Month: December 2015

 

 
The offseason is halfway over.  Within the next 6 weeks the river will start to wake up a little.  Sculpin and Whitefish will begin moving about the system in preparation for spawning.  Larger trout will start to seek out protein rich food in preparation of their spring spawn.  Skwalla Stoneflies in the LC will start to move around and prepare for the annual early spring late winter hatch.  The wary trout angler stirs with anticipation for the spring that is now within view from the icy snowy mountain of winter.

This winter has turned out to be a snowy one.  Right now there is well over 15 inches of hard compacted snow on the ground with 2 inches of fluff from yesterday.  The mountains are full, and the sub freezing temps have settled in.  The upper river is asleep, with ice along its snowy edges.  More water flowing now then this past October.  A healthy sign that the mountains have water again.

If the winter trend continues we shall have a better season in many ways than this past one.  Hatches may come off properly, insects that lay dormant during the drought will hatch, the fish that made it through the rough season will gorge, grow fat, and spawn.  The river will rebound, as it tends to do.  The one thing that climate change does is exacerbate the normal weather cycles making light now years worse, and big snow or cold years worse.  We had a rough drought year and now the winter seems to have returned us to a somewhat normal state for now.  The last drought had the same rebound trend albeit far less of an issue than this past one.  I am looking forward to more water, healthier and more robust wild trout to come, and lots of happy anglers in my drift boat this year.

With the offseason hitting its halfway mark its time to start thinking about trout again.  Flies will be tied with more enthusiasm, leaders tied, rods fixed, renewed insurance and permit, and researching new patterns, tactics, techniques, methods, and ways of fly fishing and teaching the art and craft that makes this sport so unique.

I like to give trout a break from my constant berating of flies into their world during the winter.  The winter gives me a chance to spend time at home.  It also makes the anticipation of the season and the first taught line with a large trout aggressively fighting against angler that much sweeter.  Trout have had time to become comfortable in the river, they forget the angler for a time, and when trout and angler meet again as the river thaws, they meet each other with renewed vigor and respect for one another.  At least that’s what happens for me when I return to the river after the winter.

I look forward to the season.  Lots of things are happening, I am already seeing that I will be quite busy, and I look forward to meeting new people riverside.  I long for days of introducing people to wild trout, with a net, a release, and a handshake.  Till the season starts my fellow anglers…till the season starts.

 

Tamarack

It’s been a while.  The guide season was busy, the end of it wasn’t that great, mostly due to the drought.  But that’s not what this blog is about.

The offseason is different for everyone.  Some guides hit up steelhead or salmon, some head south, others go and do something non fishing related, others just take the time off.

I took time off.  My wonderful lady is working to keep her sanity, being at home all guide season with three kids is a full time gig.  Now its my turn.  I didn’t get to see my kids as much as I would like this summer, I was busy doing the other Dad stuff…working.  But now I get to be home.  I plan to head down south for a month or two to guide and keep my sanity nest winter, so this offseason I get to be at home with the kids and do Dad Stuff.

I have an almost 2 year old that takes up most hours of most of my days.  A little minion of energy, she never shuts up when she’s awake, never sits still, and gets into everything.  The plus side is she sleeps hard and let dad stay up late and sleep in late.  This is my third toddler and turning 30 this February along with my more laid back attitude, has made me a wiser and more capable dad, ask my lady.  I spend most of the day picking up toys and socks, she likes socks.  Changing diapers and the dreaded potty training.  Lots of Sesame Street and Octonauts, kissing boos, and handing out milk and bananas.  Its Dad Stuff, and its awesome when all you do is spend time on the river away from it.  I only get glimpses of those moments when I’m focused on the river and trout.  My older kids are doing the school stuff, almost ready for holiday break.  Which will hopefully be spent skiing and snowshoeing in the mountains with them, playing video games, watching the new star wars after a marathon of the first 6, and just being a family during the winter.  Shut in, warm, enjoying the time on the couch and in the snow before the craziness of chasing trout, running shuttles, tying flies, and all that fun guide stuff.

The guide life envelops my entire family.  Many of my clients meet my lady and kids when they pick us up for shuttles.  This is our family business.  Some day one of my kids may have a driftboat of their own, running trips like dad.  They get to see me do what I love everyday.  They look forward to guide season as much as I do.  My lady is already looking forward to the guide season.  The money is better, and the drought made our winter surplus not as cushy.  Part of the reason I will be headed south next winter.  Plus, getting a job that pays decent in a little mountain town in this country is getting harder and harder.  The higher income level of a guide paired with the simple and small lifestyle my family and I adhere to makes living quite perfect for us.  We have the same humps to get over like every other family, but the lifestyle we live makes stress levels much lower.  Many know that my family and I have been through some heavy crap.  Life just knocks ya down some times.  River blows out.  We pulled ourselves back up and are getting back to our own normal lives one oar stoke at a time.  I get to spend all winter contemplating how far we have come, and how to prepare for next trout season.

Well, I will sometime in January, right now I am enjoying watching Netflix, playing with kids, and avoiding household chores like laundry and dishes.  I have a pretty sweet gig when it is guide season.  My life is filled with lots of energy.  Fly fishing is quite an experience.  But every day can become the same in the pursuit of trout.  Good guides know how to avoid burnout, I take time at home to remember that my toddler saying a new word every day is also quite an experience.  Its all about the moments.  The trick is to make sure that life is filled with more positive ones than negative.  Something my family and I have worked very hard at, through fly fishing and living a more trout bummy lifestyle.

 

We will get back to some actual fishing stuff here in the next week.  Streamer season is right around the corner.

 

Tamarack

It’s the offseason!  I’ll be back for guiding come Febraury for late winter and early spring trout chasing with spring specials, new waters to fish, and good times all around. 

Enjoy the winter season with your loved ones, play in the snow if you can, this trouty dude will be back in the rowers chair soon enough…ready to show clients a wicked awesome time riverside. 

Thanks and I’ll see everyone when the river thaws. 
Tamarack