Sawmill Lakes And Shell Creek

[BilletHead]

After leaving Bull Creek we took the advice of the game warden who checked us the day before and headed for Sawmill lakes. He told us it was a mile or more walk downhill and to remember it is uphill coming out. We found the trailhead. Packed the water filter and fishing gear. I had read that is is sometimes stocked by helecopter. So Sadie, the Mrs. and i hit the trail. A nice down hill walk took us betweeen the two smaller lakes below the big one. Then we crested the dam and it was beautiful greeting. Pretty good sized and would guess a hundred acres or more. The dam was covered with rasberry bushes. Fish were rising all over and I did not know if I should feast on the berries or catch a fish. well we did both. Used a smaller hopper or trude trailing a hares ear dropper. The brookies would come straight up like little rockets clearing the water all the way and if they missed on the way up they would get it on the way back down. We caught dozens, a foot or a little more long is there size but it did not matter. Brookies were all we caught but there could of been other fish in there. Here are some pictures of the place,

Sadie kept watch over us from her nest in the rocks and then the uphill walk out .

On the way out there is a stream with a steep grade called Goose Creek. We hit the plunge pool pools and pockets catching rainbows and more brookies.

We then headed to Shell creek campground. It has shell creek running through it. We have fished Shell Creek three years ago and hoped it would be the same. We set up the camper, grabbed our gear and hit the creek. It is packed with rainbows and brookies. I think a 10" fish was the largest but we caught them by the dozens. Too busy catching to take photos of each other Here is one of the creek and camp.

The next morning we headed back to Cody to a campground in town for the next three nights. Two more days of fishing with a friend will be next if you all can stand it. I will try to get in one post but it might take two.

BilletHead

[Nortrad]

Great pics and post. I'm heading West next week, panhandle of ID, north of Kellogg, lakes and CDA River. My son has already hit a lake with nice brookies.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Thank you so much for your posts and updates. It is really cool to read and see pics.

[BilletHead]

Go get them Nortrad and have a safe trip.

Daryk thanks a bunch and I promise there will be only one or two more posts to finish up the trip report. We had withdrawals today and had to drive to Bennit for a fix. It kind of worked and the fish bit well for us. Size even was not too bad. Small dries worked but best for wife was primrose and pearl and myself a small black beetle,

Billethead