Tag: alcova

Grey Reef Fishing Report

Posted on by hosting@thebarkfirm.com

Central Wyoming fly fishing conditions are variable at the moment. A week of warm and dry conditions in the Casper and Alcova, Wyoming area have the river ice breaking up and the snow pack loosening. Grey Reef is currently fishing very well below Grey Reef Dam but feeder streams are adding mud above and below. The drainage behind The Reef Fly Shop started to run enough to start to muddy Grey Reef Reservoir late this morning. We doubt this will have catastrophic impact on fishing the upper reach of the lower North Platte River but Ledge Creek is adding quite a bit of mud 3 miles down will cause a problem. Bear Creek is moving and Bates is chugging pretty good. The ice has cleared on almost all of the North Platte River until just above Sechrist Access. This should be gone in the next couple days. A healthy melt won’t be a terrible thing. We had some groups take advantage of the cottages this weekend and they are getting pretty booked for springtime so get your plans solidified and reserve a spot!

Grey Reef Road has begun another transformation. The old brown barn at The Reef Fly Shop is being converted/renovated/rebuilt and will be a cool gathering spot within the next couple weeks. Just another way to chill, in a great location,  when you aren’t on the river. Shop party will be announced as we have a completion date set.

What is Grey Reef lodging, cottages, cabins or RV sites? Are they 8,15, 20 or 30 miles downstream of Grey Reef Dam? Or are they at Grey Reef, just above and below Grey Reef Dam and the only lodging,cabins, cottage, RV sites and fly shop? Ours are the only operation actually at Grey Reef.

 

 

Grey Reef Spring Flush

Posted on by Grey Reef

SPRING FLUSH FOR THE GREY REEF section of the North Platte River is tentatively starting March 10th. They are shooting for a 10 day flush. Grey Reef must have little ice for the G & F to give the go-ahead. Casper, Wyoming Game and Fish field office provided this info.

Fly Fishing around Alcova, Wyoming yesterday was BEAUTIFUL! Grey Reef weather forecast on Friday was calling for big winds on Saturday although Friday’s winds didn’t materialize either. Yesterday was calm and Grey Reef and Fremont Canyon fished excellent. Miracle Mile fishing report was blank as I didn’t receive word on roads or fishing conditions. Grey Reef floating conditions are good to Government Bridge but still locked up before Sechrist. Things should be loosened up with our warm conditions all this week. Bear Mountain and the ridges above Grey Reef are becoming sparse of snow and may be positive for limited run off. Our upper North Platte River snowpack is near 130% and if we hold that we will be in for a great water year.

Remember, when floating below Government Bridge the left side of the river is BLM or Wyoming State Lands all the way below the Gray Cliffs. The right side is private (our lease and not available for public trespass) until you get to the big white house on river right. There is a blue G & F sign that marks the property. The river has a 50′ permanent public access on ALL private properties on river right until you get to the 2nd set of back channels at the Gray Cliffs(red sign). The land surrounding By The Way is available for PUBLIC ACCESS on river right despite what you may have read about it being exclusive private access. Immediately below that property we also have private access but it doesn’t limit public trespass 50′ above the high water mark. You can wade and drop anchor on ground that we have access to (that piece ends at Bates Creek). The next land owner also has a 50′ easement on the portions below the Wyoming State land surrounding Bates Creek until you see that red sign on the right side at Gray Cliffs. If you have ANY questions regarding what is and what isn’t public or if private has public easements give me a call. I will be happy to explain the trespass situation to you. There is a lot more public access on the Grey Reef section of the North Platte River than you might realize. Although there is limited public access on the most desirable upper 13 miles of Grey Reef. We have exclusive private access most of the right side from Grey Reef boat ramp to Government Bridge and some of the left. Crazy Rainbow has a pretty good chunk of the left side that totals about 1/3 of our total access. We are the 2 outfitters to offer meaningful private access. Crazy Rainbow and North Platte Lodge are the only outfitters to offer private boat ramps with a true advantage over other private ramps…meaning they that aren’t within a 1/2 mile or less of public ramps.  Same goes for Grey Reef lodging and cabins. Nobody can touch our location. Be careful what you believe.

Grey Reef, Miracle Mile and Fremont Canyon Fishing Report

Posted on by Grey Reef

Wyoming fly fishing will be stereotypical over the next several days. Expect Grey Reef and Miracle Mile to fish excellent if you can get your bugs in the water. The Alcova, Wyoming region will be warm and windy. Anglers familiar with Grey Reef understand that the wind can be used to your advantage but you have to play it right. Under the windswept surface of the Grey Reef and the Miracle Mile sections of the North Platte River are thousands of heavily feeding trout and hundreds of those are trophy trout.

