The 2013 Season Is Upon Us

Good news is Trouthunter kept me very busy last summer and we had a great season. The bad, I guess,  was a total of zero blog posts for the year. It was definitely easier to find time to write when I used to work in the fly shop a couple times a week. Guiding almost every day with a wife and kids and living in a cabin with no internet has taken a toll on this would be blogger. This year we will have internet so I hope for a little more productivity in the ole blog department.

I am hoping to be able to put down some good words and fresh ideas going forward. It is hard to get past the fishing pictures and fishing reports content but I will look to dig a little deeper and try to hone my writing skills as well as putting some fun and worthwhile stuff on here.  I am certainly no gifted writer but an interesting thought or two makes its way through my head from time to time. Hopefully I can find the motivation and inspiration to put something down that folks will enjoy. Here's to a productive 2013 both in the rowers seat and behind this laptop!

Changing Seasons and Changing Boat Stickers

A new year is upon us and there are some new and exciting changes to talk about. Moving forward, I am happy to say I will be guiding out of TroutHunter. I'm stoked to be joining an already awesome team.

It seems like it will be an earlier year than the last couple. Warmer temps and less snow should combine for some of the best early season action in 8 or 9 years. I can't wait to get back to that little piece of heaven known as Last Chance, Idaho.

The itch to get back has really been getting to me this year, but I take solace in the fact that in 2 weeks, I'll be crossing over The Fork, heading up the Ashton Hill with the windows down, and the smell of Lodgepole Pine in the air. And when I hit town the truck always seems to veer into that Trouty parking lot. Where, just maybe, inside at the bar I will find some good friends and some cheap beers I have been meaning to catch up with.

Hopper Dropper Time

To most folks around here August means hoppers. We have started to see and hear awesome numbers of hoppers on the banks and there are starting to be enough on the water to get the fish keyed in on them.  Throwing a hopper dropper rig is a great way to pick up fish this time of year and I was able to do just that with my new buddies Vern and Jason. We fished the hopper dropper rig all day on the Henry's Fork  a few days ago with pretty good success. We got quite a few looks on the hopper with our best fish coming on the little nymph.

One cool thing about this set up is you usually can see the take even though it is sub-surface. Vern saw this 17" Rainbow move on the nymph, he set the hook, and boom! Picture time!

Weird Year Continues

Although we're about half way through our season it still feels like we are just getting going. Mostly because the South Fork is still not in optimal shape. Its floatable and its fishable but not like we're used to. The upper is clearing and fishing better but I was in the lower canyon today and it was pretty off color still. We were running the river at 23,500 CFS so the current flows of 13,500 feel like a lot less water but we would like to see the flows drop to the 11,000-12,000 CFS range. When this river gets right it is going to GO OFF!

The Henry's Fork has had a pretty strong year and is still hanging in there as we roll into August. We saw some great fishing on the lower river and good to great fishing on the Ranch and especially the last few weeks in Last Chance.

Its been a strange one this year with record high water but I think we will have great late summer and early fall fishing in the Mecca. It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride but I think our best fishing may still be ahead of us.

Here's some pics to catch up on. My Olympus waterproof camera decided to not be so waterproof so new pictures might be a little delayed until I sort that out. So for now...Here ya go!

BACK IN THE 208

Well Summer may not have arrived yet in east Idaho, with the temps staying pretty darn cool ,but the Salmonflies have arrived.

They've pushed all the way up the Henry's Fork now and we are looking for adults in the Box Canyon and waiting for the Golden Stones to follow.

Check out the Caddis in the same shot as this egg-laying female Salmonfly. Love it!

We've had most of our luck on big rubberlegs dropped beneath a big fluffy salmonfly. Most of the fish were on the nymph with a few nice rises to keep you on your toes.  This nice little kyped out brownie fell for Luke's big black rubberleg.

 With so much snow and rain this year it's starting a little slow but it's only going to get better. Summer 2011 will be a great one in the Mecca. We've got a lot of great fishing ahead of us. Get here if you can!



Ohio Chrome

Somewhere outside of Cleveland;

 Big Fred got his paws on a nice slab of steel.

Henry's Drift

Anyone looking for a cabin to rent in God's country this summer? Check out http://www.henrysdrift.com/.  The new site is awesome with a cool new fish porn gallery. You might even see a familiar face. Great cabin, great location, and it is managed by a very good friend. Spots are filling up, the time to book is now.