Humbled

That's the word for it. I've fly fished the Bitteroot River at least 10 mornings now and have yet to catch a trout, I'm about ready to do what I've always suggested to the unsuccessful...hire a guide 😏. It's beautiful to fish here and you know me, the morning is when I'm at my best but theres just so much to learn. I finally have the right floating line and I'm getting some distance, the challenge is getting the 4 pound tippet through the eye of the fly when you want to and ought to change baits. So then if you can't thread a #10 you end up fishing a #12 or #14 and ol slimey don't like that. So then you get it tied and you find that it isn't buoyant enough and looks fake to slimey so it's off to the store for fly ' dressing '.  Chuck the Fly Guy shared some simple strategy " if nothing works keep it simple and use caddis "...mmmmmm, I walked away without asking what a caddis was.  So what to do ? Road Trip !

My first Montana fish in 45 years. Spring Meadow Lakes are just chucked full of them and even with the Bass I had to call in support. Dan Stewart said use plastic fished slow so I got the rubber swim fish Ernie loves to use in the surf and Walla, Tom and I caught 10 in two hours. Next time we're going to keep some to eat so I could use some counsel on if they're any good etc. They bite great, they jump and on 10 pound test it's a noble little  fish. Here's Tom with one and a selfie.

You notice his shorts are wet ? Well he had an errant cast and had to lock the hubs in to try and retrieve the swim bait.

Being a boat guy we decided to take a trip to Kim's Marina on Canyon Ferry Lake and see what we need for the Big water, I kinda figure that more tools = more fish so I gotta know what kind of craft the locals use. The dock was mostly full of Ski boats, Pontoons and Sailboats .

But I found the weapon...this is big water Lund, a Pro V. 21 ft. long with a 6 and 1/2 ft beam, 250 hp Yamaha 4 - stroke and one of those sweet 8 horse Yamaha kickers. This guy looks like it's take some lettuce but it's just what you need to get 20 miles down the lake to where the Walleyes live. Here they are considered invasive and they have a liberal limit of 30. Ya know I've butted heads with this ' invasive ' thing a bit with ADF+G poisoning out me and Keith's favorite Pike lake etc....seems to me it's kind of a make work project. It seems to me the invasive species around here is us....

One thing was obvious to me at Kim's Marina...I stink at business. Now these guys know how to turn a dollar. I went into the office to see about boating and was handed their list of services and prices. Wow not only do they do a lot but they charge a lot...and they charge for EVERYTHING except maybe the air. Enlarge this and you'll see, makes Stewart's Landing look a revenue free zone.

We found the Blodgett Canyon Overlook trail and for the first time here I was feeling the elevation. Hamilton is at 3200 ft. and we were easily 2000 ft. more up the mountain. The hike was 1.6 miles in and 1.6 miles out and although short it wasn't for the unfit. We came across your basic black bear skat in the middle of the trail, we all know what it looks like when they're on the berries. A half mile after we see the fresh bear sign the trail hits an area with absolutely no visibility. The brush is high and thick and you can't see ten feet to the side or to the front...just the way people get killed in Alaska. But, this day it felt just right , the chances of finding a Brownie here are a fraction of what we're used to....but that's not saying that next time I'll have the Heater along.

This morning we had a couple of these guys climb the tree in front of what we're calling ' the small house'. They spent the day sleeping like they've done it a hundred times and I guess they have. They're kinda cute but I got the feeling they're nasty little buggers. I have no experience with them but in Mexico we have their larger cousins they call coot-a-mundy and I know for sure that they're nasty critters that'd chew your arm off if given the chance.

And in the ' no matter where you go, there you are ' department here's pic of a sign in town...Now what kind of coward uses 8 pages ?.....mmm.... I guess the one that has a lot to say.