In late February when the snow's mostly gone down in the lower canyon country, we traditionally take a walk along Jones Hole Creek, located about an hour's drive east of Vernal. The state of Utah operates a Fish Hatchery at the end of the road. A trail that follows Jones Hole Creek starts at the hatchery and travels 4 miles to the Green River.
A few times we've been lucky enough to arrive at the Green River just in time for a baetis hatch. Here's one of the nice rainbows Steve brought in.
It's all catch and release, so we don't get dinner. The trout go back into the water to be caught another day.
Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep are native to the area, as is seen in Fremont culture rock art found along nearby Ely Creek.
The sheep were gone by the mid-1900's, probably hunted out, but they've been recently reintroduced. Along Jones Hole, which is largely in Dinosaur National Monument, hunting is prohibited. The bighorns have little fear of humans, making wildlife photography easy. This young male pair locked horns in play:
This duo had just rammed each other and now seem to be trying to decide what to do next.
Fly fishermen walk along the creek seeking the best fishing holes. Steve and our son Eric have caught many a rainbow and the occasional brown trout along the trail.
Fly fishermen walk along the creek seeking the best fishing holes. Steve and our son Eric have caught many a rainbow and the occasional brown trout along the trail.
A few times we've been lucky enough to arrive at the Green River just in time for a baetis hatch. Here's one of the nice rainbows Steve brought in.
It's all catch and release, so we don't get dinner. The trout go back into the water to be caught another day.
For more photos of fascinating worlds, click here.
I LOVE those rams!!! Can we have one? Sheba adds: "Pretty pretty please?" but for other reasons than myself... :-)
ReplyDeleteSending lots of warm greetings from West Africa,
Esther
My daughter needs to fish there. She can't stand the thought that the fish die when they are caught. (Her school had a field trip to a trout farm.) Really pretty and interesting place and post!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos of the bighorn sheep. Wonderful that they've been reintroduced, as the rock art does prove they were there at one time.
ReplyDeleteThose are really pretty animals. I look forward to seeing parts of Utah someday, it being so close to cali.
ReplyDeleteGreat myworld post once again Janie, I would love to fish there.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Guy
Regina In Pictures
I can't wait until the snow melts and we can hike that trail. Call us when you go!
ReplyDeleteJanie: What a neat look at the nature from your world.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking us on your trip! great photos! I enlarged them by clicking on them. And they are fabulous.
ReplyDeleteHi Janie, I am so glad that I found your blog. You and Steve live in the most interesting place---ones that I know almost nothing about. Amazing pictures... Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsyd
Wow, what photographs! That looks like an amazing place to visit: congratulations on the catch in the bottom photo too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful area. Your photography is wonderful. Every time I visit your site I want to take a trip westward.
ReplyDeleteThis is so different from harbour fishing and those rams look a handful.
ReplyDeleteAwesome shots! My faves are the cave painting and the actual bighorn below it. Perfect!
ReplyDeletewhat an interesting post about the bighorns and your part of the world. it is nice that they can live without fearing man :)
ReplyDeletehave a great week.
erin
I've heard the horns on the rams have actually decreased over the decades because historically the ones with the biggest ones were hunted preferentially. I'm not sure if that applies here, but its probably just good to have them back.
ReplyDeleteBummer. That looks like a tasty dinner. Shame you couldn't keep it! I can see if I ever venture out there, I'll need to invest in bigger, faster CF cards. So much to see!
ReplyDeleteBut the snow's mostly gone in late February?? That's just abotu the time ours gets started (if it's going to -- which isn't guaranteed).
I would love to see that countryside and the artwork of previous peoples.
ReplyDeleteLooks a great place for hiking and fishing..
ReplyDeleteOh those Rams are wonderful and looks like great fishing too!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos. How amazing to see the rams in person.
ReplyDeletebeautiful pictures country! Glad you visited a village home pages and a good week!
ReplyDeleteThat is some rugged beauty up in your neck of the woods, Janie. Great job covering all your family adventures on your blog. Beautiful camera work too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments on the clam digging post. Hope you stop by again!
It must be very hard to look after these animals. Are you fishermen by hobby? Do you ever eat the fishes?
ReplyDeleteThis trout would have been a nice dinner! Luckily for the fish it can go back and swim in this fresh mountain stream. The bighorn sheep look like the "Steinboecke" in the Swiss Nationalpark. They are imposing looking animals with their huge horns.
ReplyDeleteLuckily we are far away from these horrible fires. It is a very sad time for the people of Victoria.
They look more like goats then sheep. And thanks for releasing that sheep.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea the bighorns were so large. I hope they do make a healthy comeback. You don't even keep one trout for dinner? My husband throws back most of what he catches, but we do enjoy fresh fish.
ReplyDeleteGreat place for a photographer! Love the big horns!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos of the bighorn sheep.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Bighorn sheep are my favorite!
ReplyDeleteThe hatchery is a federal USFWS hatchery it is not operated by the state.
ReplyDelete