Gentleman's Hours

AWAKEN: LEISURELY BREAKFAST

Fish For Awhile: Take A Break

delicious mid day repast

-- fish again --
dinner at 10:00

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.. Now we're on it. The time has come for the gentrified fishing schedule of books and lore.
.. We've heard that the trout is a gentleman. Whether they take a mid day siesta, or just avoid the sun during their mid day skulking is still a subject for sage minds with far more insight than ours.
.. As it stands; morning and evening fishing is the way most of the neighbors view this early summer schedule. The nearby rivers are in tune with this rhythm and the shops in town march to this drum. It's the idyllic summertime cadence of a little drinking town with a fishing problem.
.. On occasion the temperature will dictate a break from the rat-killin' of the daily grind. More frequently it's the surface fishers time clock that structures the activities.
.. The Madison River is a fine example. Yesterday we were blessed with heavy, broken overcast until the scattered thundershowers at about 1:30 PM and again as the sky dripped a little around 8:00 PM.
.. Fishing was good just two miles away from home and the bugs and fish cooperated. Lunch and a whistle-wetter in a local tavern took the edge off the rain and the gnawing ache in our nether regions.
.. Shopping, a few chores, and a bit of a snooze rounded out the first part of the day. Normally we'd wait until about 6:30 or 7:00 to return to the river. The clouds persisted but it was bright and we went back to the same place at 5:00 PM.

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.. The squadrons of caddis that erupt on sunny days were not present. The fish took nymphs for a couple of hours and then some noses appeared on the surface along with the light rain. There were just enough adventurous caddis to entice fish to look up. We took a few more. Hung out with the neighbors and told lies as the sun set over the Madison Range.
.. We pitched a few mice, (it is just a bit early for that sort of high jinx,) but had no takers and left the river at about 9:15 - just in time to get to our favorite eatery before they closed.
.. With our known propensity for heavy tipping, (and tippling,) we were guaranteed swift and competent service, even though the place was "officially closed." Home in time to pretend that the hour was respectable, and sleep in the dream-filled riffle that we call the rack.
.. What more could one ask?

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.. Persistent, and probably true tales, stories, & rumors:
==> The big bugs are attracting fish and fishers around Palisades on the Madison River - probably true because the boats from Ennis are fishing that high up on the river,
==> The Fork was so full of drakes that it was hard to see the water around the access at road 313 - probably also true since several fishers had trouble leaving the water because the sun was blocked by flying insects,
==> There are bugs hatching in the Gallatin River Canyon - probably not true since all the local experts know that the river is "too cold for hatches."

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