Winding Down on Henry's Fork

Well, another fall is drawing too quickly to a close. This is my first (and only) post. Doing angler surveys has given me the chance to meet a lot of interesting and friendly folks from all over the country and world.

If you take the time, and it is worth taking, you can still see some views of beautiful country, even if the autumn colors are fading. Those of us who are blessed to live here sure should not be ones to take it for granted.

There is still good fishing to be found but with each day the weather becomes more of a gamble, so don't put it off. Insect hatches are still happening but really sporadic, you have to really get a sense of the timing for them. You wouldn't think there were any less, looking at my windshield every evening heading back to Ashton.

People are finding respectable rainbow trout but they seem very canny this late in the season. Comes from having to outwit good anglers all summer I guess. The old hands say to be prepared to hunt and use your knowledge of behavior, just like you would with any game. And of course, hope for a healthy share of luck.

There are large numbers of whitefish moving now and have been over the past week, spawning I suppose. At any rate there are some quite large and providing some great angling. I watched one do several runs and even tail dance before being brought in. They may not be rainbow, but they are providing some great sport.

One word of caution by the way, DRIVE CAREFULLY! The big critters are starting to move around. In the past couple of weeks there have been two moose and several deer struck by traffic during the evenings and nights. Don't end a fishing trip with a large mammal in the front seat unless it is related.

Well, thanks to everyone who let me interview them this season, your cooperation will give the Henry's Fork Foundation some good information to draw from to help you keep the river healthy and improving.

Also, my thanks to all the great folks who put up with my sometimes dumb questions. I appreciate the time you took to share your knowledge and expertise, I have tried to absorb everything you told me. Yep, I confess, I am not a fly fisherman, or rather, was not a fly fisherman. You have made it look too interesting so next year you will have another newbie trying to learn the sport and, more importantly, trying to learn the etiquette of the Henry's Fork congregation.

Have a good winter, folks, the pleasure has been mine.

Bill Puckett
"The survey guy"