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I've been going to Lees Ferry for several years now in various times March-May, and for the cicada hatch in July. July can be a scorcher, so for my first family trip, with my wife and black lab joining me, I elected to stay at the lodge in Marble Canyon instead of camping upriver. I figured it would help to avoid any negative experiences for my wife's first time, it certainly did. It was a lot easier to pack and plan without camping and I was able to put a full charge on my trolling motor batteries each night at the lodge. I did however burn a lot more fuel commuting up and down the river each day. The other factor in fuel was the amount of drift fishing we did. The simplicity of drift fishing for my wife and her first fly fishing experience was a perfect fit. I couldn't be more proud of her as she fished relentlessly for 2.5 days, using one, yes one single 9 foot leader the entire time! I kept it on the boat, but she didn't pick up the spinning rig I brought for her once. She dealt with every single tangle on her own, she never hooked herself, or the dog, or me lol. In her joking words, she was "roll casting like a G" by the end of day 1. I can't tell you how many times I offered help, and seconds later she resolved the issue, with a resounding "I don't need no man!" She even drove the majority of the time as I enjoyed my beer(s). I don't usually share my family experiences on CWT, but after how proud I am of her, and it being outdoor related, I suppose I felt the need to brag, share, hopefully entice one of you to take your spouse or loved ones to Lees Ferry. I don't know, the place is magical, couldn't help but share. Thanks for reading, if anyone wants a report ask away, we caught quite a few fish drifting midges, egg patterns, and san juans. I had some dry-cicada action but not much. They buzzed a bit in the middle of the day but never saw one hit the water. Fishing was much better than it was in April, and the fish were very healthy.