Utah Cutthroat Slam II - Day 2

We considered returning to the Logan for more cutthroat fun, but since this was somewhat of an exploration trip to see new water, we decided to start the day at the East Fork of the Little Bear River. We had intel that there were lots of fish in the stretch below the dam. So arising early, we headed to the south end of Cache Valley, an area I had never visited in all the years of visits to family. The burgeoning growth of Logan southward was left behind, and soon we were passing through the valley as I remembered it when I was young - farm houses scattered among green fields (although with occasional modern castles mixed in). We arrived at the river, eager to see what we would find. The first stretch we visited was somewhat dewatered, but looked plenty good. However, in two runs we didn't see a fish. Either fished out or bad intel. We debated leaving, or going upstream a little further above an irrigation takeout we could see on Google Earth. We decided to stay, and it ended up being a good decision. I got out the brass hackle and my telescoping spinning rod, Tom and Dover stayed with flies, and Rob read in the car. Everyone caught fish but Rob. We found nice rainbows and browns in the fairly short stretch up to the dam. But no photos. Oh well, we'd consider coming back here to take a break from catching cutts in the Logan.

It was time to get back to the slam. Leaving Cache Valley, we headed for a tributary of the South Fork of the Provo. The road was pretty rough and it took us about 45 minutes to drive the 7 miles or so into the river, but it dropped us in a middle section of the little stream we thought would be less visited. Rob and I went up, Tom and Dover down. Rob got his Bonneville cutthroat right away at the road crossing.

Rob doubled the size of his Yellowstone cutthroat from yesterday

We then hiked further upstream to a stretch I had scouted out on Google Earth that looked more open. We found reasonable numbers of fish, mostly small, until we encountered a series of beaver dams, including this double decker. In the dams, we found some nicer fish.

Double decker beaver dam, one of many on this stretch

Nice Bonneville cutt from a beaver dam

Rob found a nicer one at the head of the next beaver dam

Time was up, so we headed back to the car, to meet Tom and Dover. They had found some fish, mostly small, and washed out beaver dams. The trip back to the main road was just as bumpy as coming in. We had hoped for more from this stream, but at least everyone had their Bonneville cutt. With a couple hours left in the day, we headed up to try out the full South Fork. We gave it 30 minutes. Rob and I were fishing in shade, which seems to turn cutthroat off, and didn't see a fish. Tom and Mike had some sun, and found a few nice fish. 

I'd smile too, with a beautiful Bonnevile cutt like that1

Not quite ready to call it a day, I begged to stop at the roadside beaver dams I had visited a few years before. Beavers had added to their work, and the dam where I had found rainbows a few years ago now had cutts. Tom and I caught a few decent Bonneville cutts out of the first dam, then I left him to check out the new one I was standing in at the foot of the old dam. I saw a couple swirls as I approached a break in the willows, always a good sign. I made my way carefully into the water, and proceeded to land nine more pretty cutts from the little pond. A perfect way to end any day!

Beautiful little beaver ponds full of willing cutts!

We take a break tomorrow for Church and a family dinner, then it is off to Duchesne and the streams on the south slope of the Uinta mountains to try and find a Green River cutthroat to complete the slams.