The chapter trip to Wyoming went off without a hitch. Well, almost. I will not tell you where we went or what flies we used as not many people attended. For you to learn those secrets you need to be there. I will say that we were in the middle of Wyoming and that the smaller the fly...the bigger the fish we caught.

Dave Brady and myself headed on up to Wyoming August 15, about 7 in the morning and we were on the river about 1 O'clock.

On the way up, I tried my best not to let on that there are some nice fish in the North Platte River, only because it might not be as Great as the last time I was up there.

We started fishing near the dam. The water was pretty thick. The weeds and algae were quite noticeable and it made a difference in the water color. The river was also quite high. We were beginning to think that "this is going to be a tough Trip".

Dave proved that wrong pretty much right off the bat as he hooked into a nice rainbow within a couple of casts. I wouldn't have known he had this one on had I not heard him kind of gasp in surprise as he landed the largest fish he ever landed on a fly rod. ( which was a nice fish to land as Dave is not a Slouch fisherman)

I tried to get a picture of this beauty but he came off the hook right on the spot in the net and dove back to the river before I could snap one off. But the look in his eyes was one of delight.

I can say that through-out the rest of the day I managed to land a couple, But not "that" big.

We camped at the lake and enjoyed a nice dinner of home made stuffed cabbage that was prepared by my daughter a nite or two beforehand. Soaking in the juices before served.

The next morning we planned on fishing that whole day. Of course, we did. I wandered accross the river trying places down stream and I must say there were some fish with some size down there as well. But low and behold...from across the river I hear this Yell.....and sure enough, there is Dave releasing a fish bigger than the one the day before....I was getting a little worried that maybe I had lost my touch....but then, as I dropped to a smaller fly, sure enough I got into a couple of nice rainbows. They were a' jumpin' and a running' when they got hooked and the fun was beginning to spread. About the time we sat together and had a beer, that Dave was kind enough to deliver across the river. The breeze started to kick up about midday . Needless to say the breeze turned into one heck of a gale force wind. And when I say wind, I mean it took us both some work just to stay standing.. Who would have imagined that there is "WIND" in Wyoming...

We fished that day till about the time we realized that ".......hey...... our tents???" It only took us until 6 in the evening worry about that. That's when we decided to head for camp.

When we arrived, we thought for sure our tents and our gear were spread out in the lake. (Now how do you dry out a down sleeping bag?) Fortunately, our camping neighbors, (some long haired guy with wife and two daughters), who had a boat and were land locked, saw our stuff flying away and put large rocks on our passing gear and saved our behinds...Especially the coffee pot....(see, long haired guys and their families ain't so bad)

As the evening wore on and we prepared a fine dinner of Dave's doing, (and a fine cook indeed) the wind began to calm down. We figured we were in for a beautiful nite. The neighbors put their boat out and we sat down to eat. Suddenly just then...the cool wind came in from the other direction in a full gust...took our plates and supplies and sent them flying in the other direction. Food got cold from the plate to the mouth...no lie.

Looking out on the lake, the waves were high and the boats were straining to get anywhere. Dave mentioned that we should go and look for our neighbors and see that they were o.k. Go look in the coves and get the kids in As we looked we spyed a pontoon boat struggling to make it to shore. A little ol' lady and her husband had fear in their eyes looking to get it to the dock. Their engine had konked out. Dave took the bull by the horns and guided them in and secured that pontoon to the dock like a real sailor. Come to find out he has spent some time on the water sailing and he knew what to do to help these people get that boat secured. The hug he received from that lady sure enough was proof of what they were feeling when all was said and done.. Great job Dave. I was impressed. As for our neighbors, we finally did find them as they were coming in and Mr. Brady guided them to the trailer as well and they got up on shore. The brownies they gave us as we were leaving Sunday was more than thanks enough. We ended up helping each other. and both had to do with the "Winds Of Wyoming."

We slept quite well in our tents that nite.... after Dave shoveled the sand out of HIS tent. Have engineer Dave explain the aerodynamics of his high tech rain fly covered tent sucking the sand into his tent while my open top low tech tent had none in it. Go figure. Boy was that a fine coating of sand on everything in his tent. You would have thought someone was spray painting with fine sand.

The next morning. That Saturday, it was a much different scene on the river. Calm, semi-clear and the water was down. A great day for fishing..

We started out with a small group of guys that morning. They were not doing well and complaining that they hoped that they could get in at least 1 hour of good fishing. Dave and I both hooked into a couple as they were there. But nothing to brag about. They were only about 12-14 inches. We seemed to be the only ones who hooked into any. Unfortunately for them. They left and sure enough, That hour turned into a couple of hours of spectacular fishing fun.

Now I didn't know it at the time, but Dave's luck had changed. And not for the better. But my luck had changed as well. And it "was" for a lot better. I had lost my favorite set of flys somewhere the day before, UGGHH!!, and I had to turn to my back ups. Man oh man, was that a stroke of luck. It seemed that the selection I was left with was the fly's that they wanted. and wanted, and wanted. On the radio I kept broadcasting to Dave what it was they were slammin'...and then it felt as if I was braggin' so I just shut up and enjoyed the time at the hole that was found. Through-out the day I managed to lose many more than I landed. as we both did. Which wasn't hard to do on #26 flys.

I must say, that I have never hooked so many large fish in such a short time. Dave says the same for himself. But he says that is not saying much.... as he claims he never catches the 15 to 50 he hears others talk about.

We left that day early after one of the biggest rainbows I ever landed was secured. Thanks to Dave He got his butt over to witness. But as luck would have it there was "technical difficulties" with the digital so photograph proof is lacking. That is Dave's story and he is sticking to it. We headed back to camp at about 4 O'clock and thought maybe we would eat and head on back for some late afternoon fishing. Again Dave prepared a fine dinner which we put away in short order. we headed back to the river.

It was about 6:30 when we arrived back the river. Sure enough there were two guys across from the side of the dam and facing out towards the river. This left us open to the spot we were wanting to get into. I went to secure our spot while Dave got his "stuff" on and ater he was rigged up. Two minutes and sure enough my line was stripping off. Into my backing in 7.5 seconds right down stream. I followed this fish down stream and right into the guys across from us. Needless to say my tippet broke an inch below my knot. Daing, Bad line...next thing Dave's into a fish that strips his line off and down stream he heads. This fish headed right into the guys across from us and daing near runs between this guys legs. We know this because he screamed "what the heck"!!! and grabbed Dave's line, right at his feet.. Dave's line going in one direction and this poor guys line tagging along. Into the deep, back to the shallows and then back to the deep water.

After a long day and many lost fish... I think that just being able to have that fight on for a few minutes had made up for the slow day before. we both lost all the big ones that evening. But it was fun as beans doing so.

All in all, I have to say. This was one of the best fishing trips I have ever had. Even with the "Winds of Wyoming"

Bob Untener
Trip Guy

Pictures courtesy of Bob and Dave