A little humor...

Here's a funny story from the Cody newspaper. I first saw it on Aug 8, so it's a bit old. I didn't get to post it back then because I was gone away from my computer and internet:

Enjoy!.......‘Dr. Wade’ removes hook from woman’s lip

Back in town...planning Labor Day weekend

Back in town after three weeks away for Marine Corps Reserve Training.  I'm told it was really hot here while I was gone, but I was missing the weather here alot. South Korea in August is not my idea of fun, although it was significantly cooler than expected, and I didn't get rained on even once, which is a miracle in itself.

Anyway, I couldn't help but occasionally dream about fishing the Lamar River right now. The grasshoppers must be getting on the water by now, and the water is coming down according to the graphs but still high at 660. I think it was 1500 in late July when I went last.

But I won't be going to Yellowstone this weekend. Bummer! But I have hopes of something even better. I'm taking Paul out for his first camping trip! I'm not sure where we're going yet, but I want to keep it close and by a river or lake of some sort to get some fishing in. I also want to do some hiking. Can't have any bear activity because he's still in diapers (hopefully not next week, though!) and I don't want to deal with the risk that diapers in the backcountry could bring.

And I'm still planning a Yellowstone trip for the weekend of Sept 17th.  The Bechler River has entered the discussion, and that's very exciting! Heads or tails, Bechler or Lamar.....either way, it's a win!

Missing AWESOME AUGUST

Here I am on my annual training period for Marine Corps Reserve. I'm missing on of the best months of the year in park. Gotta do what I gotta do.

We have a weekend of fishing planned for mid-September. Location is TBD, but we are looking at Slough Creek and the Lamar River (of course!) but also maybe going to Bechler Meadows area.  Either way, it's sure to be awesome.

No report from last week's adventure?

I took a day trip to the park last Saturday. I fished the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek.  Fishing and weather was great, but the catching was a bit slow. I caught only one cutthroat all day. Got a few nice rainbows and cuttbows, too.

I wanted to write up a nice report, but things changed with one phone call on Sunday morning.

Today, the San Diego Police Department with the US Marine Corps held a memorial service more a friend and fellow Marine in my unit, Jeremy Henwood.


http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/story/Thousands-attend-Slain-San-Diego-Police-Officer/t5U-ixwdj0enJQvQgasYRw.cspx

Rest In Peace, Friend.

Eight hours of driving for ten hours of fishing...coming right up!

I'm going for it this Saturday. I'm doing what I call the "out-n-back" day to Lamar River. Drive up Saturday morning, arrive by 9:30am to fish the Lamar River from 10:00am - 8:00pm, and then drive to get home around midnight. This is not the preferred option, but given the circumstances, it's what I'll be doing.

I didn't get to fish at all in June because we didn't take our normal trip up there in June.

I fished only about two hours on the Gibbon River in mid-July and an hour on the Gardner River. Nothing on the Lamar or Yellowstone or Slough Creek or Soda Butte Creek.

I might get to fish in the park over Labor Day. I'll get one day on Sept 17th. That is not alot of fishing for the year. That's all the fishing that's planned for the rest of the year.

Therefore, I'll be getting up early and going to bed late. BUT....I'll get to stand in the Lamar River this Saturday, and it will all be worth it.

I did this trip once last year for the mid-September day in the Lamar River. The day was INCREDIBLY AWESOME until 7:45pm when I cut the last fly off my line for that year. My heart sunk. "Man, that's it for this year." I thought. The sun dipped quickly behind the ridgeline, and it was immediately very dark, such that all I could focus on was getting through the park at night safely. I stopped in West Yellowstone for gas and said goodbye to the park for the year.

The fishing stayed on my brain a bit more throughout the winter than it normally does. And, the big snowpack had two impacts on me: 1) it kept the rivers blown out longer than normal and 2) I was really bummed about not getting much backcountry skiing in during a huge snow year because of the newborn baby in early March (yes, I have my priorities correct and Baby Noah certainly is more important than a few missed turns on the hills).

Anyway, I'm really excited. The 4:30am alarm on Saturday can't get here soon enough!! Who's coming with me?