Cursing Mountain Whitefish

Pay attention trout snobs! Throughout the seasons there are many a seasoned angler that slander the Mountain Whitefish. In the eyes of these prejudice anglers who elevate themselves above one of mother natures creatures, we have borne witness to the whitefish’ seemingly amusing retaliation. The local angler and western trout guide accustomed to sharing a day catching trout and mixing in a few whities enjoys the bend in the rod and realizes that cursing this creature will only yield greater nuances.

Although the whitefish does lack the coloration that seems for most anglers one of several justifications to believe trout are superior. Other justifications include the fact that they are not as acrobatic in their battles when hooked and are discriminated for their smaller mouths. Held below the trout for feeding off the bottom, the whitefish does indeed eat dries throughout much of the west. It just seems that the Colorado cousins prefer to feed along the bottom. Overall, the whitie seems to shake off these slanderous remarks. However, it should not go unmentioned that the whitefish does not completely ignore these remarks, especially when it seems to be carried on to an unnecessary degree.

There are many local anglers and guides that can bear witness to some of the whitefish’s fantastic displays of evening the score. To sourly curse the whitie to extent can oftentimes invite their wrath that in most instances could have been easily avoided by keeping quiet. It seems as if the Whitefish, by no small coincidence grows tired of the verbal non-sense strewn by the prejudice angler and mischievously indulges in a variety of angler insults. Quite commonly witnessed and very predictable when among an angler or anglers bashing the whitie, we all know how that day will end up for those individuals. How the whities senses and singles out the individual within the group is hard to determine. Quite possibly the negativity irritates their lateral line or maybe they simply grow tired of hearing their species being slandered.

Without hesitation the whitie spreads the word downstream and unselfishly they eat, foul themselves and intercept the prejudice angler’s flies. Wrapping rigs around bottom hazards, cutting in front of trout to intercept this angler’s flies and often foul hooking themselves. Only relinquishing a scale to keep such an angler wondering what was on the end of their line before the hook pulled free. With the world class whitefish that reach 3-5lbs, our local rivers leave the angler guessing whether that was one huge trout! Interestingly, it needs to be mentioned that the anglers that do not slander the whitie will catch vast numbers of trout and the largest ones of the day. Since the whities are pre-occupied with the foul mouthed angler’s flies, their cohorts reel in trout all day. The whitefish separates and distinctively distinguishes the non prejudice angler’s flies from the prejudice angler’s flies. At the end of the day with few trout landed this superior angler, frustrated from hooking so many whitefish has the worst to come. Now one must endure the heckling and joking that follows off river over cocktails. This incidence will re-surface many times over when fish stories arise, promising not to escape this angler! Comments like the whitie catcher king and Joe can’t catch a trout will resonate in this angler’s mind for awhile. If only one was quiet and humble.

It is known that even hard core trout snobs have been seen smiling with a whitie on the end of their line on slow days. This smile will quickly vanish and be denied upon approach or when questioned by a fellow angler. Just remember that the whitefish is a worthy adversary and can bring great joy to kids, beginning anglers and to anyone having a tough day. They live amongst many trout and can be encountered throughout the west, so be careful of how and where you comment upon this fine species. Thankfully they can’t perceive your thoughts.

Written by Will Sands - Taylor Creek Fly Shops
Photo courtesy of Kirk Webb - Taylor Creek Fly Shops

How to Live the Dream

Top Ten Survival Tips for a Broke Fly Fishing Guide Living in an Expensive Place.


Aspen. The mere whispering of the word congers up images of Paris Hilton, Man-Furs,
Range Rovers and million dollar homes. And for the most part, that would be 100 %
accurate. But Aspen, like any mountain resort town, is also filled with mountains and rivers that
provide great outdoor activities. Many wealthy people enjoy that - as a matter of fact, most
people enjoy that. Unfortunately, that “access” to the great outdoors, indirectly costs
money.

You have to find a creative way to live in one of the most expensive places in the U.S..
Common sense told me that since I loved the outdoors and mastering legendary
trout waters like the Frying Pan, Roaring Fork and the Colorado, becoming a professional fly
fishing guide for a living was an obvious choice. But we guides are dealt a difficult set of
cards.

