I sent you some classic wet flies and you emailed me a tip: "You must visit Bearpaw Mountain Lake," you said, "it used to hold lunkers. It's one of the few high lakes with a population of gammarus shrimp." You didn't survive covid and I promised myself I'd visit the lake in your memory. Today I drove the long logging road and hiked the steep 1.2 mile way-trail.
The lake was clear and we could see fish cruising on the bottom in 10 feet of water. They seemed keyed in on small chironomids We did well on size 14 wet flies (Greenwells Glory, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Bridgetts Black Nymph, Black Pennell) retrieved very very slowly on an intermediate line. My biggest took an Olive Carey Special which I fished for kicks just before leaving.
No lunkers, Lakes wax and wane just like people. Rest in Peace Bill. It was a delightful day and every time I thought of you I smiled. I left a couple flies on a tree on the island in case you wander by.
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