The Gypsy Guide Tour; "That's A Wrap!"

The final two days of "LeTour"commenced at beautiful Lake Davis blazing wild in fall color. This was a very important trip for me since my clients were the guys who were on my vessel when we had to make a mayday distress call at Eagle Lake. I needed to wave the magic wand and pull a trout out of my hat, needless to say the fish gods had my back on this trip. I arrived on Saturday and went to Camp 5 boat ramp to see who was around. I met an angler who I had spoke to on the phone earlier in the week, Dave is another soldier who stalks trout from the bank and sight fishes when conditions allow. It's always great to hear stories from individuals who ply the shores of Lake Davis.

I rough camped full gypsy style for the next two nights on the log skidder site by Camp 5. Just the bare necessities came on this trip; A simple stove, the 15 pound -20 degree sleeping bag, and my insulated camo "mansuit" that is a must when you're cold weather camping. Once night came it was cold and a bit spooky, and those thumps and crunching sounds in the distance always add a few extra hairs to stand up on the back of my neck. The modern age lends a hand though as I answer business emails, Facebook my thoughts while checking in on my special friends, and running the Foo Fighters channel on Pandora keeping them bears away. Smartphones are one serious tool. The coyotes kept me company while singing the most eerie melodies, and the stars brilliant sparkle lit up the night sky in grand fashion. I pondered life in the darkness and thought of my upcoming birthday; 47 years old and to be honest life just keeps getting better, and better. I feel blessed.

Dan and Dean from the east bay had rescheduled another 2 days with me after the Eagle lake debacle. Talk about about winning the lottery, these guys picked the peak of the fishing at the lake combined with the warmest November weather I can ever remember! Yesterday the high was near 70 degrees at 5,700 feet; I was wearing a t-shirt! Very little wind to deal with and at times many rising trout.

It's hard to explain to someone how good the fishing was and how many hook ups we had. To an average person it would seem like the old fisherman's lies and bragging breath. Bent rods all day long no matter what style of fishing we chose to present flies; Shallow water with a floating line, Int. line with a fast strip, stalking individual trout off the bank, or the Jay Fair trolling technique all kicked ass! In two days these guys touched about 140 rainbows, bringing about 100 to the boat. So much action and so many fish we really lost count on the exact numbers. This is by far the best two days of the entire year on Lake Davis I got to experience - It was insane!

The rainbows ran from 16-20" and some so colored up in a crimson scheme that it looked like someone airbrushed them. These fish now have shoulders to them and they fought extremely well. The fishing will remain good but cold arctic air and snow is moving into the region for the next few days and the end could be coming soon. In any event I'll be back up with a few more client trips after the storm blows through.

I'm kinda sad that this trip has to end, I wish I could provide these perfect conditions everyday to my guest. But reality stares me in the face and I realize that times like these are gifts in life that are meant to be cherished memories. You know the ones that you play over and over in your head that make you grin and put that sparkle in your eye no matter how bad a day you're having. On my way home driving down hwy 49 through the twisty turns I was jonesing for a hot shower to rid my body of that stinky trout smell I had acquired from two days of pure bliss, and my temper-pedic bed. Through every turn in the damp darkness of the canyon I kept asking myself; "Did we really hammer all those fish or what?" Yes Jon, there is a Santa Claus!

Eagle Lake Presentation at Santa Cruz Fly Fisherman

Please join me and the Santa Cruz Fly Fisherman on November 7th at their monthly meeting as I share the secrets of Eagle Lake; home of the special and ancient rainbow trout. My Power Point program consists of over a 130 slides explaining the history of the lake, access points, techniques, tactics, flies, and entomology. If your near the Santa Cruz area make sure to stop by as the meeting is open to the public, and everyone is welcome! For more information and directions to the clubhouse follow this link: http://www.santacruzflyfishermen.org/ 

The Gypsy Guide Tour; Part 2

My second leg of "LeTour" was a short 3 day run at Lake Davis where prior to my arrival a foot of new snow had fallen upon the region. The fall colors where either peaking or just starting due to our complicated Indian Summer. I had my concerns about the necessary baggage this time of year; the boat. Backing down an ice covered ramp with a potential for jack knifing your trailer into a dock is not a good thing. I'm fine about not using a boat and having a long hike to the buckets, but with paying customers they deserve the best service possible; I will deliver come hell or high water for them.

