A Bit Of Weather

THE BUGS ARE HERE
The RUNNERS Are Here

the boats are here

the snow is here (kinda)

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.. Despite the ominous weather warnings fisher folk are crowding the Firehole River and the Madison River - and - many of the neighbors have taken to their boats to intercept the runners in the major estuaries of Hebgen Reservoir.
.. The Madison River and the Firehole River are jammed full of anticipatory fishers.
.. The total amount of fly gear entering the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park on any given day amounts to an estimated $4,769,123.00. This does not take into account the gasoline that powered each and every $40,000.00 SUV or $2,000.00 fish car.
.. Boat fishers on the reservoir are taking large fish on Kastmasters, Rapala Trout, and Rooster Tails. They are doing very well with aluminum boats and an "Old Pal" tackle box.
.. Fly fishers whine about the gear fishers. They forget that the Madison River Fishery in Yellowstone Park is artificially inflated by a man-made structure: Hebgen Dam.
.. PPL Montana is pleased to inflate the fishery and egos of the Madison River. They are busy repairing the dam right now.
.. Things on that front are progressing apace despite the lack of interest shown by fisher folk and the fly guys of the region. Despite the nation-wide realization of the harm that dams do: this is one dam adored by the fishers of the world.

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.. It would bring barf to their mouths to let the elite know that most of the gear fishers also troll with a streamer fly. They would curl up and whimper to know that many of the gear guys tie their own streamers. They would lose enormous amounts of vitriolic conversation to discover that catching fish does not require wading belly-deep in the holes where the fish were.
.. Can it be true that some of the neighbors can cast a fly rod accurately - and - place a worm precisely with a gear rig?

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.. The weather brings bugs and boats. It brings tales and tails. It brings a classic confrontation of Weltanschauungs. Do we torture fish for our own recreational pleasure and then release them to be tortured again - or - do we catch and kill them for food?
.. Seldom do the gear guys and the fly guys discuss this. They visit different pubs. They have different sorts of jobs. They each assume, (righteously so,) that their practice is proper and holy. Neither bothers to remember that they are partaking of an artificial situation.

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.. Well, the weather has changed. The boats and bugs are here. The runners are running. The Baetis are emerging. The fishers are fishing, and the construction continues on Hebgen Dam. May artificiality be forgotten and may the torture and killing begin.

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Across The Pond

MONTANA INROADS

Brits & Flies & Yellowstone

my, my, my

(Enormous image - will stretch or shrink for wallpaper.)

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.. A wandering fisher on the Madison River, (location not to be divulged,) was stammering and stuttering about the surprise fish taken on a size 10 Montana Nymph. "I was just trying to relax," he muttered to himself.
.. He was visiting Yellowstone National Park from Newport, (the one in jolly ol' . . .) He knew nothing of the Fall run of fish from Hebgan Lake.
.. He did know about the legendary fishing in the park. He brought a 5-piece, 7-weight, bamboo, travel rod and some advice from his friends back home - "Use Montana Stone Flies."
.. He showed us his giant fly box, (he only carried one.) Nicely arranged on one side was the most diverse assortment of Montana Nymphs we've ever seen. He had tucked them in his baggage with the rod and came to fish a bit on the Madison River. He took an enormous 21" trout. He also took several 12" - 14" trout.
.. The flies, (including the highly revered skwala, and a cute little rubber legs creation,) all came from Fishing and Flies in Cardiff, (the one in jolly ol' . . .) Nice they were too!
.. He asked that his name not be used. He would not let us take a picture of the flies because they were still a rather well kept secret ("back home.") We parted on congenial terms. He returned to the river and I did sneak a picture from the car. {we borrowed the illustrations from the home site - not too big of a secret.}
.. His technique was simple. Find a deep run. Stand at it's head. Cast across and down with a heavy sink tip line. At the end of the swing, (with rod tip under water,) make a few short quick strips, then cast to the other side of the pool and do it again.
.. In a most unbecoming manner he walked - two steps at a time - down the middle of the run. Worked well.

