Ashley's First Fish on a Fly (say that fast three times!)

Mason, Ashley, and I spent an evening on the Huntington this week. Mason just finished sitting for the CPA exam and wanted a good trip in before he starts with Ernst & Young next week. Ashley had never landed a fish on a fly and that was our real objective.

We had a great time and got into a typical summer evening mayfly hatch. Ashley did great. Below are some pictures.

Ashley landing her first fish on a fly!  She was a quick learner and her technique improved rapidly during our trip

Another beautiful fish Ashley landed and released

Mason landing a fish

Mason releasing a beautiful Huntington Brown Trout

Another beautiful Huntington Brown

Ashley and Mason tying on flies.  PMD, Parachute Adams, and BWO all worked for us on this outing 

We celebrated a great night together by having dinner at a favorite spot, The Home Plate Diner in Fairview.

The (Other) Green River

I love fly fishing the Green River as it's crystal clear tailwaters flow out of Flaming Gorge Dam in the north east corner of Utah.  There is another section of the Green River that I have come to enjoy almost as much.

July 19th I joined 10 young men (the Teacher and Priest Quorums from our ward) and 4 other adult leaders on a 44-mile canoe trip down the Green River in Southern Utah.  This was my third trip canoeing this section and I joined my 16-year old son Cameron.  What a thrill to spend three days in a canoe together! I've now had this experience with each of my sons. (My daughter Allie still holds it against me that I haven't taken her. I'll get her and her husband Jeff down there yet!)

The trip began by camping overnight at Ruby Ranch (109 degrees when we arrived). That night we shuttled vehicles to the takeout at Mineral Bottom. We then spent three days canoeing, including two nights camping on the sandbars in the river.

The river flows along at a mild pace eventually winding its way through Labyrinth Canyon in Canyonlands. The views are spectacular and the flow of the water is such that jumping in to float alongside the canoe is almost as fast as paddling!

Below are some photos and videos of this awesome trip.  I highly recommend it!

Cameron was a great canoe partner.

Lunch along the river

 It rained two of the three days we were canoeing.  This is a waterfall created by the rain on the slick rock across the river from the sandbar we camped on the second night.  This is also the location of the first two-hand touch football game (in the rain) in the video below!

A spontaneous game of two-hand touch football broke out in the rain on the sandbar campsite.  In the video, Hadley Clark hits Cameron for a long diving touchdown.

Cameron, Chance Gold, and Brandon Bringhurst at the River Register, where paddlers have carved their names in the rock for decades.  Cameron inscribed "CJM," I inscribed "D24," and we also inscribed "Lori 7/21/10" as it was mine and Lori's 27th Wedding Anniversary the day we stopped at the Register.

 Our third night (second night on the river) was spent at a panoramic bend in the river.  We watched a thundercloud roll in over the cliffs in the distance and bring rain for the second night in a row.

 Cameron and me at the only site on the Green River listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Denis Julien, a French-Canadian fur trapper, in 1836 became the first white man of record to navigate the lower Green River, including Cataract Canyon (a white water section).  The inscription says "D. Julien, 1836, 3 Mai (May)."  Julien also inscribed a boat, and what the map says is a bird.  Cameron and I had fun discussing what it might have been if not a bird (since Julien never told anyone what it was :-)).

The road out of Mineral Bottom is narrow, steep, and carved right out of the slick rock.

Jared Taylor and Dave Tobler driving out of Mineral Bottom ahead of me.  Nice Tundra, Jared!

Summer Huntington Hatch

On a recent picture-perfect evening I was lucky enough to retreat to my favorite water - Huntington Creek in Central Utah.  The Huntington regularly delivers great mayfly hatches on warm summer evenings.  That evening was no exception and fly fishing the vigorous Mayfly hatch at dusk reminded me just why it is I fish this water in the summer.

Below is a video in which you can see the Mayflies swirl in front of me (you can also see a few eager fish rise in the background).

As the hatch continued the Cutthroat began rising actively to this abundance of mayflies. It's a good sign when I can't decide between watching the fish rise and presenting dry flies to them!

The video below shows more than a dozen fish rising in one minute (I had to stop the camera and get back to fishing).

The video below is for Lori who wonders if I ever do more than admire the beautiful scenery when I fish.  I felt like a "one-armed paper hanger" trying to film and land the fish so I chose the better part and put the camera away.

I quickly found a #18 Parachute Adams and a #16 Grey Hackle Yellow were the perfect flies for the evening and had a marvelous time casting to, landing, and releasing the typically beautiful and energetic Cutthroats like the one below.

The near perfect night, and the typical beauty of sunset against the trees in this narrow canyon, got better, however.  As I was winding down I sighted a large cow moose across the canyon. As I watched her stroll along I hoped her watering hole of choice this night was not the stretch of water I was fishing.

Another great evening on some of the best water I'll ever fish.

Overreaching: Utah House Bill 141

In its session earlier this year, the Utah legislature passed House Bill 141 which restricts stream access for recreational use where public water flows across private land. This includes fly fishing.

"Restrict" is my word. The law now states that you can "float on" the surface of public water flowing over private land but you may not touch the stream bed - that's private. This means no wading in public water that crosses private land. This also applies to other recreational use, such as rafting.

The new law contradicts 75 years of Utah Supreme Court opinions that stream beds over which public waters flow are public and may be touched without risk of trespassing.

Public abuse of private land is unfortunate and I'm sympathetic to that concern. I own private recreational land on which there is a public road easement. Four-wheelers are on my private property daily and I occasionally deal with garbage or other evidence of public use on my private land.

My issue is not that private land should be unprotected. My issue is that the legislature overreached and ignored other, more balanced legislation, including HB80 sponsored by Orem's Lorie Fowlke, which had broad support of both landowners and the recreation industry.

