Pretentious Snobby Bastard Fly Fishing!

Fly Fishing Reports => Western Destinations => Topic started by: twinbridges on April 18, 2017, 18:48:13 PM

Title: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on April 18, 2017, 18:48:13 PM
Well it is 2017 and time to get fishing.  Left NC for 4,000 mile plus sans interstate with my hound dog to Twin Bridges Mt.

Road trips, you love them or you hate them and I am of the former persuasion.  Long 16 day southerly loop to Phoenix and then right turn north to Twin.  Mostly great weather and a visual feast.

Arrived Twin last week having forgotten we left everything orderly.  Fantastic to open the door to your drift boat and fishing stuff finding everything in its right place and your boat clean!  Damn!

With opening house etc., only have fished two days.  Day one of the Big Hole from Silver Bridge to Maidenrock.  Great weather and about 16-20 nice trout to hand.  None bigger than 16" but what a great day to begin the season.

Day 2 today on the Jefferson from Parrott Castle to Mayflower.  Great weather but the fishing was not good.  Five or six small bows a die small  brown.  River  in great shape and some big March Browns happening but not good fishing.

But,  it is great to be in Montana, we are having snow often, snowpack good for now!  Life is very good.


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Title: Re: Back to Twin Bridges 2017 Edition
Post by: twinbridges on April 18, 2017, 18:51:31 PM
A couple of not impressive pics if I can figure it out.


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Title: Re: Back to Twin Bridges 2017 Edition
Post by: twinbridges on April 18, 2017, 18:54:23 PM
Quote from: twinbridges on April 18, 2017, 18:51:31 PM
A couple of not impressive pics if I can figure it out.


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Title: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on April 18, 2017, 21:05:31 PM
Not sure how any of this works but was directed to Tapatalks, made post but it is not here.  Are these two separate gigs?where how should I post.  Certainly don't plan to follow both.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: jwgnc on April 18, 2017, 21:30:21 PM
I was just wondering when you were headed out there.  I haven't been west in years. 

Looking forward to your posts
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on April 18, 2017, 22:02:03 PM
It is very good to be back.  4000 mile meander with my hound dog and no interstates.

The west is magical.  Still getting some snow which is fantastic. 

Fished o e day on the Big Hole which was very good with a beautiful river and a good number of trout.  No big ones but a good day.

Today on the Jefferson and a nice day on the river but fishing was not easy for whatever reason even with March Browns sailing down the river,

Happy, very happy to be here.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: Woolly Bugger on April 19, 2017, 10:03:49 AM
Quote from: twinbridges on April 18, 2017, 21:05:31 PM
Not sure how any of this works but was directed to Tapatalks, made post but it is not here.  Are these two separate gigs?where how should I post.  Certainly don't plan to follow both.

Tapatalk is a mobile phone plug-in that "helps" in viewing the forum on a phone... some like it, some hate it, you don't have to use it...
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: Dougfish on April 19, 2017, 11:45:43 AM
The posts were filed under Fergie's "Fly Fishing" thread. Maybe WB can move them? #Woolly Bugger
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: sanjuanwormhatch on April 19, 2017, 12:34:26 PM
Headed west in two weeks.  Glad to hear there's some fishable water after that winter.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: sanjuanwormhatch on April 19, 2017, 12:38:49 PM
I don't know much about 'tana but I'm pretty sure the Jefferson and Big Hole are big, floating type rivers.  Have you hit any smaller water in the area?  What's it look like? 
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on April 19, 2017, 12:48:58 PM
Quote from: sanjuanwormhatch on April 19, 2017, 12:38:49 PM
I don't know much about 'tana but I'm pretty sure the Jefferson and Big Hole are big, floating type rivers.  Have you hit any smaller water in the area?  What's it look like?
Have not yet.  Upper Ruby likely still mostly frozen.  Will so the lower in a day o two.


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Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: sanjuanwormhatch on April 19, 2017, 12:57:42 PM
Let me know generally how it looks if you don't mind.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on April 20, 2017, 20:28:14 PM
I have only fished a couple of times what we getting the house opened and doing the yard etc.   But Twinis coming to life for the season.  I was in short sleeves today doing yard work, loaded the drift boat to take to the dump up on the bench.  My hound dog was excited to see a heard of pronghorns as we went for her big run!

Late afternoon a soft rain in the valley has turned the lower elevation of the Tobacco Root mountains at about 6,000 feet white while the mountains from about 8'000 to 10,000 plus are solid with snow.

A small ranching and fishing town begins its new season.  Calves are hatched and laying in piles of alfalfa layers for their moms to eat,  local guides who live hear are rediscovering the rivers and anxiously await the season.  The guides who come for the season are packing up.

My boat, with the trash delivered is ready to go fishing.  It is early yet, but it feels very good!
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on April 20, 2017, 20:31:06 PM
And the after dinner Bushmill is pretty good!
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: jwgnc on April 21, 2017, 07:30:13 AM
Quote from: sanjuanwormhatch on April 19, 2017, 12:38:49 PM
I don't know much about 'tana but I'm pretty sure the Jefferson and Big Hole are big, floating type rivers.  Have you hit any smaller water in the area?  What's it look like?

My favorite to wade is the three dollar bridge area of the Madison.  Stop in at Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone first.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: Aka on April 21, 2017, 18:38:51 PM
Quote from: jwgnc on April 21, 2017, 07:30:13 AM
Quote from: sanjuanwormhatch on April 19, 2017, 12:38:49 PM
I don't know much about 'tana but I'm pretty sure the Jefferson and Big Hole are big, floating type rivers.  Have you hit any smaller water in the area?  What's it look like?

