When you read about the Routt National Forest area, you will be warned about the "burn" areas where fires came through several years ago. If you decide not to hike or backpack in a past "burn" area, you may be really missing out. I was awed by the striking beauty of this "burn" area.
I found myself standing around looking up. I guess this is part of natures proccess and natures unusual way of presenting itself to us. I would have never thought this area would make such an impression on me.
One of the very cool things about a burn area is that sunlight gets to the forest floor in ways it may have not been able to for 30, 50 or 100 plus years. The flowers and the lush undergrowth is magnificent.
This beautiful meadow is one of those stop and make you stare spots. I found myself just standing here not wanting to leave. Then I looked at my watch and realized I wanted to catch fish more than admire the meadow.
I am a dry fly fisherman. Every once in a while I feel like I should be nymphing, as if I need to make sure I'm not too much of a snob to nymph fish. This was the day to try nymphing and it did not go well. I nymphed for 75 minutes before I gave up. I caught no fish and I was frustrated.
So I tied on a big old yellow sally stimulator and a #14 brown caddis and caught fish until I had to leave. The fish pictured was almost 12 inches and just before I had to leave I found this deep pool. I pounded this pool over and over and three times small brookies jumped fully out of the water and missed my fly. It was very strange. And then, WHAM! I hooked into Mr. Big and it was a trip on my number 6 tippet. He turned out to be almost 14 inches. What a beautiful brook trout.