Here's Your Closeup

This time tomorrow I will be on the Smith River, embarking on a four day float trip.  It's my first time on the Smith and am looking forward to the spectacular scenery and (hopefully) great fishing that will ensue.

Next week be sure to tune in for a full report.


Until then, here's a closeup from one of my recent hiking excursions to one of our numerous mountain lakes.  The fishing wasn't to hot, but that's not even really the point of going sometimes.  The solitude, views, and plant and wildlife always make these trips more than worthwhile.

Below is a closeup of a Pacific Trillium, Trillium ovatum.  These wildflowers are found throughout the mountain west, you can find them on moist wooded slopes and stream banks.  Flowering occurs early in the spring from Feb-June depending on elevation and climate.

As long as my raft doesn't sink, I will see you next week.

        

Tight Lines

-Bob

Side Channels

This weekend we were blessed with some wonderfully crappy weather in Montana.  Now most folks would be bummed out looking out the window on their three day weekend and seeing clouds, rain, and temps in the 40's but not the streamer fisherman!  Cloud cover = browns in the mood to kill something.  I slammed the cold medicine (my yearly memorial day cold!), loaded up the streamer boxes and hit some of the Bitterroot's many fine side channels.

Something that makes the Bitterroot special, and a pain in the butt to figure out has to do with the endless amount of braids the river contains.  Any veteran Bitterrooter (is that a word?) knows when and where to fish, and that the river's big trout are often found in the side channels.  What can make the river so difficult much fun is that the big fish are always on the move. 

One week, a channel can give up several nice fish. The next week, change in flows, weather, who the heck knows what, and you are shooting blanks.  Some of these side channels really shine during our spring high water periods. A lot of fish are seeking to get out of the big flows in the main channel, and take up seasonal residence in the braids.  If you can hit it right, it can be lots of fun.

Get out and explore!  Enjoy the crappy pics.

Very Few Spots, Always Cool

Nice Streamer Eater, Beautiful Spots.

If You're Lucky You Can Find a Few of These!

The Home Invader Strikes Again.

Last but not Least

Have a Great Week!

Memorial Weekend Tunes

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  This edition features the unique collaboration of Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain, and Edgar Meyer.  It's not often that you have a group featuring musicians that are widely held to be the best in the world on their instrument.  The amazing thing is how well these instruments (Banjo, Tablas, Double Bass) work together, it's awesome. 

This is Bela's composition Bubbles off of the 2009 CD - The Melody of Rhythm.  Check it out, it's amazing!  Have a good long weekend.

Tight Lines

Your Weekly Fly - McKnight's Home Invader

Runoff is in full swing throughout the west.  Once we get some dropping water and a few feet of clarity the streamer game will be on.  In anticipation of this, here is your first of (hopefully) many weekly flies. 

Doug Mcknight (Livingston MT, fly tier, artist, and ninja guide), crafted this wicked streamer several years ago and is one of my go to patterns.  It is easy to tie, has super action and can be tied in any color,  size, and weight you desire.  I have caught every species of trout with it during every season.  Tie some up and get after it. 

Now, just waiting for 2 feet of visibility and that streamer green.

If you want more, shuffle on over to Doug McKnight's website: www.bigwaterstudio.com.

Calling All Browns

Marabou, Fur, Flash, What More Do You Need?

Very Fishy

Weekend Tunes

This week you get a tasty clip from the Donny McCaslin Group performing McCaslin's tune Madonna.  Donny McCaslin is a serious monster tenor saxophonist and great composer.  Great stuff.

Donny McCaslin - Tenor Sax
David Binney - Alto Sax
Ben Monder - Guitar
Scott Colley - Bass
Adam Cruz - Drums

A New Stick

Well I haven't managed to keep up with this blog very well in the past few weeks.  General craziness has pervaded the corners of my life which results in a lack of fishing, house cleaning, laundry etc..  That and leaving your camera in a tractor 150 miles away can't help either. 

Can't complain however, went to the Missoula Brewfest, and had a weekend at the Missouri recently. Complete with generous libations and lies on the Headhunters porch in Craig.  Plus lights out fishing the next day make for a good (however somewhat sleep deprived) time.  Now that my semester papers are in and the school year is winding down, fishing and photos may once again commence.

Speaking of that, a new member of the family has joined my stack of rods shoved into various corners of my house.  Finally I got a hold of a long wanted 4 weight.  Much thanks to Chuck Stranahan, the entomology guru, and fly tying Jedi, who owns a shop down in Hamilton for hooking me up with the new stick.

I got a smoking deal on a Yellowstone I, 8'6" 4 weight.  I'm sure not many know about this rod and it's maker, Jackson Cardinal Flies out of Jackson Hole Wyoming.  Well, to be brief all I can say is that this did not break my bank account (which is saying something!) and casts like a dream, in fact, better than some 400-500 rods I've thrown.  IM-8 graphic and nice hardware to boot.  Oh no, is this a gear review? I said I wouldn't do that. 

Can't wait to fish it, and if your interested in learning more about these rods you can check out  www.jacksoncardinal.com, or shuffle on over to Chuck's shop in Hamilton to cast one.

Case Included!

Can't wait for Dry Flies

Wood real seat, very nice, very nice

 Plans are in the works for some weekend mountain lake recon, could be good.  Who knows, maybe I will actually get down to posting the weekend tunes, maybe more!

Hurray for summer!