I turned onto Jack Creek Road, a poorly maintained dirt track, for the 25 mile trek over the mountains to State Hwy. 225. I was scheduled to fly fish the following day and Don had suggested I check out Jack Creek as a possible destination. A few miles later I stopped and walked over to the creek where it ran along the base of a bluff. It began to lightly rain. The gentle rain soon turned into a downpour. Thunder rumbled through the canyon, visibility was reduced to less than a hundred feet and the wind was intense enough to make the rain appear to fall horizontally. There was 3 three inches of water running down the road when I arrived back the truck.

Concern for a flash-flood washing out the road had me driving as fast as safely possible! The road was narrow, rutted and full of rocks; not to mention the ones rolling down the hillsides. A few short minutes later, I crested the 6400' pass, the road turned into a dirt highway and the storm stayed on the west side of the mountain. It had been a short adrenaline packed adventure to cap off the perfect day fishing!

Writers for The Fish Sniffer not only have to catch fish, we also have to catch a story! Stories about six inch trout generally make for poor reading. When your day is planned on the west slope of the Sierras or Cascades, there are an abundance of places to fish relatively close to each other. If the fishing is poor at one spot, it is only a short drive to the next. I've easily covered a half a dozen in a day.

When you go east of the mountains, into the high desert of Nevada and Eastern Oregon, promising fishing holes can be fifty miles apart by dirt or twice that by pavement. The ability to traverse large distances quickly and safely is sometimes the only way to get a story without making a career out of it.

I had over thirty years of experience riding dirt bikes before I hung up the helmet. The ability to read the road and the reflexes developed riding dirt are invaluable skills I use today for high-speed off roading. My pickup is a new Chevrolet Z71 offroad with a limited slip differential and traction control. I have added aftermarket shocks and beefed up tires. The capabilities of this rig are outrageous. Don't try the following at home unless you are prepared!

After a hardy breakfast, I took I-80 east, fifty miles to Wells. Angel Lake, nestled in the Ruby Mountains at about 9000', is accessed by a 17-mile ride on a narrow paved road, without guardrails, carved into the mountainside. I arrived as the sun rose over the Great Salt Lake. The scenery was spectacular and the view incredible. They say on a clear day you can see Salt Lake City, 180 miles away.

It was cold and very windy. The conditions were unsafe for the float tube and fly-casting would be nearly impossible. The conditions didn't change so 45 minutes later I moved on.

I turned off I-80, twenty miles west of Wells at Deeth. The 65-mile stretch of dirt road ended up on Nevada 225 65 miles north of Elko, 35 miles shorter than the paved road. The dirt conditions varied, mud from the thunderstorms, rocks, dry dust, ruts and washboard. There were long stretches of straight road crossing the valleys. At times I was rolling along at almost 80 MPH. Other times I crawled over the passes. I saw grouse, golden eagle, chuckar, coyotes, and more cows than one could possible count.

A short ride up the road and I found myself at Wildhorse Reservoir. It was so drawn down fishing was impossible. The next leg of my journey followed the Owyhee River 15 miles below Wild Horse, paved, and then 25 miles of dirt over the Independence Mountains to Bull Run Reservoir. The road over the mountains wound through high mountain meadows and aspen forest. I was lucky enough to see bull elk on the far side of a meadow.

I could see Bull Run from the road. It also appeared to be drawn down beyond being fishable. I didn't feel it was worth hiking a mile with all the gear to see if it could be fished. The outlet creek is a good cutthroat fishery but is a known snake pit. Since I was by myself, I deemed discretion to be the better part of valor in this case. I later found out Bull Run is on IL Ranch land and at this time they aren't allowing access.

Twenty more miles of dirt and I arrived at Wilson Reservoir. Acres of clean cold water, abundant aquatic plants, drop-offs...It looked perfect and I knew this was a put and take cutbow fishery! I got the float tube pumped, the waders on, and the fly rod rigged. I looked at my watch and it was straight up noon. The fishing was awesome, five fish in a little over an hour, and the photo fish which went 18.5 inches. I was still 90 miles north of Elko.

The day's drive was 320 miles, around half in the dirt. The challenge of the drive, wildlife and scenery you will never see from the highway, make these forays across the desert a very enjoyable part of the fishing experience.

Preparation and planning are essential elements for a fun and safe off road adventure. Please consider the following:

• Get yourself physically and mentally ready for the trip. Stay sober the night before the run and go to bed early. It is possible to have to walk out if you breakdown or have an accident.
• Get your vehicle ready for the trip. Get a tune-up, replace any belts and hoses that don't look NEW, rotate the tires, check and fill all fluids including the windshield washer.
• Know your vehicle and how it responds to dirt conditions. The most dangerous situations are changes in roadbed consistency such as hardpack to mud, or rock to sand or dust. Know how long it takes to stop. Even with ABS, stopping in certain situations can be like stopping on ice. If you are inexperienced, a weekend 4WD school could be the best money you'll ever spend.

• Never leave the pavement without 6 ply tires, including the spare. If your run covers over 50 miles of dirt, you should have two 6 ply spares.
• Drive to save the vehicle! Driving around chuckholes and rocks will save you on repair bills and definitely reduces the likelihood of a suspension breakdown in the middle of nowhere.
• Never drive faster than you can see. What this means is you have to be able to see as far as it takes you to stop AT ALL TIMES.
• Always leave the pavement with a full tank of gas. Know your vehicle's range in dirt conditions. At 4WD speeds below 40 MPH, gallons burned per hour can be more accurate than miles per gallon.
• Communication: Carry your cell phone. Although coverage is spotty, it is amazing where they do work. It could save you a lot of walking. Satellite phone or Onstar are the hot setups.
• Route Planning: Leave an itinerary with someone. You can leave it at home or with the front desk at the your motel. If you get stranded, it's nice to know someone will be looking for you.
• Carry a minimum 2-day supply of drinking water and food. A five gallon water can is a good idea for the rig. Sun-block, insect repellant, sleeping bags, first aid kit and clothing adequate for cold high mountain nights to 100 degree plus days are necessities.
• KNOW WHERE YOU ARE! Ron Hall (Mr. Baja), winner of 17 Baja 1000 races, says, "check your map at every junction, river, mountain or landmark. The minute you think you know where you are is the minute you head off 20 miles in the wrong direction." Have good maps and a handheld GPS if possible.

Carry a shovel and an ax, know your limitations and have a good time!

More Articles By Richard Alves a.k.a. steelhead -->