Where to Now? My endless journey...

Utah Water Guardians - Donate Button is LIVE!

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:56:00 +0000

Utah Water Guardians DONATE button is now LIVE!!

"Donate for (Recreational) Access and Use Utah! Fund"

Your support keeps ALL our gained recreational rights preserved

For more information on what you can do to help please visit

http://utahwaterguardians.org/

Hey.. wanna help get the word out?.... post this on your blog! Pass the word!

Featured_ in Fly FIsh Journal

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:38:00 +0000

The guys over at Fly Fish Journal plugged me in the tailgate section. Very humbling.

The new high-gloss paper print magazine has set the bar high in print publications. Finally, something out there that resembles an experience rather than another boring 'how to". If you a fan of Frequency or the Ski Journal its a another must have on the coffee table.

Check it out and order your subscription now, you won't be disappointed. For an extra $10 buck buy yourself the "gift subscription" and get a t-shirt.
-->http://www.theflyfishjournal.com/
-->http://www.theflyfishjournal.com/news/2009/09/22/featured-photographer-bryan-gregson

Thanks you FFJ!

Korkers_new site

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:27:00 +0000

The guys over at Korkers are really turning it up a notch. Check out the new site. I was lucky enough to make it onto the opening page as an angler.

My good friend Corey Kruitbosh captured this great image on out trip to Arizona...and wallah, he produced another winner that landed him up font and center......But what else would we except form CK anyhow. ; )

Corey's photography can been seen here -->http://western-fly-fishing.info/wordpress/

If you didn't already know, Korkers is producing some great new innovative products. 2010 is no exception.

The new rubber called Kling-On is out. Its sticky as hell. The toe and heel have a different density than the middle of the sole. It's a perfect match for use and abuse.

They also have a new Boot out, called the Predator. It's a fixed sole boot with your choice of felt or their new Kling-On rubber. I've been fortune enough to test these boots with the new rubber. I've beat them up all over gnarly terrain and have walked some serious miles throughout the West. It was an honor to provide feedback, while abusing the prototype process. I must say, I'm very pleased with the end results.

If you haven't tried them yet, go check out the Predator at your local shop, you'll see.

Published This is Fly

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:01:00 +0000

Published article in This is Fly issue #19, “Mini Monsters”

Check it out on, This is Fly --> http://www.thisisfly.com

My buddy Nick Granato and I collaborated in a joint venture in search of the Mormon cricket. We chased these big bugs around this past summer and enjoyed a fantastic experience. I must say it was actually mind blowing. Thanks to all that supplied the information, without you guys this would have never been possible… you know who you are, we humbly appreciate the help.

Jesse over at Rainy’s flies was kind enough to supply the bugs for the trip. If you’re not familiar with their awesome innovative patterns, I’d suggest you take a look, you won’t be disappointed.

Rainy’s flies --> http://www.rainysflies.com/

Fiberglass rod and Small Streams

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:35:00 +0000

Nick and I hit a small local stream. We took some time to slow down a bit after the last few months of a ‘go, go, go’ mentality. We both looked forward to casting tiny rods to hungry fish.

It was a balmy mid 70’s with partly cloudy skies and a slight chance of a drizzle, a perfect day to fish. An old memory returned as I touched the rod case. I unsheathed the little yellow fiberglass rod as I thought about our distant brother Mark. This rod had traveled from Japan into my hands for a birthday gift what seems to be so long ago. From there a few memories over the last 4 years brought a smile to my face. Nick and I will usually swap a story of two and reminisce on the past.

We found some adult Green drakes, what a coincidence since the maiden voyage of this rod started with the same insect. This little rod seemed to be equipped with some good karma. We swapped turns after each landed fish as we made our way up steam.

Surprisingly there were a lot snakes out. One in particular was caught up in Nick’s fly-line. Nick was casting near a log jam when upon shooting the line forward a snake fell from the line onto hit boots. It somehow slithered on the line at that exact second. It scared the hell of us both, it was pretty funny. There were many snakes out that day, pone spot had over a half dozen.

The weather man was somehow right today as we did encounter a few brief rain drops. The sun would come out right after and this same scenario repeated itself during the day. The bugs sure liked it the weather, they stayed out right through the afternoon.

It was a great day of tossing dry flies, talking story and catching snakes.

Cutthroat and Me

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:32:00 +0000

I've always enjoyed searching for Cutthroat Trout. Even when I was a small water rat these guys were my favorite. I suppose its the eagerness of the fish to take your fly at that age where the entertainment factor is a top priority. As I grew older I feel in love with the colors, the shape and the curious face they possessed... much different that the other trout. Then it happened, one day I realized the places they live are sensitive, precious and remote. It finally dawned on me, over the years my search brought me deeper and deeper into the backcountry. Then one day we found it. Here hidden amongst the bustling ATV trails sits that tiny slice of heaven I've always been searching for. On the beaten path BUT tucked out of the lime light sits a sanctuary.

