BilletHead

Tomatoes out, Pulled out the trellises and worked up the soil. Planted Fall lettuce and tamped it in with the back of the hard rake. Gave it a mist of water and we will see what happens. Planted three different types and then a mix of leftovers from Spring, Too early to do this with the hot weather? I know the sun is going South pretty quick and days are getting shorter. A lot of shade now in the garden. Will have to water daily if no rain. We will see what goes and I think I will replant in a couple of weeks in the second bed.. Food plot for the deer planted too. Hoping there will be good turnips for eating in there. If we don't get rain might have to drag out the sprinkler for the plot. Stupid spoiled deer! BilletHead

Still stuff in the garden. While we were gone two weeks I had asked my elderly neighbor to water and harvest the stuff out of the garden if he wanted to. Had my trail cams out in case something went awry while we were gone. When we got home there was a plethora of tomatoes and peppers in the fridge. The trail cams seen him and his wife there almost everyday. Lucky we are to have such good neighbors. After talking to them found out they ate and ate from the garden plus took trips taking excess to the town food pantry. This pleased us immensely. Some of what we found coming home, Then there is what we have picked since getting back. I know need to ripen more but like Ness pick then before critters get them, Peppers still coming on but not like before we left, Had a small pot of hot tai peppers last year. Well I did not have anything there this Spring but a thousand volunteers came up. I plucked and plucked little ones until I had a half dozen good ones and let them grow. There was one plant that is larger in size, peppers on it too. Hybridization? Now the tomatoes are pulled except for a couple of plants. Hated to do this as still may green ones hanging on. But seasons in the past has had me hoping for ripening and this late has not produced well. Out with the old and in with the new, BilletHead

Two weeks and we fished 11 days in a row, BilletHead

I'm beginning to rethink "Pink". That pink hopper will the most in touch of my feminine side as I get. I even get a little embarrassed tying the things for her.

Another fishing day, up and at it. Breakfast away from the sardine can again. This time in an Albertsons market parking lot. Wide open. Back to the fly shop and the buzz going on there. Load up and up the South Fork of the Shoshone this time. As we wind up the road through private land in the valley Tim tell us of what it looked like when he first moved there. What millionaire or billionaire owned what parcel and how they made there money. The original Buffalo Bill Ranch too. Beautiful. A long ride to public ground. We stop here and there and fish small sections of public, No good he says a lot of water and cloudy too. Man I thought it was pretty clear. Up farther to a trail head. I think it was close to 70 miles we traveled up the valley. Got out where Cabin Creek dumps into the Southfork. Four huge horse trailers there unloading. Packing the pack train with everything imaginable. Getting ready for early seasons like high country sheep and other seasons. Big outfitters for big clients. we jump into Cabin creek and work up. A bit cloudy too. First ting we all notice is all the bear crap and tracks. Tim adjusts the bear spray holster. Up we fish leap frogging the best spots. If you all want to know Mrs. BilletHead has always had her pick. On the whole trip. It has always been that way and it will always be that way. First of all for what she has been through in her cancer treatment, second for what she does for me and third for putting up with me and my crap. Oh yea for being the best hunting and fishing partner you could ever ask for. Browns and brookies. Here a discussion of fly's needed or to try. I could overhear I want to try this pink one! Ha! True! We dropped out of Cabin creek and on the way I grabbed a handful of choke cherries to munch on. We rounded a bend in the trail to find a fresh pile of bear crap full of the same choke cherries. I poked around in it with a stick looking for those annoying tinkle bells the hikers wear:) Got back to the road and drove a short run to the deer creek campground and a picnic table. There crawling around is this big beetle, Tim promptly smashes it and tells us it is a one of the pine beetles that is killing the trees, We then feast on smoked chicken thighs, potato salad and more Missouri tomatoes. I had smoked some cheese curds before we went and they were an added treat. Redd's apple ale washed it all down and fig newtons were a dessert. After that we Fished the South Fork that had cleared a bot more. We looked for places that had braids of water. Now many braids but a few. Fish were caught, Cutthroats but mostly browns. Tim explained a lot of browns run up this river from Shoshone lake. Whitefish too. Hoppers and droppers working mostly deep water. At one time I had a huge hopper to float a dropper, dropper dredging holes. Again some of the fish caught, Of course rain began to form and follow us down the valley, lightning and thunder shook the mountains, We fished one more access as it began to really rain. Caught more there and then packed it up. Kind of a quiet trip back to town. Seen Pat tear up some. Got off and back to the camp ground and had a bowl of cereal for dinner. Next morning breakfast while driving to pick up Sadie at the bed and biscuit. Got settled with them and as Sadie seen us she went berserk. she was so horse from barking she could only get a squeak out. The young lady said she and Sadie had a lot of snuggle time. Pat cried again. Then back to the fly shop to say goodbyes. Got to see Steve and Bob from the Ozarks Flyfishers getting ready to fish with Tim. They had bid on a trip and split the cost. I gave them a ration of Crap of what to expect from their trip. We than left and talked about our options. We really had one more day and night. As tired as we were we decided to head home slowly getting a real nights sleep on the way home. Took our time and topped often for a rest breaks. Spent the night in Ogallala Nebraska. Big thunderstorm that night. Next day started hitting hot and humidity. Sadie slept mot of the way home, even standing up? Never seen her do that before, Good trip, hated to come home but reality sometimes bite. Next year good Lord willing maybe a bit of exploring. Maybe a visit to Utah again? Remember trips are not made by big fish, Pat will beg to differ as she kicked my rear in that category. On PINK none the less. It's all about where you fish, how you lay that fly down and fooling them. The company you keep too, BilletHead

