23 August 2010
Now that MS has completed the Cuttslam, we need to make it official by stopping by Wyoming Fish and Game (F&G) in Jackson and filling out the paperwork. It’s not done until it’s done!!
After a breakfast of coffee and bagels, we head out for Jackson to locate the F&G folks.
JR has pre-coordinated with Rob Gipson of the F&G for this day! So we head out and pretty much drive right to it. Rob is there to look at the fish MS caught which I have put on a memory stick to transfer to Rob’s computer. He looks at the fish….there is an extended moment of silence….I break the silence by saying…"Now Rob, you remember that the Wyoming Cuttslam is a DNA contest and not a fish size contest!"….He looks up and smiles….Yep, that is right! MS fills out the forms, signs it, and shazam! He is granted Cuttslam certificate number 768! Hey, way to go MS!! Woo Hoo!
Rob then shares with us some sections of the Snake River we might consider fishing although 4WD is recommended even on dry days.
We thank him for his hospitality and the warmth and assistance we received from everyone in the Wyoming F&G – truly a great group to work with both in 2004 and now again in 2010! They are great people!
Since we were in Jackson gathering fishing info data, we decided to continue to get local inputs as best we can. Next we stopped by the adjacent US Forest Service office for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The folks there fell over themselves to give us great service and inputs – they truly love what they do! We picked up maps (and fishing location markings) for the Gros Ventre River section and for the Buffalo River (N&S) section. Also the staff shared with us some high lakes ideas for fishing with moderate hiking.
From there we headed back into Jackson and found the local Orvis shop where AB and MS discussed and procured some more "local" flies (from Sri Lanka?). However, we chatted with one of the staff there who did confirm some of the good places on the Gros Ventre River to fish – so now we have two independent and confirming vectors!!
While AB and MS finished up in the shop, JR, GK and AM went off to find some good coffee – which we did at the J H Organics shop (organic, gluten-free, and raw options! – 386 W Broadway, Jackson, WY 83002 307-733-0386).
After our good coffee and a couple of exotic to-go sandwiches for GK and JR (Sweet potato/turkey and cranberry/Chicken), we proceed out of town to go explore the upper Gros Ventre River drainage.
Cruising through Grand Teton National Park, we get to see the dramatic rise of the Teton Peaks. We also see an organized bike tour group although it is heading the other direction from us (AM thinks this would be cool – no one else does…).
We stopped by the Gros Ventre spot we hit in 2004 right after AB’s surgery for a kidney stone. A couple of guys were fishing there already so we elected to move on although the water looks very promising – with 5 of us we need a fair amount of clear water to fit everyone in. Heading up River, we come to the signs describing the Gros Ventre slide of 1925 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gros_Ventre_landslide ) which dammed the river to form two lakes – Upper and Lower Slide Lakes!
Swinging by the Wyoming boat access on Lower Slide Lake, we talk with some good folks from Texas who had great luck there with Lake Trout and some Cutts at the outlet side of the lake – they were trolling spoons using spinner/gear fishing from a boat but hope springs eternal! So we head downstream to the outflow of Lower Slide Lake.
In the river, we find a gazbillion* fish (* a fishing technical term for any quantity above two) chasing our flies although they have consistently the most amazing ability to come right up to the fly and turn away – they do this time after time!! Finally catching a couple of the little guys, we wonder where the big ones are.
In the Lake (just above the outflow), AB and MS are working a fly lines with their longest casting rods.
For AB that is a 9’-6 wt. Lamiglas working hard to cast just beyond the weed beds – after multiple fish rises but no hookups, he is starting to look for some sticks of dynamite!! Tiny flies like Comparidun, Ants and parachute Purple Haze are eliciting many strikes, but not one hookup! It’s frustrating! Like many lake shores, the fish seem to want to rise mostly about 10 feet beyond your longest cast! MS is also casting in the lake, but soon discovers a broken stripping guide on his rod which is cutting his flyline. He returns to the truck for a different rod, then heads downstream to find JR. GK needs a Lake Trout to complete the IGFA Trout Slam (catching all 7-species of trout) and is excited about the possibility of catching one in this lake, especially after the reports of good fishing by the Texas group. While stringing up his spinning rod, he realizes that he’d left his spinners back at the cabin. A radio call to JR discovers he’d left his spinners back at camp also. GK strings a fly rod and gives the lake a try. The Lake Trout attempt will have to wait for another day. Meanwhile JR has forged ahead downriver and continues to pull up a gazbillion little fish (circa 10") but suddenly a huge fish starts to chase one of the fish he has hooked! Looks like the winning strategy might be to use some green label plug cut herring with a flasher – it is a hard rig to cast however.
You do get to meet the most interesting folks when wandering through the brush! I ran into Sumo (a Bernese Mountain Dog) and his owners while looking for stream access. The only reason I know the breed is because we have a BMD ourselves! Wonderful companions!
We pull up in the late afternoon and head upstream to just beyond Crystal Creek campground and just above Crystal Creek entry into the Gros Ventre.
The water is certainly cloudy by the Slate Creek trailhead where we put in to fish. The evening temperatures are dropping but the water structure looks fine – although there is plenty of signs that folks camp and enjoy the area, we see absolutely no one. Again the water proves problematic with us catching only small fish. Heading back near sunset, the temperatures have already dropped to just below 50F.
Heading back into Jackson kind of late, we find that Bubba’s BBQ is open still
for dinner (Bubba’s 100 Flat Creek Drive, Jackson, WY 307-733-2288). While
puzzling over the fishing experiences, we stuff up with "down home" food –
probably some emotional need for comfort food?
We get back late to the Rockin M for our last night at the ranch. The pups were waiting for us!
