Spring in The Valleys of The Beaverhead and Big Hole

Beaverhead Gold

Jed, my scraggly, red-headed angler buddy from way back suggested that we give the Yellowstone a rest and head east to the valley of the Big Hole and the Beaverhead Rivers. Having yet to be acquainted with this little corner of Montana, I was all too happy to oblige. Reports from this neck of the woods were non-descript, non-committal but ripe with an open-endedness that could not be ignored. Like many, I have played the victim to pages of fish-porn in many fly rags over the years depicting trout from these fabled waters. So hell ya, I wanted to go. Who’s drivin?

Jed’s aging F-150 pulled into The Flying J in Bozeman. At the urinal I noticed that mini DVD players were on sale, among other tough to live without items. The puck-sized mint couldn’t cover up the raw scent of piles of deposits made by traveling strangers. I walked out and Jed handed me breakfast. I’d have to work up the courage for this one, but once I got started the rubber-like bacon egg and cheese muffin seemed to disappear without too much protest.

Heading west on I-90 you do your best to fight the gravity of some other rather well-known Montana trout streams. Near the town of Three Forks, the Madison, the Gallatin and the Jefferson taunt as they join to create the headwaters to the mighty Missouri and the historical, Lewis and Clark trail. In all directions, clumps of mountain ranges jut from the otherwise open, burger producing grassland. With so much vastness ahead, one can’t help but feel liberated – each breath taking air seasoned by mountains, rivers and prairie.

Tobacco Root Mountains

Two hours later, we were passing through the small town of Twin Bridges. Home of Winston Fly Rods, this little trout mecca seemed still asleep. Most of the drift boats we saw sat neglected; some covered as if in hibernation, waiting for the mercury to rise. Like Three Forks, Twin Bridges also marks a significant convergence. Here, the Ruby River from the east, the Big Hole from the west and the Beaverhead from the south offer themselves up to the Jefferson River which continues on north through farm country on its way to the Missouri . Witnessing this scene, this converging lifeblood, flow by in the shadow of the Ruby and Tobacco Root mountains made it clear that two days in this country would not be nearly enough. The Ruby pulled me upstream. The Jefferson tugged me down valley. But we continued on, leaving them free of us for this particular go-round.

After buying a few bugs and picking some local brains at the fly shop in Dillon I sat at the put-in on the Big Hole waiting for the “red-headed step child” to return from the take-out downriver. It wasn’t long before an elderly local lady took his thumb bait and toted him back up to the ramp in her Lincoln. But while that was happening, I managed a few casts and hooked a couple trout on an Idlyle Jimmy Legs nymph. One little rainbow came to hand but the other, a behemoth of a fish who could have been her Granddaddy, spit the hook before any sort of tussle ensued.


A Healthy Big Hole Rainbow

We elected to float from Browns Bridge down to Glen which are two access points on the lower third of the river.  Being that it was still March, we figured the fish were still trying to shrug off their winter laziness and we hoped that river temps would be higher in this section, heightening their enthusiasm.  When Jed arrived, I took my turn on the sticks and we pushed out into a float of water, cobble and willows.

The Big Hole

Immediately we were taken by the structure along the outer banks. It looked as if there were little trout homes everywhere tucked into wads of roots, logs and eddy lines. We gravitated to these areas at the start but after many fruitless casts we began to shift our tactics. The outer banks held the brunt of the current and most portions were quite deep. After a while it became clear that if there were any fish on the outer banks, they were holding in the depths and thereby not interested in traveling up to take a fly that wasn’t placed at snout level. Trout do not want to fight the current in cold water temps – especially Brown Trout that actually prefer warmer temps than Rainbows. They will seek out slow flows and often live in the soft, non-descript looking water that doesn’t look as though it flows over much structure. During early spring and late fall, I find the majority of these fish in the same type of flow, regardless of what river I am on. It was the same old story this day on the Big Hole.

G-Loomis Pro4x Fly Rod Boasts Extreme Value

Loomis Pro4x

Concerning the ever-innovating fly rod world, people are pretty astonished by the new, value- priced fly rod from G-loomis, the Pro4x I know you hear it all the time…that term value. Well it’s here again. Actually, maybe we can use the term, extreme value for this rod?