Up the next morning to a sleep on and off night. Made coffee and filled the to go mugs. Cranked down and headed to the Cody Park for breakfast. Like I said the "Sardine effect" had gotten to me so the open spaces of the park felt good. Then we headed to the shop and walked in the back door. Pretty cool kind of like you would imaging an air traffic control room. A huge dry erase board had a couple of weeks worth of trips on there. Tim has many guides work out of his shop. The buzz of people getting instructions for the day as clients began to show up. Tim said get your gear and load up as rain began to fall lightly. Wet wading for the day. A lot of walking. Tim says he likes to see us as one thing we do well is walk and explore. Most people want fish handed to them, not go far and want to be rowed around. Not us as we want to keep what youth we have in good shape. With the rain the night before some of the creeks were dirty again. So off to Crandall and the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone we go. Drive , drive, nothing close and up in elevation we climb. Turn off at Crandall and dirty water, back to the min road and up the Clarks Fork we go until clear beautiful water. We found road construction and Cattle crossings being installed on the highway. Tim says the guys installing are a crew of Indians off the Wind River Reservation. Soon we were stopped by a gruff faced flagman. The dark wrinkled face gave him a character face not to be forgotten. He motions to me to roll down the passenger window. He then in the voice to match the look grunts, now get this. Getting ready to close the road, GO SLOW BUT HURRY. We looked at each other and slowly hurried off down the road We all laughed and discussed would this be the ultimate oxymoron? Soon we found a parking place. We had driven way up and not too far from Montana and the North East entrance to the park. Out we piled as the sun began to shine through the clouds. The creek was clear with deep rocky pockets. We had decided to follow the creek until Rock creek dumps in and then go up rock. We started fishing landing many small rainbows and brookies. We all were spread out fishing, yes we all fish. We insist Tim fishes too. It took him a couple of trips to get used to this, most folks insist on being baby sit. He works with the Mrs. some on casting giving her tips. He tells me do your thing you don't need any help, what a guy he is. Then I seen a bear shoot across a gravel bar only the back exposed heading away. Tim says lets tighten up the group as he checks his bear spray in the holster. Remember a few years back when the grizzly went into a tent out of the park and killed? We were within four or five miles from there. More fish were caught and rock creek never showed up. We filled our water bottle filters, ate some granola bars and fished on. Getting pretty late we worked back to the Honda Pilot. Broke out food. Although Tim usually provides grub and he has on other trips we do now. On the menu was smoked duck with a spread of Cream cheese and jalapeno's, lemon juice added to the spread. Also fried wild turkey. Ice cold Cubanells from the garden. They crunch like a crisp apple when a bite is taken. Hungry we sound like hogs as we scarf it down. Sun sinking lower we side trip back up Crandall where the water has cleared some. Get out and fish landing brookies and small cutthroat. Rain starts and big rain coming down the valley. Good idea to pick up and head back down the hill. Everyone caught many fish. Where are the photos? Too darned busy to take photos. Back to the camper and the sardine can campground to a BLT and a cold bottle of blue moon. So fricking tired maybe I'll sleep tonight, Just one more report coming, thanks for your patience, BilletHead

