The Wisdom of the Old Chief

NEW TATONKA

Tooling back from meetings in Winston suddenly realized I was in the vicinity (or could be) of Steveos Mitchell River, and miraculously had gear in my truck (don't ask me!) Raised Steve on the phone in route and got critical intel- like where the heck it is and which exit to take. Unfortunately didn't follow his specific river intel to fish the lower sections. Instead drove to the upper reaches and fished for a couple of hours with nary a trout. It was a gloriously beautiful day with the leaves in full color and enduring one big deluge, eventually found a run (under the Bridge, Steve where the one road crosses) where I took one on a sanquan worm (sp) and two on a little bead head nymph. Saw trout rising above the bridge so scurried up there and tied on a dry. Haven't cast a dry in a while. After being ignored I realized they were taking an emerger so tied on little dropper and took two. Unfortunately, with fish swirly all around the pool I tangled up my flies trying to release both trout and spent precious time tying up and trimming a dry down to a dropper, just in time to watch the last swirl and the pool go as empty as my vacant stare.

Never the less, new aqua is always fun and Steve was right, is exactly 64 miles from my house, 70mhp all the way. Thinking of wilson this week. Intel says they (the fish gods?) have birthed more trout in wilson now that water levels are up.... "When the buffalo are gone, we will hunt mice, for we are hunters and we want our freedom" Sitting Bull

"When the wild sea run trout are gone, we will fish stockers, for we are fishermen and we want to fish" Sitting Govna

The Lottery

As I crossed the border into Idaho I always stop at La Tienda to purchase an out of state license ("he don't even have a licese Lisa" name movie). As I walked in I was assaulted by throngs of people, never had I encountered these type of crowds at La Tienda. I silently mused that fishing must be really good for all these folks to be purchasing licenses. As I was elbowed out of line, cussed at, ignored by the cashier, I looked around and realized that NONE of these people fished. Or if they did, it was with live bait or other evil sundries. I then noticed the crowd scratching cards furiously, then tossing used up unlucky lottery cards pell mell around the store. LOTTERY time.. I inwardly, or was it outwardly?, smiled and chuckled at these desperate folks. Finally garnering the attention of a butch hair cut cashier, I purchased my license and bolted for my car. I was laughing at my superiority as I blasted down the highway heading to my river. It then struck me as lightning does a metalheaded man, that I was no better than the hordes I had just witnessed. Had I not purchased the ultimate lottery ticket? Was not chance my date to the dance? I wondered if my numbers would indeed prove lucky today, or was I wasting my hard earned cash on a frivolous adventure? Maybe I was the fool in this story. Nope. Even if I had been skunked that day, I would have still been the luckiest man alive.

fine day on the BC from John Berry on Vimeo.

Hello to BC

I'll continue to add vid's and pic's of this trip as I can, for now, this will get you started.

Hog Johnson III from John Berry on Vimeo.

Hondo & Hog Johnson II from John Berry on Vimeo.

Hondo & Hog Johnson from John Berry on Vimeo.

'bow on BC from John Berry on Vimeo.

Hall of Fame from John Berry on Vimeo.