Labor Day triggers a hatch of fifth-wheels on Highway 93. Warm weather residents haul mobile dwellings back home to hibernate for the winter. Summer is winding down in the tiny towns along the Big Lost Range. Local residents settle into fall.
Fly fisher's thoughts turn to the river. Low flows make for easy access. A variety of hatches entice trout to the surface. Heads appear and disappear as fish rhythmically sip small flies in slow-moving glassy water.
The slick water and small fly require a delicate presentation on the finest tippet to disguise the artificial lure.
In faster water, October Caddis skitter across the surface. Hungry trout launch themselves headlong toward the flying feast. It is not unusual for one fish to miss and another to immediately take flight.
Fall is a beautiful time in the valley, but it is especially beautiful on the river.
(All Photos and Art by C.R. Bell.)