I hope this finds you well! Since our last discussion we've had
very cold temperatures followed by cool temperatures and now warm temperatures.
Today is supposed to be over 70 degrees.
Note, however, that many local lakes still have layers of ice
with geese that appear attached to it. While tail water fisheries are open and
fishing well - those are the places below dams - lots of streams are still full
of ice. They're clearing, though, and soon will be warming and fishing very
well.
Last Tuesday - I know, I should have been writing the weekly
newsletter - my friend Joe Brown was at the house working on a tile
entryway. (Shan is so excited about this!) Joe and I stood in the kitchen
testing a new pot of coffee. We looked at each other and I think both of us
knew: fishing was required. Then and there we made an executive decision,
without our wives knowing, either, to leave the next morning at 5AM for a
quick trip to
Alcova, Wyoming. Joe called Sloans - 877-234-2066 - to see if they had a
room. They did. We set our plans. Joe bought some food. We left the next
morning.
There's a little restaurant in Chugwater that beckoned us for
breakfast; it was a call we heeded and obeyed. The day was windy -
apparently a new phenomena in Wyoming - and lots of blowing snow along I-25
had captured drivers sending them off the road in a heap of twisted metal
and delays. Joe kept reading the funny book about fishing as we carefully
avoided similar problems.
We got slightly lost in Casper and decided if we'd have
brought a map we wouldn't have looked at it anyway. Eventually we found 220
and headed
west.
About half an hour later we arrived at Sloans, got our key and checked into
the room. Ours was the only car in the lot, and so it would remain the rest
of the days. I suppose most folks figured it was too cold and windy up there
to fish. I suppose most folks were right.
Joe rigged up and headed out. I took a nap. Joe came back
with a picture of a beautiful rainbow he'd landed on one of his peacock
midges. To those who have fished the area there will be no surprise that
there was lots of weight and a strike detector involved in the incident.
After a steak dinner, cooked inside - the outside grill was
buried in snow - we settled into a movie and fly tying. Joe tied more of his
peacock midges; I watched the movie and took another nap. Ah, naps.
Thursday morning was clear and bright; it was also cold and
windy.
Apparently the windy phenomenon in Wyoming would continue for us; cool. We
fished for about three hours below Alcova Dam. It was very windy. It was
very cold. Our smiling faces were fixed in place by being outside and by
being frozen. We didn't catch a thing, and had a great time of it.
My friend Tom had loaned us some cigars. He told us one of
them was mild, and the other stronger. I couldn't remember which was which.
The perspective goes something like this: Joe and I smoked part of one cigar
last November in Ascension Bay. That was probably the first cigar I'd ever
had in my mouth. Mike's loaners would be the second.
Joe had a bottle of Jack Daniels, too. The perspective goes
something like
this:
in November in Ascension Bay Joe made me a Jack 'n Coke. It was pretty good.
That was probably the first I'd ever had.
When we got back to the house Joe poured a finger-and-a-half
of Jack over ice. I took a sip. Now I'll tell you this. Normally, when I
take a drink of wine, beer or any other sort of libation I get shivers
through my body in response to it. This cold Jack on my cold lips was warm,
refreshing and delicious! I had another sip. Joe had to refill. He opened
two beers. We went to the porch and tried to light the cigars with matches.
It took several; Joe got his lit and then lit mine. We each smoked about a
quarter or a cigar an drank about a finger of Jack over ice.
Joe looked at me and asked, "I wonder what the poor folks are
doing right now?"
I looked back and said, "Well, I know what two poor folks are
doing and
it is smoking cigars and drinking whiskey."
After lunch Joe headed back to the river and I took a nap.
We'd had just enough depravity and cold to know we were alive. Joe needed
more chucking of lead and I'd had enough to last me all season.
On Friday we fished below Gray Reef Dam, which is only a mile
or so from Sloans. There were two or three other anglers, and I saw them
hook
a
few fish. Joe caught and landed two right off the bat. They were big, fat
and lovely. I didn't hook a thing. I didn't see a fish - other than the
one's Joe landed.
This is not my style of fishing. Joe and I had a great time
and decided we'd have to go back when it was a bit warmer and the fish were
more active. The water temperature was hovering just over 36 degrees, which
is very cold for a fish. Shoot, it's very cold for old, tall, fat, depraved
anglers like Joe and I, for that matter.
