"I am haunted by waters."

I know that is a bit cliched, but it is obviously true.  Norman Maclean's poignant story "A River Runs Through It" contains the brilliant paragraph "Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.

I am haunted by waters."

Water has played a major role in my life.  I grew up on a small lake in Nebraska.  The lake was out our back door.  The Platte River was across the road in front of our home. My brothers and sister and I fished and water skied on the lake.  I hunted waterfowl on the river in the fall.  The river provided the spectacle of spring migration.  I cherished the hunts with my father, Michael, and his hunting buddies on the Missouri River near Niobrara, NE.  It was on the Missouri I was privileged to hunt with a World Champion duck caller.  It was on the Missouri I met my dog training mentor.  He also breeds some of the finest labs in the country.  All of my dogs are from his kennel.

In the late '80's we moved to Park City, UT.  Thus began my love affair with mountain streams and trout.  From here I fished the great rivers of the west.  Friendships forged on those rivers led to fly fishing for steelhead in British Columbia; bonefish in the Bahamas and Honduras; bonefish, permit and snook in Boca Paila, Mexico; tarpon in Boca Grande and stripers and bluefish off Boston.

Later on, I was drawn to the waters of the North Platte around Torrington, WY.  Thousands of waterfowl winter in this magical valley.  200 miles upstream you will find the finest trout water I have ever fished.  The North Platte is home to the legendary Grey Reef, Miracle Mile and Fremont Canyon sections.  I am honored and privileged to guide for the North Platte Lodge located on the Grey Reef.  If you would like to experience this amazing fishery, contact the Lodge at 307-237-1182 and tell them you would like to fish with JJ.

I will be keeping you updated on the fishing from now until October. 

Come join me on the "water"!





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