North Lake to Pine Creek

the 2008 Backpack Fishout

by Gary Trott

August 2008

From:    TROTT,GARY
Sent:    Sunday, August 31, 2008 8:50 PM
To:    bobschwehr; mike Mcguire
Subject:    RE: Trip Report?  Humphrey Tall Tales

Bob

I have been over whelmed since returning from Humprey's basin. I have not had time to collect my best photos yet. It is uncertain if I will have something by the general meeting, which I plan to attend. Mike, I will have a CD of everything for you. Early that week, I start my new job in New York state.  Details provided around any campfire.

The day we left for Humphrey's basin, I sent off my acceptance papers for a new job. So last Friday, I gave Avago my two week notice. After 27 years working at HPLabs, Agilent Labs, and now Avago my last day will be Friday 12-September. Oyh! I need another fishing vacation to lower the stress.  So I am going to take a long fishing weekend on Sept_6 with  an Agilent colleague and his son.


Besides chasing mountain trout up waterfalls, there was fish to be caught in Humphrey's basin. On some of the lakes you could catch as many 6" goldens as you wanted. In fact, on Honeymoon Lake I caught fish on my fore cast, my back cast, my underhand cast, my side cast, and just dinking the fly in the lake. There was just no time to take in the beautiful scenery with two water cascades crashing into the lake.  It was outrageous how they were attacking my fly. All of them were 4" to 6" in size. And - - - The Challenge.  The most difficult were the 4" ones because I was using a size #12 black gnat. I had to drag them up with incredible finesse, while they were just holding onto to one gnat wing. Can you just imagine!!!



Of course, the other larger, higher lakes (sometimes requiring negoiating down steep talus fields), reputed to have larger fish, were somewhat of a different story. On two of the  lakes(out of ~12 I visited) I was able to catch multiple, nice 12" goldens. We were well  above timber line. So no fires were allowed and the fish were gently released.


It was on one of those lakes, Stealhead, where Tony caught a  golden that jumped and broke off his line (large(?). I kindly pointed out that the little ones I was catching at Elbe lake also were significantly jumping as well. I have photos of the 12" goldens I caught, and he had a photo of what exactly ? ? ? You can ask him at tennis and also how he got lost.

Of course, it is always nice to have Pat along on these trips. She provides a different perspective and color on everything with her hat and smiles.  While Mike is off fishing she does other activities like water color painting, lounging around the campsite, and sometimes doing laundary, but that a story for another time.


I am sure I can think of other tantalizing tidbits for tall tales like
...  Mike sending flashlight signals at dust, searching for Yetis or ??
... the marmot sniffing at Tony's food bags
... the rangers checking Tony for the permit, or lack thereof
... the turn over scuds from Mike and their success
... The big discussion question, to life, the universe, and  everything;
      Do scuds live in high altitude lakes?
but I have to go.


Cheers

 Gary Trott