Kelly Creek, Idaho - Days 3 and 4

August 18, 2014 - Kelly Creek, Idaho

My first fish out of Cayuse Creek - a beauty!

 The next morning dawned foggy and damp, just like the previous day.  This time Cheryl and I took our time getting breakfast made, and we left camp a bit later.  The fishing had gotten progressively better throughout the course of the day, so there was no need to rush.  We lounged around camp and talked - about something.  It was nice to spend some time together - with nowhere to go, and nowhere to be.  Eventually, the sun came out and the first holes of Cayuse Creek were calling my name!

Typical, beautiful, small, west slope cutthroat for the trip.

 Cayuse Creek is beautiful.  There are lots of long, deep pools, and some pocket water as well.  The fish were always right where they were supposed to be, but there were not very many of the them.  Each beautiful hole would usually give us a rise or two, but in a way it was frustrating fishing because you know that there are more in there.  We fished our way upstream for about a mile, catching fish occasionally, and soaking in the striking canyon, pristine water, and beautiful fish.

 

Cheryl making it look easy!

 The rainbow pictured above was a memorable fish.  There was a small deep hole pushing right into a log jam.  I knew that there would be a good fish there.  This rainbow chased my fly for nearly a foot along the edge of the logs before he caught up.  Once hooked, he raced downstream, and easily put up the best fight of any fish the whole trip.  This is one that I will remember.

Even I catch a fish now and then!

 We left Cayuse Creek relatively early in the day.  We really enjoyed our time there, but I was really curious to see what the fishing would be like on the main river during the afternoon.  We made our way downstream into new-to-us water and worked our way up.  At first things were pretty slow, but eventually we found some good runs that held active fish.

This afternoon was the highlight of the trip for me because Cheryl was killing it.  Her casting had improved immensely over the past couple days, she had caught a few fish to get her confidence up, and it was time for her to put it to the fish - and she did!  I try not to "play guide" too much with Cheryl.  She's smart, independent, and I think there is value in her figuring things out on her own.  Today I saw some of the fruits of that strategy.  I'd tell her, "that next run looks really good, why don't you go check it out."  This afternoon, almost every time within two minutes I'd see her rod bent over and her hauling in another fish.  I was loving it, and she was too!  She probably didn't even realize it, but I've never seen her fish with so much drive before in my life.  She had things dialed in, and she knew it!

Cheryl hooked up and the prize.

 The picture below was especially fun for me.  I told Cheryl to fish a run behind a big rock (just off the picture on the right.)  The main current was too fast to hold fish, the seam was very narrow, and the pocket behind the rock was completely dead.  Placing a cast in the seam without dragging would require a perfect game plan and great execution.  Without instruction, I watched Cheryl position herself perfectly at the tail of the run and make a precise cast into the seam, in the only place that it could be.  A beautiful cutthroat had read the script, and came up and slowly sipped her #18 Parachute Adams and it was game on!  Cheryl did a great job fighting and landing the fish.  It was probably our largest cutthroat of the trip at around 15 inches.  Unfortunately the picture of the fish didn't turn out, but that's okay.  It's not the image of the fish that stands out to me anyway.

Cheryl fighting the biggest fish of the trip.

 Eventually the evening fell, the temperature dropped, and it was time to head back to camp.  I fished a hole just below camp until I could no longer see my flies.  I wanted to catch one more decent fish before we headed out the next morning.  I worked up to the head of the run I was working, and caught the fish below in the last untouched piece of water.  After releasing the fish, I took a good long look around at my surroundings, strung up my rod, and headed into camp.  It had been an incredible day, and as most incredible days do, it ended all to soon.

The last fish of the trip at dusk on a dry fly - the way it's supposed to be.

 August 19, 2014 - Kelly Creek, Idaho
 The next morning we got up early and got our gear packed.  We had a four mile hike to the trailhead and a six and a half hour drive home.  Before this trip Cheryl had never spent a night away from our kids, and after four nights away, she was starting to miss them (I'd already been missing them for a while!).  We hiked out in perfect hiking weather - cool and dry.  There were even some views of the surrounding mountains that we had missed on our way in.

 The only excitement of the hike out was seeing two large otters playing in one of the holes.  We were on a cliff well above the river and could see them clearly, even when they were underwater.  It was impressive the speed that they could travel up stream through heavy current, and for the amount of time that they could hold their breath!  These were the fourth and fifth otters that I have seen this summer, and I count every one of them as a treat.

This is as close as Cheryl will get to me after three nights without a shower or shaving!  Happy Campers!

 Overall, Cheryl and I had a wonderful trip.  Although not the alpine wilderness that we enjoyed exploring in the Sierras, the scenery was beautiful.  Although the fishing was not all that I had imagined, it was great, and we both enjoyed it.  More than anything, it was great to get out, to simply enjoy life together for a few days, to remember what makes our day to day struggles worth it.  Here's to hoping we have many more trips like this to come!