mtshasta.com – jack trout's weblog

**STEELHEAD HAVE MOVED IN FROM OCEAN CATCHING BIG ONES AT THE MOUTH OF THE KLAMATH!!**

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I told my girlfriend at the time I didn’t want a dog. Shasta came to me as a fur ball about as big as a an hatchery trout. She was found abandoned up at Mt Shasta High School, I was talked into taking Shasta and little did I know the course of events to follow would be the making of the greatest river guide dog this country has ever seen (certainly the most photogenic).

Right from the start Shasta was obedient, especially on the rivers. She had an innate ability to take you to the spots we had fished before, even if she had only been there once. She could pick up the trail scent and bring us back to the car without ever really being told. It was like she knew her role from day one. She always just wanted to be a part of the team, loved fishing and meeting new customers. I counted over 1500 trips she had made with me over a 11 year period. How many times did she find the way for me and my customers on the McCloud River? The openings for fishing down at Bollibokka were the most impressive, even if she hadn’t been there for a while. Tom Cervantez emailed me and remembers the time she chased off the bear and eventually treed it!

I remember all the great raft trips together, pointing at rising trout and howling in the morning her excitement with me about the coming guide day! We are saddened by the recent loss of Shasta the Trout Dog and I just haven’t been the same inside. I miss my partner and know she had the best life a dog could ever have, but Shasta was more than just a dog so that’s fitting. This is why my web log has suffered recently, I just couldn’t write for a while, it hurt too bad!!! This friend has watched my business grow from a guide looking for trips, to the north state’s #1 guide service. I owe a large part of this to Shasta, Mike Hibbard, my other guides and a strong work ethic and commitment to the love of my life.(my dog & guiding you). Shasta knew hand signals that I would use to direct her up or down the opposite side of the river.

In the end, all I can say about Shasta is we were all impressed with her dreamy loveable fishing eyes, that looked over at you in the boat and said, pet me, you’ll live happily ever after, if you just pet me.
I love Shasta Trout and will never forget her, I plan to put her ashes in all of our favorite rivers here in the North State. Someday I will join her and be at peace as I become one with my rivers like she did before me. I have strength now to do my job, to go on and make Shasta proud, I still find myself whistling her call, thinking about saving some scraps for her outside of the diner, or looking towards the banks for her nose peeking out from under a shaded retreat.
Some have said to me to go out and get another dog, but that is a joke! (STOP!) Shasta was one of a kind, and because of that her legend will live on here in the North State. I’m glad I got a day off to write, this makes me feel a lot better. NOW LET’S HEAR YOUR GREAT SHASTA STORIES, AND I WILL PUT THEM UP NEXT TO GREAT FLY FISHING PICTURES. I’M NOT GOING TO BE SAD ANYMORE SHASTA WILL BE WITH ME IN SPIRIT AND I MUST TAKE CARE OF THE GREAT PEOPLE WHO LOVE FLY FISHING LIKE WE DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE EMAILED ME AND CALLED REGARDING SHASTA THE TROUT DOG! I am honored to have been touched by an angel with a furry tail that followed me on the rivers and reflects back to me an era in time that was so dear to both of us. I had a dream four nights ago that I was running with Shasta on the Upper Sac. She was young again and a voice in the dream said to me, “Whenever you want to find Shasta all you have to do is look into your dreams and she will appear,” I woke up after that dream and knew she was in a great place….. jt

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Shasta watching rising trout this past April on Hat Creek!

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Shasta and Tom Shaddox on Hat Creek. Shasta’s two favorite rivers in her old age were Hat Creek and the Trinity Rivers.

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When Keith and Brice and his son Shane arrived the weather couldn’t have been better. They had scheduled their trip for 3 days and we took them on the Trinity, Lower Sac (Mike Hibbard) Upper Sac and the Mccloud Rivers. Shane hooked a 4lb Kamloop on the Upper Sac!(camera was out of batteries, bummer!) Keith caught 15 with Mike on the Lower Sac and Shane caught 25. Keith had a trout on the Trinity jump up and hit him in the chest, I might add I had another fish hit another customer this week in the arm in the same area below Lewiston Dam?? Trout are getting pissed off about us catching them??!!??

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Here’s Shane with a nice trout on the Trinity. I had a great time with you and your father, Mike and I look forward to seeing you this fall. jt & Mike

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Last week was Shasta’s last week, and this was her last fish she helped with on the McCloud River. I have so many precious memories on the McCloud River with my partner. Young Andy enjoyed his time he spent with Shasta, and we are all grateful for Shasta’s contributions made while here on earth. The outpouring I have received has been amazing and I thank you all again. Thank you Andy for being such a great kid in life, in school and out on the river with me and Pops!

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Andy Haun you are one funny kid! Keep up that great personality and laughter, you’re going places friend! Don Haun, thanks for coming up, let’s take Andy to the Upper Klamath in the fall. jt (Oct to Jan)

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Mike Hibbard and I had a great time guiding these three characters for 5 days this past week. Our two days on the Lower Sac were great! Clay hooked into this nice rainbow that took him for a ride.

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Tom was with me, and hooked into this trout that had just come up for the day from Anderson.

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Clay hooked this trout just below the new Sundial Bridge in Redding.

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We released this beautiful trout unharmed and then it swam off to the tryouts for American Idol??

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Here’s Bill in the back of Mike’s new Hyde Drift Boat landing another trout before we headed in for lunch.

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Way to go Bill!!

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Bill Vanderweken was too important of a person to wade. (Diplomat) So we gave him the V.I.P. treatment and took him out in the Dogonit Raft! Bill hooked more trout than Melda Marcos has shoes in her closet…

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We heard the guys had hooked a large adult steelhead above us so we loaded the motor brigade and proceeded covertly up top to take over Clay’s spot.(Diplomat)

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This guy needs his own reality TV show! Bill congratulations you’re the Sizzler of the Week Award Winner! Congratulations Sizzler! Dear Bill, Tom, and Clay, thank you so much for choosing Jack Trout Guide Service. We had a great week with you guys and for sure you have left a lasting impression on us that soon will not be forgotten. Thank you for all the jokes, good will and compliments, we like you folks and consider you “our tribe”. Jack & Mike

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One that didn’t get away. Adult steelhead caught on a 5 wt rod with 5X tippet size 20 midge on the Trinity River Thursday August 11,2005.

Thanks Mike and Jack for an outstanding fishing experience. Two of the best guides I have ever fished with. Looking forward to coming back soon. Clay

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The gorgeous Trinity Lake from a vista.

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Bucks out eating in a yard near Douglas City, on the Trinity River.

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Deer can swim you know!

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What a day for Bryce Pearson! Over 20 trout his first time fly fishing!

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Spencer and his son enjoyed their day on the Trinity River. I think fly fishing is a great way to bond with your children. If you have kids we want to guide them!!! Jack Trout and the Guides.

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True freedom! Stay tuned sizzlers as we take the Stewart Springs Road over to the Trinity River! We will watch Bob Cohen and his son Aaron as they fly fish for the very first time on our next report! Also I’m heading to the mouth of the Klamath today to report this next Thursday on the steelhead migration.*****MANY RIVERS TO YOU, JACK TROUT
SHASTA WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED BY ME AND YOU!!*****

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