I make it a habit to always check my expectations at the door. Great expectations can lead to great disappointments. Zero expectations can rapidly turn into lifelong memories.
When a few of my buddies started bugging me about putting together a trip, it was the Green River that somehow captured my attention. Guide Craig Bullara with Kris Olsen.
Living on the Northwest coast, with all of the salmon and steelhead fishing opportunities that have presented themselves over the years, fly-fishing for trout has never been near the top of my to-do list. Please do not get me wrong. I enjoy that pursuit as much as any fishery I have undertaken. It is just that enjoying blue-ribbon trout fisheries requires some advance planning and travel, things I am quick to do for trips to Alaska or B.C., but slow for other destinations. While eastern Oregon and Washington can provide some good fly-fishing, top-shelf opportunities are best experienced in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah or Colorado.
Over the years, I have enjoyed some excellent trout-specific fly-fishing adventures in several of those states with various guides and outfitters, my last being a fun trip to Cody, Wyoming. I have successfully employed all of the favorite techniques involved with the sport: dry flies, nymphing, dry-dropper and streamer fishing. All have their time and place as well as favored status among anglers everywhere. It is a sublime rush to watch a large trout rise to slurp your fly off the surface, or to feel that unmistakable tug while stripping a big rabbit-fur streamer.
Tailwater fisheries, those rivers that flow as the released water below a dam and reservoir, are often the “best of the best” trout fisheries for a variety of reasons, mostly because of the ability to control flows and more importantly, stream temperatures. A few examples of prime tailwater trout fisheries would be Washing-ton’s Yakima River, Montana’s Beaverhead River, or the world-renowned Green River, which flows below Flaming Gorge Dam in the northeastern corner of Utah. The Green has come to be known as one the very best trout fisheries in all of the United States, a place that draws fly-fishers of varying ages and experience levels from all parts of the country to enjoy its beauty, and especially its bounty.
When a few of my buddies started bugging me about putting together a trip, it was the Green River that somehow captured my attention. Covering roughly thirty miles of fishable water, the Green is broken into three succinctly different sections. I figured a four-day, five-night trip to this glorious gem would allow us time to experience each section and sufficiently wear out not only our arms, but our guides as well. Putting up with our constant bad-mouthing would be a larger badge of honor than any sizeable numbers of fish our guides might put us on.
The A Section is the first seven miles below Flaming Gorge Dam. Flowing through Red Canyon, this section is the most heavily fished, first and foremost because of its abundant fish populations. It varies year to year, but the general consensus seems to be that there are stupid numbers of fish per river mile. The A Section features tall canyon walls, deep clear pools, fairly technical rapids, and boatloads of nice trout. Big browns are the most common found on the Green, followed by a fair number of rainbows, with very few cutthroats or cutbows mixed into the chaos.
The B Section is the next eight or so miles below that. The upper half of the B Section fishes much like the A Section before beginning to open up to the wider valley floor with long, slow pools perfectly suited to dry flies along their grassy banks. Once out of the canyon, trout numbers begin to diminish per river mile, but the higher quality of those that remain quickly becomes evident. The B Section is not quite as heavily fished and allows a lot more room to spread out.
Tailwater fisheries, those rivers that flow as the released water below a dam and reservoir, are often the “best of the best” trout fisheries. Guide Craig Bullara with Roger Earle.
Lastly, the C Section flows through the open prairie for many miles. This is the section for those hunting truly trophy-sized trout and features long, lazy runs. It is a great streamer fishery in this section simply as a means of covering the most water. Streamer flies are the perfect weapon to accomplish this task. Cast toward the shoreline and strip back towards the boat. Keep repeating that pattern as the boat floats downstream and you have methodically covered as much of the water as humanly possible.
Researching and watching countless YouTubes ahead of time made convincing my buddies this was a place we needed to visit that much easier. Watch a few videos of Utah’s Green River and it won’t take you long to understand the desire to experience it for yourself. I got in touch with the folks at Flaming Gorge Resort and we settled on August 22 through Aug 27, 2022. They assured me that the Green fishes great all throughout the year and that timeframe seemed to fit well with all of our busy schedules.
Little did I know that one week before our scheduled departure I would be involved in a horrific motorcycle accident. Lucky to survive at all, I was left with massive amounts of road rash and a severe AC separation of my right shoulder that eventually required major surgery. We had no choice but to re-schedule for the following year and settled on August 7 through 12, 2023. After much pain and rehabilitation, this would be the first real test of my rebuilt right shoulder, nearly a year after the accident and fully six months after reconstructive surgery.
It was a long year wait, but as always, it eventually came around. Joining me would be my buds Roger Earle from Rhode Island, whom I met on an Alaskan adventure many years ago, my long-time friend Dr. Phil Meyer from Pierre, South Dakota, and his 23-year-old son Adam. Phil made many trips to the coast to fish salmon with me on the Grays Harbor rivers, then in turn would host us on epic South Dakota pheasant hunts before sadly, opportunities on both ends of that deal started to diminish. This would be Phil and Adams first big fly-fishing adventure and they were really excited at the opportunity.
