9 Days on the MO

Finally, water below 5,000.  'Bout damn time.  (Insert bring-on-some-drought the hay-will-grow the cows-won't-die the fish-won't-die speech)  I could go on my earth's-design-flaw rant too, but lets just say its been blowing for weeks, and 8 of the 9 days here were breezy to tropical storm force.  Gusts to 60 yesterday.  So it's mostly been a lesson in finding those little hidden banks and slots that are less-windy based on the direction of the day.  It worked nearly every day, but took a lot of moving around.  There's been bugs every day, just most days they got blown to Great Falls or St. Louis.

Early on, when temperatures were warm, there were still come caddis fluttering around and the fish were looking for 'em.  No refusals on that bug!   Problem was, by the time the afternoon BWO's started, the wind was howling.  When there was a break, I'd get in the water and into position for a rising fish, only for it to start blowing hard and put 'em down again.  Wade in, position, cuss, and repeat.  Frustrating.

But I set up camp, and was bound and determined to see at least one of the great afternoons the river is known for.  There were glimpses of brilliance every couple of days, but not until today, after snow fell straight down all morning, that the water was covered in bugs and the pods of fish in every direction appeared.  It only lasted a few hours, but it restored my confidence in trying again next fall.  So here's that dreaded "last post" for the practical trout fishing year.  Might take a glance at the Beav. on the way home, but it feels over. 

The River

This is Fishable.  Wade fishing.

Never a good sign when the shocking boats show up the evening I arrive.

Still fish eating here daily, and schooling me accordingly

The approach to someplace less-windy

Wind-blown Westlake Riffle

But the little pig pen channel had bugs and risers.

When this is showing, its wadeable, and good fishing.

Get out of the wind, and they will float

PMD flat, and baetis too on the calm day.

Three seasons.  A bit of summer-green hanging on, with autumn-brown on the riverside hills, and winter up a few hundred feet higher.  

This is what's wrong with fly fishing today  Fucking gangsters.

 The Fish

Caddis eaters at Lone Tree beaver hut.

The rain coat isn't for rain, its for the wind.

A hint on the Fly of the Week

The Flies

Worked great the first few days

A Mahogany that passed well for a caddis

Always some softie love.

Visible

Always

For the glare

Drum roll . . . FOTW  #18, by a landslide.  They couldn't stand it.

The carnage from Sept. 15 to today.

Net Shots

I'm still not sure about these net shots.  I do like the slightly larger basket on my "new" net.  Basket pictures are nice because there's no wet hands, no handling of the fish, no fish slipping away before the shutter is pressed, bla bla bla.  But they just don't look as good.  At least, not mine.  Something about the light, or the water glare, the net itself, or something.  I really don't ever need another damn fish picture anyway, but I do like my annual calendar with the 12 best, and I get them from here.  I like to scroll back through the archives once in a while too.  It's so easy with these small fish that I'll likely keep taking them.  I like 'em upright and wet the best though.  Having said that . . . 

Blah

Hook jaw blah

All wet, I like the concept.

Fatty

Better color, but not great

That's the weedy MO!

No

Better

Could have looked nice with a different net mesh

I'm ready for summer.  Half-in/half-out shots with the Go Pro.  Underwater.  Not afraid to get my arms and hands wet.  Lets see, roughly 7 months and 3 weeks until June 15!  Now if we could only have the driest winter ever recorded in the northern and central Rockies!