We did a nice hike up to two small lakes in the Tetons, Taggert Lake and Bradley Lake. As usual, fish rising to the surface, everywhere. From where we sat to have lunch, I counted at least 30 fish rising and slurping insects on the surface in 5 minutes.
Since it was an easy hike, I talked Marsha into grabbing some fishing licenses and heading back the following day. She opted for the one day license, I opted for the 3 day. Of course we hike in and the wind starts blowing. By the time we got to the first lake the wind was pretty steady, rippling the surface and disturbing any surface hatch. No fish action. In the periods where the wind died down a little we threw surface flies. We threw hoppers and beetles. We threw nymphs. Nothing.
The next day I tried the Snake River, one of the premier trout rivers in the world. I had bought a guide book and we located some of the access points suggested by the authors. Again a very windy day and the Snake can be a big open river in places. It was tough to cast with the wind and the surface was rippled.
We did find one place about 1.5-2.0 miles below Jackson Lake Dam, called Cattleman's Bridge. It is a long gone bridge site down a dirt side road that is not marked from the main road. It opens into a broad curve in the river with a big beach on the inside of the curve and deep quiet water out into a deep channel. Easy wading (even for me who did not bring waders as a concession to space) and a very nice spot. It was obviously a place where local come to swim and fish after work. This afternoon it was big enough to accommodated swimmers, and 4-5 fisherman. Fish were rising in the quiet spots in the periods when the wind died down enough to make the water go flat.
As late afternoon moved toward supper time the periods of wind increased and the periods of calm decreased. I got pretty good at "shooting" my line into the wind to get it out to calm spots, but the river was big and wide and the wind was very tough. More and more wind, less and less calm. By the time I got a cutthroat to flash up to a parachute adams, it was no longer worth the effort. So, zero for the Tetons, but I'd love to go back. You can drift boat the Snake with a guide that cost some bucks but that really is the way to fish it.
Since it was an easy hike, I talked Marsha into grabbing some fishing licenses and heading back the following day. She opted for the one day license, I opted for the 3 day. Of course we hike in and the wind starts blowing. By the time we got to the first lake the wind was pretty steady, rippling the surface and disturbing any surface hatch. No fish action. In the periods where the wind died down a little we threw surface flies. We threw hoppers and beetles. We threw nymphs. Nothing.
The next day I tried the Snake River, one of the premier trout rivers in the world. I had bought a guide book and we located some of the access points suggested by the authors. Again a very windy day and the Snake can be a big open river in places. It was tough to cast with the wind and the surface was rippled.
We did find one place about 1.5-2.0 miles below Jackson Lake Dam, called Cattleman's Bridge. It is a long gone bridge site down a dirt side road that is not marked from the main road. It opens into a broad curve in the river with a big beach on the inside of the curve and deep quiet water out into a deep channel. Easy wading (even for me who did not bring waders as a concession to space) and a very nice spot. It was obviously a place where local come to swim and fish after work. This afternoon it was big enough to accommodated swimmers, and 4-5 fisherman. Fish were rising in the quiet spots in the periods when the wind died down enough to make the water go flat.
As late afternoon moved toward supper time the periods of wind increased and the periods of calm decreased. I got pretty good at "shooting" my line into the wind to get it out to calm spots, but the river was big and wide and the wind was very tough. More and more wind, less and less calm. By the time I got a cutthroat to flash up to a parachute adams, it was no longer worth the effort. So, zero for the Tetons, but I'd love to go back. You can drift boat the Snake with a guide that cost some bucks but that really is the way to fish it.
No comments:
Post a Comment