I can hear the cheers in the background. I’m/we’re back from “Like No Place On Earth”. Three weeks of fantastic fishing,fun, friends, food, fdrinking and frolic. My only regret is that I wasn’t able to visit the gang at the Idaho Fish In. We were SOO close and yet SOOO far. It would have been fun to finally put faces on the Western contingent of the FAOL folks and sample some of that great sounding dutch oven fare. I would have loved for LF to teach me the form she demonstrates on the home page pic.Talk about “Keepeth thine,”. Thankfully, form wasn’t needed to fool all the cutts that ate my( and several of fenom’s) presentations . NO,I didn’t have the best fishing days of my life THIS trip but in Grand Teton NP, THAT’s not an issue. Just being there is enough for me. Had a Grizz “encounter” from about 1000 yards (close enough). He was sitting atop a buried elk carcass mound and caused us to “rethink” our planned route. We were already about 4 miles into that route and it was just too late to “run” for the car so we added about 2 miles in circumventing this “obstacle”. We do carry the larger canisters of UDAP just in case . The fishing in this case was well worth the extra mileage. Too many cutts and browns to count, but, at least one or two were in the 20+" range. This incident was on the Snake just North of Jackson Lake. We fished the Salt, the Greys, Hoback , Lewis River, Lamar, Falt Creek , Gros Venter(sp) and a few unnamed waters we happened to cross while driving to a destination. Soda Lake, a trophy water, just outside GTNP was frustrating. HUGE browns were eating #26’s all around us and all we had were #16’s. Came THIS close to wishin I had a huge treble hook to teach em a lesson.
Probably the most picturesque fishing experience was on the Cascade Canyon trail behind Jenny Lake in GTNP. We’ve done this trek for years and have caught 3’-6" brookies. Well THIS time those same brookies were 10"-16" and their numbers were many. Unfortunately, many peta ( lower case intended) types frequent this well worn route and comment audibly on the inhumanity of fishing. A well displayed finger is usually enough to level the field of opinion.
But all this had to come to an end and as heartbreakoing as driving home may be, we have a book " Eat Your Way Across the US" by the Stearns, that dampens the pain. Everything from truck stops to goooormay restaurants. From SPAM and Pork Tenderloin sands to Beef Wellington and rack of lamb (ech!) under silver “toupes”( if you’re so inclined).
We’re home now and the “grind” continues. I remember how I just couldn’t wait till our next Wyoming trip. It seemed to be soooo far off in time. Now, however, time seems to fly and were packing up for that trip again. So help me, someone MUST be rushing the clock or is it that I’m closer to the end than to the beginning.
Yes, “be it ever so humble…”, I still would rather be in Wyoming. Byron, I envy you.
Marco, Marco, just call me! I’ll eat the lamb for you. It is good if cooked right. Now the flies smaller than 16, 18, your out of luck, I can’t see them to ty them on the line.
I did notice one post during your trip that made the point you were there. Sounds like a great time and some great fishing.
Thanks for the tip on Cascade Canyon. That is a favorite hike for us - take the boat across Jenny Lake and hike four or five miles up the Canyon. Awesome scenery. Might have to take a fly rod next time and cut the length of the hike a bit.
Cool pic of the grizzly. And the cutt has exceptional color.
John,
Right there where the trail circling Jenny Lake starts heading up toward hidden falls, you’ll hear the rush of Cascade Creek. Fish upstream from there. There is a repaired bridge about 300 yards short of the falls , below and upstream from it, I caught and released about 10 decent sized brookies all as if painted by an artist. But do be prepared with the aforementioned “finger” while fishing there. Also , Jenny Lake itself is a fantastic fishery. The ferry is closed for the season during our visit so we park at the South Jenny Lake campground area and hike the 2+ miles around to the Hidden Falls and inspiration point. The hike route borders the lake shore where you can often spot huge cutts cruising the clear waters. Ain’t my kinda fishin but I have been know to fling a fly or two in their direction. Without success, I might add. From the depths they race within inches of my
offering and come to a screetching halt and refusal. Maybe next year.
John, I also regret I wasn’t able to wet a line with you this trip but I was busy “guiding” some friends from Carmel CA and Toronto Canada. Maybe next year. The pic is taken on the Jenny Lake Trail.
You are braver than me–in 2001 I had a Grizz encounter(200 yds).
As I was watching my back cast not to snag on some grass,a grizz stood up behind me!! Nearly peeeed myself…
I bit off the tippet and as I waded accross the stream,I broke down the rod in two(better to run with :).
Reached the other side and ran/fast walked 1 mile to the car in waders!!
Now that was the Mother of ALL stress tests for this ole body!!!
Tom
Marco,
Great pictures!!! Unfortunately, I missed it all. Hurricane Ike put me to work in South Texas since Sep 10. My company is still here and will likely be here for several more weeks. I guess I’ll try Argentina this winter:cool:
Hey John,
Sorry to hear that mother nature chose to derail your ID Fish In plans but I hope your Argentinian trip more than makes up for what you missed in Idaho etc. Just curious if your friend made it there without you. Sounded like a guy with whom anyone would be happy and proud to wet a line . We had a great time in Wyoming and the weather cooperated totally. The Grizz pic was taken through one eye of my friends binoculars.
Don’t work too hard.
My best to Sylvia
Hey there Betty.
AND I have to add, that YOUR signature is, by implication, a direct reason for that, my, signature. I love Wyoming because it is a beautiful state and I am a trout fly fisherman. The reason I am a trout fly fisherman is that " Trout must be Gods favorite fish because He put them into His most beautiful places", Wyoming is apparently one of them.
And this was one of the “proofs” of the bear taken through one eye of our binoculars. By a “sophisticated” method of triangulation we were able to determine the range to be about 1000 yards.