Next time I'll cook and tie for the folks who go; maybe I'll
fish as I did this time - for an hour or two a day. Maybe I'll take a few
more naps, read more stories, write a bit and ponder the wonder of life in
the stunning
sparseness of beautiful Wyoming.
There is something to being outdoors and experiencing the
reality of life in the wild. It is cold and windy in Wyoming this time of
year and refreshing as all get out. The whiskey did taste good out there,
just like Robert Traver said it would. Remember?
While fishing behind the Island below Alcova Joe and I had
a visitor. It
was
a muskrat and it was nearly as busy as its famous cousin, Beaver. The rodent
swam around the other side of a rock for a bit, just out of site, eating and
being a muskrat. I think it was doing muskrat very well. It was interesting
because Joe and I had talked about our old trapping days as kids, and
muskrats were one of our main targets. They were destructive to our lake and
our horses sometimes fell down when they stepped onto a muskrat den. Plus,
we made a few bucks.
This guy eventually got up on a rock and did his morning
grooming, carefully tending to his fur. Maybe he had a date later in the
day.
On Friday, when we fished just below Gray Reef, there was
a dead duck lying on the snow. It was a fresh kill. The hen's breast was
gone and
blood was splattered on the snow. There were no foot prints.
"What do you suppose did this, Joe?" I asked.
"I'll bet it was a mink. Those guys are carnivores and I'd
think it was a small animal did the killing and eating because it only ate
the breast of the bird."
"Life. Death. They work together."
"Yep."
I'll bet the bird carcass is way gone now. Raccoons,
Eagles and other hungry critters inhabit this country.
There were various duck feathers floating along the river
all day as we fished....And life went on.
Is anyone interested in attending a Flats School? I'm
offering one from the 17th-24th of March - that's about three weeks out -
at the new Palmetto Club near Ascension Bay in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
This school is in conjunction with Wild On The Fly magazine. This is one
of these sorts of deals: you can go, or you can't go right now. Pretty
simple, really. Please let me know by calling me at 303-651-6061. Leave a
message if I don't answer and I'll call back. You can also drop me a line
at angler@peakpeak.com This will
be great fun whether you have some experience or not. The price is
$2800.00 per person and includes transportation from and to the airport,
all meals and lodging, and open bar tab is covered, and all the
instruction I'll offer each and every day of the trip. Great fun! WE fly
to Cancun, fish for six days, then return to the USA.
In the last missive I announced the publication of my
latest Solutions
Booklet. I need to sell a few of these and you need to read it. Flats
fishing is fun. It takes us to beautiful places. It is exciting and
challenging; something to dream about with awe. Read about it, then join
me for the Flats School. You can do it. We'll have a great time! You can
buy it now for just $9.95.
I also made a special offer to tie some flies. All of them
sold. In my most humble opinion more of you need these flies as samples so
you can tie them for yourself, or use them to fish. If you are going to fish
with them, get more than one set. I'm willing to tie another twelve sets.
This time you can see what they are right here:
You'll get one of each pattern in a size #18 that I tied for
you. You'll also receive the Small Mayfly Identification Guide with fishing
and rigging tips with the flies.
The flies and the Solutions ID Guide are $14.95 per set.
If
you'd just like to tie your own set of flies, or add the right tying
materials and detailed instructions that are fully illustrated, I'm also
offering a Small Mayfly Tying Kit. It includes enough materials to tie four
each of the above patterns in size 18, a BWO Solutions Tying Manual and the
Small Mayfly Identification Guide with fishing and rigging tips all for
$14.95.
Interested in more info on BWO's and other small mayflies?
The Small
Mayflies Solution Booklet has helped lots of folks understand the life cycle
of the bugs, how to rig and fish through an emergence and how to tie various
imitations. They're still available for you, too! This is good stuff; good
info; good fun and more!
The booklet is $9.95.
Classes are going to start forming soon. Here's what we're
going to offer:
Casting
Want to get better? Enjoy time on the water? Build confidence
in putting the fly in the right spot at the right time? Casting classes are
for you. They are the number one thing that will help your fishing skills
improve.
