Big Boyz Don't Cry...

[driver]

Jelly. I need an outing like this

[Big J]

Forecast about scared us me off hitting this stream, but the day before we decided screw it, lets hit it.  Very good call.  Water levels were prime.  Scattered showers missed us during the day.  Only rained Friday night for a little while and than a good chunk of Saturday night.  Rain stopped for the hike out Sunday morning. Perfection.



Saw two bald eagles on this trip.  One on the drive in and the other on the drive out. 


Guys were already down there on Friday when I started the hike in solo Friday evening.  Easy 3 miles downhill.


Lots of scenery to keep the hike interesting.





Got to camp and Doug had some chili going.  Fire already started. Game plan for next day discussed. 



Next morning coffee served and hit the trail upstream with Fin.














Yellow Pink Lady Slipper






Lots of dead stuff was seen on this trip. 
We never seem to see much in the way of wildlife, but lots of remains.




This brookie was fun watching turn out of a pool and hammer a dry.




Big Mayfly Stonefly.


Fin wouldn't shut up about these.







Use to be a beaver dam as of two years ago. 
Floods must of broke it free and beavers long gone.
last time we were here we watched a massive brookie try and find cover.






Oil Beetle.


Fin stepped on this garter snake on the hike out and jumped back into me freakin out. 
Lucky it wasn't a rattler.
Also you can see the anal secretions oozing.  He wasn't happy and man did it smell.



Fin caught fish out of every piss trickle trib we crossed on hike out.
















Taking cover during rain.


Awoke Sunday morning and it was still raining.  Stayed in hammock with cheese balls until I finally decided to start breaking down camp.


Crew ready to hike out.



For Doug to ID later.




Really was hoping for a Doug fall shot here.


Collected a bunch of ramps on hike out.




Gaywing

Said goodbye to everyone and headed to visit my pets on a different stream.




Was disappointed.  Caught a massive brookie out of here in fall.  A couple big trees fell into the pool and it is now nearly impossible to fish.


But was graced with presence of this bow.  Probably the best fighting small stream trout I've landed to date.  He didn't want to get in the net.

Got home and pissed off the wife with all the ramp smells.  Ramp butter and ramp eggs 4 dayz.

[Friar Tuck]

Fantastic expedition fellas! Thanks for sharing. 0:0

[Onslow]

J, that was awesome.  Thanks for posting the supplemental.

[Woolly Bugger]

Big J for the win on the photojournalism! Thanks for taking us along on a virtual trip... 

[hcrum87hc]

Love it!  One of these days I'll do an overnighter.  With 2 year old and one on the way, it's not in the cards right now.

[Big J]

Love it!  One of these days I'll do an overnighter.  With 2 year old and one on the way, it's not in the cards right now.

As a man with a 3 yo and a 1 yo....I got it good.  Too good.  Amazing she puts up with me.

[Dee-Vo]

Great stuff all around. J, nice rainbow. Despite their presence being a little disturbing at times, I agree that they kick ass. Small stream girthy rainbows have that spunk to 'em.

Everything that I absorbed from this report only saddens me more as I realize my time in the woods and water has diminished so greatly.

The other thing that saddens me even more deeply is the sight of Doug's legs and rolled down socks. 

Rock it, brothers. I'll contribute at some point again when time avails itself. I'm yearning for a few days of tent time, cold water with trout, and campfire food smells all wrapped up in a nice, cozy layer of quietness and solitude.

[Phil]

   bd;0  bd;0     
No words. Thanks for that!

[Dougfish]

Great pics, J. 
I suk.  :banana072:
Dwarf Ginseng, btw.

[jwgnc]

Wow.  What a great report.  

[streamereater_101691]

Good times boys. I'm glad we pulled the trigger despite the interesting looking forecast. Thanks for putting up with my aching back on the hike out. Muscle relaxer was engaged shortly after arriving home.

[Woolly Bugger]

Good times boys. I'm glad we pulled the trigger despite the interesting looking forecast. Thanks for putting up with my aching back on the hike out. Muscle relaxer was engaged shortly after arriving home.

I'm sure that sawsall didn't help 

[Big J]

The most impressive story we forgot to tell is there was only one other couple camping back there.  They were a husband and wife with their small little dog.  They hiked down the worst/most unmaintained trail in the area.  It was roughly 800 ft of elevation loss in 1.5 miles.  Kicker was, wife had a torn meniscus.  Doug and Streamereater talked with them and said the wife wasn't too happy with the husband. 

[Dougfish]

And we saw him fishing. A newbie two handed caster. And I don't mean spey.

His ass was grass. Packing up a wet big ass tent and a big ass canopy and hauling it all up a choice of two gawdawful trails. And her in his ear and up his ass the whole way.

The other great side story is Jacob finding some ticks crawling on him while fishing. Neil then reportedly took off his pants to check his tender bits.