Green River

Dr. Gillespie’s Annual Green River Trip

Leave it to the Dr. to make us all jealous…BASTARD!!!!  -  post taken from the Xstream Outdoors blog.

Every year it’s tradition for me to plan a trip to the Green River during the famed Blue Wing Olive Hatch. Its the one trip each year that I am so excited about that I am thinking and planning for it all year. In a way its an adults Christmas. The first trip I took was a little crazy. We caught more fish than I have ever seen caught in one day on BWO’s and ended up with $1,000’s of dollars in tickets and fines. (Stupid Obstructing Justice Rule) Another memorable trip was the first trip with my boat. We floated 3 days with great weather and the big browns would not leave our PMX alone. But just as time changes all things, this years trip ranks up top as my new favorite BWO trip. The trip started well before the scheduled date of April 17-19th. During that time flies were tied, boat was refinished and customized, needed gear was bought, and people that sore they were going to be there dropped like flies. We started the trip with only 4 of the original 15 group members. (Weather, wives, dogs, girl friends, money, jobs, and everything else seemed to be an excuse. I guess its all Obama’s fault) So with Gunner, Mallary, Wayne and myself, we set off for the Green and in search of a rising fish.

Day 1 (Friday 17th)

After a snowy drive we reached the red rocks of the flaming gorge valley. Its always a warming feeling when one descends down the windy path and reaches the clear cool water of the green. The days fishing was red hott from the start. Mallary caught one of the two fish caught with a nymph rig the whole trip, as we launched the boat. After that I noticed midges everywhere, so we hit up a couple of my favorite scum lines and had a blast, as we fished little midges for rising trout. The fishing turned up another level as zeroed in to what they were really wanting and how they were wanting it. The fly of choice was a customized Orange Asher that I created on a wim. (I am sure glad I did) The scum suckers wouldn’t leave this fly alone. It caught fish all day for us. By the end of the day and after a trip to “The Wall” we were about 50 flies short and 25 of those were ashers.

Highlights:

  • Waynes and Mallarys huge browns at “The Wall”
  • Spread Eagle, I mean bald eagle (What was that eagle)
  • Frozen Hands, Feet
  • Last ones off the water, floating the last mile in the dark
  • Staying in a warm condo and not camping
  • tying flies watching fish porn

Day 2
With a better idea of the fishing and the bugs. We started the day with a better idea of what we wanted to do. We started off with dries and never looked back. Midges and BWOs were the flies of choice. We only fished areas that held rising fish, which wasn’t very hard to find. With ideal weather the fishing was off the charts. It rained for about 30 mins as we had lunch and then after that the fishing was even better than before. In places the midges were so think that it looks like their was sand on top of the water. On the way down “the wall” produced right before dark with bwo’s. If Mallary didn’t fall in and get all wet I would have been able to catch even more than 3 fish in 5 mins. It was an amazing site to see hundreds of rising fish in the shallow water run. That night we met up with the rest of the crew Jeff, Laura and Addie. They had a nice warm dinner ready as we got off the river and back to the condo.

Highlights:

  • “I love your boat” Happy B-Day Tristen
  • Meeting Scott and his girl
  • Trav and Mall fishing together-just killing it
  • Watching the Rocker

Day 3
Bright skies, warm weather and rising trout is a good way to sum up our last day on the river. We fished our favorite spot from the last couple days and it produced like we knew it would. The fish were a little picky, but a size down or 5 was all one needed to temp them to take our little midges. As the afternoon came, I noticed bigger fish were rising in a fast water seem. I studied the water and noticed the trout were only talking the emerging bwos. With this in mind I hooked and quick released the largest fish of the trip. Guessing it would have pushed 25, but who knows. I was able to pick up a very nice 22 to end the trip and fill my pot for another year. We rowed down the rest of the river fulfilled. As we reached little hole we were greeted with another prepared lunch and a chance to share our days stories, before we had to call it quits.