G-Loomis sales rep, Russell Schmidt seems to think so. He actually owns a couple of them, namely the 4 and 5 weights in the nine foot length. When I first asked him about Loomis’ newest addition, he seemed to pipe right up. You could hear the pitch of his voice change.

“Oh yea. It’s awesome! It’s basically a dressed down version of the NRX for half the price.”

“The Pro4x rods are all built around the same exact mandrels that are used for NRX construction right in our Woodland, Washington factory. That means that they have the same performance taper, albeit a little more forgiving than the NRX.”

“They are medium-fast action fly rods that really cast like a dream. I actually put down my NRX last season and fished with the Pro 4x solely for all my trout fishing excursions. I fished the four and five weights exclusively and really fell in love with them. I’m still able to get the distance when I need it and personally, I really like the forgiving nature in this rod – especially when fishing to good sized trout with light tippets.”

“When I’m out there fishing I’m absolutely blown away by the fact that they retail for only $350.00"

Yup, It's Streamer Time

For those of you who read my earlier ramble about tying flies and getting out on the river, I have good news and I have bad news. The good news: We got out on the river and it felt really good just to be on the water. The fly that morphed at the vice that particular morning actually provoked a few. I hooked two browns on this haphazard creation. The bad news: I didn’t land either one and promptly after hooking the second fish, I snapped the bug off on a willow branch. We tried to retrieve it. It was a valiant effort on rowers part but the current was a bit stiff and the growing blisters (first row of the season) added to the impossibility. That’s the way it goes but I can’t say that it didn’t hurt to witness this bug become a dangling ornament. From high to low - a full half hour it took me to tie that sacrificial wad of history.

You can play it safe and stay somewhere in the middle. You probably won’t hook many, but at least your fly box will stay full. Great. Is this where you want to be – floating into semi-hibernation?

The Reward

Maybe I should tell you why I love streamer fishing. Ok, first the grab is a very good sensation. For many of you swung fly enthusiasts, this is a common, joyful theme. What do we say, “The tug is the drug?” Yup, the immediate jolt of tension just feels good. It is distinct and vibrant. Often these patterns are attacked with a vengeance. The response is usually not docile and witnessing this explosive reaction is far more than simply entertaining.

Local Photographer Captures Growing Audience

Steve.  No, he did not take this one...

Recently, one of our favorite locals, Steve Turner of Hood River, Oregon was featured in Midcurrent (a fly fishing media site) for his photography.  Please check out his profile HERE.

All of us at the shop are overjoyed to see Steve’s photography continue to migrate across more and more media channels.  He calls it a hobby, but his audience seems to have a different idea.  Steve is an incredibly talented photographer and since you won’t hear it from him, we thought you should at least hear it from somebody.  But, this disclaimer is rather redundant upon sampling some of his images.  Graciously, he has provided some great shots for us here at the shop and we hope to share more of his experiences here as time goes on.

When his fly rod is not bent over, he is likely capturing the moments as they come.

Thanks Steve for all the fine imagery.  We hope that you get your fishing time in, but honestly, we prefer you to stay behind the lens!

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
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Interview With George Cook

I like to think of George Cook as a sort of beloved spine to the sport of fly fishing. Few others in the industry possess the degree of experience, passion and the willingness to share knowledge for this beloved pastime. George also has a personality that could rival any stand-up comedian, so it was only natural that I was looking forward to our chat.

Resident Alaskan Bow Bow!

First, just a little background on George’s professional career: He got his start working at Kaufman’s Fly Shop in Washington and worked there from 1982-1987. During that time he was also a fly fishing guide in Western Alaska (1983-1985) and he taught a fly fishing class with Dave Engerbretson at Washington State University (1980-1984). After leaving Kaufmans in 1987, he moved on to an in-house position at Sage as Director of Schools and Sporting Shows (1987-1990). From there, he became the Sage product rep for Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. He now sits before me with over 22 years experience as a tackle rep in the fly fishing industry.

The first time I met George, I was a greenhorn up in Western Alaska working for a sport fishing lodge. He arrived for a week of fishing and he immediately took me under his wing to show me some of the secrets of the river. I remember how he made me feel significant and how he helped to pave my route towards a guiding career of my own. That was 14 years ago. I can only imagine the number of lives he has touched since then.

He slipped into his seat wearing a cool yet friendly confidence – resembling a man at home in a fly shop.

