Forest fires are beautiful and important

I know we've all been water boarded with Smokey Bear Kool-Aid but in reality, forest fires are crucial, important, and beautiful.  In the big picture, our management of forests and the streams that run through them has been far more destructive than even the most brutal forest fire.  Nowadays, everyone wants to build a McMansion in the middle of western forests, many which can't even reproduce without fire.  The 24 hour news cycle has made everything a million times worse by framing them as natural disasters rather than a natural and important ecological function.

I don't mean to be preachy but I'm awfully sick of assholes building their houses on the banks of meandering streams and/or in the timbers with no regard to the natural functions while the rest of us bail them out with big-time taxpayer dollars to protect their private land.

The world is not a cartoon, it's complicated!  Anyway, here's some pretty pictures of the Moonlight Fire in the Plumas National Forest, CA.  There may not be any fish, fly, or boat pictures but fire on the landscape and wild, native trout go hand in hand.  Nuff said.  If you want to talk fire science, leave a comment.

Ceonothus cordulatus - California white thorn is not your friend!

Finally getting settled into my temporary home

The past week has been insane!  I made it to a very remote part of northern California.  I'm currently stationed at an abandoned Forest Service camp and only get power and a shitty internet connection when the generator is on in the evening.  So, thanks for your patience as I worked everything out.

Although I'd WAY rather be in Montana right now throwing hoppers and getting worked up about the tricos, I'm in an extremely beautiful part of the country, working and hanging with some awesome folks, and there are some trout to be caught.

Here's some pics from my super-remote and breathtaking drive, as well as some shots from the reservoir I'm working/living next to for the next couple of weeks.

Smokey Salmon River near the 7 Devils

The lower Salmon River in Idaho is amazing!

Eastern Oregon road sign

Eastern Oregon is almost as remote as eastern Montana.  There was some really sexy high elevation streams that I'm going to hit on my way back.

Huge dry lake with no outlet

I walked out onto this dry lake.  It smelled funny, had really cool geology, and was like a giant, quicksand filled valley.

This is the shoreline of the reservoir I'm stationed by.  There are some nice stocker rainbows and a million smaller sized small mouth bass.  I found a fly shop in the area and got some info on places to explore this weekend.  Stay tuned for some northern California fishing adventures.