Tag: miracle mile fishing report

Going Up

Posted on by The Reef Fly Shop

*PURCHASE YOUR FISHING LICENSE ONLINE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE*

Sloanes General Store is no longer selling licenses and we will not be able to keep up with the demand so PLEASE get your licenses before you get here. Thank you!

 https://wgfd.wyo.gov/apply-or-buy

First things first, Grey Reef is on the rise. Flows as of this morning are 1,500cfs coming out of Grey Reef Dam. For those of your wondering, 1,500cfs is pretty sweet level for Grey Reef, from both a floating and wading standpoint. At this point we aren’t expecting another bump but really who knows, so we are going to enjoy this level while we have it.

GREY REEF: 1,500cfs. Clear from Grey Reef Dam to Lusby. Cloudy downstream due to the bump in flows. Water conditions should only improve in the next few days.

FREMONT CANYON: 72cfs. Mostly clear.

MIRACLE MILE: 2,800cfs. Clear. The Mile continues to hold steady at this flow but we are expecting flows to bump at some point.

If you are here or headed this way make sure to pack leech, midge and baetis(BWO) patterns. We should start nearing the end of baetis on Grey Reef and start making our way towards PMDs, sallies and caddis.

Lastly we hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend! Remembering all of those the made the ultimate sacrifice…

Closer to Spring

Posted on by The Reef Fly Shop

It’s hard to believe we are already almost a full week into February.  Spring is going to be here before we know it!  After the last big snow/cold event, Central Wyoming has been on a little bit of a warming trend.  The past few days have delivered highs in the mid to high 30s but it looks like week ahead is going to cool down a touch and may have a few days of snow mixed in.

Here’s the updated conditions/fishing report for Grey Reef, Fremont Canyon and Miracle Mile…

Grey Reef: 450cfs 

Very clear from Grey Reef to Lusby, Floatable from Grey Reef to Lusby as of today.  Frozen in sections from Lusby to Casper.

Nymphs: Pine squirrel leech(brown or natural), Hot-head leech(black w/ chartruese head or brown w/ orange head), PAL, rhinestone, reef worm, mini impaler, all-day may(black), amber scud, grey scud.

Streamers: rusty-t, goldie, articulated goldie.

Fremont Canyon: 76cfs

Clear.  Road into the Canyon is icy in spots.

Nymphs: orange scud, amber scud, PAL, rhinestone, mayhem, brassie.

Dries: Griffiths gnat, para adams.

Miracle Mile: 535cfs +/- (We do not have any updated fishing report due to the driving conditions.  We would not advise driving from Alcova to the Miracle Mile at this time.)

 

 

Blanket of White

Posted on by hosting@thebarkfirm.com

Central Wyoming is covered in snow.  After about 24hrs straight we are probably looking at 8-10″ in the Alcova area.  That’s a pretty good amount of snow for us!  Let us hope the upper drainage is getting it as well.  Enough with the weather, here’s an updated fishing report for the North Platte River.

Current Flows:

Grey Reef: 450cfs   Fremont Canyon: 76cfs   Miracle Mile: 535cfs +/-

Top Flies:

Nymphs: amber scud, rhinestone, PAL, pine squirrel leech, mayhem midge, reef worm

Streamers: rusty t, goldie, articulated goldie, Seth special, twin lakes special 

Conditions are what you would expect for mid-winter.  Low and clear.  With temperatures dropping, lower Grey Reef (downstream of Lusby) is rolling some slush ice and shelf ice is building as we speak.  So if you want to hit the Reef, planning on staying up top.  As of yesterday the upper is still floatable but that could change any day.  With this storm you also want to be careful if you have plans to head out to the Mile.  Adhere to the old Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared”.  We don’t currently have updated road conditions after this past storm but…our guess is, it’s probably pretty sporty heading that direction.  Overall, the fish have mostly slid in their winter haunts.  Plan on concentrating on the lower half of the run.  Now, we aren’t ruling out fish in other places it’s just gonna be a little more productive in the slower, deeper water.  Primetime has been late morning, early afternoon as you would expect.

Feels a Little Like Fall

Posted on by The Reef Fly Shop

Cool and rainy this morning in Central Wyoming.  Not gonna lie, it feels pretty good!  We are officially at the midpoint of September and we are right where we are supposed to be.  Flows on Grey Reef are at 500cfs, Miracle Mile 530cfs and Fremont is holding steady at 75cfs.  Everything is fishing well, actually really well.  Water temperatures have dropped to a more comfortable level and conditions, especially on Grey Reef, are primo.

