Prolific Hatch

SOME ARE SYNTHETIC

Some Are Not

all float and fish

WALLPAPER:  RO

-------

..From near and far the drift boat hatch is blossoming in our village. Soon visiting sports and guides will pair up and molest fish with pecuniary abandon.
.. Decorative and functional: the hatch will grow more prolific in the coming weeks.

-------

WALLPAPER:  SUORDOUGH SWIRL

DAS BOOT

WOOD ON WATER

Warrior Of The Madison

it's not plastic - it's holy

WALLPAPER: A VETERAN OF THE MADISON

-------

.. Our heart sings as we float past the hulls of the newer cookie-cutter plastic boats on the river.
.. Try it, you'll like it.

-------

River Warrior

WALLPAPER: GOING ON 20 YEARS

Obsession

ALWAYS FISH FROM A BOAT

No Matter What

even if the boat won't float

 

The Fleet Is In

WALLPAPER:  DRIFT BOATS IN WEST YELLOWSTONE

WALLPAPER (Loaf #15):  YELLOWSTONE  SOURDOUGH

River Warriors

WALLPAPERS

 -------

FEAR NO ROCK

-------

WAITING

Wallpapper (WWS-9eb)

Lowland Madison

WAY TOO GOOD THIS EARLY

Pods & Pods & Pods Of Eagar Fish

we're loving it to death

-------

.. It is an unusual and wonderful situation. The sparse Spring runoff event, (to date,) has enticed us to the lowlands in order to partake of catching beyond the dreams of even the head hunters and the fin counters.

.. Guides are marking the prows of their drift boats with fish silhouettes like they were WWII bombers.  And those are just the fish over 20".  Small fry aren't even photographed. Anglers are praying for LDR's with each weak tug. Get 'em off and get 'em gone. Such a circus is hard to believe. But, it's true.
.. We're arm weary and eye sore from all the fish. And, we're going back for more. Rare indeed for us. Then again, this only happens infrequently. Forget the correct fly patterns. Throw what you like - the fish will like it too.
.. Needing some rest now. Back at it early . . . . . . . . .

-------

Them Were The Days

IGNOBILITY

OF RODENTS AND BOATS

Lowland Madison Visit

STILL FALL DOWN BELOW

Fewer Fishers - More Fish

lots of choices

NEW BOTTOM AND ALL - IT'S READY TO GO !!

-------

.. With a kind and generous neighbor at the oars we were treated to a rare visit to the 100-mile riffle. There was a hole in the clouds so the day was warmer and more gentle than many a blustery one in June.

RARE FISH PORN - PRETTY FISHIE

.. Bugs were plentiful in the air and we could've imitated any of several Caddis Flies, Itty Bitty Baetis', Crane Flies, Horse Flies, or other winged denizens.
.. The visiting head hunters strip streamers looking to dance with an exuberant piscine partner.
.. After much mulling and cogitating we produced the ideal rig: a size 14 Parachute Adams. The easy way out of the technical fishing trap set by the local experts and sage minds of the lowlands.

INDULGENCE & COMPETENCE

.. Healthy Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout were a bit recalcitrant in the sunshine, but we had some dance partners. The streamers were a bust but not the pretty little Parachute Adams - go figure.
.. Breaking away from our personal predilections for finding fish: a nymph was on the end of the line for only about 1/2 hour.
.. It's nice to have indulgent neighbors with keen eyesight that can tie a competent knot.
.. We fished merrily along leaving a trail of flies stuck in snags, sweepers, boulders, cobbles, willows, and baseball caps, (oops -- sorry 'bout that.)
..The freezing drizzle in the high country is muting the vibrant colors of Fall. Not so along the lowland Madison River: it's still way too green and gold for the middle of October. We'll take it.
.. We're "re-Rigging" and getting ready for a bit of snow and rain and sleet and hail. It's off to Yellowstone National Park in the morning. Back to bluster.

-------

LOWLAND COLOR -- AWESOME WITH THE GREEN STILL AROUND

Memories

MANY MILES GONE

Many Miles To Go

maybe another trip or two this year ?

Click on image for large view.

-------

.. This fine old warrior was completed from a Ray's River Dories kit in May of 1995. It's been a guide's boat ever since and is a one owner craft.
.. Of course it was a community project. Friends pitched in with expertise and honest labor. Many a cold one was enjoyed after the labors of the day. Stories abound and are frequently recalled in the neighborhood. Remember when . . . ?
.. The outfitter that owns the boat remembers the first client, in this boat, during the second week in May of 1995 on the Big Horn River. It was just a month before his son was born.
.. Rough calculations place the river miles at about 40,000. That's not counting trailer miles or leisure trips with colleagues and friends and neighbors. It doesn't count lake time either. Most of those miles have been on the Madison River.
.. Like all the beloved accoutrements of any pleasurable pastime the memories pile up. Rods, reels, vests, waders, etc. have remembered stories. Occasions of warmth, occasions of despair, occasions of just plain exhilaration. So too this old boat.
.. It's a rare thing for a guide / outfitter to keep a boat for 15 years - and more. The boats are tools, they get used hard and must stand up to the rigors of every thing that can be thrown at them: from heavy coolers, to portly first-timers, to hidden rocks this little stallion has seen it all.
.. We wonder how many times the little craft has heard, "STAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOAT!"
.. Only those that know, covet this rig. It's been continuously upgraded and maintained. It's heavy enough for big water and nimble enough for anything that can be thrown at it. If you can drive a boat this is the one for you. BUT - it's not for sale yet.

-------

.

One Wonders . . .

Pink Boat To Return

ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH

Pink Boat Returns Next Weekend

find it and donate

-------

.. A pink drift boat named Judy will return to the West Yellowstone area next weekend. It is traveling the western United States in support of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, LINK.

