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2018 2-Fly
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Five veterans and one volunteer from the Long Beach PHWFF program traveled to Dubois, Wyoming, where we were surrounded by the spectacularly beautiful Wind River Range, the Absarokas and the Tetons to the West.  Dubois is at 7,000 ft and things just went up from there.

Group at Brooks Lake

Group at Brooks Lake

We stayed in the very comfortable and conveniently located Flying W Vacation Rental, within walking distance of downtown restaurants and shops, and fished with three great guides from Dunoir Fishing Adventures.   The Wind River was too high and too dirty to fish because of a massive slide so we went to alternate fishing locations.   The first day we fished Brooks Lake, followed by two other drainages in the Absarokas on subsequent days. We caught primarily cutthroats, a few rainbows and a brown, all with brilliant coloring, which was fitting in such a gorgeous environment.

Lisa Ornelas with cutthroat

Lisa Ornelas with cutthroat

One day was spent in the Tetons and Friday night we went to the Dubois rodeo which was fun.   It was unsettling to be in grizzly country the whole time, passing by a lot of “Be Bear Aware” signs, carrying bear spray, and guides with guns yelling “Hey Bear” as we hiked through the willows.  The grizzlies ignored us but the same cannot be said of the constant mosquitoes.   I can’t imagine this trip without DEET.

Teton Overlook

Teton Overlook

Dubois wasn’t the easiest-to-get-to destination, but being there was worth it.  The one universal aspect of this trip was how friendly everyone was all along the way.  And then there are those beautiful mountains on all sides.

Jim Graham

Jim Graham