Wind River 12 days 7-3-23 to 7-14-23

[rvKsFCyybEp]

Robert. Many trips to the Winds, but never on the Res. We are headed to the Res in August. How is the trail from St Lawrence to Sonnicant? Downfall? The crossings seemed manageable. Thanks for any heads up.
Art

[robertseeburger]

Robert. Many trips to the Winds, but never on the Res. We are headed to the Res in August. How is the trail from St Lawrence to Sonnicant? Downfall? The crossings seemed manageable. Thanks for any heads up.
Art

The trail from St. Lawrence to Sonnicant is very good. There is minimal downfall.
It is important to take the higher trail..not the one that goes low via Movo Lake. The lower trail is not maintained after Movo Lake and there is a lot of deadfall and hard to follow. Also if you use the USGS topo map, it is wrong. You just need to be careful with navigation, but if you stay on the main trail to Sonnicant you are fine.

The other consideration is the road to St. Lawrence. It is a long way in, and while I have done it three times without any difficulty, I have heard stories of washouts after heavy rain. I think normal times it is ok, but if it has rained a lot in recent days it can be difficult.

[rvKsFCyybEp]

Thank you

[Wandering Daisy]

Think I missed you by a day near Sweetwater Gap. After 2 trips I am in Pinedale and going to hang out at GRL CG for a few days and fish the river. Monsoon rains have begun- I expect to get wet. A few days ago I got hit by a hailstorm- size if mothballs- thought my tent would be ripped apart. All ended well though.

Your trip report is great- such good photos with the clear air and lingering snow.

[robertseeburger]

WD.. looking forward to your trip reports! Would have been great if we had somehow met up..

[Wandering Daisy]

Well, I missed you by 2-3 days, not one. I just posted a trip report. You did a lot better fishing than I did.

[Wandering Daisy]

Well I finally read your report in detail. The large fish I have caught in some of those lakes were Yellowstone Cutthroat, not golden. They look similar. Did you catch any? Congratulations on such a successful trip! You deserve it after last year.

I am finally getting my trip reports done. I just posted two. You certainly did better fishing than I did. I am now thinking I should have gone earlier like you did. The rain did not let up later- in fact I was rained out for a while.

[Troutdog 59]

They have planted Tigers in the southern Winds. They put Tigers in Cow Lake. A kind of roadside pond near Fiddler Lake and at nearby U Silas Lake. Likely others. Either way kudos on the catch. I've only caught them at Boulder Mountain UT.

[Harlen]

Whatever species you caught, they were GIANT! I just punished myself with a return to peruse this great report... I just wish you hadn't caught such big fish. Sadly, Ian of the minnows.

[Wandering Daisy]

A bit late in the reply. As for planting fish, Finis Mitchell single handedly planted fish in hundreds of Wind River Lakes in the early (Post WWII) days. He also wrote a small guidebook which is now out of print. It is fun to read. Nowadays the G&F look down on those individuals who plant fish. In the time of Finis Mitchell, this was a common practice. There are lot of lakes that are not supposed to have fish, that do. Another story- later in early 2000's the G&F cut funding that required their biologists be on all fish planting drops by planes. One pilot who did not really know which lake he was above, dropped in a different species intended for a different lake. (rainbow, but not sure if that is correct) thus ruining a prime golden fishery. At least Finis Mitchell, walking or on horse, knew his fish and knew where he was!