Posted By roger on May 9, 2013
Sorry to all those who have been looking for something new on this page for the past few months. It is all my fault. As you already know, I have moved my store across Main St. about a block North of our old location in Sheridan WY. The new store is so much better than our old location I love everything about the location and building. Beau and I have been slowly building up parts of our inventory, but we need a few thousands more customers to to fill our shelves where we all would like the store to be. So in the mean time, we are ordering a few items at a time to keep the bills down as much as possible. I always love to thank our local customers and loyal out of town customers for all the support over the years and we are looking forward to seeing more of you all. The Fly Shop of the Bighorns is always striving to help fly fisher people get the gear, education and help they need to catch more fish and to have more fun on the water.
Fishing is picking up in the Canyons. The lower elevations are starting to open up on the mountain, but the North Tongue is still mostly not accessible. There are several hatches going on where the water is most accessible such as stone fly, midges, and beatis to name a few. The March Browns are still available for a few more weeks if you are looking in the right areas. The cold clear water is making the fishing more difficult in the morning hours, but the fish are eating if you fish the waters correctly. Stop by the shop and we can discuss the details if you are not catching as many as you think you should. Muddy Guard by Buffalo is fishing good with big midge patterns. Lake Desmit is fishing good on the south end like it always does this time of year. Stay tuned as other roads and waters open up on the mountain. We have been fishing the Bighorn River all year and it is back in the heavy swing of things. Beatis and Midges are remarkably good as usual.
We are a few weeks from run off starting. The Bighorn Mountains are full of snow in most areas. Most of the drainages are 73 to 100 percent of snow pack on the average years. The water content is even higher, which will be great for our August and September fishing. The Burgess area (North Tongue) is on the low end at about 73 percent, but we are expecting more moisture over the next 6 weeks. This percentage changes daily We will see these values drop to zero over the next 6-7 weeks. We are getting mountain moisture, but the low land is not getting near enough moisture for this time of year. The Fly Shop of the Bighorns is always looking for great conditions, but we have to utilize the conditions we have the best way we can. We will be watching June run off and weather closely to determine late season fishing conditions.
If you are looking for some gear, check out out shop Orvis link. Every time a customer buys from our link, we get a small percentage of the sale. So please feel free to Shop Orvis through our link. Thanks in advance. Fly Shop of the Bighorns also has our on line store at www.sheridanflyfishing.com. All purchases are directly through our shop we appreciate all the support we can get. This store is a few months old and we are trying to get the word out on its presence. You can also follow us on Facebook at Fly Shop of the Bighorns. Friend us and get all the updates we have time to give out. We try not to overload anyone on this site, we just want to make everyone aware of what we are doing.
Last year’s fun. Piney is waiting for you.
Gram and Ann Hurley. Last season on Piney Creek.
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Posted By roger on February 12, 2013
Last Monday, we opened the doors at the new location. 334 North Main St. Sheridan WY 82801. We don’t have everything up completely, but we are 80% functional as a store. We look forward to seeing everyone this season. We have great plans for the future. Stop by and hear all about them. Thanks Roger.
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Posted By roger on February 12, 2013
We are excited about our new store. This is going to be a great year. Clients are already calling to set up trips. Rogers’ time is booked for this 2013 summer. Roger will be spending more time in the shop where management of the store will be taking priority. What little time he has for guiding is already booked with established clients. David McDougall and Todd Helms are ready to help you have a great season. All of our guides are ready and waiting for your calls. Scott Schroeder will be back in late June, so get something booked right away. Scott is returning from two years in Sweeden and has only July and some of August this season so first come first serve. Both Scott and Todd are teachers, so their summers are limited outside their teaching school time. We also have Jon Sweet and Bob Krumm as our part time guides. These two are our early and late season specialists. Bob is usually booked July and August, but he is ready when you are for early and late season fishing. Jon is our ready any time guide. We like to have Jon booked; but for those none planners, he is usually there for us when clients don’t plan ahead. Our guides have decades of fly fishing experiences to share with anyone who wants to enjoy a day of fishing with them. We look forward to seeing you all this season. Come and check out our new store location and help keep this small shop around for future generations. Thanks for considering us for your summer vacation location. Fun and happy fishing days to all who care to learn the skills of fly fishing.
