Monday, August 31, 2020

Farm Pond Fishing Report


Yesterday, Wendy and I got a chance to fish one of our favorite farm ponds in northwest Missouri.  I have fished this pond for almost 20 years now and have seen it cycle.  It used to have few fish, but big fish.  A few years later, it changed to the exact opposite with lots of stunted bass.  I have noticed that this pond is started to cycle back towards larger fish but fewer of them.  I have also noticed that the underwater weeds (hydrilla, maybe?) isn't as thick as in years past.

 Finally, I was told by the land owners that crappie had been introduced to the lake recently by a family member in the hopes of making it a good crappie pond.  They also told me that a 2 pound crappie was caught in the lake earlier this summer.  I have fished this lake a few times this year and hadn't seen any crappie but was a little anxious about how this introduction was going to effect the overall health of the lake.  I have heard that having crappie on small lakes in Missouri can be tricky to manage.  I have seen instances where crappie overpopulate if they are not harvested and then you end up with a lake full of 4-5 inch crappie.  On the other hand, there are a lot of bass in this lake that just might feast on these fish which could be a good thing for the bass.  One of the goals for the day was to see if we could find some crappie and figure out how many there are and how big they currently.

A second goal that I had was to fish a tandem wooly bugger rig.  I have used this before and to be honest, I don't know why I don't fish two woolies more.  And if truth be told, I was hoping to catch two fish at the same time.  I knew it was going to be a stretch, but you can't do it if you don't try.  I also used the same type of wooly as the front and the rear fly.  They had olive tails with some flashabou, white pearl chenille bodies, and grizzly olive hackle.  They also had small coneheads with 10 wraps of .020 lead wire behind the cone to ensure durability.

Within the first five casts, I caught two crappie with one being 11 inches and the other being 12 inches (not at the same time).  Wendy also caught a couple of twelve inch crappie and a smaller one as well.  We left this water to "rest" it with the goal of coming back later.  We didn't catch another crappie anywhere else on the lake after leaving this spot.  We did however catch some nice bluegill and bass that were up to 13 inches long.  Another observation that I made was that most bass hit the front fly of my tandem rig with bluegill hitting the rear fly the majority of the time.  We went back to "crappie town" a few times and caught a few more 12 inch crappie.  Typically, I don't like to fish for crappie because they don't seem to fight very hard and they are just a little boring in my opinion.  However, these fish really put a bend in my 6 weight and it was a blast catching these fish.

Overall, it was a great day on the water.  The takes were aggressive and the fights were memorable.  I also think the lake is in good health and while I need more data to substantiate that, I was glad to not see stunted crappie or bass on this particular day.  It was a great experience fishing a tandem rig and I am proud to say that I didn't get one single knot.  I do have some unfinished business in regards to catching two fish at the same time!








Friday, August 28, 2020

Wild West Fishing Tour

I recently published a video that details my recent trip to Wyoming and I hope you like it.  It has some big fish, some pretty fish, and some humor as well.  Currently, I am sitting at 774 subscribers and I can start making some sweet internet money when I hit 1,000 subscribers so ever subscription is appreciated.  I don't do this for the money but I'm not going to turn it down either.  Anyway, I hope you like the video and feel free to pass it along to your friends if you dig it!  Thanks for the support as always.




Link to The Show Me Fly Guy YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/theshowmeflyguy

Thursday, August 27, 2020

My Attempt at an Articulated Sparkle Minnow

If you read yesterday's post, you know how excited I was about tying Svend Diesel's Articulated Sparkle Minnow!  Last night, I attempted to tie an articulated sparkle minnow last night.  Before you look or judge, please know that I had to make a few substitutions because I didn't have the exact materials that Svend had.  For example, I didn't have the jig shank or the right size bead head.  Instead, I went with a normal shank and dumbbell eyes.  I also didn't have the dubbing and went with chenille instead.  However, even with these substitutions, I'm fairly happy with how things turned out especially considering that this was my first attempt at this fly.  If you are a fly tyer, you know that the first attempt is usually your worst attempt and part of the learning curve.  I can't wait to throw this in front of some bass this weekend and check out the "wiggle and jiggle" as Mr. Diesel referred to it!  I also used the rubber band trick and holy cow did it work!









Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Articulated Sparkle Minnow Fly Pattern Tutorial

If you follow Svend Diesel on any social media platform, you know that he is creative if nothing else!  This video is a testament to his creativity and I am really excited about some of the ideas that he shares in this video.  His idea of an articulated jig is something that I really want to play around with.  I like the idea of an articulated fly that rides point up as well as the fact that you could throw this on a four weight!  This looks like the type of fly that could be really effective on Lake Taneycomo or any other lake where the trout key on smaller baitfish.  One last note, if you tie articulated streamers, watch the video for the rubber band trick alone!  It is pure genius and will make tying articulated flies SO much easier!


Svend Diesel YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClGRo_ST4iwdm0EMBgEP58w

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Watching Your Kids Grow Up is Fun!


It is the duty of parents to prepare their kids to gain independence and learn to navigate the positives and negatives of adult life.  As a parent of two boys that are 5 and 10 years old, I have learned that this is a hard job.  It is also a fun job as well.  Sure, there are going to be disagreements but watching your child begin to seek out opportunities on his/her own is rewarding to a degree that I had never expected.  For example, my oldest son has recently done a couple of things that I am pretty proud of.


Recently, I posted about how I purchased a trailer to haul my two, two-man boats around.  What my oldest son didn't realize at the time was that one of those boats was earmarked for him.  I'll never forget the look he gave me at the dinner table when I told him that he would be captaining his own vessel.  From that point to when we got on the water, he second-guessed himself and said that he didn't know if he was ready to be out on a boat by himself.  I informed him that I had been grooming him for this endeavor for five years and that he was indeed ready.  On the drive home after our first outing, I asked him what he thought of running his own boat.  He said, "Well, at first I was pretty nervous but then after a little while I thought, 'I was born for this'."  Since then he has done an outstanding job handling his newfound freedom and enjoys his time away from dad and little brother.


We have also taken on a construction project recently.  We are in the process of building a deer blind that will eventually be placed on a small trailer.  This will enable us to move our blind where we want as well as protect us from the elements.  Again, my son was nervous about running a saw and a cordless drill.  Truth be told, he didn't really want to miss out on video game time but I explained to him that these are skills that will help him in his life and that this was supposed to be a fun and memorable experience.  Since that talk, he has voluntarily picked up a hammer and nails and worked on the blind without my guidance.  I have asked him on numerous occasions if he has enjoyed the project and he has said, "It's okay."  That is his code for "Yes, this is a lot of fun."


While I have made this sound like sunshine and rainbows up to this part, I have to admit that there is a little sadness that has come with these two events.  There is a piece of me that is sad to watch my son grow up.  I know that I will always be his dad and that there will come a time when he doesn't do as many things with me and that he will have even more independence.  With that being said, the joy in my heart to watch my son grow into his own man is unparalleled to any other part of parenthood so far!

Monday, August 24, 2020

Fly Tying Tips - Rabbit Strips

I LOVE tying with rabbit strips!  They come in a lot of colors and a fly some outstanding motion in the water.  I have tied with them for years and should probably have Hareline as a sponsor because I have bought A LOT of rabbit strips from them.  So when I saw that Brian Wise published a video about tying with rabbit strips, my hubris got the best of me and I thought "What else could I possibly learn about tying with rabbit strips?"  The answer was...A LOT.  This video taught me about what to do if I crowd an eye with a rabbit strip as well as how to stop a rabbit strip from fouling.


