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Testimonials:

Mike,
I want to tell you first of all how professional Josh [Kelly] was during our trip. He made the trip fun, exciting and worth every dollar spent! He helped me to speed up the learning curve as I continue to learn more about the great sport of fly fishing! I can’t say enough about RMNP and it’s beauty, I’m great full to have had the opportunity to fish there and look forward to my own adventures. I want to also take a minute to thank both Mike and Dick for there vast knowledge, and there willingness to help me out on numerous occasions as I walked thru the store uncertain. Both gentleman took the time to show me the fly’s to try and how to rig them, plus a few extra helpful tips (your kindness will not go unnoticed!). I will continue to do business with the Laughing Grizzly and will be soon booking another trip for my 12 y/o daughter and I.
Kris Tilley

Mike,
I wanted to email you guys and let you know what a wonderful job Reed and Shyanne did.  They were a pleasure to talk to, very knowledgeable and patient; they get my best referral possible.
John Shelby

Mike,
I wanted to thank you again for organizing an excellent day trip on Sunday August 3rd for myself and Terry Brown, particularly given the last minute changes resulting from canceled flights. The day spent with Dick Shinton was outstanding and I felt privileged to have had the opportunity to get instruction and guidance from such a knowledgeable and experienced guide. Dick’s knowledge of RMNP greatly added to the quality of the day and I particularly appreciated the tips and coaching on technique for fishing such close conditions that ultimately contributed to the overall success of the day.  The company was exemplary, the scenery spectacular and the fish were exquisite. Please pass on my thanks to Dick and I hope to see you again soon.
Chris Pullen
Ottawa ON
Canada 

Gents,
Wanted to take a moment to thank the shop for setting us up with Tim for our trip to RMNP. My wife and I are new to fly fishing, and after a very educational and successful day out fishing, we are quickly becoming converts to fly fishing only! Tim did a great job, was very patient and set us up for a day of success (wife and I caught 11 brookies between the two of us).  Nice to have found a local shop that we can trust, definitely are dedicated customers!
Gavin and Danielle Dickman

Mike,
A big thank you for two days of fly fishing. Tim And Dick did a great job of taking care of my needs and requests. The native trout fishing was more than expected. I will recommend this shop and guides to anyone coming out here. I hope to be back next year. Your shop is stocked good with all the fishing needs. I'll look forward to Tenkara fishing with the new Rhodo I purchased there.
Don Young


Mike and Tim,

We wanted to let you guys know we had a great time, and you have got some beautiful waters. Suzie and I really appreciated your going the extra mile to get us on the water Thursday and Friday, and I had a great time on the guide trip on Saturday with Tim. Also, tell Dick that we also appreciate him driving all over trying to find some piece of unlocked water, I'm sure that was adventurous to say the least.
Tim, if you every see that rainbow over at Lyons again, throw a pic my way, I would love to get a look at him. My contact info is below, feel free to keep in touch. We'll definitely be back, and let you guys know when.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Tight Lines.
Mike & Suzie Moskal

Dick,
Thank you for the nice fly tying lesson. I'm having a fun time tying flies. I can easily tie the [San] Juan Worm, but the Foam Beetle is hard; I can't x-wrap the legs. Thanks for your time.
Your student
Caleb (12 yrs old)

Mike,
I've been fishing the St Vrain in various spots over the last couple of years with my dad, Bob, thanks to some info [you] provided. [I've] fished in the vicinity of Camp Dick and between Button Rock Dam and Longmont Reservoir, which is an awesome stretch of water. I'm looking forward to the book on the Indian Peaks area.
Jon

Frank,
Thanks so much for the photo. It is great! And, thanks again for guiding me yesterday. I had a great time! Hope I didn't talk your ear off too much   I think Dan and I might go fishing in the park or somewhere Saturday morning. Don't want to forget everything I learned....
Suzanne Kloster

Dick,
... we stopped in the shop on our way from the Denver airport to Estes for our annual RMNP fishing trip... two northeast Ohio guys and their wives. We bought a few goodies and asked you for some advice about fishing near Grand Lake, as we planned to go over the hump for three days and fish the west slope for the first time ever.

You made two suggestions, circled the locations on the map, and shared your ideas... I'm writing to let you know that we took your advice and fished the Colorado above Grand Lake and absolutely hammered brookies... Small water, lots of critters, beautiful little fish... oh, yeah, and five territorial moose... it doesn't get any better than that. Dick, that half hour you gave us in the shop made our trip!
Tight lines,
Bruce Barrett

Frank,
Wanted to say thanks for the guided fly fishing tour last Monday. Brenda and I had a great time. We fished almost every day the rest of the week. Hiked 4 miles back into the East Inlet and it was a fish in the barrel type day. When I get good enough, I’ll look at ordering a cane rod from you.
Regards,
Mike and Brenda Kerr

Frank,
Brian and I thoroughly enjoyed our trout fishing trip.  Everybody we dealt with at the Alpine Trail Ridge Inn and the Laughing Grizzly Fly Shop went out of their way to make sure we had a great experience.  Our guide, Frank, picked the perfect stream for our abilities.  Frank is an excellent teacher with endless patience.   (Hey Frank, I'm snagged AGAIN).  With a few snips, a quick knot, and a smile we would be back fishing. 
Sincerely,
Jim & Brian Olson

Mike,
Dana and I would like to thank you for providing us with excellent guiding service.  We enjoyed Tim Neering's passion for the sport and appreciated his desire and patience in teaching two beginners.  His knowledge is obvious and his knack for conveying instructions of a complex sport is exceptional.
Our trip was the highlight of our holiday.  We will certainly utilize yours and Tim's services again in the future.
Sincerely,
Chris Boose

Mike,
I want to take the time to thank you for all your help with me picking out my first fly rods and reels.  You were patient and very helpful with all my questions and concerns.  It's nice to know that I have a shop here in this area that provides the quality of service you have to me.  All I can say is I WILL be back. 
Thank you again,
Rod Dufour

Frank,
I had been interested in taking up fly-fishing since moving to Colorado 3 years ago. I liked the idea of getting out to a secluded stretch of river, forgetting about the stresses of everyday life and focusing on the fish. However, I grew up with a spinning rod, bobber and cooler of beer. I knew fly-fishing would be different in every way. I started reading books and watching tutorial videos on the web. I quickly realized this was not going to be easy...the enormous variety of rods and reels, fly line, tippet and the need to tie this all together with special knots. It was starting to become a daunting task just to assemble gear. Not to mention it all changes with every river, season and type of fish...and I still didn't even know the proper way to cast!

I decided the best way to make sense of it all would be to get personal instruction from someone who knows the language.  Friends recommended I check out the Laughing Grizzly Fly Shop in Longmont which led me to Frank Drummond.The shop was incredibly helpful in suggesting the proper equipment, getting my fishing license and scheduling a full day trip out on the river with Frank.

We met up on a mid week morning and made our way to the river flowing from Button Rock Reservoir. Along the way Frank gave me a primer on the type of fishing we could expect and what the Colorado rivers offered in comparison to other areas of the country.  Once parked at the trail head, Frank helped me assemble my gear and made suggestions on how to be most efficient when prepping for the day.  It became clear that it's not essential to have every pocket filled and fishing "toy" hanging off you.  We walked up to an open, slow flowing section of the river and Frank taught me proper casting technique for every conceivable situation while still keeping it simple for a beginner like myself. He carefully observed my casting motions and made subtle changes to ensure effective fly placement. Just casting into the water was a fun filled experience and we weren't even trying to hook fish yet. Slowly, we worked our way up the river, stopping to learn to read the flow and where and why the fish will hold in a certain area. Before long I was spotting fish and predicting the most likely waters to be productive. A few casts later, I hooked my first trout--a small brown, maybe 4 inches long--and fly-fishing hooked me.

