Redband Rainbow, Check!
Monday, August 17, 2009

Nine hours after my moronathon move, leaving my guitar in a taxi, I flew out to Idaho to visit my dad, kid brother and stepmom. And flyfish.

Devoted readers of this blog (mom) know I'm a nerd for native trout, that is trout that evolved in North American lakes and streams instead of ones stocked there by man.

I found out that in this part of Idaho there are native Redband Rainbow Trout. Rainbow trout are native to the West Coast but have subsequently been planted all over the United States. Special Redband Rainbows are native to a swath of the Northern Rockies just west of the Continental Divide. These fish are the evolutionary bridge between the West Coast's rainbows and the Rocky Mountain's cutthroats.

I'd never caught a Redband before and I was ecstatic to have the chance.

Mercy were they beautiful, all green and gold with a pink stripe, tan fins tipped with white, and pepper spots all over. I caught about 20 of 'em in a little mountain stream called Goose Creek. Used my first favorite fly, the Royal Wulff.

Thanks Dad for the pic.

Oh yes, making lots of long distance calls to New York's Taxi & Limousine Commission. Sigh.

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