How's the fishin'? As good or bad as the fishermen, replied the harried outfitter. And that sort of sums up my take this past week guiding the Big Hole...Day after day Big George Peck for instance really nailed 'em while his partners...to remain unnamed of course...basically struggled. Why? Because Big George is a really good fly caster, puts the fly where it belongs, cast after cast, keeps his flies in the water not in the air or worse in the bushes, rarely experiences a tangle and as another outfitter likes to say..."gits 'er done."
Daily the river continues to drop if ever so slowly. As does the view out my office window, the awesome peaks of the Pintlar Range slowly morphing from winter-white to late spring snow-streaked rock, and yes the change is late as summer is now well along and...well you what is really just around the corner.
Wildlife sightings are always a highlight and one the Big Hole serves up better than most. Last week for examples we spied an elk calf lying so close to the water even the slightest wave action splashed its side. Several times we gawked elk and mule deer grazing above the river but a couple moose/calf pairs drew the most oohs and ahhs. One day we spooked a hen merganser and about 15 ducklings from the grass; three days later in the exact same spot, a hen merganser escorting a brood of 9...same outfit? Who knows? But if it is Mama Merganser might better double up the guard duty or in no time end up an empty nester...An idea I imagine has the local trout grinning fin to fin... Two immature bald eagles, a big female golden eagle and a fish-mongering osprey also provided daily entertainment...between bites that is...
Fly fishing the Big Hole...can't beat it.