Todd Helms
- David McDougall
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Posted By roger on February 12, 2013
We have moved in to the new store location at 334 North Main St. Sheridan, WY 82801. Phone numbers and web pages are the same. Here are a couple of photos of the store empty. I will take a photo or two of the store with some goods in side next.
We have a new E-store at http://www.sheridanflyfishing.com
Stop by the online store and watch it grow with us.
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Posted By roger on January 15, 2013
Hello all,
We have great exciting news: the fly shop is moving down the street. Don’t run down there just yet, I hope to have the completed move by the end of February 2013. We are preparing the new building that is located 334 North Main St. in Sheridan. Some of you will know it as the old Bighorn Mountain Sports Building next to the Bike Shop and Carrol Furniture. Here are some photos of what it looked like when we started. We are doing some painting and minor up keep to get it ready to be the best fly shop in town. I know, I am the only fly shop in town, but over the next few years, I will trying to grow parts of the inventory such as clothing to have more on hand items for my great customers. Keep checking in for update photos. Thanks for all the support over the years, and I hope to have your continued support. Roger
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Posted By roger on November 29, 2012
We are always in need of customers, and this season is no exception. We need your support. Please come see what we have in the store and stock up for this winter, spring and summer fishing. If your family and friends ask you what you could use, tell them you would like a Gift Card from the Fly Shop of the Bighorns. If you don’t want to get anything now, the gift card will wait until you are ready for something you want. I have people that love using the gift card to get a break on the more expensive items we all love to use.
We are having sales on some rods, waders and wader boots, select sizes and models. Mention this article and get a free half dozen flies (6 flies @ $1.95ea.) when you buy 24 flies. This fly offer expires December 24, 2012. Anyone traveling to the Bighorn, the Wind River and the Platte River for the next month should take advantage of this great offer.
If you should want to order something from Orvis, please scroll to the bottom of my web page and click on the link. This will get you what you want directly from Orvis, and you will be supporting us with out ever stepping in or store. Thanks Roger
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Posted By roger on November 29, 2012
I realize I am writing basically the same information, but here is a better photo of the bigger Permit that I was able to land on my trip to Belize. My friend Dr. Halverson and I had a great time hunting these fish. I was blessed to hook 4 Permit and land two on my first day of salt water fishing. I landed a bunch of Bone fish and several Jack Crevalle. I only got about a dozen casts to Tarpon and I must say My casts were not perfect, but the fish were not interested in eating at the time we were fishing to them. I had one Tarpon follow my fly to the boat, but it did not eat my fly. He was looking but not touching. Most of the fish turned away from my casts or just swam by hardly glancing a look at my fly. We only fished to the tarpon for about 3 hours and we only saw Tarpon for the last 30 to 40 minutes of the day. I was very satisfied to even get to see any of these fish and I was thrilled to land so many of these elusive fish. On a positive note, I have reason to go back and try for the Tarpon and other fish. If I am lucky enough to ever catch another Permit in my life, I hope I will be ready to go for the grand slam. Thanks again to Dr. Halverson for taking me with him on this trip of a life time for me. Roger
Bone fish
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Posted By roger on November 18, 2012
My second landed Permit.
I fished Belize for two days this past week with my friend Dr. Chris Halverson. I was lucky enough and according to my guide good enough to hook 4 Permit and land 2 Permit of the 4. My great guide Kechu from El Pescador lodge was very happy that I was capable of making the cast, presenting the fly, hooking the fish and eventually landing these elusive fish. I made two fatal mistakes on the other two fish that ended the fights. I feel very lucky to catch the Permit on my first trip, and my first day ever fishing saltwater. I was able to catch some Bone fish as well, but the Tarpon was not willing to eat for me this trip. I had a couple fish follow my fly, but none were willing to eat my fly. Looks like I have reason to go back again. The El Pescador lodge is a great place to fish from. I highly recommend the people, the food and their accommodations. When I get more time, I will tell more of my adventure. Tight lines and the luck of the Irish to you. Roger (No I am not Irish, just wishing you their luck like it is mine to give away)
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Posted By roger on October 25, 2012
I recently was lucky enough to go to Argentina for some Golden Dorado fly fishing. This is not the salt water Dorado/Dolphin fish. This is an aggressive toothy fighter that wants to bite a chunk out of your fly every time it is close enough to bite. The Golden Dorado is a good looking fish that was a lot of fun to try to catch. It bites hard and pulls hard. If you are not ready at every moment of your cast it will surprise you and you will not hook the fish. The Dorado will pull your fly line out of and through your hand and still not hook up. I learned a lot of how to try to hook these fish for the first day and a half. I did land several fish on the second half of the second day which pleased me greatly. I finally landed my first Golden Dorado. I landed around 30 smaller Dorado under 7 pounds by day 5 of fishing. I had a shot at 6 fish that were over 10 pounds and under 20 pounds that were more than I was ready to handle. These six fish are the ones that will bring me back to Argentina.