The Interview

GFS: You are a traveling man, no doubt. Where does the road typically end on a given day?

GC: I make the rounds. Often it ends somewhere in Alaska, Oregon and Washington. I’m currently on number eight of twenty two in Oregon. You know, seeing dealers, giving talks on Spey lines and teaching some Spey classes on the weekends. I just had a class with 11 students on the McKenzie River just the other day. It was a hoot.

GFS: Where is your mind at this very moment?

GC: Well talking to your dumbass. (He laughs – gets a little red faced) Well let me think… uh, yup my mind is right here with you my friend.

GFS: Great. Now that I know I have your attention…Do you recall your first fishing experience?

GC: Sure. I was 6 years old. I was fishing this little creek in Texas with a lure and a Zebco spincasting reel. I must have made about 300 casts before hooking and landing a pretty impressive Warmouth.

GFS: Warmouth?

GC: Yeah, it’s Brim or Blue Gill type of critter. I was with my dad. The first trout I ever landed, I was with my dad on Henry’s Lake in Idaho. It was great… He said, “Alright son, you’ve got 3 more casts and then we're leaving.” Well on my 2nd cast I hooked and reeled in a rather large trout with my Mitchell 300 spinning reel.

GFS: What about fly fishing? How did that take shape?

GC: My first day fly fishing was pretty dreamy. This local guide by the name of Sam Good dropped my 11 year old ass off in Last Chance, Idaho with 6 Green Drakes. My rod was this Shakespeare Wonder Rod - was about a hundred dollar rod built in the 1950’s. I waded out into the Henry’s Fork and that was pretty much the turning point.

GFS: What happened?

GC: Well (he pauses), I most certainly caught some fish that day… And by about 5pm, I had lost the last of my Green Drakes. I had 3 bucks in my pocket so I eased over to Will Godfrey’s fly shop where I bought 2 more Parachute Adams so that I could get back in the game.

John Day Offers World-Class Bass Fishing Trips

Nice JD Smallie

Running over 500 miles, the John Day is the second longest free-flowing stream in the United States. It is protected as a “Wild and Scenic” river under Oregon Scenic Waterways Act. The country is characterized by steep basalt canyon walls, juniper, and sagebrush dotted hills, abandoned homesteads, and petro glyphs. This is one of the most culturally rich river corridors in the state.

This river offers some of the best Smallmouth Bass fishing in the country. In 1971, approximately 75 Smallmouth Bass were introduced to the river and since then they have flourished to an estimated 2000 – 3000 fish per mile! Join Marty Sheppard and Little Creek Outfitters for an unforgettable trip through this breathtaking landscape.

Bass season is at its peak from early June to the end of July. It is not uncommon to hook in excess of 75 fish per rod per day. These fish average from 8”-12”, with larger fish in the 18”-20” range. This is the perfect river to introduce new fly casters to the sport, as the fish are typically aggressive and plentiful. The majority of the fishing is done from the boat and from the banks looking for feeding fish. When the shade is on the water they fish with poppers and surface bugs. When the sun is on the water, flies are typically muddlers and woolly buggers.

Cuban?

The John Day bass trips are multi-day rafting, camping, and fishing trips. For the day float trips they fish from Twinkingham to Priest Hole, or the Service Creek to Twinkingham sections of the river. For multi day camping trips they do 4 or 5 days. Little Creek Outfitters has a private ranch access ($40.00 P.P. fee) put-in at 30 Mile Creek, that has the most wild and scenic segment of the river to Cottonwood Bridge.

Camps are set-up each day by the baggage crew, so when you arrive in camp, you can sit back and relax, have a cocktail, or fish the camp water. Your tent for the night will be set-up and your bags awaiting your arrival. All meals are skillfully prepared streamside by their staff. They do take a lot of pride in the meals; a sample dinner menu might range from Pasta Putenescca to Moroccan-spiced chicken with rosemary oil. They provide all of camping gear with the exception of your sleeping bag and pillow.

Home sweet home

One guide per two clients is our standard ratio on fly fishing excursions. Camp size averages 6 to 8 guests. They can accommodate larger private groups by request.

2012 rates: 4 day camping trip $1500.00
Day float or walk and wade trip 2 anglers $450.00
Shuttles fees, ranch access fees, and gratuity not included.

