Trick Or Treat

More than likely I am not the only one that is spending the weekend carting children in costumes (Hadley is Little Red Riding Hood and Finn is the cutest Sock Monkey you've ever seen) from Fall Fests, to Trick or Treating, to family gatherings, to church parties, and to friend's houses.  It's been a full schedule for sure.

For others, they are enjoying a weekend leg deep in rivers swinging gaudy flies for salmon and steelhead.  (Fly angling parents everywhere...let's not hate on them to much.)

Jeff Kennedy's Drawing Flies 365 post this past week was a stellar reminder of the season we're in with his painting of the Jack O' Lantern spey fly.  I can imagine that fly in the corner of a steelhead's mouth for sure.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend, whether you've spent it in the "swagger wagon" with children fueled by to much candy or on a river enjoying the quietness of a fall afternoon. (Again...let's not hate.) 

T.F.M. Spotting - Shawn's "Stupid Fish"

Shawn Bichsel of Texas Flylines wrote up a blog post this weekend titled "STUPID FISH".  I got a kick out of it and also enjoyed the T.F.M. Spotting photo that he put in there as well.

A couple of Shawn's "stupid fish"...

Shawn...I'll catch those "stupid fish" anytime.

Floating The Missouri River

Friday morning was a mix of packing up, cleaning up the cabin, and making our way down the mountain one last time.

We met Joel, Corey, and Ron at the truck stop outside of Deer Lodge and then we were off to Craig to float the Missouri River.

Our first look at the Missouri River from the highway.  What stunning water.

As we rolled into Craig, I realized it just might be the perfect "Trout Town".  Craig is three fly shops, a couple bars, and little else besides a large trout stream in it's backyard.

We stopped in at Headhunters Fly Shop to set up shuttles and pick up a few flies.

Joel was representing T.F.M. though with constant winds and gusts to forty miles an hour there was no way I was talking him into fishing glass at all this day.

Corey's "tool box" which is filled with camera bodies, lenses, and anything else he might need to create digital art.

Gearing the boats up at the launch point.  Joel, Corey, and David jumped in the drift boat, and Ron, Mike, and I were in the raft for the day.

We began the float and immediately found that the wind was going to be an issue.  We spied a few risers but they were usually tucked up against the bank sipping tiny mayflies or small caddis.  I ended up tying on a double soft hackle rig which was the easiest for me to cast from the back of the raft.  I spent the majority of my day in a cast, swing, cast, swing motion.

The views on the Missouri River are quite stunning.

This is big water with big views and it's no surprise that there are big trout that live in here too.

A few hours into the float we met up with Joel, Corey, and David and spent an hour or so catching up and eating a makeshift lunch.  We all enjoyed David recounting how he had caught a good sized brown trout on a grasshopper pattern.  This was the middle of October and grasshoppers were still thick in the tall grass.

Ron took the opportunity to relax in the bottom of the raft.  See that bald head?  I was worried about an errant cast putting two soft hackles in that melon all day.  Luckily it didn't happen.

Once we started our float again Mike picked up this beautiful rainbow on a small brown and yellow streamer slammed up against the rock wall.

As afternoon became evening the wind still hadn't died down and we were commenting that the day would have been quite different without the continual breeze and gusts.  What couldn't be disputed was the vistas we enjoyed as we traveled down river.

I spent the day fishing the Hardy Classic Lightweight nine foot five weight.  This is a graphite/fiberglass mix and was excellent for this float for several reasons.  The Classic Lightweight is an interesting series since the rods are certainly a lot quicker than most glass but once have a wonderful feel when under weight of a fish.

I matched the Classic Lightweight fly rod with a LRH Lightweight fly reel.  You've got to match a Hardy reel with a Hardy fly rod...right?

The universal reel holder hardware on the Classic Series is really sharp.

So the day ended with us all catching far less trout than expected but it was all more than made up for in comaraderie.

This final day of our trip was a great example that these trips are a success not always by the numbers of fish that are caught but by times spent with friends.

T.F.M. Spotting - Andy In The Woods

New York photog Lucas Carroll sent along this image of his friend Andy Borden representing with his T.F.M. t-shirt on a recent deer scouting mission with his brother.   

Cool to see a T.F.M. Spotting Photo Contest entry from the woods.  