The biggest fish I hooked was between 18 and 20 pounds. I made a cast about 100 feet off the boat and it was drifting fast into stick structures that want to grab your fly before the Dorado can grab your fly. I started to strip the fly as soon as it touched the water. My fly landed about two feet behind a log that I was trying to land in front of the log. As soon as the fly touched the water the biggest explosion of water and fish I have ever seen occurred. I immediately set the hook with a strong strip set and hooked the massive fish in one smooth slide of the line. Most of the Dorado I hooked blasted out of the stick and towards the boat trying to shake the hook, so I was ready to continue stripping. What I was not ready for was the speed of reverse this fish had. I had lost many fish on this trip by not getting a very hard hook set, so I gave the set all I had. We were fishing 60 pound, 40 pound 30 pound tippet with 30 pound bite wire on the end so I could give the set everything I had. When I did this, I hooked up immediately.
It turned out that me drifting along in the boat at about 6 -10 mph in conjunction with me setting as hard as I could and the 18 pound fish going into full reverse at the other end is just too much for 30 pound to 40 pound knot strength. This all happened in about 1-2 seconds, so I did not have much to do but think about what happened after it was all over. This was the fish of the trip and I was schooled quicker than I had any idea I was being schooled. IT WAS FANTASTIC. This fish alone will bring me back to Argentina.
The speed and power of this game is great fun. It is also hard, very hard to successfully make the cast, get the strip and set correct and then fight the fish to the boat with out having the fish shake the hook. It is by far the most challenging fishing I have ever done. I do not recommend this trip for the beginner or the intermediate fisherman. It really is for those guys that think or know they are great fly fisherman and want a great challenge to utilize great skill to catch Golden Dorado on the fly. If you decide to take 30 to 40 hours of travel out and 30 to 40 hours of travel back with as much fishing in the middle as you want, you will have a trip of a life time. Hooking and landing fish under 8 pounds was hard, but landing fish between 10 and 20 pounds should be your measuring stick of skill. If you should land a fish over 20 pounds and up to 50 pounds you are truly a one of the most accomplished fly fisherman in the world.
These photos are my friend Grahm Hurley, a Golden Dorado on a DRY FLY, and my guide Robin holding one I caught.
Enjoy these photos and have fun fishing. Roger
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Posted By roger on October 18, 2012
The weather is cooling off fast right now. Not a lot of snow yet, but cold over night temperatures are keeping the fish from feeding all day. Cold mornings slow down hatches until late in the afternoon. Hatches are slow to occur during the day and will shut off by about 5 pm. The beatis and midges are gradually making their return to the favorite food of fish for the winter. Make sure you are getting out and having some fun, but watch the weather closely to get the most of your fishing time.
The mountain fishing is getting harder and harder as the days tick by. The canyon waters are fishing good, but the cold water is making the fishing tougher. The lakes are starting to fish very good. Big fish are eating good and should get better going into the frozen season. Get out and enjoy some five to ten pound fish out of the still waters. The Bighorn River is fishing great. Every one should get a couple more days on the river before you give up for the season.
I recently got back from Argentina from a Golden Dorado fishing trip. The trip was fantastic and I had the best time trying to land some big Golden Dorado. I hooked one that was between 15 and 20 pounds in a pile of sticks that I won’t soon forget. Yes the fish broke me off quickly, but this large Dorado taught me more in that short second than have been taught in a long time from any fish I have hooked. I feel it is important to learn from every fishing situation, so I can grow into a better fisherman every time I fish. I will talk more about my Dorado fishing trip as the winter progresses.
Have fun. Roger
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