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NEWSLETTER #29 - OCTOBER 2004

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Leland Fly Fishing Travel Newsletter – October ‘04

TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE:

BUSH STREET “DESTINATION DAY” 10/20 – ALASKA, BELIZE, AND CHRISTMAS IS.
CLOSE TO HOME: PUTAH CREEK REPORT
CHILEAN ANDES LODGES – SOME EARLY/LATE SEASON SPECIALS
TRIP REPORTS
FANTASY FISH AND DAYS
QUIPS AND QUOTES

This is the twenty-ninth edition of our monthly newsletter with updates on great fly fishing venues and insights for our traveling fly fishers. We want to help you match the right location with your fly fishing goals and objectives and properly prepare you to fully enjoy the experience. We’ve been to most locations and pride ourselves on our ability to research new sites. One of our services is to compare and contrast different lodges/outfitters. Whatever unbiased information on timing and locations we can provide comes at the same cost to you as booking direct – i.e., no extra cost.

BUSH STREET SHOP DESTINATION DAY, WED, OCT 20 – ALASKA, BELIZE, AND CHRISTMAS ISLAND HOSTED TRIPS FEATURED

Next Wednesday, Oct 20, has been designated as our monthly Destination Day in the Bush Street shop. I’ll be in the shop from 11:00am through the evening. The scheduled slide presentations will feature our hosted trip programs for 2005.

12:00 Alaska – Bristol Bay Lodge (with Matt Paluch)

12:30 Christmas Island (with Karl Kirbus)

1:00 Belize (with Keith Westra)

5:00 Alaska, Christmas Is, and Belize

Personal slide presentations by appointment can be scheduled on any of our destinations, including our recent trips to North Platte Lodge, the Minipi River (giant brook trout), and Putah Creek (see below). Let me know if you’d like to make an appointment and what destination you’d like me to be prepared for. Drop in and say “hi” and let’s discuss the exciting possibilities of fly fishing travel.

CLOSE TO HOME - PUTAH CREEK REPORT

I recently had a rewarding fly fishing experience without getting on an airplane – something new for me. Greg Schuerger ( a young man who lives in Napa and guides on Putah Creek two or three days a week) and I got together for an afternoon on Putah below the dam at Lake Berryessa. It was a beautiful early fall Tuesday afternoon so the water wasn’t crowded as it can be on weekends. As is my normal role, I brought the cameras to try to capture the essence of the day. Greg is an outstanding caster and knows every riffle and lie in the creek (I think he is on a “first name basis” with every decent fish). On this day, the action was provided by small nymphs below an indicator…….and there was plenty of action. We must have released about 15 fish before quitting at dusk. Most fish were the planted variety – plump 10 to 12 inchers. However, there were three “special fish” that would have been good “photo fish” anywhere short of New Zealand or Alaska. Greg told me the day before, while fishing with a client, they measured and released a 23+ inch rainbow that was a healthy wide-body. Trophy fish are taken with enough frequency that it’s not a surprise. Also, as the winter spawning period nears, there is a good chance to get a big brown. All this within an hour drive from home. I admit that I was pleasantly surprised.

CHILEAN ANDES LODGES – SOME EARLY/LATE SEASON SPECIALS

Some of our favorite Andes haunts are posting some dollar saving specials for this season. There are some “if’s, and’s, and but’s,” but worth looking into if you are planning a quality Andes experience in the next six months and have some flexibility as to travel time.

TRIP REPORTS: Northern California, Belize and Alaska

A quality experience is had each year by many clients at the Clearwater House in Northern California. Rob Appleby just returned from a trip with some business associates and his comments included: “We had a great time at Clearwater. Excellent food and wine, spectacular weather, and excellent guides and fishing.”

Bristol Bay Lodge in Alaska is one of the top 3 or 4 Alaska Lodges. Lisa and Jeff Reinke on a trip in early September: “We had a great trip. Everything was wonderful with the lodge and the fishing. Photos available to validate the fishing.”

Tony Shanks on his first salt water trip ever: “Rusty and I had a fantastic trip. We caught about 10 bonefish each and had a blast chasing them…….I landed a tarpon of about 80 pounds; great fish. The accommodations and food were great, the scenery and wildlife were awesome, and Charles and Avie (the cook) were wonderful.” (Tony was with Charles Westby on the Seaduction mothership)

“FANTASY STUFF” FOR THIS ISSUE

While fly fishing is pursued for many reasons, having a “fly fishing fantasy” experience is something we all chase. Once in a while it actually happens and this column is devoted to sharing those special moments/days.

From Belize: Tony Shanks, on his first salt water trip ever, caught several bonefish……..but the real highlight of his first trip on the salt water flats was boating an 80 pound tarpon on a fly (see trip reports for more)!! Bob Cazort, a “three trip a year” regular on the Meca with Martin McCord, had another of his fabulous “variety trips” to Belize in September. Fish taken included four ‘Cuda over 4 feet long, several snook to 14 pounds, jacks, snappers, and 13 “baby tarpon” to 40 pounds. Bob’s primary focus is always the mangrove edges, baby tarpon, and purposely avoids the big tarpon – doesn’t need the aching, cramping muscles that are associated with the big boys as he’s “been there and done that” several times.

John Lane’s fly fishing background is on small streams in the Northeast and Great Smoky Mountains. On a recent trip to the South Fork of the Boise River in Idaho, he took what for him was a perfectly proportioned “fantasy rainbow” of 22 inches providing him with a great incentive to spend more time in our western waters.

Lisa and Jeff Reinke (see trip reports) had a wonderful trip to Alaska in early September with several big silvers and rainbows, but the highlight fish was a big ‘bow that measured 29.5 inches long with a girth of 15 inches.

QUIPS AND QUOTES

Don Linker, on a recent trip to the North Platte Lodge in Wyoming, captured the essence of the joy of fly fishing with friends with his response to the question “How was your day?” His response:

“The environment and the comradery made it a great day, plus we caught a few fish.”

LELAND-FRONTIERS AGENT AGREEMENT

In addition to the many great destinations that we represent, Leland Fly Fishing Adventures also has an agreement with Frontiers to represent all their properties (many of which we already book independently). If you are considering any of the destinations that Frontiers offers, please give us a call as it’s virtually the same process as booking through Frontiers, and we need the “bonus points.” And, we may have some personal experiences that can add to your knowledge and preparations.

Either phone or drop us an e-mail if you have questions or would like more information about any of our destinations.

An enthusiastic traveling fly fisherman,