We made our trip to Cody. Then to a Bed and Biscuit to make arrangements to board Sadie for a couple of nights. Have to do this because gone early and back late for our two final trips. We had never left her here before but after the tour we were happy this was our pick. The girls there just loved our dog, The Mrs. cried as we left her there. We then touched base with Tim our friend at his fly shop the North Fork Anglers. Actually some of you might know Tim. Those that prowl here on OA and belong to The Ozark Fly Fishers in St. Louis might of heard him speak. We go back a few years with Tim. He had volunteered a few years for Casting for Recovery and the year Mrs. BilletHead attended he was her "River Helper". We struck up a friendship. We have fished several times with him now. Yes we pay a guide fee of sorts. First couple of years it was a day trip which has now grown to a play day or two added. Friends and family discount rate applies for us. I would say we might just be paying for gas as the miles we put on his rig is unreal. We love him like a Brother. Back to the task at hand. Greetings, hugs and kisses. I got a man hug, Pat the kisses Plans were made for the following morning and then to the campground. Much needed showers and laundry was done. Then off to the hustle and bustle of downtown Cody for stuff for the Grandkids. Oh how I hate town and tourists. Am I a tourist? I hope not. Then an order of a pizza our first bought meal of the trip. We had done a subway on the way out and back home but that doesn't count does it? Walked to the dairy queen for a treat before shut eye, kind of shut eye. Did I mention how I hate town? Loud cycles all night even though we were running the AC full blast to drown out the noise. Just a couple of more posts and more fishing will follow, BilletHead

Please bear with me as time out there is winding down. This will be a quickee and the two more to follow. After the cool 39 degree morning in the Bighorns it was time to move again. We packed up to leave and head West towards Cody again. Did make a side trip off the highway to fish the North Fork of the Tongue, 30 or so minutes worth. There is a spot that has a couple of man made plunge pools where they put branchless log across the creek and stake it in there. A nice aerated pool is the result. These are a fisherman's magnet but the fish in these are wary and pounded to death. We both picked one and tried. We both had takes and a couple of refusals. So it was back in the truck and on the road. Stopped in Cody to grab a dairy queen blizzard. There went the healthy diet! Back up the North Fork for a night before a two day fish trip with out friend in Cody. We were hoping the North Fork had settled down and cleared a bit. We were greeted with higher than normal water and off colored but this is the picked place and we would deal with it. For the locals it was bad but for us used to Midwest off color water we would take it. Got set up and then geared up. Hit the river and could not get but a couple of hopper lookers. Started dropping a nymph deep as a dropper. Then we started picking up a fish or two. Smaller but fish none the less. Just upstream of Rex Hale there is a bridge. A huge flotilla of wood had been deposited at the bridge pier. So thick and tight you could climb it and walk right on the top, On the other side a rocky cut bank that is deep. I lengthened my dropper deeper with a large hopper for flotation. A pitch in here and there and a take. Set the hook and up came one of the biggest fish hooked, then just as fast as hooked off it came. Some smaller fish landed, Crossed over the bridge and fished the inside bend. I hooked four in a row but only landed one that was a whitefish. We had caught many nice whiteys on the trip and they were not only a nice break between trout but a good healthy sign the river was in great shape. Getting hungry it was time to go back to camp and eat again. Huevos rancheros was on the menu, Man they are good. We do ours with a flour tortilla and then topper with refried beans, homemade red pork chili, smoked cheddar cheese and a couple of fried eggs. A couple of cold brews resulted in another couple of happy campers. Of course Sadie got to do pre wash again, I fished the river right by camp landing more smaller fish. A couple of hatches happening. Little caddis flys and yellow sallies. Most fish out of reach on the other side. Too deep to cross. up the next morning and more fish caught. Small again and the Mrs. out fished me. Then time to pack up for the trip to town for a three night stay. Man I was dreading this. Three nights in town and people, many people. Camping but like sardines in a can I felt, BilletHead

You bet Ralph!