Fly Fishing the Ozarks YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH9Ra827nueyjCl3h7aLwvA

Brian also mentions how another technique to avoid fouling that Pat Cohen has developed.  I thought I would include that video as well since he references it in the video.


This video comes you via Ole Florida Fly Shop YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEEF2yQd7GYR6YrwmBYpaQ

Friday, August 21, 2020

How to Fish Woolly Buggers in Rivers

What's your favorite fly?  What fly should I use on a new river?  What fly has caught more fish than any other fly in the history of mankind?  The answer to all of these questions is a wooly bugger.  And while wooly buggers are incredibly versatile flies and easy to tie, many people (including myself) don't understand how wooly buggers can be used by anglers.  Orvis has published a series of videos that detail how to fish wooly buggers in rivers.  These are insightful and will undoubtedly give you a few more fishing techniques for your mental tacklebox.  I hope they are helpful and help you put a few more fish on the end of your line.

Shameless plug:
If you find yourself drooling over wooly buggers at any point while watching these videos, I would be happy to sell you some.  I have two listings on my Etsy shop and they are by far my favorite color combinations.  I could also tie you up a custom order if you would prefer.  See the links below for more info.

Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheShowMeFlyGuy

Olive, Conehead Wooly on Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/listing/750567302/cone-head-wooly-bugger-streamer

White and Olive, Conehead Wooly on Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/listing/838966869/white-body-cone-head-wooly-bugger

Email address for custom orders: showmeflyguy@gmail.com







Orvis YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGOi5_3PkvM1FLHR_jXM7MQ

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Making Memories and Catching Fish

A lot of good can come from introducing folks to the outdoors.  Take Jake (pictured below) for example.  He's a young man that I recently got to help (with my buddy Mark and Jake's dad) introduce him to fly fishing a few weeks back.  On top of being extremely intelligent and respectful, he is tenacious when it comes to learning something new.  In about a month, he has caught his first fish on a fly rod, started tying flies, and caught his first fish on a fly that he tied.  The joy, excitement, and enthusiasm is contagious and renews my passion.  Way to go Jake and I hope you are walking down a path that never ends!


Now meet Kaitlyn.  She is the daughter of one of my good friends.  The smile on this little girl's face shows not only her excitement but her pride in catching her first crappie.  Fishing, in large part, is about creating memories.  It is safe to say that her and her father have a photograph and memory that will last a lifetime.  Way to go Kaitlyn and you're a good dad Matt!


I've also been lucky enough to meet some passionate fishermen over the course of my lifetime and Corey is one of those memorable ones.  He contacted me to discuss carp fishing and less than a week later we wound up in the same boat together with big smiles on our faces.  His fanaticism and interest in fly fishing is something that I can easily relate to and that has lead to our friendship.  To have a friend, I think you must have things in common with the other person and what better commonality than fly fishing.


So what's the point you might wonder?  My point is this: don't ever be afraid to try something new when it comes to fishing.  I catch myself getting stuck in a routine or sticking to old habits but breaking out of those can be an eye opening experience.  Sharing memories, introducing others to our sport, and making new friends are some of the bycatches of our sport.  Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone in order to refresh yourself.  You'll probably find that you do the same for others as well and that just be the meaning of life.  In my humble opinion, we were not put on this earth in order to improve our lives, but instead, make a positive impact on the lives of others!  Have a great day and I hope you are able to help put a smile on someone else's face soon...and maybe even while he/she is holding a fish.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Anglers.com- How to Fly Fish for Bass

Coty Perry contacted me a couple of days ago and asked for me to look over his article he wrote about fly fishing for bass.  In the article, he does a really nice job introducing flies, rods, reels, and line types to folks that are not familiar with fly fishing for ditch pickles.  A lot of information is covered by Coty but it is done in a succinct way that doesn't bog the reader down in details.  It's a good read if you are new to fly fishing for bass and a good reminder of some things that you might have forgotten along the way during your bassquatch fishing experiences.



