Features From Chapter Members
In Search of the Second Cutthroat
Story and photos by Daniel Lazenby
This is the second of four installments as Daniel describes his effort to complete the Wyoming Cutthroat Slam; catching four cutthroat trout subspecies: Yellowstone, Colorado River, Snake River, and Bonneville.
The various Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forest Ranger Districts seemed to cover major chunks of each subspecies cutthroat watersheds. To maximize fishing and minimize driving, my fishing had been mapped out East to West through the watersheds. Next on the list was the Colorado River Cutthroat in the western section of the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
My plan took a major turn when I crossed paths with Grizzly Lambert (that’s a different story) at the Two Rivers Fishing Co. fly shop in Pinedale, WY. Grizzly had mentioned what I was doing to the shop staff. I shared my plan with Josh and immediately received corrective feedback and advice that pointed me to better Colorado River Cutthroat water in Big Piney Ranger District on the east side of Bridger-Tetons. More importantly, he told me of a Forest Service Road that went over the mountain to my next fishing destination, saving me considerable time by eliminating a drive around the mountain range. Micha at the TR Fly Shop recommended some files – which I promptly purchased, and almost as quickly donated to the creek and willow brush overlords.
As it often happens, I dawdled way too long in the fly shop. I needed to get a move on and set up camp before the sun ducked behind the western mountain ridge. On my way out of town I checked for tent camping restrictions with the district ranger office. As the other rangers had advised me, I was, and would continue to be, in bear country. She advised to stay bear aware and adhere to bear aware best camping practices.
This new location took me north out of Pinedale and eventually into the Big Piney Ranger District. Hunting season was in progress and dispersed sites were scarce. Shadows were growing long when I located a site on a bluff at a little over 8000 feet elevation. It overlooked the willow brush-defended creek I intended to fish.
After a night of 40+ mph wind gusts and blistering cold, the morning opened blue and sunny. It would take a couple of hours before the sun would begin to warm the creek water. I ate breakfast and watched the sun rays slowly creep down the valley walls to the creek.
I gained creek access after scrambling down an embankment and threading my way through the willow bushes. As before, my focus was on Beaver ponds and pools/holes in the incredibly low and crystal-clear water.
Fishing began using the same setup as at the last site. Hopper/dropper – no response. Stripping black with green tail woolly bugger in Beaver ponds – nothing. High-viz beetle/dropper – again nothing. So, the day went. Giving up on the dropper, I switched to the black and purple parachute foam fly Micha recommended. An hour later I had a 4-to-5-inch cutthroat; too small for its Colorado River marking to be distinct. However, this location was starting out better than the previous location.
Next morning included a drive of about two miles downstream to a small rise above the creek. Once again, I began my upstream journey in search of a Colorado River Cutthroat. The purple and black parachute fly wasn’t getting any attention. The woolly bugger was a bust. The Chernobyl Ant wasn’t of any interest, neither was the hi-viz beetle. The day was starting a lot like the day before. About noon, I came across a small opening in the willows below a pool. While eating lunch I noticed greenish grass hoppers nearby.
I switched to my last, and a little too big, green Morrish hopper. Cast, drift, nothing. Cast again, drift, nothing. Sat there a bit watching the pool’s current tongue. Cast, mend, drift, and strike! A nice 8-inch Colorado River Cutthroat hit the hopper.
This makes two of the Cutt-Slam four
Podcast | Spring Creeks & Trout In Penn's Woods
Rob recounts his day in search of trout in Pennsylvania. He recently re-read Howell Rainen's Fly Fishing Through A Midlife Crisis and was inspired to spend more time in search trout. The day starts off on the historic Falling Springs, shore lunch on the Letort, and ends on the Yellow Breeches. These are streams Rob and his fishing buddy Tom fished in their youth of decades past. Video and images from the road trip are here.