Smoke on the water... Fire in the sky

Wildfires are no joke! I woke up this morning to a smoke covered valley yet again. We haven't had a clear day here in missoula since the wildfires in Hamilton started. Today seemed to be worse than the past few, visibility was under 2 miles and everywhere you go it smells like a campfire. Today I set out to the Bitterroot for some exploring and streamer fishing. It was a good day, I was able to land a few nice fish and explore some new water.

 Red eyed brown

 His good side

Bitterroot Brown

Still waiting on that rain to come....

Sunday FUNday

Yesterday Alec and I headed down the Bitterroots to meet up with our friend Bob. I was eager to fish with Bob, pick his brain and be able to fish out of a boat(For only my second time).We got on the river around 8 and didn't take out until around 730. With close to twelve hours on the water one would think we landed piles of fish right?... Not the case on this trip, It was my first real experience technical dry fly fishing and it was a hell of a time. We set up on and casted at multiple large rising fish in different stretches of the river but weren't able to get them to the boat. It took me a while to get down the long reach casts that we were making but once I was able to get a good cast with a good drag free drift I was rewarded by a big eat and an acrobatic fish jumping nearly 3ft out of the water. Even though the fish spit the hook it was a good feeling knowing I got the big fish to eat. Between the big eats, missed hook sets, break offs, and acrobatic fish I had one of the most relaxing/fun days of fishing in a long time. To be able to drift down the river effortlessly in a raft or boat while fishing with two good friends is so relaxing and a great way to spend a sunday if you ask me! We didn't get completely skunked though, each of us were able to land at least one fish.

"The Grey Whale"

 Streamer eating brownie

Beauty Bow

Big thanks to Bob and Alec for a great day on the water and some great fly fishing experiences. See you for fall streamer season Bob!

Saturday Streamer Success

This morning I woke up bright and early and headed to the Clark fork for some streamer fishing. The day started off slow and then I walked up river to some water I had never fished before. Did I say water? Sorry I ment Gorgeous, Untouched Water that I had never fished. Not only was the water gorgeous but the fish that were in it.... I will let the pictures do the talking.

 ...

Fish of the year? 

It was a great day of fishing, all fish, all sizes where smacking my streamer. Including this monster of a brown, this fish was the first trout with a kype jaw that I have ever caught. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and one hell of a fight.

Early tomorrow morning Alec, Bob and I are floating the Bitterroot to hopefully catch some dry fly and Pike action. 

CHEERS!!

Pain and Success on the Blackfoot

Yesterday I headed up the Blackfoot a ways to do some streamer fishing. The day started off terrible. First the fishing wasn't all that great then I took a hard fall off a rock onto my right arm. I ended up breaking the knob off my reel in the processes of falling but was able to rig it back together. I got my head back in the game and started fishing again. I fished till about dark covering a lot of water and catching some beautiful fish. The biggest one come just as the sun was setting a vicious Bull trout murdered my streamer and took me for a ride, about 2 yards from my backing at one point. I was finally able to land the fish but it paid me back by sticking one of the hooks of my articulated streamer into my thumb and ripping it through my skin with a few violent head shakes. Luckily my adrenaline was still going from catching the fish and I didn't feel it until I got back to the car. Fishings starting to pick up and I love it!

 Beautiful

Fay cuttie

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometime

I headed out early this morning with the mind set that I was gonna be off the water by noon and make it to the football game. Little did I know the fish had other plans. The day started off slow but quickly picked up when the clouds rolled in. Fish after fish was slamming my streamer. Then the biggest take all day. I set the hook and the fish went bonkers, Jumping clear out of the water with some aggressive head shakes. I finally was able to land the fish and it was a beautiful Cutthroat(The biggest cuttie I have ever caught). Throughout the day I landed 15+ fish and before I knew it I looked at my phone and it was 6 o'clock. Hell of a way to spend a saturday if you ask me.

 Words can't describe the feeling

Shoulders

Hitting the Blackfoot tomorrow for hopefully some more success!  

Streamer Season

Here in montana the temperatures are slowly dropping and fall is in the air. When I think fall in Montana only one thing comes to mind.. Streamer fishing! It just doesn't get much better than chucking big flies for big fish and feeling the strength of the fish when it smacks your fly. Yesterday I had a solid 7 hour gap between classes and work so I took advantage and headed up the Clark Fork. The streamer fishing started of slow and picked up progressively as the sun started to go over the mountains. I was able to land a few trout and some aggressive pike minnows.

 My reward to myself for getting a job.

Wishing for some rain here in MT. There are several fires outside of Missoula that are getting worse. If anyone knows of any send it our way!

Midnight Delight

Last night when I got out of my first day of work. (I am a master of the custodial arts) If you catch my drift. Alec, Cody, Garret, Riley and I headed to the Bitterroot with a handfull of mice flys and a 7wt. It was a larger group than I anticipated but we decided to split up. Riley and I stayed up high and Cody Garret and Alec went down low. It was hard starting out casting in the dark and feeling the amount of line you have out and where to put the fly in the water but eventually I got the hang of it. Right of Riley had a big take that sounded like someone throwing a rock in the water but wasn't able to hook up. As we made our way down this side channel I spotted a down tree and thought to myself this is big  DADDY BROWN TROUT TERRITORY. I swung my mouse past the down tree 3 or 4 times and on the 5th WHAM! My mouse gets hammered and I set the hook. The fight was on and my adrenaline was pumping. Much to my surprise the fish only fought hard for about a minute. I was finally able to net the fish (in pitch dark because I only had a flashlight) and I was very disappointed to see not a brown trout but an 18 inch pike minnow.... All in all it was a great trip and the rush of a fish eating a mouse fly is like no other. I will be back for more night fishing once I scope out some new water.

 Its an addiction..

 Three Blind Mice

 Grip n grin

 Face to face with a Pike Minnow

All fish gotta eat..

Sunday Morning SurpRISES

This Morning Alec, my roommate John and I headed down the Clarkfork to one of the first places Alec and I had ever gone fishing together. John came along to take pictures with his new camera and he got some sweet shots. When we arrived at the fishing access and got geared up we were surprised to see the river had totally changed from last year. The high flows from spring runoff out here in Montana are pretty intense and from what we saw today it can change a whole stretch of river. The first cast of the day I hooked up with a 6 inch cutbow and it only got better from there. Alec and I were able to land a couple nice rainbows on nymphs/drys. Alec and I met up about halfway through the day and stumbled upon a pod of rising fish. FINALLY this is what we have been waiting for! Consistently 6 different fish rising at the same time. We both quickly tied on a fly and instantly started catching fish. The fish weren't as large as we anticipated but it was still fun catching fish on drys again. The biggest one was around 12 inches and I lost one that was bigger. All in all it was a great morning of fishing with good friends.

 Gearin' up

 First fish of the day

 Fire on the Mountain

 Missoula's smokey

 Fish of the day

 Casting to sippers

On the pod of fish

 Alec with a little cuttie

  

Now its time for homework...