Fly Fishing: Montana Backcountry...

There's a lot to like kicking about the high lakes of Montana. Not the least of which are nifty views: Rarely out of sight of a spiffy mountain or two; wildlife encounters are a given. Pine scented air, clear, icy-cold water and solitude--mostly the sounds of wind and water lapping the tube--ideas increasingly harder to find as you lose altitude and the lakes give way to our overrun trout rivers...

No, the trout aren't as big but any lack of size is more than made up for in beauty; colorful, perfect (as in not a hook scarred lip in the bunch) wild, fiesty, gobble flies with gusto, good eats (Yes, go ahead, the catch and release police aren't looking...Hell, probably never even heard of No-Tellum Lake and besides nothin' up there but silly little brookies anyways)...I rest my case.

Montana Outdoors: Bison, Cougars and House Cats...

are recent headline grabbers sure to rattle more than a few cages before the furor dies...For more click the links below...

Bison as our national mammal?...Whoo-ee baby wait till you hear the uproar this one will most certainly stir up out here in the land of big hats and pointy-toed boots...
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/senators-seek-to-name-bison-national-mammal/article_a7592088-40dc-5d03-8d50-3a0e52564617.html

For you cat owners who somehow are in denial how destructive cute, cuddly kitties are when allowed to run loose click below:
http://www.telegram.com/article/20120529/COLUMN10/105299907

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2012/05/23/20120523clay0524-studies-show-outdoor-cats-can-menace-songbirds.html

And lions killing wolves in the Bitterroot? "Unpresedented" according to one MTFWP biologist. But does sort a makes one wonder where the folks at Defenders of Wlildlife, who rake in millions constantly railing the plight of wolves, will stand on this one. Anti-lion?

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120528/NEWS01/205280309/Mountain-lions-kill-two-radio-collared-wolves

Fly Fishing: High Water and Fishy Art

Checked out a couple mountain cricks yesterday...Still a bit too high but running clear and dropping day by day. Barring getting dumped on should be good to go next weekend. The surprise was how little snow remained from three day storm and how little effect it seemed to have on the overall runoff. During the afternoon it rained off and on, at times coming down pretty good but nothing like a real gully washer. Didn't even rig up a rod but did enjoy tramping around, seeing two more moose (uncharacteristically spooky, no chance for pix?), several elk, lots of mule deer and a few more wildflowers popping than we've seen most places this spring. On the plus side high water sure does make for good photo ops...shot above is obviously doctored a bit but still...

 I like rainy/snowy days, especially so during extreme dry spells such as the one haunting us more or less all winter and spring. Storms often bring on the best fishing and usher in the best light for fishy pix...I can't remember where or when we caught this rainbow but judging the exposure out the camera I'd bet the farm on a nasty day. This morning while searching for photos to submit for stock I came across it as well as the well-doctored version...Fish Art with mucho thanks to Lightroom, can't beat it...