Fly Fishing: Fishing Report and...

I continue to hear mixed reports on Clark Canyon. Ranging from okay to not so hot and pretty much everything in between. My take has been and falls heavily on the not so hot side; slow fishing though is one thing, like could very well be just me but where the cruisers has me baffled. In several afternoon sessions I have yet to see more than a handful up on the banks as is normally the case this time of year...go figure, I'm sure at a loss.

On another track the Big Hole continues to fish well, most days especially for you streamer addicts. A neighbor reported the other day Maiden Rock to Melrose three of them boated at least 15 and probably more. Al has apparently heard a similar tune in the shop. Alas, except for the one day Al and me nearly got blown off the river I have been buried in work and unable to get even...oh well.

Same neighbor reported really good fishing recently Tash to Trash (Beav). Didn't say how many or what they were throwing but did say some of the fish were pretty hefty; showed me a brown on his phone as proof...

Still not hearing much on the Ruby or Madison and not a single mention of blue wings showing up anywhere except the Lower Madison...wind a course could be the culprit.

On yet another track this will probably be my last post this month. We're headin to Oregon tomorrow sometime and will likely be out of touch until at least next Wednesday and since we're going there to work don't look for much in the way of posting. We plan to attend the big fly tying expo in Idaho
Falls on Friday so if I get a chance will fill you in on that extravaganza. Also in Bend Or hope to visit the fly fishing golf course and perhaps even wet a line as free time allows. Promise to fill you in first chance...Anyway that's about it for now...over and out...

Fly Fishing: Southwest Montana Fishing Report and....

...what's up next....But first an update...

The recent snow storm which dumped around 6 inches in Dillon,  a bit less in some spots and a lot more in the mountains is now history...I think? The forecast in the near future calls for gradual warming thru Wednesday then another day of rain/snow then another upturn and so forth. Depending on which forecaster you choose to believe the wind will either be howling most days or as some say, light and variable...watch out for the variable is all I got to say on that...

Clark Canyon is now completely ice free. In my experience, based on 4 brief afternoon sessions, the fish have yet to heed the call; in other words the fishing is slow,  actually really slow. Though the rumor mill has it some days have been OK and other days not so hot...no surprise there, eh? Though everyone seems to agree the bite is still far from red hot...go figure.

Chronomids, marbou jigs, San Juan Worms and buggers, brown, black, olive, purple, tan; the usual rigs amongst the local lake rats...

Beaverhead is flowing around 250 out the dam, okay for floating (closed above Pipe remember) and pretty easy wading as long as you pick your spots to cross. Not much happening on top except for those brief, elusive afternoon periods when the wind gods are on break and cloud gods sneak their way in...Bwo nymphs 20-18; midge larvae 18-invisible; scuds, SJWs all work but the best fishing right now is pitching buggers tight to the banks. 

Big Hole spiked last week to almost 7000 has come down nicely to below 1500. Running clear and cold (around 40 in the afternoons) as long as the predicted warm-up doesn't melt the recent snow too fast the fishing over the next week or so should really start to pick up. Even if the river does spike again I don't think there's enough low snow and ice left to approach last week's surprise...though please don't spread it around you heard it here first...Streamers, rubberlegs, SJWs, streamers and if you feel lucky try throwing your favorite skwalas in the afternoons...Haven't seen any yet but don't forget Al says he pitched one awhile back and...OK I don't buy it either but, hey, give the guy a break, you know a long winter of too much hot sun, sand, dancing babes and conch salad...as I say give the guy a break...

Ruby is spilling from the dam around 150; pretty easy to get around and rumor is the streamer fishing is pretty good; nymphs are always a good bet). Pick the right day and the olive and midge fishing might surprise ya...(closed above the dam until opening in late May).

Lastly a word of advice: Get you a wirehair and pack her along. As Annie proves over and over again there just ain't no bad fishing days...like the fish don't bite, why hell why not point (attack), half-drown self in a wave or two; or as she likes to do given a creek or river see how many times can swim across and back and still shake your boogie somewhere this side a North Dakota or...as I say wirehairs just flat out keep you grinnin...over and out...

