Spring Retreat: Annoying Campers, Kayaking, Trout Bum, Pink Flies, and a Hula Girl

Part I: Family Camping Trip

Spring has unleashed it's warmth over Southern Utah, so the family and I set out for our first camping trip with our newly two year old daughter. Would she sleep all night in a tent? Who knew, I wasn't really thinking about that. I just needed to get away from the world. My birthday was the day after hers, and I finally got a new tent that I had been wanting. It was a perfect time to hit the mountains.

We set out to a nearby reservoir that we had camped at once before. The road leading up to the water was lush with vegetation and giant red rocks towered above. Someday, I would like to hike around in the area and explore. We arrive at the lake and set up camp near where we did our first bout. As soon as I was finished, I anxiously set up my new kayak and hurried out to the water to try the new rig. The rowing took a while to get down, but I think I have the general motion. It will take a few more trips  to fine-tune the technique. I eventually returned to shore and decided to take the whole family out. Maybe I will toss Daisy aside and let her swim, maybe.

Emma's ready to go

It was a little awkward at first. The rowing was out of sync, we were leaning to the right, but the kayak was upright and floating, all that mattered. Natalie's nerves were high when we were out in the middle of the water. I tried comforting her, but my words seemed to blow right away as the wind was.

The wind and erratic rowing took us to the far shore where Natalie was much more comfortable. After a while, our rowing began to improve and we were soon far away out into the lake. It was really fun being out on the lake with the whole family. You can cover lots of water in a relatively short amount of time. This will be great when scouting for fish.

We eventually return to shore and I venture out again solo, in hopes of finding some tug. I make my way over to a small bay and cast out my line. Within a matter of seconds I realize that fishing from a kayak is definitely going to take practice. The main problem was the wind. Any subtle shift in the wind and the kayak would turn, messing up my drift. I foresee many early mornings and late evenings free from wind will be key if I want calm water and better drifts. I ended up not catching anything, but felt a few nibbles. At least the fish were interested.

I return to camp and while I wish I was in a state of peace, sitting there enjoying my surroundings, I certainly could not . From the camp nearby a loud annoying ruckus was going on. Adults were yelling at their kids, swearing, and just being loud. Out from the trees came a dude with a purple mohwawk. I had to get out of here. I go to the mountains to escape from people. Life's too short to deal with this crap. We decide to break camp and head over to where the stream flows into the lake to pitch our tent.

As we were carrying gear over, I noticed a trio of fly fisherman fishing the inlet. I sparked conversation with one of them, someone who turned out to be a true trout bum I have known through the internet. He was one of the guys behind Whisky and Windknots, a fishy blog dedicated to our grand sport. We chatted for a while, mostly about fishing of course. It was fun to talk with someone who's fished a lot of the same areas as me. Hopefully our paths will cross again.

The camp was perfect. No noise but the sound of rushing water and wind through the trees. We enjoyed a nice campfire meal and dessert and all watched the sun fade over the mountain. Now this is why the mountains call to me.

Healthy Food = Feel Good

One thirty AM, Emma is awake crawling all over us and not going back to sleep. Soon enough we're all awake, and now Emma is crying. She will not go back to sleep, no matter what we try. At this point the thought of an early morning sunrise, flat water, and bent rod all but seems to disappear. This is life with a toddler. I love her, but man it was hard packing out in the middle of the night. We break camp, and make the grateful quick drive back to home.

Part II: Redemption

Due to the disaster the day before, I had to get out again into the mountains. The void was less than half full, as I had not been out fishing for a long time. Mike and my dad pick me up, and we head North to one of our favorite mountains.

The destination was a small secluded stream with plentiful trout. And plentiful it was. Due to runoff, the higher water had us reaching for pink flies that would shine through the muck. Mike's trusty "muddy water worm" was the true ticket of the day. It has proven it's worth time and time again. Although, the san juan proved to be working fairly well also. The fish would even hit our dries once in a while. At one point, I was fishing a pink chernobyl that met the lips of a few trout. My void was beginning to fill, this was something that had been missing in my life for far too long.

Healthy snowpack

Mike was kind enough to let me try out his light saber, aka his Blue Halo 3wt. This rod truly shines on small water. If I could describe the rod in one word it would be smooth. The casting, the delicate presentation, and the fight of a fish, all perfectly smooth. There's just something about fiberglass that truly shines. 

We break for lunch on the side of the stream, and I scarf down a PB&J and banana. It was nice to feel some calm and peace from last nights disappointment. Eventually, the stream was calling to us and we venture out again. While fishing, I make my way around a corner to find something rather unusual. A girl, standing on some sort of platform, performing an array of hula hoop techniques. I would have never guessed to see an acrobat in this type of country. Nonetheless, she seemed not bothered by our presence. We decided to not fish through their camp, and headed upstream to the last pool.

We traded off picking fish from this pool, and eventually retired back to the jeep. The day was filled with beautiful fish, thundering clouds, and free spirits. The perfect redemption from the day before.