More Info

Fly Fish The Henry's Fork

Join Judith O’Keefe on The Henry’s Fork July 21-25, for three unforgettable days of fly fishing, while spending 4 nights at Henry’s Fork Lodge. The lodge was designed by award-winning architect Joseph Esherick. Mountain buildings were one of his specialties, and because he was also an avid fly fisherman, he built in all the special features that anglers appreciate. Hospitality is number one.

This 50 mile section of the Henry’s Fork ranges from being very productive for inexperienced anglers to the ultimate challenge for sophisticated anglers. It can be fished both by wading and floating in a drift boat. The Henry’s Fork is spring fed and runs clear throughout the season. In addition you may fish the upper Madison, the South Fork of the Snake, and the waters of Yellowstone such as the Firehole, Gallatin, Yellowstone, Slough Creek, Gibbon and the Fall Rivers.

You’ll find meals at the lodge, prepared by Chef Paden Skaggs, will surpass your highest expectations. Whether it’s a hearty breakfast, a picnic lunch, or an elegant dinner, their restaurant has gained a reputation for having the finest cuisine in the Yellowstone area. It’s important to note that meal times are adjusted to “match the hatch,” so you never have to choose between dinner and the evening rise.

Your trip host, Judith O’Keefe is a noted fly fishing professional. Her goal is to ensure that your trip is not just enjoyable, but outstanding. When you’re off the water, Judith is available for one on one casting instructions and also suggestions to improve your angling technique. As a published outdoor and fly fishing photographer, Judith is happy to share her tips and techniques to help improve your fishing photography and make your trip that much more memorable.

The rate is $2875 per angler based on sharing a room and guide. The price includes 4 nights lodging, 3 days guided fishing with Henry’s Fork Anglers, all meals, Idaho tax and airport transfers from either Idaho Falls or West Yellowstone. Additional days and nights may be added depending on availability.

World class trout fishing, some of the finest accommodations in the west, and unforgettable meals, and a gracious host combine to make this a trip of a life time.

More Info

SIMMS Pro Dry Gore-Tex Performs

This just in from the mighty Columbia River… For those of you who spend a lot of time fishing from boats or who simply wish to leave those waders at home, you might consider a set of these: 

SIMMS Pro-Dry Gore-Tex JACKET 

SIMMS Pro-Dry Gore-Tex Bibs

Simms rain gear is best I've ever owned!! There really is nothing that comes close. We spent eight hours Salmon fishing in non-stop rain, and I stayed bone dry. Very impressive gear!! As a fishing guide and being out in the weather a lot, I will never use anything else.

Thanks Josh for the sturdy words on this gear.

Buy Simms Outerwear

For info about Josh and his guide program, check out Big Fish Guide Service.

Cool Fly Gear Under $20

Well thankfully, not all items come with a large price tag.  Maybe there is room in your gear bag for some of these easy-on-the-wallet products?  Have a look.

Check em' Out!

A Yellowstone Float

The day before, the valley had wind gusts up to 75 mph. We crossed our fingers that this day would be a little friendlier, especially since it would be our first trout float of the season. The start of the day felt nice enough – little bit of overcast, not quite chilly and just the slightest breeze could be felt meandering down the canyon. Got the boat in and started our float down the Yellowstone.

Felt good to have the 6 wt in hand again, but I soon found that my casting ability did not quite match my attitude. Yeah, I flailed a bit. I wasn’t quite hitting the spots I hoped for, but good times were had in spite of my fledging mediocrity. Was nice that it wasn’t yet blowing but I could have used it as an excuse. Needless to say, my buddy Jed on the oars made fine work of his pity…

Potty Break

After a hundred casts went by without any interest I offered:

“We might have to bust out a nymph at some point today.”

He looked at me, but all I saw was his profile.

“I left that box at home,” was Jed’s reply.

And so there it was… the commitment was spoken in a small, yet very potent chain of words. We were destined to spend the day chucking streamers to a seemingly non-existent community of trout. But that was Ok. That’s the process we chose.

Beneath the Absarokas

It’s just so damn fun. Yes, it’s true that Copper Johns or Pheasant tails may land more fish than Sculpins or your basic minnows, but evidently, that is beside the point. If you put your time in, chances are you will eventually be rewarded to some degree. Whether the reward has fins or not is up to the day at hand. But, if you commit yourself to the streamer there is always that chance that you just might hit the jackpot.

