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Guide Gillespie on Hooked On Utah

Jul 18th

Posted by Dr. G in Uncategorized

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My Little Bro Jordan out guiding on the Green. If your looking for a great guide that will get you on fish and will teach you all day. He is an excellent choice. Here is his website. www.kissthecatchrodcompany.com

Summer Chironomids Part 2

Oct 31st

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With our past success lurking in my soul, I was having an addicts withdrawal to get back to these fish of dreams. An open Saturday, a new fishing partner and we were on the road in the early AM in hopes of another great day at the lake.  Its always easy to wake up early in excitement for a day on the water. The way there always seems to fly by  in anticipation of for whats to come.  For us this morning there was no difference. We flew over the mountains and next thing we knew it, Jordan and I were there. We knew it was going to be a great day as we opened our Denali doors to see millions of large chironomids swarming the lake shore in hopes to mate and not be eaten before they get a chance. Instantly we picked up our chirono box and tied on a couple proven patterns. With in seconds I was hooked up, then Jordan and it followed suit the rest of the morning and into the early afternoon. It was a feeding frenzy and we were lucky enough to know what to use and how to use it. Lots of doubles were witnessed and with sore forearms by 10 am we thought we were witnessing fly fishing Eden.  As you look at the pictures below stay focused…

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Father & Sons

Aug 17th

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There is something magical about watching fathers and sons fish together.  Walls are broken down, bonds are set, and traditions are made. As a father teaches his sons to catch fish, it brings out our human nature and awakens are primitive senses, like it has done from generation to generation. On this evening, I was lucky enough to watch first hand as a father and his two boys shared an evening together on a small tributary of the MP. The small stream was full of little rainbows and browns that make perfect targets for a couple of eager boys. As the evening shadows filled the sky, the overdo caddisflies and trout came alive to join the party. With a Elk Hair caddis and a caddis dropper, the father showed the boys how it was done. Shortly after the boys followed his footsteps and had brought countless fish to hand. I don’t remember much about the fish that were caught, but I will never forget the smiles and excitement that filled the air as a father took his sons fishing. The night was competed as 100s of fire flies filled the field, putting on a show that we will all not soon forget. Fathers and mothers take your sons and daughters fishing.

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Youth Fishing Program “Hooked on Fishing”

Jun 3rd

Posted by Dr. G in Kids Fly Fishing

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Yesterday was the kickoff for the annual Highland Youth Fishing Program “Hooked on Fishing”. We had over the 50 kids limit who we registered. It was awesome to see that some invited their friends and siblings because they were excited about fishing.

The program is 3 weeks long, ever Tues and Thurs. It consists of a short lesson. For example: Casting or some other fishing technique. Then the kids get into groups and work on what they learned as they fish the Highland Glen Pond with their instuctors.
My group of kids this year is awesome they are funny, fiesty, and just fun to watch. We had a great time yesterday catching little bluegills and was just out of reach of the rainbows and cats…Guess we’ll have to work on our casting for next week. I can’t wait until I am able to take my own kids fishing, so to everyone that has kids take them fishing or join a great program like this and enjoy the rewards.

Unwritten Rules of Fly Fishermen

Jun 2nd

Posted by Dr. G in Fly Fishing Discussions

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Over the past couple days I have been keenly interested in the subject of why fly fishermen have the ethics and values that they do and how they got them. I want to write out some of the findings that I have surfaced from my own unwritten rules to others and why they fish the way they do.

So in the next few days I am going to compile, research and then try and post up something that makes sense.

Here’s a sneak peak:

Question One: Fishing or Catching/Slayin or Chilling?
Question Two: Fishing for Pre or Spawning Fish?
Question Three: Fishing Methods?
Question Four: Picture or Not?
Question Five: Who decides what is right and wrong?

Honestly the more I think about all this the more I realize it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that I am happy in what I am doing at the moment.

