Thinking Clean

Heard House Rock was under water again today. Got me thinking about how much I like clean water. Which, in turn, got me thinking about how much I like fishing in New Zealand.
There ain't nothing like it in the world. Chile and Argentina are nice, Russia is just an eastern AK, Montana is pretty sweet, Permit and Tarpon are great fish...but there ain't nothing like a slow rise from a kiwi Brown Trout. Nothing. I've fished a lot of places for a lot of fish and NZ is the only one that keeps me up at night...those thoughts are why I have to take Ambien to sleep!
Plane tickets are bought and the two week trip is full with the best group yet. I can't wait!

Where we at?

Some of the rivers actually came up a bit more today after a couple days of downward trends. There is noticeably less snow in the mountains just in the last week, the west side of the Bridgers is nearly snow free.

Ben was out on the lower today and caught some fish...did better than he thought he would. We've actually had some decent reports from there the last 2 days, even though it's real dirty. The wind picked up early afternoon and it sounded like that was pretty much the end of the day.

Getting ready to get very busy here in a couple of days and am basically booked up through mid - Sep at this time. I did get a cancellation for late next week and have a few openings the following week if anyone is feeling the urge to try to chase salmonflies on the upper.

Still a roll of the dice but would like to get someone that wanted to either chase big bugs or go "off the grid" for a few days. July 10-13 are the open dates. "Off the grid" = floating unnamed rivers and wading one. Random lodging situation...room for 2 anglers.

Moraine - AK

Been slowly whittling away at some of my images from Alaska. This one is one of my favorites. My dad and the guide walking up to the confluence of feather (?) creek and the Moraine. One of the rare times when I take a photo and know that I'm going to convert it to b&w before I actually hit the shutter release.

Oh, and the Madison is still dirty.

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.

Some days

It's been a couple of tough days around here and that's just how it is. The rivers and streams are pretty well shot at this point, but that could improve anyday...kind of depends on what the dam drivers do in terms of the Madison.

I had a couple of my guides go up to the MO yesterday while the flows were up above 21000 cfs. We did not get any good reports up there from yesterday and it sounded like the water coming over the spillway was dirty. I've never actually seen that water dirty before. I think that there is just so much water running through all those dams that the mud just isn't settling in the upper reservoirs as usual. Who knows?


I went for a drive yesterday over in Paradise Valley to scope for some clean water, didn't find any but did find some muddy water on the Yellowstone!
Guided on MZ Ranch today and found it to be tough as always with the exception that some of the big fish were eating for a change. We broke one nice fish off and landed 2 (between the 3 anglers and 2 guides) that were 23" and about as pretty as brown trout get. Got a few smaller fish, missed some. Little bit of a PMD hatch started right when the wind picked up. So it was small pt nymphs on 6x about 3 feet under a palsa...fishing to spotted fish. Pretty sweet day to be honest.

same fish

A Difference A Day Makes

Crazy day today started off by seeing some guides on the river that I didn't even know guided anymore. I don't see everyone all the time but there were two guides out there that I thought had given up on trying to catch fish...this was not the day to be practicing!
The lower went up 1500 cfs and with that increase in flows came down every tree, stump, weedpatch, scrape wood, antifreeze bottle, sandal, and more that has been sitting in the bushes along the banks for the last 10 years. There was some junk coming down and the water clarity virtually disappeared. We got 7 fish today and I felt lucky to get them! We're taking them up to the MO tomorrow as it will at least fish alright despite the high flows. I love that ditch when it's pumping!
 I don't get to go though as I have to stay home and watch the kids as my wife doesn't get back from Greenland until next Friday.
Also, I scored some free shuttles today as Bob's truck broke down and he had to use my burban to finish up his runs today!
So, the lower Madison is junk right now and it will either settle down in the next day or two or it will be a wreck for a couple of weeks. Who knows?

The day started off with a plan that quickly ended up not being the plan we started with. We've heard some ok reports from the lower Madison so thought we'd go check the upper out to get a game plan for some upcoming trips.

The upper was as dirty as I've ever seen it in Ennis, so that wasn't going to happen. There is some fishable stuff up above the West Fork and down the right side of the river for awhile. Problem is that the river is very high and I wasn't sure if we could get a boat under the Sun West Bridges. Raynolds is not hard boat appropriate right now. So, back to the lower for a quick bomb down.

