09-26-2022, 06:31 PM
I got started in 1967 at age 5. For my 5th birthday I got a Zebco push button rod-reel combo with a cork handle and a tackel box with a mini set of Xcellite needle nose pliers that my Grandpa bought at Ahlanders hardware in Provo. Still have the rod and pliers believe it or not. My dad took me to a spot on th Provo River right behind Community Press by the power plant in the mouth of Provo Canyon. There is a diversion dam for the Union Canal and that is where I caught my first trout. I was HOOKED instantly! I would ride my bike to that spot as a youth and catch browns on my own hand tied flies fished from a spinning rod with split shot. I would also hitch a ride in to Provo Canyon any chance I could and fish other spots all the way to Deer Creek dam. My favorite, however, was going to Strawberry with Dad and Grandpa. We didn't own a boat but did own an old Mercury 9.8 outboard motor. We would head up to Clark's or Frank Madsen camp and rent a wooden boat and fish the evening and morning bite. Indian Creek flowed in to the Berry right next to Madsen Camp through a concrete spillway to prevent fish from migrating up creek. The fast flow of water created a channel throught the moss beds right below the spillway that was epic fly fishing when the sun was not up. In those days you couldn't fish until 5:00 am but in order to get your boat close enough to the spillway you needed to get in position early. About 3:30 we would row our boat and anchor right on that channel as close to indian creek as possible. The boats would stack up waiting for the opening bell. At 5:00 my dad would cast a semi-sinking fly line and tell me to count to 30 and then "bug" it back in. I will never forget the thrill of hooking a large Yellowstone Cutthroat on one of my Dad's hand tied flies and fighting it on a 9' one piece fly rod that my dad had made. No reel used, just hand line the fly line into the bottom of the boat. That was well worth the lost sleep and shivering for an hour + waiting for fishing time. Thanks Dad and Grandpa, I can remember it like it was yesterday!