I've taken the Sutton River trip with Stu. Very professionally done. I've been fortunate -- I've travelled widely fishing. Stu does about the best job of any trip I've been on. (Disclaimer: Stu has published many of my articles.)

Beaver's can scare the bejesus out of people with that tail slap.  In 2013 they got my dog pretty good.  We were sitting around shore at dusk on a quiet evening and then "Kerplunk!".  Luna bolted upright and snorted at the lake. 

This year on Camel Lake after dark I was laying in the hammock and had one do about 3 kerplunks before moving on.  They are assertive creatures.

I've never gone with Stu, but have used guides for other trips. It's usually been a good experience.

Just returned from Oct Q trip. Paddled Jean Ck from Boulder to Jean. Beavers had the water at a nice level. Saw a cow moose, I hadn't seen a moose in a few years, she was close and calm.

A few turns farther 2 beavers swim towards me, I coast, they keep coming, still coming, finally turn and dive at my bow. I look over the side to watch them swim by in the shallow water and one surfaces right next to me, just where you'd reach to land a fish. He gave me a huge tail splash, soaked me good, better than any pike ever did. 

Had a party member snag a beaver by the tail with a buzz bait once, fishing from shore on Suzanette Lake.  Got into a tug-of-war.

The beaver won.

Jimbo. 

Years ago I was fishing a local pond at dusk and pitching a rapala from shore.  I knew there was a bat flying around and might have been casting high arching pitches to bait it but I don't remember.   

Hey, I was young and stupid.  The thing was so quick he flew at it in mid air cast.  Never touched it though.  Smart bat.

I did catch a 4 ft alligator on a floating rapala in Alabama once.  Dragged it to shore and it simply opened its mouth and out flew the lure.  That was an adrenaline rush.  1981.

An eagle snatched up my son's Zara super spook on the southern end of McAree, just across from Rebecca falls a few years ago. It broke the line, but dropped the lure from about twenty feet up. He recovered the lure, but lost it to a big pike on the north end of the lake a few days later.

Pat

The Sutton River is on my bucket list.  Now to find $5,000.

No, but I've ran into him twice on the water!  Both times were late July/early August up around the Conmee/Williams area.  Seemed to be in a bit of a hurry both times.  When you portage as much stuff as he packs, I don't blame him...and he's got paying customers.  I think a Sutton River trip would be awesome, though.

pd

Just read his account of releasing a 19 inch smallie that lingered on the top a bit and was plucked out of the water and carried away.  Wow. 

I would love to be able to do a trip with him sometime.  Has anyone here been a client of his before?