It actually fished well enough along the banks and there was 1.5' of viz or so. My only worry is that all that muddy ass water in the upper will work it's way though Ennis Lake without settling. If that  happens, the lower will fish for another day or two at most.

No fry fishing today?

AK Summary...Murdison Tomorrow

So, Alaska was a great trip with my dad. We fished a lot of the waters flowing into Bristol Bay in the Katmai region. The region is one of the main Rainbow parts of the state and has been at the center of the Pebble Mine issue. The area we were at is not exactly there, but near enough. Look at a map and you'll be able to figure it out as I never really did, but could find it on a map.

The fishing season opened June 8th, so we were there early and fishing some of the more popular rivers and streams in the state, but months ahead of the crowds of August. The water temps were still very cold and most of the streams were just starting to get some rainbows moving up into them form the donwstream lakes as the Sockeye Fry head towards lakes lower in the drainage's to spend a year growing to smolt after which they head to the ocean.

Most of the rivers seemed pretty sterile in terms of insect life and everything here pretty much revolves around the Salmon. So the main seas really starts in mid-July and goes through mid-Sep, characterized as bead fishing behind the masses of spawning salmon. This early season fishing is primarily swinging big leeches and streamers on sinking lines or fishing to rising fish that are feeding on fry. We got a little bit of both on our trip.

We fished for Rainbows on most days, got a few Lake Trout most days and spent one day wailing on Arctic Char. The Char are the same fish as Dolly Vardins (I think) except that these were not sea-run, thus they are char. My dad earned the nickname of Char-Lee on this day. The fishing got better and better throughout the week as more Rainbows started to move up the rivers to feed on the fry.

The actual catching of Rainbows consisted mostly of fish in the 20-24" range that were 3-4.5 pounds on average. We got a few bigger and a few smaller. Other than the Char day, most days consisted of 10-15 fish between my dad, another guy, and me...so it was not red hot yet the quality of fish made it worth it and the fact that we fished fry patterns to mostly rising fish the last few days really made it worth it. I've fished a lot of places and I have to say that the size and quality of some of these fish were as good as it gets in terms of wild fish.

We stayed at Kulik Lodge, booked it through Yellow Dog Flyfishing and would highly recommend the trip to someone looking to get out into some Alaska's best trout waters without the crowds. Also, they typically run an early season special for the first couple weeks of the season, so you can do the trip for around $6,000 a person from Anchorage for 6 days/ 7 nights with 5 fly outs. Not cheap, but less expensive than most of the fly out lodges. Plus, they have their own airline so you go straight from Anchorage to the lodge and we were able to fly home the same day we left the lodge. Plus you actually get a day of fishing at the lodge on the day you arrive so you end up getting 7 days guided fishing with 5 fly outs. Excellent guides, pilots, staff, equipment, food, and accommodations.

Home

Back from Alaska last night, heading to the shop in a bit. Going to fish the Madison tomorrow, guiding fri-sun. We start to get very busy this weekend so still have a lot on the plate.

I'll put up a summary of the AK trip and some pics tonight.

Last Day In AK

Last day here at Kulik in Alaska was one of the most enjoyable I've had in awhile. It rained...like it always does. Dad got a bow that was just shy of 7 lbs. We pretty much fished fry patterns all day to rising fish. Didn't hammer them but don't think we got anything under 21 or 22 inches and got about 8 between the two of us plus some Grayling and Char as well.

Has been a great trip for both my dad and I. As always, I just never get tired of cold, clean water. Well, I head back to Bozeman tomorrow and start the summer push on Friday. I'm sure I'll be stressing out in  24 hours as I begin the search for something to fish as I'm sure we've got a lot of dirty love going on at home right now.

Maybe back to the MO

Happy Pappy

The last couple of days here at Kulik have been pretty good. Yesterday was a Char Day with a couple bows mixed in. We were on the lower American and it was borderline ridiculous fishing for most of the day, but for Char. Back to the Morain today and I had a good day but the fishing was far from "off the hook" I laded 8 and the other guys in the group got 2-3 each.

Best part of the day? The guide was busy so my dad and I were in a run with fish eating fry. I got to stand by dad while he worked a fish, which he got and landed. Was a great Father's Dar, miss my kids and look forward to getting home in a couple days.

Hopefully we have some cleanish water and the fish on the Madison are hungry!