Highlights

  • Osprey catching fish
  • Warm Weather!!! not for fishing
  • Addie first float
  • 22 inch brown on 28 midge














Rivers of Recovery

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A while back I found out about a organization that really stuck out to me about what they were doing.  Rivers of Recovery is doing good in this world when there is so much negativity.  As you will read in this post Rivers of Recovery provides meaningful fishing trips to disabled veterans.  I have never had the chance to speak with Dan Cook, founder, but fellow Frenzier Aaron Peterson has and we can’t help but thank  Dan for starting this incredible organization.  We hope that some of the Frenzy group will be able to head down to the Green River and help out.  Enjoy!!

Rivers of Recovery is dedicated to providing unique and meaningful recreational trips to disabled veterans, their families and the families of fallen soldiers at no cost to the participants. A nonprofit organization, Rivers of Recovery seeks to promote the building of self-confidence, foster a sense of empowerment, spark an enthusiasm for the outdoors and provide a sanctuary where enjoyment, relaxation and learning are the priorities.

Veterans and families from all armed forces and military eras are eligible.

2009 Program Description

We created Rivers of Recovery to provide disabled veterans, their families and the families of fallen soldiers with recreational trips to the majestic Green River, home of arguably the best fly fishing in the United States at no cost to the participants. Beginning in June, 2008, ROR will be offering three 2-day guided trips to fish and explore this beautiful river.

Our programs strive to achieve the following:

  • Assist the participants in understanding the art of fly fishing and nourishing the self-confidence and self-esteem that comes with learning.
  • Allow the participants to temporarily leave their stresses and uncertainties behind. ROR seeks to create a sanctuary where learning and enjoyment are the priorities.
  • Foster an environment where veterans can interact in a fun and enjoyable setting. Each group of 4 participants will share accommodations, meals and fishing together on the river.
  • Provide instruction on all aspects of fishing. Participants will take home these acquired skills, to be further developed on future trips. Our goals include sparking a continuing enthusiasm for the outdoors in each veteran and family.
  • Encourage an appreciation for nature.
  • Most importantly, our programs allow the veterans and families a chance to enjoy themselves, both individually and as a member of a cohesive group.

Our program accepts each veteran as a member of our own ROR family. Each day is structured to maximize the participant’s enjoyment and learning. After breakfast, we spend 8 hours fishing from drift boats through the spectacular Red Canyon. Through this section, the Green River holds an incredible 14,000 fish per mile! We will take opportunities to stop, sit back and relax. At mid-day, the entire group will meet up for a river-side lunch. A BBQ at the end of the day will offer a chance for veterans to relate stories about “the big one that got away” and receive informal instruction on knot-tying and/or fly casting.

Rivers of Recovery will provide all transportation, accommodation, instruction and fishing guides. The participant just needs to get to the nearest major airport and we will take care of the rest.


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Tribute To The Dean of the Green…Denny Breer

Taken from Xstream Outdoors author Dr. Gillespie.

The world has lost one of its best, but Denny will still be here…I was saddened to read the news that Denny Breer had pasted away in an accident…I thought this can’t be true??? I just spoke with him the Friday before his passing. As the reality set in a deep feeling of sadness filled my body…Denny was more than a friend to me and anyone else he was around. He was one of my Fly Fishing Hero’s! Every time I visited the Green River I made it a priority to stop by the shop and talk to Denny and Emmit. I loved to soak in the knowledge that they had obtained over their lifetimes. They were best friends and the two most respected men on the Green. Denny has been a constant leader in the conservation of the river he loved so dear. He went out of his way to help the rivers future and in doing so has made it one of the best rivers in the World. Denny was truly a remarkable man and fishermen. His influence and impact that he has made over his lifetime is truly remarkable. Denny will live on, in each and everyone that he has touched…I am going to miss you friend…I’ll catch that big one for ya!!!

Can’t Get Enough of The Green River!!

I imagine that you read Travis’s post below and have a bit of a background on how this Green River trip came about but I am going to tell it again anyway.

