Big Hole Day One

[twinbridges]

With morning temps in the mid 20's and wind we waited until about 10 to hit it.  Fishing with a young friend from NC who is now a Mt. fishing guide and his fiance.  We meet up in Melrose and decide to do Maidenrock to Melrose.  The river is beautiful, 1100 cfs and clear although with a little of that Big Hole tannic acid stain.

We start out with a purple haze chubby and san juan dropper.  It takes a bit longer than we thought it might to get the first trout (a brown  and 16") to the boat.  It was not fast but we managed 5-6 before we decided to stop and let it warm up a bit thinking the fishing would get better.  It did, but not fast.  And then about 2 or so we cut off the dropper and put on what should be seen by trout as a small skwala and then the fishing got much better and the size improved.  By the time we made Melrose about 3:30 or so we had caught about 15 trout with the biggest a pair of 16-17' browns.  Not great but just fine.

If you get to spend a day on a sparkling spring day on the Big Hole River with friends and flyrods and a few beers it can only be described as fantastic.  I reminded my young friends of that so they remember how good this is.

For some reason my pics have not synced but when they do I will upload them.

[twinbridges]

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[twinbridges]

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[twinbridges]

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[flatlander]

Keep these "dispatches" coming.

[Woolly Bugger]

Sweet