FRIES

Ended up going back out last night with one of the guides here on the Kulik River. We were the only folks out on teh river in the evening light of Alaska. We fished to rising fish on a nice mellow flat and had a perfect evening.

The fish are eating Sockeye fry in this part of the drainage when you see them rising. The fry are about an inch long and very skinny, plus don't swim well. So, even though it is a riseform that you are looking for, the actual rise is a little different than a trout eating a bug on the surface. We'd find a rise and make a downstream cast to the fish to get them. It worked well.

Weather is less breezy today with high clouds and in the low 50's. We are sticking close to camp today on the Kulik.

Nuken

An abreviated term for a nuclear wind, which was today. High pressure moved in bringing clearer skies and a brisk breeze out of the east. Fished some river today called something chak. Was a nice stream lined with woodland/tundra. Saw a good number of smaller bows and lakers, got a few of each. Found one more sex dungeon and haven't lost it yet.

My arm feels like Hulk Hogan just did one of those moves where he picks the dude up and body slams his elbow. I've eaten about 47 Advil in the last 24 hours so I am getting through the pain. Kind of crazy how throwing a 250gr 25' sink tip with an intermdeiate running line will completley destroy one's shoulder. It's a good pain though!

Going out tonight too which is really just later today as the night really doesn't exist here right now.

Day 2 Kulik

We fished the Moraine river yesterday and it pretty much sucked. I have now lost all of my sex dungeons and circus peanuts and it's only day 2! I didn't bring that many to begin with but the fish have seemed to like them well enough.

The rivers in this area are primarily sockeye run rivers. So this is the heart of summer bead fishing. I guess many of these rivers will have in excess of 40-50 anglers on them a day in August. I couldn't imagine flying into some remote river to fish with 50 other people. Don't care how many or how big the fish would be...not worth it...especially at AK prices. Luckily for us, there aren't many other anglers around right now...or fish for that matter!

We'll see how she goes today. A big high pressure moved in late yesterday afternoon and it is absolutely perfect out now. Warm and sunny which is supposedly what we need to get the sockeye fry moving back to the ocean. Once that happens, the rainbows really start to move into the rivers and it's almost like fishing dries. Right now, it has been swinging streamers on sinking lines and the odd fish here and there.

Best part has been hanging with my dad. Fishing just makes life better.

Day One Kulik

Well, they do have internet here...it's just not real fast. Tried to upload some images but it was going to take awhile.

So, anyway, we had an ok day in terms of fish but a great time. It's beautiful here - with the exception of the weather of course which is much like Montana has been the last few weeks. The day started off early for me as I mis judged the time last night and set my alarm for 4:45 which ended up being 3:45 but I didn't realize it until what I thought was 5:15 but really 4:15. I was dressed, showered, and waiting for my dad in teh airport lobby thinking where the hell is he...sleeping it turns out.

We had a nice flight out to the lodge with intermittant veiws of gray nothingness and the occasional dramatic landscape views too.

We fished the Kulik river for about a half day today. Water temps are around 42 and there aren't that many fish up in the river yet. It's a very short stretch of water between two lakes, so the fish move in and out of it depending on conditions. Does not sound like the fishing has been red hot. I landed a Rainbow that was about 5lbs (they measured it at 23.5") and a Lake Trout (Mackinaw) which was pretty but not mcuh of a fight. Lost one other Rainbow. Sex Dungeons.

We'll do fly outs the next 5 days and it should be fun. Had a bear hanging out by the stream most of the day and took a ton of pics, not sure if any turned out or not. It was very chill.

Anchorage

Look what I found just outside my hotel room! Bears are everywhere here! Thank god for pepper spray.

Made it to Anchorage around 6 this evening after some serious flight delays out of Bozeman and a tight connect out of Minneapolis. Had dinner with my dad and off to bed. We have an early flight out to the lodge tomorrow at 6:30 am. Might be light on the blog for awhile...don't worry I'll be whacking something and share details later!

Finally

Getting ready to head out in the morning to the great state of Alaska. I'll be giving some props to Brad Davis along the way. Brad who? The white wonder of Bball from back in the early days of the NBA Champions...the Dallas Mavericks. I'm not a big NBA fan but Dad and I used to go to the Mav games all the time when I was young. They pretty much always sucked but I remember Brad Davis was one of their original players, played with them for years and played college ball in Alaska.

