Connor Sings "Twinkle Twikle Little Star"

Katy Connects on the Bean Stream

Katy and I made a deal that if I would exercise with her this summer, she would fly fish with me. I held up my part of the bargain for the past few weeks and now it was time to cash in.
After work, we loaded up the car and headed out for a fishing adventure. I've fished Bean Stream a few times, but haven't been back for a few years. As we got close to the stream, we saw a turkey with its two chicks in tow.


I set Katy up with an "Amy's Ant" and a SJW. I had her make a few practice casts to get the feeling of the rod. Katy has gone with me a few times and she can place the fly where it needs to go. But she's never connected with a fish by herself on a fly rod. Katy made some good casts and we went to the first hole. It was a tough cast with many branches to tango with. But Katy was able to get the fly in the small current running into the pool. She had a few takes, but her timing was off. I stood behind her and helped her cast right up into the head of the pool and showed her how to hold the rod tip and take up line to avoid drag. We caught a couple fish tandem. Katy made a few more casts and the hole seemed to go stale. While Katy walked up to the next hole, Connor and I found "big rocks" to throw in the stream. Conner was not happy when I would stop search for throwing rocks to snap a picture of him or mom.


I began flipping rocks in the stream and showing Connor all the bugs that live under the rocks. This stone fly's older brothers and sisters were flying around taunting the fish.


Without waders, Katy and I were limited to only a few accessible runs and pools to fish in this area. We went back through the best sections and tried to pick up any fish still hungry. Katy had many takes, but her timing was still off and they would disappear before the point of the hook could settle in their mouth. We loaded back in the car and drove along the dirt road a little further. The stream meandered through thick brush and hid in deep slots cut into the mountainside. We came upon a meadow where the stream slowly curved around its edge. I re-rigged the rod and handed it to Katy. There was only one pool with good current and the light was beginning to fade. I coached Katy as she tried to get a drag-free drift. Connor was still in the car munching on gold fish crackers. Connor realized he was alone and the jig was up. I ran back to the car to entertain Connor as Katy continued her quest. "Mike, I got one!" The rod was bent and Katy had a grin from ear to ear. I grabbed Connor in one hand and the camera in the other and ran to see her prize.


Katy's first fish on a fly rod by herself! I was so over-joyed. I helped her release the fish and it swam back to its home. As we drove back to our home, we couldn't stop talking about how wonderful this evening was. "That was fun! Now I'm going to be jealous when you go fishing without me." I think Katy is converted to a fly rod on small streams.

Pale Force Episode 2 w/ Conan O'Brien - watch more funny videos

Woods Ranch Outting

Before heading up the mountain, We spotted a caterpillar scooting around. Connor was not amused.




Connor takes his fishing seriously and was zen with the little tikes rod.


But Connor quickly found the light and picked up a fly rod. Connor patiently waited for the fish to come to him.






After some false casts and missed hook-ups, we retired for he evening on the swings. Connor is quite the daredevil and loved to swing as high as the swing would take us.

Connor is Growning Up So Fast!

Many Firsts on Second Creek

Craig and I made it to 2nd Creek tonight. We planned to go last week, but Craig had some last minute work to complete. Last year around this time, 2nd Creek had perfect clarity and flows. The road was rough getting in and snow drifts threatened a long hike to the stream. When we arrived to the stream, it was higher then we'd hoped and a little off-color. The wind howled through the pines as I started rigging up my XP 5. These fish aren't very big and the 3wt is so much nicer for these little creeks, so I changed paths and opted for the DC SigV 3wt. Craig rigged up the Rx7 3wt I built for him last year.




I rigged a #14 Grumpy Frumpy with a lime-green belly. Below that I had a #16 copper CJ. Within the first couple pools, I had a small Brown rise to my offering. This is the first fish I've caught on a Grumpy Frumpy. I hope to have many more this summer.


After loosing the dropper to some under-water hazard, I fished with the dry for awhile. Below one of the many beaver ponds that line this creek, I tyed on a red with black wire rib chironomid. I was able to coax a small Brookie from the depths. This is the first Brookie I can remember catching on this creek.


Above the beaver dam, there is a deep pool with a slow riffle down the middle. The first cast into the pool is met with a feisty Cutbow. After some bursts of speed and a few aerials, the fish comes to hand.


I catch a few more fish with the red/black chironmid before sacrificing it to the river Gods. After many failed attempts to find another winning combination, Craig and I hike back down the creek below where we started. I decided to try yet another fly I've never seen action on, a San Juan Worm. I've heard of the magical abilities the SJW has to attract fish, but I was yet to believe. Below a #14 red CJ, I placed a bright pink SJW. But a failed cast dislodged the worm. After a couple more pools and a couple more lost worms, I question the myth of the SJW. But I tie on another SWJ and cast it to a likely riffle next to a solo willow bush. My indicator drops and I set the hook. It is a 11+ Brown with anger issues. I get it to the bank and reach for my camera, but I let too much slack in the line and the fish unbuttoned. I didn't get my first fish on a SJW documented. But soon after, I catch another willing participant and snap a quick shot before it swims away.