As I made my way down to the Camp 5 boat ramp on Thursday I helped remove a pine tree that some good old local boys started to wrestle with. This is pretty common after storms up at the lake no matter what time of year and a good reason to keep a saw in the truck.

The ramp was in pretty good shape due its location of a southern exposure with protection from the wind. Even though the sun would do most the work, I still shoveled off the ramp and sanded it in preparation for my trips.

The new snow was melting fast and the cold weather dropped the water temps from 55 to 43 degrees! Saturday the fishing was still good but those rainbows had to adjust to the quick drop in water temperatures so the catch rate was a little off. It was such a gorgeous day, a fresh coating of sparkling snow around the lake and the willows blazing in color against a cobalt blue sky. Mother nature continues to take my breath away no matter how many years I've been around her; what a sweetheart!

Sunday was "OFF THE HOOK"! Water temps started out at 44 degrees again but by afternoon they climbed to 55 degrees. I chose some spots away from the masses of tubers that crowded the north end of the lake that offered these trout some sanctuary. Quiet coves filled with floating grass, junk, and noisy Coots splashing about can be very productive.

Rainbows today ran 15-20", the color and condition of these trout have got to be seen; absolutely beautiful for being from a hatchery. It's the fertile waters of Lake Davis and the abundant food that make them what they are.

We also had plenty of risers in front of us today and the boys had never had so much fun casting to targets and stalking individual fish. Between the two of them they touched at least 50 rainbows and landed about 30 of them! Effective flies right now are the ones in your stillwater box; These trout are on the gorge trying to fatten up for winter and will hit anything. JUST GET YOUR FLY IN FRONT OF THEM! We did best on Baiocchi's Sheep Creek Specials, and Jay Fair wiggle tails in dark fiery brown and burnt orange #10 & #12.

There is a high for guides after a day like today that no drug or bottle of booze can replicate, your so pumped up; you glow! It is so satisfying to me to be able to share and teach the shallow water style of fly fishing stillwaters. I give my students a solid foundation that they they can grow from and have confidence on the water when they are out there on their own. That in its own is worth more to me than anything. I'm happily tired from chasing these two trout bums around with a net all day. Today was awesome, this trip will float around my head for quite some time.

THE FALL BITE IS PEAKING AT LAKE DAVIS AND WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR AND GET UP THERE TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC!

The Gypsy Guide Tour; Part 1

I'ts day 13 of my gypsy guide tour where I weave the waters of Northern California sharing the knowledge and spreading the magic to my clients as we enjoy the beautiful fall colors on the surrounding landscapes that trout call home. My travels have taken me to the North Fork Yuba river where once again water temps will always dictate the fishing. During Autumn we must wait until water temps raise into the mid to upper 50's for good fishing, usually the middle to late in the day. The next stop was the Middle Fork Feather river where the water levels are so low and the fish are ganged up in the deeper runs and pools. My 14 year old client had a field day in one such run where he caught and released 8 nice rainbows on a San Juan worm; Stripped like a streamer!

I was done with the rivers and now onto the pristine stillwaters that fly anglers all over the west and beyond come to explore and fish. Prime time is now at Lake Davis and the trout are cruising in very shallow water looking for anything to eat. The blood midge hatches that were so prolific earlier have waned as the water temps have dropped in to the the upper 50's. The fish are rising for small back swimmers and tiny midge adults. floating lines, long leaders, and wiggle tails in brown, burnt range, and black are crushing them. The best time to fish has been the middle of the day when the sun warms all the aquatic insects up and they become active. I have fished all over the state during this time of year and Lake Davis offers the best game in town, catching big rainbows off the bank is simply the best! 

I headed up north to the greatest stillwater on earth, Eagle Lake and the home of the ancient Eagle Lake Rainbow. I had such a great time as I hosted my home club Gold Country Fly Fishers and turned on many individuals to this crowned jewel. Most everybody caught their fair share of fish and we had lots of laughs around the campfire (Thanks for those that brought ample amounts of hardwood!). It was my pleasure to share my passion for Eagle with the club, looks like it will be an annual event for GCFF members to participate in for years to come.

The fishing was was very unusual at Eagle this October as the unseasonably warm temperatures had the trout doing totally out of character feeding habits. Fish were scattered but we found the most concentrations at Christie, Pelican Point, and Youth Camp. Lots of Tui Chub minnows were balled up and the fish responded to them by crashing the party. The best flies to chuck at them were brown and copper leeches, minnow patterns, and wiggle tails. There is one thing I can say about the angry Eagle Lake rainbow and that is it really doesn't matter the fly, just get it it in front of them and they will inhale! 

