The Last 2 (or 3) Weeks at On DeMark Lodge
By: Craig DeMark
September is awesome and getting awesomer!
Fall is my favorite time of year for various reasons. Upland bird hunting starts. My Brittany, Blue, is very upset that we’ve been busy at the lodge and haven’t hit hunting grounds yet. Every morning he runs out the door and to the Yukon in anticipation that today is the day we go. So far, he’s been disappointed. Evenings are spent with him staring at me with true disdain.
Big game hunting is lurking out there somewhere. The weather of the fall is my opinion of perfection, especially in this land of the canyon. Warm sunny days, chilly mornings, and nighttime skies filled with stars. The occasional storm blows through reminding you that winter is coming. The fishing…ah yes the fishing… The trout eat with voracity this time of year. Perhaps they know winter is on the way, but more likely cooling water temps and the upcoming spawn have more to do with it.
Those are the general reasons that fall is my favorite. But this year it’s been even better. Our clients … no that’s wrong … our guests … no that’s wrong too … our friends! These people have made this September my favorite. Smiles, laughs, arrival and departure hugs, and more laughs. These highlight days on the river, meals around Becky’s table, and nights around the campfire. Some of those campfires have gone WAY too late. (I’m staring directly at you Earl and Terry!) This is what makes us love this business so much. The excitement of meeting new people and anticipation of old friends returning. Watching casting and fishing skills improve through the current trip and then through the years. Seeing new things every day on the river with them. Anticipating Becky’s next breakfast, stream side lunch, dinner and dessert creation. It all makes the experience for friends, and us, unique and fun every time.
Some highlights this month so far include:
Observing the most perfect specimen of a black bear cub I’ve ever seen. Happily hanging out on the railroad tracks and eating berries along the river. It was jet black, round and fuzzy. I’m sure mom was somewhere nearby and would have protested against my attempts to take it back to the lodge and make it our house bear.
Watching a large brown trout relentlessly try to eat a 4 inch rainbow Bill had hooked near a shadowy bank, on a nymph. It made three attempts at the fish while it was being pulled in. On the fourth attempt, almost hitting the boat, it suceeded. Its mouth engulfed the little trout and he hooked itself on the nymph. After a long fight we netted a gorgeous male. Bill, Randy and I were all still in shock as we released him and watched him swim back to the deep. I, personally, have only seen behavior this aggressive in salt water fish. In a way, the brown was successful in his attempts as he did swallow the little rainbow.
Bighorn sheep have recently moved into our area of the canyon and are a fairly common sight on the cliffs across from the lodge. They are such beautiful, graceful, confident animals. Always a welcome sight.
Charlie’s jokes and introduction to Youtube personalities.
Some of those prototypical September nymph days. The times that seem like everywhere you should have a fish eat, you do. Those can turn into really good number days.
Fishing. Becky and I got the offer to an open seat on a boat for a couple of days. Our OG September group had 5 this year. That meant an open seat for a couple of days. The guys were gracious in offering us the opportunity to fish with them on those days. I took a river day and Becky took a “Land of Giants” day. We had a blast! Thank you Ham, Wayne, Warren, Ken, and Dale!
A really good hopper fishing afternoon. Earlier in the month we had a late afternoon session of some great hopper fishing. It seemed like every fish in the river decided to eat hoppers for 2 hours. Just about every day I still test hoppers to see if it’s going to be effective. Sometimes it works out like that day.
Turkeys. The wild Turkeys have moved into the lower reaches of the canyon. We see them almost every day on our drive to and from fishing.
Challenging and rewarding dry fly fishing. When you find sippers, they will usually eat a proper presentation on the first drift. Fewer bugs give those fish limited options. Remember downstream presentation, reach cast, feed it line. Also the presence of large (#12-#14) tan caddis and the random giant October caddis make skating an excellent option.
Streamer eats.
Every damn one of Becky’s meals!
Laughs, laughs and more laughs.
We still have some September and October trips. Then Blue can have his field days looking for birds. Sorry Blue.
Cheers
Craig