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Just A Pleasant Day

TOO NICE TO FISH

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.. Last Saturday was a gift. A surprise gift. A wonderful gift. We're more than ankle deep in snow right now and it looks to be persistent. But Saturday, now that was a day that stories are made from.
.. We started out to go fishing. Flipped a coin: north or east? East won. Flipped again: big or little water? Big won. Off we went.
.. Which one: the Madison River, the Firehole River, the Gibbon River ? 10 minutes to decide.
.. We stumbled out of the door and discovered a near dead calm! A balmy morning, with blue sky, white clouds, and the most gentle warm breeze did little to suggest that this was the first week in October. We accepted the gift.
.. There was a long line at the west gate: the neighbors had it figured out. This was a "park day."
.. We often forget what a wonderful place this is to live. We go fishing. We work. We buy groceries. we visit the pub. But we, on occasion, take this place for granted. Reminders crop up constantly to remedy the mental lapse.
.. But on a day like Saturday it was obvious. Go to the park. Wave at the neighbors. Wait for the gawker blocks. Use all the pull-outs. Drink it all in. On a day like Saturday it can take three hours to traverse the 14 miles to Madison Junction. We made it in two.
.. There was exotic wildlife of all sizes and kinds. We laughed and pointed. We joined the throngs stalking the elk.
.. We paused to watch the fisher folk - they were out in abundance. We noticed the little bugs that dotted our car. They were friends too. We knew where they were coming from. We suspected that the right pattern was already tied on and ready to go.
.. Eagles flew into our snapshots. Children and proud grandparents walked into our frame and chased the elk into the thickets. Bears spoiled our last thought of wetting a line. It was all good. What a place this is.
.. There was an empty pool or two. There were places we knew the fish on a first name basis. We drove on by.
.. We took snapshots at the same places we'd stopped 100 times before. We took some where we'd never taken any. New themes and variations on old ones.
.. We made it past Biscuit Basin and arrived at Old Faithful City in just under four hours. We watched Castle Geyser in a hot steam phase. We had our first lunch and took no pictures. The warm sun invited us to stroll a bit. We did: got some ice cream at the Inn.
.. The lone bull bison basking in the sun at Black Sand Basin posed for a thousand pictures from a hundred cameras. We left ours in the car and watched the fish in the shallows.
.. There are cold currents in this hot little creek. There are flies, (true flies,) that live here year round. The trout pay them no mind unless they drown.
.. It's a pleasant reminder of how relaxed a place this can be when you forget what car brought you. It's not as pleasant to watch the rush of visitors. Gotta get there. Too long here.
.. There's a hatch at 9-mile. Yeah, but it's full of sports and their guides. We're fortunate to know that you can't see it all in three lifetimes. We bask in the pleasures that we can see, and taste, and smell, and feel.
.. We got home just before the drizzle and the snow. We'd unwrapped our gift and left it's remains strewn across 32 miles of road in Yellowstone. Given the weather of the last 48 hours, it was a timely gift and one to remember.

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PARTY ON

THE FISH ARE WISING UP

.. Join the party while the weather is still salubrious and the fish cooperative.
.. We love the snow in it's wet and gentle stages! - Like now!

Collaborative Conservation

GRAYLING:
STILL ON THE BRINK

Conversations & Cooperation

a tough nut to crack
.

Last Best Fish: The Story of the Big Hole Grayling from New West on Vimeo.

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.. Thanks to NEW WEST we have an excellent point of departure for following the plight of Montana's last remaining population of fluvial grayling. The key to salvation may be the current effort by the Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances program.
.. We've watched this situation for quite some time. It hasn't gotten better in the last 10 years. It's been more than 25 years since we knew it was bad.
.. The extensive comments in response to the New West article have kept us riveted to the story for a week. It's well worth a CLICK to read the entire story.

Refreshing Pause

INTERLUDE

TIME OUT FOR FISHING