Up high in the peaks of Mt Shasta, Chester Kyle, Shannamar and his dog Black Butte are making their way up to check out some views and board Mt Shasta! Can you see Black Butte Mountain in the background? That used to be named Muir's Peak after our Pride and Joy of California~ John Muir, who used to draw sketches of Mt Shasta from the top of this plugged dome.
Shannamar's up for the task as always.
Wow! What a view.
Down they go!
I hope to see you down for the 2008 season in Patagonia Chile and Argentina! Jack Trout
Lloyd and his son Robbie are friends of mine that live in Belize, Central America. Lloyd has guided for me now for over 8 years and his expertise in sighting fish in the ocean flats as well as his knowledge about when to be out on the ocean water for the right tides, puts him at the top of the food chain as far as guides go. I really praise this guy and the three other guides we use for they are dedicated and will do what ever it takes to get our people into fish!
Just 20 minutes away from where we stay are a series of atolls and cayes that are perfect for bones, permits and jacks! The water is so incredible, always in the 80's and the colors are amazing to say the least. The island of San Pedro, Madonna's "isla bonita" is ideal for snorkeling, fishing and swimming, as well as romance. For scuba divers, there's Blue Hole, the natural underwater well that Jacques Cousteau once explored on his televised program. In Pine Ridge, Francis Ford Coppola built cabins with so much design detail that Frommers has dubbed its style "World Chic Fusion." The mahogany, cedar, pinkwood and cacao forests originally attracted the English to these parts in the 1640's. Later, came pirates and escaped slaves. The country was part of the British Common Wealth - under the name British Honduras - until 1981, when Belize achieved its independence. The local people are called Garifuna, and Lloyd said that many of his ancestry came from the island of Saint Prince before settling here in Belize. I do know that the Garifuna folks are the dab-nab nicest folks I think I've ever met abroad! So mellow, caring and honest! Jack Trout
So I got down early before my groups showed up to look things over and make sure my T's were crossed and I's were dotted! First to check out was the fly fishing! The fishing was great, bones were not too hard to find and daily we jumped permit and threw crab flies at them! Everyday we hit the flats to catch fish and keep up on what was going on!!
These are the typical flies we used on a daily basis.
Back on the mainland I could be found cruising the beach barefooted with a fly rod in my hand about 6am in the morning. Things start very early around here. It's Central America, so the sun always rises at 5:30am and sets at 6:30pm all year around. That's just what life is about here near the equator- no real changes in the season- except for the rainy months in Sept, Oct, Nov.
I walked by the lodge and things looked great, but I wasn't ready to go in and check on rooms and food just yet. I wanted to fly fish a little from the shoreline.
I casted from shore and hooked up on fish constantly.
Nice fight, I think it's a barracuda...
Wasn't huge but who cares from shore! One day a school of snapper and jacks came in near shore and I caught my lunch! I eat fish from the ocean but practice catch and release in the rivers I fly fish..
Back at home Lloyd, wife Clarice and daughter Claricia are hanging out watching the NBA playoffs! I like hanging out in the village everyone is so nice and the vibes are always good.
Clarice's dinners were so good, like these fresh shrimp with a sweet pepper sauce, now a pleasant memory. One night she prepared a fried snapper that was so delicious I can't stop thinking about it! All that fresh wonderful fish and fruit is making me wish I was back there!
Also in the village you get to see the local kind of things, like this 8 to 10 foot boa.
Back out on the boat livin-large!
Lloyd likes to be very stealth when jumping permit he sees some feeding over in the corner of this atoll so he approaches slow and precise. He pulls the boat over very quietly not to spook them while I shoot photos.
That tail goes up in the air and your heart sinks-- I swear! It always one of the most exciting things I've ever witnessed fly fishing. Quietly we made our way over by the feeding pac~mans.
Lloyd hooks one of the largest permits and it shoots off like a car door with a jet motor!
What a beauty! A 17 to 18 lb permit!
These all get released. We never keep a permit or bone fish.
So this is one of the three boats we have available for you!
This is one of the cabanas I offer while staying here in Belize.
This courtyard and everything here is absolutely 5 star! This is a place for the diehard angler or the non-angler beach and snorkel extraordinaire. (Lounge Lizard)
Looking out and hearing the ocean at all times makes the experience all the better. I loved the beautiful native flowers everywhere and Jesus Lizards could be seen walking on the sand and the water!.