So we tried olive, we tried black, we tried tan and we offered yellow and we casted and drifted and stripped and dredged…

But it wasn’t until we tried one of Jed’s home grown patterns The…(I better not say for fear of offending folks) that we had our first take.  In hand it’s rather messy with a lot of white crystal dubbing, black and olive barred marabou, white marabou and a rainbow array of crystal flash.  In the water, this thing comes alive and looks real edible.  And edible it was...

"Dinner"

At least this brown assumed so... Floating early season out here is a bit of a gamble. The weather can be raw and biting. The wind can howl and the feeding windows are typically much shorter in duration. At this time of year, cooler water temps can leave fish a bit more lethargic so using sink-tip lines and weighted flies is a good way to go. Keeping your sights on the slower flows will be most effective. Often times the outer banks are moving too fast. You might find a few here and there tucked into some little eddy lines, but if it looks like the current is ripping, look to the inside of the bend – on the broad slow seam. In fact, you should always look inside as you drift into a riffle and manage a few casts up into that little cleft – where the slack water meets the fast water. I like to throw back upstream into these areas and kind of troll it down along the softening seam-line.

On this particular day, there was about an hour (between 3:00 pm and 4:00pm) when they seemed most interested. We managed a few to hand, but missed a handful more. I hooked one beautiful brown that was probably in the 18 inch range, but he threw the hook after a nice tail-walking display.

I’m glad we dug the drifty out of the snow bank… Spring and all of her fickle charm has arrived in Paradise Valley. It’s time to get on the water as I can think of no better place to be.

"Paradise"

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
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Spey Casting Tip with Jeff Hickman

Steve Turner Photo

By now, many of you have come to know Jeff Hickman as an approachable, knowledgeable steelhead guide here in the Pacific Northwest. From time to time, we will be checking in with Jeff – essentially trying to pry a little bit of information out of him so as to make our lives a bit easier…

One of Jeff’s specialties is the spey cast. Perfecting the spey cast can be a frustrating event, but the pay-off is huge when it all comes together. There are times when the cast just fails miserably and although it seems like nothing is going right, there might just be one simple component that that needs tweaking.

Jeff is a master for putting things in an easy-to-understand language. By staying cool and not over thinking the whole process, he helps us start casting instead of turning the whole thing into one gigantic science project!

Here Jeff explains one, often over-looked, aspect of the cast…

It is widely known that spey casters have longer rods. What is not as well known is that much of the time they do not use this extra length to their advantage. When lifting to place the anchor, sweeping, casting, mending, controlling the depth or speed of the fly the extra length of the two-hander is a huge advantage. By slightly moving your hands to change the angle of the rod you can easily change the elevation and location of the rod tip.

Steve Turner Photo

I am always telling anglers that if they feel like they are fighting something while casting, they are fighting the line sticking to the water. Speed and power do not keep the line off the water. The angle that you hold the rod gives the rod tip the necessary elevation to hold the line off of the water and make casting effortless. Use that long rod and make your fishing easier! 

Thanks Jeff!  We'll keep it in mind..

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
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Hatch Tempest Pliers

I guess the real question is whether or not you spend much time fishing for toothy fish. Do you? Do you want to? If your answer is yes then you might consider a nice pair of pliers.

Hatch Tempest Pliers resemble the same level of quality as their line of fly reels…That is: stout and streamlined construction functioning at the highest level of performance. Hatch has exploded to the top of the high end market. It seems that anglers are willing to pay for goods and services that are grown right here in America and that are worthy of their price tag.

First, the bad news: These pliers do not come with a lanyard, but they do have a hole at the end of one of the handle arms to affix one. The sheath is a durable cordura material, but there is no hole here to attach a lanyard. Lanyards are a good idea, after all, pliers will be of little use to you while laying on the ocean floor! I would suggest buying one separate (or building one) and then fastening it to the belt loop on the sheath.

The rest is gravy. You just know when something feels good in hand- you don’t want to put them down or stop fiddling with them. You want to look at them, feel the movement and put them to use. These pliers will capture your attention. Like their reels, their look is more crisp than flashy. They are available in clear/red or grey nickel.



Hatch Tempest Pliers

They are fairly long. At 7 ½ inches they provide enough distance to keep those fingers from becoming a snack. Also, with this added length, anglers can get more leverage when removing hook from jaw.