Each Year I try to visit these old friends. It's also a place where the one we call "Yoda" loves so dearly. Each year we return to our master baring photographs of his old friends so he might gaze upon them as he once did. You see Yoda isn't as agile as he used to be and his memory, although still sharp as a tack, still faded in some small way.

This image is how I view these Colorado Cutthroat Trout. I know I might have post processed them a bit more than I should have [rookie here] I so think of them as powerful, mysterious, calm and curious.

Published_TROUT Magazine summer 2009

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:24:00 +0000

As I mentioned before, this month has treated me exceptionally kind... I know its bound to end but wow, another humbling moment. TROUT magazine [Trout Unlimited] ran three of my images.

Again I was shocked to see my fin shot grace the words of a fish icon, a fish defender. I'm really glad the fin images are getting used. I've tried to shoot these as I like the shapes, detail and fish they come from. I've learned that all fins are not alike, some mimic others but the separation is in the small quite details. I have been working on more fin shots, when the time is right I'll post them up.

If your not receiving TROUT magazine its because your not a subscriber. If you've never seen it before its because the magazine is just one of the many benefits to donating to Trout Unlimited. This alone is worth it!Its also available for downloads, in PFD or e-zine

Check it out
LINK ---> Magazine
LINK ---> Site
LINK --->blog

The bottom angler image is of Ralphy AKA Nate Miller. Nate is a stick and then some. I've heard some folks say he is a myth, others say there is no such person BUT here "Ralphy" was seen wrangling hogs on the Teton River. Again, I climbed the rattler infested terrain and perched myself waiting for unsuspecting anglers. I wanted to capture a raw image, one that's NOT a set-up shot, not a barby [bar-b-q] shot, its unaltered real time fun.

Original Images [Ralphy's image went missing, all I can find is this tiny cropped shot]
--> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/3093320389_ca012bb514_o.jpg
--> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/3066790950_211a58811c_b.jpg
--> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/3066799040_b2cdb3f301_b.jpg

Published_Catch Magazine Issue #6

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:45:00 +0000

WOW.. what a crazy start to summer so far!!!!

So..... I somehow made it into Catch Magazine. Not only did I barely make the submission deadline, but my image was placed as the opening for the "Hard Light" series. HUMBLING!!! It's still such a surreal experience, a shocking dream come true really. I mean whoever thought I'd be exchange emails with one of the best fishing photographers out there, I know I certainly didn't.What a great experience.

The first images is from an awesome memorable experience. Corey Kruitbosch and I were shown the ropes by host extraordinaire Aaron Otto. During this moment Captain A was at the helm, Cor was kind enough to let me try out his lens..... and low and behold, these two kind gestures turned out to be something special..

The second is of Chris Barkey on the Teton River. I climbed the sharp rocks lined with rattlers to get a birds eye view. I looked down river to see Chris moving alone, fishing in solitude. The sun was perfectly lining up for the shot. I remember repeating over and over in my head, a little further, just a little further. Chris fished methodically covering every stick of the flow. Finally he was in position and I fired away. He couldn't see me and nor did he know I was een up there. It was a cool moment when everything lined up. Patients was the answer and I luckily stuck to me guns and enjoyed the view until the timing was right.

Without these individuals these images would never have been captured. As much as its the guy with the camera, its also the guys the camera is surrounded by. Thanks guys!!

The guys over at Catch are have a stellar operation going on. Their style is fresh, interesting, original and very much cool. I've been inspired to keep learning, to keep trying and most importantly to keep having fun. If you haven't checked out them out yet go do it

LINK HERE --> CATCH MAGAZINE

Original Images
--> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3044/3091485521_eedf52860d_m.jpg
--> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3212487432_2d7cc6a8f5_m.jpg

Taming the Tiger....Rocky Mountain Tiger Musky

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:08:00 +0000

Oh my… I suppose you could say that I got a tad bit busy…OK... very busy. I've got a lot coming up. Probably too much on my plate but I'm going to try and get this updated... key word... plate ha ha ha

This winter the thought of Tiger Musky grew stronger every day. Grizz dubbed it “mushy musky brains”. Months down the road we realized this quote was more than spot on. The past spring the crew slipped up to the north scouting, fishing, studying and waiting for the right time to hit it. For two-months we pounded the banks, or as my good fishing buddy says ‘mowed the banks’, tied flies, changed tactics, lines, read books, talked to the old guards, studied videos and learned a ton about leaders, etc, etc. It never ceased to amaze me how picky these fish can be so a full arsenal is a must.