 Packing and sorting out gear today. Trying to decide how much fishing crap, camera crap, and clothes crap I need for a week. I must say that I'm spooked by the prospects of rain and running out of dry clothes after the first day. Don't want to over pack, but want to be comfortable. Looks like the lodge (Kulik) does not have much in terms of wifi or computers so I think I'm going to travel light in the electronics world for a change.
I'm taking a 907 CD rod I picked up in NZ a few years ago (forgot I had it) and a 966 Helios, a few reels, and lots of streamers with hopes of fishing a dry or two along the way. A camera, couple lenses, tc, grip, filters, and a hard drive. Minimalist by my standards!

Changing topics now. I bought a new rod rack for the inside of the burban a month or so ago up in Craig. Liked it so much that I opened an account with the company (Innos) that makes them and ordered in a few. The rack really is well made, rattle free (rod tips vibrate against each other now and then but not too bad), easy to get rods in and out, and the rods sit up pretty high against the ceiling so they are pretty much out of the way. Takes an hour or two to assemble, but the instructions are very good. We're selling them online for $189 - $199 but the price is $50 less if you buy it in the shop (we offer free shipping on purchases over $50 online but these things cost us over $50 to ship so we built in the freight to the online price).

And another thing... my wife is a research professor at MSU in microbiology...sort of. Anyway, she studies micro bugs that live in harsh environments (ice). So , she does a lot of work in Antarctica and is typically gone for a month or two in the winter. She was invited to participate in a project this summer (right now) on the ice fields in Greenland. She's over there in the middle of nowhere on some huge ice field sleeping in a tent and playing with GPS units. She's got a sat phone and I guess they could use smoke signals if they really needed to get word out to someone. Anyway, it's pretty cool stuff and you can follow their whereabouts on their tracking beacon.

Fiends

 Back home in Bozeman for the weekend...the weather will probably be delightful. Hope so as we really need all that snow in the mountains to come on down in a hurry. We get busy around here in 2 weeks and I am hopeful that the Madison will at least have a foot or so of visibility by then. It usually fishes pretty well once the flows are on the downside of high and it picks up a little bit of viz. So, hoping for that to happen by the. No way we'll be seeing the Yellowstone until early August and the Gallatin is probably after July 4th at the soonest.

Had a great 5 or 6 weeks up on the Missouri with lots of great folks. I think everyone had some great fishing at least one day on their trips with us up there. Many had very good fishing everyday, but we definitely had some crap weather along the way.

It's not that the fish don't eat in the rain and wind, it's just hard to get the drifts and remain positive when you're soaked through and freezing. I'm amazed at how "tough" many folks are as there were several days along the way in which I would have said..."I'm good, let's call it a day." The tug is the drug and we are all fiends in our own ways I suppose.

One MO Day

One last night of sleeping on a cot. One more day of row arounds in the rain. One more day of fishing this glorified irrigation ditch! I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune in a couple of weeks, but as of right now...I'm happier with a little negative juju love in my life.

It has been raining and raining. All the talk around is of amazement as to the volume of water yet to come out of the mountains. It really is mind boggling as no one really has any idea of what to expect in terms of the runoff. Has it begun yet? How quickly can it come out? WTF? I don't know...I'll just fish through it all and we'll get 'em.

Fished well enough today, the weather was just shit though. Hardly much fun at times, great at others.

Rain Rain Go the &%@# Away

Yes, it's been steadily drizzling and pouring for the better part of 48 hours now and it looks like it will never end. Soaked all the way through to my bones finally. The funny thing is that I thought it was pleasant in Bozeman this morning as I headed up to the Missouri for my final 3 day stint of the spring/winter but things changed by the time I got to Helena.

Thank god I fished with an excellent guy today who complained only slightly at times about being cold and wet. But the fish were eating well enough and we made the best of that fact and enjoyed it nevertheless.

I had my boat cleaned up by some of the guys here at Cross Currents while I was gone...that lasted until I got to the Wolf Creek to Dam road. It's trashed again already. Also lost a bearing on one of my trailer axles, so that was cool too. The local mechanic will fix it in a day or two for probably 6 times the going rate...but I don't know that for sure. The river is a cesspool of mud below Craig and questionable for anything other than worms below CA Island. Oh, and it's raining...still.

But hey, I have a nice comfortable cot to sleep in tonight and will get to row around 79 of my closest guide friends tomorrow in the only 3 miles of clear water in the state!

