South Platte Photo Submission

This weeks user submission comes to us from Will Torres. By the sounds of it Will has been spending this summer chasing trout on the South Platte River. Now that fall has arrived he is just as excited as I am to start getting into some seriously hungry fish. Well thanks Will for the pictures and keep us in the loop if you have any new pics to share! 

Fall fly fishing out on all areas of the South Platte River is my favorite time of the year to catch some nice trout! I caught these browns all in the Deckers area on #20 BWO. I have had good trips all summer long out on the Platte just been waiting for fall and now its here and I'm making my trips up to lip every sipping trout I get!

Alpine Fishing: Slate Creek

As some of you may know by now I was away in Colorado for the past week and a half chasing elk around the Eagles Nest Wilderness of Summit County. While the elk hunting wasn't a complete success it did allow me to spend some time chasing another illusive species that I had been craving, wild mountain trout. The watershed we fished was approximately 8,500- 9,000 feet above sea level. A small difference from the 16 feet of elevation I currently live at.. Slate Creek gets legs from Upper Slate Lake (12,000 Feet above sea level) and flows through the Slate Creek Valley, which happened to be within walking distance (3 miles) from our hunting camp. 

We decided after one of our longer, more excruciating excursions into the wilderness that it was time for a break and to see if we couldn't catch a couple fish. It was exactly what we needed, the fishing was excellent the weather broke, and you couldn't imagine a more pristine backdrop. The three mile hike in seems like nothing when I finally was able to break my troutless streak. 

Lucky for the photographs the Brooke Trout were beginning their spawning cycle and boy were the colors vibrant. Bright sunrise orange bellies with dark black mouths brought me back to Alaska and their cousins Dolly Varden. It truly was a trip to remember and this little fishing trip in the middle of it was just the tip of the iceberg. 

Spruce Creek (08/25 - 08/27)

This past week I spent several nights fishing Spruce Creek.  The temperatures weren't extremely warm so Jeff Scipione and I decided we would go and check out the big fish that lurk in Spruce Creek.  We did very well fishing inch-worms, stoneflies and slumpbusters once the sun went down.  It was a lot of fun and we caught several fish near or around the 20 inch mark.  Two of the fish that I hooked into the first night were ones that I will be going back for because I didn't get a chance to land them.  One was a huge rainbow that I've caught once before on a pheasant tail earlier this year and the other was a massive brown that I've never seen before.  Needless to say it lies at the top of my most wanted fish to hook into!!

The craziest thing was, right before the rain shower and thunderstorm the trout went into a feeding frenzy.  It was like a switch went on, unfortunately we didn't get to fish it through because we had to get out of the water once the storm rolled in.  I'm sure the fish continued to feed voraciously, but we didn't want to get struck by lightning!

Enjoy some of the pictures that we've compiled over the last few adventures on the public section of Spruce Creek!

Everglades Fishing Report! 8/7/12

I spent the morning working on Captain John Wambolt's Patch Man Do (Pictures to come), and when I got home Captain Chris White called me and asked if I wanted to go fishing... Silly question.

The conditions weren't ideal and I couldn't sling a fly rod (too much wind, and wind-blown grass) but I was just content to catch something because it had been a while since I had caught a sport fish and I was itching. 

The everglades is unlike anything I've ever seen. We got there on low tide right as it was starting to come in, weaving through channels and cuts in the mud flats we found ourselves in an area known as snake bight. Awesome name I know. 

We are out there and I'm awestruck. There are 7-8 foot sharks cruising around me while we're in like 2 feet of water. It was like freaking "Jaws" just dorsal fins and tails cruising by us. I kept imagining that scene where Roy Scheider is throwing chum off the back of the boat and that huge great white comes out of the water chasing his chum fix. Well I always try to photo document my catches for you all, but these photos were pretty rushed because I didn't want to come home one hand short of a pair... 

Anyway a couple hours later a half dozen red fish, a couple snook, a few sea trout, and a lady fish and we were back in the marina. I was exhausted but exhilarated, it was an amazing day. One I look forward to repeating.  

The Nomad handles a big Red.

Chris' biggest red of the day

Nice Sea Trout in the Nomad Net

"Treat" of the Week

I know it's been awhile and it's hard to really call this the "treat" of the week anymore... but I am going to do it anyway. 