I had planned on going up to Missoula to float Rock Creek and the Blackfoot rivers last weekend but due to the level of snow pack and the late runoff all the rivers were muddy and running high so I decided to stay home and hit some waters closer to home. I had asked fellow frenziers Dave Hancey aka ” The Athlete” and Travis Gillespie aka ” Swims With Fish” if they wanted to come to Missoula to hit those rivers but neither one could make it for a long weekend. So since I was staying home I called them about wetting a line closer to home. Dave first suggested going up to Alpine Wyoming for a quick trip and hit parts of the Snake and Salt rivers but after a few calls up to different fly shops we found that the waters were off color and high, so that was out of the question. Dave then threw out the idea of going to the Green. We made a few calls and we’re told that the water level was up but running clear so we decided that is where we were going. I called Travis and ask if he could come with us and that we were leaving Thursday night and would be back Saturday night. Travis said leaving on Thursday was out of the question due to all the vacation days he has already taken this year to fish and that he would also be gone on the frenzy in two weeks.

We figured out that Dave and I could take his boat down on Thursday, float the river ourselves of Friday and then Travis could meet up with us to float it on Saturday. Dave and I ended up getting to our camp site about 11:30 in the evening, we set up camp, lit a fire, had some cheddar dogs cooked over a nice smoky flame and finally got to bed at 1. The air mattress that I brought had a slow leak so needless to say we only slept for a couple hours that night.

Friday morning we got on the water about 10 and fished until 7. It was only my second time rowing a drift boat so you can imagine how nervous I was thinking that I would flip us or something worse and we would ruin Travis’s boat. I did end up going right over one of the biggest submerged rocks on the river which scared the hell out of both of us. Dave would be the first to tell you that I did get better with the rowing but I was all over the river which made it really hard for him to fish, basically I sucked. Dave on the other hand was pretty good with the boat. We stopped a few times on the way dow, that is when we had the most success.

On Saturday we meet up with Travis and his wife Liz. Liz was awesome the whole day; she chilled and watched us fish from morning to night. Travis was awesome as well rowing most of the day allowing Dave and I to get some good fishing in. Travis is the type of guy that could catch a couple fish and be content the rest of the day rowing and watch others haul in fatties. We got done on sat about 6:30ish and was on the road home by about 8. Over all we landed about 40 fish over the two days and missed about double that, it was a great weekend.The icing on the cake was that Dave and I on the way home nearly killed ourselves by almost hitting a deer.

In short, the stars aligned for a great weekend and we caught a lot of fish. I can’t thank Travis enough by letting us take his boat and then fishing with us all day on Saturday. We wouldn’t have caught as many fish if it wasn’t for Dr. Gillespie; he is a hell of a fisherman.

Cicadas Anyone???

So I got a call from Hoss 3 weeks ago saying “Hey what are you doing the last week of May?” I said “I don’t think I have anything planned” “OK good, your going with me to Montana!” Well things didn’t workout that way. The week before, I visited my older brother Jeremy in Bakersfield, California for Mermorial weekend. Were we experienced some of the best fishing and camping in Sequoia National Forest on the Kern River.(See my write up: “In Search Of Gold” for details and Pics).

But as luck has it I got another call from Hoss just last Wednesday saying “Dude, Montana trip is no more, what about floating down the Green?” It worked out that my wife and I meet Dave and Hoss out at the Green for a Saturday float. (Hoss and Dave went up Thursday night and floated Friday) The weather was great, the company was excellent and the fish were coming up on the big Cicadas that were flying around. It was almost the perfect fishing day. The only problem is that we were having a heck of a time keeping the dang fish saddled up. We ended up boating around 20 fish but we missed probably double that! I guess we are getting the dust off now, so we don’t suck it up on the Frenzy. (Yeah Right!)

Hoss and Dave thanks for such a great time and for being so cool to Liz. She had a great time and say you guys ROCK! (but need to work on keeping a fish saddled up)