a shop, I knew I would never see them again ( I miss my Scott). Well I took them up and he said they would try and fix them. I figured I would be wet wading till it got cold and I would have to buy a new pair cause my waders had been lost to warranty. The next day I got a call from the shop? What had happened? did I leave my wallet there, my glasses? Why would they call me so soon? I was confused. He told me they tried to find the hole but the seams were blown so they would have to go back to Baileys. Wow thank you, that was quick. There must be no action on the MP this year. A week later I get a call again!! Dan Baileys checked out my waders not my fault they were on their way back to me all fixed up. I could not believe it. A few days later I got another call from Four Seasons my waders were in, come get them. I made that trek out to Heber and picked them up. I was expecting that sixty dollar charge for shipping, to be expected. Was not there!! free. I opened up my box, not my waders. It was a new pair. What a great day, what a great company, what a great shop. Yesterday I got out on the water with them. It was a small creek that I would have rather wet wader but it flows into drinking water so I must protect the water drinkers of salt lake, no oils from my body will end up in your iced tea. Dan Baileys had made some improvements since i had bought mine. Built in gravel guards with a sweet little Velcro strap, and the suspenders come off for a quick easy conversion to pants/ waist highs. Along with the built in belt these new features make the names "barebones" just sound silly. These waders are tricked out in my book. $129 dollars was a bargain. If they are going to take care of me so well when they get leak I will have no problem dropping the three hundred bucks for some guide series waders one of these days.
In review.
Dan Baileys customer service is AMAZING.
Dan Baileys makes a good product.
Four Seasons is a great shop, I wish they were in Salt Lake.
Four Seasons has the cutest employees also.
Dan Baileys-- go get a pair.
Photo by darrinnoble.com
I am going to start posting some music I am currently listening to on here.
The Watson Twins first came across my ears because of an album they recorded with Jenny Lewis. I know that Rabbit Fur Coat received tons of hype and got great reviews, it should have. The sisters out shined the Rilo Kiley singer.
Fire Songs, Chandra and Leigh Watson's first full length album is a little bit Alt Country a touch of Jazz and completely full of perfect harmony. Their voices melt so perfectly together. Sky open up is my favorite on the album hands down. It could be because of the slide guitar gives a heaver country feel. Of course it is, I am a sucker for slide guitar.
After seeing them play live last night at Urban Lounge I can officially say I have a crush on Leigh.
