Back from Belize

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I returned recently from spending 4 days fly fishing in Belize. Permit were the target of our trip and they lived up to their reputation; moody, elusive and frustrating. I had fished for Permit before in the years that Jamie and I frequented Xcalak, MX and even caught one, but this was the first time I ever went fishing exclusively for Permit. We stayed at the Blue Horizon Lodge, a fantastic, small fly fishing lodge located on an island off the southern coast of Belize. Each day we set out fishing the many, many Permit flats in the area. For whatever reason, fish didn’t cooperate. Despite being known as the “Permit Highway”, fish were hard to come by. Each day out, the six of us saw a few Permit, both from the bow of the boat and also while wading on foot. Most of these fish were moving quickly though and not keen on giving us many opportunities. Fortunately in addition to searching for Permit, there were other game fish to cast to; various Jacks, bonefish, triggerfish, snapper, bonita, etc. These other fish helped put the occasional bend in the rod while searching for the main target. Guides seemed frustrated by the lack of fish and we did our best to put out good casts when shots presented themselves.

While I had 2 or 3 solid chances, getting a few casts at feeding Permit (who ignored my flies) the Gods smiled on me the last day on the water when Ivan and I made a long run north to some turtlegrass flats along the reef. After motoring for over an hour, we reached our destination. Within ten minutes of wading shallow coral we spotted a big Permit feeding in the shallows. I made a few casts at it with an olive Bauer crab and the fish aggressively turned on my fly and ate it. I strip set and watched as my line went tight and the fish bolted for the reef. A few seconds later my line went slack and the biggest Permit of my life was gone, it’s big black fins disappearing into a cut in the reef and out into open ocean. He had broken me off in the shallow, rocky coral. Heartbreaking! Since it was early in the day, I tried to shake it off and tell myself we’d find another one. Unfortunately that’s all she wrote and I consoled myself with rum and hand-rolled cigarettes that night at the lodge.

While we didn’t catch any Permit, we had a great time in Belize. Permit fishing is notoriously difficult, frustrating, etc. and we all agreed we would happily do it again. I can’t say enough about the quality of the guides we fished with, the staff that put up with us and beauty of Belize. Time to start saving my pennies for a future trip!

Rich fishing in the distance while our guide Ivan, mans the ship
Guide Ivan motors Rich and I to another flat. Rich and I got to fish together two days and fish individually two other days.
Richard starting the day off on the bow.
Rich shows off a nice Yellow Jack. This fish fought like crazy! I had so much fun watching Rich catch this guy.
Guides ready for another day of hunting. Lincoln (in foreground), is a legendary Permit guide and still getting after it at 80 years young. Ivan is 65 and put up with me for 3 days. Both set a high standard for the younger guides.
Sneaking in some wade fishing during sunset. I saw a tail and lost the tail as the daylight faded away….
Our group. Possible the most fun and easy-going crew in the fishing universe! R-L Jason, Me, Rich, Duncan, Ty and Castle. Can’t wait to fish with these fine folks again!

End of season and the beginning of winter

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Since it’s the first of December, I thought it necessary to do an end of season wrap up and talk about the fly fishing opportunities for the winter season. This past fishing season was a busy one. It was great to fish with new folks as well as returning clients. Water levels in the valley proved challenging at times. Most of our tributaries were low all season while the Snake flowed above average all season to satisfy irrigation demands in Idaho. Despite all this, the fishing remained pretty good and we had a great time.

I recently put the drift boat away for the season and am now doing afternoon wade fishing trips. With temperatures dropping and daylight fading, it’s best to focus on the warmest part of the day for fishing success. Dennis and Son, Ace joined me recently for some wade fishing and we found some willing fish to help celebrate Thanksgiving.

With the season slowing, Jamie and I made an escape to Florida where we spent a week with good friends. While it wasn’t a proper fishing trip, I was able to spend some time targeting Snook along the beaches. These fish proved difficult but there were some hook-ups and I finally managed to get one to hand! Next week I’m off to Belize for 5 days of fishing. I’ll be sure to post a report when I return.

Matt is all smiles with this birthday cutthroat. One of my good friends here, it was fun fishing with him and his son Frank who has come into his own as a fly fisherman.
All smiles with a hook-up. Got to take a good group of guys fishing in Yellowstone on the last day the park was open for the season. In addition to some nice fish, we had a grizzly hanging out in the meadow with us all day.
Sometimes, after a long season, you just need to find some hot water to sit in.
Snook on the beach in Anna Maria Island Florida. Boy do I love saltwater fly fishing. Now if only I could find a beach house to buy!
Ace with his first fish of the day. Not bad for a 12 year old.
Dennis shows off a nice colorful cutthroat trout from the Snake. Wade fishing proved a successful way to work off the turkey

Spring fishing at its finest (and a desert detour)

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April is flying by and I realized I haven’t written much about what’s going on out here in Jackson Hole. We’ve been experiencing the usual spring weather; sunny and warm one day followed by snow squalls and wind the next. Regardless, the spring fly fishing on the Snake River has been really good! Midges have been hatching like crazy. Add in tiny black stoneflies, the emergence of Skwala stones and Blue Wing Olive mayflies and you have the makings for some great dry fly fishing!

