Hunting Tibble Forks Weary Wild Browns

River inlet-to the left is the shallow flats where the wild browns roam

Tibble Fork has the 2nd most beautiful water in Utah. First being Bear Lake of course. It is a gem being so close to the Utah County area. It looks like you had a perfect weather day Hoss. The thing I love about Tibble is that you can fish Midges 365 days a year on this lake (on the east side in the shallows for cruising wild browns up to 18 inches). In a way its like flats fishing on the ocean. You have to spot your target and really make a great presentation or these weary fish will bolt for cover. When I fish it I use a long 12 ft leader with 7X tippet and nothing larger than size 24 midges.(black, brown, gray) The secret I have found over the years is in the retrieve. You have to see what they want for the day. Dead Drift, Skittering the surface, or the twitch. (Skittering is very effective to make your fly stand out over the others) These shallow water browns (1-2 feet of water) are some of the hardest fish in the state to catch.

You really have to be on your A game to have a chance at fooling one of these fish. Its kinda the same reason why "The Ranch" is so famous on the Henry's Fork river in ID. The reward and challenge of catching wise fish on small dry flies is truely the next step in ones dry fly fishing progression. But the nice thing about Tibble is that after you get humbled by shallow wild browns you can move to the rivers inlet and catch stocked rainbows all day long on little wolley buggers or a para adams and dropper. The best Midge hatch occurs at first light and at dusk in the summer. I rule of thumb is Midges usually hatch at the most comfortable part of the day. If anyone ever wants to chase these fish let me know and I'll try to make it out with ya.

Dr G

I Love Sun and Snow!!!

This past weekend we got caught up on Flight of the Concords- season 2 and hit the Mtn. for a little relaxation with my wifey. The day was perfect and the snow was, well hard as rock.

As for my fly fishing, I have been planning out my trip to Lees Ferry for the weekend. I am really stocked to hit this amazing strectch of river that I have dreamed of experienceing for years. In my prep for the river I have found myself at the the vise almost daily. I find it odd that I have 1000's of flies, but I never fill complete or statified with my fly inventory. I guess thats a good thing...I have also been thinking a lot about the stream access debate. It seems odd to me that this is even a debateable issue. Water is something that humans have fought over for years, I hope that this issue can get resolved and that all parties are treated equal and most of all that $ isn't the deciding vote. Water can't be owned, no matter how hard we try we can't keep it in one place or another. It is as free spirited as the users that love it.

Rainy Miserable Awesome Day

I have always been a big proponent of always having a positive attitude. No matter how crappy a situation may be I try and find the good in it. Really if you think about it, what makes something bad? Its our prospective and the way we see things. So it comes all down having a positive attitude all the time, PERIOD!

Enough of that, this past weekend has been one for the record books. I woke up Sat morning with the hope of fresh powder and untouched mountain slopes, but to my surprise I was welcomed with gray rainy skies. I was optimistic that up at Sundance the weather would be colder and the snow would be welcoming us. Once again when we got to the parking lot, Liz and I were met by a river of mud-water running down the upper lot. Crap I though! The morning was ruined at least for the moment. We left the parking lot not even getting out to face the pouring ran. The next thing I knew it I was driving past the Provo and I couldn't help but think that fishing only gets better in the ran. With that on my mind I was either going to hit the Provo or work on the ole drift boat for a few hours. So I loaded up the Jeep with tools and fishing gear and I was off. As I got to the canyon turn off it was a moment of choice. I though what the heck the boat can wait. So when I reached the Provo it was only sprinkling and I was physced to be out. I walked down the path and was greeted by 5 other groups of fishermen. Dang it was busy for a stormy day...O well I started below them and worked my way up to the hole I was wanting to fish. I was hoping to see some midges, but the longer I stayed on the river the harder the rain came. I finally reached my favorite winter midge hole and nothing was happening except for windy rain. I got into the right spot for a good drift and on my second cast Wham!!! I had a nice fish trying to pull my rod out of my hand. The fight was intense and just what I was hoping for. From the fast, strong runs I knew I was a fat rainbow. Every time I got it close to the bank it would take 20 yards of line. This must have happened 5 times before I had to switch hands to relieve my burning forearm. I couldn't believe the the fight this fish put up. As I finally got it to the bank I was surprised to see the girth it had. It was the fattest bow I had caught in a while. After that fight I started to realize that I was soaked to the bone and it was a chilly 34 degrees and the rain was not about to let up. I guess when ur focused only on catching fish you don't really notice your surroundings to much. It was a great note to end on... and a fun 2 hrs on the river.

See the rain in the pic above(look at the water)

Since Liz and I struck out at Sundance, we were determined to find fresh snow. I called Brighton and they let me know that it had been snowing all day...Done, we were headed up to go night boarding. Just as expected it was an amazing night of untouched deep powder and perfect conditions...It was by far one of my favorite boarding days of my life.