This is a standard room I offer in my standard package. 8 days - 7 nights - 5 days fly fishing for $2550 per person double occupancy. All meals breakfast, lunch and dinner at my 5 star beach front resort! The food is simply divine and some of the fish we catch the lodge will doll up for us for a world class cuisine! Of course, the best guides and their boats are also included. If you put together a group of four or more I will come down and take photos of your adventures and post your story on www.mtshasta.com.
This is the room I offer for my elite package- even has a jacuzzi tub in the room! standard package. 8 days - 7 nights - 5 days fly fishing for $2950 per person double occupancy.
The views are some of the best anyone could ever dream of having on the Carribean Ocean, and the tiki bar isn't that far away either- can you say Piña Colada !
I hope to see you here relaxing and fishing because you deserve it!
The main lodge is perfect for the Gebhart group of 10, I have arriving later on in the week.
One more look around everything looks perfect to me!
Ah, the beach! Time to chill...
The night before the Gebharts arrived, I cruised back by the lodge just to have one more look around. I looked up and saw all the tiki lights lit up and it was almost surreal. I felt so confident about this trip, I had all guides organized, the Mayan tour was organized, paid for and confirmed, as well as the diving and snorkeling. I looked around and thought to myself, could this be one of my greatest adventures ever? I was little nervous for only two in the group were fly fishers, the rest would need to be taught out on the flats...
I turned a corner and thought to myself, I wouldn't have it anyother way. Teaching people fly fishing is what I'm all about! I've been doing it for years and I had total confidence in my guides Lloyd, Clarence, Terry and K.K. I knew they would be on top of their game! I went back to my room looked over my lists one more time and got ready for bed. For the Gebhart Families first day in Belize with Jack Trout International was tomorrow and I smiled as I thought to myself, "fate favors the well prepared". This was to be my largest group I had ever entertained for an international travel week and I felt ready! The fan played its fiddle into the night with the drum sound of ocean waves crashing on the beach in the background, as I thought my last good thought I fell back silently into a deep sleep.
The next day, we fetched the Mercedes bus and drove it into the airport to pick up the troops.
On the way into town I stopped the driver the to take a picture of the non-venomous green vine snake. Cool!
The customers landed and all the baggage was safe and there!
Everyone was so happy to be in Belize and we celebrated by having a beer together! Christina, Danny's girlfriend, was a hit with her flip-flops that sported a beer bottle opener on the sole of the shoe..
Then we stopped for more beers and the locals welcomed us!
We arrived at my lodge and King, my dear friend gave the group an orientation while the group drank piña coladas! Jim Gebhart thought to himself, if a man orders a piña colada in Redding, California out a local bar he might get beat-up...
Richard upgraded his package with me and stayed near the tiki bar in the high rent district. The kids all stayed in standard rooms which were very nice indeed.
The native flowers on all the beds daily were a nice and unique touch.
I could always find the gang near the bar talking about all the great things we had in store!
The first day out we used three flats boats. Lloyd guided Travis, Cindy and Rick. You might recognize Travis in this picture from Asher Pet Hospital in Redding, California. I came along to shoot photos and give some casting lessons.
Cindy and Rick had never fly fished. Travis? Maybe once or twice. So this was their introduction to fly fishing, out on a reef in the middle of the Americas. Kind of nice on the eyes~ wouldn't you say? Even if you didn't catch a thing- which is unheard of, you're still surrounded by all this beauty! The best part is if you want a break from fishing, you can always snorkel one of the worlds best places to see reef fish of every variety!
After a short casting lesson Rick got a hit just leaving his fly in the water talking to Cindy. Cindy then hooked a barracuda while trying to recast and everyone seemed really interested in this fly fishing... We looked over only to hear Travis screaming and cheering as an apparent bone fish had nicked his fly and he was off for the ride of his life.
Lloyd and Travis off fly fishing in the distance.
Nice bone fish bros!
Wow! This might go 7 lbs!! What a great bone fish~ Do you have boner envy? Nice hook-up Travis and Lloyd- that's what dreams are made of!
Travis celebrates by taking a dunk!! He's happy folks!
Lloyd then brings us to this spot where bone fish hung out and socialized. We caught so many bone fish it was silly!
Cindy, her first day out fly fishing, caught 13!
Rick thought these fish fought harder Than the underwriters at Freddie Mac!
Nice first boner dude! I remember my first bone in the summer of...
Cindy with another landed bone fish. Guess what folks- Cindy caught more fish that day with the least amount of experience (and even lower expectations when you take into account that she and Rick really thought they would just mainly snorkel that day)! I was so happy to see my people catching bones and having fun; it was one of my most rewarding moments in 14 years of hosting international travel. Lloyd was in his element taking us all over the cayes to different areas he had been fishing for over 30 years!
Travis caught another ripper!
Rick landed his 7th and he caught the fly fishing bug people! If you knew how much time and effort I spent planning this perfect trip, you would have felt the same way I did--elated! It was obvious- these sweet people deserved this trip and the weather, wind and tides were all cooperating that day.
About 2pm we had caught so many fish, that the group said it was time to head for a bar along the many atolls and take a mid-day swim/drink break!
Have you checked out Destination Fish? It's a new global fishing and fly fishing magazine. Check out my full page ad after the new article on fly fishing Chile's Lake District. Joan Wulff, Lefty Kreh, Flip Pallot, Billy Pate, Al Pflueger, jr, and Stu Apte are all on the advisory board for this 4 times a year global masterpiece of a magazine! http://www.destinationfish.travel Check it out, you'll love this great worldly fishing informational publication.
**I SURE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THOSE ADVENTURES! STAY TUNED AS RICHARD & CYNTHIA GEBHART HOOK-UP! DANNY AND CHRISTINA HOOK-UP WITH HARDLY ANY CLOTHES ON! AND WE TOUR MORE CAYES, ATOLLS AND REEFS IN SEARCH OF THE BEST BARS WITH THE PERFECT ISLAND DRINK! MORE SNAKES~ REPTILES AND TURTLES TO COME!!! TRAVIS AND BRANDON HOOK 20+ LB BARRACUDAS ON FLIES AND JIM HOOKS A 10LB BONE FISH AND BREAKS HIS FLY ROD LANDING IT!! THANKS FOR WATCHING MY ADVENTURES!! JACK TROUT
EMAILS FROM YOU:
Jack, I'm still thinking about the trip and just wanted to drop you a note to let you know what an awesome time we had in Belize. Handling a group of ten brothers, sister, spouses, girlfreinds and parents I'm sure was not easy. Your ability to consider all of our interests, vary from the plan, and adapt on the fly was really great. From scuba diving at Glover's reef to the Mayan cave tour to the incredible (bone, permit, barracuda, etc) fishing... all of it was just outstanding. Great accommodations, great food and drink, and the fantastic guides you put together really made the trip very special. I'm a stickler for planning and I can't say that I've been on trip where I haven't had to worry about a thing. You really did a tremendous job!! LETS DO IT AGAIN
Richard Gebhart, DVM Redding, California
Bravo Jack from the Mom as well. This Belize trip was without a doubt the best and more important trip of Richard's and my life and we have had some wonderful trips. The fact that we were with our children and they were all getting along so well with one another that can be contributed to the fact that they do love one another but also that you took away the element of dissagreement by planning every daily activity including who went with whom. Every day was an adventure for us all. Thank you so much Jack. You did a great job! Gratefully, Cindy Gebhart
Jack, Hope the river is fishing well. We are headed to Idaho and Utah in June. 2 day overnight float on the Southfork of the Snake River from Southfork Lodge to Heisie pull out. Cutthroat Trout, Rainbows and Browns. Should be good fishing. Then on to the Green River in Flaming Gorge National Park. We will send you some photos. Hope to see you in the Fall. Rick Holt, Jim Roache
Jack, I just wanted to thank you and especially our guide, Eric, for a wonderful day out on the McCloud last Saturday. Eric was everything that we could have asked for in a guide; knowledgeable, adventurous, patient and always fun. As an added bonus, we caught a few fish! When we signed up for a day of fishing, only in our wildest dreams did we think that we would be out on the water for almost 11 hours. We didn't get back to the fly shop until around 9:30 pm...exhausted and happy. We are looking forward to our next trip up to the Mt. Shasta area and will definitely be giving you a call. Here are a few pictures of our day. -Ben Kobrin and Bryan Davis
