My Favorite Fishing Partner
By John Springer
I started fly-fishing in the summer of 1986. By fall of that year I joined tow clubs and met up with
another angler who would become a real good friend and fishing partner, Mike Venineeter. Our
friendship started over some feathers I was going to use for fly tying. Mike could tell I was new to
flyfishing and wanted to get me started in the right direction. We would see each other at the
meetings and got to talk about "good Pizza". He told me he knew a great place and we should try it.
We started to meet there two times a month before the fishing meetings to talk about what we were
tying and where we were fishing.
We started fishing together on the Housatonic River during the Housatonic Fly Fishermen's annual
June campout. From there we started going to Montana each year. When we went out to fish the
Rocky's the first two times we were with my first fishing mentor John Pelzer. John had fished
Montana for several years and knew the Madison River and the water's in and around Yellowstone
National Park. He agreed to let us go with him and we learnt much from those trips. As time went
on, we decided to go out on our own at a different time and to see some other waters. We started to
go west in July or October. We made our way to the Missouri River and as the Madison started to
decline in fishing because of Whirling Disease we would stay and fish up there more. Side note: This
year fishing on the Madison has gotten much better so I would not avoid it. Mike and I like to keep
it simple and cheap so when we fished the Madison we stayed at West Fork Cabins and I would do
the cooking and he did the dishes. When we fish the Missouri River we stay at Frenchy's Motel and
take our meals at the Oasis's Bar or The Frenchmen and Me, both have good food at reasonable
prices. When we fish the Missouri we generally like to float several times to find other areas to fish
and to take in the beauty of the river. When we rent a boat to float, Mike likes to row and not fish,
this works fine for me. It goes without saying that when we get to where we want to fish Mike gets
first choice on where to fish. When we drive to a spot to fish one of us goes up river the other down,
we never crowd each other and we enjoy fishing alone up until about the last hour or so of light. We
find that sharing the last pool of the day a nice way to end our day.
During our stay at West Fork Cabins on the Madison River I would use the phone at the Grizzly
Bar. I got to know the clean up man who befriended me and shared with me his favorite area to fish.
He told me the fishing was not only good but that there were a lot less fishermen than on the
Madison or Missouri. Neither one of us liked to be squeezed by other fishermen so the idea
intrigued us. In July of that year we paid a visit to the area the fellow told us about. We met a great
guy we call Grandpa when we stopped at a general store for directions to the river. He became our
first friend in that town, one of what would become many. With some help from the hotel owner
where we stayed we got to know some people who let us fish their ranch. As time went on, we met
more people who let us come to their homes and fish. We got to know several families very well and
they had us in for dinner during our stay. You must have a good fishing partner so people feel
comfortable inviting you back, everyone likes Mike.
When we first started to fish I was always in a hurry to get on the water. My favorite expression to
him was "Mike, they're rising. We gotta get on the water." Mike was never in a hurry so I know it
must have been a pain in the neck for him to always have to hurry so I could get as much time as
possible on the water. As I got older and slowed down, Mike seemed to relax more also knowing
we would not be out on the water 16 hours a day.
Mike has always been the perfect fishing partner. There is no competition between us and we never
argue about anything. When I want to fish a long stretch of water he is always there to pick me up so
I do not have to double back to the car. When we get to where we are going to fish we decide who
will go up river and who will go down river and what time to meet back. Many times he will give me
some flies that he spends much time tying up, I know it takes him time because they are always tied
perfect, not ratty like mine. After fishing all day we always ask each other how we did, we never
exaggerate on size or numbers and always share information as to the best way to fish a piece of
water and also what flies worked best. There are no secrets between us because there is no point. If
you have a fishing partner like this, treasure them, because they are rare and they make your time on
the water even better. Our next trip is coming up soon. I am really looking forward to it.