Link: https://anglers.com/bass/fly-fishing-for-bass/

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

KIDS FLY FISHING ADVENTURE (trout fishing)

Ben, from the Huge Fly Fisherman YouTube Channel, turns out some amazing videos.  They all have a similar feel to them with quick-paced shots and footage.  They also have a nice balance of humor and information.  This video is different however and in my opinion, refreshing as well as heart-felt.  If you have taken kids fly fishing before or might be doing that in the near future, this is a great video to watch.  It's a nice reminder of how to introduce kids to the outdoors and fly fishing.  It also does a great job reinforcing the idea that fishing trips aren't always about catching fish...for kids at least. 


Huge Fly Fisherman YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX5H2TAWddhGYYcCR5dc3sQ

Monday, August 17, 2020

Free Fly Fishing Workshops in Central Missouri

The Missouri Department of Conservation is hosting two fly fishing workshops and the dates are coming up soon.  The workshops are being held at Columbia and Jefferson City so if you or someone you know would benefit from attending these FREE classes, just click on the link below for more details.



Link: https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-host-fly-fishing-workshops-mid-missouri

Friday, August 14, 2020

An Ant, a Beetle, and 2 Rainbow Trout

There are a few really good ideas to take away from this video.  First, Lake Taneycomo is not knows for being a place that you fish dry flies for trout a lot.  The temperature of the water, the depth of the water, and the fluctuating water levels probably all play roles in making Taneycomo a fishery that just doesn't see epic hatches.  Thus, there are rarely good dry fly days on Taneycomo.  What Phil Lilley shows in this video is that there is a terrestrial bite that shouldn't be overlooked.  This is news to me but it makes sense. 

This is the time of year that grasshoppers, ants, and beetles will be at their largest.  They have been fattening up all all summer and they don't have much of summer left.  There is also a lot of grass and timber around the banks of Taneycomo.  If you put those two things together, then you have bugs falling in the water.  This would be the equivalent of having a pizza dropped from a drone every evening.  You know it's coming and all you have to do is wait for it to fall.  When it does, it is dinner time!  Also, Phil please don't overlook Phil's insanely beautiful and effortless cast. 



Phil Lilley's YouTube Channel" https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIgMZDVIVeWj22d0y2RNvQA

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Cheap & Simple Fishing Tricks

I love good fishing tips and tricks that make life simpler so when I ran across this post on Field & Stream I knew I had to share it.  There is something here for almost every type of angler too!  Whether you own a boat, fish with nightcrawlers, or throw a fly there is something that might help make your fishing experience more about fishing and less about fiddling with stuff!




Link to 10 Super-Simple, Crazy-Useful Fishing Tips: https://www.fieldandstream.com/story/fishing/super-simple-crazy-useful-fishing-tips/

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Flymen Fishing Company 2020 Fly Tester

Wow, just wow!  I have seen manufactured and homemade fly testers before and thought they were useful and interesting, but they just seemed too bulky or inefficient.  Then I saw a video from Brian Wise (see below) unboxing the Flymen Fishing Company 2020 Fly Tester and giving it an admittedly bias review.  I'll be honest, I'm sold and will be asking for one for Christmas.  At a price of only $150, I see this thing as actually having a few uses.  I could use this with flies that my middle school students tie, flies that my sons tie, and flies that I tie.  I could incorporate it into fly tying videos, use it at demonstrations, or use it to create small videos which could advertise flies I sell on Etsy.  I could also just set a fly in the tank and leave it running as a show-piece in my house!  How cool is that!  It is small, simple, and effective and I need one!

Link to Flymen Fishing Company 2020 Fly Tester:

https://flymenfishingcompany.com/products/fly-tester


Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Sold the Boat, Bought a Trailer

I bought a boat somewhere around early July.  If you don't remember the post about it, just click here.