First card: Getting on the shop roster is not always an easy task, even if you do happen to be
one of the best anglers in the valley. I have been a guide with Taylor Creek Fly Shop in
Basalt for the last 18+ years and I only landed it because a) I got a good referral from a
buddy that was a guide there, b) I spent so much money there on new rods, flies
and every other thing I needed to "fish properly" (besides, I felt it gave me a bit of credibility) and
c) I was able to “talk the talk” and “walk the walk”.

Second card: You need money both for a place to live and so you can eat. This lifestyle can
be especially difficult if you are on the bottom of the guide ladder. It’s only when the
senior guides are not available when you get the trip. Being the low man on
the totem pole, you have to hope for a last minute booked trip or wait by the
phone all day hoping you’re next on the list to call. The lack of consistent last minute
trips or senior guides calling in sick or being on vacation, can lead to financial stress and
inconsistent diet. The only known consistency for a guide is understanding that
the last minute bookers are not typically the seasoned fishermen you hope for. And chances
are, these people will have recently watched "The Movie" and now they want their
spoiled 5 year old daughter and disinterested 14 year old son to experience what
catching a 20 inch rainbow is like - "just like the one Brad Pitt caught in A River Runs
Through It" while yelling across the river, “You haven’t caught one yet?” only ten minutes after
hitting the water.

But I digress. What I am trying to say is that guides need money. So I’d
like to share with you my ten survival tips on how to live, eat and breathe fly fishing as a
professional guide when you are broke and have to make it in an expensive area.


Tip # 1: Be nice, polite and humble. Nothing will keep you from getting trips or moving
up the ranks more than arrogance. Chances are, you are not the greatest fisherman
alive and you didn't really "land a hundred" or “get the biggest cut-bow in the Pan”. The fact
is, the guides in "real" fly shops are ALL great fisherman. The best thing you can do is
go fishing with the senior guides and prove you know how to fish. But most
importantly, be cool about it! This will pay off in spades. You are more likely to be the
first one asked to accompany the senior guide on group trips. That equals no bottom of
the totem pole which means more money.
Tip #2: Top Ramen is not all that bad. Really. Throw in some fresh vegetables and soy sauce
and you’re golden.

Tip #3: Having a truck is helpful. It provides a comfortable ride for your clients as well as
a great place to sleep. The forest service provides camp areas for up to 10 days or
more. Not only is it a practical mode of transportation and lodging, but that it just makes
for a good story when you decide to give up guiding in order to finally use your Political
Science degree.

Tip # 4: Beer is not food. Once you get a couple of trips and you make your first tip
above and beyond your guide fee, try not to turn that extra money into a series of
cocktails for the boys. You need that money. It won't be there in a few months. (Note to
the veteran guides: hang around the new guides, they’re rookie enough to always be
buying! By doing so, you can keep your tips.)

Tip #5: Network and always carry business cards. This is a must. Anybody on the river
that isn't already a fishing guide, wants to be. That instantly makes you the most envied
and the coolest person they know. Use that to your advantage. Your perceived
coolness, especially if you make the client think they caught that brown all on their own,
equated to referrals, shop status and money. Don't be a slacker trout bum, it’s still a
business. Always be selling (yourself)!

Tip #6: Remember, the rich are different. Embrace it. It is likely that a fleet of Range
Rovers show up and they all step out with enough gear to stock a new shop. That
doesn't mean a thing. The fish don't care and nor should you. They're people - just like
you (but with a lot more money). There’s no need to suck up. Treat them like you want to be
treated and, trust me, you will be rewarded by either a great tip or a new regular repeat client.

Tip# 7: Practice the three “T's” - Teach, Therapy, and Tolerance. Being a great guide is
not how good of a fisherman you are (although it helps), it's more about how well you
understand your client. I did a trip one year with a client that I had guided a few times
before. This trip she wanted to fish a little bit, but what she really wanted to do was to
learn how to drive a stick shift. So our day was planned out where we fished for an hour,
teach her how to drive my stick shifted-car for three hours, then fish again for an hour.
She was a client for years. She booked consistently and always tipped well but what I
found the most rewarding was never knowing exactly what we were going to do the day
I was fishing with her.

