Blue John Caynon UT

[fringefan]

Almost forgot but Brian, Kim (sister),Myself and some friends from GJ Co went down for the weekend march 7th to do some slot canyons. Here are some pics but all I had was my cell phone so the quality is not the best.

Horse shoe canyon


cave man pics 
IMG]http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn308/fringefan/2009%20family%20pics/0307091423.jpg[/IMG]

start of Blue John




pic of rock that trapped Aarons hand which he cut off to get out of the canyon











view from the top


Most amazing thing about this is that Aaron climbed out of this canyon after he cut off his arm and had been hanging there for what I think was a couple days. Interesting read if any of you get the chance.

I never got a chance to ride my mtb because it actually snowed in Moab when we got there. There was a storm that was supposed to hit Vail Monday afternoon and I needed to get to Denver Mon night for the Nuggets game.
Brian got to use his new GPS and I finally got to use some of my climbing gear. We exited the canyon a few miles early and did not think to have Brian ride mark the location we dropped the second jeep so we hiked a few miles across desert and luckily found a some foot prints heading to little blue john that we followed back right to the jeep. He marked an intersection that would put us close to the jeep but when it is almost dark and some people where absolutely spent, it was like we found the only oasis in the middle of the Sahara.

Good time and very interesting country

[Crazy Uncle Larry]

NICE STUFF!!!

Now, if we could only figure out a way to get paid and make a living doing this!!!

Slot canyons are cool as long as you aren't getting your arm caught under a shifting boulder...and as long as you aren't down-canyon from a hefty rainstorm...and as long as you remember the way in and the way out. Defintely makes for a great time exploring as you just never know what's around the next bend!

Number Two/Aaron was checking out Moab this weekend. He was up around the White Rim trail. Said it was almost 80 on Saturday! The White Rim trail will be one of our goals to ride with our bikes in the not-so-distant future! We might even haul the MtB's with us and catch some of those trails,too. And who knows, we might even take our climbing gear to check any slots we come upon that look safe enough to explore in at the time. Man...that's the problem being multi-sport individuals, you end up taking the whole kit and caboodle so you're prepared to do anything that comes up!!! I wonder if we'll throw on the kayaks to paddle the Colorado and Green while we're there?!? I'm not even going to bring that up; there's not enough time!

Thanks for sharing the photos!

[fringefan]

I hear you there. Too much stuff and not enough days off. Lucky enough to live where we do to take advantage of the backyard we have. Anyone one here flyfish? Just bought a rod and been itching to learn and would love a free lesson and some good company.

KLRworld is having a ralley in Moab in May I think.

[The Yeti]

Looks like a good time! Brian really should have put the GPS to better use, woulda sucked to have got lost and spent the night out there. 

pic of rock that trapped Aarons hand which he cut off to get out of the canyon

  Details?! Link?

[The Yeti]

I don't fly fish, but have always wanted to learn.

[fringefan]

Yeti, you need to get a rod and reel and join Brian and I

Met a guy that rides a GS and trides all over to flyfish. Also said once you catch the first one it is all over, your hooked. 

Don't remeber  Aarons last name but the big rock wedged in hte caynon below the lady in blue is it.

[The Yeti]

Back when I used to fish pretty regularly (10+ years ago), I would use a fly on my spincaster. Always found it to be much more fun than bait or spinners.

Just what I need, another hobby that'll drain my bank account! 

[fringefan]

I think it's a cheaper than a DS and you can still do it when they take your license

[Number Two]

Alright, here's the method (puffed up chest, imaginary lat syndrome and all... ):

- Small rod, just long enough not to have mickey mouse or barbie on it or something.
- Clear bobber
- Three feet up from the clear bobber, tie on a dry fly on a leader
- Usually a bead head wet fly off the back of the clear bobber
- Dance the dry fly on the top using the leader

Fish right on the eddy line where the stream enters a quiet pool.  The small pole lets you get in between the brush where it's tough to get with a fly rod.  A flick of the wrist, and you're catching fish.  Has worked very well on greyling and brookies so far.  Have caught fish on both flies.

I tried flyfishing once, but the guy who took me had no interest in teaching, so this is what I ended up with.

[Crazy Uncle Larry]

Okay, Okay, Okay!

