I Can’t Stay Away from Big Fish

by | Jul 13, 2021 | fly fishing the Henrys Fork | 4 comments

flyfishingMy July continues to cruise along at blurring speed.  Last night Granny and I drove up to Riverside Campground on the Henry’s Fork to meet my Team USA Fly Fishing Teammate, Scott Robertson and his wife Sarah.  All the fishing Scott and I have done competing together around the world, and he’s never fished the Henry’s Fork.  Today I took the time to show him the Ranch.

 

The day started in relaxing fashion even though we probably should have hit the river early.  We awoke then visited over coffee.  Then Scott whipped us up a big breakfast from his camping grill.  Next thing we knew it was 8 AM and when we got to the Ranch at 8:30 the hatches were already pouring off.

 

flyfishingNo big deal really.  We both fish a ton so the morning casualness was nice.  Once we got on the water it didn’t take but a few minutes for me to turn Scott loose in a big rising rainbow.  Of course, first he had to fall in and fill his waders.  But that’s another story – ha!  Scott would soon learn that these fish are finicky at times.

 

Henrys-ForkI turned Scott on to the Thorax Mahogany Dun pattern I love and the next fish he saw ate.  The problem is however, he missed this one and another.  By now I was chasing fish as well and I missed two then lost one on the jump.  Things were beginning to remind me of my trip to Last Chance on the Henry’s Fork last month!

 

flyfishingYou can’t let these Houdini like fish frustrate you though and though we both missed a few more, I finally brought a nice 17 incher to the net.  Then we each missed four more before I landed my second good fish of the day.  We each decided it was better to miss fish today then in the next Worlds competition.  We kicked back and enjoyed a Reel Good Beer on the bank.

 

Jeff-Currier-Simms-FishingBy mid afternoon fish activity came to a halt.  We kept trying but there wasn’t a rise to be seen.  A strange wind started at 4 PM and then the most awful forest fire smoke set in and sent us back to the parking lot gasping at 8:45 PM.  I had expected another great fishing night like I had Friday but not tonight.  Other than a few little rainbows, Scott’s first trip to the Henry’s Fork would end in a skunk.  Welcome to the club!  He can take it though and we both had a great time.

 

wildfiresGranny and I head home early in the morning.  I must prepare to teach a full day fly fishing seminar in Big Sky, Montana Thursday.  Then I drive all the way to Pinedale, Wyoming Friday to help with the Fishing for the Fight, a fishing tournament and fundraiser, supporting families who are fighting cancer, people with special needs and children with chronic illness.  Its going to be a heavy load the rest of the week, especially with this smoke, but it should be a lot of fun as well.

 

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing

4 Comments

  1. Matthew Norton

    I can relate! HF kicks my butt. Some day…

  2. Jeff

    Soon you will have a personal fly fishing trainer to make you good enough to succeed on the HF!

  3. Sarah

    What a great time. Can’t wait to do it again

  4. Pete Erickson

    Wish I could have joined you guys!

Welcome to the Blog of Jeff Currier!

Contact Jeff

I started fly fishing at age 7 in the lakes and ponds of New England cutting my teeth on various sunfish, bass, crappie and stocked trout. I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where I graduated with a Naturalist Degree while I discovered new fishing opportunities for pike, muskellunge, walleyes and various salmonids found in Lake Superior and its tributaries.

From there I headed west to work a few years in the Yellowstone region to simply work as much as most people fish and fish as much as most people work. I did just that, only it lasted over 20 years working at the Jack Dennis Fly Shop in Jackson, WY where I departed in 2009. Now it’s time to work for "The Man", working for myself that is.

I pursue my love to paint fish, lecture on every aspect of fly fishing you can imagine and host a few trips to some of the most exotic places you can think of. My ultimate goal is to catch as many species of fish on fly possible from freshwater to saltwater, throughout the world. I presently have taken over 440 species from over 60 countries!

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