Great North Slope Trip

Brent called me and wanted to catch some Utah Grayling, so off we went to a North Slope Lake. On the way out we saw Pronghorn and this nice big Bull Moose. We hiked our boats into the destination lake and right off the bat we were hooking up with Grayling. These were not wimpy 8” grayling that you see near the Mirror Lake Highway but these were well fed with bulging bellies and big beautiful dorsal fins. We measured a few at 14”. This lake is also famous for large Brooke Trout, we were not able to catch any giants but we did manage some respectable trout. The only downside to the lake is the lack of cutthroat. In the 80’s I used to catch some nice cutts in the lake but they were nowhere to be found on this trip.

On the way out we decided to stop and check out the stream. Brent saw some glimpses of red and down we went for a Coke or two. What a great day to get into the high country.

Grandpa Thomas

A couple of weeks ago I received news that my Grandfather was in poor health and did not have much time left on this earth. My Grandfather was the person that taught me how to fish when I was a young boy, at first with worms and live grasshoppers he showed me how to sink them into the deep holes of the Bear River in Rich County. As I got older I moved on to Daredevils, Panther Martin spinners and eventually flies behind the clear bubble. In my early teens he showed me how to use a fly rod at Little Creek Reservoir just west of his home in Randolph, Utah.

Every year when school got out for the summer I would go spend a couple of weeks in Randolph fishing the many waters and riding the miles of dirt roads in the Fish & Game truck with Grandpa while he checked licenses, busted poachers and completed his general conservation officer tasks.

Grandpa retired in the early 90’s and moved back to his home town of Duchesne, Utah where he was able to purchase 10 beautiful acres right on the Duchesne River. We have had some incredible days on the river, including caddis hatches right at sunset for enormous slurping Brown trout.

I got the call tonight at 7:30pm that my Grandpa passed away peacefully at his home in Duchesne. Thanks Grandpa for all of the lessons and memories.