This little "treat" is common sense for some, and for others a more difficult thing to master. It is however, basic guiding 101. 

What do I do when we aren't catching fish and everything gets quiet? You have to ask it because inevitably at one point or another whether it's a week long trip or a half a day at some point you run out of things to talk about and the fish get sparse. It happens, don't worry about it... I mean it rarely happened to me, but that's another story haha. 

Things to keep in mind.
1. Clients always can get better at casting, teach them something
2. Have a joke in your back pocket. Generally speaking keep the politically incorrect stuff for after you've got a good feel for your client. 
3. Share a story of some other fishing experience, pretend this day reminds you of that even if it doesn't. 
4. Pick out a really fishy looking rock, or "see" a fish rise. 
5. Talk to the fish "Here fishy fishy"

Definitely do not walk away and leave it in an awkward silence. The longer awkward silences go the harder it is to break them.

The hardest part about guiding is reading clients. Some like to talk more than others, some like to have their ego patted, some like to absorb as much knowledge as you have, others think they already know it all. It's essential that you can figure out how they want to be treated and handle it that way. If you can't read people and handle people well you shouldn't be a fishing guide, I don't care how good you are at it. If people don't like you, you will not go far in that business. 

This Time Last Year at Cusack's

Last year in Alaska I had an opportunity to break in one of my good friends into the guiding industry and give him a last hoorah before he enlisted into the army. Doug Suhey had always been an outdoorsman and a fisherman but he quickly picked up a passion for fly fishing when I mentioned we might need a strong, motivated individual to do a little guiding as well. Doug jumped on the opportunity and had one hell of a summer. Topped off by his father Larry coming up to visit in July for Larry's birthday. Here are some of Larry's favorite pictures from his time spent up there. Larry told me his trip to Alaska was so much more than just fishing, but it appears he caught some nice fish along the way as well. 

Brian and Kirk,

I was up with Doug the second week of July 2011, so pretty close to this time last year. The sockeye were just starting their run up the Copper River. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the time spent with Doug up there.

Keep the faith,


Larry

"In a 30 min span I caught over 25 fish with a nymph. The location was Bobs brothers cabin on the mountain."

Cusack's Alaskan Tesitmonial

This post started as a comment on our Cusack's Fishing Report Post. Tim Donahue and his son Adam were recently at Cusack's Lodge and had an excellent trip! These are some of the pictures he and Adam shared with us as well as a wonderful commentary on his experience. Looks like they had some awesome fishing! As always feel free to contact us at flyfishingfiles1@gmail.com or bob directly at bobcusack@aol.com if you have any questions or inquiries about fishing with the myth himself in Iliamna, Alaska. For now enjoy the spread. 

My Son Adam and I just returned from fishing with Bob Cusack. One of the best trips of my life. This was a graduation trip celebration, the deal with my son was out of college in 4 years we go fising in Alaska. We picked Bob after doing a couple of months of research. What sealed it for us was talking to Bob on the phone, his 40+ years of experience kind of quietly comes through. It was obvious he knew his stuff.

I don't know where to begin, the experience far exceeded our expectations. Both from a fishing experience and just being with Bob and his wife Lula. Every day fishing was great. We had a couple of days where we caught over 100 fish each on one of Bob's secret spots. Our weather was good except for one of the days where it was really blowing too much to fly or even go out in one of the little boats. Even on that day where most guides would say its too cold or rough to fish Bob came up with a plan. We had a late breakfast and fortified our spirits and put on the life jackets. Bob took us out in his big enclosed boat and we took off after the Sockeye which were just starting to come in. As Bob said we damn near got blown off the sandbar in gale force winds but we brought home some fish. That day that should have by all rights been one of the crappiest ended up being our second most fun day thanks to Bob.

As for our fly-in trips, I've been around a lot of pilots both private and commercial. I worked at an airport as a teenager flown some myself and have flown almost 2 Million miles commercially and charter for business. I'll just say I've never met a better instinctive pilot than Bob. 

Bob's wife Lula provided us with outstanding dinners each evening. Her culinary skills and creativity made each meal something we really looked forward to. Bob cooks a pretty mean breakfast. I went up with the intent of losing some weight but I gained 5 pounds. 