Pretty standard when we see the drop in flows, Grey Reef is running very clear and the vegetation is far less of a hinderance.  That being said, it has been buggy and the fish are looking up.  Huge trico numbers in the morning and pseudos in the afternoon.  Our Grey Reef guides have pretty much been rowing around looking for heads.  A little longer leader, tethered to 4X or 5X with a single dry (i.e. para adams, trico spinner), or a double fly rig with something a little bulkier (i.e. X caddis) with a trico spinner dropper. If dry fly fishing isn’t your thing, you can still catch them on trusty nymph rig.  Our go-to nymphs have been PALs, RS2 foam-wings in black and grey, pheasant tails, Pat’s rubber legs and/or a black two-bit hooker.  Our nymph rigs have been between 3-6ft in length and anything from no weight to 1-2BB split shot.  It really just depends on the type of water you are fishing.

Buggy

Posted on by The Reef Fly Shop

Miracle Mile(1,500cfs), Fremont(80cfs) and Grey Reef(500cfs) are all in great shape.  Clear water and the bugs have been popping, especially on Grey Reef.  This is such a fun time of year!  A baetis and midge pattern have been our bread and butter up top, no question.  If you’re heading down low you definitely need some leech patterns as well as some caddis.  Streamers have definitely been on the menu as well, especially if we get some overcast weather.

More Like Winter

Posted on by The Reef Fly Shop

After a very mild and pleasant fall we have rolled into more of our standard winter weather program.  Weather and wind.  Either we’re getting snow or it’s blowing, that’s pretty much it in a nutshell.  Population control for Central Wyoming.

Grey Reef is finally starting to see some icy conditions below Government Bridge.  The Upper, as always this time of year, is the place to be.  Flows are at 450cfs and clear, with the vegetation becoming less and less by the day.  Pine squirrel leeches, PALs, rhinestones, reef worms and small pheasant tails are the bugs of choice.  With water temperatures dropping we are definitely concentrating on the lower half of the run and focusing on the deeper tailouts and seams.  Thats not to say you can’t find them nosed up to shelf during the afternoon midge hatch but the most overall productive water is going to be the deep stuff.

So how about the Miracle Mile fishing report?  Well, with the weather finally shaping up more into its winter pattern the crowds have finally started to subside.  Per usual, make sure to check with us our someone else “local” this time of year before you venture that way.  Roads can get nasty and the Mile is not the place to get stuck this time of year.  While nymphing is always a popular winter program on the Mile, you’ll find most of us headed out there to swing a streamer.  Again, with water temperatures hovering slightly above freezing, the slow/deep tailouts are your friend.  Intermediate lines and/or a short sink-tip is the way to go.  These lines along with a weighted streamer will get you into the lower third of the water column, putting your streamer in front of their faces.  For whatever reason you’re hard pressed to beat an articulated goldie or rusty trombone when it comes to swinging the Miracle Mile.

More Of The Same

Posted on by The Reef Fly Shop

Well, it seems to be the same thing on repeat.  Obviously, with the way things have been going, that’s not a bad thing.  Great weather and water conditions on Grey Reef are primo.  Super clear and bugs are popping!  Like we said in our last post, if technical dry fly fishing is your thing, it’s a great time to be on Upper Grey Reef.  We do have some weather on the horizon which could really fire up the streamer bite.  For those of wondering about the Miracle Mile, it has been fishing pretty well.  But as you would expect, fairly crowded, especially the lower end.  If your headed that way it’s going to nymphing/streamer program.  Worms, leeches and pheasant tails are our go-to patterns right now.  If your going to throw a streamer you’re hard pressed to go wrong with a Goldie.

Iced Tea Iced Guides

Posted on by Grey Reef

October through mid November is a pretty magical time in Central Wyoming. The scene changes daily and the transitions between fishing disciplines and hunting opportunities seem endless and can be exhausting.   Gear rooms, boats and vehicles suffer the most as the constant exchange inevitably creates disarray and confusion. Anglers are loaded with 3 rigged rods – the dry fly opportunities are all day and you need to be able to grab a rod as soon as rising trout start doing their thing, nymph rigs fill the gaps and help you to not feel inadequate for surface refusals and the streamer water should never be ignored. The dry fly game is plentiful yet humbling, nymphing light emerger rigs is really dang productive and you never know what kind of critter your streamer will land in front of. The days start with coffee, waders and a hoody and end with t-shirts, sandals and a beer.