They’d chase our fly all the way to the boat, for 10 casts, then, out of nowhere they attack with authority. The first hit is what drives us. It’s a fantastic feeling to experience, one I will always long for, one everyone should encounter. Now losing a fish to a poor hook set also comes with a feeling, doesn’t matter that your turn on the front of the boat is over but the disappointment with yourself to negotiate within a spit second angle, power and leverage. These critters have exceptionally hard mouths, bony mouths; occasionally he standard strip-set was swiftly out maneuvered. A more direct approach by setting head on, rod aimed straight into their eyeballs, countered their maneuvers quite nicely… a little tip that was pickup by doing some homework. BUT even then it as amazing how long they’d fight before relaxing their powerful jaws and releasing the harmful hook covered with fancy materials back to the angler.

Over time word spread as others were reading the same chapter. The fish were beginning to get hammered. The parking lots were filling up; a few times twenty trailers neatly parked could be counted just in the lower lot alone. We observed dozens of fish with large rapalas, flies, hooks and leaders stuck in their jaws. Two of these fish were seen from a short distance jumping high in the air and shaking their heads trying to dislodge these foreign objects. One in particular leaped a few times and you could clearly hear the rattle of the jerk bait. I know we were just as guilty of being parted off as anyone, it really made us think about our strategy and about our own personal philosophy. For us it’s mainly due to using mono incorrectly, as in too light for the job. It’s was a card toss really; using wire yielded us fewer fish this year than last, also fewer strikes. But all fish were landed if hooked. Mono on the other hand was very successful and our hits tripled, causing our success rate to go up but getting parted off brought the ratio back down… what to do. So we took a stab at trying to break it all down. This is the fun part in fishing, the learning. The issue is using light mono, say 20-25lb, while it preformed OK for smaller fish the larger 30-40+ ers snapped it like a giant breaking a toothpick. Not good. We upped the ante and settled on 40-50lb, so far its work well for us. Don’t get me wrong, guys do well with wire but for us and our style of fishing, as the season grew busier and bustling with people, fishers and wake boarders, wire was getting rejected more often than not. So for now, were going with what we ~~know~~ learned ; )I’m certain there are those that will say the complete opposite and I’d love to fish with them to see their style… as you can never learn enough.

All in all the season was a success. It was a great chapter in our early stages of Musky ~~fishing~~ learning. Good friends, good food, bad weather and odd camping arrangements made for an awesome adventure. I can’t wait till next year!!

Three Days of Poor Etiquette

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:21:00 +0000

I was a bit tied up with work for a few weeks, after some serious long hours and no sleep it was time to hit the road. Grizz, Spicy (Nick G), and I geared up and headed out. We knew we might have some weather ahead but nothing prepared us for the events that took place for the next 3 days.

We poked around a few spots, checked some ice off lakes and enjoyed three days of rain, wind and snow. Fishing wasn't off the hook… err… on the hook, but it was fun and yes some catching was had. Every fish we hooked on this trip was well earned, conditions were not ideal but they presented a great problem solving situation. Making your brain think a little bit harder is a good thing sometimes. It was a great learning trip!

The biggest factor we encountered was the other fisherman. Everyday we were "high holed" by some punk. For years, we have never had issues way out here in the back woods with other anglers, hell most of the time, on this river, you never even see another person. That has always been the beauty of it.

This stretch we picked a legal access point. It was a long, long walk in but it should be worth it. Knee deep in mud we trudged around the swampy vegetation, skirted deep pools filled with quicksand type silt, and encountered a down pour before we finally reached the spot. Slowly working our way up stream we rounded the bend and ran smack into a group of people. What the hell?? Where did these guys come from? How did they get here? So now this run was beat, we decided to hike back to the car. That's when we found out he answers to our questions. They parked down lower, jumped the fence and trespassed in order to get ahead of us! License plate… Colorado.

This spot guys were actually running, no, sprinting to get to the water before us. Interesting is that we were already fishing!!! They raced down to get to the good stretch above us. There was another guy already fishing on the opposite braided channel at the head of the run. I was coming up the bottom. These guys proceeded to wade right above my run, right through the fish only to run up to the good run above me. The run I am slowly working up to.

I did what any other guy would do, I yelled at them!! They acted like I wasn't even there. I was pissed by this point. My two options were to either shove my rod up you know where or wade away. I was so mad I had no choice but to wade away. I linked back worth the guys from the other braid and we actually watched more guys show up, run to the water

and all weeded out the old man. After getting back to the parking lot we couldn't help but to go look at the license plates… yep, just as we thought. Way out here, in another state, we are getting "high holed" by our own!! Utah license plate after Utah plate lined the lot, figures. I expect to see this on the Provo Rivers but not out here. What a shame!

Last spot on our list is a busy one. Knowing that we showed up early in hopes of finally getting some good water, lucky for us the camp ground is still sleeping. We rigged up and hit the water. I guess we must have woke some folks because the next thing we knew some dude walks right up to the best hole in the river, cuts us off and "high holes" us!!! Once again the lack of respect is disheartening and is now trying all of our patients!!! License plate… Utah!! Again!