Yea Ronnie I've been told that before. I am a wannabee Ducky sucks kind of guy. Thanks Rolan a few more to come, BilletHead

You got that right Ozark Trout Fisher The Bighorns rock. The only thing that I have found is the ATV craziness. Even on marked roads they are scary running around. I suppose they have to have a place to ride though. BilletHead

Mic you don't want to be me. Kind of broke down and besides I wouldn't want to be me because I am not out there now! HA! Ness I like you think the little streams are neat. The one above seems to give you a different perspective with every turn. And with every turn another technique for fishing it. BilletHead

Well after an early rise to rain again we packed up from shell creek and took the northern loop in the Bighorns. North and then into a westerly direction. There is another little gem of a creek up there we wanted to visit. Picked a spot and set up to a cool Northerly wind as the rain quit. Got Sadie out for a romp while we got the fishing stuff ready. This stream is again on the smallish side but don't let that fool you. There are some nice ones in here. It winds through meadows in and out of timber with some nice plunge pools in the steeper sections. Here is what we were greeted with, Some of the meadow section. OK by now some of you might be thinking cutthroat are pretty easy to catch? Well not in this section. We caught some but you had to be very stealthy. There are some cut banks with overhanging grass where fish were hiding. You had to creep and throw upstream and work your fly back to you. Just when you think you did the right thing and start to move fish would dart off from hiding. We did see one enormous brookie in the bottom of a hole but no making him bite. Here is one looking back to where we had just came up, Not sure how far we had gone, I know a long ways so we started back hitting a place or two going back, Getting closer to the camper near where the creek swung towards the hill side I see the Mrs. tying on the pink hopper again. Oh boy here we go again as she pitched it in a run next to a deep cut. Wham splash I hear and again her rod bends. She screams with glee "I got a good one" and I get the net and do a scoop, This is the fish in the teaser photo on General fishing. We get back to the camper for a time check and a cold drink. She says guess what time it is? I have no idea when she tells me we had been gone on our walk five hours! Time for a dog romp and another action plan. After resting we decided to head downstream, this was a first not knowing what to expect. We soon ran into a deep channel the creek had turned into. You could step across it. Lots of grass overhang too. We caught more fish, Brookies! No real casting here unless you were a pro, A narrow run. You just had to pitch out your fly and let out line as it tracked down the channel. If you did not have a take on the drift as you stripped back they would hit. Again we spooked many, many fish. Then we came upon a LARGE beaver dam. In fact it had about a half acre of water backed up. You could see fish crusing around. BONANZA I shouted ! We began to fish it with dries. Caught fish after fish. Than I dug through my pack and tied on a small leach pattern. Throw and strip, strip, strip. Bulges of water came from different directions and at times I had two or three fish fighting over the fly. Crazy fun! A mix of cutthroat and brookies, Mrs. BilletHead was getting tired and she just set down on the hill side of wildflowers, Home in the distance, I just kept fishing and a nice brookie showed up, We then trudged across the meadow back home and got ready for eats again. As the Charcoal got ready I took a couple of photos of another fix er upper, Complete with box springs and mattress! Wood stove in there too. Time for food, yes more duck, Mallard, hash browns and a salad. Next morning we awoke to 39 degrees and eight assorted moose, plus ten mule deer around us. Life is good out there. More coming after the move again, BilletHead

So with the mud plug coming down the North Fork we decided to make a push to the East and the Bighorn range for a spell. Had time before our fishing trip with a friend out of Cody. A short stop in Cody for gas, water and some ice and then onward East. There is a kind of round trip we take. Highway 14 to 14a will be the circuit in the Bighorns. First stop will be Shell Creek and the Shell Creek campground if there is room. This little creek is plum chalk full of tiny colorful rainbow and brook trout eager to smash your fly. Made it there and set up quickly. Ready to fish again we hit the water a stringer in our pocket. Yes I said stringer. Many fish here and trout will be on our menu. This is the only place we had planned to keep a trout dinner. Did not feel bad at all keeping the little non native heathens! Then there is my bride cleaning fish for the feast. A meal of trout, Missouri home grown tomatoes and some kind of rice side. Pretty darned good eats! Fishing right out the camper back door, BilletHead

Yes CNR maybe showing off just a bit I count my blessings everyday that I have her. We spent our 37th year together out there fishing. Now to the pink hopper deal. Another rather large fish will be coming up from another smallish water stream. On that very same hopper. Guess I will have to tap into my feminine side and "think pink" next time we get to go out there. BilletHead

