Fly Fishing: Big Hole, Big Bugs, Big Trout...

Salmon Fly Time on the Big Hole has arrived; shucks are everywhere and nymphs both golden (above) and the real deal litter the shallows. And while not many mama stones (we saw maybe six salmon adults and just a couple adult goldens) are yet buzzing about, yesterday we found the trout looking up litterally right from the get go. The topwater bite continued pretty much unabated all day though the last hour or so it did slow down quite a bit. For a time in early afternoon dropping a rubber-legs off a big stone dry worked even better. While we did miss a lot as the two photos below show we did haul a couple worthy photo candidates.

Ray got this big male second cast...or was it third? No matter a dandy start to a dandy day....

Gale got this pretty rainbow not long after...though in the interest of honest journalism she did manage to miss a few before finally getting up to speed...sorry dear, you know how hubby hates to lie...

She also doesn't pose big fish, or little ones for that matter, must be Gale thing? Anyway I just had to let you folks see one pretty brown did not get away...Way to go, Gale...Next week or so should be gangbusters so drop whatever the hell and drag your butts, the 3Bs align but onct a year ya know and the TIME IS NOW...don't miss it, ya hear...

Fly Fishing: Red Rock Lakes NWR

Been awhile since my last post because we spent a few days encamped on the Red Rock Lakes NWR deep in the vast and empty (as in hardly any year round residents) Centennial Valley. Mostly we went there to fish but as is typical of early June in the Montana high country (valley elevation is over 6000 feet, peaks of the Centennials 10,000 plus) the weather as often as not dictates the program. In true fashion just as we arrived dark foreboding clouds moved in over the mountains, a big wind blew up and, for all practical purposes, blew non-stop for next three days. All that first night it raged and as you can see dumped a bit of snow, a little hail and some much needed rain...hooray. (Click on any of the photos to see a larger version)

Naturally we took full advantage of the wonderful photo ops and while we did still fish, I think Gale would agree fishing sort of took a back seat at least early and late in the day when the light is best.

Wigeon Pond with the Centennials as a backdrop, storm still raging in the hills though not much besides wind and spitting hail, rain and snow down in the valley.

A hot time for shooting pix, not so hot the fishing; truth is Annie's way more into fishing than either of us.

Hell yes there's a crick in here and full a grayling too, though it pains me to admit how GD tough twas to get a hook in 'em. Yes I am talking grayling, your basic innocent, easy as hell, dumb as a stump but...Not this trip...maybe we missed something; maybe we are really too far gone to git 'er done, maybe Red Rock grayling are just smarter than most...whatever...though we spied a lot, missed quite a few, hooked and lost enough, alas not many came to hand...who knows?

Oh well, the wildlife shooting more than made up for our lack of fishing talent. Gale shot this doe, one of the few we found without babies in tow...

...And I bagged this bull...moose are always a highlight for us and much to our surprise we found several each day...Like who needs a slimy ol' grayling anyways when moose and antelopes and sandhills and...well I'll post a few more soon...you know for youins viewing pleasure...Enjoy!!!

Fly Fishing: Mixed Bag...

Saturday we fished a high country crick where because of an unusually low snow pack runoff never did happen. Low and clear we started up high and fished our way down tossing nothing but a pair softhackles...#10 Orange Fish Hawk and #16 Red Ass. Both produced equally well and Gale caught one the prettiest cuttbows we've ever had the pleasure to gaze upon. Naturally the camera had somehow been left behind, sorry either ya buy it or ya don't...What can I say? Really brushy when the wind came up we decided to check out a couple more open runs lower down. And wonder of wonders, time we got there a thin caddis hatch had the trouts looking up and...And for the rest of the afternoon we had ourselves the finest dry fly blitz of the young season. Cutts such as the one above, cuttbows and a couple appeared all rainbow made for fun time. Most ranged 10-12 inches but we each got 'bows of 15-16-inches, best part of which were the spectacular aerial shows...I swear the biggun Gale hooked cleared 3-4 feet not just once but several times afore she was able to subdue the showy critter...

Yesterday we headed to the other end the county to check out a favorite brookie haunt...Found it even higher than last weekend (must got one a those ghost downpours we keep hearing about but somehow eludes dumping on Dillon?) Anyway with the crick really ripping we rigged a small black and yellow streamer and a #12 Wickam's Fancy wet on a short leader and sink-tip line...Not even close to Saturday's gangbuster event still we managed to dredge up a few...All brookies, all fat, all pretty as hell, some a might longer in the tooth so to speak, all in all another fun day in the mountains...can't beat it.

Big Hole spiked back up over 3000 past few days; leveled off again yesterday but nasty thunderboomers forecast who knows what the next several might bring? From what we've seen and heard not much fishing happening in either the Big Hole or the Beav...Like the forecast nasties who knows what that is all about? I hope to finish up the boat restoration today. Depending how the weather turns we plan to haul the camper and stay out several days...stay tuned.