I thank Frank for his patience, knowledge and genuine love for the sport. I'm fairly certain that had I tried things on my own, frustration would have set in quickly and my gear would be collecting dust in the basement. Instead I now share a budding passion and count the days until I can get back out on the rivers.
Tight lines,
Troy Malcom

Dick,
I just wanted to thank you for your time last night. I learned a ton and feel more confident about my tying skills than ever. You're a great educator and your expertise in tying is obvious... I loved all your tips and tricks you showed me, from actually going through the parts of the rooster to the tying section of the shop. It was all great.
Thanks again,
Ben Lawhon

Mike and Frank,
I wanted to thank you for the wonderful guided trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. I really appreciated the phone calls prior to the trip to make sure the arrangements were in order. The small stream fishing in the park was fantastic – it was one of my best guided trips to date. Frank is a great teaching guide – he not only knew how to catch fish, but did a wonderful job showing me new techniques and sharing his years of experience.  He also generously shared his knowledge on fly tying and we even discussed rod building. We must have netted close to 20 fish before the day was through – it was a wonderful and memorable trip.  I look forward to booking another day of fishing next summer.
Jay Ham
Fort Collins, CO

Dear Mike and Frank,
I had wanted a  7’6” or 7’3” 4 wt bamboo rod. One day a friend of mine called and told me about this place called the Laughing Grizzly. Frank Drummond and Mike Kruise told my friend to have me come to the shop as they had just what I wanted.

Frank and Mike were great guys and had the perfect rod and reel I had been looking for. They were fun to talk to and got me all set up at a good price. I really believe that you get what you pay for. And I wanted the best. Frank knows his stuff when it came to making a bamboo rod. He handed me a 7’ 3” 4 wt rod and two reels, one with a sinking line and the other with a floating line.

I can’t begin to tell you how smooth that bamboo rod works and puts that fly right where I want it. About two weeks ago I stopped by their shop to find out what flies were working on the Poudre.  Frank had some ideas about what would work the best in the fall time. Frank, you were right on- I just caught one after another using a floating fly.
Thanks,
Michael R. Krause

Frank,
Like we talked on the stream, I typically fish the Limestone streams of Central and Northwest PA.  We also have a great Steelhead fishery, but I was very excited to get my first Greenback Cutthroat.  To add to that, you could imagine my excitement at getting the Thompson Grand Slam.  Thanks again for putting me in the position to catch the Cutthroat.  The Cutbow was pretty cool too.  With only one day to fish during my business trip, you made it well worth the decision to get a guide.  You’ve provided me with plenty of stories to share with friends during times at the cabin.

Take care and good luck.
Mike

Laughing Grizzly,
After several months of Frank Drummond's (Brush Creek Cane) painstaking work, I recently received my 7' 3"- 4wt  rod. It's based on the classic semi-parabolic Paul Young “Driggs River Special” taper. The rod is darkly flamed and wrapped in medium brown silk thread with black tipping for an understated, “classically elegant” look. It is finished with blued hardware, agate stripping guide, sliding-band Thuya Burl spacer, and cigar style cork grip. The craftsmanship is flawless. The rod is not only beautiful, but more importantly, throws a DT4 like butter.

This particular taper translates the fight of the fish from the tip all the way to the butt section. There is a tremendous amount of "feel" in this rod. I've had the opportunity to fish it several times in the last couple of weeks. The first time out was on the Fryingpan. The Drakes were coming off like mini-helicopters and the fish were rising to them with authority. It was a truly memorable day of fishing that I'll not soon forget and the new bamboo rod helped make it so.

But what I really had the rod built for was RMNP. The Park is mostly made up of small pocket water streams that require accurate little reach casts, roll casts and the like. More often than not, you're fishing with 3-4 feet of fly line and the leader. This rod has the delicacy for these "small water" places and is the perfect length for the Park. (Can't wait to get back out there tomorrow.) If you have not had the pleasure of meeting Frank, get down to the Laughing Grizzly Fly Shop in Longmont to watch him work. But be careful... a new bamboo rod might be in your future. Thanks Frank!
Bryan Powell

Laughing Grizzly,
I returned home a couple days ago from a brief trip to Boulder, Colorado. I was able to get to the Colorado Cane Conclave on Sunday. Since this was my first conclave. I was also able to cast many rods and am now beginning to understand the differences in some of the tapers. The auction was fun, too, and I ended up winning a couple items including a guided trip into Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park. The trip was donated by The Laughing Grizzly Fly Shop out of Longmont, and it turned out that one of the guides for the shop was displaying some of his rods at the conclave. And that leads me to the "Yeeehah" part of this post.

