Jack Trout’s Weblog

***CHILE~CHILE~CHILE~CHILE~CHILE~CHILE~CHILE~CHILE~CHILE***

Mary’s Peak on a cold winter morning. One day driving through the Shasta Valley my eyes drifted off the highway to see a hill that’s shaped like a loaf of brown sugar sitting up proud on a kitchen counter top. Many moons ago the Klamath River used to drain into the Pit River on the east side of Mt Shasta and Bogus Mountain. After many series of eruptions, as many as 10 times in the last 3000 years, the Shasta Valley floor
raised itself up as well as the lava coming out of Mt Shasta, and pushed the Klamath River flows due west
towards the direction it runs present day. Mary’s Peak is located right on the edge of the push of land that re-directed the river. After that occured ancient Lake Lahotan
that extended from Utah, flooded the valley then receeded. The Shasta valley floor was hundreds of feet lower during the pleistocene epoch 9000 + years ago. jt

My good friend and local hero, Matt Hill and I decided to float the Brown Bear section to Blue Heron on the Klamath River on January 31st, 2005. The morning started out cold, but by mid-day it looked like this. This drift had great runs and riffles to fish, and is a great alternative to fishing the Iron Gate section.

Right off the bat, Matt caught this 1/2 ber in some slow to medium speed water. We were using eggs and stones and the morning was so cold, I preferred to row! The views were lovely and I had a warm heart for it was my last day for two months on my home river, the Klamath.

Matt’s first fish wasn’t big, but it sure was translucent! All the fish in this section are total cromers and are wild.

Then in the afternoon Matt landed this Chef boy Ardee after farming a much larger fish! I farmed a few too, but isn’t that what brings you back? “Matt, thanks for a great day on great piece of water!” I might mention we saw a huge mature Bald Eagle and all was completed on my final day fishing in California before leaving for the Lakes District and Patagonia Chile.

And in the end, our time on the river elasped like the fog rising back into the sky. Only there for the moment, an in fin decimal of time to enjoy and return to the places we know and love, like a cloud or a piece of fog holding on for dear life and embracing the day, living for another morning and returning again when the time was right. jt

Mike Foster of Fawndale came up to do a float on the Iron gate section this past week and caught this nice wild steelhead. Mike has been going out with Jack Trout Guide Service since 1997 and was fired up to be back on one of his favorite rivers.

Then Mike landed this 10 pound steelhead that won him honors as SIZZLER OF THE WEEK! CONGRATULATIONS SIZZLER! UP TO THAT DAY HIS SON GREGG HAD THE LARGEST STEELHEAD CATCH IN THE FOSTER FAMILY, AN 8 LBER TWO YEARS AGO ON THE UPPER KLAMATH. WAY TO GO MIKE, SORRY YOU HAD TO WORK THAT DAY GREGG! SEE YOU IN THE SPRING! JT

Mike Hibbard on the Trinity River. Mike wanted me to tell everyone that he and Team Trout, will be here to guide you on the Trinity, Klamath and Lower Sac while I’m off with my groups in Chile. Give us a call, the fishing has been great after all these rains and we’re seeing bigger fish. February will be great on all of our local rivers, 530-926-4540 Thank you, Mike Hibbard Head Guide, Jack Trout Guide Service. I also want to mention to call now to reserve your date for Upper Sac raft trips, I’m booking up already for the 2005 season which will run from April 1st to June 25th this year.

The Andes Mountains that run along the Chilean and Argentine border are absolutely amazing, I traveled over them on my trip two years ago to Brazil with the graduating class of 2002 at Temuco University. What a great adventure to take a bus over the towering crags that act as a natural border for Chile and Argentina. Now as I write my last web log before I take off tomorrow bound for Chile, I can’t help to think about how far I’ve come along with my operation in Chile. About 11 years ago was my first trip to Chile and since then I’ve gone every year. The first years were major lessons that one could learn anytime dealing with foreign countries, guides and cultures away from your home turf. But like that song by Green Day, In the end, everything was right. I am so excited about this season and feel as though the “Old Bull”is leading the way more these days as the “Young Bull” is getting older and prefers to do things the right way!
(MY CHILDNESS ENTHUSIASM WILL NEVER LEAVE ME SIZZLERS, I LOVE LIFE!)
It’s all about the customers always, and I think life is about effecting people lives in a positive way and making others enjoy their day more as you share the endevors life has presented to you. LIFE IS LIFE!! NA NA, NA DA NA, LIFE IS LIFE!
TAKE CARE SIZZLERS AND STAY TUNE AS WE HEAD DOWN TO CHILE
FOR 7 WEEKS OF STORIES AND ADVENTURES! MANY RIVERS TO YOU, JACK TROUT AND THE TEAM TROUT GUIDES….!