I can't sit on the sidelines any longer about fly fishing. First off, I want to go on record as not being the guy who didn't have time or interest in teaching Number Two/Aaron how to fly fish. Years ago when he and his brother rode with me around the hills in an old pickup truck, our main objective was to catch fish-period! We used Zebco 404's, 33's, and a series of Zebco Ultra-light rods and reels to take our share of fish on bait (both natural and artificial). We never really got around to dealing with fly rods and such because of the close quarters (brushy) creek banks around here. Like Aaron said, a shorter rod worked better and still got the fish. If he or his brother had been really interested, then we for sure would have gone down that hobby trail as well. Secondly, I want to go on record as saying I'm not an expert, in fact I'm self-taught. I read several books about matching the hatch and such from guys back in Michigan and Pennsylvania (some of the best trout waters in America). I bought my first fly rod when I was stationed in Alaska. I learned to make overhead and roll casts from reading books and just doing it! I quickly learned that fly fishing is about finesse not force, and the reel is for holding the line, not hauling in your catch! And Chad, the guy told you right. Once you catch one on a fly line, you'll be hooked for life! It's almost zen-like...just you and the fish. The only thing more basic would be to fish with a line tied onto a cane pole or a slender sapling. It's all about the delivery, the presentation, not the splash! Next learn to tie your own flies, catch a brookie or two on one of those and I tell you, it just about don't get no better than that! You may find yourself using a fly rod to fish for most anything, I know I have. I have fished for trout, bass, and panfish (crappie, blue gills, rock bass, etc.). I used to keep an 8' rod at my father-in-law's farm outside of Kansas City, Mo. He had a pond only a stone's throw from his back door. I would grab it, put on a small, yellow jelly-jig and go check out the bass and crappie. It does take a little work to get the lead-head jig out there but it can be done with success. I used a floating line with about an 8# test line for a tippet. He always wanted to see me hook into one of the channel cats he had in the pond. He didn't think I would be able to bring it in since most of those cats weighed anywhere from 3-8 pounds. I never hooked one, but played right, I'm sure that cat would have been dinner! I wanted to tell him that anglers have been catching big trout and salmon on such poles for eons but just smiled and agreed it would have been a sight to see!

For brushy creeks where you fish from the bank, I always favored 7-8 foot rod (long enough to poke through the brush), floating line, 6-8# tippet and any fly I had that was close to the current hatch. I would use a roll cast if fishing from the bank as you are just asking for trouble if you attempt the classic overhead fly cast. You know the one, where the fisherman extends his rod above his head and slowly waves it back and forth, using his shoulder and elbow to false-cast the perfect "s" loops followed up with one final cast forward and then shooting the loose line through the guides with his offhand ending up with a satisfactory cast of about 25-40 feet in distance, dropping in front of the rising trout. A roll cast isn't fancy but it will get the job done and I never liked standing out in the middle of the creek if I could help it. Stand in the creek and you stir up the bottom which might put the trout off their feed. And, if you are doing so in a pair of old running shoes instead of nice waders (who spends money on waders when you have so many extra pair of old running shoes, besides, you can always buy more fishing stuff with the money you'd spend on waders) you are stinking up the water and that will definitely put the trout off their feed. Don't think so?! Just pick those old shoes up and take a good whiff of them. Made your nose hairs curl, didn't they?!!

In lakes and open rivers, I like an 8-9 ft rod, floating line again and an 8-10#/pound tippet. I would use a sinking line if I was only going to be using nymphs, otherwise I prefer the floating line. I can always use a small split shot to get the tippet down where it needs to be. I have even been able to get a small Mepps foxtail spinner to work with one of these fly rods in a bigger river with plenty of water and current. The most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me fly fishing occurred in the Upper Peninsula/U.P. of Michigan. I had tied some small midges on a #22 or #24 hook and was working my false casts back and forth out in the middle of the West Branch of the Escanaba (a wide, smooth river with 12-30 inch deep pools). I made one last false cast back and started forward for my cast into the  pool in front of me when all of the sudden I had a small weight on the end of the line. I thought for sure I had hooked a stick or as we called them, a "Timber Trout". Just sounded better than saying a stick! Anyhow, I pulled the line in, laying the loops of line on the water which gently carried it to a stop against my legs. There, on the end of my line was a beautiful Northern Michigan Brook Trout, orange belly and all, about 8-9 inches in length. I had delivered a perfect back-cast to a pool behind me and he had time to suck it in just before I brought the rod forward for the intended cast! It was just me and the "Big Ranger In The Sky" who saw that happen, but happen it did!