Dr Gillespie's 2009 Fishing Goals

2009 Fishing Goals

1. Explore the Boulder Mtns-Big Brookie, Col Cutt, Yellowstone Cutt, and Tiger
2. Snake River-Tetons Float
3. Green River Float/Camp A,B,C
4. South Fork Float/Camp (Canyon)
5. Research/Fish Wind Rivers- Golden Trout
6. Research Stillwater Fishing (Chronmids)
7. Research/Plan Alaska-Do It Yourself Trip
8. Complete Fly Inventory
9. Catch Musky, Striper and Carp on Fly Rod.
10. Hit a Salmon Fly Hatch

*Coronia- Rhino Bottom, Rod Holders, Cover, Repaint Trailer

Last Weeks Recap: With a new work schedule, I haven't been able to hit the river 5 days a week like in the past. In fact I go to work in the dark and leave in the dark. (Pretty sad, but I love my new job!) In the past week I have be doing quite a bit of research/planning of new waters I want to fish and tying fly boxes for each of those locations. It is the half of fly fishing that most never get to enjoy and it has been keeping me from going crazy this cold winter. I am itching to head down south in search of big bows and beautiful scenery, but the fresh pow and the world class snowboarding in our own back yard has kept me more than occupied.

My wish is that 2009 brings many days along a timber lined stream or lake in search of healthy trout and memories that will last forever.

Dr. Gillespie

A New Year And Some...

These these past few weeks have been pretty crazy, but not crazy enough to keep me from doing what I do best and that is enjoying the great outdoors. Work and the holidays have really cut into my consistent posts. I just accepted a new position and with training my replacement and being trained myself, I have had no time to even open the Internet or even think about it. But looking into the future, it is a small price to pay for a big payoff in the end and best of all more free time. So enough of that! Here is a recap of my last couple weeks.
Since the snow has been flying I have been hitting the Mtns as much as I could, taking advantage of the "greatest snow on earth". The wife and I once again got season passes to Sundance and it has become a second home for us these past few years. Snowboarding to me is an escape from the rules of life. Like fly fishing it gives me an escape from reality and during the time I'm on the mtn nothing else matters except for what is 5 feet in front of me. Its living in the moment at its finest. But the nice thing about snowboarding is that the worst the weather gets the better it is. So when most fly fishermen are complaing in about the long winter, I am smiling and waiting for the next big storm...But to explain my obsession I hit the mtn 6 times in the first week and a half of the season and since then been almost ever weekend.

With all this snowboarding, I have also made it a priority to keep myself balanced this winter. On Dec 19th the Gillespie crew decided to try our luck and hit Strawberry for some early season ice fishing. It was a good and bad idea. The lake was only 10% froze (bays) and when we drilled our first hole it was only 1 1/2 to 2 inches of ice. (stupid) Luckily we didn't have any problems, but just as luck has it the fishing was slow and the weather was terrible. We left frozen and wondering if we really knew what we were doing.

The day after X-mas Liz and I left for a weekend at our friends cabin in Lava Hot Springs. The back country boarding rocked!

Then for New Years we left again for Bear Lake and another nice warm mtn cabin. This time we snowshoed, snowmobiled and just relaxed in the sweet cabin.

With Fri being my older bro's last day in town from Cali. We decided to make it a good one. We hit the marsh for some duck hunting in the morning (and the evening before, Jer killed it bagging 3 drake mallards) without any luck. Then played some intense b-ball, and followed up with a stop by the lower Provo and some prefect weather fly fishing. It was a great evening to be on the river the temps were a remarkable at 40 degrees and our eyelets never froze once, which is crazy for Jan 2. The bit was good and in a short 1 1/2 hours Gun and Jer were able to land a handful and miss many more. In fact it was a perfect ending to a great few weeks of having my best friend home for the holidays. On Sat with the weather report of 12 inches of fresh "pow" I was back on the mtn cutting through the trees and floating on the soft Utah Powder.

I love Utah. Where else can you snowboard 13 world class resorts in a day, duck hunt, fly fish, ice fish, boat, see magical red rock formations and the whole time be the second driest state??? It has it all and a lot left over...

Fishing With Friends

Fishing with friends is always a welcoming treat. For the past week I have been hitting the water solo. I guess getting off work at 3pm is not the norm for everyone else??? Hoss and I got to the river, I picked up a couple scrappy little browns, hung out with and old timer...Lloyd? (he gave us a fly he swears by) We moved down river into my honey hole, where we continue to pick up post spawn browns in deep slow moving water. It was a nice day to be out the temps were 40* and the sunset was the catch of the day.

7ft 5-6wt Fiber glass Rod-Every fish feels huge!

The next time out Wayne and I hit the LP. This time the day light never stuck around long enough for us to key into the numbers, but instead gave us a shot at a couple nice browns. (20+) We left the river frozen, but with a new confidence in big fish and frozen eyelets. The Pics tell the story.

To me fishing with friends takes on a different feeling than fishing solo. When I'm fishing with someone else I am more worried about the other person than myself. The success of the day is usually measured by the success they have rather than my own. But on the other hand my little bro Jordan has a way of making me want to out fish him ever outing. He is one of the best fishermen I know and is constantly making me progress to a new level. I guess that's what happens when the student starts to surpass the teacher.

It's Mr Brown

I have hit the Provo that last couple nights solo...It's funny how a little cold has scared all the fisherwomen away. I'm not complaining I love the river to myself...It gives me a chance to think without worring if some idiot is going to try and walk through my hole.

20+ Torpedo

Eggs are good!

Frozen Waders, Frozen Feet, Frozen Eyelets

21 inch hog that hit on my last cast of the night at dark:30

I can never get enough of the fall colors. The Blues, Yellows, and Reds