# GUILD 9-14-09



## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

My buddy, Goldenrod and myself fished Guild Ranch, Wyoming, on Sunday. The front came in like gangbusters and blew us off of the water. It would have been a much better day without the storm. I brought 5 medium sized but heavy fish to the pontoon, he was able to land 3 handsome fish himself and it was his first time with a fly rod. I think he may give up spin fishing. This water far exceeds any I have ever fished. I am addicted - even at $125.00 rod fee.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice one there, looks a lot like the fish in your avatar.


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## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

Same body of water. The avatar was last year and it was a much heavier fish. I had a chance at a lunker on Sunday. I made a cast in the shallows, parallel to the weed bank. A large fish took the fly line and it burned through my index finger for two long runs before it shook me. I regret not getting the chance to look at that fish.


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## Improv (Sep 8, 2007)

catch22 said:


> My buddy, Goldenrod and myself fished Guild Ranch, Wyoming, on Sunday. The front came in like gangbusters and blew us off of the water. It would have been a much better day without the storm. I brought 5 medium sized but heavy fish to the pontoon, he was able to land 3 handsome fish himself and it was his first time with a fly rod. I think he may give up spin fishing. This water far exceeds any I have ever fished. I am addicted - even at $125.00 rod fee.


Is that rod fee each time you go - or for the year?

Nice fish


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## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

That's $125.00 for one day, but you fish this water one day and you wind up figuring ways to justify. I have been up there one day three years in a row but I am trying to figure out how to get up there more often. Denny Rickards teaches classes there in June and September. I am thinking about Father's day gift because I talked to Denny last night. He really knows this water and the appropriate tactics. We did OK but the fish we missed because we didn't know about 12 foot leaders and three feet of 2x tippet and other Denny secrets, OMG. I have had trouble sleeping for three nights. If you want a whole season of Guild its going to cost $1750.00. Anyway, like I said before, this is the most incredible stillwater reservoir. I should repost last year's picture, I'm at the wrong computer now.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

That's some spendy fun. Glad you feel it's worth it. I'm sure the property owner is also glad. :shock: 

I've heard incredible things about the fishing there in the past. I'll probably never find out for myself, but it's nice to know that someone is taking good care of their own pond.


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## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

Hey Loah. I love your posts. I'm 55 years old. Wait till a few years. If you have kids they grow up. If your hands, heart and eyes hold out, you will make this stuff work for you. You fish much more than I and you seem very accomplished. I on the other hand, came to fly fishing and fishing in general late and I do have problems with all of the above, but I love the feel of a fish on the end of the line.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

> by flyguy7 on Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:59 pm
> 
> For fishing some of the larger stillwaters (like strawberry), slow trolling is a good way to locate fish; but once you locate them you can be much more successful by nymphing them up. There are expansive moss beds around several areas of the lake and many of the fish cruise above the moss looking for aquatic insects such as chironomid midges, callibaetis nymphs, damselfly nymphs, scuds, crayfish, etc... Once I locate the fish by either trolling buggers on a sinking line (my least fav) or with a fish finder, then I can suspend a pair of heavy tungsten nymphs under a strike indicator right above the moss beds. It requires long leaders made of almost 100% tippet throughout. This gives the flies a much faster sink rate, (I do not add any additional weight to the line) and is much more sensitive. Some of these leaders are 15' - 16' long. All you do is cast the flies out, let them sink, and then give them a subtle twitch every 15 - 45 seconds. Indicator goes down and fish on! When you find the fish, it is waaaaaay more productive than pulling a bugger behind your pontoon or boat all day. Many people take Denny Rickards as the word of god in stillwater fly fishing but I think Brian Chan has a MUCH more scientific and effective approach to fishing stillwaters. I would recommend any of his (Chan) videos.


 Not even the slightest fan of Rickards and his way of fishing but to each their own.....


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## cazmataz (May 18, 2009)

Guild Ranch is something special that everyone should experience. The last 3 weeks of October up there are magical. Those Kamloop rainbows fight hard, throw in the browns and brookies and it is a blast.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

That price isn't really all that bad.
Look at a guided trip down the Green.
I think it's at least $275.00 now.
All you get there is a chance at some 14" to 18" fish normally.
I'm not knocking the guided Green trips, just saying the price at Guild isn't that bad in comparison.


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## The Janitor (Jan 23, 2009)

LOAH said:


> That's some spendy fun. Glad you feel it's worth it. I'm sure the property owner is also glad. :shock:
> 
> I've heard incredible things about the fishing there in the past. I'll probably never find out for myself, but it's nice to know that someone is taking good care of their own pond.


 :roll: 
What a superficial and tasteless comment; acting like you are happy for him while ultimately using this post as a chance to berate anothers fishing preference. If you have a problem, come out and say it. Don't be passive aggressive and womanly about it.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Relax, guy.

I truly _am_ glad that he finds value in spending the fee to catch those fish. There is no hidden knife in my comment.

I did come out and say it that I'll probably never fish there (I tend to spend that kind of money going through gear, gas, and other junk that my trips require).

I'm also truly glad that a private pond owner is doing a fine job at sustaining a great fishery, as this is something I often daydream about doing one day. Every time I see rain puddles collect, I long to fish "Lake LOAH", or whatever it would be.