No Particular Significance to this, just one of the things I saw driving today!

Butt Monkeys and Sex Dungeons

 We've been getting flies in pretty much every week as of late and just got a Rainy's order of big junk. Some folks asked for more of these types of streamers (Galloup's) last year so wanted to give a head's up as we're pretty loaded up on them right now.

We've been adding them to the e-commerce website as I photograph them. Just realized that I didn't photo the sex dungeons. Anyway, we gots lots of big junk right now. Actually we have lots of just about everything at this stage.

Looking forward to AK

The last time I was in Alaska was in 1995 on a trip to the Royal Coachman Lodge in late August for silver salmon. I had been fly fishing seriously for 5 or 6 years at that stage and it was definitely one of those life changing experiences for me. Not only the fishing but also spending time with my dad as a "grown up" for the first time.

The fishing experience was everything one would expect in a fly out Alaska experience. I remember one of the days was tough - but it was pretty easy for the most part. Throw it out, let the flies swing and BANG - they are a helluva fish on a fly rod. It was one of those experiences that I figured was just perfect and I've never really had a desire to go do it again. Plus, AK trips are crazy expensive for what they are and after doing the fly out thing...I kind of figured that it was once in a lifetime trip anyway.

Dad and I met a guy in Argentina last year - while duck hunting - that went on and on about AK rainbows in June. So, I did some research as it's about the only time of year that I can actually get away for a trip in this hemisphere fro trout. Turns out it's early season and should be more like trout fishing than egg fishing, so we booked it and head out next Monday for Kulik Lodge in Bristol Bay.

My dad and I have been doing some pretty amazing trips together the last few years and this is surely going to be another one. It's a real treat for me in many ways as I spend much of the summer entertaining fathers and sons on trips out here, so I maybe have a little different appreciation for time with my dad on a river than some.

Water and fish have been the two constants in my life since I was a wee lad. Well, I guess my Mom and Dad have also been constants. No matter what has happened in life, I've always known that my parents and water would get me through to the other side.

So, a few more days of chasing trout with other folks on the MO and then it's a week of banging big bows in AK. Ahh the romance of it all. Then I realize that it will rain everyday, be 42 and windy, the mosquitoes will be abundant, I get airsick in little planes, and bears scare me. But at the end of the day, it's all about enjoying some time standing in cold, clean water with my dad.

Looks like another perfect day here in SW Montana. Perfect for all that snow to keep melting and make for some tough fishing on the big rivers. Took a drive up the Gallatin Canyon yesterday as the water is starting to come up a little bit, so thought I'd go check out some of the small streams. They're all raging right now too, some running clearer than others - but all high.

Driving up there, I found myself looking to the sky for Salmonflies. This is the time of year when we normally start to see them around on the Madison and Gallatin. I have a feeling it will be awhile this year though, but it never hurts to look.

In the shop the next couple of days, back to the MO for the last stint W-F of this week. Daddy-daycare for the next 2 days and the my mom comes up to help the next couple of weeks.

Happy Day

 Hard to imagine that yesterday was 45 and rainy all day after today's nearly perfect day in the mid-70's with just a stitch of wind. I'm back home tonight and will be around town for a few days.
Christine is heading to Greenland on Monday for a month of uber-smart people research on some polar ice cap micro-organisms. And I think my job is interesting! I can't even pronounce most of what she actually studies.
I head back to the MO wed-fri next week and then off to AK for a week of fishing Rainbows with my dad. Get back from that and we're solid on the books for a few months around SW Montana with a few outings for western MT too.

Today was a bit tougher day up in the dam-craig section, ended up with around 30 fish but they didn't lose too many and made the most of the bite. It was very busy up there today -which coupled with my neglect to use my nicotine patch this morning - made for a stressful late morning. The shuttle dudes hooked me up though and no one was hurt too badly. Just imagine me tweaking out while rowing up and down a run with boat after boat coming in on top of us. My clients were very patient with me!
Ahhhhh breath they were saying.

