Sick Sick Sick

             Three straight days of powder skiing on Vail Mountain. Sorry no time to think about fishing.



My friends




Untracked pow





Our tracks



My smile

Mike Geisler's guide to fishing

Why are some people better at fishing than others? Practice and passion I suppose. As for me there is more to fishing than just catching a fish. Some days I want to completely dominate fish. Other times I just want to have an enjoyable day on the water. Sometimes it's nice to watch others fish.
   To completely dominate fish is a never ending battle. Something can always be done better. Perhaps a situation calls for lighter line, or a stiffer rod. There are days when fish want fast erratic movements, and the next day fish might like it slow. There are times of the day and moon phases one can pattern. Either way my mind is always working hard to put more fish on the line. Sometimes I'll use a fly or lure that doesn't hook up that many fish for me, just so that I can better learn how to use that bait. Complete fish domination.
   Sometimes it's not as much about catching fish as it is to just enjoy a day of fishing. Fishing a surface lure, or catching a fish on a hand tied fly can make for a great day fishing.  Carrying a lot of tackle can be cumbersome and constantly retying lures is frustrating. To simply carry one rod and a favorite topwater plug is as cool as a summer breeze. Watching a few fish show interest to a hand tied mouse pattern is fun. If the fishing is no good maybe take a nap. To catch lots of fish can be a daunting task, but to simply enjoy the day is always an achievable goal.
   Watching others fish can be both educational and fulfilling. What happens when you have both caught lots of fish, and had lots of wonderful fishing memories... you take someone else fishing. Showing others to fish has taught me a lot. How to be patient, how to be ethical to nature, and how to catch more fish. Not to mention I've had the honor of taking my dad and my daughter fishing. I proposed to my wife on a fishing trip. Now I get to watch the ones I love fish.

   That's it, Mike Geisler's guide to fishing, not catching. For me it's never been just about catching a fish. How could it be when there is so much more.
  

I just took 11 people from the Dominican Republic ice fishing.

     I just took 11 people from the Dominican Republic ice fishing for their first time.  It went great, and was quite entertaining. Here's the story.
     Another guide and myself pick up our clients at their hotel, and immediately we notice that quite a few of our fishermen, ice fishermen, are wearing penny loafers and dress slacks. For the rest of our story we'll call them Seppi and the gang. We inform Seppi that it's going to be cold and he translates for the rest of the gang. It seams that even though our guests are staying at the best ski resort in North America most of them don't have boots or snow pants. Good thing as fly fishing guides we have an endless supply of waders. So after a quick stop for hot dogs, hot chocolate, 500 hand and foot warmers, a soccer ball, pepsi, and of course 1 more pair of dress gloves? We are on our way. It's an hour drive so being a smart guide I grab four of the teenagers to ride with me. I figured they would talk the least. I was right they didn't talk much... they sang. I thought it must be a song about their heritage or fishing, but after some acute listing it was actually John Mayer. I turned up the radio.
     We arrive at our fishing destination. The lake is barely visible through the wind and snow a mere 50 yards away. There are 3 foot drifts in the parking lot, but we're going fishing. I immediately get the gear out and get the kids fishing. The adult show up 45 minuets later... in waders. The fishing started out slow. It's amazing how simple I think ice fishing is compared to how challenging it can be for beginners. Line getting stuck on the edge of the hole. Opening and closing the bail with hand warmer stuffed mittens on. Not having bait on, or even having lures in the hole were just some of the problems we encountered.

     It was looking pretty grim. At one point Seppi and the whole gang were stuffed inside my two man portable shantee. Time to shine. Our fishing was sloppy, but we still had a few strikes. I drilled more holes and did some searching. I put a jig down a shallow hole close to the bank and immediately got bit. I moved everyone in shallow and bang, Seppi pulls out a fish. The kids start catching fish. Jean Paul pulls out a trophy Rainbow. Everyone is enjoying themselves; taking pictures, eating hot dogs, drinking hot chocolate, and sledding. Mission incredibly accomplished. After the car ride and a hefty tip from Seppi I'm able to sit, relax, and enjoy this wonderful world we live in.

notice the waders