Fish, Bugs and Babes

Yesterday I had a guide trip on the Mo, and the fishing was awesome, but as it turns out it was much better than the clients in the boat. Luckily they were cool as hell, which made the day fun for myself and them. They had some awesome eats, but just couldn't seal the deal. Both people in my boat would get the initial head shake of a big fish and one big run, but were definitely under qualified and out classed by the wiley fish of the Missouri. On that note we did boat fish and they were pumped to get some in the boat. The coolest fish boated was a tiny little rainbow that reached 10 inches max, but he didn't really care, once he brought the fish in and we took a picture of it he said "thank got a little fish finally ate my fly because that guy was all I am qualified to handle." That comment made me appreciate them even more because they found the beauty in the sport of fly fishing, and realized that just being there, and getting plenty of great opportunities at big fish, is what its all about.Now if there had been a pair of fisherman in the boat that were qualified to handle the MO, we would have boated quite a few more fish. But that's okay, they were excited none the less. Once they did catch fish they for the most part just wanted to float along and drink soda pop and enjoy the time they had left on the river.

It was good to have clients that knew they had plenty of opportunities and blew them all, and yet understood at the same time. One of the pics above is of one of my clients yesterday with that same 10 inch rainbow I mentioned earlier, and he is pumped regardless. That makes all the difference in the world when you get a chance to see a total beginner appreciate the beauties of fly fishing and treating a fish of that size the same as a 25 inch brown. The other picture is of a can of troutslayer ale chillin on the side of the river at the gallatin. Not that it has anything to do with the guide trip, but its a good beer at a good river and right where a troutslayer should be...on the water!

cheers and tightlines!

nick

Yesterday I was having a conversation with someone, and they told me how sad it was that all I ever want to do is be on the river. They brought up the fact that I just may be old and alone with no heirs or no one that really cares about me, besides my brother considering he is younger than me and will always be a kickass cat, and I thought about that for a second and politely disagreed. Why worry about that when there are lots of fish to be caught out there in the world! Well that seemed even more infuriating to this person. They proceeded to tell me that the most important thing in life is to give yourself to another person because it apparently is living for more than yourself, which is exactly what being on the river is, its a spiritual and satisfying feeling bigger than myself that is too much to put into words. We are put in a society where we can choose our own paths, so why is one better than another, why not fish and tie flies constantly if that is what makes a man like me happy.

And on another note, there are plenty of women out there, why concentrate on one of them when you can check out what a lot of them have to offer right? Its the same with fish, why just catch one of them when you can catch 50.. You tell me which is more satisfying? All that aside though, how is a person suppose to master an art, and yes it is an art, without dedicating their life to it and working to be the shit in it. I guess I could settle as a recreational fisherman, but that to me is no where near satisfying, just like everything else I want to be the best at it. There should be no compromising if it is something that you really love, and with fishing I don't have to compromise.

So on that note, thank you fly fishing. Your the only thing that can make sense in my life day in and day out, even if the fishing sucks. The two pics above may not be with fish, but a couple of memories that I am spoiled to have because of fly fishing.

cheers and tight lines doods!

nick

Yesterday I had plans to write about the day on the Gallatin River that I had. A buddy and myself fished the canyon toward Big Sky, and I had caught a lot of fish, the biggest one being about 11 inches. But something better presented itself and I feel needs to be shared because its badass.

This post is not about me, once I got home from fishing I had called my folks to see what was going on in their lives, and brag to my old man that I am still fishing in Montana, and he is not. Little did I know the old man and some of our good friends went out and did some fishing themselves. And it just so happened to be the 18th bday of one of them. So I tell him about my day and he is not as pumped as usual to hear about my fishing escapades, something had to be up, as it turns out the three of them went on into elevenmile canyon and just brutalized a shit ton of pike. When he was explaining the day to me I had yet to see the pictures and was a little jealous already, since I am a pike junkie. Not only did they catch pike, but they caught some big old dudes. I got pics of the old man, ants and markie. I dont have a clue how they walked up on the day they did but like good fisherman they took advantage of it. Just remember one thing, after a day like this the fish gods are bound to be pissed because they just had way too much fun. Enjoy the pics everyone and sorry this post isn't a Montana post, but this was just way too cool to not share with everyone.

Cheers and Tight Lines!!

Yeah thats right, I said it, STUPID FISH GODS. I dont know what I did to deserve the type of day I had on the river today. I have been behaving okay, I had all the right bugs, and I had great eats on my flies today. Not one fish that gave me an opportunity got landed. So the only thing that pops up in my mind is what the hell I could have done to make them fish gods so angry. I probably missed around 10-11 fish, and had on a super nice brown who totally rocked me. There was a pretty damn good March Brown hatch and they were definitely looking up, I just couldnt seal the deal.

