We louped over to Interstate 15 at the wayside of Sebian where we off ramped at Spring Creek and ran the recreation road up to the mighty Mo north of Wolf Creek...It was sunny but cool and the wind was bright . Even though it's off season there were maybe 50 boats floating this part of the river. As I snapped the pic of these three guys I actually shivered knowing that feeling of being in an unprotected boat with every bit of clothing you have on and loving every minute of it and maybe even like these guys paying for it.They call those drift boats here but they're really more like a pram developed and built for these type of rivers. Considering what they charge for guided fishing here if it were me I'd be looking at having one built for 4 people just as Willie Boats did for the Kasilof and Kenai....so then you take $350.00 X 4 , then throw in catch and release only and no fuel or sales Tax as well as no State Park fees or insurance requirements and by jiminy I think you could make some lettuce at this deal....just my perspective of course, the theme of this blog entry. And oh...the boat launch is free....unless, you're this guy.Well , enough on that rambling commentary on the State of guided fishing here on the Mighty Mo. So, MPeasy and Measy will be jumping the jet real soon for our Mexico home and there's new stuff to experience for sure, the flows of life. For one thing it will be 85 degrees and sunny. We'll see how it goes but being there a little earlier this year with the warmer water I'll have a good chance of catching the roosterfish that surf fishermen like me are obsessed with. I'll carry my large road and throw the topwater the first week while I scout around.That's my ' Mexico Pile ' from a few years back. I always put my gear out as I remember what I'll need as we get closer to traveling. This next pic is this years pile...it might be new but I guess it's comfortably familiar at the same time...Hope ya all come back, I'm going to write more and fish harder so fish pics to come .....Adios.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Moving on....
We louped over to Interstate 15 at the wayside of Sebian where we off ramped at Spring Creek and ran the recreation road up to the mighty Mo north of Wolf Creek...It was sunny but cool and the wind was bright . Even though it's off season there were maybe 50 boats floating this part of the river. As I snapped the pic of these three guys I actually shivered knowing that feeling of being in an unprotected boat with every bit of clothing you have on and loving every minute of it and maybe even like these guys paying for it.They call those drift boats here but they're really more like a pram developed and built for these type of rivers. Considering what they charge for guided fishing here if it were me I'd be looking at having one built for 4 people just as Willie Boats did for the Kasilof and Kenai....so then you take $350.00 X 4 , then throw in catch and release only and no fuel or sales Tax as well as no State Park fees or insurance requirements and by jiminy I think you could make some lettuce at this deal....just my perspective of course, the theme of this blog entry. And oh...the boat launch is free....unless, you're this guy.Well , enough on that rambling commentary on the State of guided fishing here on the Mighty Mo. So, MPeasy and Measy will be jumping the jet real soon for our Mexico home and there's new stuff to experience for sure, the flows of life. For one thing it will be 85 degrees and sunny. We'll see how it goes but being there a little earlier this year with the warmer water I'll have a good chance of catching the roosterfish that surf fishermen like me are obsessed with. I'll carry my large road and throw the topwater the first week while I scout around.That's my ' Mexico Pile ' from a few years back. I always put my gear out as I remember what I'll need as we get closer to traveling. This next pic is this years pile...it might be new but I guess it's comfortably familiar at the same time...Hope ya all come back, I'm going to write more and fish harder so fish pics to come .....Adios.
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
MexiGo
I absolutely LOVE these two sunset pics....and soooo the story .
In 5 weeks we'll be returning to Mazatlan for our 25th season, we missed just one during COVID and all the weirdness that was moving to Montana in that year of 2020. Our first visit was a week at the Mayan Palace not far from where we live now, I told Mp that we were going to add a week a year until we get up to 52. Well, that's a bit much but now we're invested and we go with one way tickets and return when it 'feels' right, usually 4 to 5 months.From my understanding the components of the sacred heart all represent different virtues such as reflection and recognizing the blend of Europe beliefs into the indigenous cultures of the Americas. It's very deeply rooted beliefs that are central to Mexican Families and their way of life where elders are deeply respected and children cherished. The family unit is one of many things we can learn from our neighbors south of the border.
That's how my fishing buddy gets it done. He reads the water and when he see's something big moving it gets athletic...how's that for a sweet way to put it.....
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
In case you were wondering
Yup, I have a survived the longest case of writers block in Mile 14 history, maybe the longest in my history...You see I just haven't felt creative or funny or even interesting. I gotta say I've been a bit in the doldrums that comes with the kind of news that people my age get but never get used to. I told my friend Kiki yesterday that I feel like I'm losing and not gaining anything but more experience than I really don't need....So, I've played some music, took Geno's advice and breathed through my nose , got plenty of exercise and cut back on the demon rum and Walla...you feel better, it passes, you see a bright side . Amen.
But, we ain't been sitting on our hands. Needing a Vegas or Reno trip we took a couple day budget resort trip to Jackpot Nevada and spent two night at Cactus Petes. I'd recommend that place to anybody, although you don't get there by accident it's worth the drive. Affordable, beautiful retro remodeled rooms, a gorgeous spa and pool lounging area and great food....MP got here prime rib obsession quenched.
