TRACKING THE RAVEN

This first column 2009 dedicated to a true brother of the long rod, serious wilderness guide, master fly fisher, half Egret, half piscatorial mystic...... Louie Gonzales A.K.A. “ The Raven “. Before I attempt to unravel the long illustrious flight of my semi-mystical hardcore fly guide brother. Perhaps a few scattered observations on the master class of international fly fishing guides/ sportsmen who dwell in rarified air few local mudhole salmon egg drowning home boys can imagine after three six packs of cheap beer and four hours of satellite fly fishing shows right Melvin? Rarified air indeed because it’s a small group to join Cowboy, maybe 25 exist that I’m aware of via direct contact or reputation. The gear one must pack to hang with these boys and girls include complete knowledge of every aspect, nuance, in regard to fresh/salt water tactics regardless of the weather, time of year, difficulty of the client/guide paradigm. Ability to think on your feet no matter what the emergency, basic triage some advanced first aid background, G.P.S., map reading skills, water, current, insect knowledge bordering on complete obsession! Ability to quickly read a new client and make adjustments according to ego/experience fast no waiting! The diplomatic innate gift of understanding the pathetic once a year scared -stiff -working -slave -slob next to you who just shelled out several hundred bucks and is basically clueless and inexperienced versus Mr. Big Shot Sports maniac, “ Hell don’t tell me kid, I forgot more about his sport then you’ll ever friggin know! “ Yeah baby the pendulum swings hard left to right timid to blown up egoist control freaks out to impress dazed and confused girlfriends.....

In my fifty years wondering around every river/stream/ocean available, guides have always been near and dear to this wild ass Irishmen. Tough way to make a buck or great way to stay on the water and make the best of every situation. Diplomatic skills are right there with fly fishing skills for sure. Especially in sad economic times, people can be difficult at best my friends....

ALL ABOUT CONTROL BABY !

International fly guide work is all about control as in life it comes down to who is pulling the strings and who imagines they are pulling.... Control over each day from the moment an often disoriented still novice fly fisher still sleepy arrives and greetings are exchanged, until dark and those red tail lights disapear. When I guided Yosemite and all points northern California it was during those first few minutes when I knew how the day would go. When I asked a new client what level he or she was at, the game was on. International guides who have been tested know the quicker one finds out exactly how much experince you have Leroy? The faster all adjusments in respect to where the first flies will be thrown and the last dry fly gently laid down can be made. Guides who are seasoned are more concerned with your skill level or how much extra work they will have to get you on a fish and then actually catch and release it safely. Then once your fly experince is nailed, its all about getting along in small boats, drift boats or in remote areas when the action goes dead and that always happens even in Alaska, Afrika, it happens! Sounds rather complex hey Dexter, truth is guiding on the master level is where its at in fly life. Once you have wrestled everything that swims fresh or salt on every continent under every imaginable condition including war, pestulence, social disorder! It dosen’t matter what the degree of difficulty Rauol when the smoke clears and your new client has just lost his or hers fourth nice Rainbow of the morning because they i a state of high excitement rip the hook instead of gently set ! You smile.

TWO DISTINCT FLAVORS

When I roll into a remote lodge first thing I notice is quality of the guide staff. Love to play and shoot the bull with my brothers of the long rod. Usually serious seasoned international guides come in two distinct flavors.

First and my least favorite of all is the cocky 25/45 year old who is loud, cocky, drinks too much, uneducated, primal, kinda dumb knockle dragger unkempt appearence long strringy hair, ball cap waering kinda dufus who knows fly fishing and that is about it Luke Skywalker. This guy usually has experince and skills no question, it his manner, degree of general crassness that announces his arrival and departure. The other fellow one encounters is centered, highly skilled, stays to himself though when pressed has a fine since of humor and never takes himself or this crazy sport too serious. On the other hand this last guide archatype will put you on fish everyday and when the action dies will be better company then most of those over weight whinning creatures at your last Thanksgiving Dinner Hombre! It is the later lofty skies The Raven dwells...

BAMBOO WORLD RECORD LAKE MARIE ALASKA

Over ten years ago I got the not so bright idea to go after a non existent Bamboo World Record in deep Alaska. Th nexus of the idea being well made Bamboo Fly rods were more sensitive, just as strong and more fun under extreme conditions then anything a chemist could ever conjure and steal 600 to a 1000 smacks out of your under stuffed bill fold Dexter. Details of this wild ass tale can be endured by reading Monster Kings & Sweet Bamboo Parts one and two. A tale told many times, short story is famed Bamboo rod maker Glenn Brackett loaned me about twenty grand in fine bamboo and off I went to lake Marie Alaska www.lakemarie.com . Goal being to landing King Salmon with a 6 weight Bamboo 8 weight tippet in front of guides.

Mission accomplished after seven hooks ups over three day period. 33/35 pound King landed after eight failures. The absolute toughest most difficult fly event of my life. After which all other existing fly fishing records meant nothing to me, nothing at all. It was at lake Marie the Raven first flew across my radar. Enough of this insane tale of wrestling monsters with butterfly nets.... It was within the confines of this still under construction wilderness homestead I found The Raven. The other five or six young guides were not as experienced as Louie. No brag, no boast just quietly sizing up the new clients and like a seasoned guide dog preparing them for a real wilderness fly adventure. Lake Marie was and still is the highest quality wilderness fly adventure venue in Alaska period! Owner operator David Wilson treats everyone the same first class. Be it fat bears or King Salmon. Contact David and get hooked up first class.

On my second lake Marie week long trip The Raven was given the easy task of just hanging out and playing all day for several days.. On the first day it was on, go for it and see who could catch and release as many species as possible ala maybe a grand slam. From the get go the Raven had me by five to ten fish all day, could not catch him, tried all the tricks Mr. Wolf could conjure. End of day smoke cleared we each had over 60 I recall and The Raven was victorious.

Over the years Louie has accumulated 12 consecutive years wilderness guiding Lake Marie Alaska,chasing huge Rainbows on the fabled Kvichak River, guided for the famous Clearwater fly Lodge and worked the Kenai River system. In his home state of New Mexico it’s the action at Vermejo Park or Cow Creek Ranch all quality fly fishing venues. Great to know this sport has a few people who walk the walk everyday... Nobody catches fish with the intensity of a successful Egret, nobody!




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“ ADVENTURES OF FLETCHER QUILL “