This was my first ever guided trip and it was very interesting and quite successful. The guide was Frank Drummond - he did a masterful job of not only getting me to some nice spots, but also helped me tremendously with my technique and water-reading ability. I think I caught a nice brookie on my second cast, and things just got better after that!  Over the course of the day, I caught many trout - most were in the 10" range, but I also caught a few that were around or over 13". I was pretty pleased to catch all five of the species in the stream (brookie, rainbow, cutthroat, cuttbow, and brown), a Grand Slam. The brown was the treat - we had to move down the stream a bit in the afternoon, and the action was tapering off. What was special about catching the brown was that I tossed the fly above a boulder and watched it drift into a lie. I was surprised to clearly see the brown come up from the bottom, grab the fly, jump clear of the water, and take off on a little run. Ususally, I feel the tug, set the hook, and go from there, but this time, I got to see the whole thing unfold. In all, it was a very successful outing, and I can't think af a better guide/mentor than Frank - check him out.
Thanks and "Yeeehah"! "
Dean D 
 
Mike and Frank,
There are those few occasions in life that for some reason or another you just seem to remember more vividly than others. My Colorado fishing experience guided by Frank Drummond is one I will always remember. I could barely contain my excitement when I found out we were going to start a business in Colorado. Within in two hours of landing, I had a map in my hands and had traveled to the most promising looking trout stream nearby my hotel. Soon, I stood streamside and gazed and the tumbling water and
serene backdrop of Boulder County. That moment is when I realized that after 41 years of life I finally made it to Colorado. Surrounded by all the things I enjoy in the outdoor world.

Over the next couple days of working, I made sure to look up local fly shops on line. I stumbled across The Laughing Grizzly in an on-line search. It sounded like fun and I knew I just had to stop in to see what this was all about. After about 2 minutes talking to Mike, I knew I had found the right shop. Long story short, I explained that I was returning in August and wanted to get out fishing. We spent the next hour talking fishing and setting things up.

On August 14th, for the first time in my life I was packed and ready to go on a business trip a full day before my flight departed. I asked what kind of gear to bring out and Mike said none. You can rent it all from us. He also advised me on patterns, presentations, trails, parking, etc. Mike was very generous. I own a service business and over the years I sure have learned what it means to get good service. You could not ask for better service or a better person than Mike at Laughing Grizzly. Mike had arranged for me to explore some creeks myself and for one guided trip. Mike set me up with guide Frank Drummond on Wednesday.

Frank and I met in Estes Park. Upon arrival, we talked about the kind of trout fishing I liked. After contemplating a couple moments he said, ‘I know just the place’. We jumped in the Jeep and were off. The 30 minute drive to the stream was just magnificent. I could not put down my camera. I know I looked like an amateur tourist but I did not care. At the parking area, Frank showed me how the snow piles up 20+ feel high in the canyon of this creek during the winter. At the bank of the creek I got down and put my hands in the water, studied the rocks and engulfed the damp pine forest smell. I just could not believe I was there. It was just like the stories I used to hear when I was a kid. We had not even cast a line yet,…it did not matter.