Reuben Wood vs. Chinook Salmon

Jordan Ross of JP Ross Fly Rods & Co. and I have been trading a few emails about a possible Rueben Wood glass build since I really enjoy fishing short five weight fly rods in the mountains of North Carolina.

Six foot five weights are extremely capable but this story is pushing the envelope just a little bit...

Jordan wrote...  "When my friend John Montefusco bough his Reuben Wood fiberglass fly rod this summer, he told me he would send me pictures from his adventure on the Salmon River.  I though to myself... "That's cool, but who doesn't fish the Salmon River?"

When he told me he would send me pictures from the Salmon River, he meant after he landed a twenty-seven pound king salmon on the six foot lightweight Reuben Wood fly rod.

I asked John if the rod is still a two piece and he said, "Yes, of course."

This is an amazing feat.  Way to go John.  Not everyone can do that and still have the rod in original condition."

Unreal.  To read John's side of the story then check out the blog post on the JP Ross Fly Rod & Co. website.

Lazy Lake Day And The Last Supper

After a long day in the backcountry it wasn't surprsing that Thursday morning started a little late for us. I woke just after sunrise and walked down to the lake to enjoy the quietness of the day beginning.  The fellows slept in for an extra hour or so.

Since the number of days left at the cabin was winding down I decided to make up one more breakfast of scrambled eggs and grits which was topped with fresh salsa.   A couple cups of coffee and we were set to start the day.

We decided that since Joel and Corey were coming in that night that we'd need to make a run to the grocery store later in the afternoon that we might as well take advantage of a slow day at the lake.  There were rising trout every where along the edges of the lake and another warm day in the works.



We gathered up our gear and jumped in Joel's aluminum boat powered by an old school Johnson motor.  Dave took over as captian and we headed across the lake to a cove area that we had caught trout a couple years before.

It didn't take to long before we had all caught a mix of brook trout, cutthroats, and even a small whitefish.

They weren't to big but they were coming up for dry flies. 

I went with the Scandalous Sticks Pygmy Glass four weight for the day, which might not be the best "lake rod", but fun to cast dry flies with.

There are few things as beautiful as the colors washed across the sides of a brook trout in the fall. 

We fished away the morning and early afternoon on the lake and lost track of time due to rising fish and the enjoyment of friends being together in a boat.

I happily repped my new Fiberglass Flyrodders t-shirt all day. 

This is a Mike Boward smile.  No really...it is.  He is the king of the grimace.

Captain Dave motoring us across the lake to the cabin for lunch and then the trip into town for groceries.


The cabin sits above the lake and really is in the perfect location on the lake.  Joel and Deb are fortunate to own such a wonderful place.

We returned to the cabin for a quick lunch of leftovers and then took off to town to fetch the groceries needed for our last meal at the cabin for the trip.

As we were coming around the edge of the lake from our late afternoon grocery run we noticed rings all across the lake from trout taking mayflies and caddis.  I volunteered to start dinner and let the fellows have one more chance at the risers.  Once back at the cabin they quickly gathered up their gear and were off with Captian Mike at the helm.

I then started prepping for dinner and a few minutes later Joel and Corey arrived at the cabin.  As it was getting dark Mike and Dave made it back to the cabin and we were all busy in the kitchen and on the grill.   

We had put together a menu of grilled chicken legs which had been rolled in hot sauce and butter, an unreal tasty feta pasta salad, and red potatoes and asparagus from the grill.  Everything turned out perfect.

With full stomachs but still needing something for dessert, Dave got busy in the kitchen with a bourbon peach dessert which completed our last night at the cabin feast.

After midnight everyone made it to bed with thoughts of the next day's trip to float the Missouri River.

Blue Ribbon Nets

While airline staff were busily trying to find the lost (gate checked) travel fly rod tube, I gave Mike Westfall of Blue Ribbon Nets a call to let him know that I had arrived in Bozeman.  Mike said he'd be over in just a few minutes with a landing net to carry along on the week long Montana trip. 

Mike and I had met at IFTD the month before and I was impressed the current Blue Ribbon Nets product line and even more excited about the improvements coming for 2011.  Blue Ribbon Nets is working on a new netting material that is considerably lighter, will be made in Bozeman, and is much more eco-friendly than the rubber netting that is currently used industry wide.

