If you’re afraid I quit fishing and the blog ended put your worries aside.  My beloved Cubs are World Champions and I’m back on the water.  Furthermore, on November 18^th I’m back to South Africa for yellowfish.  Then to the Seychelles to host a Yellow Dog trip on Farquhar.  And last, with my friend Nick Bowles and Sammy Vigneri, to test some chartered and unchartered waters in the Middle East.  I won’t return home until December 15^th.  To say the blog will get entertaining is an understatement.

This weekend was the end of the year guide party with all my old boys from my fly shop era (See 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015).  These days the fun event is organized by Grand Teton Fly Fishing leader Scott Smith.  Four years in a row we’ve been celebrating on the waters around Thermopolis, Wyoming and this year we did it again.

I’m sorry to say that this year we experienced our worst fishing here on record.  The fish simply weren’t feeding like years past.  Perhaps it was the unseasonably warm and beautiful weather?  Maybe the bite simply wasn’t on?  Personally, I think the spectacular Wind/Bighorn River and its resident trout are tired.  There were a ton of boats this weekend and I’m certain it’s been busy all year.

I say it all the time however, it’s not all about the catching.  Despite landing only a handful of nice rainbows we had an absolute blast.  Both days were freaky warm for this time of year and we sipped plenty of beers and smoked cigars.  Friday night we had fresh chukar partridge on cream and peppers for an appetizer, courtesy of Pierre Sarthou, followed by elk burgers and home fries made by Josh “Sicket” Gallivan.  The next night John Irby cooked a feast of pork shoulder over greens.

I believe everyone landed at least one good fish of 17” or more.  Most of these were cracking rainbows that sipped small dries along the bank.  I remember several of mine leaping more than once.  You can’t beat that.  We’ve just been spoiled over the years with days of heaps of nice trout and this year it wasn’t to be.

Sad to say but this may have been my last trout day of the year.  Wednesday night I’m up to Bozeman, Montana to speak to Madison-Gallatin Trout Unlimited.  My topic is “Streamer Tricks for Larger Trout” I hope to see all my MT friends there as it will be a party.  The rest of the week I’ll be packing for my month long jaunt.  Then next week on my way to Africa I’ll stop in Salt Lake City and deliver one more gig “Fly Fishing through Midlife Heaven” at the Inaugural Utah Hall of Fame Banquet and Fund Raiser.

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing