The Joys of Winter...

The last few weeks have been as spectacular as one could imagine. Ideal winter weather...temperatures above freezing and very little wind. As for the fishing, it's been amazing on Grey Reef, Fremont and Miracle Mile. Here are a few shots from the past week. We hope you enjoy!

Sitting in the Box

Just want to give a quick update of the weather station. We have had it for several weeks. We are also sorry it hasn't been installed yet. We will have to attack the soil with a heavy digging bar and temporarily plant the pole to get things up and running. When it hasn't been nuking wind it has been snowy making digging less than ideal.
You requested the equipment and we will make sure to follow through. I am a weather junkie so I too want to get this up and running.
We would love any suggestions to make it more convenient, more successful or more fun for you to fish Grey Reef and Miracle Mile.

Miracle Mile Roads

This story appeared in the Casper Star-Tribune this morning. Always check the TRFS fishing report or call prior to venturing to the Mile.

Casper residents safe after getting stuck fishing

Posted: Monday, January 23, 2012 5:15 pm |

A group of Casper residents who went fishing near the Miracle Mile area this weekend are safe after getting stuck in snow and spending Sunday night outside.

Lt. Mark Sellers with the Natrona County Sheriff's Office said a member of the group -- 26-year-old Beau Barrett -- called his father about 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The cellular telephone reception was poor, but Barrett's father understood that the group had become stuck and was unable to leave the area, according to authorities.

His father contacted the sheriff's office and a search effort began.

About mid-morning Monday, Barrett again called his father. The group, authorities say, had gotten stuck roughly two miles from Miracle Mile in Carbon County. Barrett ultimately walked to 3 Man Ranch, where he again was able to contact his father.

Authorities located the fishing party a short time later.

No injuries were reported.

New Fishing Reports on TRFS and NPL

As many of you know we have new reports pages on both the North Platte Lodge and The Reef Fly Shop websites. These new pages give us the opportunity to post pictures, videos and have a little more dynamic text. What do you think? What are good about these pages and where are we lacking?
Both pages have specific purposes. The TRFS page will include a more in depth fishing report while the NPL page will be more of an overview of current conditions and editorial of current happenings. We have a list of links along the right side that include river flows,weather, roads, local flight info etc. Do we list all the info you need for a one stop education? What are we missing?
Please let us know what we are doing right or wrong. We want this to be as good as possible.

Grey Reef Weather Station Poll

I was talking to one of our guests and he educated me on a cool little weather station. It will update current conditions every few minutes and is available online. Trent and I talked about purchasing one and making it available to everybody. Before we invest in it we thought it would be good to see if others would actually use it? Would you check current and local conditions right at Grey Reef before you venture this way? Would you check it just to see whats going on even if you were stuck in the office with no hope of being here? Vote in the poll to the right.

**Grammatical error in the poll title can't be fixed as we already have votes...sorry.**

Day Trip *SALE*

Many enthusiastic angler wait for the Denver sport shows to book a cheap off season fly fishing trip. For many it is a great way to save a little cash while being able to get out on an incredible winter fishery. With these trips you will generally sacrifice a number of features that *SHOULD* be included in a fishing trip. The North Platte Lodge and The Reef Fly Shop also offer a reduced cost fly fishing trip between November 15th and March 15th. The difference being ours still include the most important amenities. This is a quick run down of what you get as part of our trip and the cost comparison.

NPL and TRFS off season rates are $350 for 1 or 2 anglers. Other outfitters will cost your $25 less and here is why:

WE provide the shuttle. This will save you 45 minutes of fishing time, a couple gallons of gas and the mess that comes from hauling your wet guide (with muddy boots) around in your vehicle. Guide shuttles generally cost $20 and this expense is passed on to you.

WE provide a longer fishing day often times a couple hours longer. Add that to the time saved by not having to hassle with the shuttle and you might be on the water 2+ hours longer. Worth $25 yet?

WE provide EXCLUSIVE private access and ramps. You get the advantage to get out of the boat and wade fish the best runs at Grey Reef. You get the advantage of being able to drop anchor to land a fish or rerig. And you get the advantage of being able to stop for lunch or to rest along the entire upper stretches from Grey Reef Dam to Government Bridge and below. Only one other outfitter has private access and it totals around a third of our access. Now it is worth WAY more than $25...but wait there is more.

WE provide Grey Reef's most experienced and capable full time guide staff, without question. We don't hire contract guides.

You bring your own lunch and this will be true for all outfitters early season trips. We provide flies, drinks, shuttles, guides, private access, the most convenient location (right at Grey Reef) and a longer day on the water.

North Platte River and Reservoir Updates

I think it is interesting that the North Platte is still at 740cfs entering Seminoe. Seminoe is at 86% of capacity! The flows are 545cfs into Kortes which is at 100% and the same flowing through the Miracle Mile section into Pathfinder. Pathfinder is 75% of capacity. Still a lot of water in the system and our snow pack is currently 90%. Projections with a normal snow year are 3200cfs at Grey Reef for the summer months next year. If Ullr gives us a big snow year, which is a likely gift from La Nina, we will see more water than that.
Other interesting tidbits are that Fremont Canyon has welcomed a big jump in brown trout population ratio. 40% browns. That has happened in just a few years as it was predominantly a rainbow fishery. Grey Reef is in amazing condition according to the Wyoming Game and Fish, but we already knew that. The past few years have welcome amazing recruitment. High water has kept the predators away, the anglers in boats rather than stomping the redds and no wild water fluctuations to leave the redds high and dry. We are wallowing in a very good set of circumstances.


http://www.usbr.gov/gp/lakes_reservoirs/wyoming_lakes.htm