Travis

Chapter 2: The Frenzy Went Big in 09…Best BIG Fish Stories

May 28th

Posted by Dr. G in Fly Fishing Stories

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It isn’t an understatement to say that this year we went BIG on the Frenzy. When I say big, I mean fish caught that brake the famed 20 inch trout mark or that came really close. But who cares because catching a trout that size is just cool, if it has an awesome story…Plus it grows an inch ever time it is told anyway. I’m not going to go into too much of an overall write up because I want to share each story as they are all very unique and just down right amazing experiences.

On Top At Daniels
We Started the trip with a little stop-by at Daniels Res. (Hoss’s Idea) The plan was to fish for about 30 mins and see if we could get at least one good fish before we got to Rexburg and Rainbow Lake. My first thought was it was going to be tough to hook up from the shore with not much cover and not much room for a back cast. As I worked down the dam I noticed in the far corner some rising fish and a big fallen tree in the lake. From up high I could see a nice bow working on the edge of the fallen tree. I casted my bugger in front of it and just like a shallow wise fish it gave me the fin and was gone. After the wind died a little I noticed some gulpers about 20 yrds in front of me. Knowing it was already time to go and everyone was at the truck. I dropped my gear and ran to the truck to get my floating line set up. I told them I might have them figured out and ran the 400 yrds back to my spot. On the first cast with my midges a big 20 inch bow grabbed my emerger and I was into my backing within seconds. After getting my line over the fallen tree and running to the far corner of the dam I was able to bring the beautiful bow to the shore on 6X tippet. It was a great way to start off the Frenzy!


Chubbs Monster
As Hancey, Hoss and I approached a wet, cold Chubbs on the South Fork. He didn’t say hi, but asked us in a weird voice “Hey you guys caught any big fish?” I don’t no if we were shocked by the question or what, but we all kinda mumble yeah, we’ve done ok. Then out from behind his legs came a Monster Fine Spotted Cutthroat. We were like what the heck is going on is this a dream or something… We measured the Cutt to be a true 23 inch with a 12 inch girth with a head the size of Jay Leno. It was a true monster of a Cutthroat and the largest Fine Spotted I have ever scene. The Story behind this fish is that Chubbs had spotted a nice gravel bar behind some fallen pine trees. As he approached the hole he saw this fish flash. After switching set ups the toad hit a glow bug and the fight was on. Nice Fish Chubbs you deserved it bro.

 
Pardon the Interuption
Fishing Hebgen Lake with Mikey and Jordan we found ourselves drifting across a big bay in the middle of the day. Nothing much was happening, so Jordan started to interview me for the film we were shooting. As I was sitting on my butt with my legs hanging over the side of the drift boat trying to explain why fishing is important to life. In mid sentence I felt this jolt through my hands and down my rod. Almost losing my rod, I set the hook and and fought what ended up being my largest Hebgen Trout ever. The nice male Brown measured 21inches and was well worth the interruption.
Chonomid Lake-I mean Hebgen Lake
When we got to Hebgen we were hoping to fish the famed ice-out cruising trout with chronomids, but not much was happening on top, so we all drifted buggers until evening when the hatch was so thick we were eating as much as the fish. We still managed to pull out some pigs
Chubbs Bugger Bow and Jacks Emerger Madness

Hoss’s Big Brown Caught in the Shallows
20 inch Bow 9 inch Fly
In Search for a Tiger Musky I threw on an over sized Perch Fly as the sunset faded and darkness settled on us. I didn’t have any other strikes until my last cast of the day. I thought I had a nice bass until I tried to pull it into the boat and I couldn’t lift it. After netting it I saw it was a trout and a nice surprise with the big fly dangling in it face.
Dave’s Stoned Brown
It wasn’t the largest, but I really liked this picture, so its in… Nice Pic Hoss
Madison Twins: A Story of Unwanted Water
There must have been 5 or more guys who walked right pasted a little back eddied that held 15 or more big hungry rainbows. It wasn’t there fault the fish were hard to spot and it wasn’t the best run in the area. (At least from the looks of it) Lucky for me, I took a good long look at the run and decided I would give it a shot. On the first cast I was hooked up, but lost the fish. After that the picky bows rejected my offerings. I got unto a better angle and switched to smaller midges (#20 Leroy Special) w/out an indicator. Within two casts I was hooked up with and landed 21 & 20 inch bows. My largest Madison bows to date…
Fat Buck 21 incher
Little Bro 20
 
Hoss’s Madison Surprise
Hoss found his own secret run behind a nice rock where the bows were stacked up. He landed this nice bow on camera. Shortly after hooking himself and face planting going after one of Dave’s fish.
 
