Backcountry Fly Fishing
The Annual Lancaster Boys Fishing Trip
Jul 17th
This years trip up north was awesome as always. All the in-laws (14) got together and for our annual fishing/camping trip that we wait for each year. The fishing in the area was a little hit and miss. With the huge snow pack we had this past winter some of the rivers were high and muddy and others were clear and pristine. The key was to think out of the box and try new places. (Since there are 100s of streams in the area) For me these trips are a chance to step back and enjoy the solitude of being alone on a high country trout stream, since the in-laws fish in the morning, golf in the afternoon and fish again at dusk. But for me the fly fishermen the best time to be out is in the middle of the day, plus I don’t really golf when I’m in some of the best native cutthroat land. 
So I wake up late tie up some huge #2-4 dry flies and am off chasing hungry native Cutthroats by 10, until I’m beat from hiking through willows,usually dusk. This years trip was a little different in a couple ways. One is the fact that a couple of my other brother-in-laws that normally don’t come, came and they don’t golf either so they decided to come with me on some of my trout chasing trips. The other is that this year I had a hidden agenda, I was going after the 3 of the four native Cutthroats in WY. To start the “Cutt Slam” program that the WY DNR has put on. Basically the “Cutt Slam” is to catch the 4 native Cutthroats in WY. Take a pic, state where you caught it, and date. Then submitted the application form to the WY DNR and they will send you back a nice hand drawn certificate of completion. The key to the program is to get people aware of the native cutthroats that inhabit the state and to make them learn and study them in the process of trying to catch them. (Where to find them, what they eat, etc…) Luckily in my quest, we were staying in the perfect area to do it all in the same day. The Tri-Basin Divide is the area where three watersheds start and where you can catch three of the four native cutts. The Bonneville, Colorado, and Fine Spotted Snake River Cutthroats.
I was able to spend a beautiful afternoon catching the three different species, as well as help 4 first timers catch their first fish on a fly rod. So in all it was an awesome trip with people I love, in a place that I love and doing what I love. How can you beat that for 5 straight days…Plus it was nice to have some sun this summer and no a single rain drop which was odd for this year. But best of all I am 3/4 to completing my “Cutt Slam” and in the research I was able to find a couple new streams that yeilded big cutties that have become some of my new favorites in the land of my in-laws.
Off Roading, Brookies and Browns
Oct 31st
With a free Friday morning to do whatever I pleased. I was having the hardest time deciding on a location to fit my desires. Its what I was thinking when I feel asleep and the first thing on my mind when I woke up at 6 am. I even sat in bed tossing and turning until I decided, I had better just go and where ever I end up will be better than working. It came down to the Price, Provo and AF. With a left hand turn the decision was made to chase the elusive high country Artic Grayling and Beautiful Brook Trout of Silver Lake Flat.
I sent in the coordinates on the GPS and was off. The narrow dirt road leading up to the lake was full of rocks and everything my Jeep loves to climb. As I reached the lake I was surprised to find that it was as low as I have ever scene it. The lake was only a 1/3 full, due to reconstruction on the dam. 
I decided to try the inlet which in most unfamiliar lakes will produce. To my surprise as I was walking down to the water I could see a few rises in the early morning mist. I tied on a #20 Para Adams and an Orange Griffin Gnat. My first cast produced a nice take, but the fish must have been joking. I missed about 5 fish in a row and thought “Man, what am I doing wrong? Maybe they are Grayling with their small mouths???” So I decided to try the “God Save the King” Technique. It where you save God Save the King before you set the hook. It must have worked because for the next hour and half I hooked and release about 90% of my fish. 
The Brookies have their fall colors and were remarkable.
I left and decided to hit Tibble Fork to see if the Browns were up in the river. The spawn was on and the Browns were everywhere. I hooked up with a handful of fish and decided I had had my share of fish for the day. (That’s a great feeling for fly fishermen) 
Didn’t see and Graylin, but the Brookies and Browns were enough to feel my cup and restore my confidence. 
Reunion Weekend
Jul 27th
Gunner and I moved over to where Aaron was and I hooked up with a nice Cutt on my Copper John dropper. 
We ended up catching 9 Cutts in that hole within an hour. The highlight of that hole was the nice 17 inch Cutt that Gunner caught on one of his first cast into the first of the run. It was great to see him make a nice cast and then watch as his top fly shot down and he was hooked up. The rest of the morning we tried a couple more spots and caught another 6 fish, but just as the fish started to key on my top fly we had to leave. In all I caught 7 fish and 4 of those were on my big #2 Royal PMX and the rest were on my Copper John or Hares Ear. It was great to be on the river for at least a couple hours and enjoy the time with family. Its memories like these that make reunions so special. 
The rest of the day we spent either at the Clegg’s or Lancaster reunion for their main programs. To top off the trip we jumped off the bridge into the Salt River with Deon and Scott (which was a blast) and stopped by the Red Barron for one last homemade shake and greasy food.Lancaster Guys Trip 2008
Jul 2nd
By 2 pm we had arrived at the old CCC camp along side the river where we had camped last year. (For the sake of the little streams and the little pressure it can handle. I won’t give out any names to its location) We set up camp, which involves setting up the castle of all tents. Its a 21′ by 15 ‘ wall tent that my father-in-law picked up last year and is so nice to have. Its like having a mini cabin to stay in. I didn’t hurry to the river like I am accustom to doing. Instead I hung out got the Jeep unpacked and helped set up camp. As I glanced over to the raging river of chocolate milk below me I couldn’t help but think we really messed up on the timing this year. I can remember thinking to myself I hope we can at least catch something. (with not much confidence) After many different thoughts running through my head like determining where to fish and what would be best. I decided to string up both rods and give it a chance. As I started tying on my flies I started thinking this was going to be awesome and the challenge I was looking for. As I walked along the trail I was looking for one thing, a pocket of slow water. My first hole I stopped at didn’t produce with San Juan’s and a Crystal bugger. I decided to move up stream in hopes of a better hole and that’s exactly what I found. It was the perfect Beaver Pond that made a nice slow moving back eddy. My first cast with my double streamer outfit (Crystal and Golden) produced a hit. Then the second cast, I stripped once nice and slow and then I felt some tension, hook set fish on! It was a nice native Cutthroat trout and a confidence builder for myself. 
