Nothing better than hitting up Fox Creek on a hot ass day. Water was crystal clear and we could see trout patrolling, evaluating bugs, and popping up to swallow them. One little brookie, one little cutty.

Fiona scored her first fish fight on a fly rod!

Really sparse! We flogged the water for hours across Friday, Saturday and Sunday and got one tiny trout on a lure. He broke off at my feet so I didn't get a get look at him. Gorgeous country though. Quick notes on the water:

• Henry's Fork upper near Big Springs: Really fishy, but very popular summer river float destination. Not my favorite for that reason.
• Henry's Fork Lower near Ora Bridge: I know this place rocks, even though I wasn't able to pull anything out. Will be returning.
• Harriman's Fish Pond: No go! We stopped to check it out and at least when we were there in early July, it was an algae-choked swamp.
• Madison River: We dipped up into Montana to check out Three Dollar Bridge. Again, another super promising looking spot, but the river moved quickly and so the drifts were very short. Felt like we needed a demo of how to fish it.

This is my happy place, even if the fish don't bite. Throwing double PMD, PMD + emerger, hoppers, and even chucked a lure to try to inspire some confidence. Nothing worked with the picky buggers tonight.

Lots of rises, wasn't able to figure out the insect or possibly presentation.

Took Fiona's new rod out for a spin. Chucked some lures with the paddleboard rod and landed a couple small brookies.

one beautiful brookie. no pics

Went out to Packsaddle for a few flicks this morning. Water was boiling with rises, but I couldn't seem to throw anything they wanted seriously. Looked like small PMDs, emergers, some spinners. I think I need a fleet of the smaller sizes and to work on my presentation. Correction to swap to 4x tippet with a triple surgeon on the end of my leader came likely too late. Still learning.

Not much to report on today, other than the thunderstorms rolling their way across the valley. One hit on a small cutty (I think). Trying out some single hook lures on the new spin casting setup.

South Bates has a problem with algae the other put-ins don't seem to. Floating islands of green scum wander past you. It gloms onto dries and nymphs alike.

I caught a single cutthroat, but it was beaute. It hit on a pink worm fly somehow in the middle of all of the algal muck.

First float of the season on my neighbor's Flycraft. 8 fish total for me. Lots of success with duracells and pheasant tails.

Big descent into the canyon for some pocket water.

Awesome time. 11 Fish. Mostly rainbows and brookies.