Flaming Gorge Resort is an all-inclusive destination for everything outdoors, not just fishing the Green River. They are located mere minutes from Flaming Gorge Dam with easy access to the reservoir it-self. I got us a great package deal on a four-bedroom suite and two drift-boat guides for four consecutive days. We made plans to meet at the Salt Lake City airport and amazingly enough, we all arrived within two hours of each other. From there we rented a vehicle for the week and set off on the three-plus hour drive to the resort. We regaled each other with stories of past glory to help pass the time.
What we found intriguing was that a definite 80% of our hookups all came on the super-small #18 soft-hackle offering. Kris Olsen with a big brown trout.
We arrived to learn that flash-flooding earlier that week had Red Creek dumping chocolate milk into the upper B section of the river, making both the B and C sections unfishable for the next few days. We also learned that there were very few if any hatches coming off, so our approach would be to use double-nymph rigs 8-9’ under an indicator. This was clear confirmation of the mantra I always employ before departing on any such adventures. I make it a habit to always check my expectations at the door. Great expectations can lead to great disappointments. Zero expectations can rapidly turn into lifelong memories.
With the A section the only game in town for a couple days, we joined the entire fleet of guides from three or four different outfitters at the launch just below the dam. If that happened on any of my home rivers, it would undoubtedly have caused my head to explode. Here, with so many trout available per river-mile, thirty or so drift boats can easily share the river with everyone catching multitudes of fish throughout the day. It’s pretty amazing actually that you can be the twenty-third boat through a drift and still get a double-hitter.
Roger and I were teamed with guide Craig Bullara, while Phil and Adam were hooked up with Benny Johnson, aka, the Hog Hunter. There are always a ton of little planter rainbows just below the dam, so we spent a bit of time each morning getting our ya-ya’s out on those before going after the more substantial browns. Craig would start us out with Woolly Buggers and a tiny #18 soft-hackle fly on about a one-foot dropper, both worked deep below an indicator.
We would cast into each faster riffle close to shore, then slowly let them drift through into the deeper pools. We learned quickly that no matter where or when a strike came, you had to be quick on the set or find yourself wondering what just happened. Over the course of our four days, I’ll bet we came up empty on fully half of the strikes we were blessed with. Craig was a trooper however and just kept reinforcing our need to set quickly and convincingly.
The A Section is the first seven miles below Flaming Gorge Dam. Flowing through Red Canyon, this section is the most heavily fished, first and foremost because of its abundant fish populations.
Day one saw Roger and I have pretty decent luck, while Phil and Adam were basically in fly-fishing boot camp with Benny. It was a day of learning the subtleties of the method we were tasked with deploying, but when we got it right, we were usually rewarded with a rod-bending brown trout. What we found intriguing was that a definite 80% of our hookups all came on the super-small #18 soft-hackle offering. How Craig was able to even see to tie that microscopic fly on is still a mystery to me.
When you get to the lower half of the drift, the water in section A starts to pick up and there is far more pocket water. Craig would switch us up about then to include a San Juan Worm and an egg pattern fly on our riggings, both of which attracted some positive attention. As the day wore on, a definite pattern developed where we noticed nearly all of our strikes were coming in the fast, riffle water within three or four feet of the bank, a pattern that held up all throughout the week. We ended the day in late afternoon to find the shuttle had run Craig’s truck to the take-out, a nice way to get out of there quickly.
Our second day was much like the first, but now that we knew what was expected of us, Roger and I kind of put it all together and although still stuck on the A section with everyone else, had what turned out to be the best day of our trip. After boating a dozen or so little rainbows just below the launch, we followed what seemed to be an entire fleet of drift boats down into the canyon.
I mentioned before and will do so once again, it appeared not to matter how many boats went through water before us, we could always find cooperating fish to keep us busy. Craig was great at rowing back up for a second, third or even a fourth shot at productive water and did so often. On each of our daily floats, the guides would find very comfortable places to get out of the boat and enjoy a relaxing lunch. This was a time to take a breath, compare notes, refresh yourself with whatever choice of lunch you chose, and rehydrate for the rest of the afternoon.
We learned quickly that no matter where or when a strike came, you had to be quick on the set or find yourself wondering what just happened. Adam Meyer, Guide Cody Banks and Phil Meyer on the Green River.
While comparing notes, we found that while Roger and I were having a pretty epic day, our friends Phil and Adam, although enjoying the absolute character that Benny was and is, were not fishing the same way we were and were therefore not enjoying quite the same success. At days end, Roger and I did not have the heart to tell them we enjoyed a forty-fish day, even over cocktails. The day was simply magical. I happened to hook and land three fish in the last quarter-mile above the takeout, sliding the last fish up near the ramp as Craig slid the boat in to take out. Reading this will be the first they hear of it and I’m ready for the phone call I know is coming.