Tip#8: Don't sleep with any of your clients (see fishing above). Nothing good can come
from this. Worst of all, you have turned a paying client into a non-paying client with
“benefits”. And if it turns bad, like it always will, and their husband or wife finds out, there
goes all of their referred client friends and any potential for new referrals from them.

Tip# 9: Have another skill. It can be anything from tuning skis to bartending to instructing
snowboarders to practicing law. Also, being a trust funder, salt-water fly guide, or a chef,
will work. It is not only important to have a plan, but as a fly guide in a touristic,
seasonal, resort destination, with unpredictable run-off and conditions, you must also have a
Plan B, and C all the way up to Z. Sure, some people can and do make it as a full time guide,
but only if you are willing to budget. Unfortunately, most guides are fiscally inept and easily led
astray by being surrounded by pro-deals and new gear in the shop - there is always that new
reel or new 9-weight rod you might need for that Christmas Island trip you’ve been saving up for. This one I know from experience.

Tip # 10: If you really love fly-fishing, you love the river and everything it offers. Remember that
you weren't born an expert fly fisherman and your clients want to learn from you. You’re on the
right path. It’s not hard to survive if you’re smart about it.

So if your ambition is to become a wealthy, full-time fly fishing guide, traveling around
the globe and living the lifestyle, go for it. The fact is, I live that life style. I may not wear
a Man-Fur or have enough money to date Paris Hilton, but I am rich in
experience and I have made a bank load of friends. The only cash I have is a CD in
my truck of Johnny Cash, Folsom Prison Blues. To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Glenn Smith

Fly Fishing Guide – Taylor Creek Fly Shop

The Fringes of the Roaring Fork Valley

The Roaring Fork. The Frying Pan. The Colorado. The Crystal. In the world famous Roaring Fork Valley, there are so many places to fish, and ways to fish, that it is an embarrassment of riches wherever you turn.


Long days floating the Fork throwing Drakes down into ‘Bonedale, or stalking the wily fish of the ‘Pan, squinting to try and ascertain what invisible bug, that I never heard of, they are sipping.

A foggy early morning on the Colorado, and the mist coming off the hot seeps in downtown Glenwood as you head downstream throwing streamers.

With all of the great fishing in the Valley, why would you ever look for more? Well, though you don’t have to, its there. Because having the good fortune to travel to the valley often and because many of my favorite fishermen guide in the valley, over the years I have learned that some of the best of the valley is a bit off the beaten trail.

Just downstream of Glenwood Springs and right along some of the best trout floats are many calm and serene backwaters. Looking at most of these, a trained eye would right away notice the lack of current and typical trout structure. Keep looking beyond the seam and into the bay, and you might see a carp tailing. And there’s more. Those calmer backwaters can be really fun to fish, and though you usually see a few carp, you can also catch bass, both large and smallmouth, the occasional big trout, chubs and as you go farther downstream, even the occasional pike and walleye.

These multi-species floats are fun, different, and offer another view of the river that you often don’t see when solely targeting trout. The more savvy guides prefer a well placed Clouser Swimming Nymph for these sight fishing opportunities, and outspoken oracle of all things, guide Gifford Maytham argues forcefully the virtues of a skillfully thrown #8 Halfback for these finned alternatives.

Another really overshadowed fishing opportunity in the valley is the small stream fishing. From streams closer to Aspen such as Castle Creek and the uppermost Roaring Fork, to Snowmass Creek and the upper Frying Pan. All of these fisheries can offer one thing that can be difficult to find on some of the other, more celebrated stretches…….solitude.

A very long time ago, during a summer soccer tournament, I wandered down and into Castle Creek only to find the biggest Mayflies I had ever seen hatching and fair to good size fish of four different species going berserk for them. Later that weekend, I went again to the high country and caught a nineteen inch brown on a dry fly in uppermost Snowmass Creek! Throughout the higher creeks of the Roaring Fork Valley, a topo map, a two or a three weight and a box or two of flies is all one needs to find lots of willing fish and sometimes a big surprise.

