6/5/08
Thursday was cool but no rain and not much wind. Hoped it was the same on the Green. The river was flowing at 4220 CFS which is a lot of water hauling downstream. We were scheduled to float the "A" section of the river from the dam down to the take out at Little Hole. Several Class 1 and a couple of Class 2 rapids. Lots of big rocks though.
The Spinner Fall Guide Service owned and operated by Dudley Campbell was the float trip guide service. Our guide was Shaun Olson.
 Shaun Olson getting the boat into river for our float trip 6/5/08 |
 Dudley Campbell and Dawn start their float trip 6/5/08 |
Shaun was an excellent guide. He put Joanie in the bow and me in the stern. Today was to be all dry fly fishing. I was using my St. Croix Legend Elite that I had built in 2005. Shaun made a couple of 60 foot casts with it and told me I had done a good job of construction. He said that I could cast it into the backing. I told him maybe he could but I couldn’t. Joanie had purchased a T.L. Johnson 9′ 6wt 4 pc tip action fly rod specifically for this Green trip.
So outfitted in full life vests, Shaun pushed off, jumped in and grabbed the oars. With the river running 4220 CFS, Shaun worked hard back rowing to slow us down to get into back eddies, steering around the big rocks, running the several rapids we navigated, putting the boat into position where both Joanie and I could shore line cast for fish, net fish for us and taking some pictures. Several times, I thought I heard his back creaking with the strain.
Shaun must be part eagle because he surely could see the fish and the strikes. He would be yelling, "Set it! Set it!" Joanie had done this before and was better at it than I was.
Within a half hour Joanie was into the first fish – a nice brown. Browns were pretty much the order of the day. The fly we were using was a cicada imitation. Then in short order Joanie caught several more browns. Shortly before lunch, I caught a nice brown.
 Cicada Imitation tied by Shaun |
 Joanie with her first brown of the trip. |
 Me with my first brown of the trip. |
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The guides prepared a grilled chicken breast meal that was outstanding.  Dudley Cambell and guides preparing lunch for the Drifters. |
 The crew snacking before lunch. |
When we stopped for lunch a herd of Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep worked their way down the canyon wall for a drink. Big Horn Sheep coming down to drink |
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| Before taking off for more fishing, it was time for pictures | |
 The Drifters ready for an afternoon fishing |
 Our Guides in a hurry to get started for the afternoon. |
In the afternoon, I had the bow and Joanie had the stern position. The view from the bow was higher than the view from the stern so it was easier to see the fish come up for the fly. You also got pounded a lot more when going down the rapids.
On one of my better casts, I dropped the fly about 8 inches off the bank and instantly saw a small bit of white under the fly. I immediately set the hook and was into a nice 12 – 14 inch rainbow. Shaun congratulated me on the catch. This one sort of made up for the 20 inch rainbow, I lost before lunch while trying to get the line unwrapped around my reel after a bad backcast.
Joanie caught a few more fish in the afternoon and I hooked a nice 16 inch brown out of a slow seam along a run. Then, I hooked into a good fish just before a rapids. "Bring him along. I can’t stop the boat.", Shaun was yelling. I was trying to do that. But the fish ran straight under the boat for the bottom. I knew that it was over at that point. The boat started into the rapids, I was pulling and ping, the fly came out of the water headed downstream. But it was fun for 20 seconds.
All too soon, Shaun was pulling the boat to the ramp at Little Hole. I got a fellow fisherman to take a picture of me in the bow of the boat for the scrap book.
 At Little Hole – End of my first float trip |
 Shaun finished with his guiding duties |
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| Back at camp, we let the dogs out. Murphy chased Kelly, Kelly chased Murphy and Murphy chased his new girlfriend until he was bushed. Then to his favorite hole to rest and cool down.
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Dinner this night was steak, salad, potatoes and wine. Dawn and Pat joined us and we laughed a lot.
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Saturday 6/7/08
Raining again. I stayed in the trailer most of the day and slept a lot. Rain let up by evening and the big campfire gathering was a welcome change.
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Sunday 6/8/08
Bright and Sunny today. Great for some wade fishing upstream from Little Hole.
 The hole under the slick is about 8 to 10 feet deep even though you can see big rocks on the bottom. That is how clear the Green River in Utah is. |
 Ladies in our group fishing along the shore |
 Joanie and Marcia – Friends and Fishing Buds |
I ran into an older gentleman and his son along the trail. He said a long leader 9 to 12 feet, with 3 BB or 2AB weights to get to the bottom and a small sowbug on the top with a small emerger on the bottom had been working for him.
Several of the ladies hooked and landed some fish in the afternoon. Mostly though it was hiking along the trail and exploring for me. I found some good looking holes but have reached the age where climbing down 9 feet of rock face to get there is not an option.
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6/9/08
Monday turned out clear and beautiful.
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We broke camp, repacked the trailer and were on the road in two hours headed for Rock Springs, WY. The Flying J in Rock Springs serves a good breakfast 24/7 and I recommend it if you are in the area.
I-80 lived up to its reputation and was windy all the way to Cheyenne. Turning South onto I-25 we were in Colorado in less than an hour. The air was even different. It was home air and sweet.
Three hours, we were back at Joanie’s and unpacking essentials from the Jeep. I slept dead out that night.
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Spinner Fall Guide Service Contact Information
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Spinner Fall Guide Service I would also recommend the Spinner Fall Guide Service for a float trip on the Green River, Utah. My impression of the guides I talked with in the Spinner Fall service including the Owner Dudley Campbell is one of competence and knowledge coupled with a desire to help the clients catch fish and have a good time. Marshall Estes, Publisher |
Shaun Olson I would recommend Shaun Olson as a float trip guide anytime. He is knowledgeable, personable and works hard to help his clients catch fish and have a good time. Marshall Estes, Publisher |
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1 response so far ↓
1 Steve Larsen // Oct 20, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Great article! I also have had the opportunity to fish with the guides at Spinner Fall Guide Service – very knowledgeable and fun guys – my brother and I caught tons of fish with them in April 2008 during the blue wing olive hatch. Consider yourself a very fortunate man to know 25 women that enjoy fly fishing!