Sorry you read me wrong, which you really did. It is a steep price, in my opinion, for fishing a place that you can't even keep your trophy out of without dropping an even larger fee. That's where the shock comes from for me.

But...whatever the market will bear, right? My intent wasn't to put anybody down.

I hope that's not what you took it as, catch22.


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

It sounds like you had a good time thanks for the post and well said LOAH.


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## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

Hello Loah. I did not feel dissed by your response at all. I have read and appreciated your posts long enough to know that you are OK by me. I rely on this site to give me a heads up about what is going on because I can't get out as often as I would like. I spend most of my spare time in my art studio, but when I get all jammed up, the required solution is to toss some flies at the fish. You guys that fish often leave great reports. Thanks.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

> Sorry you read me wrong, which you really did. It is a steep price, in my opinion, for fishing a place that you can't even keep your trophy out of without dropping an even larger fee. That's where the shock comes from for me.


If everyone who fished it kept the giant fish, there would be no big fish left to catch. Its not like we are talking about a giant reservoir such as Strawberry. The reasons places like this (and others such as LC Ranch, Six Lakes, and Falcons Ledge) have as many mig fish as they do is because of a 100% catch and release practices.



> That price isn't really all that bad.
> Look at a guided trip down the Green.
> I think it's at least $275.00 now.


 That would be the steal of the century! Floats with all outfitters out there run 400 - 450 bucks a day. Many people may think that is ridiculous but they usually do not know the costs that goes into it. First, the revenue has to be split with both the guide and the outfitter. The outfitters provides use of his drift boat, (which run about $7,000 on average) full lunch and beverages, all terminal tackle such as floatant, split shot, indicators, leaders, tippet and flies, (flies run about 2 bucks a piece, if you go through 18 flies in a trip, which is not uncommon, you are looking at about 40 bucks spent in flies alone), spare rod/reel outfits to use because many times clients show up with unuseable gear, the cost of fuel for the trip, the cost of licensing oneself to become a legal river guide, and the cost of a shuttle to take your car to the takeout. And the outfitter as to cover the cost of running his business, advertising expenses, and expensive liability insurance policies. Not to mention the forest service and the BLM that take a cut out of every trip that takes place.

Nobody is getting rich off of it, just the satisfaction of a truly enjoyable job.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Well no offense to the guides, but I wouldn't pay for a guided trip either. Nothing against those who find value in using guides. I'm sure it helps a lot.

I'd just rather earn a good old fashioned skunking if I don't figure out what the fish want.

But that's just me.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

> I'd just rather earn a good old fashioned skunking if I don't figure out what the fish want.


 You hit the nail right on the head, LOAH. Its not about what the fish want. Ive worked in fly shops for several years and one think that never changes is everyone is looking for the "secret" or "hot" fly. I watch people flail aimlessly day in and day out on the Provo and the Weber with the correct fly on. Its not the flies. Even as much as people like to blame it on them. It comes down to presentation and setup. If you could just read a fishing report from a fly shop, use the recommended flies and catch fish.... then guides would be out of a job. This is obviously not the case.


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

I'm with LOAH in that I won't pay for a guide, and I'm a cheap SOB (When it comes to paying for something that I won't be able to touch and feel.) I like your style. We need to fish sometime. Bass will be chasing anything and everything in a week or so out here ta Stansberries. PM me if interested.

I'm also with Flyguy7 in that I'm no fan of Rickards. He does have some good flies, but they cure no cancer, they are not illegal in 47 states (I've heard that story many times), and there are many other flies that fish the pants right off his flies. I feel privileged to have known and learned from Mr. Dennis Brakke. That is one dude who had GREAT patterns and skills, yet he didn't try to push them like used cars. He also put his money where his mouth was many times on PUBLIC water. Rickards is king... on private waters. 


Sorry about the rant, but I'm just sayin'


I guess, to keep it on topic... My opinion is to do whatever the hell floats your boat. This is fishin' for hell's sake. If you like it, do it, and you shouldn't give a rat's A-- less about what others think about your idea of fun. Pay to play? Hell YES! Seek out adventure like LOAH? Hell YES! Spin, casting, baitcaster, zebco33 with Pawrbate? Hell YES. I think it's cool to voice opinions, but I'm not going to change the way I recreate in the angling kind just to feel more accepted by someone else. In my case, I tie flies. Not just tie, but TIE. I have a basement full of shizz. Anyway, last year I found out that it's fun to throw gear at bass! HELLA FUN! Do I catch crap from my fly flinging fairy friends? HELL YES! Do I care? Frankly my dear,.......

****... I tweaked my ankle again getting off my soap box. Physical Therapist says no more ranting...


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

What I wrote:



> I'd just rather earn a good old fashioned skunking if I don't figure out what the fish want.


What you read:



> I'd just rather earn a good old fashioned skunking if I don't figure out what *FLY* the fish want.


I'm not talking about flies. I'm talking about what the fish want. What kind of presentation, with what lure/fly/bait etc, fast retrieve, slow retrieve, where to put it...that kind of thing. If I don't figure out those things, I earn a skunk. That's just fine with me.


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