For three days we dealt with sheer lack of angling respect. I guess the only thing to do is what we do back home… flatten the situation by releasing hot air ; )

Catch and Release Photo contest _FLYFISHERGIRL.COM

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:22:00 +0000

FLYFISHERGIRL.COM hosted a photo contest....The topic was Catch and release.

My friend Mark (Yuhina) called me to ask if I could participate. He mentioned that it was a great cause and the website is fantastic, its good to support the good core folks.. I poked around and quickly decided that regardless of a "contest" format, it truly was a great way to get educated. Not only for old timers and gurus but the youngsters as well. There was something for everyone. Folks submitted many personal experiences and emotins while enjoying their time spent on water.

Essays/photos --> click here

Go czech out the site. It's very cool --> click here

First prize - Helping to create good catch and release techniques

Second Prize - Redington Reel!

--------------
My entry..

Catch and Release is an just a way of life for some. Letting a fish go and gentle handling have always been apart of the fishing experience. It's great to see that large trophy fish swimming off into the sunset, but for the many, trophy's are not a reality. The local and exotic wild place is a gem hidden amongst the glam-fish. Quietly tucked away in pristine water lies a different kind of trophy... a pure strain native Cutthroat. These small creatures of water get the same respect and the larger breeds and require the same amount of reverence when handling. Although for these fish, their life depends on breeding, not growing to be a trophy wall hanger, but for their genes to survive the test of time.

A few other release shots...

One of the last strong hold for Cutthroat in the west... South Fork of the Snake. It's always a pleasure and an honor watching these fish swim away. The department of fish and wildlife now asks you to now kill Rainbow Trout as they are crossbreeding with this sensitive fish. Just a thought I had while I was looking for photos to post.....I wonder how many catch and release core fisherman will sacrifice one non-native specie to save a another... something to think about in the future as we follow the water and chase the fish.

The last of the release shots... self sustaining wild brown fishery high in the desert of Utah.

Published_This is Fly issue #17

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:56:00 +0000

Published --> This is Fly
http://www.thisisfly.com/

A tag-team effort. A story based on the mad man "Cheech" and his tying sickness ; )

Corey Kruibosh shot the photos and did a terrific job. He has got some serious skills. Check out his site for more awesome pictures.

It was a fun project working with these two creative guys. I'm certain we will all be seeing more of these dudes in the future.

Corey's site --> http://western-fly-fishing.info/wordpress/
Cheech's site --> http://www.flyfishfood.blogspot.com/

Dream Streams_The Bucket Place - Kamchatka

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:15:00 +0000

Where is that one place you dream of fishing before you die?

I've been lucky enough to have fished in many waters, in many far off places, in Salt and Fresh. I've checked off my all time favorite many, many times, the giant Blue Fin Tuna. But after the decade of chasing the largest game fish on a daily basis, after chasing those future plans that follow, and after your home waters are as familiar as the house you grew up in... where is that one place you want to go fish. Maybe its not the actual fish you want to catch, but the place where the feeling of fishing lives.

My bucket place is hands down Kamachatka. Who knows if I'll ever really get there. But I am going to try. I think that the anticipation over the many years will surpass all the expectations I have for it. Who know if I'll ever get there, but I will dream of it often.... when times are not spent on water.... when works sucks and its the only thing that keeps me sane..er...insane... what? You know we all do it, dream, so where is yours?

Felt Soul Media partnered with The Fly Shop to document an epic fly fishing journey to Russia's remote Kamchatka Peninsula... BIG RAINBOWS eating mice. That rekindled a old day dream I had years back. But now, a bit older and dumber, I'm going to try to go.... Somehow, someway, before I did, I want to fish in paradise.

Eastern Rises | teaser from felt soul on Vimeo.

What's On Your Back? ...William Joseph_"Exodus"

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Sun, 24 May 2009 19:57:00 +0000

What's on Your Back?

Product review --> William Joseph "EXODUS" backpack

I'm a gear junkie, always have been always will be I guess. More often not a good portion of my week is spent with a pack on. Be it snow or fishing, there is always something to lug around and I always have something that I want changed.

Fishing packs have always bothered me. Most are just a school pack with a logo slapped on. Very few could actually carry weight properly. I'm not sure why but maybe it's due to the lack of overall use of a pack. With drift boats and easily accessed water, with close parking, maybe people just don't use them. I might be just one of the few that expects more from what is always claimed as a "fishing designed pack". I always think who the hell designed this? Perhaps that fly-fishing just isn't core enough; the people that surround it will accept any fancy logo no matter the quality and intention of the company. With so many poor products out there trying to make a buck of the masses, anglers should be more aware and only support the core. By keeping companies responsible for their lack of integrity, maybe a better product will be made and we will all be happier on the water. We have so many other things to worry about on the water, like what fly, where the fish are biting, why do I keep hanging up in the trees.... worrying about gear falling apart or the uncomfortable thing digging in your back, due lack of thought, shouldn't ever be on our minds.