We began catching fish. Brooks, cuts and few browns initially. There were a couple good pools upcoming. Frank suggested we try an L.A. Ant. It was my first time using this pattern. I joked that it looked like a yellow GM Hummer 3 tied to a hook and then realized why they call it an L.A. Ant. We did not catch anything in the main part of the pool. Frank and I suspected we knew why. At the top of the pool there was a back-eddy, under a narrow shaded ledge with lots of spit that I thought I could get my fly into. It had a couple logs blocking it so I really had to think about how to get the right cast. Frank nodded and said give it a shot. After a try or two, I got it into the right spot. After about 5 seconds Frank and I saw a big head come out and grab the ant. I set the hook and the hole exploded with activity. My line was wrapping up against the logs, my rod was not nearly built to hold a brute like this but I manage to keep him out of the logs and my 4x held. After 10 minutes we brought the brown to hand. Slightly hooked jaw, golden, big spots, big shoulders. 19.5 inches. He could barely fit in the net. We revived him and released him to the same back-eddy.Frank noted that this stream has not been stocked in 40 years.

As the day progressed, the fishing became better. We tried several patterns. They all worked! Then we started catching the Rainbows and the magnificent cut-bows. Possibly the most beautiful trout I have ever seen. There was just something about the way the sun revealed their spots and colors that is unforgettable. I can close my eyes and still see it. We had lunch in the sun at 8k feet. I wondered if any person alive felt as lucky as I felt that day. We caught more fish after lunch and decided that today we created enough memories to last a lifetime. We then walked back to the jeep smiling and admiring the grandeur of the Colorado Rockies.

You know how you have those stressful days at work? Those days where you want to take yourself back to a much more positive, satisfying, relaxing day in your life. The kind of day you dream about in mid February when you never see the sun, everyone is crabby, not anything goes well,...the kind of day where you worry about paying the bills, family problems, raising your kids or managing change. When I have one of those days, I go back to the day I spent on that tiny Colorado trout stream with Frank. That is were I go. The fish were everywhere, their colors were magnificent, and they were taking any dry that hit the water. There was not a cloud in the sky, the views of the 14ers and pine forest was just magnificent and I thanked God that Dad taught me how to fish. I think back to that gem of a day I spent on the trout stream. I think back to the day where for one minute I did not think about one problem of life. I go back to that time where for one day, I was free. That is where I go. I can remember it like it was yesterday. I can not wait to get out fishing again with Frank.
Ed Urbas
State College, PennsylvaniaMike,

I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy the reports and the Fishlog. I fish the upper Big T in RMNP on a regular basis and your recommendations for flies are spot on the mark. I read the logs every time before I decide where to go. I have met Dick up in the same area several times and we get to chat for a few minutes. I enjoyed your bear story and will come into the shop to see the picture when I am in the area. It is probably on a trail that I walk a lot. I have been caught in the middle of many elk with an unhappy mommy elk staring me down so I know the feeling.
Fish on,
Allen Nakagawa

Laughing Grizzly,
As we pulled into Mother Lake at Sylvan Dale Ranch with our guide for the day, Al Ritt, the last of the resident elk herd was just topping the ridge to the north of the lake.  The water was clear enough to see the cruising fish from quite a distance, which was fortunate because the fish were running the banks gorging on emerging midges and were very difficult to approach closely.  Al had the perfect midge pupa patterns for the day, a a fly of his own design, fished as a dropper under a foam beetle and a tan L2HF Humpulator. The pupa took fish consistently all day.  As a bonus, more than a few fish took the dries also.  The fish fed steadily all morning.  After lunch, we switched gears and walked down to fish Island Lake.  The results were much the same at Island, though the wind had picked up some by that time so we fished the end of the lake with the wind at our backs.  After catching quite a few more sizeable rainbows and Donaldsons we headed back toward the car.  The still actively feeding fish as we walked past Mother were too much of a temptation and we capped off the day with one or two last fish each.  We didn’t count or even measure the fish- getting them revived and back in the water took precedent. As we fished our way back around Mother Lake toward the cars, the elk returned from the ridge and completed a perfect day.
Kurt Pflock/Jerry Kopelman

Laughing Grizzly Staff,
Was fishing on the Thompson yesterday when I caught this huge (for the Thompson) cuttbow on a purple SJW. Caught and released over 20 fish in eight hours or so, mostly 'bows and cuts, with a few big browns mixed in, all but two on pink or purple SJWs. Just wanted to say thanks to the folks at the LG for all the tips and advice in the past. To a beginner, going into a fly shop can be intimidating to say the least. You guys have always been awesome. I am now an addict after just a couple of years.
Chris Good