Nymph rigs at Grey Reef, Miracle Mile and Fremont Canyon will be between 6-8′ with appropriate weight and a rusty scud, pine squirrel leech, Reef worm or midge top fly and a midge bottom fly will get them all day long. Tan Sex Dungeons, articulated Goldies, Medusas and black Home Invaders have been effective streamers on a tip with a swing/slow retrieve. The occurrence of browns is impressive and has us scratching our head. The Reef Fly Shop, Cottages & RV will be open so stop in and check out the Mayhem Midges and the BuffTrout hat emporium.

Pegged Beads Memo : The Casper, Wyoming office of the Wyoming Game and Fish issued a memo regarding the illegal use of pegged beads. The law has always been that a fish must willingly take the hook into its mouth or it is considered illegal snagging. They issued a picture showing the only acceptable method of pegging beads and the bead must be touching the eye of the hook. With this arrangement the fish is willingly taking the hook into its mouth. One inch above and it is snagging. Also, the definition of a hook is a hooked device or bait regardless of the number of prongs. Trying to skirt the law by using a Reef worm and a bead pegged above doesn’t change the arrangement. Save your beads for Alaska and tie up some cool midge or baetis patterns for Grey Reef and Miracle Mile. Bury your worm box and challenge yourself to be a student of the trout and river…you will be very surprised and your approach to fly fishing will forever change.

For a spirited conversation regarding pegged beads visit The Reef Fly Shop Facebook page.

Grey Reef Fishing Report

Posted on by hosting@thebarkfirm.com

Fly fishing Central Wyoming will be comfortable and productive for the remainder of the week. The Grey Reef section of the North Platte River will be flirting with 50*f high temps! Miracle Mile will be a couple degrees cooler. Roads to Miracle Mile are fine and upper Grey Reef is floatable. The boys have had some very productive streamer fishing this week and the nymphing is even better. Keeping the streamer low and level and the nymph just slightly suspended.

Spring angling on Grey Reef is an experience that should be on every anglers bucket list. The trout are feeding with enthusiasm that won’t be duplicated for the remainder of the year. March and April are excellent. We do have the pleasure of a longer spring flushing flow on Grey Reef now. Expect a 10 day flush. Also expect the opportunity to catch fish in places that aren’t available the rest of the year. Who knew Alcova, Wyoming could be a fly fishing destination like it has grown to be?

We have a few pieces of exciting news to share but will tease until we get the go-ahead. Stay tuned!

 

Grey Reef Fly Fishing Conditions

Posted on by Grey Reef

Alcova, Wyoming still a touch on the cold side. Typically we might say “suck it up, get out there”. Not right now. Grey Reef , Miracle Mile and Fremont Canyon fly fishing are best to dream about for the next couple days. This has been a wintery winter unlike last winter. We will be crawling out of this little hole soon and it will be back to fishing. FYI, cottages are getting pretty booked thurs – sun starting in early March. If you are thinking about a trip give us a shout. Better yet, try to allow yourself to come during the week. You won’t be disappointed.

Pic: Screen grab of the North Platte Lodge weather station at Grey Reef this AM.

Grey Reef & Miracle Mile Fishing Conditions

Posted on by hosting@thebarkfirm.com

Squeaky snow over the Grey Reef,  Miracle Mile & Fremont Canyon region. Wyoming is a touch chilly. Fly Fishing Grey Reef or Miracle Mile is probably best postponed for a couple days. This AM it is -14*F at the North Platte Lodge in Alcova, Wyoming and with wind your skin will experience factors of -30*f or more today. Casper Mountain Nordic Center is currently reporting -27*f air temps.