Fly Friday: Mastering water temperature trends...

Trout being cold blooded critters as water temperature trends upward toward (or downward away from) the ideal (60 degrees give or take a couple depending on species) so goes metabolisms and....And thus go our fishing propects.

Given water temperatures hovering in the mid-30s to mid-40s usually equates to slow fishing regardless but should the water temperture suddenly drop, such as late afternoon when the sun settles behind yonder hill, the fishing is almost certain to shut down, like slow-mo to non-existent in a flash.

Water temperatures generally trend the same as air temperatures only slower; one notable exeception being the warm sunny afternoon in spring when the snow suddenly starts melting infusing said river with many gallons ice water...not so hot.

Cold water and low temperture downward trends do not affect trout health wise. Though prolonged cold snaps plummet water temperatures to near freezing, metabolisms all but shut and some might lose an ounce or two not eating. The flip side is another story. Prolonged high water temperatures (81 degrees is deadly) can be fatal, especially so if we anglers add to what is already a really stressful situation.

As water temperatures trend above 70 degrees the effect on trout metabolisms is similar to sudden downward trends and extreme low water temperatures. Trout stop eating, activity slows to a crawl and if trend continues for more than a day or so migration to cooler water is imminent.  Cooler more oxygenated water is ideal but just getting to cooler water is paramount to survival--spring holes, colder tribs even the bottom of deep mostly shady pools. Unless trout have become somehow acclimated to high water temperatures (like the Firehole) little, if any feeding or activity, for that matter, occurs in 70 degree water.

The best thing for us is to leave them alone, hope for a change in the weather. Montana's so-called hoot owl mandate is designed for just that reason...to get us the hell off the water until conditions improve.

Birding Trails Montana: Bird photography...

...is not easy: Starts with a plan, add a decent lens (in most cases 300mm is bare minimum), a tripod helps big time but is not always possible, so image stabilization comes in handy and lucky sure doesn't hurt. But even so like with most things in life some days you get steak: the killdeer is a prime cut.

Some days you get chicken... alas this shot of a junco is close but..OK, the pose is spot on, the eye sharp, the background none too shabby, though cast a keen eye and you will see Mr Junco is not quite tack sharp...My excuse is poor light (juncos tend to hang in dark, forested places), hand-held, too slow shutter speed and sticking with a too low ISO 100...As I say chicken baby and be damn glad to get it for...

 ...had this fumbled hairy woodpecker shot been judged best in show...Well you know, like no din-din tonight unless of course the dog is willin' to share...over and out...

On another track a rare afternoon of almost no wind we packed it in at the office and scurried to the lake...Hardly a ripple, hardly any competition (as it soon became obvious MIAs knew something I missed) and not a single bump. Despite diligently offering up several choice looking jigs, a couple nymphs and a woolly or two; yup, two hours up near the dam and a half hour so at Horse Prairie and nothing, nada; flat out skunkoed go figure? If any consolation I noticed the four brothers plying the dam face were pretty much, no make that, summarily skunkoed as well...Skunkoed. Sort has a nice ring don't you agree...

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday...

Yesterday the wind howled; nothing new just another too windy day of no fishing (at least not the sort interests this ol' boy) so...What to do? In a landslide "pokin' about the nearby hills" wins. For us always a good choice no matter what the weather gods happen to be serving up at the moment. And poking about a mountain crick...Well hell, how good is that?

Pile a rotting shingles, a few well-weathered boards, back wall (no doubt to keep the mountain at bay) and this nifty stone fireplace are all that remain of what in all likelihood was a mine shack. Weren't for the howling wind who knows what secrets we might a overheard, eh? Note the Dorritos bag in the fire box, doubtless the remains of a more recent pack a hongry hombres...Elkacholics?

Spittin' rain down here but a might wintery lookin' up top...All in all a fine day for wishin' we was fishin' though doubtless the better idea was just pokin' about...Too bad ya missed it...