Frank,
Good afternoon! I wanted to report back to you and let you know my husband loved the fly rod and reel combo we worked up together! Thank you so much for your help earlier this year. I hope to talk to you in the future regarding your custom bamboo rods too! Mike took me over and showed off some of the bamboo rods- I know he would love to have one of them one day too...
Kind regards,
Michelle Dinges

Mike,
Had a great time fishing with you in the Park yesterday. Got a couple new ideas for some patterns and things to try so thanks for letting me tag along. Did you have better luck the rest of the day?  I also forgot to get that pattern that you suggested for the Big T. That just means I'll have to show up at the shop for a little shopping then. Thanks again.
Josh

Laughing Grizzly,
I apologize for taking a week to write this thank you, but I wanted to express my appreciation for the fantastic pattern tips and recommendations last week. We took your advice on driving to the higher location and sure enough that purple SJW was smokin' hot as I hooked up on my second cast and continued to catch and release up until dark. We also took a few on pheasant tails and a couple of fish late off dries. Thank you again for the GREAT service and I'll definitely give a recommendation to anyone driving through Longmont to stop in and see you guys.
Until soon,
CPT David Fineran

Hey Mike,
You guys are definitely first class all the way – what a fly shop should be. It’s refreshing to walk into a place where knowledge is abundant without being “talked down to”.  You guys definitely know your stuff and it’s clear that you do a great job taking care of customers.  I really appreciate your showing me your RK Emerger.  I would imagine it will do really well on our local streams in Idaho – and the best part is that I’m about the only person who will know how to tie them!...thanks to you. Anyhow, thanks again and I’ll definitely recommend you guys to all my traveling fish-head brethren.  I’ll also stop in anytime I’m in the area.  Thanks again for all the hospitality and for providing a great service to the fishing community.
Take care,
Greg Montemurro

Hey Dick,
I really had a great time. You are really gifted at teaching and having patience. I would recommend you to anyone. I went back to the Park Friday and caught another 20 trout, all from the Alluvial Fan area. Then Sunday I caught 5 more from different areas of the park. Thanks for tying those extra flies so quickly for me, too. I really liked the three that you tied for me, especially the LA Ant. I'd say 50% of my strikes were on that. I can't wait to try that in Mammoth.
Thanks again,
Jeff Abel

Frank,
Thanks for 2 great days of guided fishing in RMNP. My father-in-law was visiting from out of state and I, being new to the area, wanted to get a better feel for what the local fishing was like in the park. Your knowledge about the area and its fisheries is second to none.

Day 1 was spent on Glacier Creek in near perfect conditions. Together, the two of us caught over 40 fish -- and each of us was just a greenback short of the Colorado Slam. (Spotting that Royal Bull Elk was also extremely cool.) Day 2 began with a moderate hike from Wild Basin. The brookies were in abundance and very eager to take a well presented dry. There were even a few greenbacks that obviously haven 't seen many people up that high. That completed the Slam for us both, and after hauling in over 50 fish in about 4 hours, we were ready for the hike back. RMNP is truly a special place. You were correct in saying that the many incredible things the park has to offer are often "hidden in plain sight." That's why a knowledgeable guide is so important. Your expertise in tying your own patterns to match the local conditions also helped us have a couple of very memorable days on the water. I look forward to revisiting these spots in the near future as well as learning about new ones from the guides at the Laughing Grizzly.
Thanks Again...
Bryan Powell

Mike, Frank,
Had a fantastic time/day on the 8th, and look forward to another opportunity of doing it again. All expectations were met/exceeded. We learned, and need to practice all you taught us. I greatly appreciated your recognition of my wish for working with Dayton and LaVonne: LaVonne so we can get out together and Dayton for our future, especially since he had the biggest fish and fight.
Ty Harrison