On Tuesday I had the biggest scare yet of my boating history. Of course it had to happen at Eagle with big wind, 3-4 foot swells, and clients on board. The motor sputtered to a stop and would sometimes start but not keep an idle. I used the electric to flee to a shoal and dropped both anchors hoping they would hold and not lift and break free; if that happened we would drift and bash against the rocks at youth camp. I called 911 and sent out a mayday distress call, Lassen county sheriff came to the rescue and towed the boat back to the south marina. We got lucky, it could have been really ugly. The culprit was a cup of water throughout the entire fuel system. James from J & L Boat Repair in Spalding dropped everything and got my motor running again. Fantastic customer service from James; he is the man!

Back to Lake Davis and I'm running on fumes, Eagle Lake beats an angler up. The high alkaline water eats yours hands to the point where it feels like you've washed them with 60 grit sandpaper, and cracks in the skin bleed from the constant abuse of casting and stripping line. It also tires you out from waking up at 5:30am to get ready for the first light bite which this trip did not pan out as it usually does. I can't help it when I'm at Eagle to get up early, and see this magnificent lake come to life from the blackness of the early morning night sky is truly a gift to behold. I love how the birds begin their choir of chips and chirps as the morning fog blankets the basin, with a hope that a rainbow will rise in the calm waters at your feet.

Where was I, oh yeah, I'm tired....More clients, more trout, and now some winter weather coming my way for next week's sessions. Stay tuned as there is never a dull moment in the Baiocchi camp.

Small Water Matrix

                                                                                  

I was very fortunate to work with Ken Hanley of http://www.pacificextremes.com/ and take part in making this video. "Small Water Matrix" was produced to get the blood flowing and let the kid in us all come out and explore where the wild things are! This short clip just oozes the passion I have for fly fishing, it doesn't matter the venue or the size of the fish; It's all about the journey and the memories that last a lifetime.

For HD click here; https://vimeo.com/50645169

Upcoming Eagle Lake Presentations 10/2 & 10/6

If you're as intrigued about Eagle Lake and the unique Eagle Lake rainbow trout as I am then please join me for the most informative lecture on fly fishing this ancient lake available. All bases will be covered in this 155 slide show including the history, hot spots to fish, the flies, techniques, and tackle. The first presentation on 10/2 will be at the Gold Country Fly Fishers monthly meeting at the fairgrounds Grass Valley, all the info is available here; http://www.gcff.org/ GCFF is a great club and I'm proud to be a member.

The second presentation will be held at Tom Page's Reel Anglers Fly Shop on 10/6 at 10am. Tom's shop is located at 760 S. Auburn St. in Grass Valley's Village Center. Seating is limited so come early to reserve your spot. There will be flies available after the show specifically just for fishing Eagle Lake as well as a complete inventory of gear to satisfy your needs.

Please join me and learn all about one of the best kept secrets of Northern California. Both presentations are free to the public and the information provided will most defiantly shorten your learning curve while casting to where the ancient trout roam!

Coming Home; The 1st Lake Davis Fall Season Report 2012

As I crept down that dusty road to Cow Creek inching my way to Lake Davis my hopes were high just rolling through the woods and taking it all in. The lake came into view and so did the memories of last year at this time, I knew the tears were coming. Not so bad this time around but enough to have a few roll down my cheeks and rest in the corner of my mouth. The taste of those tears were sweet this time, and with that taste came a feeling of true happiness that I was lucky enough to fish with such a loyal partner. Everything was the same as last year, the weather, the hatches, the fish rising right off the bank, and the low angle of the autumn sun giving the landscape a different perspective of nature's special effects. Everything except Madison being there at my side.

Tucked away in my little pullout off the road I rigged the rod and took my time getting dressed. It was so quite out, not a puff of wind or any other sounds to be had. Sightings of any two legged creatures casting in the distance could not be seen as well. There was nothing, just the sun beating down on me providing a blanket of warmth and security. The trek to the buckets is not that far but I took my time to observe some strange bird behavior I solved the mystery to a few years ago at Eagle Lake that baffled a top ornithologist. There were dozens of red shafted northern flickers in the meadows far away from any pine trees or normal habitat. They were rooting deep in the grass completely oblivious to my oncoming presence and the loud noise of dry grass crunching under my boots. The flickers were eating grasshoppers at the right time in the morning; just enough warmth to get those hoppers active, yet not enough sun for them to be able to hop away and fly. The birds were gorging themselves. I love it when the creatures of the great creator think outside the box and prove the experts wrong.