Thank you all for the comments. Also letting us share the trip. Ness you are right about the hybrid strains of the fish. Yes cuttbows especially on the North Fork of the Shoshone. We caught many there. Some 100% of Rainbow or cutthroat. Like most Hybrid fish though a better fight in those that were hybrids. As far as the Cutthroat in there ranges some hybrids there too. We got to see a couple of years back in the Daniel fish hatchery the four native strains of Cutthroat. The color of the near 100% of the four fish strains were amazing. The fellow explained what thy were trying to do in places killing the streams and reintroducing the native strains. He also told us that where they stocked cutthroat for put and take and other places where they were not concerned with pure strains the hybridization fish had a good survival rate. I suppose it is natures way of survival. Taking the best of the species crossed for the niche where they are? We caught three of the four in there traditional ranges. We almost dropped to Salt Creek a bit further South of Alpine to catch the Bear River / Bonneville strain and repeat the slam again. BilletHead

Oh there is more to come, stand by you all!

When heading out of Alpine we stopped at a fly fishing shop. We talked to the young man behind the counter. He says been catching? Yes we replied. Then he asks were? We told him. He responds Murphy creek? Yep, Really ? Yep. He then says the shop owner said there is fish up there. I have been up there three times and never caught a fish. Boy I thought to myself talk about making a flatlander feel good! Ok North we go towards Jackson Hole. Straight through that town and up towards the park. Right at where you should start seeing the Tetons here comes the rain again. That and low clouds made it impossible to see the mountains. Bus loads of tourists at every turn out staring to where the Tetons should be. Bummer I thought they are missing a breathtaking sight. We get into the park to more rain. Not much to see but this was just a way to get to where we were going next. Where is that? Well two choices. North into Montana to the Livingston area and where the big FFF deal was going on or to the East. Cody area or the Big Horns. Weather had said rain pretty much all around but we thought the Big Horns typically a bit dryer. At the Junction by Yellowstone Lake the decision was made to head East . So we trucked out of the park and down the hill towards Cody when we noticed the North Fork of the Shoshone was pretty clear. We had heard it was blown out and muddy from the rains in the park. Yes we thought and stopped at the Rex Hale campground half way between Cody and the Park. Again we cranked up the camper, set up, and got to fishing for a short time. Caught a few small cutthroat and rainbows. Then we grilled a couple more small steaks and hit the bed. Up early, a quick cup of homemade granola cereal. Then to fishing. Headed downstream and caught, Fished until before noon and decided a snack of smoked duck and crackers. With a spread of cream cheese, jalapenos and lemon juice. Also snacked on red and black currents, Fished more in the afternoon catching more. Looked up the valley towards the park to see rain, heard thunder too, Back at camp we ate again. Goose fajitas, A couple of dead solders, A good fire and us, Again we were all dead tired, peeked over the bank just before dark and what did we see? Another big mud plug coming down the river. It will be time to move again in the morning, BilletHead

After fishing Cottonwood for almost a full day and most of the next morning it was time to move again. Further up into the Wyoming range of mountains on the forest service road which by the way for the most part better than my county roads here. Over McDougal gap down the West slope along sheep creek. There was a big rain up top and quite the mud plug going down the hill towards the Greys river. At the Greys we turned North and then diverted up Murphy creek for a spell. When turning off of the Greys up Murphy the Greys was still clear. Way up Murphy we went, way up until we found where we had been before. Smallest creek we had fished yet. Pretty tiny, to the point you could step across it. Again rain off and on. Mostly on. We cranked up the camper and dressed up ourselves to fish. Soon we caught. Small cutties but pretty nice for the thin water. We even found huckleberries and feasted on the treats. Some of the murphy fish, The Mrs. working it, Camp for the night, With all the moisture had to make a temp cover. Worked well as duck was being cooked on the grill, Duck with cheesy fried potatoes and grilled cubanells, Again Sadie pre washing, The wet mess trying to dry, Woke up to a giant omelet the next morning. Dog tired we all have become, But once again time to move on. Some of the upper Murphy road, When we got to the Murphy Greys river junction here is what we saw. Mud coming down the Greys. Thought about putting a down payment on a retirement home:) Out towards Alpine and civilization, a shower, laundry and a few grocery's. Then heading North! BilletHead

