It is easy to get intimidated by world class rivers.
I guess the Henry's Fork was a little intimidating to me.
With the old rule of thumb being that "eighty percent of the fish are caught by twenty percent of the fishermen", I was pretty much convinced that at least for this trip I might fall into the "eighty percent" of fishless fellas category.
Nonetheless-- being the supreme optimist that I am-- I was up at 4:30 a.m. and heading upstream to Box Canyon. This is a stretch below Island Lake Reservoir, that is classic "tailwater" and a good place to fish with nymphs.
Now for those of you not familiar with the term "nymph fishing", I don't want you to race to the Henry's Fork with your Armani waders and Italian leather fishing vests--because you might be a tad disappointed to find mainly a bunch of fish crazed males when you get there. Nymph fishing is the term used for the stage of life, when an aquatic bug is residing beneath the surface of water, usually on the bottom.
If that gets you excited--then you have potential to be a fly fisherman. But leave the Gucci duds at home!!
I followed my map to the place where the guide shop had directed me, and took a short hike to the river. Water looked good, but I always get a little suspicious when I am not competing for fishing space with other fishermen. Especially on an easy access spot on a world famous river!!
My suspicions were justified, as I ran the leech/bead head combo through several riffles and pools and came away with bupkiss. I fished for an hour and decided to move downstream to Box Canyon campground.
I still hadn't seen another fisherman out on the water and it was about 8 o'clock by now. I walked downstream from the campground for about 3/4 mile and never saw another soul.Unless you count the two rather angry Ospreys that were giving me an earful as I stood below their nest. They, of course, had some luck that morning and were chowing down on something. The water was moving through the canyon here at a pretty good volume and I had to look hard for a spot to fish.
I finally found some water that looked good and fished a tiny pocket where I got a hit right away. I casted again to the same spot and....... seven monsterous inches later I had my first Henry's Fork trout.Hey, a fish is a fish, and at the current "fish story" growth ratio of 1 inch every 3 months-in two years he would become a 15 incher!!
That was it though, another hour went by and no more strikes or fish.
It was starting to warm up by now and I headed back to my truck--stopping to antagonize the Osprey--who were now also laughing at me --due to my lack of fish catching ability.
I considered painting my head white,climbing up the snag to the Osprey nest and stealing their fish-- but lacking some of the other attributes of the Bald Eagle--like wings and beak-- I opted to just slink out of the forest and let the Osprey gloat.
Bastards.
Oh well, that evening would be a different!!
to be continued.....
A.J. Klott
Author, writer of fishing humor,and "fly tack" peddler.A.J. writes about the people,characters and modern day events that surround the fishing world. His first book is due out in December of 2005.
If you need a laugh or a fun gift, visit his website at: http://www.twoguyswithflys.com
We can learn alot from kids.Last Friday, which incidently was... Read More
We all have used buzz baits and we know why... Read More
Well, we have talked about flippin and now we'll mention... Read More
I was watching a TV Show with Bill Dance and... Read More
Method 2The second method that works really well for me... Read More
It has always been my private conviction that any man... Read More
Dry fly angling is at the top of any fly... Read More
It is easy to get intimidated by world class rivers.I... Read More
The name Lake Trout lends a slight misnomer to the... Read More
Fly fishing is addictive. Once you start, you'll never stop.... Read More
For those who are interested in speckled trout, you will... Read More
Fishing Gem #1 ? When Is Best?If you are in... Read More
Many people go to Florida to fish for that trophy... Read More
The term stream trout is actually a term used to... Read More
Garmin 240 Fish Finder Depthfinder with Transducer - a reviewThe... Read More
When fly fishing for trout, it is of crucial importance... Read More
If you have ever had the priviledge of hooking up... Read More
Lake trout are a type of fish that are completely... Read More
Sometimes bass fishing in a big lake can be overwhelming.... Read More
Preparation is the Key To Successful Night Fishing, You Better... Read More
Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the... Read More
First of all, we need to look at the word... Read More
Do you have a lucky hat?It was a beautiful warm... Read More
A big buzz within the fishing community that is spreading... Read More
Originally published in Procats Online MagazineSummertime angling for trophy-sized blue... Read More
The beginner must learn to look with eyes that see.... Read More
Tide rips are one of the most common areas to... Read More
In 2004, I fished more lily pads than ever before?... Read More
Ketchikan, located in southeast Alaska, is a good place to... Read More
The fish don't care what you wear.... Read More
Six strategies for a good day's fishing(1) Largemouth Bass like... Read More
Try doing a web search on the words "fishing lodge"... Read More
This aint exactly rocket scientry boys...I picked up a copy... Read More
Last summer we had an unfortunate incident with a swordfish... Read More
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri Common name: Chinese algae-eater Family: Gyrinocheilidae... Read More
Have you ever been on a lake and thought to... Read More
Picking a fly fishing rod is a tricky endeavor. Do... Read More
Generally an oceanic species, the swordfish is primarily a midwater... Read More
One day a friend and I decided to go fishing... Read More
Talk to a professional angler like Kevin Schweder(2003 PWT Rookie... Read More
The next few days in Ohio are supposed to be... Read More
Many people know just what type of lure they want... Read More
Originally published in Procats Online MagazineSummertime angling for trophy-sized blue... Read More
More and more women are learning to enjoy fishing each... Read More
One of the greatest thrills in Pacific Northwest fly fishing... Read More
Tide rips are one of the most common areas to... Read More
PondsAnywhere there is a pond; it could be a hidden... Read More
One of the most popular trout fishing techniques is called... Read More
One of the most important steps in getting sponsored to... Read More
The Garmin Fishfinder 250 is Garmin's latest addition to their... Read More
Now that you have caught your dream fish, do you... Read More
I was watching a TV Show with Bill Dance and... Read More
As we stated in our article on Pacific Steelhead flies,... Read More
River dry fly fishing considered as the purest form of... Read More
When fishing for bass in deep water try a spinnerbait... Read More
As the landscape of the World Wide Web changes at... Read More
"Wherever you like to fish-lakes, reservoirs, rivers or streams, you'll... Read More
Choosing a good rod is a major decision for the... Read More
If you have ever had the priviledge of hooking up... Read More
For those of you that don't know this, fishermen by... Read More
There is a fairly new technique when it comes to... Read More
Every River Tells a StoryThe next time you begin a... Read More
Having been an avid basser for years, and not having... Read More
Why Night Fishing Beats Day Fishing Any Day of the... Read More
Method 2The second method that works really well for me... Read More
Everyone's an Expert, So Who Has The Right Answers?Have you... Read More
Fishing |