2 casts later I found myself with 3 fish in the net and a nice dinner to bring back to the crew. Aaron and Ty worked their way up to the hole and we all fished together having a great time. 
Aaron landed two more Cuts and Ty and I landed 4 more to finish up the first night of fishing. Later that night I fillet the trout, ate some tasty hot dogs and we sat around the campfire telling and listening to stories of past childhood pranks, Andrew’s Taiwan adv
entures and past fishing trips.
The next morning didn’t bring much change to the the raging river. I guess that’s the price you pay for having a good snow year. (Runoff into July) The crew decided to venture to another close by stream that was said to be running nice and clear. We got to the river around 7:30 am and could only fish until 9:30 am due to our tee time. We stayed about a half mile from the trail head where I imagine most people due their fishing. We only caught a couple fish each, but the clear little stream did allow me to fish dry flies and raise a nice little native. 
Next was the Red Barron which was just what I needed to hold me over as I attempted to play 9 holes of Golf. I will have to admit It was a lot of fun. Too bad Aaron, Curtis and I, lost to Dan, Bernell and Andrew and had to buy them shakes as we stopped by the Barron for some dinner. We stopped by the Lancaster farm on the way back to camp to see the grandparents. I always enjoy spending time with such great people that seem to have this complicated world all figured out. I love hearing their stories about past fishing and hunting trips and sharing with grandpa my secret flies and watching his reaction. They are the reason why small town life is so appealing to me. Its a simple, but hard working life style where you come to love the people and land around you. One day at a time. When we got back to camp I wasn’t messing around. I strung up my fly rod and headed straight for the meadow.
I found a couple side pockets and some hungry trout. But when I finally decided to meet up with Aaron and Andrew at the Big Beaver Pond. 
That’s when things started looking a little brighter. As I came around the corner Andrew had just hooked up with his first fish of the trip which ended up being the largest also. We all fished the big deep hole and all had a great time hooking into the little natives. As we walked back I was once again reminded of why I am so passionate about fishing. It’s about the places fly fishing takes you, the adventure of the unknown and the people that you meet along the way. As Andrew and I walked back to camp well past dark. We were meet by the welcoming smell of peach cobbler. I loaded up the plate said my goodbyes and was on the road home. Back to my life that I had left behind. Now I have had some pretty bad drive homes but this one was pretty dang hard. I think I was seeing double vision by the time I pulled into PG at 2 am. 
Lancaster Guy’s Trip 07
Jul 10th
Wyoming Fly Fishing (July 5th-7th)
Day 1. After what seemed to be a very short four hour drive. We reached our final desination (sorry I can’t disclose this spot, it can’t handle the pressure) We set up the brand new Wall Tent that my father-in-law just purchased. After camp was set up and looking good, I got rigged up to hit the river just feet away. It was a hot sunny day, the yellow sallies were out in good numbers. I caught some smaller fish (10″-12″)on a little yellow sally and a PT dropper. As I worked my way up the river I started finding some better water and larger fish.(14″-18″) The fly of the trip was a Royal PMX size 4 it was big and bright, bringing those big Cutties to the surface all day. The fishing was very fast I would catch a big Cutt. out of almost every deep hole or beaver pond and sometime multipal fish out of each hole. The high light of day one was when I finally found the perfect hole. I caught fish after fish as I worked my way up the hole. As I reached the top of the hole, I decided I was going to make one last cast for the day. As my big dry fly worked its way down the fast riffle Wham! Big fish on. It fight like a champ and finally came to the shore. It was dark yellow, hog 18″ Male Cutthroat and the largest fish ever landed by our group on this high country river. That night many stories were told about the fish we caught and the ones that always get away.
Day 2. After a late night of stories and eating cold ribs at mid-night. The crew was up before the break of dawn. I decided I needed to replenish my fly box a bit with some more big Royal PMX’s and some droppers so I spent the early part of the morning on the second half of fly fishing. As the sun came up so did the bugs and fish. Cicadas were every where, buzzing around. There were also PMDs, Sallies, Caddis. I first tried to hook a large fish that I saw the morning before. My first cast with my big rubber leg Wolly Bugger did it job. I hooked the fish but lost it shorly after. Dang!!! After that it was all big dries for the rest of the day. I walked up the river fishing every hole that was deep enough to hold fish. It was an awesome day to be on the river. There were bugs everywhere. Cicadas, Caddis, PMD, Sallies. I probabley walked 4-5 miles of the river looking for big fish. That was the most productive day of fishing that I have ever experienced. I can’t even count how many fish I caught. At the end of the day my feet hurt, my back acked and my lawn chair never felt so good.
Day 3. I was the first to wake up before dawn. Excited and yet sad that this was the last few hours we would have to fish. I sped walked to the old trusty hole, that always seemed to produce fish in past trips. I used the big dry-dropper again but the long dropper was the key. (PT) In the 2 hour period I had to fish I landed over 20 fish in that same hole. There weren’t any record breakers (mostly 12″-15″) but their beauty and fight made up for the size.
This was a memorable trip for our crew we caught more and bigger fish then ever before. Just being in the Wyoming backcountry was worth every bit of the time that we spent. There is nothing better than being with people that I love and sharing coversation and experiences that will last a life time.