I had the pleasure of taking out a few visitors over the past few weeks on wade fishing expeditions. We’ve found plenty of fish, both native cutts and whitefish. Some days getting the fish to eat our dry flies were easier than others. This time of year fishing can be technical; tiny flies, selective fish in shallow gin clear water, etc. Regardless, days were a hoot and it’s always fun teaching folks the ins and outs of fly fishing. Hopefully we’ll squeeze out another week or two of good fishing on the Snake before runoff sets in. When that happens, it’s time to fish area lakes with leech patterns.

A long way from Alabama, Emily and Brock learned how to fool some fish with the long rods on the Snake
West found a pod of feeding cutthroat trout and had the “best day of fishing ever”
can’t blame the trout for being camera-shy…. Nice fish West!

In addition to fishing, Jamie and I were able to head south for spring break, visiting (and enjoying) some family in Bisbee, Arizona. Bisbee is one of the coolest towns I’ve spent time in and I hope we get down there more often in the years to come. Our days were spent hanging with my Aunt and Uncle, playing music, hiking, painting and relaxing. It was a great week in the sunshine but it’s nice to be back fishing folks!

Jamie on Bisbee’s main drag
Got to join the “Last Call Band” on stage one night. My Uncle (left) and girlfriend front the Bisbee band and were kind enough to let me sit in for a great outdoor set. First time I’ve played “out” since my college band days!

Some fun in the sun, fishing in the canyon

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I’m back in Jackson after traveling for the better part of the past few weeks. First, Jamie and I traveled to Anna Maria Island in Florida to get some sunshine and rendezvous with friends Kurt and Kelly. We all usually try and do a Bahamas trip every spring but with the Covid situation making travel outside the US difficult, we opted for Florida where Kelly’s uncle runs Sand and Sea, a small group of condo units about 200 yard from the Beach. We’ve been there once before several years back and I was anxious to return and do some warm water fly fishing. We had a great time. Anna Maria Island is on the Gulf, a little over an hour west of Tampa. The island is a nice place for a family beach vacation with restaurants, shops and other amenities without the high-rises and madness of other Florida beach towns. Of course there’s fishing too. While this area is a major destination for fly fishermen targeting the annual Tarpon migration in May and June, the area is also known for its great Snook, Redfish and Seatrout populations.

Kurt casting in a bayside turtlegrass flat
One of the many nice sea trout caught in our explorations.

Kurt and I managed to sneak away for a few hours here and there to cast a fly and were rewarded with some pretty good fishing. While it was still a little early (and cool) for the Snook along the beaches, we had a blast catching Sea Trout, Lady fish and some other assorted things. All our fishing was done on foot, exploring some cool turtle grass flats on the Bay side of the island. I got into some Ladyfish one evening while fishing the beach and was treated to acrobatic displays while the sun set.

It was really good to see Kurt, Kelly and their son. I always look forward to our warm weather trips together!

After returning home to Jackson, I packed my trout gear and drove south to meet up with my friends from Salt Lake City at Flaming Gorge. We spent last week fishing the Green river hoping to take advantage of midge and BWO hatches. While we had a great time, the fishing was pretty tough. Despite decent spring conditions, fish were in no mood to eat and made us work for the few we caught.

Back home in Jackson, snow in the valley is slowly melting and local fishing has been pretty decent due to warmer weather. I’m looking forward to getting out and taking advantage of the midges hatching.

Some good days on the water!

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Had the pleasure of taking some new folks fly fishing this past week. The winter fishing here in Jackson Hole has been pretty good. As some of you know, the Snake is the go-to place for casting a fly in the winter. Days can vary from tough to great. Because of snow depth, access can be difficult. Fortunately several bridges over the Snake allows wade fishing anglers the ability to find productive water. My client today, Leslie, caught a lot of fish and was blown away by the number of heads poking through the surface gorging on midges. Definitely a fun time and since temperatures are warming and days getting longer, the fishing will just get better!