Mike arrived outside the Gallatin Field Airport and handed over a large Catch & Release net with the clear rubber netting.   

The Catch & Release net is a great shape, solidly constructed, and the size of the netting is more than enough for the fish that I typically hook up with.



Mike representing Blue Ribbon Nets on his pickup truck.

Check out the Blue Ribbon Nets and look for several upcoming T.F.M. posts on Blue Ribbon Nets as their new 2011 products lines are released. 

A Day In The Backcountry

There is always wonderful mystery with native fish in seldom visited places, so I was all in when Joel mentioned leading us into "River X" for day of looking for Westslope Cutthroat. 

With yet another warm blue bird day in the forecast our chances for cutthroats looking up for dry flies was looking excellent as well.

The morning started with a stop at one of Deer Lodge's greasy spoons for a filling breakfast.  Corn beef hash and a couple over easy eggs was tasty and good fuel for a day spent on the move.

The trip to "River X" involved a couple hour drive, preparations at the vehicle, and then a few mile hike into the back country.  Joel warned us that he had a hard time with "gear separation" and the off chance of forgetting something important so we were hardly surprised when he off loaded six or eight different packs and bags from his Jeep into the rental vehicle.  The above Simms Boat Bag was just for his fly boxes.  Joel is serious about his gear.

Making decisions on what flies for the day was easy.  We all took a mix of dry flies and nymphs but were hoping we wouldn't need to go subsurface.
 

Geared up and on the trail for a several mile hike. 

The view from the trail down into the river valley was stunning. 

The water was gin clear and a mix of riffles and deep plunge pools. 

I had carefully loaded up the new Fishpond Tundra Tech pack with the gear needed for the day including wading boots, waders, fly boxes, cameras, two fly rods and fly reels, water bottle, and accessories.  The Tundra Tech pack handled it with ease and was comfortable for the hike as well as while wearing the entire day on the water.  This pack has a lot of features to like.

I ended up fishing the Kabuto 805 all day.  I am really impressed with this fly rod and the sun seems to glow through this blank in the perfect shade of autumn. 

I started with a dry fly/dropper and after a few rises clipped the dropper off since I was having such a great time creeping over rocks, casting a small stimulator fly to the head of the pool, and then have a Westslope Cutthroat rise to my offering.

I approached a large deep pool and saw several trout rising off a rock wall to something small on the surface.  I looked down and saw several dead winged red ants swirling at my feet and figured it was worth a try.  I tied on a winged red ant and cast it against the edge of the rock wall only to have a large Westslope Cutthroat rise up from the bottom of the pool to sip it in.  The Kabuto bent into an amazing arch under the weight of this cutthroat.

After a several minute fight I was able to bring the cutthroat into the shallows.  Without a doubt this was my "Trip Fish".   

I took a few photographs of this fine native trout before he swam back to the depths of the pool.



The rest of the afternoon was more of the same with raising cutthroats on dry flies.  There is hardly anything better.
 


The red ant did it again.  That fly worked for about an hour and then it was back to small caddis type dry flies.


This was stunning water no doubt and the surrounding trees were awash in the colors of fall. 



This river is full of round smooth rocks of dark oranges, reds, grays, and greens creating a beautiful streambed and perfect camoflauge for the trout that live there.   

My regret for the day is that the group of us got really spread out with David spending the entire day on short stretch of water while Joel, Mike, and I hiked up river but really didn't see each other again until I double backed downstream at the end of the afternoon.

Joel fished his Sweetgrass graphite five weight all day which was coupled with a Ross Reels Vision.  A very striking outfit that can certainly fish too.  More than once I saw his fly rod bent over double on a trout. 



Joel and I traded fly rods for a few minutes just to see what each other thought.  The Sweetgrass is a very nice rod and certainly a change from all the glass that I've been fishing. 


With the sun falling behind the mountains it was time to hike back to the vehicles.  We all gave the river one last look from above before hiking down the trail to the vehicle.

On the ride back to Deer Lodge for dinner we all recounted a special fish or two that we had put on the fly. It was a good day for all of us.

Some places just speak to me and "River X" was my favorite day of the trip.  It's on the list of places to return to again and I thank Joel for taking us to such a place of trout filled splendor.