Fly Fishing: Redington Sonic Pro Waders...

...passed the intial river test with flying colors...sort of....On the plus side the waders appear as advertised sturdy, good fit--e.g. roomy but not too, feet fit, not too tight, not too loose, five layer construction in all the right places, built-in gravel guards an extension of the wader itself, not the sort of flimsy add-on some other high end waders I could mention sport but won't and assuming the no-stitch deal really does work so much the better. Last but not least they come at great price...again Sonic Pros retail for about the same as the un-named brands previously hinted wholesale...How good is that, eh?

The flip side, for me at least so far, starts and ends with the zipper model I did not really want in the first beginning but had no choice (a rant probably more the workings of an old man's addled mind than anything useful so no doubt not worth repeating). In other words I would like the waders a whole lot more without but as I say...

The day and the river being way too chilly for this ol' boy to sink hisself sufficient to submerge said zipper can't say one way the other as to leakage problem or lack thereof...Though based on the many reviews I've read seems not an issue so...Having said that I am old school enough not to trust such modern  innovations...more like an accident waiting to happen which of course would not be sans zipper...Oh well, as I say they passed the initial test, time as they say will tell the rest of the tale..over and out.

PS The nifty (my idea) little (#8 2X long) feather streamer aside the logo is a fly I have a thing about tying (who knows) and have for many years. Admittedly a touch less than perfect still it has over the years duped many victims but...alas, on this day, one the Big Hole trouts ignored completely...go figure...

Fly Fishing: Are You A Trout Bum? A short quiz...

Whether or not Gierach first labeled us trout nuts "trout bums" is more than I know. But am pretty sure I were one long before the book hit the streets; whether or not the shoe still fits is at this late stage debatable. Anyway here's a little quiz to...ah-h test your mental stability, perhaps help you determine your chances of remaining socially acceptable...as if we really give a rat's, eh?

1. Do you fish at least 200 days per? 
2. Do you spend more on gear than food?
3. Have you divorced more than one wife, citing lack of irreconsilable priorities?
4. Is your fly rod collection worth more than your truck?
5. Do friends constantly ask, How can you afford all that spiffy gear when you hardly ever work?
6. Do you obsess over flies might not be the exact color naturals; your flies sport only two tails instead of 3, blah, blah, blah?
7. Have you ever borrowed from or robbed a bank and/or sponged money off a relative or close friend to buy whatever or...perish the thought...a plane ticket to Alaska or some other spiffy destination?
8. Have you ever slept on the ground or in the backseat rather than waste time pitching a tent...you know one more cast. 
9. Forget skipping meals, you never miss happy/cocktail hour or that wake up cup a Joe...Right? 
10. Have you ever missed Christmas morning round the ol' tree with wife and kids and...no you would never even think a that...of course not...I rest my case.

If you answered yes to...well, lets just say if you answered yes and/or right to even one...sorry pal ain't much hope. On the other hand pat yourself on the back cause from where I sit a whole bunch of envious, addled souls out there just a pinein' for the courage...

Fly Fishing: Winter

I began fly fishing in winter a long time ago. So long ago I forget just when and have no clue why, other than I liked to fish, it was legal and it pretty much beat the alternatives such as staring down a hole in the ice, watching Lombardi's Packers kick the snot out yet another NFL patsy and of course grouse season was over so...Why not?

Trout streams back then were only crowded in April and early May or until the stock trucks quit running so I can't use that as an excuse but if I were just starting out today, solitude would indeed rank high. Granted tossing flies in a snowstorm is more popluar today and some spots draw a crowd of sorts anytime, especially when the sun shines but still, here in Montana I can't recall ever seeing the kind of mayhem summer routinely features.

I don't fish as much in any season as I once did--too old, too lazy, too whatever--but weather seldom plays a role in my decisions one way or the other. Though I do often look out the window find the wind howling, hurricane force and decide to run the dog instead so wind being weather I guess you could say I do wimp out now and then.