Why the fuss? I have three primary concerns:

1. Punish the guilty, not the innocent.  HB141 effectively closes fly fishing access to a material portion of rivers and streams that have been fished without incident for decades.  The fly fishers I associate with are generally the most considerate, conservation minded of all outdoor enthusiasts.  If the concern is mistreatment of land by trespassers, give private landowners remedies with teeth in them against those who offend. 
2. Private use, private dollars.  Public tax dollars will now be going to maintain the quality of water and fish to which the public will no longer have access (effectively).  If a private landowner now owns the stream bed he or she should pay for the maintenance of the water and fish in that section.
3. Lost revenue.  Fly fishing is a billion dollar industry and many both inside and outside the state are simply choosing to take their fishing dollars to other more "fishing friendly states," such as Montana.  This impact is presented well in this editorial by Steve Smith, owner of Western Rivers Flyfisher.  Besides, the law just makes Utah look silly to fly fishers in other states.

Despite my objections to this legislation, I really didn't expect it to impact me much.  To my surprise on my first trip to the Provo River after the legislation took effect I ran into the sign below warning me I was on private land (poor quality photo with my iPhone since I was afraid to get closer as I may have been at risk of trespassing).

Finally, when I fly fish I like to leave the river or stream better than I found it and I often carry out garbage.  Before HB141 I would have exited the river where the sign is, picked up some garbage I saw on the bank near the sign, and gone on my way. 

My apologies to the landowner that HB141 prevents me from helping keep his or her riverbank property clean.

The Best Walk Ever (almost)

One day this week I needed to clear my head at work so I drove 10 minutes from my office up Provo Canyon to a favorite spot on the Provo River. As I walked on the train tracks near the river I noticed a fish rise. I went down to the river to see if there were others. Almost instantly the river came alive! Brown trout rising everywhere to a blue wing olive hatch just beginning (very small - probably #18 to #22).

I stood in awe watching the amazing display when I was interrupted by the realization that it was now pouring down rain. I found a log under a bush and watched for 20 minutes as dozens of trout continued to jump in a performance I was certain was just for me.

Here are a few pictures taken from my iPhone on this almost perfect fall day. Perfection would have been having my fly rod with me!

Fish rising right off the bank in the rain.


My hideout from the rain while watching this amazing display.


The hatch (and rising) (and rain) ended almost as quickly as it began, leaving only the beauty and stillness of the water.


Beautiful fall colors on the walk back to the truck.

Happy Halloween!

My daughter Allie created a funny video for Halloween. I've included it below. The stars are Allie, Jeff, Griffin, Lori, and yours truly as Dracula. Fun Allie!

I'm glad Allie still loves Halloween. In sixth grade she and a friend were trick or treating four doors from our house when a group of teenagers pulled up behind them in a truck, jumped out, knocked them down, and tried to steal their candy bags. Allie's friend had hers stolen but Allie wouldn't let go and ended up being dragged across the street (that's my Allie!). The bullies finally decided one 11-year old's bag was enough ill-gotten booty and off they drove.

I was so proud when the girls walked home and Allie gave half of her candy to her friend. I've gone trick or treating with our kids ever since...

Can't wait to go with Sydney and Gabbie again this year! Sadly, it's probably my last year as Sydney is all grown up now!

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Tight Lines, Mr. President

Regardless of your political views, I believe any President of the United States will make better decisions after time on the river fly fishing for trout.

Here are a couple of pictures of President Obama fly fishing during a recent visit to Montana (pictures and captions taken directly from the Official Whitehouse Photo Stream at Flickr).

Tight lines, Mr. President.

President Barack Obama casts his line while fishing for trout on the East Gallatin River near Belgrade, Mont., on Aug. 14, 2009.
(Official White House photo by Pete Souza)


Local fishing guide Dan Vermillion reacts as President Barack Obama almost hooks a trout on the East Gallatin River near Belgrade, Mont., on Aug. 14, 2009.
(Official White House photo by Pete Souza)


President Barack Obama and local fishing guide Dan Vermillion fish for trout on the East Gallatin River near Belgrade, Mont., on Aug.14, 2009.
(Official White House photo by Pete Souza)

Water is Life

To the extent pride is a virtue (and President Benson taught "there is no such thing as righteous pride"), there is nothing that gives this Mormon more pride than the efforts of the Church Humanitarian Services (see a summary of those activities here).

Within those humanitarian efforts, there is perhaps no effort having greater impact than the Clean Water Initiative. This article gives specific examples of the blessing of "living water" in the lives of people of all faiths (and no faith) worldwide. Consider this statistic:

"The Clean Water Initiative began in 2002 with a single project in Laos. The program's budget grew 5,000 percent in 2003, and the next year it doubled again. By 2009, the Church had helped bring clean water to more than 4 million people in 63 nations. This year alone, the Clean Water Initiative will work on approximately 60 water projects in 30 countries."

I am pleased to know two great neighbors who are volunteer missionaries in the Clean Water Initiative. Truly a river runs through them.

North America's Top 10 Trout-Fishing Towns

I just read a Forbes article containing the following quote: "A trout is a moment of beauty known only to those who seek it." Well said.

Forbes' top 10 trout towns are (in no particular order but I'm glad they began with West Yellowstone):

West Yellowstone, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Roscoe, New York
State College, Pennsylvania
Grayling, Michigan
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Mountain Home, Arkansas
Redding, California
Asheville, North Carolina

I must confess my happiness that my favorite rivers and streams - Green River (Dutch John), Provo River (Provo), and especially Huntington Creek (Fairview Canyon) were nowhere to be found :-). Shhhh.....