I’m off to “work” for a month on remote, native streams!
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I wanted to quickly say hello, again, and make a note that I’m taking off on another research trip for my book on fly-fishing for Cutthroat trout. My working title, now is: “Chasing Cutthroat.” I’m all done guiding at Rock Creek Cattle Company. I did a similar trip last fall, but need to re-shoot a few sub species to get enough publishable photos. And, if things go to a semblance of a decent schedule, I will have some time to mess around and fish for “fun” for Steelhead and Salmon on the West Coast–probably in Oregon.
I am leaving tomorrow for Beaver Crk. in SE Utah, near Moab, to document the newly discovered population of Greenback Cutthroat found there. This is very exciting for me, as I love finding unknown populations, b/c it makes me happy to think they aren’t always dissapearing on us. This trip is a hermitage of sorts, as it will just be me and the dogs. I may meet some friends along the way, but will have to see what happens.
I plan on being on the road and in the desserts and mountains for about a month. First, Utah and the Greenbacks, maybe some Colorado River Cutties. Then, California and the Paiutes, again. Then, Nevada and the Humboldt and Lahontan Cutts. Then, Oregon for the Willow/Whitehorse Cutts., then the Coast for Chromeheads and King Salmonids!!! Might catch some Coastal Cutts., too.
My connections with the outside world will be intermittant, but I will try to update you all as often as I can. Any donations of beans, rice, coffee, beer, whiskey and scotch, will be greatly appreciated.
I am taking a 3 wt. Pent. rod I built from throw-away blanks from Jerry Kustich, my 5 wt. Winston that Jeff Walker made, and my 6 wt. rod I’ve been messing with. I also have an 8 wt. and 4/5 wt. rod that Sam Drukman made out of graphite. I hate to say it, except that it is very true–they are very nice rods and are, afteral custom-made by Sam. We’ll see how the 6 wt. holds up for the big anadromous fish, but I will likely be using the graphite 8 wt. for those fish. Please don’t hold it against me.
In Wild Waters,
Zac
too bad you cannot carry a film crew along with you, that sounds like it would be great to view.
Good luck with it all.I must have paid you to much money this summer if you can go on vacation for that long…
Have a fun and safe trip and if you are looking for your sunglasses and hat they are right where you left them in the kitchen at the lodge.
Joel
My brother is working on a project to restore Bonneville Cutthroats in Utah right now. Could be another interesting sub-species to have for your book.
http://society6.com/grainfarmer Fly Fishing and Landscape open edition Photography prints.
http://grainfarmer.vsco.co/ iPhone photos
http://instagram.com/chad_simcox InstagramWell, I finally got some photos edited, though they aren’t overal the best quality, and got some time to post a bit about my progress. I made it to Beaver Crk. in SE Utah, to catch some of the only genetically pure Greenback Cutthroat trout in the state. If you’ve been living in a cave, I’ll fill you in that the state found these fish to be pure in May of ’09. Apparently there have been several popns. found in the higher elevations of streams dumping in to the lower Colorado River, like Beaver Crk. in Utah.
The thought (according to the biologist I spoke with) is that the Greenback occupies/occupied the higher elevation tribs. and the Colorado River Cutt., populated the main valley rivers, i.e. Colorado and Dolores Rivers. To take that thinking further, then the Greenbacks on the eastslope of the Rockies, would have made it over the divide in the subbasin transfer previously theorized–the Greenback having an advantage of already living higher in the streams to make it over mountain passes. At any rate, I found the Utah cutties, after a ton of driving and some wayward hiking. The fish aren’t everywhere, but they are in a couple/few miles of stream. They don’t have much, but are doing well for the tiny amount of water they live in.
Gotta find the name of this mountain, but this is overlooking Beaver Crk., standing on a terrace just above the 100 yr. flood plain. Purdy!!!