Jake’s Stripping Bow
I don’t have a story to this except that he caught it on a big ugly articulated streamer on the South Fork on a rainy overcast day. Sweet Fish Jake!
Night Fishing
Caught out of Chubbs Victor house pond. Chubbs first caught Rudy in the eye lid then landed this big 22 inch cutt to finish off the night.

A Float to Remember
Dave and Mikey floated together from Veron to Chester on the Henry’s Fork. When the rest of us were catching average bows these guys were rassling some beautiful HF bows. Mikey said this was his trip highlight.

Hoss’s Hog
 

 

Dr G vs Mr Brown
You know there are those stories that get told over and over again, but they never seem to get old or lose their appeal. Well this is one of them. It all started on a little known stretch of the Henry’s Fork that the locals call “Bubbleland”. The water was raging almost three times it’s natural flow and to top it off it was as brown as chocolate milk. The final obstacle was the wind. It seemed to be jealous of the raging river and added it own rage. I remember saying to myself, why are we wasting our time when there are some many other places close by. Since the main river was basically unfishable. I focused my attention to a smaller tributary that looked at least fishable. After catching a white fish and a giant sucker in the only fishable water. I decided that I would head back to a spot that I had wanted to go to earlier but was taken, by Dave and Hoss when we started. Mikey, Dave and I got there about the same time. I decided to take the lower run and Mikey the upper. After a couple casts I hooked up with a 4 inch little brown that I didn’t even know I had until it was lanched on my back cast. (Top pic) The next cast Dave said “Get it out to the middle seem” It took me a couple shadow cast with the wind, but it was in the perfect spot. As my indicator drifted by me I noticed a twitch, my instinks set in and I set the hook. I felt presure but wasn’t for sure what it was. Then it gave that glorious head shake and I knew I had a fish! It didn’t do much at first except move back in forth in the fast run. I knew it was large, but didn’t know if it was another sucker. As I put more preasure on the fish it took off like a Christmas sale at Wal-Mart. I remember thinking no way is it a sucker its way to fast, more like a bow. It ran straight up stream trying to lose me under the diversion dam than across and finally it gave me a chance to have some control, but it didn’t last long. It was wise and it knew what it was doing. It wizzed by me and straight down stream in the main current. I’ll I remember thinking is I am going to get spooled. After 50 yards into my backing, I said to Dave we have to chase him. As we ran after the fish we had to cross the fast run and luckily Dave was there to keep me balance or I would of been a goner for sure. I’ll I could think as I was running was try and stop the fish before it is to late. So I tried one of the oldest tricks in the book. I released line in hopes the fish would think he was free and swim back up the current. It worked long enough to make up the 100 yrds of backing and get back up some of the fly line. As I applied presure once more to make sure it was still there. It went on another 50 yrd run and about 20 ft from haunting my dreams forever. I told Dave you have to get behind it. So as the athlete he is, he jumped over logs and rocks and got into our last poistion to net the oversized fish. When he saw it for the first time he yelled in excitement and I knew it for sure wasn’t a sucker. But then I started to shake and the presure was so tense I was shaking from head to toe. Dave yelled “You got to get it over 5 ft” I said ok and started walking to the side. When it was finally close enough Dave reached out and netted it on the first attempt! It was over! It was like a worldseries game 7 and the Mets hit a walk off home run. Everyone yelled with excitement. Which brought everyone on the river over to see what all the excitement was about. It was truly one of the finest feets I have ever witnessed and experienced in my life.
Everyone was living in that one moment and was so excited to be part of it. My Brown measured out to be 25 inches and between 7-8 pounds. As I poped the hot pink san jaun out of its mouth I stopped and thought “This is what fly fishing is all about”.

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