Over time, thought trail and error you find what suites you, or better yet what doesn't suite you. I don't think I have ever found THE perfect pack, it just doesn't exist. But for my personal taste, I have narrowed it down to needs instead of wants....suspension system and weight.

William Joseph Exodus pack--> http://www.williamjosephfishing.net/

Exodus Backpack (average daily use)

 Days on water – 200+

 Contents – 10-30+ pounds: Camera, battery's, lenses, raincoat, 4-8 boxes, reel + spool(s), TP, Cigs, Red Bulls (2-4), extra leaders, lunch, 2x powerbar, headlamp,etc, etc

Overall - The suspension system is by far an asset and makes this product stand out among fishing packs. It is the sole reason I own this product. The overall shape is very sleek and light. The shoulder straps are slim and fit very well. The waist belt accommodates the (potential) weight this pack can carry; very rare with fishing packs. For 2009 other companies are following, not leading. By altering the pack to more of a user friendly layout, it will still stand at the top for years to come. Sometimes I wish the backpack was larger and other times smaller, BUT it's a good medium sized pack suited for a long day in burly terrain. I never leave home without this pack, its goes everywhere I do.

New Sponsor_William Joseph

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:59:00 +0000

New Sponsor!

William Joseph
Link --> http://www.williamjosephfishing.net

I am proud to be working with and supported by William Joseph. I feel they offer many quality fishing specific products. They are a company that I am willing to stand behind, not only because of the product but also because of the fantastic customer service.

This upcoming year, I'll be using and abusing the latest and greatest in hopes of providing valuable information in making better products.... used by fisherman made for fisherman.

Thanks for your support guys, with your help my dreams are a reality.

Support our core companies

Urban Fishing for Golden Bones... aka Carp

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:48:00 +0000

Most of my fishing is spent targeting places which take a lot of time and effort to get to. I depend on having at least one entire day off do accomplish this. But lately I've been working half-day shifts, early mornings are now spent at work. This puts a damper on my fishing adventures and leaves me with very little options. For one, and the most important....How am I going to fish with just a few hours do so? Its not really long enough to go explore anywhere but its the perfect amount of time to take a cruise around the neighborhood and see what's swimming around.

There are many urban fishing ponds, dikes and canals around if you look for them. Grizz and I headed out to see what we could find around town. With only a few hours to cast a line we didn't care what it was as long as it had fins.

We hit up a the first inner city spots. It contained many spooky carp, some gold fish and the water looked like it contained many potential harmful diseases. It did however hold fish, so it was a no brainier and we rigged up sighted out target and started casting.

It was a fun spot. I hooked into a few nice little fish, one which shot down the canal in full speed. The fish ran under a plastic grocery bag that was half-full of sewer looking water. The weight of the bag on my leader caused me to lose the fish. It was my first time loosing a fish to urban snags, ha ha. I guess I should have known better.

We decided to poke around a little closer to home. Within 1 minute of my house, hidden behind corporate America sits a gem. Here hold some urban submarines. Dog walkers, bums, kids and bike cops all wondered what the hell we were doing. The cops didn't even check us for our license but they were curious to our intentions. They peddled on snickering I'm sure.

s
It was a great find and one that will remain hidden amongst the city life until others like us decide that a few precious hours are better spent on water, even if it has the sounds of cars, horns and jackhammers.

Photos by Grizz

Matching the Hatch - late winter

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:31:00 +0000

Ralphy and I decided to to go and play "the match the hatch game" on a local tailwater. It's a fun but yet frustrating game, sometimes.

The game for us is simple... match the hatch

It can get rather exciting at times, when you have riffled through 20 or so patterns to finally find"The One". But "The One" only lasts for a half hour or so before it goes cold. And then the cycle continues.

When times get tough, a stomach sample is in order. Sometimes, its just good to see what the fish are actually eating. I'm sure some out there will have issues with this tactic, some might even say it's cheating. But I assure you, I use very sharp hook as well, when I catch my fish ;)

I understand that the fish would probably take a variety of bugs. Some that might not resemble anything. But that is not the point of this interesting game. It's a fun and challenging day, but very rewarding. I do find that I learn more about fishing when I take the time to investigate the details. Sometimes, none of my bugs are eaten and sometimes all of them get mangled... but its all apart of the experience that surrounds the love for fish.

Published - Catch Magazine_as an angler

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:09:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyk/3491089427/in/set-72157601843167043/

So far this year has been nothing short of fantastic, but I'm sure its bound to stop sometime...I was lucky enough to get a few shots published as an angler in the latest issue of Catch Magazine. All photos are by Corey Kruitbosch

Corey Kruitbosh had an amazing introduction showcase in the latest issue of Catch Magazine. As I was flipping through one tasty image after another I noticed a few shots that looked familiar.. ha ha ha.