This is the session for those of you who are just getting
started, or who have fished for a year or more and need a refresher on
how to cast a fly
rod. Class will include use of rods, reels, lines and leaders if you
don't have your own. They will last for 3-1/2 hours and will be held on
water. Frank and I will be teaching these classes, so plan on a great
time of learning and fellowship on the water!
Tuition is $50.00 per person with class sessions limited
to 6 students for personal instruction.
After taking Introduction To Fly Casting, join me for a
private casting session. The first session will last for more than one
hour - until we are done and you are ready to practice correctly on your
own.
Tuition for the private session with Dale is $100.00.
We'll spend at least one hour, as described above, on
still water going over your casting stroke and how to control fly line.
Then we'll go to moving
water to work on fly presentation, putting the fly in the right spot at
the right time, line control, controlling drifts, line mending and much
more that will open your eyes to making better fly presentation. This is
all about casting!
(I'll also make this available to small groups - no more
than three per session. Call me for details and so sign up!)
Tuition for the Private Fly Casting Bundle is $175.00.
This will be a seven-hour class held on two evenings in
one week. We'll have to arrange our schedules so this work out, and
we'll have a great
time! The class will cover tools, use of materials and techniques to tie
basic fly patterns, including a Woolly Bugger, Hare's Ear, Soft Hackle
and Copper John. We'll also tie an Elk Hair Caddis and Thorax Dry Fly.
Tuition will include my Introduction to Fly Tying
Solution Booklet, all the materials to tie the flies we'll be tying
during class and discounts on tools, hooks and materials during the
class session.
Tuition is $60.00 per person and class sessions will be
limited to four students.
After the Intro Class, and if you're ready to move on
with fly tying fun, join this Intermediate session. We'll meet on one
evening for 3-1/2 hours
and we'll cover specific intermediate tying techniques listed below.
Pick the one that interests you and sign up for it.
Tuition for each session will include materials,
instruction and handouts, and discounts on hooks, tools and materials
you may want to purchase during the class. Tuition will be $40.00 per
session, and be limited to four students.
Tying Small Mayflies.
We'll cover the flies listed earlier in this missive.
$40.00.
Spinning Deer Hair.
We'll tie a Muddler Minnow,
Mouse,
Goddard Caddis and explain a Bass Bug. $40.00.
Tying Traditional Wet Flies.
Learn to tie soft hackles, duck quill wings and other patterns that are
beautiful and fun! $40.00.
Tying The Caddis Family.
In preparation for Mother's Day Caddis Hatches - and our Caddis
Mini-Camp. $40.00
These are the sessions that seem entertaining and useful
at this time. Do you agree? If your answer is yes, please sign up to
take one or more of these sessions. Is there something else you'd like
to learn about tying flies?
Do you have one
or more friends who agree and would join you? Just drop me a note and
we'll set a time a place to do a specialty session for you. angler@peakpeak.com
Are you beyond classes? Do you have special fly tying
questions that you need answered? I'm willing to help with any fly tying
techniques and will happy to offer private tying sessions. We'll set a
time; you tell me what you'd like to learn and we'll do it. Tuition will
be $75.00 for the first hour of each session, and $50.00 an hour
for every hour after that during that session.
You've heard about it, and now you want to go. Right? This is
a great place, full of big fish and beautiful water. A trip there with me
will include:
Wonderful Fishing!
Great Lunch!
Instruction!
Wonderful Fishing!
Fun!
When would you and a friend like to go? Please let me know. I
can
accommodate up to six anglers. More info will be available next week on the
site. Plan now; times will fill very fast, and I'm only going to guide there
two or three days a week!
Call me at 303-651-6061 - leave a message if I don't answer
and I'll call you back - or drop me a line at
angler@peakpeak.com to let me know
of your interest.
The fishing here is
fabulous
and available for the next two + months. I'd love to guide you on this
property and teach you about lake fishing with flies. Sessions will be two
days in length and we'll stay at the lodge on the property.
Please call 303-651-6061 - leave a message if I don't answer
and I'll call you back - or drop me a line at
angler@peakpeak.com to let me know
of your interest. We'll set a time for you and two or three friends and have
a dandy time hooking huge, dripping trout on flies!
Even in the recent cold snap folks have been fishing. See Tim's happy smile?