Both Adam my son and I really enjoyed talking with Bob and Lula each night. For us it was like staying at a close friends home. We have been back home in Ohio for almost a week and I have to admit re-entery was tough, we both miss being up at Cusack's. As I have told my friends back home, my memory of the secret river was to be out fishing where there was no evidence of mankind all day catching so many fish my arm was tired. Looked up in the sky and saw three Bald Eagles flying over head at once. Bob thanks to you and Lula for a trip we will remember all our lives.

I had a feeling I'd be seeing that mouse! 

A couple of big male sockeye! 

Patch Man Do Fishing Trip!

Recently, Danielle and I had the opportunity to go out and spend a day on the Patch Man Do together. Captain John had heard that maybe there were some Pompano running through the area and he wanted to check it out to see if we could find them. Of course who am I to turn down a day on the open water... Luckily, Danielle was off from work as well and I could finally get her on a boat! We had a blast out there catching all sorts of fish... unfortunately none of which were pompano. I also happened to land my first bonefish.. Who needs to be in the flats? 

Species the Patch Man Do found for us this trip included:

Bonefish
Hogfish
Black Groupe
Mangrove Snapper
Yellowtail
Lemon Shark
Porgy
Cubera Snapper
Blue Runner
White Grunt

If you want to see more check out this short video and some pictures from our trip on the patch man do!!

 Patch Man Do 
**There is some graphic material in this video


**It should be made clear that in the video Captain John removed the head of the shark to bleed the fish out. If you don't bleed the fish the urine that is in the blood stream will spoil the meat. So since we were keeping the animal for dinner it was essential we didn't allow the meat to spoil. 

Cusack's Alaska Lodge Fishing Report

Let me preface this by letting you all know that Bob Cusack wrote this piece, the entire piece. I didn't edit this just to make him live up to his reputation haha, this is really how he talks to me. He is a character and that's why we love him and that's also why you should fish with him. Check out www.cusacksalaskalodge.com for more info on Bob or contact him at bobcusack@aol.com or 907-571-1202 who knows he may have still have a couple spots open this season!

Lula and I both miss you characters this summer. I miss you two bum fucks. After these two I realize you two were geniuses. I don’t know how I could have thought you two were dumb fucks. Forgive me and please come back – you better know better than that! 

I just dropped off two fishermen from Ohio – Tim and Adam Donohue (father and son). We had a great time with them this week – they enjoyed your secret fishing hole and caught 100 rainbows each. They did a lot of mousing and streamers. The week before, Nevin Cooley and Dave Cahill fished in the same spot. Each of them caught about 50 fish. Nevin pulled out 3 nice lake trout fishing a mouse, and Dave caught about 5 grayling out of a pool that was 5 feet below where he was wading. It was blowing 50 mph when I dropped Tim and Adam off. They will pass through 60-70 mph at 2000 feet on the climb out from Iliamna – might have to clean themselves on arrival in Anchorage. They were catching sockeye off the point when it was blowing 70 mph. Damn near blew them in the lake, but with a shot of scotch and a good cigar we had a blast.  



Remember that slew where you and Kirk caught those big pike? Well one of my guides, Trevor, was exiting it into the main river when he spotted a big pike swimming with a 20 inch rainbow in his chops. He was guiding Lee and Mark Bellinger who are from PA. They came up with Nevin and Dave. Trevor has a great video of it, but I can’t send it due to the bandwidth. So when I get out of here I can email it to you. However, I will send a photo – no, it’s not as big as yours, but he did see several twice as big as the one with the rainbow. Anyway, Trevor slipped up behind this fish and threw him up on the bank. The rainbow was dropped in the process, but Trevor landed on the pike. I am sure it was a relative of the one you caught. Trevor said it was right outside the slew and there were a bunch of rainbows hitting dries. He never caught pike before and a week earlier he picked one up by the lip- he is learning. 


Other than that things have been pretty much boring. Oh ya, remember that old Magnum Research 45/70 pistol you used to tote around? Well I was coming across the portage at 11:30pm. I ran into 3 bears – a sow with cubs. They were unusually close (20 yards) by the time I saw them. I didn’t feel like screwing around with them so I fired one round and it didn’t kick or make much noise. I gave them another shot and all seemed normal. They ran off. When I glanced down I saw that I blew off the entire 10 inch barrel. I know I am fast but not fast enough for the 2nd bullet to catch the 1st one. I guess the 1st one got stuck in the barrel. I am hoping to get another barrel put on it. I’ve been lucky lately.