Depature to the Glacier; Wilderness Gateway Campground

We'd planed to go the Glacier National Park as our final long trip this year, which located in Montana and Canada.

Sunday, we left home about 11:15. After 300miles drive, we arrived the Wilderness Gateway Campground around 17:00, which was along the Lochsa River and about 30minutes drive east of Lowell ID.

One of reasons that I picked it first place to stay was to see the Westslope Cutthroat at this famous river. But I didn't have a time to do that...







This campground itself was well equipped though, the space for tent looked a little small. Even our small tent was almost marginal.









Because of our arrival time, we had to start cooking as soon as possible.

Main dish was Japanese curry with chicken by my Dutch Oven. Although It was good, it needed more time to be heated maybe.








She helped us to clean the stuff up a lot.

That night it was colder than I imagined. My wife and daughter take precautions against the cold well, but I didn't.

I should have brought ski wear or something anyway...

Three mistakes... Flav was prime!

South Fork of the Boise River Temp; 81F(27C) Hatch; Caddis and Flav Time; Evening Only Hooked; 8 Caught; 5 Flow; 1720cfs



It'd been getting cold these days. I felt summer was coming to the end.

I tried the Hopper first, but it didn't work this time. I felt the reaction for hopper was a little worse than last year.

After moving usual hole, I could see good Flav hatch and many rises.

As a result, I missed two 20inchers one and one over 20inches after hooking(Oh my...) though, I got several good one.





18inches/45cm by Flav dun #14

I liked his jaws, he stayed and rose very close to the bank.












17inches/44cm by Flav dun#14

Beautiful and good jumper!














Last one was 18inches/45cm by Flav Cripple #14. It rose so close to the bank, and was quite hard to be caught by strong stream.











The rises to the Flav dun was continued to the dusk.

And about nine o'clock was time to end up fishing now. It was about 21:30 a week ago.


Now I miss the summer a little bit...

Unusual Saturday

Finally, we skipped our weekly camping this week for several reasons. 1st, we all were almost worn out . 2nd, we had to prepare for our last big trip next week.

My daughter and I cleaned our tackle first. She helped a lot.

Then it was her turn.

We played Japanese karuta together.

After supper, we took a walk to the park.

She was getting very good biker!

They enjoyed tennis also.

Yeah, it was relaxed and nice Saturday for us.

A little Cheap Red Wine Review; 9th set

From this set, the price range jumped up a little bit to $10-$15, since I'd covered almost all wine less than $10.

RODNEY STRONG '04; 4.5 star
Snake River '02; 3.5 star
FRANCIS COPPOLA CLARET '05; 3star

RODNEY STRONG was my favorite!

Hopper and Flav

South Fork of the Boise River Temp; 99F(37C) Hatch; Caddis and Flav Time; Evening Only Hooked; 5 Caught; 3 Flow; 1730cfs

Recently, I'd been satisfied with match the hatch fishing for Caddis and Flav.

But do I forget anything? Yes, I got no fish with Hopper yet. I think Hopper is just synonym of the summer here. Let's try it today!

I missed first take for Hopper... It looked like good one...

But I did catch the second one.

It wore just wild bow's color! He jumped so strongly.

17inches/43cm

I liked this hole especially as Hopper fishing.

After that, I moved to my favorite rise hole.

As I expected, there were some Flav dun. But its number was not so many.

This was my first one by Flav dun#14.

About 16inches/40cm, good jumper also.

I found the good one's rise. He rose just in front of big rock.

After several casts, my fly was out of his lane just a little bit.
But he chased and took it!!

He was a kind of super fighter. It took a long time I felt.

He was really wonderful, gorgeous one. Maybe should be called 'slab'. I liked him very much.

19inches/49cm; so healthy!!

After I released him, I decided to finish my fishing today. It was unusually about one hour before sunset. Yes, I was so satisfied today.

I'm proud of this river and should think great deal of it.