I sold a boat somewhere around early August.  In short, it wasn't for me and it actually gave me anxiety.  I hated tending to the batteries, getting everything plugged in, and backing it down the boat ramp.  I got nervous pulling the boat out, attaching it to the trailer, and worrying about the bearings being greased on the trailer.  I worried about hitting things with the prop, not pulling up the trolling motor prior to firing up the outboard, and constantly checking to make sure the drain plug was doing it's job.  I had to put the tarp on before it would rain, get the water off the tarp when it would rain, and air out the inside of the boat after a rain.  I could go on, but I think you get my point.  It just wasn't for me.

I was fortunate to sell the boat to a very nice gentleman that knew his way around a boat better than me and equally fortunate that I sold it fast.  That put me back at square one, which is why I bought the boat in the first place...I have five butts and two seats...sort of.

I own two, two-man boats and a kayak.  I could only haul one boat at a time in the back of my truck, which meant that I could only go fishing with one other person and everyone else would have to fish from the bank.  That's when I enacted Plan B.  I bought a 5' X 8' trailer!

I looked at several different makes and models but settled on a wood-floor trailer from Tractor Supply Company.  It was $850 and here's a link to all the information and specs.  I settled on this one after looking at pretty much everywhere that sells trailers in the Kansas City area.  The price was in the middle of the options and I liked the wood floor over the mesh option.  The mesh had a little give to it when I would walk on it but the wood floor was solid.  I also liked the black wheels, tongue length, and detachable gate. 

I had a plan and (this is rare) I am proud to say that it worked to perfection.  I am now able to stack two boats (one on top of the other) on the trailer and the kayak can fit in the back of the truck. 

I have also incurred a few other costs that I thought I would pass along in case you are considering a trailer purchase.  I spent about $30 on trailer security.  I dropped $10 on a locking pin that fits through the eye of the locking lever so it cannot be detached from the ball.  I also spent $20 on a locking hitch pin so thieves couldn't detach the ball mount from the truck and steal it that way.  I did this because I don't want to worry about my trailer walking off when I am hundreds of yards away on a lake.

I also dropped about $150 dollars at the license office.  This paid for sales tax, some nonsense fees, and a "Permanent" classification on my license plate.  I also need to buy a spare tire and mount for the trailer which is going to run me around $150. 

If you're doing the math, this thing is going to run me over $1000 which I do not take lightly.  I don't spend that kind of money without weighing my options and taking time to decide if the benefit outweighs the cost.  In this case it does for me.  I can take four other people out on the water.  That means I can take my sons and my parents or my sons, girlfriend, and her son.  I can take my girlfriend and her parents or I can take four buddies.  I am also able to store the trailer in my garage, out of the weather, and with the boats loaded on it and ready to go at a moment's notice.  There is very little maintenance to be done and I can use the trailer to haul brush, deer blinds, and help folks move.  I am extremely happy with my purchase and it was a fraction of the cost of a boat and little to no anxiety.  Life just got a little simpler and cheaper and I like both of those things!









Monday, August 10, 2020

Fly Tying - Alex Lafkas' Modern Deceiver

Brian Wise has an interesting take on Alex Lafka's Deceiver.  This is a bulked-up version of the original which was developed by Lefty Kreh.  Mr. Kreh developed his fly for striped bass but has been used to fish for just about every predatorial species you can think of.  I hope you enjoy the updated version.




Link to Fly Fishing the Ozarks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH9Ra827nueyjCl3h7aLwvA

Friday, August 7, 2020

The MeatEater: Do Fish Learn?

This is a fascinating article that will either help you create new excuses when you don't catch fish or eliminate some of the old excuses.  At least after reading the article you can have updated and scientific based (or at least scientific sounding) excuses that will make your buddies scratch their heads in confusion.