After many failed attempts at catching fish I did what any responsible fisherman would do. I laid down on the rocks and closed my eyes for a bit, and then for about 30 minutes did some rock skipping. Some of them went all the way across the river too, so at least I know my rock skipping was on the top of its game. After I threw my arm out and started a rock skipping party with all the kids playing on the river we bagged it for the day. So even on days when the fishing is better than the fishermen you can still have a good time getting fresh air, or even skipping rocks, its all what you make it for the day.

The cutthroat trout may be the most badass of all the trout in the whole world. Not only are they pretty, but they will tear up a dry fly with reckless abandonment and they are absolutely gorgeous! From now on when I think of cutthroats it will no longer be the high mountain lakes from back home, the only thing that will cross my mind is...upper bitterroot.

The upper bitterroot river is just stupid full of beautiful west slope cutthroats, and they were all looking up today! After a morning of slaughtering white fish, and by slaughter I mean ugly! My roommate zach was fishing for white fish like it was a hate white fish day! But then the mayflies started popping off in all the right places at all the right time! I got some more eye candy for all you guys and chit, so enjoy! The two pictures above are not the biggest fish of the day but definitely two of the most gorgeous fish!

nick

Three words...DRY FLIES BABY! Today on the bitterroot, was the best it ever fished. We did a short 4 mile float today but managed to time it perfectly to hit prime time! The average fish on the ROOT today was about 16 inches, although a few caught were bigger.

Before we launched the boat this morning I had read the weather report for the day and put my head down...it called for snow and rain. But like any good fisherman does is wake up the roommate and get outta the house and do it anyway. The second we put on we had some good eats on top! Zach landed three fish in the first hour of the front of the boat, and then prime time hit! There was mayflies everywhere and fish were steadily rising.

I did get rocked pretty hard by a good fish, so it wasnt all good! enjoy the pics!

nick

Today on the bitterroot was a sweet day! The fish gave us some nice eats and the weather gave me no reasons to complain. Brandon Henley, my boss and owner of Five Valleys Fishing Company, Sheila Miesl and myself decided what better way to spend an easter than fishing! There was decent dry fly action for about a 2 hour window and in that time the fish were keyed on to a pretty interesting bug. It was a surprising bug for them to key in on but that made it that much better, and not only that, there was some big heads flyin out of the water at the certain fly!

Finally though like all days this one had to come to an end. And at the end of the day, when you are the last boat pulling out of the water you know you have done something special. While everyone else is starting to get settled in for the night or is at home tyin flies, the true trout bums are out actually fishing! To those who love it, fly fishing is not a nine to five day, its a full day of busting your ass to get fish in the boat and take in the beautiful day that we are all very lucky to see.

till next time, happy fishing!

Nick

Second take at the mo ended alright for me today, I ended up moving some fish out of the depths in which they lay. One of my favorite fish of this still new year, happened to be a super nice brown, also seen in the picture above.

Before the fishing got good all hell was breaking loose though, and by hell I mean wind! Both times I have been at the MO I have seen white caps, and today was worse than earlier in the week! WHAT THE HELL! But really I am not too perturbed, nice fish were caught today and there was a good time happening in my boat. I will not tell the people here what anything was caught on, sorry, but I will tell you what I was hammering them on if you want me to take you fishing. It is kind of a catch 22 I know, but such is life!

What can you say about a lifestyle where my job is someones vacation besides cool! and to the people who think we do nothing but fish constantly well i got news for them...yeah we do! but in all honesty whats wrong with that. I couldnt imagine what a nice summer day would be like if i wasnt drinkin cheap beer in my drift boat, a.k.a. Scarlet Johansen, outside, and rippin lip, i would go nuts. And i'll tell you another thing, this job was invented for people who would rather be in a mental hospital than sit in a corner office pushing papers and just staring out a window with a view of sky scrapers. But who does everyone go to when they want to learn how to fly fish, a trout bum who can barely pay the bills and thinks an ice cold pabst blue ribbon is the most refreshing drink on a hot summer day. amen to that brutha!



Today me and my roommate zach fished the bitterroot river today, and it was a cool day. I only fished for about five minutes today because i just wanted to row the boat and take the day in. but for the five minutes i did fish i was tangled up something fierce, yes even people who fly fish as much as i do get tangles, and horrible ones. Its a fact that no person can fish without tangling. But all that aside to tell you a little bit more about the day, there was some sailboat sized March Browns flyin about, and they fish were pounding them. I hate to admit this, but i left all the right flies to catch those fish on my fly tying bench at home. To say the least it was a stupid thing to do but hey it happens, so we then turned our attention to the white fish, you can always count on them in situations where you leave the right flies to catch trout at home!! Anyway another awesome day, i got to row and watch a buddy of mine move some fish and hang out and take it all in...no complaints about that!