A big congrats to Cor for a sick spread! I'm positive we will all be seeing more of him in the future. In this day and age, his art is pushing others to re-evaluate what is creativity, and what the future might bring. Hopefully it will be more youthful and expressive than ever before. Cor seems to be right on track and it shows..... and it's awesome to watch the progression happen... not to mention being in front of his lens. I'm glad we got some shots this winter, I guess that freezing morning paid off afterall ; )

Check out Corey Kruitbosh here

Website --> http://western-fly-fishing.info/wordpress/
flickr page --> http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyk/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyk/3161072261/in/set-72157601843167043/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyk/3154288927/in/set-72157601843167043/

Published - This is Fly, Issue #17

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:49:00 +0000

Last year I went on an adventure with Jay Morr to a local water in search of a genetically altered fish, Tiger Musky. Recently, this trip was on of many that were featured in Jay Morr's article "The Chase" in This is Fly magazine. Czech it out now!

Congrats to Jay for a job well done... its another great chapter in the on going adventure we all call life..

Jay Morr's websites

Photography--> http://www.jaymorrphotography.com/

Blog --> http://www.flyfishermanforum.com/

Chironomid Fly Pattern - The Ralphy Bomb

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:54:00 +0000

With Spring around the Corner, I've been busy researching stillwater patters. A fly swap popped up... what a good opportunity to see what others are fishing.

After some reading, a bit of thought, more reading, a bit more thought... I jetted down to Fish Tech to see Ol' Ralphy. He's always fiddling around with cool ideas, so I picked his brain. Since Ralph's input lead to this fly combo, I'm calling it the "Ralphy Bomb". Yeah, of course I know it's noting new, it's just an alteration of an already existing pattern. But what the hell, that's what I am calling it ; )

I shot a few pics...er...a few 100 pics. I dunno, after going through em' all, this one seemed to catch my eye.

What do you think? Likes/Dislikes... not too worry, I have thick skin ; )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1bg/3388564127/

Second attempt; Moldy Chum - SOTM (slab of the month)

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:29:00 +0000

The Arizona Bow was my second entry for Moldy Chum January's entry for SOTM (Slab of the month). I didn't win again, lost to Salt Water, again. Third time the charm?? ha ha... It was an honor to even be considered, again, and hopefully in the near future I'll have another entry ; )

Corey Kruitbosch snapped this shot, thanks again man!

Previously Scheduled….. Arizona Trip

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 06:07:00 +0000

Corey and I hoped on the plane and headed to Arizona, where we met up with local fisherman and photographer Aaron Otto. After a few dozen emails we finally decided to meet. Being mid-winter is was easy to pick the destination, sunny Lee’s Ferry. It was Corey’s and I first trip to LF, and first fishing trip to Arizona for that matter… it won’t be the last… We were stoked!

We fished Lee’s Ferry for (2) days. The first day was spent on the walk-in section. I probably spent more time that afternoon staring at the unique landscape of sandstone and soaking in the scenery, rather than concentrating on my fishing. The spectacular canyon alone is well wroth the trip, fishing is just the bonus.

Day (2) we rented a jet boat and headed up river. I have been in many, many different kinds of boats; the jet boat is another first. It seemed every hour the trip got better and better and each time it seemed that there was no way to top the last awesome event. We hit the various sandbars as we made our way up the awe-inspiring river. Each bend held another finger pointing followed by “dude check that out” and fished with small tech light rigs. The Rainbows were pretty, clean and colorful. We went all the way to the dam. I felt smaller than normal staring at the dam; it’s massive to say the least. I'm not sure why it felt that way, I see mountains that rise thousands of feet in the air, and I’ve played on them my entire life, currently I still do. But this time I remember thinking that this mountain of concrete is huge, I felt like a small grain of sand at the beach. Perhaps it’s the fact that the hand of man looked out of place while being surrounded by such beauty.

We headed back to the hotel, and then to Page, Arizona for some tasty Mexican food… Well worth the trip by the way! On the way home Aaron mentioned “Apache Trout” and asked if we wanted to go check em’ out. It took about 1.1 seconds to reply, HELL YES! I wished we had more time to spend on Lee’s Ferry, I guess I’ll just have to go back!

The road to the Apache Trout was surprisingly rugged mountain terrain, thick pine forests and never thought of it as to catch Trout. I never thought of Arizona as a place with Trees, just cactus and sand. Well, I was wrong!

The Apache Trout thrive in a gem clear stream, tucked away high in up in the country side. The river was a slow moving one, and very technical…so far that’s been the case of fishing Arizona. I love that challenge. The Apache share the stream with Rainbows, some are quite large.

Right away we encountered a midge hatch; fish were sipping off the top. Corey and I riffled through a half dozen patterns in the first thirty minutes. The water was clear; you could see the reaction to the fish as you fly went right on by. Nymphs changed to “go to’s” when they failed we tossed streamers, which received crazy fast hits, almost a “nips” really. Then more fish started to feed on top, I switched over. Finally starting to pick ‘em up when I went all the way down to #30. My first rare catch of an Apache was awesome. They have such big eyes and the patterns and colors are insane… another first. I fished the rest of the day with a big smile, I kept thinking of how cool this all is, and how lucky I was to be targeting these precious fish.

