A fishing trip and so much more

I made it through the first week  of school and classes are great, but had been looking forward to the weekend with such excitement because my dad and his wife are up at the family ranch for a visit.  I loaded the truck up with a cooler, the camera, the dog, and my fly rod with the intent of spending the majority of the weekend on the river in some fashion or another.

The drive up along the Coeur d'Alene river was gorgeous as always.

The Palouse eco-region undulates along a road that covers some of the most productive soil in the United States, yet it is also one of the most threatened due to wind and water erosion as a result of industrial farming.  The hills were gold with wheat, ready to be threshed, processed, and shipped around the world. 

I drove the Thompson Pass, down into the town I've spent so much time in.  The weekend was sure to be packed, as I was with the folks, but I was also meeting my friend Joe, out on the Thompson River for a day of fishing.  We met at 9 a.m. and drove west of town to the outdoor sports shop so I could purchase a Montana fishing license.  I almost forget sometimes that Thompson is in Montana, I guess since it's so close to where i live in north Idaho.

Thompson River gold

Joe rigged up my 5 weight fly rod with a #10 Caddis, but since I had no idea how to accurately cast a fly line my rig was slapping the water like a hopeless beginner (I've since been practicing in the large field by my house, and have made big improvements).  Joe offered up a spinning reel, which he noted that some of his friends may consider it "meat", but nonetheless, it's how I grew up fishing.  Within a few casts I had hooked a nice Cutthroat Trout, but as it hit the stoney bank, it's thrashing around tore the line and it swam off with a nice Rapala lure in its grasp.

Joe casting out on the Thompson

The day got late and it was soon too hot to fish with much result, so Joe and I hopped in my truck and headed north toward 17 mile bridge, listening to Jefferson Airplane, Chris LeDoux, and many more favorites.

We drove languidly along the gravel Forest Service road and even considered taking a very long detour, but fuel was running low, and I guess you can say it leaves another adventure on the table for the next time I visit Thompson.