Several years ago my dad, Brian and I were heading up the road to Cottonwood about this time of year.  Cottonwood is an access on the South Fork of the Snake.  In the spring the road is closed about half way up.  We had to put in around Wolverine.  On the way up the road just past Wolf a little ways our dad starts talking about a spot in the river we are passing.

“You see this spot right here”, he points.  ”This is a great spot for big fish”.

Brian and I both stated we had been guiding a long time and had never seen a big fish in the spot. We both knew our dad had been guiding more that both of us put together times 2, but kids will be kids, even if they are about 25 and 30.

“Many years ago Wood Palmer wanted me to show him how to catch big fish”. Dad said. “We fished this section and we caught some really nice fish in that spot. There are very big trout in that area”.

Brian and I were not persuaded. We hardly ever caught anything in the spot he was talking about. We got to Wolverine and began our day. It was an overcast spring day with cool temperatures. As usual, fishing streamers along the soft current banks and drop-offs was producing trout. We were having a great day. Reaching the spot he had earlier pointed out, Dad told us to pull into the big fish spot. Brian and I were skeptical. It wasn’t long before Dad had a fish on. He was very excited, mostly because we had doubted him in this instance. “Hot Dog!”, he exclaimed.  ”Oh boy, oh boy”.

He showed us. It wasn’t the first and surely wasn’t the last either. Even though he is gone, he is still teaching us.

Randy on the South Fork

We were so lucky to have such a wonderful father that taught us so many things. He truly is a great man. There is not a day that goes by we don’t think of him and our mother, Sandy.