Thursday, August 6, 2020

Fishing the Snake River with Grand Fishing Adventures- The Conclusion

As a reminder, we were fishing with Grand Fishing Adventures and I want to thank them for all of their hard work and accommodations!  Link to Grand Fishing Adventures: https://grandfishing.com/


After lunch we switched things up and I hopped in the boat with Will and Mark.  The differences between our guides showed through right off the bat.  During the morning, Mitch had us fish specific stretches of water and would bypass water that he said held fewer fish.  We would anchor sometimes to fish different distances and cover the water until we were sure that we had exhausted it.  Will had more of a run-and-gun approach.  There was not much down-time with Will and we focused on the banks and rarely dropped an anchor.  Both techniques produced fish and were fun.  While they were different, they weren’t good and bad, just different.

Right after we got in the boat, Mark started getting bites in the front of the boat.  He was probably getting 5 bites for every bite I got.  He landed three before I even put one in the boat and from what I understand, that was how his morning went and he was just picking up from where he left off.  I finally got on the board with a little 6 incher after a couple of misses.  I failed to mention earlier that Mitch had tied on a dropper fly with our dry.  Will had me start off with just a Circus Peanut dry fly but then added a dropper as well.  That is important to note for what happened next.



After coming through a set of rapids, Will got a smile on his face and said “Let’s go check this place out.  There’s a good hole up in here.”  He navigated us up into some calm water that was created by the peninsula that was had drifted by.  He rowed slowly but strongly in order to be as stealthy as possible.  We got to the drop-off where the pool formed and it was obvious why he put us here.  It looked really fishy and I was anxious to start making casts. 

A little luck fell into my lap right before I could start fishing. Mark had a tangle in his line which gave me the entire hole to fish.  I ended up catching two fish that each went 14 inches and one came on a long drift.  What also made things interesting was the fact that I “flossed” both of them as well.  The term “flossed” was something that I was unfamiliar with prior to Will’s explanation.  A fish gets “flossed” when they attempt to take the dry fly, miss it, but end up getting hooked around the mouth with the dropper fly.  The fact that the leader passes through the mouth before the hook is buried would probably look like a person flossing their teeth.  I found that term to be pretty comical to picture and still laugh whenever I think about it.  After Mark got rigged up, I caught another 10 inch fish before our drift was over.





From there, we went back to fishing the banks and I caught a 6 inch fish and a 10 inch fish before we got to the take-out.  By the time we got to the boat ramp, I was exhausted.  My right hand felt like I had arthritis and I was pooped even though I didn’t row a single stroke.  I am in awe of the shape that Mitch, Will, and all of the other guides are in.  They work hard all day and have a lot of skill to go along with their physical abilities.


Aside from the fishing, we also some a variety of wildlife.  We saw an osprey at the boat ramp and a deer at the edge of the water as we drove back upstream.  Two otter pups entertained us for a while too. 

The thrill of watching these fish come up and take down a great big stonefly imitation is unlike anything I have ever experienced before.  I cannot thank Mitch and Will for their teaching, guidance, and hard work.  I am also in awe of their patience.  Watching all of us miss fish that they probably would have landed must have been taxing but they never had a negative word for any of us.  They always kept things from getting too serious and were outstanding guides.  I would recommend their services and Grand Fishing Adventures to anyone wanting to catch Snake River Cutthroat.

Also, I found out the day after the trip that a small part of A River Runs Through It was filmed on a tributary that empties into the Snake River.  It was the scene when the two brothers steal the boat and “Shoot the chutes.”  So that was a pretty cool detail about the trip too.


Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Fishing the Snake River with Grand Fishing Adventures- Part 2


As a reminder, we were fishing with Grand Fishing Adventures and I want to thank them for all of their hard work and accommodations!  Link to Grand Fishing Adventures: https://grandfishing.com/

Wendy and I hopped in the boat with Mitch.  Mark and Sharon saddled up with Will and we were off.  Mitch paddled a little way downstream and gave us a short presentation.  The first half of the tutorial was about safety.  He told us what to do if we fell out of the boat, how to get back in, and how to handle different dangerous situations if they arose.  The second half was showing us how we were going to fish for the rest of the day.  He showed us casting angles in different water and mending techniques that worked with the flies we would be using.  He also explained how the person in the front of the boat and the person in the back could work around one another in order to keep the tangles to a minimum and the catching opportunities at a maximum.  After a little practice, we headed down the river to our first spot. 

