Blast then Cast

So since I was able to get my Elk on Saturday, I was able to pretty much relax and enjoy the rest of the three day weekend. So I took advantage of the warmer weather (low 40s) and headed over to the Lower Madison River for the first fishing of the new year with my Dad. We found the fish were into eating the crayfish more than little nymphs. Here is a video of two nice browns that both crushed the cray.

MT Right of Passage

So I got my first Elk today. Have lived in Montana for just over 8 years now and on my second season of hunting Elk. One shot was all that I needed to put her down,which hit her in the neck. It was an awesome day starting with watching the sun rise over the Sphinx mountain in the Madison Range as I walked the field towards a huge heard of elk. It took a little while but finally I was able to get close enough, which was I think about 200-250 yards. It was all that I imagined and was made easy by some fellow Montana hunters that helped me drag my elk out with their 4-wheeler. I was very pleased that I field dressed her without any complications. I have heard too many horror stories about people screwing up field dressing. So I know I will have to pass on the karma sometime dragging an elk out for someone else or help in dressing the elk for them. I was able to drop her off at the game processor and hope to be barbecuing next week. What a day, I'm tired and will sleep good tonight.

10-10-10 Lower Madison

So it has been awhile it seems since I've been out on the river. Soccer season is done and fall fishing season has begun. I've got my buddy Matt coming out in a couple of weeks so I thought I better brush up on my skills. Landed this nice brown on a crawfish imitation on the lower Madison today. Hooked a bunch landed a few. It seemed they liked a little action on the crawfish since most of the fish took it on the strip rather than dead drifted. Got the day off tomorrow and it sounds like it will actually be fall since the forecast is for some rain and overcast, hope to fish streamers.

Big Hole Dairy Cows

Fished the Big Hole River yesterday after going to a work meeting in Butte. I wanted to fish dries but had to switch over to the nymph rig and immediately started catching fish. Caught plenty of browns and white fish. The browns seemed to hold high up in the run with the white fish in the tail of the run. It was a beautiful day after having some early fall weather the days before. The mountain rages all had new snow on the peaks contrasting with the blue sky of the day. When I stepped into the river I was met with a big bird with a white head in the cottonwood above me and two of the strangest dairy cows I have ever seen. Good day to get out.

Glacier Two Medicine

Spent a 4 day weekend up in Glacier within the Two Medicine Valley. Man that place is awesome. It was a nice break from the stresses of work to relax, take in all the senses of this amazing place. No wonder the Blackfeet consider this place to be good medicine. Devun and I did some hiking, a little fishing, and lots of Huckleberry pickin, since the berries where just starting to ripe. Saw lots of bears this trip too, starting with me almost taking out a griz cub driving into the park. Skidded and scared both me and the cub. We also saw a pair of black bears above our camp in an avalanche shoot foraging and then on our way home had a huge black bear and two cubs cross the road just outside of Big Fork along the Flathead River. I know these are the trips I hope Devun will appreciate as he gets older to recognize the great wonders of our planet and the need to preserve them.

Upper Two Medicine Lake

Full bag of Huckleberries

Ripe for the Pickin'

Casting on Upper Two Medicine, check out the head turn on the back cast, I feel it is just as important to watch your back cast as it is to watch your forward cast. It's not hard just turn your head.

Nice bow I picked off in addition to a nice brookie of the same size I got before him. Devun was not ready with camera on the brookie. It was cool though, I watched this rainbow come charging at my spent spruce moth after I gave it a little twitch on the water. The twitch triggered the take.

MT Small Creek Tour

Devun, my Dad, and I headed over to Big Creek today and we had a great time on the creek with another big emergence of Grey Drakes. Since we fished Grey Drakes last weekend my box was a little low on Grey Drake sparkle duns. So we improvised and used some other big sparkle duns that work pretty good. The day started pretty gloomy with rain and low clouds but the sun broke out for a nice day. Devun is getting pretty spoiled with all this good dry fly fishing. We were all amazed how big the fish were for how small the creek was. I had a nice cutthroat on but I could not stop him with my glass 3 weight from taking me into a log jam and then broke me off . We are going to head to Glacier next week, hope to do a little fishing too and pick some Huckleberries.

Devun sportin the Gill's Guide Service Hat

Fish on!

Grey Drake Macro Photo

Another Grey Drake

So Devun and I took off Friday morning to camp and do a little fishing on the upper main Boulder River, for Devun's Birthday. He is ten now, which is mind blowing. First time ever fishing this place, it is amazing that I have lived here in Montana for 8 years this fall and I am still finding new places to fish and explore within a days drive of my house in Bozeman. The Boulder drainage is a neat place, very diverse and beautiful. Devun had one of the best days fishing ever he said, totaling about 8 fish and loosing many more. We had a nice emergence of big gray drakes in the afternoon that brought up many cutthroats. He out fished Dad today, which I am sure will be a common theme in the future. Here are a few pics of our adventure.