Great Day!

I've been waiting for today since the end of last week. Why you ask? The answer is I had 2 finals back to back, Biology and Math. I started the day by doing average on my Biology exam and actually leaving myself an hour before my next exam. I went back to my dorm and looked in my mailbox..No it couldn't be..My HYDROS!! I broke my Orvis Hydros 5 wt the day before spring break and have been anxiously waiting for its return. I was running down the hallway yelling I was so excited. However I had to go take my Math exam before I could cast it. I took my Math test and to my knowledge I aced it! I pretty much sprinted back to my dorm to go get my rod to throw a few loops. It's a great feeling to have my baby (The hydros) back in action. Two more exams a 3 more days and Ill be on my way back to Vermont! See you on the water!

The Hydros

FINALS

Tomorrow is the last day of regular class, that means no more papers, no more books and no more teachers dirty looks! However I do have 4 final exams next week. Math, Biology, Anthropology and Organic Chemistry. Its a solid line up but I have a few days to prepare. Nine more days and I will be back east in Vermont with my feet back in the water and a fly rod in my hand. No more test and quizes. Until then I will be in the library filling my brain with knowledge and dreaming about fishing...

I am gonna miss this beautiful valley and everything that comes along with it but ill be back in a few months to do it all again.

Hiking, Fishing and good friends

Saturday afternoon my friends Katie and Cam joined me on a hike up an unnamed creek outside of missoula. It was a beautiful day for a hike and with the rivers around missoula being so high from run off it sounded like a good plan to me. It was a beautiful hike that followed the creek all the way up. The creek was mostly all white water from run off but I was able to find a couple little pools that offered up a couple little cutthroat.

 Cam and Katie

 Little Cuttie

 Enjoying the view

Grizzly Adams did have a beard!

Only 19 days until I head back east for the summer. Lots of work to do before that day comes. As much as I hate to say it Fishing may have to be put on hold until summer vacation.. Trust me.. I will make up for time lost on the river when I get back to Vermont.

EVERYONE VOTE!!!!

On the left side of my blog there is a poll that says Which one is your favorite? Everyone check out the 6 pictures bellow the poll and click the dot to vote for your favorite picture! Im entering a contest that I have to send a picture into and I wanted more than just my input on which is the best picture. So vote!..Please        
(For a larger view of the pictures click on them under this post)

22 Incher

The MO

Sunset Rainbow

Rock Creek

Rainbow Close up

Rainbow/Hydros

No money, MO problems

Haven't been fishing much since spring break due to lack of cash flow and school keeping me busy. School is winding down with only a month left summer vacation is on the horizon but I have a lot to get done before I can think about that. Unfortunately I will be leaving the great state of montana for the summer to head back east to Vermont. I have a job lined up and hopefully I can save up some money for an apartment next year and also some fishing adventures. It wont be all work this summer I plan on fishing every minute I have free.
Hopefully I can get out on the water this weekend but in the mean time here is a video from spring break.

Mt. Sentinal Hike

Yesterday afternoon my buddy John and I decided to hike Mt. Sentinal. Sentinal is 5158 feet and elevation and missoula is at 3200 feet. We hike about 2000 feet in elevation in a little under an hour and got some pretty cool pictures in the process. After talking with John I have a good feeling we are going to hike Sentinal more often. It is such a great view of the missoula valley and its a fun hike.

 Panorama of the valley from the top of Sentinal

 Deer

 From The M

 Making the decent watching the sunset

 Alec, Cody and I also had a little tying session to fill up our fly boxes so we can stop spending money on flys.

5 Days of Camping, Fishing and letting loose on the Mo

Day 1
Alec, Cody and I left Missoula around 230 on saturday enroute to a town with a bar, 3 fly shops, 1 restaurant and only 45 people called Craig Montana. This town located on the Missouri river is known worldwide for the great people and even better fishing. We arrived in Craig set up our campsite (which was 5 yards from the rivers bank) and started a fire. There was just a little light left so Alec went out and fished the run right infront of our campsite. After a few cast the hooked up with a nice bow. We relaxed around the fire the rest of the night and got bed early to rest up for the day ahead.

