"Fish come and go, but it is the memory of the afternoons on the stream that endure." ~ E. Donnall Thomas Only a few weeks until the season opener for the Creek, the Wood, and the South Fork on May 28th. It seems that the closer the opener gets the more tantalizing it becomes. We all pine for the river…
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A man comes into a shop and asks, 'Can I have a rod and reel for my son?' The owner replies, 'Sorry sir, we don't do trades.'" ~Anonymous We are a month away from opening day. Don't wait until May 28th to dust of the gear only to find it in disrepair. Now is the time to do a thorough…
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"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday." ~ A.A. Milne. With the patience of a Taoist we wait for our rivers to open. The Wood closed the end of March on a high note...the fishing was fantastic. And now the flows have jumped as high as 1,300 CFS with the recent warm weather. With a…
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"When I’m fishing and hunting with the right attitude, I reenter the woods and river with a moment-by-moment sense of the glories of creation, of the natural world as a living fabric of existence, so that I’m both young again but also 70,000 years old." —Jim Harrison from Field & Stream, 2003 Thank you Mr. Harrison for your inspirational life…
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"Our life is March weather, savage and serene in one hour." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson March is often personified by sentimental poets, and for good reason; like life, it is unpredictable. But one thing is certain. At March's end, the Big Wood and South Fork will close for the season. So even if the weather turns savage, then serene, then…
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"When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest." ~ Ernest Hemingway We are going to have plenty of water this summer! The average snowpack for the Wood River Basin right now is 106% of average and the forecast for March looks like more snow is on the way. Typically when we have…
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"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." ~ Charles Dickens This time of year, the temperature can swing 20 to 30 degrees from sun up to sun down. The key to staying comfortable on the water: layering. Since…
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"I will never tire of what fishing gives me. It puts me in touch with another of nature's species, in beautiful surroundings that are old as time. This is where I want to be; that is how I am renewed." ~ Joan Wulff If it is time to renew yourself in a different, beautiful surrounding, then wading expansive saltwater flats…
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"If a little madness be a necessary requisite to obtain the ultimate in the pleasure of angling-- then O Lord, give me insanity!" ~ John Alden Knight Winter fly fishing is not as crazy as it sounds. It should be on your short list of winter activities while visiting the Wood River Valley along with skiing on Baldy, snow shoeing…
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"Any fool can know. The point is to understand." ~ Albert Einstein Any fool can tell you that one of the wonders of fly fishing is that there is always more to know and understand. January 9th and 10th, the Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo in Boise is a great opportunity to build on your fishing understanding. There will be…
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“October is a symphony of permanence and change.” – Bonaro W. Overstreet October is a paradox where the constant harmonizes with the ephemeral. And the angler gets the privilege of being part of the symphony. Silver Creek With the Tricos winding down, Baetis and Mahogany duns take the stage. The hatch is often intense and brief during the most pleasant…
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“Days decrease, and autumn grows, autumn in everything.” – Robert Browning Autumn has left its mark: cooler water, shifting hatches, shorter windows. Autumnal angling is bittersweet as fish and fishers sense the urgency of the season. Silver Creek While fishing the Creek, expect to see typical fall bugs. The hatch timing depends on the day, so check the weather before…
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