Here's a moody moving water shot I took a few nights ago on the Big Wood.  It's a 30 second exposure at 21mm on my frequently used Nikon 14-24 2.8.  I am flying in to the Middle Fork of the Salmon tomorrow for 3 quick days.  I won't be posting here until I get back.  Looking forward to capturing some in-flight shots.  Given the low water at the moment the fishing on Saturday just might be good.  It's usually an unfishable mud bath in late May and early June.  We'll see...

Should the water not go up on the Lost this weekend the fishing there should be very good.  While the water levels should be fishable on the Wood, there are still quite a few spawning fish in the river.  Of our 3 main watersheds, rainbows spawn first on the Lost (often beginning the end of Feb.) then Silver Creek (from my recent walks rainbows have been done down there for at least two to three weeks) and finally the Big Wood where the rainbows will probably be done by the second week of June.  In any event, in my opinion our stream closures in April and May seem a bit arbitrary.  For whatever reason, low water years often fish quite well.

As my guide season is about to commence, I am hoping to post here daily--or as frequently as I can-- photographic journals of what I am seeing on the river.  It could be a spinner fall that catches my eye or the man behind the counter in Sammy's Gas station in Mackay.  This blog is not meant to be a typical fishing report.  If anything, I hope to encourage everyone just how valuable our water is.  My approach is usually on the subtle side but you will occasionally be seeing pics of dewatered or altered rivers.  As water is a lifesource, I find it first and foremost my most compelling subject and issue.