Link: https://www.wyomingtroutguides.com/
We took a few pictures of the fish and then safely released it. I was happy to see him swim off and after seeing that he was most likely going to survive the encounter, I started casting again. It took less that 5 minutes before I hooked into another fish. This one jumped a few times and in doing so, it revealed itself to be a brown trout. My pulse quickened a little more at this sight as I had never caught a brown trout on a streamer. My focus narrowed and hope filled my consciousness. He seemed to pull a little harder and have a more aggressive demeanor than the cutthroat and that’s one of the reasons I love these sticks of butter. Nolan netted the brownie, I bellowed a yell of excitement again, and exchanged high fives. Somewhere between the pictures and release, it dawned on me that there was a chance that the day was going to be memorable because of the frequency of my catches. As the day chugged along, things only got better.
Hookups came close to the bank. Fish took down the streamer near drop-offs. I even hooked a few fish in the middle of the current when I wasn’t expecting a bite. I caught more browns, more cutthroats, and even some rainbows. Another highlight was when I landed a cutthroat that was 20 inches long. Not only was I happy to catch such a nice-sized fish, but Nolan identified it as a Yellowstone Cutthroat which completed the Wyoming Cutt Slam for me. I had previously caught Snake River Cutthroat and Bonneville Cutthroat. On this trip, the Fine Spot and Yellowstone sealed the deal for me. At some point, I started putting my list of “firsts” in my phone because I didn’t want to forget all of the events that had transpired. The number of firsts was racking up to such a degree that I was scared that my small brain would start letting events slip through the cracks and be forgotten.
It's safe to say that I have had my eyes opened to how incredible it can be to throw streamers for trout on a river from a boat. I realize that the success of this particular day is probably the exception and not the rule, but it is exactly what I needed to get me excited about utilizing this technique in the future. I feel comfortable rigging up my own streamer setup, reading water, and what it takes to catch a trout on a streamer now. Aside from the excitement of having a brown trout try to pull the rod out of my hand, I have become enthralled with the visual component of a trout taking down a streamer. I wasn’t prepared for that but now I am absolutely fascinated by the aspect. Watching a fish swim from several feet away and hammer the fly you are working is as intense and exciting (if not more so) than watching a trout sip a dry fly off the surface. Being such an active participant in streamer fishing is a stark contrast to trying to dead drift a dry fly and that adds to the mystique and satisfaction of hooking a trout.
In total, I ended up landing 25 fish on that streamer. I lost one fly and missed 10-15 fish but I
was able to revel and appreciate all of the events of that day. At this point in my story, it is important
for me to acknowledge the efforts and guidance of Nolan. The memories that were created on this float
were only possible because of Nolan. His
teachings, fly selection, and equipment assembly made it possible for me to
have such an epic day on the water. I’m
a better angler because of Nolan’s efforts and there is no way for me to ever pay
back what he has given to me with equality.
His excitement and enthusiasm were equal to that of my own which made
every fish feel even better. He’s an
amazing angler, an outstanding teacher, and a great guide. Nolan, if you’re reading this, thank you from
the bottom of my heart for a gift that I will always cherish.
Link: https://www.wyomingtroutguides.com/
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