In the old days I think the relative handful of participants probably did it more to impress than anything but I don't remember ever actually putting it that way. Some of my adventures certainly raised a few eyebrows. Such as the Christmas morning I awoke to a couple feet of new snow, temps way below zero--if I told you how low you would not believe me anyway so--and the limestone spring creek out front (which only froze a couple times in the 20 odd years we lived there) frozen solid except for slim rent about 2-feet wide by maybe 15-yards long. After shoveling out I decided to tie flies--what you might call a sane move, eh?. But all morning as I tied could not keep my eyes off or mind from thinking do you suppose.

Finally around noon, the time predicted to be the day's high, still way below zero (in case you wondered) I replaced the bobbin with the already strung up rod, announced to the wife "
Goin' fishin' be back in awhile," (sorry you don't need to know Gale's lurid remarks) plowed through thigh deep drifts, out on the ice, pulled a short length of line from the reel, dropped the pair of nymphs at the head of the "run" and a couple drifts later hauled a very cold acting (looking) brookie onto the ice. But not before neighbors Art and Larry drove by, stopped, rolled the window down and one of the them said something to the effect,  "Thought I'd seen it all but you my friend are flat out friggin' INSANE! tooted the horn and drove away shaking heads and laughing. Near hypothermic would be the more accurate assessment  (please don't spread it around) I slipped the hook and booted the hapless brookie back and called it good.

One of the victims from yesterday's excursion at Poindexter; hoping for a midge and/or bwo event instead greeted by hurricane force wind, no bugs...nada...and the highlight of being mired in muck such that at one point I thought might need to call in search and rescue...true story. Anyway the hot fly, and I use the term loosely, was this conehead woolly; which of course I lost just when it seemed the trout were really getting into it; and of course did not have another woolly on me so...Oh well,  crick all to my ownself, at least until I was about to quit, watched a pair of courting red-tails, got more than a fair share fresh air, did manage to haul a few trout anyways all in all a fun way to spend winter afternoon.

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday: Rubber vs. Felt...

About the time Simms announced they would no longer manufacture felt soled wading boots, I took a chance at the Ennis Fly Fishing Festival on the above rubber soled jobs and, wonder of wonders, won the draw.

The next weekend we fished the upper Big Hole for two days and while I liked the hell out of the fit and comfort hiking around on dry land, alas wading the river...well to put it bluntly pretty much sucked.

Okay, the traction was a cut above boot foot rubber soled hip boots but not much. Without the aid of a stick no way would this ol' boy have been able to stay erect unless of course I shuffled around at a snail's pace amid the good graces of the wading gods...No matter how careful each step my foot slipped and, trust me, a bad deal given gimpy geezer knees.

But they were new so I thought just maybe over time would get better...The rest of the fall and winter season I tested them in mountain cricks, the Beav, Poindexter and a couple more Big Hole excursions. Overall traction did not improve.

My ratings: Good to go for Poindexter. Okay, if you're careful and stay out of the real heavy stuff, in the Beav. Not so hot on bouldery mountain cricks; adequate for those lacking algae; and as I said, hands down better than felt for hiking around.

Which brings us to the Big Hole. Where, to my way of thinking, lacking studs the boots are next to useless, if not downright dangerous...So there you have it...

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday...Mountain Whitefish

Mountain whitefish aka rocky mountain bonefish; whitey; aw shucks "just" a goddamn whitey; and many other largely unprintable labels. A Montana native; a member of the salmonid family (e.g. trout/salmon), eats our flies, fights good enough the average fisher man really does not "know" what is on the end the line until he sees it; is delicious and so...

Whitefish probably average around 12 inches in the rivers I fish most--Big Hole, Madison, Beaverhead and so on--but many are much larger--18-20 inches even--the state record is over 5 pounds and was caught in the Kootenai River, in case you wondered.