The last offbeat fishing pursuit that the Roaring Fork Valley has to offer is actually not quite in the Valley. Downstream from Glenwood Springs and then up into the western rim of the Colorado River Canyon are two reservoirs that offer up a cornucopia of different species and profound challenges. Rifle and Harvey Gap reservoirs are both full of bass, perch, crappie, trout and walleye. But if you ask some of the guides in the Valley what they are doing on their days off, they will tell you that it is the pike in these two reservoirs that they are pursuing. Long thought of as unsophisticated savages that will clobber anything around them, the pike in these two lakes will test even the most advanced fly anglers trying to convince a following fish to eat in the clear water. Talk to five guides in the Valley, and you will get some real disparity as to what it takes to make these up to four foot fish bite. You hear that a red and yellow streamer is all you need. Others say it is a windy and rainy spring day, and yet others still say that it is a perfect cast and presentation with a clear tip and black bunny in the warming mornings of April and May. I have caught great fish with all of these techniques, but never very many. These are some of the toughest and biggest fish that this state has to offer, and they will never come easy, and that is why we keep going back.

Written by Frank Smethurst, Flyfishing Sales Rep and Movie Star
Photos courtesy of Kirk Webb

Creatures of Habit



Dedicated and hardcore fly fishing bums are no different than your average ski bum. Both groups seemingly live on the fringe of greatness that only a few actually ever attain. They both have that “feast and famine” personality type that scrounges by, doing as little work as possible to survive and pursue their passions. Some nights they’re buying everyone a round of drinks, while on others they’re eating ramen noodles and week old pizza. Both groups seemingly know everyone in town. They know where the hook-ups are, whether it’s the bartender that gives them free drinks or the cute coffee shop girl that gives them free java. Living cheaply is also about living smartly and knowing the need-to-know persons in town to help you survive.


It always amazes me that people envy our fly fishing lifestyle. I’m told that we come off as having a care free attitude where the only thing that matters is the present. To a certain extent that’s true. Over time I have also acquired enough fishing equipment to open my own store. Actually, I have an entire room devoted to just my fly tying gear alone. Your average fly fishing bum generally has the newest, most expensive set of fly rods but probably can’t make his monthly truck payment. I’m also told that fly fishermen are creatures of habit. That’s definitely not true.

I started off my last off day by not taking a shower, throwing on my fleece and Crocs, getting a free cup of coffee at the store, followed by my usual pit stop at Breakfast in America for a breakfast burrito and another cup of coffee. I then drove down to Glenwood Springs where I strung up my newest fly rod and fished the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers. As usual during this time of year, I start fishing down valley and then gradually fish my way back up to Basalt. Without fail, the best fishing of my day happened to be in one of my favorite spots. After my hands were too cold from releasing more than my share of trout, I drove home, grabbed a beer and watched some football. Maybe they’re right? Maybe we are creatures of habit that live care free, happy lives? All I can tell you is that it my life doesn’t suck.

Written by Kirk Webb, Taylor Creek Fly Shop

Lightning Round Poetry

This time of year we often suggest an evening float or walk wade trip on the Roaring Fork River. After a long run-off, both the bugs and fish are very active and you can have some of your best dry fly fishing of the year for Caddis and Drakes....

Lightening Round

I went out to the muddy river, hungry at its banks

it pulled hungrily at me, I let it pull.

Rod in hand I cast into a slow seam, nymphs

down dropping down, and felt a rock,

another rock, then a quick tick.

When I let my last fish go, dusk and drakes

were on the wing, descending, descending.

I changed to a dry fly and let it fall,

silent as the dew it fell, and where

it landed I couldn't see, but landed all the same

and took another trout beneath the silver moon.

I heard the river all night in my dreamless sleep

wet and heavy. Tangled in its currents I rose at dawn

and slipped back to its wadering edge.