My favorite to wade is the three dollar bridge area of the Madison.  Stop in at Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone first.

Three dollar is a good road side spot for sure. Plenty of big fish and fast current. Stop at Driftwaters and get a burger and beer after fishing and say hey to Jerry for me.


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Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: Rhody on April 21, 2017, 22:46:54 PM
Bushmills on your porch is one of the finer things in life!!

Glad to hear of all of the good times, maybe..........in the spring, in the fall for sure!
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on April 30, 2017, 16:43:10 PM
Rowed a couple of buddies on the Big Hole from Melrose down to Brownes Bridge.  The river is in great condition at 1600 cvs with that familiar tea stain color with great visibility.  Fishing was slow!  Not sure why really,  just not happening yet.  It will only make those buster days more memorable.

Still cold but weather is really going to warm up at the end of the week.  Wonder if this is the beginning of run off.  Mountain snowpack is still growing which is great.  Hopefully the warm spell will pass quickly so we can keep the snow hard and deep in the mountains.  Great to be rowing my boat again.

My old Dynalight oars have taken a beating over the years.  Rhody and I sure put some dings in them one day!  Anyway, guide buddy from Washington showed up in Twin with some new Pro Lok oars and they are incredible.  Shafts are graphite and blades carbon fiber and weigh about 3 pounds a side.  They have some power flex model model that load like a fly rod.  Can't wait for them to arrive.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: Rhody on April 30, 2017, 22:17:09 PM
Everybody I have talked to that has rowed those Pro-Loks has nothing but great things to say about them, I'll bet you will like em.

Those Dynalights are good sticks, I know I have wedged em to flex more than once!

Having a Bushmills in your honor this evening!
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: sanjuanwormhatch on May 01, 2017, 09:10:07 AM
I may be timing my trip perfectly.  Warmer weather right before run off.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on May 15, 2017, 23:04:59 PM
Sorry for the lack of posts.   Fished below the ruby dam at vigilante last week and very good.  Flow about 250 and caught 4 nice trout with the biggest this big ole 21 inch bow.  I was shocked.

Old news.  Big Hole just slowly coming down from 6,000 cvs and Jeff at 7,000 so my little row boat and mostly everyone else is on the trailer for a few days.

Went up to Wisdom which is wau up the Bi Hole Valley today about 100 miles above Twin and a few floaters.  Incredible part of our world.  Marybe next week we. An get back on the rivers.  Today, some snow, some ice pellets and some rain.  And some sun.  Take what you get and be happy.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: IFStultz on May 16, 2017, 07:02:02 AM
Love that area up around Wisdom.


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Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on May 16, 2017, 18:31:26 PM
Had a very nice afternoon at Vigilante below the Ruby Resevoir with 3 above 18 and a solid 20 plus bow.

But now the rivers are blown out with the Big Hole just getting down from 7,000 cvs to about 5100.  Don't know if it will keep coming down or not.  Snow forecast tonigh and some rain through Friday.  It will come down but it is a waiting game.  A few are floating the Beaverhead but not heard reports and was up near Wisdom yesterday and a few floaters up by Fish Trap.  Water is cold up there but clarity was fine.

About ready for the weather to break so we can get some rhythm going.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on May 17, 2017, 22:27:56 PM
Was over at the Stonefly tonight as the new chef is in town and was invited to his first dinner with the guides.  Great food!

One of the guides fished the Beav today, pipe organ to Grasshopper.  Said it fished pretty well.  The water up from the dam opens this when'd.  I think as the rivers settle now maybe will fish Tuesday!

Mostly snowed all day but think we are done with it.  Colder temps started to slow the rivers down.
Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: Rhody on May 20, 2017, 16:25:46 PM
Sounds like the start to a great summer, I shall try to see you in Oct. this year, will be on Madison first week in Oct.
Gonna try to go to BC for summer trip out west, looking for spousal approval!

Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on May 26, 2017, 18:49:17 PM
We fished East Bank to Jerry Creek two days ago.  Beautiful day with river at about 3,000 cfs with great clarity for the Big Hole.  It was tough fishing.  Managed a nice Brooke, a very small bow, a smallish white fish and a nice brown.  That was it. 

Looks like the rivers are getting ready for some flow growing soon with warmer weather and then maybe it will be done and the fishing will get cranked up!

Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on June 07, 2017, 23:16:32 PM
Well, runoff is here.  Big Hole falling from 8,000 cfs.   But it will fall and we will catch fish.  Mostly hanging out now.


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Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: twinbridges on June 11, 2017, 20:20:52 PM
Well just as I expected!  Big Hole went to 9000 and is coming down fast to 5000 cfs.   Salmon flies are happening if you can find some quiet water and I have to go to Charlotte for the week.

Good news, rivers should be great when I get back but alas will miss the big Bugs!


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Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: buddy_25_99 on July 07, 2017, 14:48:18 PM
I will be out that way Sunday for a week at stonefly pretty excited!!


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Title: Re: The season starts in Twin Bridges
Post by: Dee-Vo on July 07, 2017, 15:11:44 PM
Quote from: buddy_25_99 on July 07, 2017, 14:48:18 PM
I will be out that way Sunday for a week at stonefly pretty excited!!


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Lucky bastard.