The surest way to catch a whitefish is with small nymphs--16-20--Prince, PT, Hare's ear, midge--but I've caught many on dries--usually during a hatch but not always. I've netted whitefish for guests hooked on just about every sort of fly, a few caught on spinners and, of course, many (mostly geezers but not all) target winter whitefish for smoking and/or grilling with all manner of bait--meal worms and maggots rank high. And you do know the "trick" to keeping said bait from freezing, right? Like a pinch between cheek and gum works like a charm; but then you knew that...Right.

This one does not challenge the state record but a whitefish this size puts a distinct bend in the ol' rod and seems to me that being the precise reason most of us claim brung us to the dance in the first beginning... pray tell then just what the hell is there not like?  

Must be those lovely lips perhaps fit for only suckers or carps...sure don't cut it for us real trout fishers that's for sure...

 As someone once pointed out beauty she is indeed in the eye of the beholdin...or something like that.

Okay, so I failed to sway your vote one way or another; but should you find a dreaded whitey has gobbled your offering please give him the respect he deserves and whatever your feelings whitefish do deserve at least the respect of "trying" to put him back unharmed (or bonked and invited home for dinner) as you wish.

Really whitefish are too good to be bonked and tossed for coon/skunk bait as some I know and have seen of late are obliged. Nasty, nasty and totally over the edge...at least to this ol' boy's way of thinkin...So there you have it...over and out...

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday... MT Fishing Access Field Guide...License Renewal....

One way to beat the crowds is to avoid fishing the famous places at the popular times, e.g. weekends, July and August, just before, during and immediately after the expected arrival of, say, the Big Hole River salmon flies and perhaps all season long should one us nefarious outdoor writers hotspot your pet rivers.

Another way is to download the Montana Field Guide. Featuring over 300 Fishing Access Sites--streams, rivers, and lakes--I mean, hell man, can't be all overrun...Right. FASs provide public access to some surprisingly high quality waters, many of which, remain under the radar of the thundering herd; offering not just great fishing. with at least the chance of relative solitude, as it used to be and should be but places to canoe, raft, bird watch and many even provide good hunting. Do it....http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/fasGuide.html

On another track March 1st means we need a new fishing license and while you would have to be living under a rock to not have heard by now the new deadline for applying for deer and elk permits is March 15th...I know has not one thing a do with fly chucking but I thought maybe if I just wrote it down, I would not forget...sorry but us geezers can't be too careful when it comes to...well, you know...over and out....

Fly Fishing...The Movie....Montana Wolf Update...

An interesting article on the 2012, 20th Anniversary of the infamous "Movie" which, by any stretch, forever changed the face of what was at the time truly the "Last Best Place" into something...Well, let me just say "different" and leave up to you to decide good, bad or indifferent. That it also changed forever fly fishing as  we once knew it is of course not up for debate. Also hard to debate is the increased interest in fly fishing spurred on all sorts of good stuff for rivers, trout, etc. That it also made a lot of folks rich and famous...well I guess if you are one a them, all well and good...for the rest of us? My vote all things considered...you know, Californication, land grab, today's Bozemans, Missoulas, Kalispells as opposed to PM days...locked gates, constant court fight to repeal the wonderful Montana Stream Access Law by bastards--Kennedy, Lewis, et al wielding more money than God, to say nothing of the State..Traffic on some of our antiquated two-lane roads nothing less than downright friggin' deadly...well all in all, I must vote Not So Hot...but then what do I know? Right.

You can read the article here...http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/article_b07d873c-6039-11e1-b043-001871e3ce6c.html...by copy and paste into your browser.

Interesting article on the Increase in wolf numbers following the recently ended wolf season; which by all rational thinking is looking more like a failure with each passing day and would seem, assuming the idea is to really bring numbers down to reasonable biological (and not political) limits, another game plan is indeed in order...to read the entire article copy and paste:  http://www.idahopress.com/news/state/montana-wolf-population-up-percent-in/article_e65de121-eaeb-5979-b4b0-104d36e016ec.html

Fly Fishing: Photo...Porn...