Day three was a flipped switch apocalypse of sorts. Still fishing the A section, Roger and I embarked on a day that can only be described as the fishing Twilight Zone. We were cursed with one self-inflicted wound after another, all throughout the day. As an example of what was repeated far more times than should humanly be possible, Craig would dutifully tie new rigs for both Roger and I, and with the very next cast I would wrap it all around my rod so badly it would need complete reconstruction. Roger would then strip his line in only to snag on a rock and lose his entire rigging as well.
Even after making the perfect cast and being rewarded with a huge brown trout, after getting it on the reel, he made a long run upstream right into and under a rock, breaking off what was a very recently tied rigging. Roger and I were embarrassed as we are both much better fishermen than that. You would have thought Abbott and Costello had climbed aboard. We were extremely frustrated with ourselves, and could not apologize to Craig enough to make up for continual ineptness.
Poor Craig, I know he was frustrated too and was wondering what happened to the guys he had the day before and when they might return. We did however manage some nice fish in between disasters, it just felt like we shot ourselves in the foot way too many times to have been even marginally effective. The only thing that made it better was to learn our buddies in the other boat were catching up to us in their fish encounters.
Finally on our last fishing day, Friday Aug 11, the B section had cleared enough to make the effort. Trout unlimited was hosting a one-fly tournament fundraiser that day, so it was nice to be able to finally spread out the fleet. As luck would have it, our buddies Phil and his son were teamed for the day with legendary Green River guide Cody Banks. Cody has a reputation as one of the best guides on the river, and he certainly lived up to the hype for the boys.
After an evening of reflection, cocktails and good cigars, Roger and I climbed aboard Craig’s drift boat the following morning determined to redeem ourselves from the prior day’s follies. For the most part we did just that, although I probably had the better day on the whole in terms of catching fish. Our first riggings lasted late into the morning. With fewer fish around, bites came a bit further apart than up top. I will say this, when you get your cast into the perfect spot, and that perfection is rewarded with a suicidal strike, it is an absolutely magical feeling. The exhilaration just cannot be described in a way truly worthy of the encounter.
Needless to say, we all really enjoyed the B section. The runs were longer and just seemed more serene, especially with half the boat pressure we had been encountering. Red Canyon provides some spectacular views and incredible fishing, but the more open and longer runs of Section B were very much to our liking. Also, the fish tended to be a tad bigger down lower as they are a bit less plentiful. Less competition for food results in some healthy, fat specimens that are very willing to play.
Every time we came by Phil and Adam, one of them was high-sticking a fat trout into the net. Their casting had improved tremendously thanks to Benny, and the rewards were paying high dividends as they were ready for the demanding execution Cody required of them to enjoy such great success. It was awesome to see their efforts so fully rewarded on their last day. So much so that as we came to the takeout, I turned around in time to see Cody netting a double on nice browns. What a spectacular way for those guys to end their trip, with a nice double-hitter twenty yards from the takeout.
After an evening of reflection, cocktails and good cigars, Roger and I climbed aboard Craig’s drift boat the following morning determined to redeem ourselves from the prior day’s follies. Roger Earle with Guide Craig Bullara.
Roger, Phil, Adam and myself want to very much thank the staff at Flaming Gorge Resort as we truly enjoyed our-selves and our accommodations. They are a full-service outfit, with DIY rental boats or rafts if you prefer to guide yourself down the river, and have countless other outdoor activities for those not into the fishing scene. I would very much love to return during late spring, when epic dry-fly hatches can lead to some spectacular fishing.
The resort office is a one-stop all-everything kind of place. Through the main door you will find the front desk, the restaurant entrance, the fly-shop, the coffee and ice-cream bar, the grocery section and a dedicated area for all kinds of fishing, outdoor gear and clothing. It is very unique and serves a multitude of purposes all in one convenient place. The night before fishing, you fill out your lunch ticket at the front desk and your guides will grab it all for you before heading out. You meet up with them right there around the fly shop the mornings you are fishing.
For those wondering, my shoulder held up okay, although it was pretty darn sore upon my return home. My surgeon had removed all restrictions long before my trip, but the reality is that is will take a very long time for my shoulder to operate pain-free. Let’s face it, it may never recover 100% but I refuse to let life pass me by any longer. Every day is a gift to be treasured and I will squeeze out of each one of them every drop that I possibly can.
If you are like me and are looking for an adventure that is a little something dif-ferent, schedule a multiple-day fly-fishing trip with Flaming Gorge Resort. Their rates are very affordable and you will enjoy your-self immensely. The guides assured us that the situation in which we found ourselves was a real rarity. In most cases throughout the year, all three drifts are fishable and the fleet is well spread out. We did very well regardless, so I can only imagine how the fishing would be in ideal conditions. Treat yourself and book the trip!
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2 comments
Got to go.
Looks like a fabulous trip.