Posts tagged Cutthroat
The Perfect River
Aug 12th
This past Saturday with the colder than normal weather, I took a break from the wakeboarding and hit a stretch of trout water that I can now call one of my new favorites. Its scenery is breathtaking, I only saw one other angler all day, it comprises most of native trout, its water is crystal clear and the fishing can be as technical as you want it. So what more can you ask for in the perfect stream? It really is a special place and needs to be preserved and respected. This is about as perfect a trout stream gets here in Utah. The weather was less than ideal for big dry and dropper, but that didn’t stop the hungry mountain trout from devouring my PMX and PT. I had always wondered what this stretch of river had to offer, but always found myself either fishing before it or below it. I guess that’s what most of the fishermen do by pure negligence to the other great waters that surround it. I started the day walking about 3 miles of the river to get away from anyone and everyone. I wanted this day to be me, the river and the fish. I don’t know why, but sometimes I just get that way. I really wanted to fish for Cutthroats with dries and everything else came second hand. As I approached the first decent run, I cast my flies into the lower section of the run and bam! A fish caught me by surprise as it launched itself after my floating flies. I had done it! 
I had fulfill my days desire exactly like I wanted to. After that I worked my way upstream working all the fishy spots catching Cutts and Browns along the way, but a few hook-ups stick out a little more than others.
The big surprise of the day was right at the base of a little waterfall. There was a little open slot (maybe 2×2) between big boulders that looked like they could hold a fish. Bubbles covered the surface, so as I went to lift my rod to recast I notice some pressure and then a big head came out of the water. I instantly realized I had a huge cutty on. It rapped me around the rear by log, then shot across the stream and wrapped my fly line around my pole and then like a train it shot down stream and snap! It was easily pushing 20 and an eye opening experience to be under control from now on. (because this stream does hold some surprises) The next cast to the above run produced a very nice brown. Go figure…
As I was working my way up stream I noticed a nice little run on the opposite side of the stream. It wasn’t very deep, maybe a foot, but it had an off color bottom and overhanging bushes making it likely that a fish would hang out waiting for the next grasshopper or beetle to fall in. I got into position, made an OK cast and just like it should of , a nice cutty rose slowly and inhaled my PMX. It was as picture perfect as you can get.
The next bend in the river presented what once was a very large beaver dam that had been blowout creating the best hole in the river. I as 
analyzed the hole I noticed what I though was a log, was really a fish sitting about haft way down in the water column. I crawled up the bank to get a birds eye view and with a better view I noticed that the hole had two nice fish working its main current. After studying them I decided to give my dropper a couple more feet and with that I casted my flies into the run. As they drifted over the feeding fish, one of the fish moved up, instinct set in and I set the hook and had a nice brown on the other end. After letting the run settle for a min I could see that the other larger fish was still working the upper end of the run. I tried to make multiple casts at the fish but only catching the side of the old beaver dam and breaking off my outfit. After a new outfit I cast my flies to what I thought was too far left in the eddy, but out of no where the larger fish moved over and grabbed hold of my pheasant tail and gave me a great fight through the old logs of the beaver dam. It ending up being the most beautiful native cutthroat I had caught all day. As it danced in the water the reds, oranges, greens, and tans were as brillant as they were intended to be. 
I would have to say that the highlight of the trip was some of takes I had while site fishing my way back. The first was a cutty in really shallow flat water, it was sitting on the bottom of the stream. I thought my cast would for sure spook it, but just like some of the other takes it moved up a couple feet to eat the dropper and the fight was one and off with in seconds…The last was just before I got back to the car. I spotted a rising fish and as I got closer I saw what I thought was a nice cutty. I casted up to it, but only had a take from a tiny fish. I tried a couple more casts in different seams, but with one last desperation try I cast back to where I saw the fish. The water turned and the large trout hammered my pmx in less that a foot of water. As it raced by me I noticed it wasn’t a cutty, but an oversized brookie. I got all excited, but it was short lived as it ran under a log and snapped the line. It was OK…I was fulfilled. It really was a perfect day of fishing on a perfect little trout stream.