Then there is hunting. Big game often warrants different caliber choices, waterfowl and upland bird and you’ll shop for tools to optimize that experience. And don’t forget about the dogs that make it all happen…pointing, flushing, snuggling and retrieving.  Add other Central Wyoming outdoor recreation options like mountain biking, gravel biking, off road motorcycling, climbing, trail running and paddling. That isn’t the end of it but we know where to stop, ha! This region has not been developed to optimize most of these activities and that is a good thing. Getting outside begins with leaving your comfort-zone and culminates in continuing to advance your comfort by creating a habit of putting yourself out there. Going further, rejecting the normal definition of success and discovering things that very few people will. This isn’t the Visit Casper version of Central Wyoming…this is the raw and real version that excludes the entry level social media influencer portrayal.

Put yourself out there, or come hang out with us for a few days and we’ll do our best to show you the ropes…this is the perfect time to do it. Before the snow flies and skis and snowmobiles come out along with the water fowling waders, layout blinds and we enter the season where chipping ice out of our guides has every angler thinking to themselves how they can solve this age-old dilemma.

Miracle Mile fishing report is good with leech, worm, baetis, caddis, scud nymph rigs. It is busy with hunting camps so be aware. Fremont Canyon fishing report is very good dry fly with tricos, pseudos and caddis. Swing crawdads and soft hackles in the unoccupied tweener water. Grey Reef is rocking and rolling from top to bottom, the upper is quiet and the dry fly is excellent. Streamer activity is ramping up and short light emerger rigs are the way to go if you like the numbers game.

The Reef Fly Shop is open daily and we still have guides, cottages and RV sites available. Stop in for some good sales or check out the newly restocked space.

 

2021 – The Year of the BuffTrout

Posted on by Grey Reef

Pic: Dan with a full-faced rainbow from his guided trip last week

Welcome to Grey Reef and 2021! We are so proud that our guests continue to put their trust in us and so proud they lifted us through 2020. It was a team effort and so many of you returned for multiple visits throughout the season. We made sure to thank you by providing a discount on “your next trip” of the season. We are continuing the program for 2021 so not only do you get to enjoy the best lodging location,  by far the most private Grey Reef access, most experienced guide staff , more lodging options but you get a solid discount on the second and each subsequent visits in 2021. Book early so you have enough time to squeeze in at least one more fishing trip.

At North Platte Lodge we take care of the details while you enjoy yourself. We provide transportation, comfortable accommodations, great meals and awesome fishing while you engage in the business of camaraderie and memories.

The great thing about Alcova, WY is that it is easy to get here, close to services yet a long way from population. Wyoming is the least populous state in the union and we like our breathing room. The Reef Fly Shop, Cottages and RV and North Platte Lodge are the only private properties on Grey Reef Rd. Grey Reef Rd is the access to the epicenter of the legendary Grey Reef and is also a dead end road. No through traffic and there is no reason to pass this way unless you are coming to fish. Yep, we pinch ourselves all the time.

Spring fishing is about gluttony and it is the highest volume fishing of the season. As we move into summer the fishing remains excellent and adds some diversity of technique with many hatches and culminating in the hoppers and tricos traditionally starting in mid July. Capitalize on the dry fly opportunities all the way through our Sage Grouse wing shooting season and early part of our big game hunting program. Early season waterfowl often ushers in the start of our trophy trout streamer trips and that’ll get us through the end of the year. 2020 provided lots of our guests a great cast and blast option with blue grouse and some fun afternoon pheasant hunts at our neighbor’s preserve. There is never a risk and we don’t have a “best time to be here”. Much of experience is directly related to your ability to go with what Mother Nature provides…and she always does. Let’s narrow down your hit list of trip requirements and build the perfect Wyoming vacation. You will generally have to accept the probability of sacrificing one of your lower requirement to accomplish your top goal. For example, catching a 25″ brown is your main priority and having perfect weather is your second priority. Chances are you might need to allow leeway on the weather part to make sure you are here for the best timing for foraging trophy browns.

Swing by The Reef Fly Shop for a handful of bugs, a six pack of local craft beer, some world famous Bufftrout hats, an RV site or to check into your cottage. Meet your guides and pick up last minute necessities before you check in at North Platte Lodge, a mile further down Grey Reef Rd. Our staff will take great care of you.

