At Armstrong's - PM

It was a bright warm afternoon so I didn't expect much about baetis hatch. I just hoped midges would be promising to fish with dry-flies at least. I saw lots of baetis and midges were hatching but I didn't see any rings of rises at all........ So I tandemed both baetis and midge soft-hackles and swung them. Here's the baetis soft-hackle which is one of the must at Firehole River in Yellowstone Park.

Regardless of its size, all the trout caught with my soft-hackle swing deserve pictures. After this, I felt a big tug. It was a 17"-18" massive rainbow. As I saw it swimming away I said "OMG on 6X tippet!!" then it was gone. If it had been really hooked, landing must have been super careful and tiring for both trout and I. I was rather relieved than disappointed.

I moved to the upper section, which also has very good insect hatches but tougher to fish than the lower section. Yet I didn't see any risers at all but somehow spooky trout......

So I switched into the "today's special". At a certain spot, I felt the biggest tug of the day.

It was a 18" to 19" brown, which is my second best brown at Armstrong's.

I tried to self-timer of my grip-&-grin. Hopefully you can see its entire body.

As I was leaving the ranch, I saw two girls grazing......so cute.

Now today's special revealed, it's a Slumpbuster, tied in size 10 and black. It should imitate leech and tiny minnow/baby trout at the springcreek. It was chewed off by brutes.

So the actual catch was only a handful but two large ones really made my day. Furthermore, I was the only one customer for today. All day along just about a mile of creek, it was all by myself. Then again, I live only 6 miles away!!

Armstrong's at O'Hair Ranch is really worth to pay the rod fee and spend a few days. I can guide you if you wish.......very near future when I become a licensed guide, really!!