Gillespie’s Annual High Country Trip
Aug 2nd
Every year my whole Gillespie family tries to go somewhere in the back country on a fishing/hiking trip. Most of the time my parents don’t come and its just the kids hiking into beautiful alpine lakes, but this year I decided we should try somewhere just a little different that the whole family could enjoy. It payed off big, everyone had a great time and we still got to hike around and explore the five different lakes in the area.
Trip highlights:
Road from Hell: The first night we tried to take a rough road into a place that we wanted to camp for the weekend, but after 5 miles of beating we turned back and camped at the trail head.
Seeing a Black Bear: As we walked around the lake scouting for places to fish I noticed a big black object about 200 yrds away. As it saw me it got on two legs and looked at me. I though “Bigfoot” then “Bear”. I tried to motion to Jer, but he was too late. We decide to tell our younger sibling that it was just a Moose so they did get freak out the rest of the trip. But that didn’t matter because the best fishing was right where I spotted the bear in the first place. We could see where it was bedded down and its skat. As it got darker the youngest Addie said in a trembling voice ”Jeremy There’s a Bear” and sure enough the bear must have been coming back to bed down and it was 20 yrds in front of us. It stood up on two legs, probably thinking if it could eat us all, but with instinct Jer being 6′6 , and I stood up and waived our arms until it ran back into the forest. He finally lived up to his nick name “Jer Bear”
Sight Fishing:After bushwhacking to find the lake, we stumble on some rising fish in shallow water. After seeing what they were feeding on we crawled in and Jer landed the first fish of the trip a nice brookie. The rest of the night was fast action for top feeders. 
Float Tubing:The next morning we packed our float tubes into a near by lake. Jer and Gunner went out, while Greg, Mal and I hit the cruisers 
from the shore. The were a little more selective with the bright sun, but a small dropper produced fish all morning, but you had to hook on sight not feel. Pretty fun stuff. Jer did good from the tube, where as Gunner had a couple problems with water getting into his waders and falling down 5 times trying to get out of the shallow mud. For the last 2 hrs I decided to get out on a float tube and I’m glad I did. Jer was throwing leeches and hooking up almost every cast. So I switch from choro’s to leeches and instantly started hooking up with 15-17 inch brookies. It was a ton of fun to be back out in a tube. It had been years and something much needed.
Four Wheeling:We had a great time four wheeling around the roads by our camp. It was a good break from fishing and a chance to explore the area outside of a jeep. We even took the family to a remote lake and had a picnic for the 4 th of July.
Perfect Camp Spot: They are those camping spots that are just right, well this one was one of those. We camped at the end of a 5 mile dirt road as far away from all other humans as possible. It was a pic perfect spot with a great view of a mountain meadow. Plus it was only a 1/2 mile hike to our lakes we fished most.
Jeepin: With a tip from a local we decided to Jeep into another lake that rumored to having some nice fish. The road proved to be a true jeep road and one more suited for a four wheeler, but that’s why half the fun just getting to the lake and testing your jeeping skills. I made the group get out a couple times going up some rock slide hills.
Big Bookie:This was the reason for choosing this area. My goal was to catch just one over sized Brook Trout. It took fishing 5 lakes and on the last day, it all came together. I had scouted this lake the day before and knew from the slashes that there were some big fish in it. I had decided with the aggressive top water shows that these fish were chasing minnows to the surface and devouring them. So with this in mind I tied on my trusty brown Sex Dungen, snuck to the area and casted it in. Strip, strip, strip, then as I could see my fly I noticed a huge brookie fallowing it. With only 5 ft left and in two feet of water I raised the fly a little and witha flash the fish opened his mouth and consumed my 3 inch fly and headed for the safety of the deep. The fight was on! I yelled across the lake to the rest of the family I GOT IT , I GOT A BIG ONE! Then I though don’t be an idiot, focus and don’t lost it. I was shaking from head to toe in excitement. As the big fish tired and came to shore I was the happiest man on the mountain and glad to share the moment with the family. It was the challenge and trophy I dreamed about. It didn’t come easy, but it was a great way to finish off the trip with a big bang.
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.
