Farewell To Liz

Liz McCabe, angler, photographer, publisher and friend passed away last week at the age of 101. Liz first came to Jackson Hole in the 1930's and became a fixture in the community, co-publishing our local newspaper, and immersing herself in fly-fishing, as well as conservation and the local 4-H club. As many of you know, I was introduced to her a number of years ago through Tom Montgomery (her guide for 25+ years), and began spending a few days a year with her on the river. On the river, she was a focused, accomplished angler who liked nothing more than landing a big Snake River Cutthroat on a dry fly. Off the river, she welcomed me and my family into her home and our friendship blossomed. Please check out this story from today's Jackson Hole News and Guide for a very nice review of Liz's life. Enjoy a few photos of me and Liz, as well as one with Tom (courtesy of Scott Smith).

The rivers around Jackson are getting much closer to prime time. Although the Buffalo Fork of the Snake is still high and off color, it looks like it has peaked. The Snake at Wilson bridge, although high (7,500 cfs), the color looks to be OK for some streamer action. The Green is still hanging around 1,500 cfs, and coming up again...shouldn't be long there for lower flows. If you've got access to a boat, the South Fork is probably the best option right now. Flows of 13,600 cfs near Irwin are great for Nymphing and throwing Streamers. Although the water is bigger down toward Lorenzo (6,200 cfs), I've gotten reports of Salmonflies starting to hatch down there, and a few fish up on top to grab them. At that water level, I'd be fishing two weighted rubber-leg stoneflies, looking for Bubba. More soon!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy belated Father's Day to all the dads out there! Hope you were able to get on the water last weekend. I headed east of Portland to one of Oregon's most talked about trout streams: the Deschutes River. As many of you may know, living on the West side of the Cascades (like here in Portland), means a much wetter, greener environment. We get a coastal weather pattern, where there is much more humidity and rainfall. Just east of here, beyond the flanks of Mt. Hood, the environment is much different. If someone had brought me blindfolded to the Deschutes, I would have thought that I had just landed somewhere in Montana or Wyoming. The river cuts through a rugged, dry landscape, with Osprey and Red-winged Blackbirds circling above Sagebrush hills. The Deschutes runs long, with miles of remote sections, as well as easily accessed areas for fly-anglers. Overnights are popular with drifters. The river dumps into the Columbia river above the town of Hood River. The lure of the Deschutes is the chance to catch it's resident, native Rainbow trout, that locals call the "Redside", for it's bright red markings. The Salmonfly hatch had just come through, and fortunately for me, they were still looking at the big bugs. My buddy Bill Farnum and I rode our mountain bikes from hole to hole, looking for feeders. It was a great day. My best fish was a 19" female, that fell for a Snake River Water Walker (a Wil Dornan special). It was nice to get a fish on a Wyoming fly! Bill was far upstream...no photo, sorry. I think next time, I'll bring the boat and try to cover more water. Probably the most interesting thing about the Deschutes is this: come late Summer and Fall, wild, native Steelhead start running up the river from the Columbia. An angler can spend the morning dry fly fishing for Redsides, and then swing Steelhead flies in the evening in search of a real big boy. The Northwest also has a good stock of Cutthroat Trout that fall for flies. I've not found any yet, but will keep you posted on what I come across. So, what's happening back in Wyoming? Sounds like warm, dry weather, with most of the areas runoff beyond the peak. The Green and South Fork of the Snake are already fishing nicely on Nymphs. Dries should be any day now. Look for the Drakes, Golden Stones and Sallies on the Green very soon. Same story on the South Fork, just a couple more weeks. Most of the state of Wyoming is experiencing a snowpack and snow-water equivalency that is well below of average...see the map above. This will certainly mean a quicker start to the fishing season, as well as a better likelihood of strong, early hatches. The big variable will be just how hot and dry the rest of the summer will be. I will be coming back to Jackson later in the summer for a brief guiding stint. I'm looking forward to keeping my oars in the water, so to speak. I would love to hear from some of you if you are interested in getting on the water with me. I will be around from very late July, until about mid-September. I still have dates open during this window, so don't be a stranger! Enjoy this photo of my buddy John Holland, with a Washington caught Cutthroat, from an unnamed river, as well as a scenic shot of the Deschutes River. More soon!