Welcome to High Country Fly Fishers

This year, the Henry’s Fork Foundation obtained a federal grant of $1 million to partially fund the DIRTT Plan ( Developing Infrastructure to Reduce Temperature and Turbidity).  HFF needs to raise $50,000 of matching funds for this grant.  Many HCFF members fish the Henry’s Fork and the South Fork and their tributaries.  We would like to help HFF raise the $50,000 needed for the matching grant.  HCFF will match all new donations up to $1,000.  We ask you to join us with your donation to help fund the DIRTT Plan.  

Above is the Henry’s Fork as it flows through the Railroad Ranch.

Trout Unlimited’s appeal to the membership last week was successful.  The Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 was passed by the House of Representatives last week!

Abandoned mines across the U.S. continue to pollute our lands and waters, threatening coldwater streams and the trout they support. Good Samaritans like Trout Unlimited and state agencies are ready to step up and clean these sites, but outdated laws expose them to legal liability for pollution they didn’t cause. Both Utah Senators co-sponsored the bill.  The legislation is waiting for President Biden to sign it.

Most of these abandoned mines are in the western states – where we fish.  Utah alone has over 17,000. Many others are scattered around Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.  It will take time, but, once remediated, these abandoned mines will stop polluting western waters.

 
“We were on the bank, sans boats, so no trolling. Ice was starting to form on the lake and stacking up against the dam. You never get the same number from the bank, if, for no other reason than you aren’t covering the same amount of water. We didn’t do much the first few hours, maybe four between us. We should have moved earlier, but we didn’t for some reason. Finally about 3:00 P.M., we moved to another spot, and, voila! we found fish. I got six or eight in the last hour and a half. Pat got four or five in the last hour; she had to leave before me. We each got a smallish one (14” or so). The rest were 20″ +. Balanced leeches were the flies of the day, particularly black.”

“From the bank, that’s a really great day.”

How to Party Like a Pro – The HCFF Christmas Edition
A huge shoutout to the masterminds behind this festive extravaganza – Jen Sockett and Todd Johnson. If throwing a perfect Christmas party were an Olympic sport, these two would be standing on the podium with gold medals around their necks. The evening was a roaring success, featuring mouthwatering food, comradery that’s found in a fraternity, and gifts so delightful, even Santa took notes.

To all the behind-the-scenes elves who pitched in before, during, and after the festivities – you are true MVPs. From setting the stage to sweeping up rogue bits of wrapping paper, your efforts did not go unnoticed.

A special thank you to all who attended – you brought the party to life! As the saying goes, “The more, the merrier,” and boy, did we prove that true. There were old friends, new friends, and plenty of moments that could fill a “Top 10 Holiday Memories” list.

It was the perfect launchpad for the Christmas season: full bellies, hearty laughs, and enough cheer to power a sleigh ride around the globe. So here’s to Jen, Todd, everyone who helped, and everyone who came – you’ve set the bar high for next year.