Written by TC Guide, Cameron Scott

Forthcoming under the title "A Song from Yeats" in Sugar Mule, www.sugarmule.com, issue #32

Streamer Fishing the Frying Pan

As we all know, fly fishing the world-famous Frying Pan River can be an incredible experience. It’s a well known tailwater fishery with rainbow and brown trout that have their bellies full of mysis shrimp along with all the other amazing bug life that makes up the fishes diet. The dry fly fishing is the main attraction for those who venture up the river to chase down the trout that frequently are sipping midges and BWO’s in the surface film. There is an overlooked method of fishing that can provide intense hook-ups and a very visual way to fish the Frying Pan. Streamer fishing can be a great way to spend a day on the river. No more 6x or 7x tippets and size 22 flies. We’re talking heavy tippets, short leaders and big meaty flies.

As with other fly fishing techniques, there’s a method to the madness of throwing streamers. I prefer a 5wt or 6wt rod with a little more back bone to them. Having a heavier rod will help you turn over those bigger flies while casting. Don’t be afraid to cut down your leaders as well. Leaders that are in the range of 4 to 6 feet in length (commonly referred to as shorty or pocket water leaders), in addition to the tippet material will make up your complete streamer leader. Your tippet sizes are determined based upon the fishing conditions at hand. Ideally, I like to fish 2x through 4x tippets on the Pan, though heavier tippet sizes can be appropriate on overcast or cloudy days. However, if there’s high sun in your picture, knock down the size of your tippet to be along the lighter end of the spectrum at 3x or 4x. When it comes down to fly selection we all have favorites that find their place in our own boxes. As with other styles of flies, there are a variety of patterns that work, some more eye catching than others. A few go-to flies to start with include: Barr’s Conehead Slumpbuster in colors, natural, black and olive, sizes 4 thru 8. Sand’s Stinging Sculpin in colors, natural, black and olive, size 8 and Mini Sculpin in colors, natural and black, sizes 4 thru 8.

The key here is to fish patterns that represent the food source that you’re trying to imitate, in this case juvenile trout and sculpin. What is a sculpin? A sculpin is a bottom dwelling, reclusive fish that inhabit most trout streams, with large flat heads, ranging in size from 1” to 4” long. These fish will be found underneath rocks and logs, in shallower, quick water. Sculpins can be a favorite food source for a big brown trout lurking for a hearty meal, or in some cases, browns trout will become territorial over a section of river and will attack any other smaller trout or sculpin that swims through that “owned” piece of water. These territorial trout are often larger than most and are referred to as “sculpin killers”.

Techniques to fishing streamers can be broken down and made to be pretty simple to understand. Let me paint a picture for you on what you’re going to be looking for in the water that you’ll be fishing. Generally, what you’ll be looking for is pocket water (ie: behind boulders, logs and back eddies, runs and seams). The best point on a stretch of river to start your fishing is at the head or top of a run and work your way down, making casts across the current and slightly down stream of your position. It’s always good to create motion on your fly while it swings through the current. Motion can be made by pulling in line using your free hand (known as your stripping hand) or by simply twitching the tip of your rod. Play around with the speed of your retrieve. Often times, the retrieval speed can be the difference maker in hook up’s. Don’t forget to cover water, making 5-10 casts per each run or pocket. Catch a few fish and then move on to the next piece of water.

The tug is the drug! Streamer fishing can be a very exciting avenue in the world of fly fishing. I hope this guide to fishing streamers opens up new doors and teaches you some new tricks that will keep you fishing for a lifetime.

Written by Taylor Creek Assistant Manager/Guide, Travis Lyons
Photo's courtesy of Kirk Webb and Taylor Creek Fly Shop

