April 08 Season Starts! 4/15/2008

Hi All!

Happy New Year and welcome to the 2008 fishing season!

Hope everyone wintered over well and that us poor buggers out here can retire our snow shovels til next winter! Really can’t complain much about the snow….. it was really an “ old school/normal “ winter that we haven’t had for a bit and it sure will be great for the health of the rivers! It’s the perfect time for hikes in the high country, you can hike on the snowmobile trails but the snow isn’t in good enough shape for the noisy things to pester you! Scout and I have enjoyed it and yes there’s a ton of the white stuff up there to melt………. When Scout wanders off the trails following her nose she sometimes disappears in the unpacked snow…… to the point where once I had to fall in myself to pull her out.

The run-off has started here with the river today starting to pick up some color and depth…. It’s come up 7 – 10” in front of the Guest House in the last week. Depending on Mom nature… sun, cold nights, rain, snow, etc the river could be out and cold until mid June….. I’ll try and keep you posted or just give a ring, I’ll look out the window, and let you know.

The fishing……. Started out the season with regulars Dennis, son Greg and friend Dave…. It’s fun to watch people’s faces when our drift boat, with Dave and Greg , comes drifting by with wine bottles in the front AND rear drink holders…… Dave and Greg were happy they had them as the fishing was slow to say the least.

Timing, timing, timing………. Dennis and Greg showed up Monday evening with the fishing and water temperatures good ……. The next am the Wyoming wind made and appearance…….. you know sort of like the Huns used to make an appearance…. Loud and vicious! Dennis and Greg took mercy on their guide and we decided to “try” and wade fish……. By noon the wind won and we ran away.

That night it snowed on us, about 3 – 4” in town, and with it the water temps for the next three days hovered between 38 and 42 degrees, trout hibernation temps ……… Long story short…. We caught fish, not many, but a few big ones and stopped the last two days trips by noon……. No use beating a dead fish us guides like to say!

Thank you Dennis, Greg and Dave for your good spirits and all the laughter over the four days……… thank God we have a history of stellar trips together or I’m afraid I’d have been tossed over the side!

Looking forward…….. unless we have truly unnatural warmth or wind to make all the snow disappear overnight we should have a “normal” year……Fishing taking off mid June, good floating and fishing through late July, early August, no moss, morning fishing only.. for a few weeks in August, after getting our mid to late August rains game on for the rest of the season through mid October.

For fishing this spring……… call for Gray Reef reports…. I might be talked into going up but only during the week. I’m afraid what I’ve been talking about the past two years continues to be the case up in Casper….. Lots and Lots of new outfitters, lots of boats and lots of the kids parking on spawning redds and killing a lot of fish…. The results……. Not near the fish there used to be, still some big ones but you’ll have to share them with a lot of people.

If you’re looking for a possible hot spot to be guided on, ( sorry I won’t give this one away….. yet) there is a fairly new tail water fishery that I’ve visited a few times, only a few times…… as I got lost trying to take Mississippi Frank there last year……. No Frank I still refuse to ask directions !………. It’s a neat winding meadow stream with deep cut banks and Bows up to 18”…. So far!

As always if you want to talk fishing or just shoot the bull give a shout 307 326 6079

Be well and see you on the river! I’ve attached a photo of a few Cinnamon Teal in front of the Guest House in a full pre-mating frenzy…… beautiful little birds!

Cheers,
Mitch
Harrison’s Guest House & Guide Service
www.northplattefishing.com


Mitch Bangert
Harrison's Guest House & Guide Service
303-298-0848 Year Round or 307-326-6079 April - October