Jack, My family will be staying with some friends (the Burnham's) at the Bollibokka (sp?) Club between August 29th and September 3rd. They are minor "owners" and this is their week to be there. I grew up with Dewitt Burnham jr. (50) over summers at Truckee, and his father taught us the love of fly fishing on backpacking trips in Desolation Wilderness. Now it's time for my godson Dewitt the 3rd (age 10) and his sister (8) and mother to get turned on to this as well. I've given them the Curtis Creek Manifesto to get started, and will be doing some backyard yarn casting when school gets out. I am wondering if you could put on a half-day "seminar" for us on the McCloud early in their stay. There's so much more to understanding the river, the bugs, and reading water than just trying to keep a score of fish caught. This way we'll all gain the benefit of getting grounded on what's happening on/in/around the river at that time, and the next days can be spent wandering/practicing & appreciating. Likely a group of ten all together - ranging from eight to fifty. I'm really looking for your expertise and love of the area to inspire. Our family have a ranch east of Whitmore (think north of Lassen at 3,000 ft.), so we love the area and fish as often as chores allow. In fact, I was lucky to hook up with a nice fish on the Upper Sac last Saturday on a brown salmon fly nymph. Let me know if you think this is something you can do. I'm really looking forward to introducing the next generation to the natural history of the area. My wife and son (18) are keen on all of this too - we're appreciative, and nothing like experts. Looking forward to hearing from you, Jamie James E. Sherman
Hey Jack,
Thanks so much for the call and spending time to give me an overview of your plans for our outing. I am totally looking forward to this trip on the 5th of July. You have killed my productivity here at work today. I told my wife about it and she is very excited. You'll have to give her a list of quaint towns to visit while we are in the area. I assume she'll like McCloud, Dunsmuir and Mt. Shasta. The pictures from the website look great. Those rainbows are absolutely the most colorful I have seen in a long time. I fear we may want to move out there after the trip.
Here is my address and other info. I'll call you this evening with my credit card numbers.
Chris and Lisa Morelli Sons Nate, age 14 and Matt age 16 Hershey, PA
Hi Jack: Congratulations for all the achievements you are getting in Chile. I hope everything works perfectly and you can make all your dreams come true. Are you planning to move to live in Chile? I`ve been fine. I`m planning some important things for this year: my trip to Europe in August (as holidays) and I will buy an apartment in La Serena in the next months, similar to the one you visited. I`m very happy and I hope everything works for me too. I just checked your website and it seems like you are travelling to Belize??????? Hope so! Well it`s been nice to say Hi. Have a wonderful summer season. Hugs ANA MARIA ~ Chile
Hi, I saw your advertisement regarding guided fly fishing trips. I am planning on being in the town Shasta, CA arriving Friday, July 20 and leaving Sunday, July 22, 2007. I was hoping to schedule a guided flyfishing trip for Saturday July 21. I would probably go for the float/wade/fish if you have anything open. I could also do the walk & wade. Could you give me as much information as possible about the difference between the two types of fishing given where I'll be staying (Best Western, Shasta) - most time on the stream/river, best fishing, etc. I have been fishing for many years, but not that great of a caster. I usually do the nymphing thing with pretty good luck locally. I tend to be pretty laid back, I like a guide who is an easy teacher - fun to spend a day with. Hope to hear from you soon. Terry Terry Michael McClanahan
Hello Jack, I have been enjoying your reports on Brian Hoffman's radio show for a few years now, and I would love to learn to fly fish. Do you offer anything for someone who has never fished?
Many thanks.
Best, Jon
Hi Jack,
You are awesome!!! Thank you for your nice voice mail and for doing such a sweet display on your website. She was very touched.
How long are you going to leave this up? Want some people to see it?
See you soon.
Jim Dickey
Hi Jack -
Please try the attached files & let me know if they work for your site. You are definitely a breath of fresh air to work with. Thank you for always having such a positive attitude it really helps brighten the day.
JENIFER KRESGE CREATIVE DIRECTOR FLORIDA SPORT FISHING MAGAZINE
Jack,
Patrick, Nathan and myself have not stopped talking about our trip. It was an adventure! Thank you for everything. Please dont forget to e-mail me the pictures you took of Patrick and Nathan with the fish they caught. They are anxious to get the pictures from you.
Thanks
Paul Reyes
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Try everything twice. On Madam's tombstone (of Whelan and Madam) she said she wanted this epitaph: Tried everything twice...loved it both times!
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. (keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches;)
3. Keep learning: Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER.
6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love: Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is. 10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. (I love you, my special friend.)
11. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second time.
And if you don't send this to at least 2 people - who cares? But do share this with someone.
Lost time can never be found.
You don't stop laughing because you grow old, You grow old because you stop laughing"
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