This was going to be Monday's Destination. Since my wife had some time to get out and enjoy the weather and the forecast for today was just as good as tomorrow, we went today. Gorgeous day - bright sunshine, light breezes, and pleasant temps.

Not a bad backdrop for a spring creek in the mountains -


Rigging up my 3 wt just before noon - a bit early, but better than too late -


This is a pretty typical stretch of water - full of bows and brookies -


My favorite hole - lots of fun currents to play - and usually some nice bows as a reward -


Fished for a little over three hours. Started with a two tone ( black / olive ) copper john and picked up a couple small bows. After a slow first half hour, a great bwo hatch came off and lasted for the best part of two hours. Quite a sight - the brilliant white snow banks along the creek side just littered with bwo duns. And the fish were so obvious in the absolutely clear water - whether just holding in the current, nymphing, chasing emergers or taking duns.

Both the bows and brookies were eager for duns ( parachute bwo in a couple different sizes and styles ), emergers ( quigley cripples ), and some midge larva ( t.c.t.k. as a dropper ) while they were at it.

By the end of the hatch, had picked up somewhere around 25-30 fish, about two thirds rainbows ranging from 6-12" and the rest brookies ranging from 5-8". After the hatch ended, picked up a few more. Pretty typical day on this creek. There are some bows up to 15" here, but they are few and far between, and the biggest brookies run under 12".

On the way home, we stopped to look at another section of the creek. In addition to a few bwo's, there was a caddis on a snow bank. Will have to keep my caddis box handy on the next trip over there, probably later this week.

A nice variety of wildlife to top off the day. A couple hundred or more antelope, most at some distance but a couple bands quite close to the road which made for good viewing. Tried to get a photo of one group of about 25, but they were gone by the time I got out of the truck. Saw several deer in one meadow. And the real treat was three Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep, unfortunately at some distance. But nice to know that they are still around.