The tiny creek above is home to many wonders. This little flow holds everything magic about a trout stream only in miniature – riffles, runs, pools, undercut banks, beautiful and beatific surroundings. And there’s something more – red band trout. Using a restored Herter’s 5-9 three-weight bamboo rod and a #18 BWO I took three of the natives from this isolated piece of sylvan paradise deep in the Yaak River drainage, an area of once fantastic wildness and big trout, now going under from way too much clearcutting, non-stop publicizing of the place by local writers, resort owners and the state’s tourism department, and the trophy home builders that follow in the footsteps of such things. Still the three red bands were gorgeous in their perfection, ranging in size from three to five inches. Catching these fish in these diminutive surroundings was as exciting and enjoyable as taking large browns in October from the Yellowstone. Compressed mysteries such as this sparking flow keep the mind young at heart.