How I Learned to Fly Fish on the North Platte River

One fish at a time became my morning mantra. I was seated in a drift boat at Grey Reef on Wyoming’s fish-friendly North Platte River. My companions for the outing were fishing guide Mike and a fellow fly-fishing newbie.

How hard can this be? my inner coach reasoned. You have a rod, a reel and a river teeming with rainbow trout, cutthroat and brown trout, just ready and waiting for a baited line. That was the plan. Simple and elegant. I do my part. The fish do theirs. I throw a cast, the fish take the bait, I catch and release, and the fish go on their way.

But first, our adventure called for a stop at the Ugly Bug Fly Shop in downtown Casper to pick up our fishing licenses. One walk into this Orvis-acclaimed epicenter of flyfishing essentials, and I begin to imagine how someone could get hooked, never mind the fish. I’m dazzled by the colorful array of fish flies, their sheer beauty enough to reel me into a day drifting on the river.

Under the co-ownership of Blake Jackson, the shop is a companion to Crazy Rainbow Flyfishing, an outfitter company offering private river access along 8 miles of the North Platte River below the Grey Reef Dam. Lured by a love of fly fishing and knowledge of the industry, Jackson employs 14 full-time guides, and up to 25 as needed, to provide an exceptional experience for beginner to advanced anglers.

Jackson assures us, “It’s very easy to fly-cast. Many people are intimidated by the process, but in about five minutes, we can have people fishing effectively with a guide.”

Whew.

When asked what’s most important for beginners to learn, Jackson responds: “The simple casting motion. The motion is with a locked wrist, a forearm movement. The position is much like your wrist when answering a phone. The tension is a weird happy medium. You need to keep the tension but relax. The death of casting is breaking your wrist.”

We start with a brief fly-casting demo outside the Crazy Rainbow office. Our onshore guide explains: “First, you have to get used to the basic rhythm of fly-casting.” He shows us how: “Your thumb points toward the tip of the rod. Your hand loosely grabs the spine of the rod because the most power is here. The pads of your hand wrap around the cork (grip) of the rod.”

Crazy Rainbow has provided all the necessary gear and equipment for the day. I’m already decked out in layers, a hat, sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen. So, with Jackson’s calm assurance and our initial lesson in the rearview mirror, my mood is upbeat as we head for our drift boat.

The sun shines bright, sparkling on the North Platte River as we find our spot among the few other boaters out on their own flyfishing adventures. We prep our gear, cast our lines with a flick of a stable wrist, and wait. “Now what?” I ask. “You wait and get ready to reel in your fish.” Sounds like a plan.

I wait for my big moment, meditating on Jackson’s earlier account of why people spend hours on a river simply waiting for something to happen. Why fly fish? “It’s a good way to clear the mind,” he says. “It’s good for the soul. It’s being grounded,” adding, “Some would say it’s a spiritual experience.”

Before long, I feel a tug. “I’ve got one! I’ve got one!”

“No, you don’t,” Mike says.

“I don’t?”

“Nope. It took your bait, but your fish is gone.”

I look over at my fish mate, who, at last count, has reeled in three rainbow trout, ending with a total of six before the day is over. A few tangled lines later, I assure Mike I’m happy just hanging out on the water in the sun on such a beautiful day. I’m okay if I don’t catch any fish.

But Mike’s not having it. Despite the waning of the day, he’s adamant: “You’re going to catch your fish. We’re not leaving here until you do.” Within minutes, I feel another tug. This time, I sweet-talk my fish, coaxing it to stay with me, stay with me, and just like that, I reel in my own rainbow trout. I’m already looking ahead to my next visit to Ugly Bug Fly Shop to pick out my own fish flies and fly rod.

For more information, visit crazyrainbow.net. Plan your visit to Casper, Wyoming, at visitcasper.com.