Plan B's

Worked in the shop most of today trying to get some plan B's in place for most of our upcoming guide trips. This high water crap has kind of thrown a wrench in our plans and made for some mad scrambling on my part. We all knew it was coming, I just kind of hoped it didn't happen until November.

So, today was spent booking some private water days here and there, looking at stream flows around the region, and generally stressing out. We really can't do anything about it but consider ourselves lucky to have some decent backup options in these great times of aquatic despair. Suddenly a day on the spring creeks or a local ranch reservoir sounds pretty appealing.

Was talking to one of our clients today about some of these options and he said he much preferred a spring creek to some lakes. I guess I agree with that but I also know that people change their minds about that pretty quickly when they've got a 5 pound Rainbow ripping line off jumping 40 feet the other direction from where you're rod is pointing. We all know the feeling..."what's that fish doing over there?"...oh it's on my line.

One of my buddies has a secret spot that he's going to tomorrow. I know it's public, state land, and has some clear water. It may require a boat ride to get to (with motor). Got me wondering so I think I need to go do some recon tomorrow.

I think about this shit in the winter time. Man that would probably be a great secret place during high water. Then i think it through and arrive with that feeling of satisfaction that I've somehow cracked the code for the impossible day. Only problem now is that I remember the thought and feeling that came with the realization but I have no idea where the hell I was thinking about.

Then I start to wonder about that lake I pheasant hunted by, or where was that little prairie creek. Was it on state land? Can I spin a day on Cattail Pond into a true Montana experience? Is the pond by the mall too close to the road for folks? Are goldfish a sportfish? Do Pike eat in dirty water? Are there really that many rattlesnakes at the mouth of sixteen mile? Is the Beaverhead on my operation plan? Could I get a boat in the Ruby? I can make the Bighorn in 3 hours if I drive really fast. How about the Lion's Park pond in Ennis...I can dress like a 4 year old version of Dorf. But then it's back to reality and the understanding that those fish on the lower Madison eat just fine in dirty water.