Words and Images by Conway Bowman
Stanley, Idaho has always held a special place in my heart.
It’s the place where I learned how to fly fish starting in the early 70s when I would travel with my father to the Redfish Lake Lodge. It was there that we would spend the summer fly fishing the Salmon River, Valley Creek and the occasional day trip to Silver Creek.
It was fitting that my family and I planned a trip to Stanley this summer to escape the crowded Southern California beaches and venture into the mountains where I spent endless hours with my father casting dry flies to trout on warm summer days. Though my wife, Michelle and two sons, Max and Jackson have traveled to many western states to fly fish they had never been to Idaho and I had only shared this special place with them in stories about my childhood.
In addition to showing my family where I spent my summers as a kid, the main reason for this trip was to spread my dad‘s ashes on the Salmon River at Lower Stanley and Valley Creek.
One of my father‘s last requests before passing on three years ago was to take some of his ashes and spread them in the Sawtooth Valley. This stretch of the Salmon River was a place where my father and I built so many wonderful memories and those memories have led me to a life of fly fishing - and a greater appreciation of the wonders of the outdoors.
We enjoyed day hikes to some high mountain lakes I remembered hiking to as a kid with my dad - and even hooked a few cutthroat trout.
Throughout our journey, we felt my dad’s spirit… everywhere.
Editor's Note: to learn more about Conway Bowman and other Riversmith Ambassadors CLICK HERE.
Conway I never get bored listening to this story of you and your dad. The first time I heard it was on ESPN, when you were the host of the outdoor flyfishing. About your dad being an educator, after school was out for the summer you would travel with him to the SNRA in Idaho around Stanley area. I use to be station in Point Loma subbase love that area especially being a Portuguese immigrant, not sure if you remember the Brown Bag sandwich shop on Rosecrans owned by Portuguese immigrants. Always wanted me to date one of his daughters. I married a fellow Navy sailer, my wife is from Boise Idaho. My vacation was always to Idaho for camping, hot springs along with hiking. I moved to Idaho in 1992 after my wife left the Navy. I fell in love with Red Fish Lake, upper Stanley, lower Stanley also Sunbeam area with the old mining town of now a museum if you still remember that area. I started my new love/passion for fly fishing. I have fished from South Idaho Thousand Springs of the middle fork of the Snake River to N. Idaho of the Coeur d’Alene River plus West Idaho of the Owyhee River to all the Rivers in Eastern Idaho into Yellowstone National Park. My sister-in-law lives in O.B., I need to hook up with you for some Mako fly fishing. Again love hearing your store with your dad in and around Stanley area.
Beautiful story
Nice story. Thanks for sharing. And Conway, is that a Saint Augustine hat you’re wearing. Being a San Diegan I bet it was . And likely from your dad.
I have met Conway and “Mich” several times. I used to live in Encinitas, CA and I fished at Lake Hodges while Conway was the Lake Manager. He taught me how to search for and catch largemouth bass and carp in the lake with a fly rod. I guesss I learned something from his seminars, as I participated in a few of his “Carp Throwdows” and was able to win some cool swag including a pair of Patagonia Waders.
I have since moved to Boise, Idaho to be closer to my grandkids and recently added a RiverQuiver to my Chevy Colorado. Last year, on one of the trips to “ferry my Daughter’s family goods from our garage” I fished my way through the Utah and Wyoming Cutt-Slams and then from Silver Creek (in Idaho) up and over into the upper Salmon headwaters and through Redfish Lake and Stanley. I caught several Brookies, Westslope Cutties, and even some Bull trout.Conway’ knowledge, passion, and friendliness are truly unique. Did you know he is also an Ironman?
What a great story about a truly special place. I too spent many great days of my youth at Redfish and on the Salmon. Fitting tribute to your Dad. You are a fortunate son indeed based on your Dad’s taste in rivers and affinity for the Sawtooths. Thrilled you were able to enjoy this with your family.
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