.. Two weeks ago the boat cruised Hebgen Lake in a successful outing, gathering gulpers and donations.
.. The campaign and the boat are the product of a brainstorming session by a group of women and Rance Rathie and Travis Smith, owners of Patagonia River Guides, who dreamed up the concept to support some of their favorite female clients.
..  Yellow Dog Flyfishing's Ian Davis, RO's Robert Eddins, and marketing pro Whitney McDowell recently got together and ordered a pink drift boat from the RO Drift Boats factory in Bozeman, Montana (Eddins donated his time and the facility).

.. The campaign now has it's own Facebook Page, and is drawing attention from the top guides in the western United States. The boat is named Judy after Ian Davis' mother who died of breast cancer.
.. A special strong box with a slot is built into the front seat for donations to the campaign. Donations will go directly to the Montana Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For The Cure foundation.
.. Guides who deliver the goods will be recognized. For information about the campaign and the boat schedule in West Yellowstone you can call Jennifer Holyer at Blue Ribbon Flies: (406) 646-7642 or (406) 646-9365.

-------

..

.

A Good Tool

SPAWNED IN OREGON

Nurtured By Rivermen

cherished by guides

ignored by sports

-------

(click on all images for high resolution views.)
- - - - -

.. One of our neighbors just got a new drift boat. It's a significant event in the life of a professional guide. [And cause for a bit of chatter in the pubs of the neighborhood.]
.. He spends more than 200 days per year on the water. Over the past 11 years, (with the old boat;) that translates into about 2,200 days rowing. OR: 4,400 times on & off the trailer. OR: . . . etc. and that's a bunch of whatever!
.. The old boat, a good friend and tool, had withstood rivers throughout the West. It endured and excelled.
.. From the gnarly boulders of the Box Canyon on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River, to the soft pillows & swells, low bridges, and tricky currents of the Madison River, to the big and not so gentle tail-water of the Green River; the old boat had endured.
.. It was time! Time for a new office. Time for a new tool. Time for a new friend.

-----

.. These drift boats have a long and storied history, (dating back to the sea dories and McKenzie & Rogue River Boats -- with some attendant controversy as to origin as well.) They are a very good tool for getting fishers to the fish on big water.
.. Drift boats have to perform a myriad of tasks - and they must be rugged, nimble, and riverworthy. They become friends. The good ones become good friends.
.. Whether wood, aluminum, or fiberglass, they must do their job and get out of the way of the fisher. They should become a part of the background as the fisher stalks her prey.
.. Attention to design and detail allow the good boat to augment the task of fishing. The guide will get you there - a good boat will disappear in the process.
.. When booking a guide, few fishers ask "what boat do you have?" They assume, (rightly so,) that the guide has made the correct choice.
.. A secure platform for casting and fighting, a svelte shape for maneuvering, a stable ride from hide to hold, and river-worthy for all possible weather and river conditions: these are assumed and taken for granted.

-----

.. Outfitting a boat is a very personal endeavor. Details like secure/readily-accessible/convenient storage for the guide and guest are assumed by the visitor; but planned by the host.
.. Positioning and adjusting of oar locks and chair must fit the captain and the situation. Casting pulpits, passenger chairs, and rod storage need be attended to.
.. Boat designers and builders take care of some of these details, your guide will polish and refine them for their particular waters and customer's needs.
.. Details like padded rod holders for safe and secure storage of priceless sticks are a nice touch.
.. Sure grip carpet and flooring is often added so there are no slippery surprises.
.. There is very little frosting on these substantial and sturdy tools. Not much is needed.
.. A day on the river is not a pleasure cruise. It will, however, be comfortable, rewarding, and enjoyable if the details are taken care of. That's the job of your guide.
.. Next time out, notice; and enjoy, the convenience of a well detailed and outfitted boat. Ask about the boat, notice the particulars, and -- by the way, "STAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOAT."

-----

.. The drift boat is an American original. Over 75 years of intense innovation, customization, and refinement is built into these nimble craft.
.. They are variable in their details and execution. They are "fit" to the waters that they ply. They reflect the personality of their rivers and captains.
.. Most folks can appreciate the beauty in both the form and function of these boats, (if they bother to notice at all.)
.. And, the more beautiful the boat, the less it is noticed. Like all good tools, they work, and work well.
.. Appropriate construction detail can make the difference between a 'drift boat' and a 'professionals office.'
.. The latter will accommodate a wide and varied series of situations and make the client comfortable with the river and the fishing.
.. On the trailer, off the trailer, bump the rocks, run the riffles, gallop the rapids, hold position, beach to fight a monster, --- this side, that side, slow for a difficult cast, steer to hides for client casting ability, --- into the wind, with the wind, -- driftwood, drifting logs, floating trees, sweepers, and a thousand other things happen in a day. The construction must be able to withstand it all.

-----

.. We get in a drift boat three or four times per season. We prefer the hidden places of dinky streams and twinkling fish.
.. We have, though, been spoiled when we do visit the big waters. We ride with the neighbors.
.. The neighbors boats are all different. They are all perfect. They disappear about the time we leave shore and only reappear when it's time for lunch or a bit of refreshment.
.. Our neighborhood is a "tough market." Our rivers draw fishers of all skill levels and from all corners of the globe. Our guides can't afford the luxury of not being prepared. They can't afford a boat that is just adequate. They have fish to catch, rivers to run, and clients to please. Yes, we've been spoiled: we love it.


.. The guide boats that fish our neighborhood waters are exemplary. From the South Fork of the Snake River, to the Henry's Fork, to the Madison River, Gallatin River, Yellowstone River, and beyond; you'll be able to tell a professionals boat - you just won't know it's there.

-------

.