At this point in early October, it seems the fall has had a very short life and the winter is showing itself............ Following is the reports from September. Yes I'm very behind. I was busy, involved in something else that I may announce later.
In September, there were a couple of over 90F days. Rest were mix of rain and clouds that made us feel some chills. Yes, it was indeed a fall.
In my note, it was a very rare "dry-fly double" on Yellowstone River.
I had one angler who wanted to pry Bighorn River.
This one was just longer than my hand, but with the totally odd shape. Definitely well-fed!!
Morning glory!!
We fished for the remaining Trico!
From 90F days in Eastern MT, it was quite a change at Slough Creek in YNP!!
It was very slow in the morning. However, with our patience and perseverance, we had rising trout!!
Well, I survived the annual Bighorn trip and successfully got back home👏🎉
I came home with so many pictures and videos, of course many good memories and experiences. It'd better so because I spent half of August by camping and guiding😲
First I had to recover by resting my body and adjusting my mental set. Then I went through all the digital contents. After very time consuming effort and patience, I compiled the documentary👏🎊
Seeing is believing, enjoy the real & raw live actions🎥
Another brutal Bighorn trip on the book😎
The next main actor could be YOU😎
It feels like we're hitting the peak of summer. We're having upper 80F and 90F days, but this is only just past one week or two. It's been a cool summer, at least for my perspective and experience. Yellowstone River has been running in fair flows without many mud-plugs from up above. Float trip is going well.
Dry-fly fishing is the way to go!!
As seen behind, when clouds cover the sky, streamers can yield surprising results😲
And then................BIGHORN😎
Following is my scout trip for the upcoming BIIIIIIIG trip😏
This is the place to be🙋
I'd like to say this upfront; ALL the TROUT I caught in these two days were VERY VERY STRONG😲💪💪❗❗ I had very hard and, of course, enjoyable times to bring them in.
Not on purpose at all, a caddis flew into my water😅
Trout are very strong💪
See what's out there😎
For those who are planning to come this summer, I'd like to offer you fair information.
There are LOTS OF TROUT to be caught❗❗ DO NOT listen to or believe in what someone talks about fish count/population survey. Besides as you can see in my pictures, water is running clear, flow has just come down to the ideal & preferable level for anglers, trout, and insects, and tremendous hatches are going on❗❗
That's all for now.
I'm sure the next post will be after the upcoming trip - perhaps in early September - only if I survive😬
Oh, what a great trip on the Bighorn River✌😁I just got home from another great Trico hatches on this legendary river with Mr. Chuck.
For two seasons in a row, due to heavy snow accumulations in Montana and Wyoming, the Bighorn has been experiencing unusual flows from the past. We can't deny some effects on the river, though we may not be able to how & what at this point. According to fishing reports, the river and fishers sounded experiencing some challenging conditions. However we were up for challenges and were willing to figure out what to do😏. Following visual materials will explain to you😎.Our theme for this year was Livings The Dream Volume 2✌
Before I go on, I'd like to go over Trico hatches and how the fishing goes during this period.
Size 18-24, female has olive/green abdomen, while male has almost all entirely black.
Male Tricorythodes hatch at night. It can be 7pm to midnight. During the hatch, if one happens to be on the river, it's possible to fish for rising trout. Over night they molt into spinners and sit tight in the bush, grasses, or trees.
Female Trico hatch right just around at the first light of dawn = 6:00 to 6:30am. Sometimes it can be 7:00 to 7:30am. During the hatch, like any other mayfly species at any other streams, trout will rise and we can fish with match-the-hatch flies (dry-flies, slightly subsurface, etc).
Then immediately after the hatch, females molt into spinners😲
Male spinners, that have been waiting for this opportunity, start to fly and they mate to reproduce next generations.
Now the sky is buzzing with literally billions of spinner, as far as eyes can see😲
Right after mating, they start to fall into the river (and die or have died already). And trout gorge on them.
River will literally boil with rising trout😲
There are days when there's a gap between female hatch and spinner flight (rises pause), while there also are days when it overwraps and continues without a gap (rises keep going).
Spinner flight can start at around 8am or 9am, that range.
And can last till noon. Depending on winds and other factors, it can be longer or shorter.
And this can happen from August to October on the Bighorn😲
With all of these in mind, let's move over to our fishing reports😁
For the first time ever, I tried and learned how to edit and compile videos and photos into a documentary🎥😏I'm very pleased to what I came up with✌
Then below is the photo essay, as it has been the format of choice for the past couple of posts.
I may narrate here and there, that is not done on the video above.
For some of you who have fished from my boat, you know I always have a secret fly😆
One of the most beautiful dawns I ever see😇
I was able to fish some during the scouting. This rainbow was very satisfying😁
We caught up in the evening.
This is the MUST item for early rising fishers😋
Volume 2 has begun😬
Super good start✌
This has to be seen in the video😬
This was a very satisfying brown on the first day, which turned out to be the BEST👍
Always learning
This morning, trout were super selective or just doing whatever they wanted to do😑It was very technical and challenging but we did manage a few nice ones✌
Kind of a comic relief, as we saw a bird on the floating weed patch😊
On this morning, we were beaten on the race to Hot Dog Hole (long story😂) instead we had real hot dogs🌭😋
Afternoon hopper fishing was also good😏
Howdy stranger😉
Mr. Chuck is a serious amateur entomologist😲
I can do hot one too👍
This morning, brother John fished with us.
I was busy netting back and force😅
It was very interesting to see a fox popped out of the bush and wouldn't be frightened at us🦊
Again, I strongly suggest you to click & watch the video. Seeing is believing.
It was very intense😵😬As of this writing, I'm still recovering and reminiscing. And am already thinking of next year.............😉 As much as we enjoyed a lot, we learned a lot from the river and trout. I brought back some homework with me for next year.
This is all the reasons I've been promoting Bighorn Trips. Come and experience with your own eyes and hearts😆
Guide season goes on. It has just turned the corner into the fall season😏
I may still see you on the streams👋
