Two Wyoming Creeks - July 31, 2020

Recently I went on a "new water" discovery trip. Some of the creeks I fished were a bust, but a couple were OK. Here is a video of a couple creeks I fished in Western Wyoming. 

Bozeman Flyworks Tippet

Over the past many years I have been using TroutHunter fluorocarbon tippet. It has worked very well for me, and I love the fact that it comes in half sizes. I mainly use 5.5X. But like most all fluorocarbon tippet, TroutHunter is expensive. 

But over the past few months I've been using Bozeman Flyworks fluorocarbon tippet. I like the fact that it is so much less expensive ($9.75 USD at the time of this writing)! And for that price you get 55 yards (TroutHunter is 50 meters, or 54.6 yards)! It seems to work very well and I haven't notice any issues like weakness, chaffing, knot failure with it. The spools are the right size for my Zimmerbuilt Strap Pack (that I use as my chest pack) and the spools snap together. I usually only carry 5X and 6X, so I don't need a lot of room. 

But there are a few things that make me wonder if Bozeman Flyworks tippet is really fluorocarbon. First is the cost. Although the spools are labeled as "Fluoro" they cost as if they are nylon. Second, this tippet stretches much more than any fluorocarbon tippet I've had prior. Fluorocarbon tippet usually doesn't stretch that much whereas nylon tippet stretches enough that it can act like a "shock tippet". 

I've noticed that the reviews for this stuff are quite good. Amazon reviews note that the product is in evolution and it seems to be getting better. There are discussions online that fluorocarbon resin is only made by a few chemical companies, so it makes me wonder where Bozeman gets their tippet.

But all in all, I'm not sure it really matters. I'm a fluorocarbon guy, always have been since it was introduced as tippet material, but I know it's not without controversy. The environmental impact of fluorocarbon is always important to consider - fluorocarbon doesn't break down in UV light like nylon does. In other words, fluorocarbon is not biodegradable and as environmentally friendly. Still, I like how it casts and so I use it. I try to carefully gather up any stray fluorocarbon line that I break off and wind it on my thermometer, to take home to the trash. 

Despite the questions I have and the environmental controversy, I like Bozeman Flyworks fluorocarbon tippet well enough that for now I'll keep using it. It seems to work just fine and it brings me a big bang for the buck!

Here's a video where I talk about it a little:

Finally Made it!

There is a stream that I've wanted to fish for years, but the stars never lined up for me to go. This year I finally made it! It's not that far from my home in Victor, but it's just far enough out of the way that it kept me from going.

The drive in is not that bad; the road was very manageable and the views where great! I had a hard time keeping my eyes on the road, as the views if the Tetons was stunning. 

I had read some reports of fishing in that general area but none from this particular stream. I generally fish the same streams and creeks over and over until I develop a mental map of where each lie and each trout is. But I do enjoy fishing new waters as well. I do get a little anxious on what species, size and number of trout I'll find, but that's half the fun of new water - right?

The stream was very wadable. There were areas that were too deep, but none that were too fast. I used the Oni Type-I and a 12' #3 line. To this I added 6X tippet. For fly, I chose a #12 Oxford wool kebari, jun style. The air was 75°F and the water 53°F; just perfect!

Over the course of my time on the water I caught Yellowstone cutthroat trout. They were from 8 to 11 inches, so nothing huge. But they were all beautiful and healthy. I didn't take many pictures of the fish, why? Because I was too lazy, and I was enjoying myself!

I will definitely be back, maybe even this year. Conclusion: new water is fun!

New Waters - July 17. 2020 morning

Last week I did a little exploring. On the 17th I fished three different creeks; one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening. This post is about the morning creek. 

I had wanted to fish this particular creek for quite some time now. But, as life would have it, I had never got around to it. But I finally did on July 17th. 

I didn't know where to start, as little is written about this creek in the usual source books or online. So I chose a spot away from the camping and Razr riding hoards, and started fishing. 

The creek turned out to be a winner! The trout were Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and although they weren't of any significant size, they were many and willing. This creek would be a great place for a beginner!

I used the Nissin Air Stage Fujiryu 360 5:5 (one of my favorite rods) and paired it with a 310 cm #3 fluorocarbon level line. I added 90 cm of 6X tippet to this.  The combination worked well. Here, see for yourself:

Coming up, the afternoon session at a creek I'd fished years ago, but got skunked. I was back for revenge!