Every year the school district I work at shuts down and I have a week off in Oct. Last year I fished and deer hunted locally. This year I chose Montana. A fellar I used to coach wrestling with and fished with moved to Belgrade Montana 6 years ago. He must asked me monthly when I am coming out to go fishing. So I said yes, he had the same week off I did and his wife would be visiting Lynchburg so we were completely unsupervised. He picked me up at the airport.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA152951_zpsw1ywjsvu.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA152951_zpsw1ywjsvu.jpg.html)
We headed to the Lower Madison to float, but the weather picked up and we canceled the float and unproductively nymphed for a while. And wind was the order of the week. I saw one gust blow the water off the river and up into the sky about 15 yards. The whole week you had to time your cast with the wind. We headed to the East Gallatin for some streamer action. A nice little river which suits my eastern sense of proportions.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA183008_zpslqhcf0nc.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA183008_zpslqhcf0nc.jpg.html)
The next morning we headed tothe park. It was supposed to snow and be windy. We started at the Madison in the park.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA172995_zpssiolcvi1.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA172995_zpssiolcvi1.jpg.html)
Nuthing doing on the Madison. But we ended up hitting the Firehole.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA173006_zpsjwi8fkoh.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA173006_zpsjwi8fkoh.jpg.html)
Caught a bunch of a seam that is opposite this thermal spring.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA172994_zpskrkhlqrp.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA172994_zpskrkhlqrp.jpg.html)
Saw plenty of elk, buffalo, and antelope. Walked up on this dead calf in one of the rivers we fished.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA173004_zpsbz5bdgfh.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA173004_zpsbz5bdgfh.jpg.html)
did some touristy things.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA173001_zps0ljyu5il.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA173001_zps0ljyu5il.jpg.html)
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA172998_zpsresjiihx.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA172998_zpsresjiihx.jpg.html)
The next couple of days I fished the East Galletin and Galletin on my own. On the East Galletin there were pheasants galore. It killed me not to have decent bird dog with me and go hunting. I (Hopefully) got one of these around thenew year.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP6945_1024_zpslgkxsylo.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP6945_1024_zpslgkxsylo.jpg.html)
Caught a bunch with a cone head wolley bugger I found in Maine. Go figure.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA193015_zpspwrblnn6.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA193015_zpspwrblnn6.jpg.html)
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA193011_zpsmgfziuja.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA193011_zpsmgfziuja.jpg.html)
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA193009_zpsa5wbnrq3.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA193009_zpsa5wbnrq3.jpg.html)
On Thursday we floated the Mighty Mo. It was windy and cold as heck.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA193018_zpsqvyniro5.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA193018_zpsqvyniro5.jpg.html)
Caught some of these on double nymph rigs.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA203019_zpszpoeozjt.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA203019_zpszpoeozjt.jpg.html)
and some of these
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA203024_zpsiv4aprns.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA203024_zpsiv4aprns.jpg.html)
This little section was out of the wind and a bunch of fish were rising. We had two on but they became unbuttened. And a large brown kept on jumping out of the water. It was like someone throwing a rock into the water. I guess in MT they jump for the joy of it.
Wrapped up the float catching some more.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/PA203021_zps3cku8bds.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/PA203021_zps3cku8bds.jpg.html)
On Friday we ended up sighting in his new rifle for Elk Season. This was the view from the "range". Its an embarressment of riches.
(http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/z458/andrewsrw/IMGP8381_zpsvgenyj6z.jpg) (http://s1190.photobucket.com/user/andrewsrw/media/IMGP8381_zpsvgenyj6z.jpg.html)
In the evening we must of watched this a million times. Made me think of you folks.
I'll be dang not sure on how to post youtube videos. Anyway Montana is nice. There is so much water to fish. And so much wildlife. I gotta get back in the summer when it is not as cold and windy.
The can steps out! Very nice. And jealous.
Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk
looks like a grand time despite the challenging conditions. I know the western winds all too well.
Yes. That will do. Definitely.
Hell yea, I need to get out there one of these years. Nice fish.
I missed this somehow but badass, nonetheless.