Chad Pettrone

8/19 Waterdale with Ben the Actor

• By Chad Pettrone
• 20 August, 2013
• 4 Comments

I need more people from hollywood that want to go fishing because I offer an experience that reconnects a person to the wild.  The first thing Ben said to me was, “I want to catch big fish”.  Normally, when a client says that, it’s a death sentence for actually catching a big fish. When it comes to the wild, it’s not entirely in our control.  As a guide, my hands are tied. All I can do is provide lessons as to where they live, what they eat, and how to present the fly.  When it comes down to the cast, timing of a hook set, and the landing of a big fish, it’s a whole-nother ball game.  I cannot prepare anyone for the chaos that ensues after hooking a beast.

We started in a hole that normally produces fish, but were unsuccessful in our attempts.  So, 2 hours into the trip I’m onto plan B, and we headed downriver to a hole that I save for this type of an occasion.  A low hanging tree above a 6 foot deep hole flushed into by a long run of strong current with scattered boulders.  We stripped a black bunny skin streamer through the hole with no success. So, we changed tactics and tried something that I learned from steelhead fishing called swinging the fly.  Ben launched a cast across the river, mended it once, and then did absolutely nothing.  This tactic works for fish that are waiting to ambush a big easy meal.  The fly offers little challenge in the way of running away from the attacking fish, plus it antagonizes the trout by staying in the strike zone for a long time.  Ben’s cast slowly swung across the river and just as it started to slow and sink into the deeper water the line jolted forward and almost ripped the rod out of Ben’s hands.  Ben struck the fish back as the drag zang fly line from his reel.  In a state of shock Ben held onto the rod and line as the river monster sliced fly line through the water at an unimaginable speed.  Away the fishing line went, then a big loop started to show as the fish turned sharply. Ben quickly started striping in the line to catch up to the fish that was now swimming right at him. Keeping great pressure on the fish throughout the fight Ben took turns being in control. Sometimes gaining line, and other times letting the fish run wild to save the line from breaking.  An out of control run towards the down tree would be certain lost of a great catch.  With one run of the fish towards the tree Ben did an outstanding job of keeping the rod tip down and forcing the fish away from the tree and towards the bank.  With one last pull of the fly rod I swooped down with my net to capture the beast.  Our day was a success.                       …then we caught a whole bunch more : )

This is the I’m too sexy for that Trout

the oops I dropped a fish look : )

The flies of the day were a black bunny leech, a size 22 black Rs2 with white wings, an 18 grey Ray Charles sow bug, and a jujubee.  The fished liked the fast deep water which required big accurate casts, lots of split shot, and imaginative mends.

To learn more about Ben’s work in Hollywood visit www.benglass.com