Sunday Missoula Browntown

Chuck n' duck, helmets on assault has been the mantra of late for my boat no matter the river. Mo'. Blackiefoot. Bitterroot. And of course the Clark. A short afternoon float last week on the trusty Clark Fork almost out did all the aforementioned rivers with a brownie haul that placed as one of the best streamer routes of the year. Some runs had nothing, while others (one run in particular breaking the total trout-pounds-per-hole hole safety limit) overflowing with feisty toothy hunters. Having a few days off these days to take advantage of such red-hot action is a blast, one which I will be taking every possible advantage of from here until ice up. Ice up is going to happen this year, right??

It's been a low water year for western Montana and the fishing in some areas has suffered. But in keeping with their reputation and breeding,  Browns do not give a shit.  #zeroshitsgiven.  They just sulk til the weather is right, til the days are shorter and the bait fish weaker, and Blamo! Coming out at you all gangbusteres, two jaws swinging , teeth and attitude in equal measure wrapped in golden buttery brown. Just like in the movies these ruthless killers are sharply dressed and have impeccable teeth. Where they go there ain't no cutthroats . Few rainbows too. And like the Professor once chimed "where we are going we don't need roads". Just rafts.

"Its a live ball!!"

Throwback Thursday : Fish Gypsies Of Summer

* This post was originally written in July. Sometimes media updates get away from us fish bums.


Sometimes in a river season you run across a fellow flyfisherman that provides a vivid reminder as to how / why you got into this dam fly flicking sport in the first place. The enthusiasm, hunters mind, camaraderie, and general love of the outdoors that captivates us and keeps us going out come rain or shine in search of the next tug at the end of the line. Basically, the all-consuming love and craziness that is flyfishing.  I got to experience one of those shining days last week with a couple new friends, cousins Kevin and David. 

Sometimes it's just the day: Mild slow morning out on the water, building ominous clouds on the horizon, patented fisherman's optimism holding doubts at bay; A change of tactics resulting in a slew of whopper trout as the bite went from tepid cool to red hot ; Finally closed out by rowing through a genuine summer downpour rainstorm to finish out the afternoon. All this together turns a normal day out floating the river into an above expectations adventure. These kind of days never get old for me and sharing one with these two was a full-ride double shot of awesome. Gotta love it!

Kevin has been around the flyfishing world a few times over. From Florida bonefish to BC Steelhead and Indiana bass fishing he has done most of what can be done with a fly rod. Despite crisscrossing the states searching for new finned quarry he had never made it to the Bitterroot until last year and only got to seriously fish it this year. Needless to say he has taken to it in slamming style. The excitement of putting fish into the net on a new river still hasn't gotten old for him yet and probably not for a long while yet. That is a fire that I can admire and put as my point man any day.

David on the other hand was brand new to the Montana fly fishing game and had mountain of learning to climb in just a few days. Thankfully he was a quick study, excited to learn and managed to figure out the all-important trifecta of "cast / mend / set!" early on like a natural. Putting all those skills together got him into several nice rainbows and cutties and scared a handful more. Although early in his fishing career we might just turn him onto all this angling nonsense, or as he would put it, "brand new psychosis". Loving every minute of it!

Thanks for the fun times guys, looking forward to seeing you in western Montana again!