Laramie Fishing Report – The Art of Fly-Fishing

The Art of Fly-Fishing

Fly-Fishing is something you must learn over your life-time. I know that sounds “out-there” but a couple of my friends have told me, this summer, I’m going to learn to fly-fish! I tell them, me too! Then explain I have been fly-fishing for over 30 years, and I don’t know anything. It’s like anything in life the more you think you know about something the more you realize you don’t know jack.

I remember my Dad cutting open the stomach of the trout he caught and reviewing the contents to see what the fish were eating. Then tying a fly that looked like that bug or insect, and then trying to catch the next fish with that pattern. Knowing what’s hatching, the water temperatures and feeding patterns and about 100 other tidbits of knowledge makes casting your fly sometimes not as fun as you might think. Oh and then there is tying knots in the wind of Wyoming and not getting frustrated and having a mental breakdown in-front of your friends. They usually say is everything alright at home?

Let’s not forget your gear, you have to have the right weight of line with the right length of rod and a reel that has 2-3 different weights, not to mention waders and fly box and vest and too many instruments to humanly carry on your back. Then you need a float tub, or boat depending on where you’re going and a vehicle big enough to load you and your fishing buddies (and their crap) to get to the blue ribbon trout streams of Colorado and Wyoming. All of this to have fun and try to catch the elusive rainbow, brook, cut-throat trout, is it all worth it? Well yes it is! You just need lots of money and patience, lots of patience.

So all this makes you ask, why do people fly-fish? I think it’s in our DNA and in some deep dark back part of our brain we must catch fish, the to hunt and gather instinct. Our ancestors cooked fish on the fire and implanted this memory on us, so i. I am going camping this weekend and hopeful catch a trout and drink a beer and try to relax. Hope you all get to do the same, just not close to me or you might see me in one of my fits!

Laramie Area Fishing Report:

1. Hattie is fishing fair. Hattie is now full. – The Game and Fish just recently stocked Lake Hattie. Hatch Chart

2. Twin Buttes is fishing fair.  The Wyoming Game and Fish just recently stocked Twin Buttes.  The fishing should steadily get better throughout the summer.  Hatch Chart

3. Galett is still fishing well.  The Laramie Plains lakes are a great alternative to blownout rivers.  Hatch Chart

4. Galett is the smallest of the Laramie Plains Lakes, at only 34 surface acres. It has rainbow trout from 12 to 24 inches and grass carp. We have good carry over fish at Galett the past couple of winters thanks to efforts from the Wyoming Game & Fish aeration systems. This impoundment is an extremely shallow lake with great vegetation growth full of damsel nymphs and scuds. Hatch Chart

5. Lake Owen and Rob Roy – It may be mid July before we can get to Lake Owen.  The Range is at 172% snowpack.  Any one have a snowmachine?

6. The North Platte seems to have peaked and is slowly coming down.  The flows are still quite high, making a few bridges unpassable.

*You still cannot float between Treasure Island and Saratoga, due to a couple of low bridges. *

For the most current North Platte River conditions, give us a call at 307-721-4047

7. Gray’s Reef:  – Don’t forget about the closure to fishing just below the dam for the whole month of April.  It is well marked on the river.

The Reef is fishing great.  Lots of large fish have are being caught in the 20+ inch range. (5400cfs and will probably continue to rise).

8.  The Miracle Mile is fishing well.  Fish any slow water you can find.

9.  The Big Laramie isleveling off and should start to drop significantly in the next week or two.  Fishing will improve as move through June and into July.

10. The Encampment is leveling off but is still running near 4000 cfs.

Fishing Quote:

It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming.  ~John Steinbeck