Anatomy Of A Guide Vehicle

You can tell a lot about your guide by their vehicle. Just as each guide has their own techniques they employ along the river, each guide also drives a very distinct fishing rig. Fly fisherman are much like skaters and snowboarders in that they all seemingly have a fetish for tattooing their rigs with fishing propaganda and window/bumper stickers and decals. Most trout guides I know like to fish in the salt and have bonefish or tarpon stickers on their rigs. Let's face it. When you live in the Rockies and have snow on the ground for months each year, many guides get the urge to head somewhere warm after a long winter. They've been out on the river landing fish, getting their hands wet, tying countless knots and taking swims to land their clients big fish. All this at temperatures below freezing and often, well below freezing. Hence, why many guides come spring, take a nice long vacation to go chase fish that live in balmy latitudes. Often you'll also see rod and reel manufacturer logo stickers like G.Loomis and Sage, Lamson, and Ross. Accompanying many of these fish themed stickers are local micro brew and tavern companies along with jam band stickers from the Grateful Dead, Phish, and others. Local non-profits, be it Trout Unlimited, the Roaring Fork Conservancy, or the Henry's Fork Foundation are also popular.

What's the best guide vehicle? Almost all drive 4x4's whether it's a truck, SUV or wagon. It's rare that many of these are new. Most are five to twenty years old, some more, some less. I've seen everything from VW bus's to mini van's to large, dually diesel-charged trucks and Hummers. The outside of any ideal fishing rig is rarely clean. If there's not dirt on the rig you kinda wonder if the guide actually fishes much. Most guides are too busy working for weeks and sometimes months on end without a day off. After a long day on the river, most go right to the bar for a drink or two or ten, and then go home and either pass out, tie a few flies, or lazily just chill out. It'd be a rarity to see a guide washing their vehicle, though float fishing guides seem to diligently clean their boats. Every guide I've ever met has always had a heavy collection of flies pinned to their roof, visors, or somewhere in the trunk of their car. I find it comical to look at these pseudo fly boxes. Everything from barracuda flies, to carp flies to trout flies to wild who-knows-what flies that were created at the vise amongst tequila shots during the last football game exist in these fly car collections.

A proper guide rig must be ready to get dirty and wet. Wet waders and boots should feel at home in these rigs. You know that feeling when you walk into a high end restaurant, house, or store and feel like you can't touch anything because every object is set out perfectly on display? Well, there will be none of that here. It doesn't matter if you have mud and rocks stuck to your boots. Just hop in and drive to the next hole or boat ramp and go. Many guides have addictive personalities. I know I sure do. By that I mean that the hobbies or habits they have, they usually go full-bore and to the extreme with. For some it's surfing, photography, snowboarding or hunting. For others it might be cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco. It's somewhat rare to find a guide who doesn't use tobacco or claim to be a master at another hobby. Because of this, one might find empty chew cans, cigarette boxes, or cigar wrappers and other gear pertaining to their addictive personalities.

Rod storage is another issue. Some have external rod racks mounted to roof racks. Guides are often scrappers (broke), so their rod rack might be home made from pvc pipe and a tackle box. Some guides like the bling and professional look of commercially made rod racks that are made out of aluminum. These are often the same guides who take very good care of their equipment. Yes, believe it or not, some guides are anal about their gear. Internal rod systems for SUV's and trucks seem to be all the rage now. There are even a large number of guides that utilize both systems. They might have four rods on top of their rig and another six rods inside their car. One of our guides carries at any given time 8-18 rods in his car. Let's do some math here for grins. Eighteen top of the line rods (18 x 750 = $13,500) and reels (18 x 400 = $7,200) with fly line (18 x 75 = $1,350) would equal $22,050! You know for damn sure that his car isn't worth nearly half that! How crazy is that? That figure doesn't even take into account the tens of thousands of flies and boxes in his car either. One other option you frequently see is the easily removable magnetic or suction styles of external rod rack holders. These nifty trinkets hold up to six rods and amazingly stay on at speeds of over 100 mph, not that I'd know.


