Great food and service with a smile at Spring Creek Guest Ranch
Rumor had it the fishing was good on the Green River in late March. Therefore, a weekend trip had to be made to assess the situation for myself. An A and B trip was the plan and we took off after work on Sunday to get on the river first thing Monday morning. Instead of camping that first night, we got a room at the Spring Creek Guest Ranch and stayed in luxury.
There’s something awe inspiring about rivers large enough to take a drift boat down that gets you every time. Especially one with such a robust history of exploration as the Green River. Although the river is nothing like it looked like in the 1800’s, mans’ impact has made the Green River below Flaming Gorge one of the most prolific trout fisheries in the United States.
Ted and Aaron stopping to fish an eddyHealthy brownTed showing us how its done
After copious quantities of alcohol and several fish, day one had to come to a close. Beautiful weather and the most ridiculous midge hatch I had ever seen we’re some of the highlights of the day. Below are some from the night and the following day.
Jefe taking it all in by the fireBest dinner on the river I've ever hadBest breakfast I've ever had on a river trip all thanks to TedAaron getting prepared for Day 2Jefe examining Matt's catchDay 2 also had a pretty incredible midge hatch
Matt admiring his catch on his hand crafted YUM
All good things have to come to an end
In closing, the rumors aren’t true and you probably shouldn’t come here.
Fishing for 8 or 9 hours takes a toll on the body; we anglers would normally quit any other sport in a shorter time. Imagine your back is sore, your arm is numb and you don’t even think you would remember what a bite feels like, despite the adversity you just want that last fish! I was throwing this guide tied streamer resembling what I know as a Zonker Minnow on a 5WT FFO rod equipped with sink tip line.
That is what a bite feels like...
Kate kept cajoling me to cast a few more times as we drifted slowly into Newts landing. I load the pole for my final cast, as the line soars through the air, the thought going through my head, “Wow that cast is nice, I’ll be damned if that doesn’t hook some lip!.” Kate exclaims, “Nice cast and good placement, strip the line in at varying speed!” I follow direction complete two quick strips of around 2 inches of line, pause and accelerate a final strip of over one foot of line….Fish On!
We reached our destination in Maine for our father & son fishing trip well after dark. As we drove past tiny hamlets in this desolate area, I understood how Stephen King has been able to gather ideas for his novels from here. Perhaps one of the towns we had passed was inspiration for ‘Salem’s Lot. In the morning, we met our river guide: Kate, and we immediately felt confident she would provide us with a good day of fishing.
The day was overcast, however, the day’s lighting reflecting off the river, gave the autumn leaves a brilliant hue. As I drank in the majestic view of Mt. Washington in the distance, I noticed ominous cloud cover approaching us indicating a change of weather would be upon us. In addition, I spied an eagle circling the river searching for prey. I marveled at the stoic beauty of this bird, the symbol of the United States.
For up in the sky the eagle circled silently, effortlessly, and determinedly, uncaring of us, focused only on its quest for the prey. Just as we had left the city escaping the concerns of the worlds financial, military, and cultural strife’s, in search of some memorable autumn fly-fishing. As Kate expertly navigated the drift boat down the river, just as the eagle spots its prey, I viewed an enormous red maple spreading its branches like an umbrella over the water, directly over a drop off in the river. I instinctively realized that I only had seconds to present a cast before our drift boat would silently glide past this inviting spot.
Nice Rainbow on Streamer
Drifting a Streamer
Enjoying Lunch
As I released the cast, amazingly, it actually landed where I had hoped. As the eagle grips its prey with its talons, I felt a fish strike the fly, and I firmly set the hook in its mouth. From the feel of the rod I knew I had a good-sized fish on the line trying not to be pulled to the surface and into the awaiting net. Kate scooped a beautiful rainbow trout into the net and onto the boat. The rainbow’s colors blended splendidly with the spectacular colors of the Maine woods.
Unlike the eagle, which would share its prey with its young; the rainbow was released back into the river allowing it to grow. Perhaps, another father and son may again land it on their fishing trip. Kate eased the drift boat to shore, where she prepared delicious hearty soup of fiddleheads’, potatoes, and sausage for all of us to share. The meal was perfect, as the weather had turned cooler. As we sat enjoying the meal, we admired the scenery, listened to the hypnotic sound of the river, and prepared for the final hours of our trip.
There’s something awe inspiring about rivers large enough to take a drift boat down that gets you every time. Especially one with such a robust history of exploration as the Green River. Although the river is nothing like it looked like in the 1800’s, mans’ impact has made the Green River below Flaming Gorge one of the most prolific trout fisheries in the United States.
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