Backcountry Boys

Brian began 17th grade this week (first year of dental school at the University of Washington in Seattle) so he and two of his brothers-in-law, Hollis and Brad, planned a backpacking trip into the backcountry with me for some cooler temps, great scenery, and the opportunity of fish. We were successful on all counts. Leaving Wenatchee, where high temps have been hovering between 99-115 degress for the last few weeks, we were happy to feel the temperatures moderating as we made our way into the Cascade Mountains and higher elevation. After making our way to Maverick Saddle, we began hiking the upper Mad River trail. When we got about six miles in, we came to a meadow area near the backcountry guard station and took a break for lunch and a little stream exercise.

Brad told me he'd seen a nice fish, but it wasn't interested in the fly he was passing overhead and I should try my Renegade. I measured out the line, made one false cast, and laid it where I anticipated the fish I could see would have it in view. He slowly edged his nose upward into the current and drifted with the fly, sipping it in when he reached the surface. Hookset followed by a brief struggle and he came to hand for a quick photo and thank-you, then release back into his cool water home.

Several more cutthroats were anxious for the fly in this stretch and after a time, we decided we had to get on our way to make it to Mad Lake, our final destination for the day and see if fish were willing there. They were. Brian landed a beautifully colored cutthroat and Hollis and Brad found some as well.

Day two we hiked to Klone Peak lookout and then on to Two Little Lakes and Tommy Creek. It was a beautiful day and Glacier Peak was reigning over the backcountry in the distance.

Brian and I caught a couple little ones in Tommy Creek, but they were smaller and less willing than we had seen with Hollis and Brad in the lake above so we returned to the lake to see if we could repeat their success. Alas, we must have had "stink" on our lines because while Hollis and Brad continued to catch them, Brian and I struggled. Hollis caught a nice cutthroat, probably larger than mine, so I offered to take a photo of him and the fish. I don't think he's done the "fish photo" thing too much so simply grabbed the line a foot above the fly. Of course the fish was wriggling and spinning and it looked more like a piscene drill bit than a photo pose so I, of course, waited for him to get the fish under control. Seeing that this appeared unlikely to happen without some coaching, I suggested he grab the fly and use it to get the fish in a better orientation for photos. Hollis did so, I got the lighting angle right, and just as I touched the shutter and before it could activate, the fish wriggled off the fly and dropped into the lake and swam away unharmed. So below, you see a photo of Hollis smiling holding on to the fly and the "phantom fish" that didn't quite appear in the photo.

I did manage to get a photo of Hollis with a fish back at Mad Lake, but there is absolutely no photographic evidence or proof that he caught a fish larger than mine. Brad caught his share as well.