Every good fishing vehicle should have stories behind it. Something like, Remember that time we were on the Frying Pan in -15 f weather, and got the Jeep stuck in four feet of snow and kept fishing because the Mysis were flowing out hard, then later dug the Jeep out in darkness using our nets and headlamps? I used to own an old Chevy S-10 pickup that I put 200k miles on. It traveled everywhere from the Roaring Fork to the Pere Marquette, the Madison to the Henry's Fork, the San Juan to the Green, the Bighorn to the Colorado, the North Platte to the Yampa and everywhere in between. It had a rubber floor and I could literally clean the inside of it with a hose. It was the cheapest new truck I could find. No power anything, no a/c, not even a radio. I rocked that truck for ten years and never ended up putting a radio in it. I'd drive on these long road trips listening to mother nature and the wind blowing over the hood. It was surprisingly peaceful. Every guide rig has lived a long, good life. The guides are able to recount every battle wound and dent on the car, and are proud of these scars. Just for grins, the next time you meet a guide on the river or flat, ask them about their vehicle, and get ready for an hour long conversation that will range anywhere from American versus Foreign, gas mileage, best tires, the 12 point deer that was hit after getting skunked hunting or the time it died in the middle of NNAW, nowhere near anywhere worthwhile.

I wouldn't count on seeing many of the guides sporting a GPS unit either. It kind of defeats the purpose of a good guide rig and ultimately would make the guide loose credibility amongst their peers. After all, especially with men, we ALWAYS know where we are going. There's no such thing as a wrong turn, but rather a scenic route, or a new shortcut that you always wanted to try. Despite the lack of a GPS unit, count on finding many maps scattered throughout their car. More often than not you'll find Atlas and Gazetteers and topo maps of certain areas and certain states. They should look well used and maybe even have the covers worn out and torn, in addition to earmarks on many of the pages, perhaps with scribbles and circles surrounding certain pieces and bodies of water.

Most of these cars are reserved specifically for fishing. Guide rigs are generally not meant to drive across the country with, though during their lifetime all of these cars have traveled great distances. A fishing vehicle should be able to sleep two persons as well. Either in the bed of the truck under a shell, or inside the car itself with the seats folded down. Better yet, for those that drive vans, it's almost a must that the back seats be removed. All should be able to hold everything but the kitchen sink. At least enough for camping gear, coolers and fishing gear. I know that doesn't sound like much, but fly fishers are gear junkies, and when heading to new trout country, expect at least a short 3 weight for tiny creeks, a 4 weight for dries and light nymphing, a 5 weight for an all around stick, and a 6 weight for streamers and big water. And of course there'll be back-up rods for at least two of these line weights and maybe an 8 weight thrown in for warm waters that you might pass along the way, just in case.

Last year I purchased a new SUV that had power everything, a/c, 4 wheel drive, a cd player and all the trimmings. I immediately tattooed it with stickers, and put in an internal rod rack system. I took it fishing several times and it just flat out felt weird, almost eerie. Something about it just wasn't right. As luck would have it, another guide in the valley was selling his old guide vehicle, an 85' GMC V8 pickup, Ranch Edition. It didn't run, and hadn't run in a few years, but thankfully one of my fishing buddies is a mechanic and spent a few hours on it and got it back up to speed. It was perfect. It was old, beat-up, but in a good way, and had 4 wheel drive with a topper and tape deck. As an added bonus it also came loaded with old, faded fishing stickers (Umpqua and Scott rods), a few beat up drakes stuck on the dash (an H&L Variant and a Hen Wing Drake both size 12), a Derek and the Domino's tape in the deck and came already nice and dirty. Right up my alley. It was like an omen from the fishing gods telling me I had to have this truck. We settled on a price tag of $200 and it was mine. As much as I love my new fancy SUV, I'd rather be driving in my Ranch Edition 85' GMC jammin' to Derek and the Domino's with the windows down, the wind blowing in my hair, and a fly rod or two in the back of the truck. Welcome Home.



You Might Have A Guide Vehicle If...

If you have 40 bumper stickers and a cracked windshield, you might have a guide vehicle.

If the rods inside your car are worth more than the car itself, you might have a guide vehicle.

If your paint job is permanently the color of dirt, you might have a guide vehicle.

If your new 2011 SUV already has 50,000 miles on it, you might have a guide vehicle.

If your collection of flies is worth more than the car itself, you might have a guide vehicle.

If your license plate reads, TROUT or CTHRLSE, you might have a guide vehicle.

If your car houses more spit cups than water, you might have a guide vehicle.

Photo's and article courtesy of Kirk Webb and Taylor Creek Fly Shop