The Truth of Today

 Awoke to a steady reminder of why living in Montana and working outdoors isn't always as fun as it  seems on paper. Rain and wind and coldness. Boohoo me...I know. It had been pouring up here in Craig for about 24 hours and the wind was blowing 20 or so.
The Dearborn came up a bunch, have no idea what the MO did...haven't even looked. There's about 9000 boats around Craig right now and I'm sure tomorrow will only bring more. Stay away...just one more day please.
Had a great day yesterday from Mountain Palace to Pelican on double wire worms. Fish were hungry and sitting where they should be...visibility was about 2' or so. Went back to the well today to try to avoid the crowds at the Dam and get on some fresh fish. The river was dirtier today and I probably should have paid more attention before getting on it as there was only 6" or so of vis today and the Dam would have been a fine choice.
So, about 100yds into it I realize this and think "oh shit" to myself. It's pouring, blowing, 42, and the river looks like something you're more likely to catch a sturgeon in than a trout - and I've got a full day ahead of me. We got lucky a few times but the honey holes were full of trees, shrubs, and dead cows (not literally). I was getting worried about 11 or so and decided to make a run to the truck and do an afternoon float up at the dam to salvage the day. I had a feeling that my clients would probably resist all efforts to try to get them back on the water after they dried up felt their toes again, so I was hoping for something.

I decided to pull over into Sheep Creek to take a leak and get out of the wind, while there I though we'd do a quick row around at the mouth. Bam and then Bam and then Bam and then Bam. It was gold. We worked it over pretty well,  landed 15-20 fish out of there, one Brown that went 22" maybe 23 if it's tail hadn't been partially chewed off by an otter - either way the biggest so far for me this year and the biggest for George. After that, we actually did well in the main river down towards Pelican and ended up with a pretty great day thanks to the gallon of coffee I drank this morning.
Why tell this? I'm sure others do this all the time but never have I and I can't imagine making a day out of the mouth at Sheep Creek as there's usually not much water in there and rarely ever enough to get a boat in. Plus, I won't be doing it again anytime soon so go get 'em. Anyway, it helped pad the day and we found a great fish in there too.

Some interesting things about it. I had a felling that there weren't really that many fish in there and that what was there would probably be spooked out pretty quick by the boat or hooking a few fish. When we first got in there we got a few fish on worms and firebeads and then nothing. We let it rest a little while and than ran a natural sowbug with the purple jujubaetis and picked up some more and then nothing. Let it rest and ran a golden stone, got a few. Let it rest and ran some worms and got a few. Don't know if we were getting the same rainbows on different bugs but I don't think that were that many fish in there. We got the big brown on the purple thing after fishing for an hour or so. It was interesting...and fun.

Hammer Day

Ok, things are a changnin' up on the MO. Seemed like every outfitter in Montana showed up here today with their complete staff of guides. Too bad as it has been relatively calm.
We mixed it up a bit today and hammered 'em on worms in a few spots. The water is still dirty down low, so the Dam-Dearborn section is the best bet. Better be out early if you want to have some water to yourself.
Weather was crap today and is supposed to be crap the next few days too.

Ramblings

 With a breakfast like this...how could I not have had a great day? Yeah man, that's a Jimmy Dean frozen Ham and Cheese omelet with a side of Jimmy Dean precooked turkey sausage smothered in Hormel (no beans) Chili. Nuke it all for 2:30 and delicious.

Then we headed up to the dam where we found a mid morning snacky snack of Tangerine mini puffs. Those were good too.

Then later on in the day while discussing the quality of meals at Rosies Bar I realized why I like baby geese so much and I started to wonder. Veal is kind of a touchy subject with folks. I see both sides of the argument and try to stay neutral. By neutral I mean it's not something that I'll cook, but feel kind of obligated if I'm at a restaurant and see it on the menu. Rosies has Chicken Fried Veal. That got me wondering about Geese. A Gander is usually not the most sought out table fare in the wild game world...some people love them but then some people like liver too. Well, you never really hear about people eating bulls either. If you take away the all the bad stuff with veal and just look at it from a food side...everyone would have to agree it's pretty tasty, maybe immoral...but tasty.  So, I bet baby geese are pretty yummy too...Fuzzy Veal is my new term for baby geese.

Fuzzy Veal

The fishing today? It was really good all day. Good enough that my mind wondering around in circles a few times and I pondered the ethics of marketing and producing Fuzzy Veal. The Mo was much cleaner today and we were getting fish on the left side just about 1/2 a mile down below Prickly Pear. Not crystal clear by any means but as good as it's been in 2 weeks.  We're heading down lower in the morning to check it out, would love to get on some new water but it's just been really good for awhile now below the dam so it's hard to get away from it.