Big Spring Creek (Lewistown, MT) has been a favorite ever since the first time we fished it way back when. The photo is more recent, shot during our marathon two year odyssey desperate to at least wet a line in as many of the dozens of creeks, rivers and lakes we planned to include in Flyfisher's Guide to Montana. I can't remember what or how many we caught or did not catch that day but the highlight was all the wonderful stream improvement work ongoing. Successful changes such as these only serve to make great cricks even greater fishing-wise but fish and catch rates aside healing old wounds is just downright good for everything and every one...sort a like chicken soup for the soul...

The blue-winged olive hatch is among the best hatches at Big Spring Creek. Generally speaking the hatch comes off in March and April and then again in October and November. A couple sizes bigger in the spring, like #18-20s; the fall hatch is more like #22-24s. While I can't prove it bwos like pmds are trout candy and whenever the tiny bugs are around you can almost bet the farm trout are keying on them; at least some of the trout most of the time. Though it takes a keen and practiced eye sometimes to figure out just which stage the trout are relishing at any given moment...nymph, emerger, cripple, dun...and of course not all the trout are in tune to the same items and naturally trout being trout are apt to switch gears without notice. The good news is no matter how it all turns out all fun...Right? Right... 

Label this shot Gale captured high in the Beartooths: Yee intrepid reporter doin' his thing...in this case, as opposed to gittin' 'er done. Although it pains the ol' boy to confess, truth is the trout in this here pond done kicked my butt...Of the dozens slurping and swirling every direction, mad for some little itty bitty no-seeums I landed...oh maybe three or four...What's wrong with that you say? Well, nothing really just the trout were but a wee bit bigger than the nearly invisible hatch....OK maybe not that small but you get my drift, I'm sure...

 Not long after shooting this one at Cliff Lake in the Gravellys a whole herd of rainbows moved in almost on the beach, cruising around in plain sight, merrily picking off hatching callibaetis; an easy cast in any direction. Feeding with reckless abandon I think would about cover it.  Okay, we did not eat skunk but the licking those hungry trout put on us...But then as Gale said, Who cares about a slimy ol' trout when you're finnin' around immersed in all that wonderful blue water and a white sand beach besides...Hard to argue, eh?

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday Steelhead...

Terry Throckmorton, Salmon River, ID, Steelhead 

Grab your rod, head over the hill to Salmon, ID, word on the street is the ice recently went out at Deadwater which of course means, steelhead are once again on the move and the fishing will heat up...for the next month or so steelheading will be about as good as it gets...which in past couple years has been pretty damn good...Most everyone I know seems to expect pretty much more the same this time around. So there you have it, ya miss it, don't say I didn't warn ya...over and out...

Fly Fishing: Short Bamboo Rod...

...features not only a unique construction but is really short (4 feet, 2 inches stem to stern) by today's standards. While years ago I went through a short rod craze and built (fiberglass) a couple rods in the 4-5 feet range these days my "collection" includes not a single rod less than 8 feet. And if you've been following this rant for any length of time you know how much we enjoy fishing even the tiniest, brush-choked trickles.

From what I can find out from those who have tested these rods are capable of easily casting flies (I would assume lightweight flies) out to 60 feet or so. Not really surprising when you consider there are guys out there who can cast an entire fly line sans fly rod so...Anyway for more info paste the link below into your browser:

solitudeoutdoors.com/braided creek rod

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

Legend has it circa 1900, Idahoan Carter Harrison created the Trude fly; named it for his friend A. S. Trude. The original is said to have sported a red-brown body and wing, brown hackle and no tail. No peacock herl either which, of course, along with the down-wing (Trude style, if you will) are signatures of the many modern-day variations still evolving a century and change later.  

Sometime later it became de rigeur to include a tail; most often golden pheasant tippet fibers. But even that has more or less fallen by the wayside. These days I see more Trudes sporting woodchuck or moose body hair tails or even stiff hackle fibers.

The down-wing remains but even that has been much bastardized—calf-tail is probably the most common but I’ve seen and tied Trudes wearing bucktail, elk-hair and deer-hair wings and recently I saw some small one tied with the foot-hair of the snowshoe hare; very nice, by the way, and said to float better too, always a plus in my book.

