Wind Rivers Scout Camp

[SkunkedAgain]

Took our boys on a little summer camp over last week, since there was a little fishing involved thought I'd give a report on here. We took off from Dickinson Park trailhead, its across the Indian reservation so it requires those permits as well but it was well worth it. The hike in seemed a little rough and took us way longer than I had anticipated to cover the 7 miles, but we set up camp at Middle Lake and I headed to the lake outlet with a couple boys that hadn't ever fly fished before. The stream was boiling like popcorn on high heat. So I got my trusty 3WT ready with a renegade and after a couple casts to show the boys how to do it (fish on each cast). I gave the rod to one boy who of course caught a tree first attempt, but with a little practice got dialed in and started catching fish. Then I got a boy that hardly ever caught a fish and I showed him how and practiced with him until he could cast right where he needed to down the 3 foot wide stream. After a few attempts it was fish on and he was able to catch a few fish on his own over the next few days and he even said he liked it. That was a major success for me, because he was the one boy that didn't want to fish. So this doesn't get too long I'm going to break it into three reports, this one plus a couple others with pictures, its a great spot and the pics will help tell the tale. We ended up with over 700 fish caught and that could have been way higher if we would have wanted. Most were brookies, but I did get into the macs the last day. No golden trout like I had hoped but there is more to that story in a later post. J
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[flygoddess]

FAN-TABULOUS!
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks, I think you'll like the pictures it's one of the prettiest places I've ever stumbled into. I'll try to figure out the inline post so its not a pain to see the pixs. Later J
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[Old_Coot]

Oh, the memories you bring back to me of 50 years ago!. 15 mile hikes into the Wind Rivers, sick to my stomach some nights, skinny dips in the frigid lakes, good food cooked by the leaders, and hundreds, and hundreds, and hundreds of trout on an bubble pulling a renegade. It was like the rest of the world had just disappeared.

Thanks for your sacrifice for others to have a good time and for sharing the report here for me to read and reminisce.
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[gaetzchamp]

Awesome report. Can't wait to see your pictures!!!

Gaetz
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks for the encouragement, but this is the pay back not a sacrifice. I probably wouldn't get to do this if I didn't have a good excuse like scouts. Only sacrifice is when one of the other leaders fell in love with my 3WT and I didn't get it back until the trip was over. Those lakes are cold, i took a bath one afternoon and had a tough time going under. Should have just dove in. Oh, we did have some great fish cooked on a rock a couple nights. That sure tasted good compared to freeze dried meals. Anyway I think you'll like the rest of the story. Sorry I'm so slow getting it done. Later J
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks I hope you'll like the rest of the story even more. Hopefully tomorrow. Later J
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[SkunkedAgain]

Just trying to figure out this in line stuff. If it works, this is Trav with his first fly fish.

Code:

http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/data/500/medium/FirstFlyCatch.JPG

I don't think that is going to work from the phone. I'll try the computer later. J
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[SkunkedAgain]

Let's try this again, here is the crew about to headout...
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[TubeDude]

[quote SkunkedAgain]Just trying to figure out this in line stuff. If it works, this is Trav with his first fly fish. [/quote]

[#0000FF]Always great to get someone into their first fish...and then their first on a fly.

But you gotta quit holding that fish out so far so that it looks bigger. Ask Bassrods.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Yup we sort of cheated on that one.... That was actually a chub minnow too, but I didn't have the heart to tell Trav, it was a trash fish... Anyway you're right that was a high point of the trip for me, Trav was so excited, it made me feel like all the work was worth while... Later J
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[TroutMan93]

[quote TubeDude]But you gotta quit holding that fish out so far so that it looks bigger. Ask Bassrods.
[/b][/#0000FF][/quote]

+1 haha [bobhappy]
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[RangerRat]

+1 [sly]
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[cpierce]

Outstanding! I read your full report, and I am envious of the chance you had to visit such beautiful country. What an excellent and memorable time for your scouts.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Hey thanks, I must admit it was one of the best trips we've pulled off. It cost $111 for adult permits and about $140 in gas and then food so it wasn't too bad considering the people who were packed in there on horses were paying $3000 for the same trip. I'm sure glad to have the excuse to go. My wife doesn't like to hike so I don't get to do this otherwise. I hope it will be a good memory for these boys and other leaders so they'll pass it on someday as well. Later J
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[gaetzchamp]

Hey Skunked-

You guys did a fine job and, from the looks of it, seemed like everyone had a great time. I'm sure it's a trip those boys (and leaders) will never, ever forget. Good Job Man.

Gaetz
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thank you, we did have a great time and even taught them a few things to earn some badges in orienteering, environmental science and both fishing badges. Some of the scouters don't like my idea of camp, but I think they will learn as much on it as they would an organized camp. It sure costs a lot less, but does take a lot of preparation.

We started planning this camp idea 7 years ago and tried to go that summer, but as we got there to go the tribe and the US government had a tif going on and the tribe closed access off. So we went to the south end and Silas Lake that year. Then they took me out of scouts until this year and so I wanted to finish the job I started clear back then. It was worth the wait. This is one of two places where I actually got my fill of catching fish in a day. It takes a lot of fish to hit my fill. Hope you enjoyed the report. Later J
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