Gallatin Going Strong

BIG FLIES GOOD;
SMALL FLIES BETTER ?

Fish The Glass

let the fish do the work

-------

.. Periodically we torture ourselves with the exercise of tying on a small fly in the windy Gallatin River Valley.
.. The apparent humor of it all escapes us: it entertains our neighbors no end.
.. The cool weather of the last few days has brought some bluster and some gusty wind, (and some blessed clouds.)
.. So we played the masochist and spent a whole day on the Gallatin River and fished with a few of the neighbors and their flies.
.. These little flies probably have fancy names: we weren't told. They were generously given to us and came from the experimental vise of a person with eyes that work. His advice was to: "Put 'em in the glass and let the fish do the work."
.. Simply translated: 'since you can cast but can't see - don't tug until the fish does!' So we cast to the heads of big and little slicks, and it was just that way. We caught about a dozen fish on the little flies, (16 - 20,) and didn't see a single take. Even a 14" Brown Trout sucked one in with no visible evidence.
.. Now then, for mastering the art of tying a knot in an invisible tippet - that should be a hoot!

-------

.. The Gallatin River fish are beginning their glutenous Fall Feast.
.. There are Hoppers, Spruce Moths, Beetles, Spiders, Caddis, and several squadrons of mayflies - that we seldom see, except on the windshield - every day. The river has stayed cool, (as it usually does,) and the grass is surprisingly green.
.. We're not going to abandon our practice of fishing flies that we can see with the unaided eye, but we just may fish a few more of these little fellas. The trout can see them and that's what counts.
.. We have permission to show you these flies, whatever they may be called. If they have names - use them. The images are large enough, (just click on them,) for a good view - should you care to tie some up yourself.
.. The two flies shown below are doing double duty right now. They are favorites for gulper fisher folk on Hebgen Lake. You didn't hear it here!

=======