After my third fish on a SJW in one spectacular run, I chase after Craig to share my findings and a couple SJWs. I bring a couple more to hand before I meet back up with Craig and head to the truck to go home. Although we hit 2nd Creek before it was in its prime, we were able to have a fun day in the wilds of the 2nd Creek drainage.

Connor is a little man now

Its amazing to witness someone gain a personality and knowledge. Connor amazes me every day by the things he does and says. I am so happy to be able to raise such a fine boy. Connor and I have had a few "fathers and sons" outtings. I look forward to many more as I have the blessing of looking over this "angel sent from heaven".

Backyard Dinosaur

While watering the fruit trees in the backyard, Katy spotted a Horny Toad. We put him in a box and planned to keep him as a pet. I Googled how to take care of it, but it seems like these guys don't fair well in captivity. I decided to take a few shots and let him (or her) go back into the wilds of our backyard. I've been studying how to take better pictures. Fly Art Studio has some great tutorials on how to take good pictures, even if all you have is a point-and-shoot camera. I finally found a use for the $5 tripod I purchased from Staples. I've been looking for a Gorillapod around town, but I think I will be ordering one on-line soon.

Little Tikes on the Little Reservoir

Katy, Connor, and I went to Little Reservoir. on Beaver Mountain for a well needed reprieve from my 55 hour work week. I guess "fish eat metal" too. I lined up my XP, but between the micro-bursts and Connor in my back-cast, I decided to put it away. Plus Katy kept catching fish after fish and I couldn't seem to find any awake...except this small shad taken on a #16 zebra midge.

Between the three of us, we caught over 20 fish in a couple hours. It was a fun family outing to start out the spring.











Connor takes his business serious. There's a couple spots I have in mind for Connor to catch a Brookie on his own (Connor didn't hook this fish, but he did a good job holding the rod while it tried to get away).

We ended the day at Wendy's. Connor loves hambuagas. When we got home he didn't want to put his fishing pole down. He had to take a bath with it and then he ran around the house until 11pm yelling sheshe. I think he's got the bug.

One of Connor's favorite things is the throw rocks. Even better when he can throw them into water!

Montana Trip

Katy, Connor and Mary went to visit Jess in Montana a couple weeks ago.

I went to a local brush choked stream yesterday. I was in heaven casting dries to little naitive Bonneville Cutthroat trout. I picked my battles, avoiding pools I couldn't see fish in or couldn't cast into without a 95% chance of tangling my line into a web of dispair.

Same fish, differnt lighting. This little guy was about the norm for this stream. I cast to this fish over 20 times until I finally hook 'em (or her). Most of the fish in this stream, I could see. After about 3 changes in position, and three fly changes, I finally got a solid hook-up. Each time the fly drift over this fish, it would nudge it with its nose. Persistance paid off and I finally hooked it.

This was the largest of the day. I saw a little stream of water running down the hill into the stream. I followed the water up until I came to a small pool at the top. A small amount of water was flowing from a water diversion canal. I cast my fly right where the water came out. Right away my fly was slammed. But I missed the strike. I cast a few more times with a couple more missed strikes. I think this guy thought manna from heaven was flowing down to him. He never caught on I was about to catch him.

Many Firsts

I have been taking care of Connor while Katy was in California helping her friend after surgery. On the way to pick Katy up from the airport, Connor and I made a detour to fish a litttle stream I've been meaning to try for a while.

Connor was eager to explore the area while I put my waders on and strung up my new 3wt fly rod I finished a couple weeks ago. I kept catching him and bringing him back to the car until I was geared up and ready to go.


I was about ready to take Connor to catch his first fish. I put him in backpack and went to grab my stuff. In the meantime, Connor got inpatient and tried to get things moving a little faster. Connor tipped the pack over with him inside and he landed face first in the dirt! I snatched him up, but knew he wasn't going to go back in the pack. I wiped the dirt from his mouth and carried him down the stream to start working the small pools back to the car.



As I neared the stream, I realized there was no way to hold Connor and cast in the thick brush at the same time. I dropped my rod and fanny pack off and walked back to the car to put Connor in the pack for a second try. This time I bribed him with a sucker. Connor was content to sit in the pack while I tried top make a decent cast into the small pools. With a pack on back and the fanny pack on my chest, I struggled to move. I didn't see a fish until we neared the last pool. I missed a couple bites and finally hooked into a nice little 8" cutthroat. I released the fish from the hook and set him in a small pool blocking him from getting away. I took Connor off my back and held the fish up to him. Connor yelled, "Fisshie!". I put the little trout back where I caught him and tried to catch one more from the top of the pool. Connor kept yelling instruction to catch him another pet to look at.



First time to fish this stream, first fish on my new 3wt, and most importantly, first fish for Connor!

I love this picture, it looks like Connor is posing for the picture of an expose' detailing his rise to the top of the bob-sledding circuit.