
Tugs the Drugs! Fly Fishing on the Upper Selway River
27/08/2012I’d spent the night in a stunning log cabin at River Dance Lodge in Idaho. At 8am the next morning I met Shane Reynolds, my expert fly fishing guide on the Upper Selway and Middle Fork of the Clearwater Rivers. Just after 9am we pushed off from the bank in Shane’s custom made 5.7m Dory-style aluminum drift boat high on the Upper Selway, which drains into the Clearwater. Within 10 minutes I’d hooked and netted my first cutthroat trout . . . a nice 14-inch specimen.
It was still two weeks away before the start of the Steelhead and Salmon season so cutthroat was our target today. In the air smoke filled the sky from nearby forest fires, at times the smell of burning wood permeated the air. Within an hour we had spotted a bald eagle on the side of the riverbank, overhead an osprey circled the river. In total we drifted down these two rivers for eight hours . . . and to say it was the best trout fishing day I’ve ever had is an understatement! Shane reckoned we had netted upwards of 20 catch and release trout . . . which for me is a record.
Go to: www.riverdancelodge.com or www.rowadventures.com
For all your angling needs visit Idaho Angler in Boise who offer fly tackle and accessories, outdoor clothing and watercraft. Go to: www.idahoangler.com