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.

Rivers, Easter, and Living Water

One reason rivers have always appealed to me is because they are "alive." A passing glance at any river would lead you to believe that it is always the same. And yet it is never the same as new water flows through it continually. A healthy river gives life to everything it touches (especially trout, of course).

I have often thought that a river is a powerful metaphor for the ultimate Living Water - Jesus Christ. Jesus described himself as living water to the Samaritan Woman at Jacob's well.

I had this thought again this Easter as our family watched a MormonMessages Easter video. It is a testimony of Jesus Christ by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Its message has broad appeal at a time when positive messages are needed in the world. Shortly after its release it reached the top of the Viral Video Chart, which identifies the most popular “viral” videos on the internet.



While rivers bring life, another prophet, Howard W. Hunter, said most pointedly how the Living Water brings life - "whatever Jesus lays his hands upon lives."

The Return of Spring: Blue Wing Olives

It's hard to beat spring fishing on the Provo River. Perhaps it's me anticipating all winter the return of casting dry flies to rising brown trout. Perhaps it's the fish anticipating feeding on an active spring hatch. Perhaps it's me remembering the nearly forgotten sights, sounds, and feel of being in the river. Whatever the reason, the late-March to early-May Blue Wing Olive mayflies on the Provo are hard to beat.

My son Mason and I spent a couple of hours recently casting to fish on the Provo on a beautiful spring day in early April. He returns to BYU soon for his final year and we were eager to get in some good spring fishing before he does.

I heralded the return of spring, of course, with a trip to Eddie Robinson's. Barlow directed me to his favorite flies and I bought a generous helping of nymphs, emergers, and drys. (He also reminded me that they clean lines, a trip I have yet to make.)

Here is this year's selection. I wonder why I bother with the nymphs and emergers since it's really casting dry flies (far right) that brings me out in the spring.

This trip was to a stretch of the middle Provo I first fished last fall. I assured Mason we would find eager fish here. While our success was mostly on emergers and we saw no prolific hatch, it proved to be just as rewarding in the spring as in the fall.

Looking northeast to the mountains at the far end of the Heber Valley.

Mason releasing a fish he'll enjoying releasing even more next year.


It's always fun to be on the water. It's even more fun to share it with those you love.


Welcome spring! We've enjoyed winter but it's nice to have you back.

If It's Good For The trout, It's Good For Me...

I love winter. I love everything about it - watching snow fall, playing in the snow, even driving in and shoveling snow - everything. Winter snow does make fly fishing more challenging, though, as the fish are generally feeding only on nymphs and dry flies are rare. However, if it's good for the trout, it's good for me and so perhaps my favorite thing about winter is knowing that snow will transform into beautiful, clear mountain trout streams in summer.

So I'm patient, welcome winter reverently, and look for ways to enjoy the snow.

This has resulted in our family enjoying snowmobile trips into the cabin in the winter. We're not aggressive snowmobilers and use the machines mostly for transportation into the cabin and then shuttling tubes and sleds up the hills as we play in the snow. We've been renting our machines for years from Glen, Laurel, Jared, and all the great people at Big Pine Sports who consistently treat us right.

We eat, watch movies, tube, sled, snowshoe, and generally chill out. The kids enjoy bringing friends and we all enjoy the beauty of clear, warm(er), late winter days. Of course a great day on the mountain always seems to end with drive-in burgers and shakes at T-Cee's in Fairview.

Below are a few pictures from our January and February trips this winter. I have also included below our first video compilation using the awesome Flip Video.

Chilling at the end of a great day in January 2009. From left: Erianne, Griffin, Sydney, Ashley, Lori, Cameron, and Joel. We were sorry Mason, Allie, and Jeff couldn't make this trip.

Ashley, Sydney, and Lori enjoying the sun on the deck.

Cameron and his friend Joel Gassman posing after a snowmobile ride.

Me waiting patiently for Gooseberry Creek to come alive again with trout rising to summer's return.

Every year one snowmobiling trip ends with building a snowman. The snow in February was so soft we made him relaxing on his back rather than standing up. Surrounding the snowman are Ashley, Sydney, Dave, Gabby, Griffin, Cameron, and Jeff.

Sydney wondering what's up with that? (In the summer this sign is well over Sydney's head)

Lori enjoying some snowshoeing near the gate to our cabin.

Sydney and her friend Gabby Baker on the deck of the cabin.

Griffin and his friend Erianne Avery enjoying the sun.

We love the Flip Video. This is our first attempt to create a movie from our video clips. Notice the great cinematography of Ashley riding on the back of my snowmobile as she shoots Jeff zooming on the saucer and Griffin wiping out on the improvised snowboard/sled.

First Fish

We spent a Saturday at our cabin recently to enjoy the beautiful fall colors, ride the four-wheelers, and just relax. Lori and Sydney (beautiful girl on the left below) and I were accompanied by my brother Gary and three of his children - Maisie, Gannon, and Sadie. We enjoyed their company and had a wonderful day.















Sadie wanted to catch a fish so she and I went to Gooseberry Creek in search of one of the beautiful cutthroat trout that call it home. The creek is small but the fish are eager - and so was Sadie. The excitement in her face is evidence that it's the little things in life that bring happiness. Her thrill was surpassed only by my happiness in seeing her have this experience.