Here are a few images of Silver Creek looking upstream and downstream from the Kilpatrick Bridge. These shots were taken today. Yesterday, as part of phase 1 of the Kilpatrick Pond Project, Silver Creek was re-routed (the temporary new channel is near the bottom of the Kilpatrick Pond) and the bottom of the pond emptied to begin work on the dam and the pond.
Silver Creek looking upstream from the Kilpatrick Bridge.
Silver Creek looking below the Kilpatrick Bridge.
Silver Creek looking downstream of the Kilpatrick Bridge.
Here is a rising trout diptych taken near Picabo on Silver Creek recently.
Rise Form Diptych. Silver Creek, Idaho
We are in the midst of some warm beautiful weather that is slated to end soon. Here are a few images of my son Charlie from last night...
Tilt Shift
The image below is featured in the new 2014 Trout Unlimited Calendar. Here's the link to the TU web site to order your calendar: Trout Unlimited
Tail Slash. Rainbow Trout. Silver Creek, Idaho.
Sunset. Picabo, Idaho. October.
Picabo, Idaho
Queen's Crown & Moon. Picabo, Idaho. Fall.
Queen's Crown & Moon. Picabo, Idaho.
Camera: Nikon D3s
Lens: Nikon ƒ2.8 14-24
Seated and at the end of a day, Pablo hooked a nice rainbow.
Enjoying the moment...
Brent Bernard checking his wingspan. Big Lost River, Idaho.
Getting it done from above.
Mahogany Dun. Idaho.
Moose Family.
Despite our recent weather it is a drought year and the Mackay reservoir is below 8% of capacity and has left a lot of exposed lake-bottom. Below is a series taken today of the Mackay Reservoir mud....
Mackay Reservoir, Idaho.
Mackay Reservoir. Bobber, line and duck.
Mackay Reservoir. Fish skeleton.
Mackay Reservoir. Feather.
Mackay Reservoir. Kokanee Salmon Carcass.
We have been in the midst of a lot of weather since the beginning of September and immediately after our fires. The Big Wood River jumped from about 187 cfs to 522 cfs and still has essentially zero visibility downstream of Warm Springs Cr. Even Trail Cr., which was not effected by fire, was blown out today. Here are a few images taken over the last few days.
Lost River Range. Early Fall.
Mackay Reservoir. Fall.
Copper Basin. Early Fall.
Old Boots. Abandoned Cabin. Mackay, Idaho.
Trail Creek Pass. September.
Fall is here with snow and rain and it's a bit cold and low clouds cling to the soft hills like over protective ghosts and dessicated chokecherries lay on the saturated ground and the air radiates with sage and earth.
Rise Form & Reflection I. Silver Creek, Idaho.
Rise Form & Reflection II. Silver Creek, Idaho.
Camera: Nikon D3s
Lens: Nikon afs ƒ2.8 80-200
Here are three images of mine included in the most recent issue of The FlyFish Journal.
Jared Kirby, pictured, releases a Silver Creek Brown during the heart of the Brown Drake hatch. Idaho. The FlyFish Journal issue 5.1
Hoppers at Silver Creek. The FlyFish Journal issue 5.1
Backlit Brown Drakes. Silver Creek, Idaho. The FlyFish Journal issue 5.1
Seeing Callibaetis on the Lower Big Lost River can happen. There is enough still water on the periphery and weedy slow banks in spots where they can be seen doing their frenetic up and down dance.
Callibaetis. Big Lost River, Idaho
Early Fall.
Rainbow. Idaho. Early Fall.
Below are a few images taken today of a small portion of the burned area from the Beaver Creek Fire near Sun Valley, Idaho. This fire burned over 112,000 acres this August.
Cottonwood
Cottonwood II
New Growth
Camera: Nikon D3s
Lens: Nikon 14-24mm ƒ2.8
Pictured is a Colorado Fine Spotted Cutthroat Trout caught in the Big Lost River watershed. The Big Wood River is still chocolate milk (off color with no visibility) and we are in the midst of another thunderstorm cycle which will likely produce more silt and mudslides as a result of the burned area from the Beaver Cr Fire.
Cutthroat Trout. Idaho.
Camera: Nikon D3s
Lens: Nikon 14-24mm ƒ 2.8
Below is an image of an aspen grove out Greenhorn Gulch which was in part of the Beaver Creek Fire burn area.
Burn Area & Aspen Grove
Wildlife has undoubtedly been displaced since the Beaver Creek Fire. Pictured below are two calves and a cow moose that lived across the street from me for about a week after the recent fire.
Cow & Calves. Hailey, Idaho.
Below is an image of fields and a road near Picabo, Idaho. The crop in the foreground was barley (it is just stubble in the image) and is a major crop along with alfalfa in the lower Wood River Valley.
Picabo Sky
I took the image below on the 31st of August as The Kelley Fire near Featherville, Idaho was starting to really get going. At the same time we were recovering from The Beaver Creek Fire and the smoke in the Wood River Valley was finally gone. Fortunately, The Beaver Creek Fire is 100% contained and The Kelley Fire is at 40% containment and has burned approx 16,000 acres (this info is from InciWeb). We have had significant thunderstorms here with more slated for today.
The Big Wood River is completely blown out and is black in color with zero visibility up to Baker Creek and is mud colored all the way up to Galena Lodge.
Nature Conservancy Cabin, Sun & Smoke. 8/31/13
Silver Creek and a smoky sunset.
Fluff Wood, pictured is a Challis Idaho BBQ phenom. He is as friendly as his smile and his BBQ is exquisite in the great way a casual, no-frills, simply prepared BBQ can be. Think Traeger smokers on a trailer with everything and more you would want... OK, and ribs!
Fluff Wood
The other morning I drove in the west entrance to the Nature Conservancy and encountered a herd of elk that was pretty strong in numbers. They kicked up a bit of dust and were back-lit and agitated. Sandhill Cranes flew low dizzying circles over alfalfa and recently cut barley and sometimes landed deftly like long-winged bombers on a short and final. The National News no longer played stories of the Beaver Creek Fire but the smoke had left for the most part and the crowds had mainly left in a frenetic race to escape and left Silver Creek as it often is on a late August morning.
Elk. Silver Creek Preserve, Idaho.
Here are a few images from a recent trip over to the Big Lost River. The Tricos are still happening but probably starting to slow... If you are wondering how the fire is here, the skies are clear of smoke and it's beautiful. We have been in the evening thunderstorm cycle which has given us small but much needed hits of rain.
John Huber & A Bent Rod. Big Lost River, Idaho.
Big Lost River, Idaho.
Female Trico Dun. Big Lost River, Idaho.
Ok..., the image below looks like 4 fishermen all fishing together. What's wrong with the picture is that all 4 fisherman were NOT fishing together. I witnessed the two fisherman farthest upstream in the image enjoying a great morning to themselves. A crew of 3 descended upon the river and commenced fishing right next to and in the same run as the 2 other fishermen who had been there for an hour or so. I had to take a picture of this. Most fly fisherman have a great sense of etiquette but it is almost always a small few who just don't care about anything but themselves even if they are two hours late getting to the only spot on the river they know... Mutual respect for one another does go a long way.
Bad Etiquette 101
First, here's an image of a female Trico dun taking a morning downstream ride on the Big Lost River.
Female Trico Dun.
I recently had the opportunity to photograph a family on Silver Creek the other night and here is a favorite from that shoot:
A bent rod over Silver Creek.