Use this opportunity to tie a few bugs and organize your fly boxes. Our classic North Platte Lodge pattern, the All Day May, has gone through its third major design change and I can’t wait to put it to the test. It started life with a deer hair feature that we changed to zelon and the whiter color years ago…for durability. Now this pattern features a foam back and post. You might be suspicious of our fly bins at The Reef Fly Shop. We use a lot of white foam in our patterns. Why? Simple, white is the best Grey Reef attractor color for bugs. Of course purple and red are good but studies show white as the hero. The foam also make a very durable pattern. Not good for sales but good guides and those who like their flies to last longer than 2 fish. These patterns tied to light tippet and coupled with the appropriate flex rod and reel drag tuned correctly can be used for several days. The foam is a key to how we like to target Grey Reef and Miracle Mile fly fishing. We like short and light rigs that put the bug in the action zone and the foam keeps the fly nice and high. Many people get discouraged with nymphing because of the  lack of feel and questionable use of “lures” and weight. Rarely is a rig longer than 6′ needed. Understanding where the fish are at all phases of the hatch creates a fun and challenging puzzle. Sure you can run a 10′ rig on 2x with a 3/0 shot and pin a couple beads of eagle claw hooks and catch plenty of fish all year long and never have to even think about what is happening. These types of rigs do not require a good drift, they do not require an appropriate and well timed hook set and they don’t require a guide who has intimate knowledge of the Grey Reef fishery. All they require is flopping your junk over the edge of the boat and reeling after the fish snags itself into the rig. Guides call this “fishing for the client”. We call this an abomination of the experience. Our guests appreciate the eye opening results and the realization that these techniques will open doors in how they approach their local fisheries.

Grey Reef Fly Fishing Report

Posted on by Grey Reef

Wyoming is experiencing another winter storm and fly fishing will be left to the most hearty or crazy today. The Grey Reef and Alcova area already a couple inches of snow on the ground and the wind is moving it. Cold conditions will dominate over the next several days. Air temps of -10* and wind chills of -25* are possible. Be careful! Roads won’t be ideal and access to Miracle Mile will be tougher. Getting stuck out in the prairie in these conditions could be really dangerous. In Wyoming, we have wide expanses of undeveloped, uninhabited and rarely visited ground. Don’t rely on cell phone service or someone happening along. Wyoming fly fishing is about being self sufficient and prepared for the adverse conditions. Our experiences, though routine, may seem like adventures to many.

Grey Reef Angling Report

Posted on by hosting@thebarkfirm.com

Winter Wyoming fly fishing at its best. Grey Reef is fishing very good with nymph rigs and streamer rigs. Nymphs are very consistent and the streamer activity fluctuates from good to very good. The North Platte River was slushy below Government Bridge yesterday and fully iced at the Narrows. Expect portions of  upper Grey Reef to freeze over with our approaching chilly front. It will be below zero tomorrow eve with a high a couple degrees below zero on Wednesday. Wednesday night will be -10* or so. Thursday and Friday also look chilly.

Grey Reef Fly Fishing Report

Posted on by Grey Reef

Fly fishing Grey Reef was a tough proposition yesterday. Winds over the North Platte River Valley were nuking. Of course, Jackson was in the midst of a huge snow event…that’s how it works. We had a little rain last night and this AM is calm. We do have guide boats on the water today and will get a report as soon as possible. In the meantime a standard nymph rig with a scud, leech, worm and midge is a slam dunk. 6-8′ leaders and a bit of weight. Slow deep tailouts and seems are the place to concentrate most of your efforts. But, as the hatch is in full swing snug up into the drops and riffles. A slow retrieve on a streamer rig has also been good. Keep the streamer low and level!

Spring is fast upon us and we are expecting our typical excellent fishing. Call 307.237.1182 if you are interested in a full lodge package, cottages or guided fly fishing. Our early season specials run through March 31st. Day trips are $350, a day trip and one night in a cottage is $450, two nights one day is only $525. Plus you get 17 miles of exclusive Grey Reef fishing access and an awesome location/accommodations.

We are offering bed and breakfast specials at the North Platte Lodge for early season. If you are bringing a group and all want to be in one location(the best) we can take take care of you regardless if you are fishing with us or not or not fishing at all. Our facility makes a great corporate retreat.

Wyoming Fly Fishing Report

Posted on by hosting@thebarkfirm.com

The Grey Reef crew worked them yesterday. North Platte River was warm and bluebird with a little wind but the fishing was very good. No new news on the bugs of choice EXCEPT you should check out a few of our patterns newly released for sale in the shop. The Mayhem Midge comes to mind. These new patterns combine elements of simplicity, durability and the things that we love about FLY  FISHING. So much fun to learn about the nature and behavior of trout and go outside the box. Fish pushing into unusual areas and continually suspending very high in the water column to take advantage of the hatch. We like flies that will preform from the bottom to the film and everything in between.

It appears the Wyoming Fishing Regulations may have been amended to make enforcement of pinned bead/snagging rigs much easier. We will see how this plays out?

North Platte Lodge has a few very nice April availabilities. April is arguably the most desirable month on Grey Reef and Miracle Mile. Call for dates and package prices.