WyoBraska Waterfowl's ReDeaux Molly

If you have been following the blog (if not, why not?) you know the saga of the most recent addition to the WyoBraska Waterfowl stable of Labrador retrievers. Official name listed above.  She was banished earlier this summer to the Siberian village of Heber City for displaying not a single ounce of desire for retrieving. It was utterly pathetic.

The short version is I had to take her back and she was destined to be a house pet. On a pure whim one evening I threw a dummy for her and she amazingly ran after it and brought it back. Fast forward to today. I just returned from the high plateau where the elusive Sage Grouse dwells. Happy to report there is one less grouse contributing to "Big Al's Greenhouse gasses". Said grouse was tracked, flushed, then shot, then retrieved and delivered to hand by the "ReDeaux" princess. It was as if she had been doing this forever.

Now don't get me wrong, she might be like the guy who hits it great on the range but can't take it to the course. Scratch on the practice tee but can't break 90 when there is a $5 nassau on the line..  But as of right now, she has made amazing progress this summer. Steady to shot; marks 200 yd. triples; is taking hand signals to 300 yd blinds; demonstrates a keen nose; delivers to heel and never wants to quit.

We will find out soon how she does when we drop the flag. She still has a lot to learn but I think we have something we can work with.

                                              WyoBraska Waterfowl's ReDeaux Molly

                                           

SORRY BEEN REALLY BUSY

I had worked 24 straight days until the last two days. Can you say tired?  Oh and as you may have guessed I did go fishing. But I had to. One of the afternoons I went hopper fishing with Trent Tatum, co-owner of North Platte Lodge and our Sims Rep. We had 16 eats in ninety minutes from the dam to Hollingsworth.

Speaking of hoppers. Overall we have been very disappointed in the hoppers this year. On the upper river, except for dam to Ledge Creek, the hopper bite has not materialized. Not sure why. Theory is the spraying for hoppers was very effective. Good for the ranchers and their hay not so good for guides and trout. We are finding lots of hoppers downstream from Sechrist to Casper but they are not getting into river and consequently the trout are feeding on them. Still hopeful for some action in September.

Last night Trent, my Dad and I went on a fact finding/recon mission to a super secret- private pond at the base of  the Pedros Range. OMG! First fish for Trent and I snapped  2x tippet on the strike. Can't say how big the fish were that we caught but I can tell you that if you get invited to this pond you will have to go through memory erasing treatments  in Guantanamo Bay. Can't have this kind of information getting out. "O " didn't close that did he? I am pretty sure he said he was going to but appears he has back tracked on quite a few things.  Fishing has remained strong all through August. The Reef has slowed a bit but still better than most fisheries.

We have been having fun on dries occasionally over the past few weeks. Tricos in the early mornings; hoppers mid-day; and caddis in the evening. Not every day but often enough to keep this senior member of the guide team of North Platte Lodge very happy.  The Mile has been fishing very well. Somedays it has been stupid fishing.  I recently guided two anglers who said they had been on numerous guided fly fishing trips and the most "fish to the net" they ever had was three and the biggest was 15 inches. I know what you are thinking "where the hell have they been fishing"? I took them to the Mile on their first day. After the first 300 yds we had doubled their old record. By lunch we had 25 fish to the net by the end of the day I was a beneficiary in their wills. I think it was the 8 fish over 20" that sealed the deal. That was fun.

Speaking of fun, I got to spend three days on the water with dear friend Boone Scharp from Michigan. Boone and I go way back to our Park City days working on the mountain at the Snow Hut.  We were joined by Boone's childhood friend Jake Tropea who now lives in California. We had three days of spectacular fishing.  Boone and I would like to announce the arranged pre-engagement of my son Brayden, a recent graduate of Busy Bees pre-school at Valley Christian Academy and Boone's daughter Emelia who will be attending Stanford Law School in fall of 2031. Best wishes to the happy couple. We intend to have them meet sometime in the next ten years.