Leslie had a hell of a day dry fly fishing! Great way to kick of March
Matthew shows off a great cutt. It was a cold one but he was rewarded.
Dan getting it done in the Cold. First Snake River Cutthroat trout! Real pleasure taking Dan and his friends Cory and Josh out for a day.
Headshot of a native

A little fishing to kick off February

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Kicked February off with a little fly fishing this past weekend. Conditions were far from ideal; wind, snow, cold temperatures, but my friends Seth, Rich and I decided to rally. We ended up doing pretty well nymph fishing, landing whitefish, rainbow and brown trout. After a few hours, we retreated to the cabin and warmed up with a fire in the wood stove, whiskey and sloppy joes.

winter rainbow
A nice chunky winter rainbow

Fly Tying

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I’ve been tying a lot flies recently. Any day not substitute teaching has been spent at the fly tying desk cranking out various patterns. I like to tie in the mornings with a fresh cup of coffee and podcast on the radio. As many know, I supply my clients with my own hand tied flies during the course of the season. I try to do most of my tying this time of year rather than during the busy fishing season. Naturally though some early mornings or late evenings, pre and post trips, require me to bang out patterns that are working well and I’m running low on. Over the years of guiding I’ve paid attention to patterns I use a lot, focusing on them rather than everything under the sun. Sure, I like to experiment too; creating my own patterns and tweaking existing flies to suit my needs better. I want flies that are durable and are quick to tie. And since most of the water I fish out here around Jackson Hole is fast flowing, freestone streams and rivers, the flies need to float well and be easy for clients to see!

Lots of Pat’s rubber legs, stimulators, yellow sallies and water walkers. Also a lone olive leech with tungsten bead.

Fly fisherman are inundated with tons of new patterns every year. I think most of them are made to “catch” fisherman’s attention more than fish. Sure every few years there are some innovative things to come off the vise, but more often then not “new” patterns are just slightly tweaked old ones. When clients ask me about fly patterns to have on hand, I often recommend many of the classic patterns. While they might not be as sexy as new ones with flash and bubble eyes, they work and there is a reason they’re classics. Examples include: Parachute Adams, Stimulators, Elk Hair Caddis, Royal Wulffs, Double Humpies, Pheasant Tails, Hare’s Ears, Prince Nymphs and Wooly buggers to name a few. I’m fairly confident that these patterns in various sizes will work 90% of the time.

The Trina’s Carnage hopper is a newer pattern that I really like. Primarily made of foam, it floats well and has a great hopper silhouette in the water. I like these in Yellow and Tan.

Of Course there are newer pattens that are fantastic, both because they catch fish and because they bring something new to the table. Kelly Gallop’s articulated streamers come to mind as do any number of Chubby Chernobyl variations and hopper patterns.

At the end of the day flies are part of what makes fly fishing fun. Whether you’re creating at your vise or stocking you boxes, it’s fun to try and think what fly will outsmart a fish.

A view of my fly tying bench after tying dozens of flies for the upcoming fishing season. Not sure how many flies my Regal vise turns out every year, but it’s A LOT!

Visitor at the Fishing Cabin

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The weather’s been cold around here lately and as a result I haven’t done much in the fishing department. Instead I’ve been doing a little cross country skiing, tying lots of flies for the upcoming fishing season, strumming the guitar and working on some new paintings. Folks have been booking fishing trips and it’s fun to plan days on the water for the upcoming spring, summer and fall. I’ve also found time to get over to our cabin in Dubois and relax. As many of you know, the cabin is my favorite place. Situated a little west of Dubois, Wyoming, it’s tucked back along the upper Wind River and the surrounding wilderness. It’s a great place to spend some time, allowing for fishing, hiking, exploring and skiing. This time of year I like to go over and work on projects, fish for a few hours and watch movies.

Mountain Lion prowling around the Dubois Fly Fishing cabin.

While I was over there this past weekend with Jamie and Lulu, I checked the game cam that’s posted on our deck and was excited to see a mountain lion graced us with its presence. Mountain lions are common to this area of Wyoming and while their population is strong, they are very elusive. I’ve seen them a few times over the years in the flesh, but always at a distance while they lounged around winter kills. Surely they’ve watched me on occasion in the backcountry, but I haven’t noticed.

Mountain lions are solitary creatures up to 7 or 8 feet in length and weighing as much as 150 pounds. They cover a large territory preferring rocky, forested terrain, making Dubois prime habitat. Over the years at the cabin I’ve seen plenty of tracks and sign but pictures are rare, making this pretty cool! Last year to the day, another one (or the same?) was captured on the game cam.

This cat was captured last year on the game cam. If you notice the date, you’ll see it’s one year to the day as this year’s picture. The smoker in the foreground is on our deck.

The mountain lion sightings are part of the reason I love the cabin so much (in addition to the great fishing nearby). Despite having a few neighbors, we are part of the wilderness and there’s no telling what will pass through. Over the years our game cam has recorded Deer, Moose, Elk, Antelope, Coyotes, Badger, Grizzly Bears and Fox. I keep hoping a wolf will show up (they’ve been seen in the neighborhood) but so far they remain elusive.

If you’re looking for a really cool, all-inclusive fly fishing experience, join me at the cabin and see for yourself why this area of Wyoming is so special! Learn more here- Fly Fishing Cabin Stay

Below is a new painting. The photo isn’t best, but you get the idea… head study of a cutthroat trout.

New watercolor; portrait of a cutthroat 11×14