'09 McFarland Red Fish Lake Trip

2009 marked the 12th year since Jon and I started going to Red Fish Lake! We have made the trip nearly every summer and we love it more with each visit. And yes, the fish stories do seem to get bigger every year!

Here we are upon our arrival at Red Fish Lake. We spent a week in the beautiful Idaho Sawtooth Mountain Range. We swam, we fished, we played, we camped and we loved every minute of it!

Note to readers: I've posted an enormous amount of photos as my photo scrapbook of memories for publishing later. I won't feel bad if you don't make it to the end...

Carson's ready to get the party started. "Big Time" as he would say.

Erik, Kaycee and our beautiful grandson Jayden joined us for the third time this year for the first few days. We love spending time with them and cherish these memories. Since we don't live close to them, we never grow tired of hearing Jayden call us Grandma and Grandpa. It melts our hearts! Thank you Kaycee and Erik for spending your vacation time with our family. We love you!!!

Our first day on the beach started out quite chilly, but we all warmed up and got into the spirit of the lake.

It wasn't long before Jon had us all fishing.

The little lake squaw fish were small, but we caught them with nearly every cast.

Carson and Big Brother Erik

This was Eden's first fish!

Grandpa helps Jayden with his first "grandpa" fish!

Jayden and Eden put all the fish along with the minnows that Quinton netted into a bucket to play with before releasing them. The bucket fish were a big hit!

Eden liked to release (or dump) the fish in the bucket before Jayden was through playing with them. She was kind of bossy!

Eden caught lots of fish on her Scooby Doo pole!

Jayden's pole was also darling and he loved it!

Carson catches a mid-sized fish!

Nice fish Erik! Your dad is so proud!

The McFarland's have to start developing the fishing gene early.

HOLY SMOKES it was cold in the lake that day! But our boys jumped in and as is the tradition swam out to touch the boats anchored in the lake. Brrrrr....

Red Fish Lake 2009

Sunset at Torrey's cabins. Our home away from home!

Kaycee loves Erik!!!

Here we are on the porch of our cabin at Torrey's! We missed our trailer but this cabin was really fun for a change....

Kaycee and Nellie

Now can I have a lick of the popcicle, Eden?

Chinook Salmon in the locks at the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery.

2009 brought the largest return of Sockeye Salmon since the '80s. Over 350 were already in the hatchery and the total was expected to rise above 600 before the end of the season. This was the first year that we actually saw Sockeye in the river. It was awesome! The Chinook return will be well over 5000. These salmon have the longest inland migration in the 48 lower states. They travel 950 miles down to the pacific and two years later back to spawn. Watching them jump in the locks is absolutely a thrill!

Grandpa's boy!

So sweet!!!

Call Hallmark!

Bite you, bite you's - black olive fingers all around!!!

Yahtzee!

The Entire Gang of McFarland's

The Utah McFarland's

The Nampa McFarland's

Cutest little family!

On the dock, in front of the Red Fish Lake lodge...peace!

Carson's fish!

Red Fish Lake is where I grow!

Momma's girl!

Shane, The Clamman, Parmer joined us for a day and took the boys clam diggin'. The boys thought this was amazing. They got to cross the big Salmon river, spot and pick up the clams. Shane and Jon use the clams as bait for the steelhead in the fall and spring. Perhaps, participating in the gathering ceremony will bring Jon luck this year with the Steelhead run!

Here they are with the booty - - CLAMS and The Clamman!

There's nothing quite like a tail gait picnic!

Quinton's two best friends, Eden and his BB gun!!!

Both Daddy and Edie were wore out by midweek!

Eden...so beautiful!

The boys loved jumping off the old dock into the lake. Carson was the first one in every time...Sometimes Quinton "helped" him in.

McFarland boys brave the chilly Red Fish Lake waters!

Daddy's little princess, Miss Eden Belle!!!

We had a visit from John and Valdi Pace who live in Hailey. Jon and John grew up together in Ketchum, but most of their boyhood stories cannot be told in front of our kids!!!

Our family on the shores of Red Fish Lake!

Brothers Quinton and Carson! They have a love - hate relationship that switches hourly.

Here we are on the banks of Red Fish Lake Creek.

We scared up this deer and her two fawns just below Red Fish Lake Creek.

The kids having ice cream cones at the lodge..Look at tired Daddy behind them.

Quinton's white fish. He caught this one up Valley Creek. Quinton hooked him in the tail. While fishing for this one, we watched Chinook salmon up and down the river.

Goodbye Red Fish...see you next year!