Switch from Caddis to Flav

River; South Fork of the Boise River Temp; 96F Hatch; Caddis and Flav Time; Evening Only Hooked; 8 Caught; 5 Flow; 1740cfs

It was beautiful day.

When I arrived usual hole, I found several good stable rise. There were actually Caddis and Flav. Then I bet Caddis first.

It was right.

19inches/48cm by X-Caddis #16 Rise fishing

He was so strong and wild!

Major hatch was switched from Caddis to Flav. And I did see fish fed Flav dun surely. So I changed the fly pattern from Caddis to Flav dun. Then I got a surely strike!

18inches/46cm by Flav Dun #14 He looked like sick.

There were a bunch of Flav Dun, so rises were continued to the dark.

I got some fish also. Now Flav is getting prime!

Garden Creek Recreation Site; Upper Big Lost River

Our weekly camping was still continued this week also.

The concept of this week was close to Ketchum for my wife, and different river from Big Wood River for my self.

Then I picked the Upper Big Lost River up for this week's destination.

It took about three hours to Ketchum from our home. And keep going to the east. After another an hour with dirt road drive, we arrived the Garden Creek Recreation Site.




It was the fee free site. Though there was the rest room, no water.

And strong wind made us a little nervous, especially my daughter.






After setting up camp, we started to prepare our supper. It was close to 5 o'clock.















The main dish was the New York and Rib Eye steak by charcoal grill.

I liked them!!









After the supper, it was fishing time as usual for us!









He was my first brookie in US! Tiny but pretty one.








As usual also, we had a wine and baking marshmallow time. We loved that.









This night was good timing to see meteor stream. We checked a table of constellations carefully, and could see many shooting stars!!

It was so often, about once in a minute.

Yeah, it was definitely fantastic time for us.

Flav started, but still Caddis's prime!

River; South Fork of the Boise River Temp; Not too hot, around 90F? Hatch; Caddis and Flav Time; Evening Only Hooked; 11 Caught; 8 Flow; 1740cfs

It could be one of greatest days there.

Finally my favorite Flav hatch started there. It likely earlier start than last year. But still fish madly fed on Caddis only. There were good and continuous rises.

I did hook two fishes soon by general Caddis dry pattern. They were not huge but good fighter. Although I couldn't catch them, it was a kind of good start. I was pretty sure that my selected fly matched the hatch.

This one was so beautiful and wild with its red band! And also good well jumped fighter.

18inches/45cm

This heavy torque stream made their tug so stronger. I thought It was really difficult to catch good size, even succeeded in hooking.

He had so wide body. 16inches/40cm

This 18.5inches/47cm had injured body, so I hesitated to put his pic here. But it was well experienced good one.

After that I hooked huge one, at least over 20 incher!

During long time fight with him, I was cheered up by floating boater. The comfortable drug's reverse sound made me so excited.

When he approached me, I believed I've almost done.

Then I lost his tension... The knot of tippet got loose... It was definitely my fault...

I could catch some after that also. I had good time there.

Cheap Red Wine Review; 8th set

BOGLE 2005; 1.5star

JENICA PEAK 2004; 4star(good)

FETZER 2005; 1.5 star

I think I've covered almost all cheap wine which is under $10 and is available at general store. Maybe it is time to upgrade it.

Pine Flat Campground; South Fork of the Payette River

This weekend, we decided to go the Pine Flat Campground which was along the South Fork of the Payette River with Moto's family. It was almost after a year interval for us to have a camping together.

It took about 1.5hours to arrive there from Boise. As its name, there were a lot of pine trees.

It was famous of its hot spring. It poured into the river from the cliff.

It was not so hot but a kind of comfortable for us.

The fall of hot springs. We relaxed so well there.

It was only our pity not to have camp fire and charcoal grill for us because of high danger of wood fire.

Because of its slope where we pitched a tent, we had hard time to sleep well. We recognized the importance of its flatness.

Next morning, we tried fly fishing together.

Moto took pix for me. The left one was my second hit.

She helped me to land him. Good job, my sweetie!

She fell asleep as soon as she was took in my arms.

It was fun time for us all.