On The Road: 100 Mile Riffle

The 100-mile riffle of the Madison River: One of Montana's jems boasting prolific insect hatches and some of the biggest-shouldered fish in the state. Friday we rolled out with the whole crew from the Bitterroot and being greeted in Ennis with a sunny sky and no wind (what? no wind on the Madison?) we allowed ourselves a bit more optimism than usual. Anglers are prone to such thinking. The Madison fished well for us, with browns slashing at streamers on most undercut banks and a few looking for dry flies in slow side channel pockets. This river is beginning to grow on me. I need to try to sneak away from guiding to hit it when in its prime.

On The Road Pt. 1

The time has come again for the crew to head out on the road for our annual spring trip. Hibala, Outfitter Jed Fitzpatrick of Bitterroot River Guides, and I are heading over the hill to hit the Madison and then down to the Henry's Fork of the Snake in Idaho for a few days of fishing. We will be meeting up with friends and family in Island Park, Idaho, where we will be staying at the famous Harriman Ranch State Park. This is always one of the most fun trips of the year, sort of a last stand for us guides to let loose and fish before a full season of rowing and guiding. Here are a few pictures from last years trip.

 

Stay tuned early next week for a report on the trip....and hopefully a few pics of a huge brown or two. Cheers

Bitterroot Brown Town

With big trout fresh on the mind we got back out on the water in search of Bitterroot gold. Chucking big streamers can bring worn out arms, but rewards like these are well worth it. Fishing the slow water with big flies is the name of the game. We are currently sitting in the middle of the best streamer fishing of the year where it seems no pattern can be too big...heaven for our crew. As the water continues to rise we will continue to chuck streamers, knowing that any cast can bring the largest trout we have ever seen.



Spring Training and Big Browns

So the boys are at it again, it was just a matter of time. Chris got out with fellow guides Chad Williams and Bob Prince for a full day float on the 'Root. We all love a good barrage of dry flies, calling your shots and picking off risers. But then you get a hunch to tie on a streamer and go hunting for the really big one you know is lurking in there somewhere. Big double-haul across the run, strip, strip . . . BOOM! Chad is on a big one. This stud Brown moved in for the kill without hesitation, a super great fish to kick of the season. Way to go boys lets go get a few more!

The Skwala and the Yeti

 Another "prospecting" run on the middle Root' pays off with some of the better fishing of this spring season. Fish moving to dry flies in the afternoon keeping us very happy, harbingers of summer months to come. These sweet Cutthroats all ate Skwalas, some below islands, a few hanging on hard banks, and all were chunked out from a good eatin'.

These gutted-out Cutts and Rainbows are digging the high water we've been having this spring. Lots of nymphs in the system and fewer fishermen then a few weeks ago makes for eager hunting. Get out on the river and find some solace with a fly rod before runoff shuts it all down.

Adventures on the Smith River

Sometimes the stars align and allow more fun to happen then should be legal. We are going to the Smith River again this year, a trip which is becoming something of a tradition of late. The first years were epic high-water and little fishing, the last few have been more moderate and way more fishy. Hoping for good flows again this season and some more brown trout dry fly action.

A Day On The Root With Jed

 The last two days were spent fishing with Jed Fitzpatrick, Outfitter of Sula Mountain Fly Fishing, on the upper and middle Bitterroot River. Jed is one of the best anglers you could ever hope to share a boat with. I was stoked when he replied to my lets go fishing text with a, "4 sure." It was finally time to dig out the boats after a long winter.

 

We wanted to scout out some early season upper river fishing for up coming guide trips. We did an afternoon float the first day, on some water that can really fish well this time of year. The day started sunny and almost warm turning into cold and windy by the takeout. We decided to cover as much water as we could throwing streamers to get a tell on how active the fish were. Fish were caught and beer was drank, it was a fine afternoon indeed.   

 

 

a nice brown to start the day

 

This cutty had big plans



 



After a beer and quick bite to eat over at Bitter Root Brewing, we kicked off day two and decided to head a little further down river. We wanted to see if we couldn't find a big brown or rainbow that was willing to eat a big streamer. We turned plenty of fish throughout the day, with one big one that came un-buttoned shortly after hooking up. As usual it was another great day spent with a good friend doing what we love.

Another beauty of a day on the root