Surface water temps ran 62-65 degrees, and though not the best they are coming down. Hatches included sparse calibaetis, little chartreuse midge, and blood midges in a size 12. They were really keyed in on the blood midge emergers that were popping up from underneath the surface. The trout are already in the skinny water searching for high volumes of food before winter comes on, how skinny? 2-4 feet! For the next 2.5 hours I hooked into 8 rainbows that were so beautiful and clean of any parasites; all on the dry fly. These shallow water trout were stalked and sight fished to. Does it get any better than that? Not a chance, and with my eighth fish released I sat in the shade of a lone pine tree and just watched the fish rise away. Later that day I ran into Gene and the rest of the Granite Bay Fly Fishing club members and we compared notes. They were doing well with calibaetis nymphs and casting to rising fish. They also said the fish they caught and released were very clean as well. Good news!

The fish are in the skinny water and it's getting to be that time of year when the bite really turns on. I saw my first fall colors in Truckee on Thursday and like a passenger train, autumn is on its way. Get your boarding pass now and hop aboard!

Eagle Lake Presentation at Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers 9/20

This coming Thursday, September 20th, I will be appearing at the Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers at 6:30pm (http://www.ttff.net/ ) for their monthly meeting to present a 155 slide presentation on the waters of Eagle Lake in Lassen County. I will be discussing access points, techniques  tactics, the history, entomology, and flies. The meeting is open to the public and located at the Truckee Donner Recreation Center (Map - https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Truckee+Recreation+Center+(new+facility)) I hope you get a chance to come see this as I unlock the mysteries of fishing "The Pond"!

Middle Fork Feather River Presentation 9/11

Sorry for the short notice but I will be doing a Power Point presentation on the Wild & Scenic Middle Fork Feather River this coming Tuesday at the EC Powell Fly Fishers Club in Yuba City. I will cover access points, techniques, tactics, entomology, and flies for the Middle Fork with 140 slides, including maps. The meeting starts at 7pm at the Lincrest Elementary school (1400 Phillips road) in the multipurpose room and is open to the public. I look forward to sharing with you one of California's most beautiful rivers - See you there!

For more information click here; http://www.ecpowellflyfishers.com/ScheduleMeetings.php
For the EC Powell Newsletter click here; http://ecpowellflyfishers.com/pdf/Sep2012Newsletter.pdf

Korkers Customer Service

I love my Korkers boots, they have exceeded my expectations when it comes to durability and being user friendly. Here in Northern California we have polished granite boulders that line our freestone rivers. I have been wearing the studded soles but they are very slippery on the "dry" granite, and it does not matter what brand of studded soles - they all slip. Once in the water they preform well but it's the boulder hopping that has had me land in ways I'd rather not say. I called Korkers this morning and relayed the information and within minutes I had replacement soles of just "all felt" being processed for delivery ready to ship. That's what a stand up company does when it comes to superior customer service, and why I wear and promote the Korkers Brand.  http://www.korkers.com/

New: Now Offering Lower Yuba River Guide Trips!

                                                                                               

The Lower Yuba River is a must fly fishing experience; it's a river that has all the essential qualities that makes it a "must fish" destination spot. This river is a tail water fishery that provides cold water year round and supports a healthy population of steelhead, Chinook salmon, rainbow and the occasional brown trout. Aquatic insects flourish here as well with prolific hatches of pale morning dun and march brown mayflies, caddisflies, and the skwala stonefly just to name a few. The Lower Yuba offers anglers many different fishing opportunities to choose from but the highlight is the winter dry fly fishing where hunting heads and technical presentations reward the angler. 

Jon Baiocchi and Keith Scott will be your guides on the Lower Yuba River offering a cornucopia of instruction and usable information to anglers who seek to learn more about this magnificent fishery. Keith will be manning the oars and drifting anglers down this scenic and productive float, while Jon will be sharing his many years of expertise on stalking trout from the bank with anglers who feel the need for a good hunt. 
Keith Scott is a master and veteran guide on the Lower Yuba with hundreds of days under his belt. He provides the very best in drift boat fishing knowing where the fish are and what sections of the river is producing the best hatches. When the river is running high and deemed unfishable by many, Keith finds a way to catch trout on the dry fly. Drift boat trips run by Keith will be $325, no lunch, no tackle, and all business when it comes to getting clients into fish.