Mojo and I sneaking a fly on to Beaver Crk. Not a whole lot of casting on this stream. Had to cut my leader down to about 2 1/2 feet long, so I could set the hook and not get tangled in the Alders!
A juvenille Beaver Crk. Greenback–about 2 inches long.
An above average adult, about 8 inches long.
A prototypical adult with big spots (the largest of any other subspecie on average), concentrated toward the tail. Note the orangish slashes under gills. I think these were overall the orangest slashes I have seen on a popn. of Greenbacks. Maybe any Cuttie…
The spots!
And some evidence that some stream restoration/protection work is badly needed…So, from SE Utah, I drove to east/central California to go back to a stream I fished last fall for the rarest trout in North America: the Piute!
This stream about did me in last season, as I suffered badly from exhaustion and dehydration. I had an eerie feeling about the trip, and took a variety of precautions to reduce my physical stress level on this trip. It’s about a 7 mile trip to get to the stream from the trailhead, going through three major drainages of the San Juaquin, up and down about 2K feet of elevation change, in a very short distance. About 2 1/2 miles I had to hike one-way to get to the stream, mostly off any trail, and down the steep canyon that cradles Stairway Crk.
Getting ready to leave the trailhead. Note the size of my pack! It weighed around 80 pounds, and included camping, photography, and fishing gear for three days.
The Wilderness boundary.
A rather non-wildernessque (but welcoming) bridge over the North Fork of the San Juaquin river. There were a handful of non-native
fishies the dogs and I watched for a while, below the bridge. It’s a beautiful river and valley!
North Fork San Juaquin river valley.I set camp on the first day, replenished my energy stores, and hiked almost two miles, following the western-most branch of
Stairway Crk., until I found fish. I didn’t find any life, until below the confluence with three other tributary streams.And they posed nicely for the camera!
But then I had to catch some for illustrations…
So much smoke from an apparent forest fire built in the atmosphere, that I got a little worried, I might get trapped in the wilderness.
I hoped I had enough good shots to finish my chapter on Piutes (and therefore, my book), and decided to stay one more night and
leave the next day. The dogs and I were pretty much exhausted from the strenuous hiking, and I didn’t feel safe pushing my luck
going in to the canyon again. I viewed my photos on the camera that night, and figured I got what I needed.The next morning, we packed up and headed back to the car. There was a set of mountain lion tracks following the trail we made going in!!! No one else had hiked in from the trailhead while we were gone. I figured the nearest human being was a minimum of 15 miles in any direction, and very likely closter to 25 miles, as the only people I saw driving in, were elk/deer hunters at trailheads five or more miles from where I entered the wilderness. Mojo did point a covey of quail, which was exciting. My supplies held up, I didn’t get too dehydrated, we stayed mostly warm, and the trip was very challenging and that much more rewarding once again! Maybe one of these days, I can ride a horse in, and not have to worry about lugging so much gear…Maybe. I know, life’s rough out West!
Since then, I have made it north to Portland, visited some friends, including Mr. Steve Kiley, who showed me his bamboo rod shop,
and some of the projects he had going. He was kind enough to let me borrow a 7 wt. rod for the Steelheading I am going to do, to celebrate
getting my field work done for my book. That was an enjoyable and educational experience, and I enjoyed casting Steve’s rods very much. I might even own one now… I have some other business to attend to here in Portland, then I’m off to the Dechutes, Wilson, Trask, Rogue, and who knows where else, to catch Chromeheads. Then, I will likely continue to SE Oregon to look in on the Whitehorse and Willow Crk. Cutties, to increase my illustrations, for those chapters–since I’m in the area. I’ll keep you in the know… I hope you enjoy the report, and are doing well.In Wild Waters,
Zac
Zac, great report. I can’t wait to read more. Also the pictures are outstanding. I am retiring in a month, if you need an old mule to carry your pack, give me a call. 😉 My jobs were never this much fun.
Great Adventure and we all really appreciate the photos, story and work you are doing for our little trout friends.
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