Big Bugs!!!

  When I was hooked on fly fishing years ago a friend told me of the salmon fly hatch in the black canyon and I was worked up over this .  For 6 months I planned my arrival of this hatch and in mid june me and my wife and pups headed for the black canyon to the chukker trail.  It was a rough ride in, but the tocoma got us there and then we went deep down the trail to the mighty river.  I was stoked to see some salmon flies but as time passed was so sad to find it was the end of the hatch with no luck catching any of those mighty fish I could see, thinking they were full.  Now I realize it was problably my skill  and they were not as dumb as I wish they were.    Many years later I have discovered this beauty happens so much closer to home.  4 out of five years I have hit the hatch on the Colorado,missing the last due to back surgery.  It has been a spiritual experience that almost makes me tear up some days when im in the presence of them flying all over the place you could mistaken them for birds in the sky at times.  Runoff useally is extreme and makes you work your ass off to get to this place but its well worth it and the hits from the browns can scare you so fast from the choclate runoff water.  This year with extreme low waters me and J rod headed in early expecting it to come early this year.  We were dead on as we got to our set up spot and to see the big oll flys on rocks.  It was Sunday and no one aroud and we were stoked to be alone with thease  amazing bugs.  We fished our way up and had alot hit the massive dry flys and more hit pats rubber lege trailing 3 ft under.  Back to the grind for a week knowing where I would be the next week and as my last night of work ended it was on.  Home to prepare my gear and as the sun rose on my birthday,me the wife and dogs headed up to the Colorado and 4x4 the oll tacoma down to the amazing camping spot right on the river.  There were heavy rains the day before and my good friend Chris was already on the river.  I crossed the river,allways wanted to but there was no chance in hell.  The 495 cfs flows made it possible and walked up quite a ways before setting up.  Amazed at how many people I saw due to reports and acsessability on the river with low flows but most on the other side I set my rig up. 2nd cast a big ass white fish hammered my pats and put up a great fight and it was on,I thought.  Saw Chris a ways up and the fishing slowed and the big oll flys did not seem to be around.  Fished quite a ways up and caught some  browns but seemed like the hatch had never happend.  Had a nice campfire that night with the fam and thought about packin out and hitting the blue on the way out.  Awoke and it was beutifully sunny and warm and contimplated my day.  Said screw it,Ill head up and see how it is. Crossed the river again and headed up river to the first canyon wall to have to take a few steps back and watch as the big oll salmon flys were taken flight like mad. It was a one of those moments in life you feel like a lucky chosen one to see something so amazing  that I choked on tears for a moment and watched the amazing  hatch.  After a bit I went back to fishing with my large dry to pats dropper and the water wat quite clear for this part of river,Slow but was watching them come up and smash from time to time. They seemed to like to come smash my dry and hit the pats.  After a mile and a half up stream I hit the jackpot!  First cast into a long run smash and it went on for a while and I was blown away to catch so many in the same spot.  Saw the wife and pups hikeing upn the other side then bam, had a big meat stick on and he ran down the rapids as I held my rod high slipping and stumbleing over the river run round rocks to chase him.  Finally got him to net amazed he did not break me off, thanks to 3X tippet and some luck.  Got a shot of him and sent him on his way.  Not 10 mins later and a few browns later bam!  Another big brown went running down river thru the rapids,behind rocks and took my ass slipping and slideing  till I got to the grass bank with him down to my backing with rod held high and tight inj the air to run about 100ft to the first  eddy and still had to work his ass in.  Shakeing as I neted him and pulled out my pnone to snap a shot as he slid out of my hand.  Oh well.  Those were the 2 best river fights ive ever had that I got to net.  Hit a few more browns in that spot and then the switch turned off.  That was one hour of my life I will never forget.  I made the long walk out with a sense of thankfulness to the man above that gave me the chance to have this day.  If youve never been in a salmon fly hatch I hope you get to experience it one day.  As for the fishing, Dont get your hopes up on that.  Remember you got to still be smarter then the fish.  If your lucky,they might just be plain oll crazy for an hour.