The specs are as follows:

-Weight: 5.6 oz

-The I-beam arms are crafted from 6061T6 aluminum and protected with Type II Anodize.

-The jaws and cutting blades are made from stainless steel and plated with electroless nickel for corrosion resistance.

-Both the jaws and blades are replaceable at the factory.

The most innovative detail about these pliers is the fact that they have two cutters – one on each side. This makes the act of clipping mono, braid or wire much more efficient. Furthermore, if one of the clippers has an issue, then you have another for back up. The blades they use are ultra sharp and instead of coming together to crimp for the cut, the blades actually pass by one another in a shearing motion. The result is a clean cut! So far the word is that they hold up for quite a while, but if the teeth get damaged it is no problem to simply have them replaced.

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977
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One More Travis Tale

So for many of you, an introduction to GFS employee, Dan Gordon, would be redundant - after all, he's been a GFS Shop Rat for a long, long time. It's true, he knows a thing or two about fly gear, but as the observer I can't say that this tops his skill set. He's a hellava angler, no doubt and an awfully friendly guy who would do anything for ya. A devoted husband, father and yep, he is even a grandfather to boot. The guy is solid. Essentially Dan is The Man and much of the goings on around the shop revolves around this humble pie pinnacle of society. What many of you might not know however, is that Dan’s greatest natural ability lay in his creative sense of humor. He has this uncanny ability to create these interesting scenarios among the folks he most cares about. Simply put: Dan is a highly skilled practical joker. In a world where laughs don’t erupt often enough, we owe Dan a clutch of gratitude for making our bellies hurt when we need it most (on a daily basis).

Dan.  When he's not busy plotting

So it was no surprise that Dan had a story about his boss and dear friend, Travis Duddles, which happened something like this:

John Day fishing trip: Travis had loaned his 2 wt fly rod to a friend of the shop and told him he needed it back before the trip. Well, it was returned to the shop the day before the trip and Travis threw it in with the rest of his gear. The first morning of the trip, everyone was loading the boats and getting their rods put together when Travis started taking his rod out of the tube. Somehow the rod tip section was missing. Well, needless to say he was not a happy camper, as he had no backup rod. Tantrum time…He put the rod back in the tube and threw it a good 50 ft. towards his truck while using words that would make a sailor and a logger plush.

Shortly thereafter, I took my rod out of its tube and low and behold there was an extra tip in it that did not belong to my rod. I just looked at it as if it was a miracle!

Then there was the trip where Charlie C. got up one morning and found stirrups, off the doctor’s examination bed, duct taped to the foot pegs of his pontoon boat…

Gift of Gab

Yes, it is time for another Travis Duddles story.  Sorry Travis!

This time our good friend, Charlie Chambers, "lets the cat out of the bag," with this comical tale from Deschutes River Steelhead Camp.  Thanks Charlie, this is a true classic!

Travis with daughter Mattie on, what once was, Northwestern Lake

And the story goes...

Anyone who has the fortune of spending time with Travis knows that he clearly has been blessed, maybe cursed with the "gift of gab". I think this attribute has contributed to the success of the Gorge Fly Shop. I don't blame Travis because I think there's some genetic basis. I remember having long involved discussions with his brother Scott about our favorite topic, food. However, at least Scott seemed to need a participant. I've been fortunate to spend a number of river camps with Travis who I am blessed to call my friend.

On one particular occasion, several of us were up sharing stories, and finishing off our booze of choice. Adding liquor to Travis and his ability to converse is literally akin to throwing jet fuel on a fire. Over time, one by one, each of us said our goodnights and headed for the comfort of a tent. However, while waiting to fall asleep, I could still easily hear Travis' voice carrying on an animated conversation. Given that with a little liquor, he wasn't allowing someone else to get an word in edgewise, I wasn't struck by the absence of any other voices until the next morning.

Over a nice cup of coffee, we shared the same amazement at hearing Travis' voice carrying on a conversation alone. Much to our surprise, none of us could confirm that any of us were actually the one's sitting there with him telling stories. In other words. Travis was having a very engaging conversation by himself. Not a problem because he clearly sounded like he was really having a great time.

Happy anniversary Travis, looking forward to many more camp trips together.


-Charlie

"Fly Fish the World with Us"