Morels, wild gobbler chases and more...

photo by Shawn Nicewonger (click to enlarge)

Quite the haul, eh? Something on the order of 1200 plus to be exact gathered one evening and next morning by my PA pal Shawn Nicewonger and his two boys (ages 6 & 7 in case you wondered). Way to go you guys. Keep up the good work and should you run outta space you do know my address...right?

Spring gobbler hunting, Montana style (click to enlarge) photo by Greg Gibbons

Thanks to the snow gods Greg and Ray (that's Ray in the hat) and the dogs survived (barely) one those extreme spring gobbler hunts we've all experienced but nonetheless dread happening. Depending on who's telling it took 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 hours to drive the 35 miles from Ekalaka to Baker during the escape. Rumor has the pair spent one day in Greg's camper watching WWII videos but as I say just rumor...over and out...

(click to enlarge) copyright chuckngalerobbins.com

Went off to Bozangeles to rectify our defunct cell phone thanks Alltel for allowing AT&T to buy you out. Anyway on the way we decided to stop at Headwaters SP one of the many sites in our upcoming book "Birding Trails Montana" just in case you wondered...Anyway I got lucky for a change and came away with a couple keepers...to whit this chippy and the white pelican below...

White pelican/veil indicating breeding mode (click to enlarge) chuckngalerobbins.com photo

Paul Rebarchak photo/PA gobbler

(click to enlarge)

As you all know or should Montana gobblers are dunces compared to the mighty, wily ol' PA Toms one thing hard to argue when it come to extreme hunts...well, I rest my case.

Fontinalis Fin tied by Don Bastion, photo copyright The Complete Flyfisher

You all knew this, right? Just one of many, many traditonal wets popularized by the late great Ray Bergman believe it or not way back when this and many other traditional ties were our (my) go toos...Honest Injun!!!! over and out...

Chuck

Montana Pygmy Whitefish Record Shattered

For at least the 7th time since 1982 the Montana pygmy whitefish record has been broken. Russ Geldrich of Kalispell caught the 0.36-pound (5.76-ounce; 9.84 inches in length) pygmy in Little Bitterroot Lake on February 13. The monster whitefish devoured a jig and maggot rig intended to nab kokanee.

Three types of whitefish live in Montana. Two, the pygmy and mountain whitefish (pictured above), are natives, while the lake whitefish is introduced. For its size the pygmy has a very large eye and lives near the bottom of deep lakes such as Little Bitterroot, Ashley, and Flathead. They feed on tiny zooplankton, bottom insects, and mysis shrimp.

By comparison the state record mountain whitefish caught in Hauser Reservoir in 2007 was 23 inches long and weighed over 5 pounds; while the record lake whitefish hauled from Flathead Lake in 2006 stretched the tape to 27 inches and weighed about 10.5 pounds.

For reasons escape me it seems many anglers, particularly fly anglers, loath even the idea hooking-up a so-called whitey; persish the thought actually having to take one off the hook. In worst cases, usually amid loud cussing, the poor whitey ends up in the bushes. In my boat every whitey in the net is treated with the same tender loving care given the biggest trophy trout...much to the dismay of many clients I might add. While I can't prove it my take is the worse the trout bite the brighter Mr. Whitey's star shines...nah, can't be...right?

As an intersting side note: When I first moved to Dillon a local guide told me (whispered and sworn to secrecy of course) his main goal in fly fishing was to one day own the state record. Diligently nearly every day off for at least an entire season he spent dredging the nearby Red Rock River where he said "the biggest damn whiteys anywhere swim." Alas, while he caught some dandys none quite measured up to the then reigning champ...Whether or not he's still at it is more than I know...

More from Great Places Montana

It seems Montanans as a whole are more likely to rave about our mountain-man cum cowboy roots than talk about the ravages that the cut-and-run mining industry wreaked upon the landscape and left behind for future generations, as happens way too often.

It seems too we are most proud of our incredible wildlife heritage; everything from grizzly bears and bison to tundra swans and relic sage grouse.

It seems also we are quite proud of our wild lands, natural lands, such as found in our two National Parks--Glacier and Yellowstone--and our 21 National Wildlife Refuges,attendant Waterfowl Production Areas and our many state parks and wildlife management areas.

And rightly so.

Given that a large majority of our residents spend far more time outdoors than in; that something like one in four hunt and even a larger percentage fish, to say nothing of the thousands who hike, bird watch,climb mountains, mountain bike, camp, canoe, picnic and otherwise just like to kick back under our high, wide and handsome big sky.

Between the covers of Great Places Montana you won't find it all but I guarantee the wealth of information we've gathered here will more than get you started.

Happy Trails.