B*** on the Bitterroot

Today I got out on the water after my statistics lab, it was slow but I caught a few nice Valentines day trout and a surprise bass that couldn't resist my purple and olive streamer.

 Healthy Rainbow

 Gettin' some V-day love

Bass on the Bitterroot 

It's Friday already?

Its really friday? I find myself asking this question a lot lately, not a bad thing by any means, it is the weekend right? On the other hand, I wish this chaotic fly fishing addicted college student janitor life would slow down once in a while. This weekend thats my goal, slow down.. I have a few homework assignments that NEED to be done by monday but other than that Im gonna take the weekend off from fishing and just slow down. The last couple weeks have been crazy between going to class, fishing, homework, social life and Work. Its time for a laid back relaxed weekend with some fly tying and maybe beer drinking. Have a good weekend!

Heres some pictures from the past week of fishing.

Cheers!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Today one of the most influential people in my life and the person who first taught me how to hunt and fish gets another year older. Happy birthday dad, hope you have a great day. We may be 3000 miles away but every time I go out on the river you are there with me just like back when we used to go fishing up at the "secret spot" and you would let me drive the truck down the old dirt road on the way home. Sure sometimes I fell in the water and scared all the fish away or my brother would toss his worm in the hole I was fishing for 20 minutes and pull a brook trout out first cast. But thats beside the point, those memories will stick with me for a lifetime and I am glad they were with you. Thanks for being the best dad I could have asked for!!

I Love You!

The Bitterroot giving it up

The past few days in Missoula have been fairly warm and wet. Not exactly the kind of weather you usually see in January but I am not complaining. With the weather being so mild the past few days I would be a fool to not go chase big browns on streamers. After a quick stop at the fly shop to get something to patch the hole in my waders, I hit the river. It wasn't long before the lower bitterroot gave up a very good sized brown trout.

And this one..

Nice winter colors

I was talking to myself today like I usually do when im fishing alone and came up with a new saying..

"Living my life one strip and twitch at a time"

-Chris Gratton

Pretty good right? Well at least I thought so

Adios! 

Brown Success!

With some last minute advise from my friend Bob over at Bum Trout, I packed the car and headed down to Dillon, Montana to fish The Beaverhead River. I was optimistic about how the fishing was gonna be during the winter on the Beav but I had never seen the river myself. Just have heard about it and seen some pictures. I would have never guessed the fishing was gonna be as good as it was. I caught 12+ fish both days and they were all brown trout, minus 1 massive whitefish. I caught about half on nymphs and the other half on streamers. In my book a weekend fishing trip like that is hard to beat and in mid- January it is even more unbelievable.

 Buttery Beaverhead brown

 Adios my friend  

Bridge beast

 Fish of the trip

This was my first trip to the Beaverhead... And with these results, It wont be my  last. Big thanks to Frontier Anglers for pointing me in the right direction.

I just finished editing a short film from this trip so stay tuned! Its called "Smells Like Stream Spirit"

Brrrrrrrrrr... Off to explore

Its been chilly here in missoula for the past week and I only have been able to get out on the river once. However higher temps are in the near future and tomorrow im packing up and taking a trip down to the Big Hole river for some streamer fishing. It should be interesting, I have never fished the big hole but I have heard nothing but good things and its time for me to see for myself.

Whitefish kissing the ice for good luck!

Cheers to a weekend of exploring! 

Vermont for the holidays

Ive been back in the green mountain state for 2 and a half weeks now and it has been great catching up with family and friends. Santa was more than generous to me this year bringing me new fishing shirts, a Go Pro Hero 3, a Sage One 6wt and some other fishy things. Thanks big guy!

I haven't been on the river or even casted a fly rod in 3 weeks!! I am freaking out!! To keep my mind off fishing or keep me busy while I can't fish I have been working in the sugar woods for my Uncle Bruce Branon and Cousin Rj Branon. We have been busy putting in new pipe line to prepare for this years up coming sugaring season this spring. Gotta put in the time in the woods if you want that Pure Vermont Maple Syrup AKA (liquid gold) this spring. If you haven't had any REAL maple syrup I suggest you try it! It may change your life.

Bruce and Rj hard at work

Not a bad view coming out of the woods either..