Jon will offer his walk and wade trips at his regular pricing for half and full days providing all the terminal tackle, drinks, snack, and lunches. Jon and Keith are excited to be networking with each other and to be able to provide the very best fly fishing experience for anglers on the Lower Yuba River. We offer guiding all year round!

To book your trip and reserve  a date follow the link;

 http://www.baiocchistroutfitters.com/destinations_LowerYubaRiver.html

Free Lake Davis/Frenchman's Reservoir Presentation at Reel Anglers Fly Shop

I will be doing a FREE presentation on Lake Davis & Frenchman's Reservoir on Saturday, September 15th at 10am for Reel Anglers Fly Shop located at 760 S. Auburn street in Grass Valley. The narrated slide show will feature over a 100 photographs, maps, and useful information - Just in time for the Fall bite! You will learn all the details about these two amazing stillwaters, so don't miss out. Please come join me and Reel Anglers Fly Shop owner Tom Page to learn about the many secrets I will be sharing, hope to see you there!

Anticipation

I can feel it, like all animals do this time of year. It's on the way and I welcome it with not just open arms but with my spirit renewed by a new lease on life. Autumn is on the wind, drifting in slightly with a few clues to those who look. The wind has crispness to it, a slight chill. Pine needles have begun falling and the tips of the big leaf maple are turning a slight yellow. Warblers in the high country are on the move and the rest of our feathered friends have changed their normal summer behavior. But the one clue that fall is on its way was the Blue Wing Olive mayflies I saw in the past few days on the North Fork Yuba river, they are back after taking the summer months off for vacation.

Autumn is the most amazing spectacle of our revolving seasons that wash the earth. It can be viewed as a decaying time when all the greenery that spring and summer produced becomes a withered and pale pastel falling from the sky. The days become shorter, the sun is lower in the sky, and darkness overtakes the length of day. But you know what? If you're a fly angler this is special time, this is when mother earth pulls out the top hat, waves the magic wand and grants us the best fishing of the season!

This is by far my favorite time of year; large trout prowl the skinny water of our lakes and can be found right at your feet. Legendary running waters of Northern California like the McCloud, Pit, Fall, Truckee, and the Upper Sac rivers turn on fire for the final show of the season. Classic fall hatches like the October Caddis, BWO's, and the Isonychia mayfly dance like sugar plum fairies in the damp air that hovers over our sacred waters.

The only problem with this time of year is that it is over before you know it. I wish the great creator could just stretch it out a little more and allow us to savor those delightful and perfect presentations that become mere flashbacks in the cold winter months ahead. I don’t’ know about you but I am so ready for this, I think about fly fishing and autumn all year long. To watch summer fade into fall and dance in rhythm with the trout and their world is a passion that consumes my every thought. Somebody pinch me.

Jon Baiocchi has been fly fishing and tying flies since 1972 and is a California licensed fly fishing guide, published author, educator, innovative tier, and public speaker giving fly fishing presentations to clubs and expos around the state. Jon operates Baiocchi’s Troutfitters guide service in Northeastern California where he has a reputation as a hard working guide who has been trained by some of fly fishing’s best known master anglers. He can be reached at BaiocchisTroutfitters.com

Trout To Tout

I was recently asked to do a photo shoot with Denis Peirce (http://fineflies.com/) about an article he was writing for the Union Newspaper. It was amazing how we could escape the busy city life and disappear down into a remote creek and find wild trout. My only bummer of the day was forgetting to wear my quick dry pants and receiving a new array of artistic scratches from the thorny blackberry bushes! You can view the article here http://fineflies.com/union/08-10-2012.htm One never knows what kind of fishing opportunities are right in front of them until they take a few steps back and explore their own front yard. Get some...

New Fly Shop Opens In Grass Valley!

Last December Nevada City Anglers closed its doors and the fly fishing community of Nevada county was left high and dry without a local shop. I had no idea that owner Tom Page had just opened Reel Anglers Fly Shop just a few weeks ago until I had a power meeting with local guide Keith Scott of West Slope Drifters. Finally we have a local shop to support and fill the needs of fly anglers in the area!