 Full Car

 Alecs Rainbow 

 Cheers to kick off a great spring break

Day 2

We woke up sunday morning and decided to wade fish instead of float. Alec and I grabbed some coffee at the fly shop and headed up river. Cody had some other things to take car of and he was gonna meet us in a couple hours. We were able to wade out to an island that we knew was good fishing from prior trips. Alec started off hot nailing 3 fish on 3 cast while it took me a little longer but it was worth the wait when I hooked up with a 19 inch rainbow. It was a good fight, the fish made 3 good runs and I finally got him in the net.

Cody came alittle later but by the time he got there Alec and I had fished the spot pretty thoroughly. Alec ended up catching double digets while Cody and I only landed one each. We went back to camp for some lunch then headed back out for the afternoon. We went to a spot about a mile and a half above craig. I decided to just fish my way back to craig. I hooked up with a nice 17 inch brown about halfway back to craig that jumped 3 times right after I set the hook on him. I continued down river and the sun started to set. As soon as that happened and the wind died down fish were rising everywhere these fish were really picky and I couldn't get one to eat my size 22 Griffiths Gnat. While I was fishing I saw huge trout jump fully out of the water to eat a midge and my heart skipped a beat.

Day 3

On Monday Cody was able to get us a drift boat for the day from the fly shop he will be working at this summer "The Trout Shop". The day started off pretty slow but I was able to land one rainbow and Cody lost a BIG rainbow that he got about 10 feet from the boat. We stopped for lunch and Cody found a banana I had in the boat and tossed it into the river! He said it is bad luck to have a banana on the boat. We got a good laugh out of it and headed back out on the river. The day continued pretty slow but Alec and I were able to land another fish each on streamers and some more on dry flys. It was my first time out on a drift boat and I had a great experience.

Getting ready

 Cody looking for rising fish

Day 4

I woke up Tuesday morning with my mind set on floating in my pontoon boat and despite the wind I decided I would still float(Not the best decision) Alec gave me a ride up stream, I set the boat up and got out on the river. Winds were blowing around 20 mph with gust of 30+. The wind blew me around all morning and I wasn't able to catch any fish. When I arrived back at the campsite the wind just stopped.. Alec and Cody said they had a great morning wade fishing and caught a bunch of fish. We had some lunch and Alec and Cody went back out fishing but I chose to stay at the campsite relax and have a few beers. Later that night we all went up stream, it was dead calm and fish were rising everywhere. Me and cody fished dries and each caught some fish and got our balls kicked by some big fish.

 The Pontoon 

Cody with a nice bow

little guy 

Paradise 

The release 

Day 5
We woke up early Wednesday to calm conditions just like the night before. Alec headed out by himself and Cody and I weren't far behind him. I couldn't get a fish to eat a streamer that morning but Cody was getting a lot of action nymphing a seam that came off an island. I watched Cody loose close to 15 fish in a row(A new record I think) He finally landed a couple nice fish and let me give it a shot. I lost a couple fish myself but was able to land a nice brown. We met up with Alec back at the campsite who also had a good morning and decided we would pack up and head back to missoula.

 Fishing buddy

 Action shot

Midges like my boot

After 5 days of sleeping in the bed of Cody's truck, no shower, and minimal food supplies I was ready to get back to missoula for a good meal and a hot shower. I couldn't have asked for a better start to my spring break though. Caught a bunch of fish, drank a bunch of beer and had great friends to do it with. Today we are all recuperating from the trip writing blogs, tying flies and relaxing. Tomorrow we plan to hit the river again. Either the North Fork of the Blackfoot for Cutthroat and Bull trout  or Rock Creek.

The Mo