FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

****************

The Snake River  –  Never forget to  appreciate the beauty.  Stop fishing, look around, it might be your last day on this earth.

When heading out on a great trip where fishing might play a part I do my research.  From great companies like Captain Experiences,  game and fish websites, fishing reports, guide services, always trying to maximize my chances, especially when only fishing one day.  As you all know, one day could be a bust, or a great trip, it can be a crap shoot.  This time I hit a home run for a couple of reasons.

A native wild 18″ cutthroat.  My PB on a flyrod and it made the trip!

I choose to fish with Grand Fishing Adventures who describe themselves as the Premier Fly Fishing Outfitter in the Jackson area.  Now I don’t know about all that, and definitely not the reason I chose them.  Everyone in the fishing world is “all that.”  In this case they definitely were.

My choice came down to one question:  Water levels on the Snake at this time of year, which could be fine, or might be blown out with melting snow.  One thing they offered was other choices, from private small stream wading to lakes, so that should part being messed up, there would be options to save the trip.  And all I have to say is thanks to them for hooking me up with, Ian Leinbach!  So check them out, if you love trout it will get your blood going.

Jackson Hole & Grand Teton National Park Fly Fishing Guides | GFA (grandfishing.com)

My first 2, then the smack down began and only a couple of pictures after that.  A dozen at least of these and a few really nice ones. Time to forget the camera and fish!

I met Ian at 10:30 at the Wilson bridge just outside Jackson, and we trailed up to a private access ramp and put in.  Being situated as it was it reduced the traffic on that stretch of water, which is a perfect day float with little pressure.  Luckily the water level was perfect with just a hint of color.  We got situated, put in, and he filled me in on the day.  The plan was to first up fish nymphs on droppers, then dry flies depending on the fish, and maybe little dose of streamers.  The first hole I was a native whitefish slayer on the nymphs.  And then it happened, a hatch.  From that point on it was a beatdown, at least as far as I was concerned.

Did the damage.

You could see the hatch, and with it the trout started rising to beat the band.  They were in the “usual” trout places, but riprap was best, where the current pushed the hatch on to the bank.  On almost every stretch with rising bugs it was multiple bites.  I would catch one or two and Ian would row back up and drift it again.  He definitely manned up to put me in position.  Some were barely slurping it, others blasted it.  As a real neophyte with the noodle rod I missed a bunch, but still managed to end the day with double digit numbers of wild native Cutthroats making the net.  Not sure how many fish it was, but it was nonstop action for about 6 hours, and in spite of my beginning  casting skills they were happy to help me out.

A couple of the better ones.  A day to remember.

Ian was a great guy to spend a day with in the boat.  And not only that, he is a teacher.  All day long instructing, teaching, sharing, which I guarantee you has made me a much better fly fisherman going forward.  It is a journey learning a new skill and one way you can cut the learning curve is to fish with a pro no matter your target fish, and this trip was an A+.

Now a small rant as I am want to do at times.  No matter what guide you hire to catch what fish, listen to him and do what the heck he tells you.  Of course over the years I have hired some real losers, but most of have been great.  Ian was one of the best and by listening to him, and applying what he was telling me, I had an epic day.  If you “know it all” then pass on the guide and do it yourself.  But if you want to learn a skill, fish new places, guides are the way to go.  Plus, don’t listen and try to apply, then don’t bitch when it goes bad.

Once it got going the pictures became irrelevant, it was one of those take advantage of it while it lasted.   So no pictures of Ian, but he ain’t that pretty anyway.  (Just kidding.)  He has extensive fly fishing experience in the West and was happy share his knowledge.  The company was top notch, and I appreciated their life jacket rules.  The old attorney side of me have always wondered why any guide with a even a couple of working brain cells in his head would not require life jackets on anyone in their boat.  Not only for client safety but for their own financial good.

The weather was great, the water lovely, and the fish were willing to go, all you can ever ask for a day on the water.  And to do it in such a great place, on famous water only added to the trip.  Do not know if I will ever get back there,  but some of the rivers and creeks sure looked inviting, and would love to spend a day wading some of them, and Ian would be my guy.  So if you ever get out that way ask for him, and tell him I said hey.

***************

We got home late last night and I am still recovering.  Next up will be a big photo dump of wildlife and a few comments on the Jackson area, which I should get up tomorrow. Occasionally a trip comes together and this one was great.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

*****************

The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

*****************