I am originally from southwestern Wyoming so I am quite familiar with Wyoming at least I thought I was but I learned a will kept secret in my own home state.
I have traveled the west and have just plain missed one of the premium flyfishing rivers of the west. I grew up in Wyoming and have fished most of it one time or another, but I guess that my waypoints and radar has been set wrong. A quiet little river on the east side of Wyoming just south of Casper is a section of the Platte River I have not fished until the last week of May 2004.
My brother was the game warden in the area years ago and said that the river, he didn’t think was very good but I am here to tell you that it was great!!!!!!
I didn’t have much time to fish but my son Matt and I took some time to while in the area and decided to fish for a while and was we rewarded. We caught about 40 fish and the average was 2-4 lbs. and full of fight. We caught rainbow and cutbows mostly and one sucker. Most of the fish we caught was on size 20 emergers below a San Juan worm size 12. Most of the fish were very healthy, some of course had recently spawn so they were a little skinny but most were just like footballs.
We were very will taken care and equipped by the Ugly Bug Flyshop who have shops in Casper and at Alcova just so of Casper. We meet Mark at the his fly-shop and after a little persuasion consented to fish with us the for the day and know his stuff. Mark was a lot of fun to fish with and knew the honey holes, which Matt and I quickly took advantage of. I also caught a few on a Blue Winged Olive pattern. All in all it was a great experience and I have had a tough time keeping Matt from making too quick of a return, but I think I am loosing the battle as he already has a date for a return.
This area is on the old Oregon Trail that in its prime had over 70,000 people in covered wagons and handcarts traveled to west and west coast destinations. Some traveled to seek their fortune in the gold fields of California, others to the rich farm lands of Oregon and others seeking religious freedom traveled these trails to the Great Salt Lake. This was also an area with large deposits of petrified wood and it can be found laying on the ground throughout most of the Wyoming desert.
All in all what an interesting area to visit and I shall return.
I hope to see you on the great rivers of the world.
LaMoyne Hyde
