Fall Fishing In The Uinta Mountains

An evening in the Uinta mountains fishing with my grandson

It was an interesting and very enjoyable evening spent fishing in the Uinta mountains with my grandson.  We arrived late in the afternoon with just enough time to get in some good fishing and relaxing time before the sun began to set. 

Fishing with my grandson
nice monster rainbow
trout he caught

...To Build A Fire

The setting sun was about one fingers width above the mountains and as I had promised, it was time to build a campfire for my grandson, Tanner.  He helped me gather the kindling from the surrounding sage brush and watched as I split the white pine I had brought from home into progressively smaller pieces.  There is something really satisfying about splitting wood, and it is more than the old “wood warms you twice” adage.  For some reason you somehow have a relationship with the wood and are grateful as it gives up its structure for your warmth.

Then we started the fire with paper and matches.  Tanner could hardly keep from piling all the wood on at one time, so I showed him how to add a little wood at a time so the fire would burn down into nice coals and still keep a nice blaze going. 

Then The Stars Came Out To Play

My fishing buddy with another
trophy trout

It got too dark to fish and we pulled our folding chairs upwind of the fire and warmed our feet and hands.  The darkness gathered around us like an old familiar blanket.  The stars began to speak up and the Milky Way appeared; something I haven’t seen for a few months but still a familiar silver cloud of stars adorning the darkness.  It always reminds me that there is more out there, so much more.

And then, my attention was drawn back down and into the fire.  Sitting there, wrapped in my hoody was Tanner with his face aglow in the fire light.

Good Night Sweet Dreams

Is there anyting more beautiful
 than the outdoors?

It’s at times like this that I get in touch with something.  It is more than fishing and catching fish and crawdads.  It goes beyond a day spent fishing and enjoying the outdoors – the animals, trees, flowers and water that seem to fill my soul.  I don’t know what it is except that I saw it…in a child’s face lit by the campfire.

                                   Fenwick Fleigenbinder  9/5/2011




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