The glare was getting bad on our side f the river. We didn’t have waders on so crossing was not and option. My fly was so small I couldn’t see it so I tied on a #18 midge cluster and trailed the tiny, but deadly, Cheech’s Bunny Midge.

Aaron and I were fishing the corner when we observed and heard a fish shooting up the riffle…. “Was that a fish?” we both asked each other. We walked over and we could see what looked to be a 20” Bow right in the fast water. I cut off my trailing fly and lobbed my midge cluster up to the start of the fast water shoot and let it ride though. The fly was sucked under in the foam and I thought I was snagged. The fish was unaware of the situation so I wasn’t too worried. I had on 7x so I thought what the hell, and proceeded to jerk the fly in hopes to either dislodge it from the bottom or break it off and I can tie on another fly. After two quick pulls, I realized I wasn’t hung up on the stream bed… because my reel was screaming. We got a look at the fish when it went flying right by us, holy sh**!!!! Then the next though…I have 7x on. After an explosive fight, a bit of sweat and with a little luck we managed to land the fish. Aaron hoped in the river with his nice white shoes and netted that thing like his life depended on it. It was a huge 27” long x 16” girth 10lb Rainbow Trout!! (Another first) We were all pumped, what a day, what a trip and to think that my knot and 7x held was unimaginable…ultimately Aaron’s shoes paid a dirty price but it was worth it… I guess I owe Aaron a new pair of shoes ; )

After letting the fish go, we realized the time. We quickly packed up and hurried straight to the airport. Our fantastic vacation came to an end, it seemed too soon. The hospitality, tour, fishing, company, Native American informational side trips, braking into the old couples hotel with a credit card, fixing the jet boat starter, the food, the breakfast burritos, the fishing, the scenery, the 800+ miles in 3 days….was all too good to be true. I can’t wait to return!!

Enormous thanks to Aaron and his wife for taking the time to show us around. It was a great adventure and I can’t thank you both enough! Aaron’s work can been seen and read in most every major fly fishing publication. Keep an eye out, there will be some sick stuff coming out in the near future.

BIG Rainbow Photo provided by

Corey Kruitbosch

Check out Aaron’s photography and blog -->

http://aaronottophotography.zenfolio.com/

http://sleepinginthedirt.blogspot.com/

Corey Kruitbosch photoblog -->http://www.western-fly-fishing.info/

Cheech's flies --> http://www.flyfishfood.blogspot.com/

Published - Fly Rod & Reel, March 2009

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 06:16:00 +0000

A big thanks goes out to Greg Thomas. He did a superb job on the article. It was awesome talking about a fish to someone you held in high regards as a fisherman. Quite odd, as I always thought that if I ever got a chance to meet him, I figured it would be me asking him ; ) BUT I hope one day soon, I will have that opportunity.... Can you say...."Sea Run Cutts!"

Check it out --> March2009 issue
http://www.flyrodreel.com/

More photos found here --> http://www.flickr.com/photos/1bg/

Photo by Grizz

Now Back to the Previously Scheduled… Green River Trip

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:10:00 +0000

Guch invited a few of us to their annual "cast and blast" Green River tip. I was in, Grizz too. I was looking forward to the trip and needless to say, it was a much needed one. The past few weeks really sucked and I hadn't been on the water in 2 weeks. I was looking forward to a bit or R&R.

4am came early, Guch crashed on the couch and was up and running when by the time I was wiping the sleep out of my eye. That's about the time Grizz showed up. We packed the car and headed off to I-80, towards 3 days of paradise.

With in 30 minutes of traveling we hit the tail end of the storm…or was it the beginning.. not sure. Anyway, we hadn't driven for more than an hour or so when all hell almost broke loose. It was snowing and we were driving very slowly in the slow lane when we came up on a semi. Grizz did what anyone would have done and signaled over to the fast lane to pass. That's when the semi started to loose it. The oversized truck and trailer began to fish tail. Grizz pumped his breaks (probably driving on ice) and proceed to try and back of. The truck is still swerving from side to side and I sure we were all thinking that this is not going to be good. The ABS breaks were working, you could feel it, but we were still sliding. The truck made a giant fish tail to the left across the entire lane, the trailer was almost horizontal to the truck pulling it. It was crazy. I pictured the truck flipping and us slamming right into the gas tank ;) The guy somehow pulled it off and recovered. Unbelievable! Then he pulled over to the side of the road where I'm certain he changed his shorts. I rolled down the window and gave him a thumbs up, he stared at me with wide eyes. We were all very lucky. Grizz executed the slit second moment with poise. I'm sure a bit nerved but in control the entire time. Whew…. That was a close one.