There's not much to Jackpot. Everything seems to be left from a past that you can tell at one point was a going concern. Boarded up mom and pop motels, a competing casino that still has nickel slots . And trailer houses, lots of em....Just south of Jackpot for a mere 1.4 million you can buy Mineral Hot Springs. It comes with outbuildings from the day and plenty of thermal therapeutic hot water and sits on 220 acres of roadside property...you can almost feel the energy it once had.As we were discussing what it would take to turn a dollar with Mineral Hot Springs a car arrived and we met our new friend Albert who had come to seek treasure metal detecting. The ground was moving with these huge black grasshoppers and Mp was getting a bit squeamish, there were millions of them, you couldn't walk without stepping on them....well old Albert took the time to educate us on what he called the Mormon crickets and when we found out he wasn't afraid it made us feel better about being there.Tuesday, July 8, 2025
The Shnide
Now I'm no pro baseball player but I sure as hell was a pro fisherman and even now I'm at least accomplished and fish at least 100 days a year between Montana and Mazatlan....and....I've been on the schnide since arriving here 5 years ago. I wanna catch white flakey fish to eat and so I've been learning Walleye techniques and Walleye habits and it's been humbling for ol retired guide #003 . We've caught Walleyes, one here, one there but never what we'd call a 'load'. But yesterday that all changed, persistence and desire finally won out and we had a breakthrough.
My buddy Curt was right, the lighter the jig the better as even though you don't feel the bottom so well it sinks slower and kinda flutters into the strike zone. We fished a spot that I had located with electronics starting at oh dark thirty and by 8 a.m. I had caught 7 or 8 perfect sized eaters like this. MP struggles to get the hook into ol slimey but she to finally got on the board , she must have had 10 good chances as she was having a hard time feeling the bite so I'm getting her a more sensitive rod today. Here's pick of the fish box, just carrying one around that big screams of optimism wouldn't you say ? That trout was almost to much for my 8 pound fluorocarbon. We did lose a couple, one in the anchor line but this one MP battered and fried last night and it was soooo good. And for me and MP filleting all the Walleye for the fish feed that I've been promising and delaying was a kinda ritualistic thing that wasn't missed on either of us.....it's how we've lived and how we've done it all....together, with fun.We who fish hard call it ' grinding ' when you work and work to get a bite. Well we've been grinding here for sure but what a gorgeous place to do it. After just an hour and a half we both decided we had all the fish we needed and being sure we can duplicate this success now anytime we decided to go for a boat ride. It was easily shirt sleeve weather as we motored 6 or 7 seven miles upriver and onto the lake....absolutely gorgeous as we spotted birds and animals and waved at the fishermen of which there were surprisingly few .I kinda consider myself an ambassadeur of this great sport and all my fishing friends around the world are part of Team X, our fishing team. F.T.F. friends through fishing. So, I have to thank them all for helping me on project Walleye. So generous with their knowledge and gifts. Keith Holtan made a special trip to bring me Walleye gear, caught 6 or 7 Bass just this morning on a bladed top water that was in his gift bag. Ernie Mills brought me Rapala's and the biggest collection of blades any human has ever seen . Kurt Findorf printed me out a gear tutorial with recommended rod type and sizes, benefits and problems with line selection and we've spent hours discussing the pursuit ' if you find Perch you'll find Walleye' . Dan Stewart showed me how to rig weedless. Don Poole ran me down the lake and said aim your boat at that landmark and tell me what you see on your depth...I said ' I see a hump that goes from 15' to 5 ' ' and he says , ' that's it, throw the hook and catch some Walleye ' ! And all my friends send encouragement .... a big Mucho Gracias and Los Amos a todos.
Monday, June 30, 2025
You don't get there by accident
Valier Montana....yup we've been on the road . Now Valier is in northwest Montana but it reminds me a bit of the towns on Highway 2 along the High Line of the State. Some of the towns that are usually about 25 miles apart which is the time it would take to ride that horse that far have successful, vibrant downtown districts, but small....Well Valier isn't that , it's the one with the closed up buildings that people left the signs up when they left. Maybe they were in a hurry, I don't know . The towns motel is a 6 unit trailer and of course the biggest business in town is the Case Tractor franchise. All over Montana we see buildings like these .
So, there's a lot that Valier doesn't have. But what they do have is Lake Francis . It is 3000 acre impoundment that is chuck full of Walleyes , has beautiful campgrounds with lots of availability with boat launches and cleaning tables and....well it's just a great lake except for just one lttle thing it doesn't have....water ! Now I'm familiar with the fact that these type of lakes were designed and built for crop irrigation but I've only seen lakes " drawn down " like this at the end of the irrigation season and not at the start. It makes you wonder what the water level will be in September. A guy might be better off with a tracked Nodwell instead of a boat. Here's a pic of a boat ramp that ends right into a mud bog.Now that's something I should warn you about. Here in Mooooootana anytime you get within 250 Miles of Glacier National Park where one of the last viable populations of Brown Bears in the lower 48 exists you start running into these signs. They're funny here in Montana. They won't tell you where you might catch a fish or shoot a deer but boy howdy they'll sure will tell ya where you might get ate by a bear. The signs are at the rest stops, in the parking lot at the Town Pump gas / beer cave , next to the lake , next to the park , next to the bowling alley....And it makes me wonder, if you're a non-resident visitor, especially one with California plates and you're responsible for ruining there State WHY the hell do they care if you get ate by a bear ???? Pro Guide Tip # 237 - between Valier and Cut Bank keep an eye out for ' Sober Up Creek ' just in case you've been to the beer cave and are in need of that.