Our base of operations was the Boulder Lake Lodge, on Boulder Creek, upstream from the eastern end of Boulder Lake, on the southwest edge of the Wind River Range. The food was home cooked, plentiful and delicious. The staff was warm and friendly. Unlike most guests, Bill and I did not keep ourselves separate from the staff. We pitched in to help them work and made friends.
We fished a part of the time around the lodge, up and down Boulder Creek, particularly just below the dam, where we found the most consistent bites and the biggest fish. We caught many trout. One day we rode horses up on the Wind River Range mountains to Blueberry Lake. The ride gave us great views down on the plains around Boulder Creek. The minute we got off the horses Bill rushed to the lake and cast a lure. While I was still rigging up my rod, he was reeling in a big trout. We both thought, oh boy, this is going to be good fishing. Then they stopped biting. That one first fish was all we caught the whole day. The wrangler who guided us to the lake made a big lunch over an open campfire. He grilled a steak for each of us, plus a baked potato and fresh salad. It was good and filling.
Another part of the time we spent on the Green River, near the town of Pinedale. One day we went to a private land holding called Mosquito Ranch bordering the Green River. Bill found the ranch by asking around town to people we ran into, how to get access to the river. It was well named. Crossing the fields from the road to the river we were absolutely covered by hundreds of mosquitoes, the most I have ever seen in my life. The fishing was okay. We each caught a couple of trout, but not any of the big lunkers that we were expecting.
The final part of the time we went to the western edge of Wyoming, near the Idaho border, west of the town of Big Piney, and fished in several creeks in the Wyoming Range, sometimes in sight of the Oregon Trail. These creeks had smaller fish, but they were wilder and more remote, surrounded by willow thickets and beaver swamps. The fishing was more difficult, but more satisfying. We caught plenty of wild trout.
A good time was had by all. Here is to when we can go back.