Most popular in show goes to the Royal Trude, with the Lime Trude probably a close second. Not to be denied purple (imagine) made something a splash last season on the Big Hole, how long that rage will last is of course anyone’s guess. Also last season I had good luck during the Big Hole skwala hatch fishing a Peacock Trude; said to be a creation of Bitterroot guru, Chuck Stranahan; no surprise there being as the Bitterroot is generally considered to be ground zero for the mysterious skwala hatch which, by the way, is probably starting about now to awake from its long winter nap.

With exceptions for variations such as the peacock skwala fraud Trudes, like their upwing cousins the Wulff family, are tied as attractor patterns. As the years roll on I find myself fishing them more and more. A great option for pounding ‘em up in pocket water,  riffles, tight to the bank, even as lake flies. I’ve also had good luck at times fishing ‘em classic wet fly style…you know down and across. OK, not exactly wet because of the inherent bouancy more like damp and waking the surface…Bottom line Trudes flat out git ‘er done…one a those try it you might like it deals…I rest my case.

Fly Fishing: Poindexter, Opening Day...At Last.

For a lot of reasons I'd just as soon forget January got away from me and for the first time in long time failed to catch a trout to kick start the year--hell, I did not even go, not even once. Though I did think about going just about every day since flipping the calendar to a new year not until a couple days ago did I finally say the hell with it and...

...now I'm standing in the parking lot at Poindexter Slough, hopping about beside the truck, one foot in waders when the kid arrives, little yappy dog in tow, Zebco in hand, nods...

For reasons still escape me, I mumble something I've learned the hard way is generally a bad idea...How's the fishin'?

Forty-five. But you gotta get it down, bring it back real slow, right on the bottom. Ain't about to come up for it..no way.

Sounds like you had yourself some kind a fun, eh?

Apparently just the opening he'd been waiting, moves in close and cuts right to the chase. Mister, I only been fishin' here for about 20 years, I oughta know how ta ketch 'em by now.

Spying the partially rigged fly rod leaning against the truck mirror adds, Don't wanna bust your chops mister but ain't seen one raise all day.

Really.

I remember thinking, kid you really can't be much more than 20...must a got an early start...eh?

If I was you, mister, I'd put on a big, whatyacallit, ah-h, streamer, lots a weight and try and get 'er down, right on the bottom. Ain't about to come up even an inch, no way, and bring it in real slow...slower the better.

Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the hot tip.

That's when he spied Gale strapping on her Nikon.

Ma'am, you wanna awesome picture, follow me.

Tossing the Zebco in the back of his pickup he all but grabbed her by the arm and hustled her toward the frozen cattail pond in front the truck.

C'mon out here, ma'am, ain't that the most awesome beaver dam ya ever saw, make a really good picture, but ya gotta get out here past the bushes, he said, sliding his way on out toward the middle.

I took that as my opening to get the hell outta Dodge. I'll be up in the meadow, get on out there and...

If looks could kill...

Under the bridge I stop to finish rigging, naturally keeping one eye peeled...you know should the kid decide further tutoring is in order...And naturally I tied on a bugger instead of a the midge I'd planned on...After all, the kid did mention 45 trout; 20-years a practice; and besides, not a raise all day...Right.

PS Gale eventually did catch up. And I did think to ask about the awesome picture. And she did--I think--OK I'm almost certain...she muttered a nasty word...and maybe that's all I need say about that, eh?

Fly Fishing: Paring Down the Load and a Sad Day Indeed...

Hang the landyard, stuff the fly box, tippet spools in shirt pockets, tug on the waders, grab the fly rod and go for it...Quick and easy, just what the doctor ordered to sooth a simple-minded soul.

I know, I know here we go again yet another Fly Friday posted on a Saturday mornin'...sorry but yesterday for us was Black Friday...the blackest friggin' Friday maybe ever...I'll fill in the details later...but for now all I can say is Katie girl our bird huntin' ain't never gonna be the same....

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday: Essential Flies

George Grant style woven-hair flies tied by Tom Harman....