Wyoming Fly Fishing Report: Grey Reef fishing is solid…ha! The fish are eating well but there is also ice starting a few miles down the river. The ice will halt your progress from Grey Reef to Lusby if you float. Plan on wade fishing and that is a good thing. Lots of great water available that is fishing really well with very little traffic. We do have private ramps that allow floating so if you opt to take advantage of our shoulder season fishing and/or lodging packages you will have that option. Check www.northplatteflyfishing.com for details on reduced rate trips. You won’t sacrifice on high quality fishing or very limited angling pressure but you might have to bundle up a bit. Miracle Mile is fishing good, however the roads have been an issue with drifting. This week is on a warming trend so that might lead to improved access but also might tip the scale to muddy roads. Give the shop a call before heading that way. Leeches, scuds and midges have been the name of the game and there won’t be much of a deviation until early April when the baetis ( blue winged olives) start kicking around.

Give us a shout at 307.232.9128 to explore a North Platte Lodge fishing vacation!

Wyoming Fly Fishing, Big Game & Bird Hunting – Cast and Blast

Posted on by hosting@thebarkfirm.com

It has been a whirlwind several weeks of Cast and Blast, Upland Bird Hunts, Waterfowl Hunts, Elk Hunts, Deer Hunts, Antelope Hunts and our meat and potatoes Fly Fishing in Central Wyoming. We are thankful to have more on the horizon and even developing additional opportunities that are in alignment with our expertise – It is what we do. Firstly,  we’ve had very temperate weather conditions but experiencing a few days of cooler and windy. Our air quality has been good and we haven’t experienced much of the smoke that has been plaguing much of the West.

CENTRAL WYOMING FLY FISHING – Flows at Grey Reef were bumped to 2300cfs on October 1st and to 2600cfs a couple days ago. The reason is that the BuRec is lowering Alcova Reservoir for maintenance. With this comes confusion and opportunity. Grey Reef trico hatches are still clicking but with fewer available risers – don’t perceive this language as no dry fly fishing. The psuedos are still popping and baetis have been delayed. This is a good thing as it can be a bit overwhelming having, tricos, midges, psuedos/baetis, crane flies and caddis all competing for the trout’s attention – cue Eddie Van Halen’s Eruption – it can cause premature nymph-ication. The common theme with the North Platte Lodge and The Reef Fly Shop’s guide crew has been working harder and generally fewer fish hitting the net but the number of high quality fish has been impressive. Daily, we are getting pics from the guides with very large fish. You’ve been waiting for the “opportunity” piece of this conversation? Fishing is solid right now but Grey Reef flows will be dropping abruptly somewhere around the 3rd week of October and this drop in flows will displace crawdads and baitfish. Prediction is some crazy streamer and nymphing. Miracle Mile is probably nudging Grey Reef on the numbers front but the stories of big fish encounters are mostly right out in front of our properties on Grey Reef Rd. Fremont is clicking along just fine and well worth the effort.

BIRD HUNTING- Sage Grouse hunts and cast and blast packages were a big success this season. Sage Grouse will be packaged as an NPL option for 2021 and that is currently available to book. We can comfortably say that we provide the best sage grouse hunting anywhere. Our private access and guides are nothing short of excellent. Blue Grouse are providing some great hunts and that is still available to book. These are day hunts and logistically not great as a cast and blast (hunt and fish the same day) but make an awesome addition to a fishing trip or vise versa. We also have Chukar and Hungarian Partridge opportunities. Cast and Blast Pheasant Preserve – Next door to North Platte Lodge is Riverbend Roosters upland preserve and our guests have been loving the cast and blast package with pheasants, chukar and now quail. High volume fishing and hunting in such close proximity! Waterfowl hunts and cast and blast are already kicking off and have been really productive for the early season. Waterfowl hunts and cast and blast are available through Jan 20, 2020.

What to expect for the remainder of 2020? The end of October through November has been the most productive time to target trophy class trout of 25″ or more. This year it should be supercharged due to the interesting flows. Our off-season reduced rates start Nov 15 but we’ll give up a couple days to that schedule to get you here the weekend prior. Day trips and cottage rates are reduced through March 14, 2021. Waterfowl and upland hunts packaged with or without one of the best trout fisheries on the planet. NEXT TRIP DISCOUNT – Many of you have returned several times in 2020 and we can’t thank you enough. The best way we can express our  “thanks” is to knock $50 off of your day trips an 10% off of lodging and boat rentals. Still lots of time to book your next trip 2020 Grey Reef trip.

Again, thanks so much for believing in us! The original North Platte Lodge has been around for more than 2 decades and we’ve been through the dotcom and mortgage bubble popping, 911, the bottom dropping out of the 2008 economy,  H1n1, Covid and other uncomfortable episodes. We’ve realized that our niche is staying in our lane and staying the course. There is inherent beauty in solitude and separation. This has always been and will always be what we do.