Tom's shop carries all the essentials to outfit you on your next trip including rods, reels, lines, all terminal tackle, flies, tying materials, casual and technical clothing, and the knowledge to help you. Reel Anglers Fly Shop is located at 760 S. Auburn St. in Grass Valley's Village Center. You can reach the shop at 530.477.5397 or look for their website coming soon at http://reelanglersflyshop.com/

The Day The Planets Aligned On The Little Truckee River

Success on the Little Truckee River can mean many different things when it comes to plying her waters with a fly rod. A grab, a look, or maybe a decent fish or two. The bottom line is this river is not a easy place to catch a bunch of fish. My client yesterday, Ken from Missouri wanted a introduction to stalking trout in Northern California. In Missouri they have manicured "trout parks" that have stocked trout and crowds of anglers that make the Little Truckee look like a private fishery. So I took the time with Ken to teach him about wild trout behavior, proper presentations, studying water, flies, and entomology. This boy from the south was a quick learner!

He caught and released 14 trout, both browns and rainbows in the mix from 10-22", all on the Pale Morning Dun dry! Double digits do not come easy on this river and I let him know he may never see a day like this again - It was that good! Strange things happen in the trout world, and when the planets align themselves you better hold on as you just may have the most incredible day fishing with a fly rod ever!

North Fork Yuba Entomology Class A Huge Success!

                                                                               

The Wild Plum area on the North Fork Yuba River offered 5 students the perfect ambiance to increase their knowledge on the aquatic insects that reside there. Biologist, educator, and entomological  illustrator Christine Elder (http://www.christineelder.com/) led the lecture segment of the class teaching simple solutions for fly anglers for making positive identifications of the bugs.

Her highly informative hand outs and anatomically correct illustrations gave the students the necessary tools to be able to refresh their memory well after the class was done.

A booster pack hooked up to a power inverter supplied the juice to run an aerator to keep the live aquatic specimens in good condition. We added chunks of ice to cool the the water temps as well.

It was amazing how the golden stones would sit right on top of the aerator taking in large amounts of oxygen to satisfy their needs. All bugs were released unharmed back into the same stretch of water where they came from. This set-up kept the bugs happy and the students could check out how each bug's gills worked with the assistance of a magnifying glass. They found it really fascinating!

Our group of beginning anglers said they were amazed to be shown the high density of aquatic insects inhabiting just a short reach of Haypress Creek, including the prolific populations of the dobsonfly (hellgrammite). The main stem of the NFYR had an abundance of net spinning caddis, and Baetis nymphs.

Our complete species list included October caddis, Glossosoma caddis,  Rhyacophila caddis, net-spinning Hydropsychid caddis, Epeorus mayfly, Baetis mayfly, Drunella mayfly, golden stone, Isoperla stonefly, Alloperla stonefly, and midge & cranefly larva.

I went over fly patterns for the major groups from nymph to emerger to adult stages right on through to the egg laying spent adult. I also covered reasons why certain patterns work so well, like how a flashback pattern simulated the gas bubble trapped under an emerging insect's skin. I also performed on -water demos with effective presentations for the students giving them some new skills to try on their own.

At the end of the day Christine pulled out the flash cards and gave the students a little quiz to access the knowledge gained over the day. They passed with flying colors! There where lots of laughs with this simple game and each student won one of my custom flies for their efforts. 

It was such a rewarding day for Christine and me to be able to share our knowledge and to see our students gain a real appreciation for the diversity of insects upon which trout depend! 

Announcement - We will be doing another class on Saturday August 25th on the North Fork Yuba River at the same location. Click the link below for more information, we hope to see you there!

http://www.baiocchistroutfitters.com/angler_entomology_class.html

  

Olivia's Big Catch!

I have had so many great guide trips this season. Just when I think another trip can't be topped, it is! Today was no exception as I guided a family who had never been fly fishing before yet had done their home work, especially Olivia. I taught them the simple game of short line high sticking with a hopper and a dropper. The learning curve with this technique is so sharp, and with eager fish the reward is instant. It fuels the fire to stick and move and dance up the staircases of trout, with a hope for a rise. Olivia caught and released 6 rainbows with one at 14" all on her own today! She is a very smart girl with an appreciation for nature and the great outdoors. That's special to me.

Her parents have given her the greatest gift you can give a child, a true understanding of all things flora and fauna. I know first hand, my parents gave me the same gift and it will be with me forever. At the end of the day there were smiles all around, everybody hooked into a few, learned so much, and caught trout fever with a fly rod. As we were about to part Olivia gave me a tight hug and said "Thank you so much Jon!". A tear came to my eye, and it was so beautiful. "Your welcome fish queen" I said. On the drive home I rode the high that a fly fishing guide experiences on a great trip, and the smile I left with is still on my face with no chance of going away.