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On Saturday January 8th, 2011 I headed up to the South Fork of the Boise River below Anderson Dam. My main objectives were to determine if my new Plott Hound dog is a “water dog” and also get some exercise. One of my objective in taking this short trip WASN’T to get hopelessly stuck but…mission accomplished for getting stuck.
Snow, Weather and Roads
I checked the weather forecast just before leaving the house and saw there was a 30% chance of snow. When driving my non-4-wheel drive Nissan Titan, snow is a concern so I knew I’d have to watch the sky for signs of snow. The skies remained blue bird clear the entire time I was in the river canyon. Temperatures above the canyon were in the 16-21F range but once I got down below the Dam, temperatures were in the mid to upper 20F’s.
The road heading down to the river next to the Dam was a combination of gravel, dirt, mud and ice. The muddy section going down the steeper portion got my heart rate up as I slid and slipped somewhat. Once down the hill, the South Fork Road is totally packed snow and ice but easy driving. For the most part, there is a 6-10 inch snowpack along the river.
Getting Stuck in a Rut
On my way back, I decided to head into one of the plowed boat launch areas. Getting into the parking lot entailed making a 120 degree turn that my Titan isn’t made for. So when I saw I wasn’t going to make the turn (at about 3mph) I stopped and tried to back up. Well, to make a long story short, I didn’t have the traction to back up on the slight incline I was sitting on. I was stuck in a ½ inch deep rut under my power wheel. Thankfully a guy in a blue Jeep from either Twin Falls or Teton County pulled me out of this rut. Lesson learned…carry some sand bags in the bed of the truck.
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Fishing Report
While I didn’t fish on this trip, I talked to 4 different groups. All had their fishing stories to tell and all were different. The first guy had been fishing since early morning and said the fishing was great all day. Two other groups of fly fishermen indicated it was a slow fishing day but they caught some big rainbows. One group of 3 fly fishermen I didn’t talk to but watched from nearby seemed to be doing quite well. I watched these guys for about 10 minutes and saw 2 fish being hauled in.
Water Dog?
My dog isn’t a natural water dog I guess. She didn’t have any problems wading in the river but I could tell she wasn’t thrilled with the idea either. Maybe when things warm up she will dive right in and catch a few rainbows for her dinner? Heck, would that even be legal?
Leave a Comment About This Article
Have you been fishing this winter? Let’s hear what you’ve been catching. Been to any cool places this winter? I’d like new places to go on weekends. Just leave a comment.