After the Green we headed to South Cottonwood creek. This little gem is in the Wyoming Range Mountains, Bridger Teton National Forest. A drive across the valley to the South West of where we were on the Green and up into a higher range. We had found this place in 2010 when doing our cut-slam. The stretch of bottom where we will be fishing. A mix of turns, bends and beaver ponds. Small water and could be crossed about anywhere. I would say max depth of four feet? Camp for that night, Starting a trend of wet weather. Rain, mist and low hanging clouds. Low hanging clouds? Not really I would say we were in the clouds. If it was dryer we would of wet waded but with the dampness we would stay dryer in waders. I got this fish in a beaver pond. We caught cutthroat and brookies. More cutthroat though. Notice the pink and purple hopper? A trend for the wife that continued to pay off. Another pink hopper hook up. She is kicking my rear in big fish, The fish of the day, Swimming off. Dinner for the day of stuffed cubanells, dessert of blackberry crisp. Sadie prewashing dishes. Did I tell you how spoiled I am? What better place for a pedicure? Next morning fishing like the day before. Beaver pond sneak up. Hard to see but in the first one you can see the take. Second one a swirl about to be landed. We will be swimming off to the next spot soon, BilletHead

Ok here we go, This is going to be picture heavy, really heavy so I will split up the places we went. Going to start with the upper Green and Cottonwood creek. Started off at home and left about five PM on a Friday night. Drove until we pooped out and took a three hour power nap in Lexington NE. then back on the road until we made it to a campground in Boulder WY just South of Pinedale. Got showers, a good meal and a much needed nights rest. Up early and to Pinedale for stuff and then to the Green River. We have in the past fished the Eastern side of the river but I had been studying the West side roads on google maps. Specifically a bend in the river where there is a blue hole. What we might call a bend in the river where during high water it makes a deep spot. Then also a creek that dumps in the same area called Tosi creek. It I was told had brookies in it. Small but plentiful. We took the West road where a bridge crossed the Green and up we went. Found Tosi and drove up it until a parking spot was found. As soon as we stopped a cloud of mosquitos formed around the truck cab. Pat cracked the window and they began to funnel in! We started swatting. I got out to take a wiz and walked a ways from the truck skeeters in tow. Got job done and got back in the truck with my bride giggling. We drove a bit more looking for another access. The road got farther away from the creek so we turned around and decided to bug dope up and try the first spot. When we got back we seen another fisherman had got there and was swatting as he got out. We gave up on Tosi and went to the blue hole bend on the Green. Got there and rigged up. This is in a slower swampy bendy meadow scene. No real riffles, deeper water shallow water fast and slow current. We sprayed on bug dope and had a breeze. Hopper looking stuff but I ran a dropper with my hopper. I was up and down here and there but Mrs. BilletHead was glued on one spot. She had put on a pink hopper. She thinks pink all the time. Soon she was squealing with delight and I seen her rod bend, I could not believe it. Again first fish and biggest of the day, We fished more without more catching although I really studied the blue hole corner and thought next time we bring out the kayaks then we will fish the large deep blue corner. We then dropped out and headed for the Warren bridge access. When you get off the highway onto the dirt road There are twelve camping spots on the river spread out. Room for one to several campers per spot. We drove towards the end where we had camped a couple of years ago. Fished there the rest of the day only catching some smaller rainbows. River kind of high for wading, definitely no crossing. High enough a flotilla of rafts fishing all afternoon. Camped there for the night. Chief cook and bottle washer, Dinner being cooked, Just because you are camping doesn't mean you cannot eat good. Steak, mashed taters, salad and wine in a paper cup! Lots of bugs out, One for Phil Got to let my fingers rest and then off to South Cottonwood Creek, BilletHead

Nice!

We are pretty beat up and recovering right now. Greasy and Ozark trout fisher it helps to have a fly fishing wife. It's going to be picture heavy! BilletHead

Mrs. BilletHead and I just got back late last night from two weeks in Wyoming. I will be posting in the West fishing forum in a day or two for those who might be interested in a trip report. Fished 11 days straight, BilletHead

Mike, Sorry for a late response. Been gone off grid for two weeks. I usually smoke long enough to soften the peppers to the limp side. Depending on temp. Could take an hour to four or more. BilletHead