We had been talking about this trip for over a week. So when Friday finally arrived I decided to leave work a couple of hours early and headed south for a long overdue weekend of campfires, fishing and cold beer, not necessarily in that order. Don and Terry arrived about an hour later about half an hour before dark. A federal back country camp designated so because of the hole in the ground that was dug before they built the walls around it and stuck a bathroom sign to it was to be our home for the next two days. Oh well the price was right, free in the off season and the view was about as good as it gets. We setup camp right next to the river pulled out the camp chairs and opened the first of many Coronas and just as it usually does when your in the company of good friends, time passed too quickly and it was tomorrow before I was ready for today to end.
A few hours of sleep and my watch signaled that it was six am already. Time to fish… that is right after coffee. But as usual the bigger the hurry you get in, the more likely you’re going to be delayed and an unprepared camper and a trip up the hill to make a semi emergency phone call cost us the better part of the morning. It was closer to nine than not when we finally got to the access. The number of cars and trucks told the story of how warm weather motivates us all to get out after a long cold winter. Rule of thumb says they were all headed down stream so we changed our plan and headed up. Even so, it wasn’t long before we met up with the first of many who started at Tan Van on their way down.
I picked a fair looking place to start and curse the devil I caught a fish on the first cast. Never a good sign but I tried to shake it off by pretending that it was just going to be a great day of catching. But as usual we all know better than that don’t we. Three hours later, four lost flies and 6 swaps between streamers, double nymph rigs and a long stretch where I threw an Elk Hair Caddis. I still had no additional fish on the end of my tippet. It was still good to be out and I do mean that but come on now.
For an hour or so I spent some time looking for bugs and soaking up some sunshine. Don and Terry were up stream of me and by the time I saw them again they were headed back down.
Terry picked up his first fish on a pink San Juan worm and after his second one I changed my dropper out. At the last good pool before the take out we both managed another fish before I lost my entire rig on a hook set. It was close to three and the only thing I had to eat was that coffee and a pack of cheese crackers so we agreed to call it a day and hiked it back to the truck.
Don was already back and claimed a couple of fish one being a small brown he caught below the access. We headed back to camp and did a repeat of the previous night adding in a steak and baked potato dinner. As it usually goes…. not a bad way to spend a weekend.
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
