Along for a fishing date at 9,000 feet

Brian took his girlfriend, Amaya, fishing today and I got to go along too--probably because I brought the rods and flies from home!  We went to upper Huntington Creek and Boulger Creek which are beautiful small streams at nearly 9,000 feet just up from Electric Lake.  The hillsides are covered with  pines and aspens so it was a pretty place to spend some time today.

Upper Huntington Creek

Amaya didn't have much experience fly-fishing, but she didn't let that deter her.  She had fish coming up to her grasshopper fly soon after she began casting and it wasn't long before she managed to get this tiger trout all on her own.

Amaya's first of the day

It was windy today so there was some challenges with getting the fly into the narrow stream, especially with the overhanging grass in many places.  Best thing about this creek--no trees to get hung up in for the backcast.  Brian found many tigers it was fun to be able to watch the fish take the flies and watch the kids enjoying the experience and each other.

Brian with a tiger trout--notice Huntington Creek in the background--tight casting!

I did manage to get my fly into the water as part of a rotation--Rob, Brian, Amaya, repeat.  I tried to convince them that since I was old it should be Rob, Brian, Rob, Amaya, Rob, Rob . . . but that didn't fly. Amaya ended up landing five and a half fish (Brian helped with one).

A Boulger Creek tiger
With a Renegade, of course.

I had come up a few days before to scope out the streams in the area and try to make sure we had some place that would be good for a beginning fly fisher.  (My son-in-law Brad will be wondering how come I didn't do that with him if he reads this post.)  There appeared to be adequate numbers of fish when I was here last week and it turned out to be a great day in the high country.

A nice upper Huntington Creek cutthroat

There are tigers too

A Boulger Creek cutthroat with an interesting vertical line
demarking a dark front from a lighter back