We arrived at the lodge to get the guys who came in the night before. Hit the shop and headed down to the water. Everyone split up and did their thing - some of the guys headed down for a cast and blast, while some of us headed up stream.

It was only a mater of time before Grizz was tight – a "bottoms up". He stuck a few more Browns out of the same area before moving on. I had some small Rainbows to hand nymphing, but noting of incredible size but fun colorful fish nonetheless.

The guys moved on while I stayed and nymphed. Eventually I was bored and moved on in hopes of finding sippers…. which I did. It was a fun hour of a hatch. I was able to test out a cool pattern that produced on the MP. It was a success. The hatch ended…err… I put the rest of the fish down so I abandoned my hole and headed to fresh water.

Around the corner I saw the guys huddled up… I also saw about a hundred sipping fish – the entire river was feeding. The excitement built up, I anticipated some dry fly action. I started walking faster, thinking that the guys were re-rigging their streamer set-ups to dry's and I wanted some action too. The closer I got the more loudly I could hear them, whispers turned into a loud laughter. By the time I arrived at the huddle I could see what the commotion was all about – peppermint schnapps. The boys were having a good ol' time in the 20 degree, overcast weather ; )

"You gettin' em'?" I asked

"Naw" they laughed.

The fish are going nuts I said

Huh…err…wha? They said

"Look over there" I pointed to an eye full of fish …all feeding.

"WHAT THE #*&^!!! " They said, surprised ; )

Seems they didn't even notice. Troy Watanabe the fearless leader of Guch's riffraff grabbed his rod and ran straight to the water and started casting and screaming like a mad man. We couldn't hear anything but mumbled words. In no time he as into on, then another and another… some landed some bucked him off. (Blank_) went down and started casting too, and hooked into his second fish, ever. Troy was tight as well, a double! The next cast Troy hooked into a brute. The fight was awesome; from my vantage point I could see two crazy Japanese guys screaming like mad men and a fish going nuts. I could tell from the water getting tossed in the air that this was a good fish. I ran down and snapped a few pics. It's safe to say that Karma listens as Troy has been a more than gracious host so far. It also his only time he is able to fish… so this fish is going to be the talk for an entire year, he he he. It was awesome!

For the next three days we stuck fish both underneath and on top. It was peaceful, it was quiet. I really enjoy the reverence and solitude of winter on the Green. It was a great trip, one I'll be doing next year for sure! Troy and Guch, Thanks for everything!

HB 187 ....DEFEATED TODAY....FINALLY!

utahcutthroat@gmail.com (BG) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:59:00 +0000

HB 187 ....DEFEATED TODAY....FINALLY!

After (3) substitutes Bills, (20) amendments, the Bill failed in the House, a 43-31vote today, March 9, 2009.

The public did the unthinkable, again. Not only did they sink the Bill the first go around, but they did it again for the second time today, 3/9/09. A great deal of determination, spirit and integrity stood up and brought down HB 187 AGAIN!!!! HB 187 has been defeated once and for all!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who wrote their Representatives, called, lobbied, informed, spoke out, went with out sleep, work, food and fishing to fight for something we believe in…time and time again. Even though we encountered a few bumps in the road, we all stood together to see it through till the bitter end. Today our elected Representatives spoke on behalf of the people and once again, today, the people were heard! Everyone played a big roll in this victory, congratulations and bravo for sticking it out.

The next phase will be working to get a respectable Bill passed that meets on common ground, one that is reasonable to the Utah Supreme Court Ruling, and fair to all citizens. We must remain motivated and watchful in our attempt to protect our waters. Value our freedom and civil rights by taking care of our resource for generations to come.

Link to final vote – http://le.utah.gov/~2009/status/hbillsta/hb0187s3.007h.txt

We have (2) more request.

1. Please write your Representative(s) and let them know how they did. We sent thousands of emails and they answered hundreds of our calls, we need to extend our hand and say thank you! They worked hard for us; let them know you appreciate it.

If you’re rep voted “yes,” it’s perfectly fair to ask them for an explanation, particularly if they went against something they said previously. It’s OK to call them on it so long as it’s done respectfully. It’s also good to point out anglers CAN and WILL work with landowners to find a permanent solution. We just need to be part of the process from the start. No more of this back-door, secret, “my way or the highway” stuff.

2. Please use our precious resource with respect, humility and pride. Pick up that trash, repair that broken fence, mend the relationships with landowners and respect private property. We will be looked at very closely this year, let make sure we show them we are Guardians of the water and Stewards of the land. This year it’s extremely important to abide by the law and make the effort to lend a hand to landowners. This is just as important as eliminating the Bill.

Thanks again everyone, it wasn’t easy and we appreciate your honest efforts. My hat it of to you all!!!! We all came together with a unified voice…. residents and non-residents alike, extraordinary work everyone!

Well done!

See you on the water,