Tom, as many of you know, lorded over Harman's Fly Shop, in Sheridan (MT) for many years...reputed at the time to house "the largest fly selection in Montana." Enough fly choices to cover any situation and probably enough left over to cover situations not yet invented.

The first time I laid eyes on all those flies got me to recollecting how in the past I had hit the crick, so to speak, armed with so many flies more than once I could not find the fly I wanted, yet knew damn well was in there somewhere? In there, as in one the many boxes, in one the many pockets of an overstuffed vest, such zippers and velcro closures no longer closed and weighed enough after a long day astream my neck and shoulders felt much like I'd imagine toting cinder blocks on a rope might.

Then one cold winter night in a moment of forehead slapping enlightenment as I performed the yearly clean-out and reorganization chore it hit me...like Duh...the vast majority, stupid, has never been wet, has never seen the light of day since dropping off the vice who knows how many moons ago...For me a monumental breakthrough and a life changing one at that...OK not really but I did start to pare things down big time and in the process made my fly fishing life way less stressful mentally and physically way less painful.

For many seasons now when fishing familiar waters I carry two boxes max: one for dries; one for nymphs and for those rare occasions I feel really desperate toss in a handful buggers...that's it. Of late, more days than not, I forgo all but the dry box...a personal choice you no doubt disagree but hey, tis what makes the big round ball round, eh?

The dry box contains (two dozen or so total in sizes 10-20) parachute Adams (Purple Haze), Iris and X-caddis, Royal and Ausable Wulffs, Stimis and Flash Cripples. Later I might toss in a couple ants, beetles and hoppers or during, say, Salmon Fly time a couple big Sofa Pillows; in BWO and/or Midge time I'd probably toss out most of the big stuff and add a few no-seeums to the brew.

Based on what I consider sound advise, e.g. Tom Rosenbauer (Orvis) advises, "you need at least 4 times as many nymphs as dries" thus my box contains many more nymphs than dries but the number of patterns remains, to my way of thinking, totally manageable.

In the full range of sizes 4-22 (like dries I do not carry every pattern in every size or even any pattern in every size) my selection is made up of skinny mayfly and midge type nymphs--PT, Micro May, Split Back, Zebra, RS-2 and such. Caddis larvae, pupae, emergers-- LaFontaine patterns, Rock Worm, etc. And other stuff Copper John, Rubberlegs, San Juan Worm, Hare's Ear, Prince (Variations). Most nymphs don't  take up all that much room so I can get a little carried way and still keep it all in one handy-dandy size box.

Both boxes, along with floatant, a couple spools tippet, nippers and split shot fit nicely in the four pockets of  a fishing shirt, snap the forceps to a pocket flap, grab the rod and good to go...as I say all you need for your basic neighborhood sojourn. Simple deal made to order for a simple-minded soul.

On the road? Well, that's another tale best told at a later date...

Admittedly Fanatic Minimalists are by now cringing (gagging) at my idea of paring down but then they did not see the vest or bear the pain either...I rest my case.

PS...Yes I know if don't soon get back on the straight and narrow no doubt the Fly Friday Po-lice will be a knockin...sorry.

Fly Fishing: Fly Friday

Recalling good times, past times, is like chicken soup for the soul...

On another track, in case you haven't noticed cyber space fly fishing rags these days continue to just get better and better...OK some of the writing is, dare I say it? a bit too gonzo modern hip for this ol' geezer's taste but hard to argue the stunning photography is...well, stunning...what can I say? In case you wondered here are a couple links you might want to check out...in your humble correspondents opinion...that is....

Catch Magazine....http://www.catchmagazine.net
Ten and Two Magagzine....http://www.tenandtwomagazine.com
Flymage...http://www.flymage.net
Southern Culture On the Fly....http://www.southerncultureonthefly.com

While not an online magazine, Craig Mathews, Blue Ribbon Flies, site offers a growing list short videos and articles--fly tying how-to, fishing, etc.--and John Juracek photos are top shelf.