Laughing Grizzly,
I had such a good time on my trip with you guys. I had a little experience fly fishing and no experience fishing for stream trout. Dick did a wonderful job relating it to fishing that I had done before and had lots of great tips that made the day awesome. When I got to the shop in the morning they told me that I had a really good day to fish, and they were right. I had never caught a trout before and probably caught over 20 fish that day. Thanks again for your hard work and the good times.
Josh

Mike!
I hope you still remember me, but our family came fly fishing with you about 3 weeks ago... Thank you so much again for making this day SO fun for me! I have told everyone about you and what a wonderful guide you are. You are THE BEST! Thank you for your patience and guidance. You were a joy to be with! My dad and brother, who both LOVE to fly fish, were shocked when I told them I caught 9 fish, and they have already requested that I go with them when they go again! HAHA! I hope I can remember everything you taught me. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you knew just how much you MADE that day for me! I appreciate it so much and will never forget it! You made my first fly fishing experience the best!
Blair Stegall

Hey Laughing Grizzly.
Just wanted to take a minute to thank the shop and Justin's and my guide, Larry, on Friday. We had the greatest time. Larry was really nice and helpful all day guiding us to where the fish were, even though it was tough going at times. He was really safe and patient with Justin guiding him to and around water and helping us with flies, etc. I have to go ahead and say that Justin was the "man" of the day out-fishing his ole man 6 to 2. He caught all of them on his new Sage 4 wt Launch that you guys recommended, and I can honestly say that he is hooked now. You guys have reminded these ole Louisiana boys what Colorado is about and created two enthusiastic trout fisherman. By the way, this was Justin's first fish to catch on his flyrod which made the trip even better...
Looking foward to seeing you guys out on the streams.
Chuck Andes

Mike and Scott,
It was great to finally get out on the Big Thompson with you guys on Sunday and get into some fish! As you know, I've been fly fishing for just under a year now and both in the store and out, your expert advice has been crucial to my success. Your experience and recommendations have me more productive out on the water and also at the fly tying bench. I still can't believe I caught 13 fish Sunday and hooked up with even more than that! And yes, your enthusiasm for San Juan Worms (purple had both me and the fish giddy all day) and #22 Black Beauty Midges has worn off on me. You can be sure the next time you see me on the Big T and I'm nymphing, these will come out of the box first. So, from pointing out spots to fish on the Thompson to how to better read hits on a weighted double nymph rig...even how to better play a fish and get 'em netted, you both changed how I fish for the better. Way better. I just wanted to drop you guys a line saying thanks for the great time on the water. Honestly, this was a day I'll always remember. The Laughing Grizzly rocks! Fish on!
Zach Malone

Mike,
Thanks a million for giving me advice on the rod and reel I absolutely needed to stick the big fish I am chasing. The Z-Axis rod you recommended was every bit of what it stands for, a high quality, fast-action rod that catches big fish.This baby was broken in on the Pan this last weekend and I was able to bring this nice rainbow to the net.  The way this rod takes head shakes and protects your tippet is amazing. Along with the rod the Sage 2550 Reel you sold me is simply a fish catching machine. I was able to play a lot with the drag on this reel while landing fish and I love how there are specific numbered settings rather than just a dial. This enabled me to know what setting on the dial my 5X fluorocarbon tippet would break when playing bigger fish. Now I can basically set the hook, set my drag for the size of the fish and worry only about reeling in the fish.
Tim Drummond

Frank-
Just want to let you know how much I admire and appreciate your craftsmanship. I was so excited to get out and try your bamboo rod this weekend. We went up to the Big T both Sat and Sun to play with your rod, and it was a delight. I "made" Mark go fishing on Sun afternoon just to look for rising fish. Hooked into one on the second cast on Sun!! What a thrill. Mark has already made a no lead rule. So when the fish stopped rising, I tied on a pheasant tail and put on a bit of Biostrike and kept catching fish. Little does he realize that I'm just going to want to go where we can enjoy this rod for a while!!
Take care,
Barbara Luneau

Copyright 2007 Laughing Grizzly