Fly Fishing: Interesting But Tough...

The past couple days we spent with our PA pals, Paul and Pat. Day 1 we fished the upper Wise River and though as always at this season the scenery was stunning--flaming gold aspens and willows, cloudless blue sky highlighting the jagged high peaks of the East Pioneers--but the fishing, though certainly interesting, was about as tough as high country fly fishing gets. I managed to fool a handsome cutt-bow of perhaps 14-inches while Paul landed a small brown and missed as I recall just two others. Pat I think missed one while Gale struck out altogether...not your typical high country fly fishing adventure by a long shot.

Day 2 we headed to the Big Hole aiming to float from Jerry Creek to Dewey. But after stopping at Al's to get a shuttle  wouldn't you know we found FWP shocking that stretch. So back to the shop--nobody thought to bring a cell--and then back to Divide Bridge to float to Maiden Rock. After doing that stretch umpteen times this season about the last place I wanted to fish but with FWP shocking, Silver Bridge and Melrose closed for upgrades and the stretch from Silver to Divide closed for the dam removal weren't much left...didn't want to do the lower river because it generally dies in the afternoon during hot spells such as the one currently has us in its steamy grip (high 80s)...and the upper river is way to low for floating so...

The day was about as bright as any I can recall and though we did catch a few trout had to work like hell to get 'em...For the girls and me swinging soft hackles (#16 red ass) and for Paul I think he got a couple on ants. Gale took honors for high rod with 3 brown trout and two fat white fish. That was it however and from about 2 p.m. to the take out we got just one hit between us. I was surprised how low the river (412 cfs) had dropped from just a few days ago (510 cfs). We barely made it down the skinniest riffles while Paul in his Watermaster did better even it scraped bottom several times. Perhaps the highlight was his raft taking off on its own after lunch...he took off running but the bank was brushy and carved by a deep ditch...meantime we gave chase after getting off the rocks picked him up on the way and fianlly ran the damn thing down...lucky all was intact, Paul dodged a coronary and...well like the man says all's well that ends well...