\
On the way, he explained what type of water we were looking for and how the fish in this river behave.  I’m going to paraphrase what happened next but let’s just start off calling it suckfest and this was not fault to Mitch.  I don’t know what happened to Wendy and I, but we sucked at catching fish.  It was like we forgot how to catch fish.  We missed a bunch of fish and the ones we did hook didn’t get to the net.  When I say that we missed 15 fish between us in the matter of a half hour, that is not far fetched.  My first instinct was to blame the barbless hooks.  My next step was to blame the bites on small fish.  That was Mitch’s idea and I couldn’t tell if he was being polite or if he was serious. 

After all of our swings and misses, the boat got real quiet.  Wendy and I weren’t teasing each other like we usually do.  I think it was a combination of hyper-focus and frustration. I knew I was doing something wrong but couldn’t figure out what it was.  That’s when I decided to get mean!  I decided that it was no more Mr. Nice Guy with these turds.  No more soft hook-sets and gentle fighting.  I was going to start ripping lips and horsing some fish on the 3X line we were using.  And I am proud to say it worked.  I boated a 10 inch Snake River Cutthroat and gave a few fist pumps.  He hit the yellow stone fly like a lot of the others but this time I gave him a proper thumping.  I felt like I had cracked the code on this deal and the next fish came just a few minutes later.  This one was 13 inches and Mitch informed me that it was an above average fish.  I was pumped and feeling like I was in the zone.  My excitement was hard to miss…and then I remembered that Wendy was still sitting on a goose egg.  I tried to pass on my new-found advice and tried to convince her to get nasty.  She missed a couple more but then finally stuck a nice 10-11 inch fish.  A wave of relief washed over her and a sense of calm fell over the boat.  I was even able to get a laugh out of everyone when I passed on a quote from Dane (guided us at the North Platte).  He said, “You pay for the first fish.  The rest are free.”


From there, our landing percentage steadily rose.  We still missed a few but were inching closer to a 50% success rate.  We were also getting into some bigger fish.  Wendy and I each missed fish that Mitch said were bigger fish for the river.  I was starting to be able to discern between the small fish and bigger takes.  When I saw a bigger head come out of the water and take my fly down, I knew it was time to get serious.  I saw the fish twist in the water, and that confirmed my suspicion that this was a good fish.  My pulse quickened even more when Mitch said “Oh my”  My first instinct was to tell him to shut up because I was already freaking myself out but I managed to keep my composure and focus on the fight.  I slowly let out my slack fly line when he wanted to run and finally got to the point that I was able to use the reel for the fight.  It took some drag and I was terrified that I was going to break him off.  I was freaking out about the barbless hooks too.  I maintained a lot of pressure on the fish while Mitch rowed to the bank to land the fish with the net.  With a little coaxing, the tired fish made it to the boat and Mitch did an outstanding job netting the beast.  The tail of the tape was 16 inches and a significantly above average fish.  Fist pumps, fist bumps, and photos ensued while all the frustration of earlier in the morning was exchanged with an adrenaline rush that left my hands shaking.  I am also proud to report that the big fella swam away just like all of the other fish we caught that day too.


After that adventure, I ended up landing another 6 inch fish and two more that 12 inches each.  Wendy landed about 5 more fish with a 14 incher being the biggest.  If you look at the smile on her face, it tells the whole story.


The next memorable part of the trip was lunch.  I know that probably sounds strange, but I’ve never been on a guided trip that involved the guides setting up chairs on the bank along with a table and a blue checkered table cloth to top things off.  That was the fanciest that I have ever felt on a fishing trip.