Now, you're probably thinking to yourself, this guy is a sandbagger for sure!!! He knows how to do this and doesn't say much to anyone about it. Well, just like Yeti indicated, I haven't been a regular fisherman in SD since about 1996. That was the year I started working in juvenile corrections and our sons were involved in other things at the time. Since then, I haven't had someone to go with and have had a bundle of other things to do. It just seems like there's always been something going on to detour me away from the stream or pond/lake. I still enjoy it and there's nothing more relaxing, or nothing that can put you at one with the greater cosmic essence quicker than "drowning a worm", "flipping a jig","casting a fly" or "jigging a minnow". By the way, what kind of fly rod and reel did you come up with Chad? Now is the time of year to get one so you are ready when the season starts. Nothing like riding and fishing! Unless it's riding and fishing then stopping by the old "Sugar Shack" to get a fresh-grilled cheeseburger and fries before back to fishing!

I'll stop for now and get this submitted. Just didn't want anyone to think I had short-changed Number Two/Aaron when it came to fishing and using a fly rod. Again, I don't ever remember him asking and me saying "No!" If I did, my bad, but I sure don't think so.

[fringefan]

Wow, it sounds like we found the man to help us out  

I had been looking at rods for awhile and I am the type of person that wants decent quality so I do not want to upgrade after a few months. I also happen to be a sucker for a good deal and found a TFO combo at Bass Pro Shops for $249 which happened to be a very good deal. I know I could have bought a combo for $130 and less but it was entry level for a 4 piece rod. I did not buy the TFO because I wanted to check in town with Scheels and Cabela's and Sportsman's Warehouse in Casper. Before I made it to Casper I had to be at an appointment in Greybull WY last week that I arrived early for and found out it is only 50 miles to Cody which has a Sierra Trading  Outlet (one if my favorite stores). They mostly deal in closeouts and I know they usually stock some fly fishing equipment and had a rack of rods and reels that where very good quality but when the sales guy came over we talked a bit and he showed me some stuff in the case but mentioned a Sage package he had behind the counter. I pretty much dismissed it not even listening to the price because Sage is like hearing the words diamond or jewelry from your wife (more than I care to spend for an item that is not really needed) but after he mentioned it again I went over to look at it. I was told I wanted a 9ft 5wt rod for the areas I wanted to fish and knew the 4 piece would work best strapped to a pack or on the KLR. He pulled out a Sage FL rod in that length and wt with a Sage case and reel with all the line I needed to get started. The whole package was listed on sale for $330 but they had a 20% off fishing gear sale so I paid $277 after tax. Jus the rod and reel sell for around $450 not including the $60 line and cost of the case. I bought 100 flies off eBay for $26 shipped and own a pair of neoprene waders which are good enough.

I picked up a similar package to the TFO I originally wanted at Sportsman's in Casper for Brian which cost $174. I would have bought one for myself if I had seen it before I bought the Sage combo. That TFO rod for $149 is supposed to be a great rod for the money and one that competes with higher priced rods like Loomis and Sage but at half the price. The rod and reel are not cheap but it is the other stuff that adds up fast if you have to buy it. The other reason I spent more is with a better quality rod (which is the most important part) you get an unconditional warranty that even covers the rods if you slam it in the car door. The reels just hold line for the most part so even though they look nice, they matter very little. I did learn that good line is almost important as a good rod.

I frequent the Casper area where I can fish the Platte River and from what I here it is one of the premier fly fishing spots in the US. 

[Crazy Uncle Larry]

You definitely got me on the fishing gear. I did go look at some Redington gear with the same unconditional guarantee but then I came back to the house and dug through my gear and I still have an old Berkley rod (fiberglass) that is all together along with an old Shakespear reel on it that still works. So...I picked up some new 5 wt line and such and will give my stuff a going over and use what I've got till I eventually break a tip or such (hope not!). No problem, I can use the other $$$ dollars for gear to go on my old "81 XT500!!! Win-win situation any way you look at it. Still need to get the wheel bearings re-done, swing arm refurbished, and the valves and cam chain readjusted (don't think that's been done in a long time!). Then I'll be ready to ride off to places to either fish like the Platte or places to hike the slots like the famous Blue John Canyon, or even the White Rim Trail at Moab!