21 April

[twinbridges]

21 April
We fish with Gary and decide to do Notch Bottom down to Pennington on the Big Hole. Bright sunny morning with low 30 temps. We leave at 8:30 and are in a bit after 9:15.

On Pennington Road we have to slow and wait for a cow moose to find the right fence to jump. Moose are amazing in that they look so gangly but they can really gallop, move at the trot like a fine horse and jump fences with ease.

Then we see a couple of bald eagles and 8 mule deer. Critter day.

Put in and it is a bit slow with a trout now and then, then late morning it gets much better with a steady stream of browns and bows to the net 15-17" eating a small stone nymph and an occasional dry eat.

Then at lunch time it slows down and then picks up and before you know it we have put a bunch of nice trout in the boat. No 20 inchers but very nice trout and they are fat.

And then we come upon a couple of golden eagles, then another cow moose in the river eating grass who just does not seem to mind us at all.

Then more trout, then more goldens, a pair one time, and then we see six in trees along the river together and they take flight just as we pass. This is crazy. More than a dozen eagles in one day.

When we get to town it is 70 degrees. Great day on an amazing river.

[TheYiman]

Golden Eagles are so cool.  Nice day out.

[Woolly Bugger]

Sounds like a perfect day on the water!

[Rhody]

i second that perfect day, new job complications holding up prerunoff trip, who knows what the summer brings
that float sound great, thanks for the update

[twinbridges]

If you can figure out the water thing for the year you are better than we can figure out.  Think just to fish yo we get more or run out.