Here are a few pics from August trips.

                                          Brian Vinchur, Elkhorn, NE, with 25" cutbow on a hopper

                                                                                   
                                           

                                               Brian and a 20" Rainbow from the After Bay.                                                                          

I have been privileged to have been guiding Brian and his family for nearly 20 years.  I started Brian and his daughters fly fishing in Park City. They were young girls at the time. They are now young ladies and now I am really old!

                          A one-armed 18" rainbow. The guy fishes better with one arm than most with two.

                            Baby Bald Eagle. Have watched it grow all summer. Just starting to fly.

The most deformed trout I have ever seen. 24" and  over 7 lbs. Clearly has not heard of Michele's anti-obesity initiative. Must be going to Sloane's every morning for burritos, chips and turnovers.

Will be posting a Molly update and hunting outlook soon.

MY MOM RIPPING LIPS

Did an evening float the other day. Had my Mother in the front of the Clackacraft. Fished a grasshopper dry. She had several eats and this 20" cut-bow made it to the net.

Her fish my fingers!

Caelifera in the order Orthoptera...The Hoppers are coming!

The hoppers are two to three weeks away. The cool wet weather this spring and early summer has slowed their development. Around my house (half mile from the river) the hoppers are flying . Nearer the river most hoppers are still less than an inch in length.  As the vegetation away from the river dries, they will move to the green vegetation on the river banks.  And then the dinner bell will be ringing.

Last Thursday evening, Seth Kapust (lead guide at North Platte Lodge), my Dad (Michael), and I did a dry fly recon on the upper section of the Reef.  We had ten takes, two get-aways and four fish to the net.  My Dad got his nymph rod out and in 15 minutes he had 5 hookups with 3 fish to the net. Not bad for one arm.  The fish are stacked on the banks right now.  The rumor from the river keeper is they will drop the river to around 4800 cfs the first of August. That will be perfect as that should coincide with hoppers on the wing. This will be more fun than Harry Reid and Nancy Chemical Peel at a Snoop Dog concert!

Molly Update


Molly continues to make amazing progress. We are doing long (300 + yard) marked triple retrieves. She is learning hand signals now. I started her on hand signal backs last week. We trained last night at Pathfinder Ranch. I set up a 300 yard marked single retrieve with a 50 yard blind off the line of the marked. I sent Molly  on the marked retrieve line. When she was 150 yards out, I hit her with the whistle. She stopped immediately and turned to face me.  I gave her a left-over toward the blind. She took the cast perfectly and winded the blind. She delivered it to hand. I then sent her on the long mark. Proud Daddy. Still long way to go but she will definitely get some playing time in the upcoming season.

Molly airborne on a retrieve and first hopper rainbows of 2011!

Get 'er done!

Fish Photos

"And The Beat Goes On"

The fishing remains amazing.  I know I have said this before but it demands repeating.  The Grey Reef and Miracle Mile sections of the North Platte are the best trophy trout waters in the US.  20 inch rainbows are now routine.  The North Platte Lodge has a 25" Club.  We award anglers a hat recognizing their accomplishment.  The Lodge has had to re-order hats already this year.

A friend of mine recently spent the day at the Mile.  He had over 100 hookups and landed over 70 fish. He lost count of the fish over 20".   He fished a Golden Stone dry with a dropper. The vast majority of takes were on the dry.  He had 6 fish break him off!  And he was wade fishing! That can't be done on any other river in the country that I know of.