He was fishing in Cheesman Canyon on one of the coldest of days a week or so
ago, and hooked these three lovely trout. Would you smile? No one else was
in the canyon; he made his own trail in the snow going in, and followed it
back out. Wow!
My
friend Don S. took his first trip to the flats and got back last weekend. He
used the new Flats Solutions Booklet and lots of flies I tied for him. He
hooked and landed this and many other bones, as well as multiple other
species. He spent a day with my friend Jose Perez in Ambergris Caye in
Belize and also a day or so with another guide who he enjoyed very much.
We'd be smiling too, right?
Want to go where it's warm? Remember the Flats School offer? Read it again
here: Flats.
Other folks are fishing, too. More are getting the cabin heebie jeebies and
want to get out sooner than later.
Let me help. Drop me a line at
angler@peakpeak.com or call 303-651-6061 and leave a message. I'll write
or call you back.
Thanks for reading! I'll talk with you again soon.
Alcova, Wyoming. Joe called Sloans - 877-234-2066 - to see if they had a
room. They did. We set our plans. Joe bought some food. We left the next
morning.
west.
About half an hour later we arrived at Sloans, got our key and checked into
the room. Ours was the only car in the lot, and so it would remain the rest
of the days. I suppose most folks figured it was too cold and windy up there
to fish. I suppose most folks were right.
Apparently the windy phenomenon in Wyoming would continue for us; cool. We
fished for about three hours below Alcova Dam. It was very windy. It was
very cold. Our smiling faces were fixed in place by being outside and by
being frozen. We didn't catch a thing, and had a great time of it.
this:
in November in Ascension Bay Joe made me a Jack 'n Coke. It was pretty good.
That was probably the first I'd ever had.
it is smoking cigars and drinking whiskey."
a
few fish. Joe caught and landed two right off the bat. They were big, fat
and lovely. I didn't hook a thing. I didn't see a fish - other than the
one's Joe landed.
sparseness of beautiful Wyoming.
was
a muskrat and it was nearly as busy as its famous cousin, Beaver. The rodent
swam around the other side of a rock for a bit, just out of site, eating and
being a muskrat. I think it was doing muskrat very well. It was interesting
because Joe and I had talked about our old trapping days as kids, and
muskrats were one of our main targets. They were destructive to our lake and
our horses sometimes fell down when they stepped onto a muskrat den. Plus,
we made a few bucks.
blood was splattered on the snow. There were no foot prints.
Booklet. I need to sell a few of these and you need to read it. Flats
fishing is fun. It takes us to beautiful places. It is exciting and
challenging; something to dream about with awe. Read about it, then join
me for the Flats School. You can do it. We'll have a great time! You can
buy it now for just $9.95.
Mayflies Solution Booklet has helped lots of folks understand the life cycle
of the bugs, how to rig and fish through an emergence and how to tie various
imitations. They're still available for you, too! This is good stuff; good
info; good fun and more!
rod. Class will include use of rods, reels, lines and leaders if you
don't have your own. They will last for 3-1/2 hours and will be held on
water. Frank and I will be teaching these classes, so plan on a great
time of learning and fellowship on the water!
water to work on fly presentation, putting the fly in the right spot at
the right time, line control, controlling drifts, line mending and much
more that will open your eyes to making better fly presentation. This is
all about casting!
time! The class will cover tools, use of materials and techniques to tie
basic fly patterns, including a Woolly Bugger, Hare's Ear, Soft Hackle
and Copper John. We'll also tie an Elk Hair Caddis and Thorax Dry Fly.
and we'll cover specific intermediate tying techniques listed below.
Pick the one that interests you and sign up for it.
$40.00.
Mouse,
Goddard Caddis and explain a Bass Bug. $40.00.
accommodate up to six anglers. More info will be available next week on the
site. Plan now; times will fill very fast, and I'm only going to guide there
two or three days a week!
fabulous
and available for the next two + months. I'd love to guide you on this
property and teach you about lake fishing with flies. Sessions will be two
days in length and we'll stay at the lodge on the property.
hooked and landed this and many other bones, as well as multiple other
species. He spent a day with my friend Jose Perez in Ambergris Caye in
Belize and also a day or so with another guide who he enjoyed very much.