Baby Got Back-Country

After we fish the Provo River, Bill and I are going to drive from Utah County (about half-an-hour south of Salt Lake City) down to the Navajo Dam in New Mexico where we'll fish the San Juan river. Along the way, we'll pass within spitting distance of several absolutely amazing National Parks. The raw beauty of Southern Utah is truly awe inspiring, at least in my opinion. When I was in college, I dated a girl who grew up near Seattle and as we were driving through one of Utah's desolate canyons she remarked at how ugly it was. The ensuing discussion was a turning point in our relationship. (Translation: I realized I could not spend my life with such a clueless person.)

The high country National Forest areas in the southern half of Utah offer excellent fishing and get relatively little traffic. But there's a reason why they get little traffic and it's not because the fishing is poor. It's because they are in the middle of nowhere. If Bill and I had unlimited vacation time and a four-wheel-drive vehicle we could spend the entire summer in the Dixie National Forest and never fish the same creek or lake twice. The problem is, we'll be in a minivan with a schedule to keep so back-packing into remote water isn't really an option.

We're going to try to fish at least one relatively unknown stream on our way down to New Mexico, but since it's going to have to be within short walking distance of a paved road, our options are going to be somewhat limited. But we'll do our best.