Recently I had the honor of having dear friends Jack and Jan Massimino from Park City in my boat on the Reef. Jack and Jan are both excellent fly fishers.  I don't want to denegrate any of my less accomplished guests, but it is a joy to fish with folks who can actually land the fly where they want to and know the nuances of mending. I had been seeing a few pods of rising fish over the past couple of days below Government Bridge. The Reef is having an epic Yellow Sallie hatch this year.  Clouds of Sallies and PMD's fill the air.  Today was one of those days. We put on the river at Lusby and the nymphing was on fire from the start. Several double hook ups and a few break-offs.  About a half mile below the bridge I detected a pod of risers.  They were in a quiet pool on the inside of a seam.  The Massiminos grabbed their dry fly rods as I slid the boat downstream of the fish and sneaked up the bank on the unsuspecting rainbows.  It appeared to be at least ten fish and judging by the size of the noses sticking out of the water they were all big.  The boat now in position, Jack, of course, gave the first shot to Jan.  She didn't waste the opportunity. She dropped the fly just in front of the last fish. It drifted into an open mouth. Fish on!

Ten was indeed the magic number.  We hooked them all.  We did not land them all.  Not only are Reef fish strong they are evidently from the "Dorado" strain of rainbows.  They spend as much time out of the water as they do in it.  Jump after jump. Drag screaming run after run. Four of the six fish that came to the net were over 20". Jan's first fish was 23".  The other four either broke us off or came un-bit during their "Wallendas" impersonation. Big strong fish and lots of them.  Hopper time is going to be unbelievable.

We had a magical day on the Reef. Back at the lodge Jack commented "I may never fish the Green again!"  Not the first person I have heard that from.

A quick update on puppy Molly.  She continues to make amazing improvement. She is now doing triple marked retrieves with the dummy launcher. I have started her on hand signals. She is doing great on her overs.  Will start her backs soon.  Did several retrieves from the dummy launcher 200 yards into an alfalfa field the other day.  She has to mark the dummy and then use her nose to find the dummy in the tall grass. She winded several from 10 to 20 yards away.  Fun to watch her learn to use her nose.  Looks like she may get to dress for the varsity squad this fall.

"The beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain"
Sonny and Cher

JJ

Do you believe in Miracles?

The USA winning the Gold Medal in hockey....Charl Swartzel winning the Masters....Red Sox's being down 1-3 to the Yankees and winning the ALCS....Nancy Pelosi never had a face lift....Dolly Parton is all natural....Weiner's account was hacked..... and the greatest miracle of all....Lyle Lovett getting to sleep with Julia Roberts.

Well, I have one better than all of those.  My hunting clients know that a year and a half ago I got a new puppy.  Her name is Molly.  She comes from the Labrador's Unlimited Kennel in Valparaiso, IN, owned by my good friend Bill Cox.  All of my dogs have been from Bill's kennel.  He breeds the finest hunting labs in the country.  He also trains labs.  Bill has qualified more dogs for the Master National Hunt Trials than any other breeder/trainer. Molly's pedigree is exemplary.

However, Houston, we have a problem! After a reasonably promising start last fall, Molly decided she didn't like to train.  She didn't really like retrieving dummies.  I have never had a dog that did not want to train. It became so bad this spring that it was clear that she was never going to make a quality retriever.  In May I gave Molly to my brother Chad.  He has three young kids and I thought she would at least make a good pet.

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, Chad could not keep Molly.  So back she came.  And now the MIRACLE ON THE REEF.  My Dad is convinced that Molly has been possessed by the spirit of my wonder dog, Brooks.  Brooks is a legend all across the Midwest. The ultimate hunting companion. 1000 yard blind retrieves on snow geese; tracking a rooster pheasant and pinning him until the gunners arrived; marking multiple mallards; she did it all with style and grace.  Molly, after usually running away with the dummy; if she picked it up at all, now delivers to hand.  In the last few days I have introduced marked doubles and she nailed them.  I started her on piles.  She is up to 100 yards and never hesitates.  I planted a 50 yard blind for her last night.  She took the line like she had been doing them forever.

Time will tell if she makes the move from the scout team to the varsity starting line-up.  I am cautiously optimistic.

"The mystery masked man was smart
He got himself a Tonto
'Cause Tonto did the dirty work for free
But Tonto he was smarter
And one day said kemo sabe
Kiss my ass I bought a boat
I'm going out to sea"

Lyle Lovett "If I had a boat"