Fly Fishing - Flaming Gorge

This weekend was the big fly fishing outing.  I have grown up around fly fishing as my dad is an avid fisherman and taught both of my brothers.  When I was young, I didn't want to go anywhere near a fishing pole.  I blame this on my dad always threatening to make me clean the fish, and chasing me around with fish heads when I was little and he'd come back from a trip.

For the past few years though, I told him I wanted to go fishing.  Unfortunately, I don't think he took me seriously after hearing me say "no way" for so many years.  That led to me going with Erik on the Green River near Flaming Gorge National Park here in north-eastern Utah.  We had a guide take us down on a boat all day Saturday and he taught me the basics of casting with a fly rod which is very different from my past fishing experiences.  It is a lot more difficult but also a lot more engaging and fun.

It was raining off and on all week in the area leading up to our trip.  We expected much the same on Saturday but we came prepared for snow just in case.  Good thing.  We woke up to this.  A fresh ten inches at the lodge.

It was snowing pretty heavy when we were getting on the boat down by the dam but eventually let up and made for some incredibly beautiful scenery.

Flaming Gorge Dam

 I think this is my favorite photo from the bunch.

 Brown trout. This guy was my favorite.

Erik and his second biggest fish. 

 We're looking a little chunky with all our layers.

Finished off our six hour day on the river in below freezing conditions with one of these babies - The Everything Burger.  And yes, I ate the whole thing.

 Sheep's trail overpass looking down in the Gorge - day after the river.

Even though it was very very very cold, I wasn't able to actually wade in the river, and the fishing wasn't that great, I still LOVED it, which kind of surprised me.  The feeling that you get when you see a fish take the fly in the crystal clear water and the process of reeling him in is wonderful.  I can't wait until it's warm enough that I can really utilize my waders and reenact the epic scene from "A River Runs Through It" where Brad Pitt catches that humongous fish.

I feel so blessed to be able to do all these new adventurous things in my life.  Blessed that I'm healthy enough, adventurous enough, fortunate enough, and that I live in such a spectacular world.

-Leah