Fall Trip 5 - Last Day at Madison with Streamers

Tuesday Nov 3rd was my last day at Madison. I was still prospecting some more big though not deperately as you read in my last post with soft hackles. By that day, I decided to make a detour and drop by either one of spring creeks in Livingston on 4th.

Weather forecast had been calling for sunny days since Sunday Nov 1st. On Monday, 2nd, I tried Between Lakes for the second time during the trip. But as I got on Oct 29th, it was just slow. Those two days ended up as "whitefish" days. It was bit sad and also mysterious because I caught lots of nice trout there last fall. Who really knows? My guess/speculation is there might be something to do with Hebgen dam failure last year???

Until this day, I couldn't fish with streamers as I like to do. Because of icicles and frosts on my rod guides, it was almost all impossible to cast long, strip & strip, and re-cast. But I figured if the weather would be warmer and brighter, I wouldn't have problems with icicles and frosts instead start early. I did my last effort to get up early and start before the Sun hit the river. I drove to Hwy 191 Bridge and took right to a parking lot. I walked upstream and the Sun resembled two egg yolks one in the cloud and the other in the river.

I started from here. It looks appropriate.

I cast Doug's Home Invader toward opposite cutbanks.

I started with a floating line and a long leader, mending it twice or so then stripping short and slow. The third cast before I got accumulation of frost and icicles on my rod guides and fly line, I felt a big tag. I set the hook and started to reel it in. I felt a typical fat brown trout action; to wallow rather than fight. Then this drawing-perfect fat one came out. Photo is not edited nor shot badly by me. This was exactly how he looked. Football like!! Very toothy too as I removed my fly, I got a puncture on my thumb. It measured only 17-inch but must have been some of the tops as for the weight among Hebgen Lakers.

Gotcha!! I hope he can use some exercise in the riffles of Madison in the Park or grow longer!!

After this, as the mornig went by, I didn't get any actions any more. I switched colors and pattern of streamers all the way but nothing. Now the Sun was high and getting warm and bright. I was fishing dowstream from Hwy 191 Bridge. I located a fish path/chute right underneath the cutbanks where I was standing. I saw lots of little fish, mostly whitefish. I figured if there were some run-up trout from Hebgen Lake, they would pass here also. Since the day was bright, fishing with nymphs might have been a better bet but I had no time to waste for those little whitefish. I had to do something to elicit the strike under this conditon with limited time. I switched into my spool with Kelly Galloup's full-sinking line and his unweighted or lightly weighted streamers. I tied on black Sex Dungeon.

By the way, this kind of fly takes almost an hour for me to tie. But instead, I can save $5 rather than buying at fly shops!!

I worked hard with jerk-strip, taking a step or two downstream. I noticed all the little fish in the path/chute were scared away from my fly. That was good. I was looking for one big individual who would fight back on my 5-6 inch long streamers.

Another Gotcha!!

Somehow it was bleeding heavily so after this quick shot, I released him quickly. It swam back quickly so I hope he was all right.

I could go on toward Hebgen Lake but I stopped around noon and went back to my truck and headed to $3 Bridge for Baetis hatch. As in my Baetis post, I didn't catch anything by that. So this 18-icnher was the last trout in Madison for this year......

Conclusion of this trip is: in the fall at Madison, I had great experience with dry flies, nymphs, soft hackles, and streamers, all kinds of methods that fly-fishing requires. Along with spots, crowds of people, and weathers, I give myself a credit that I did play well enough.

Sounds like I have to wait till next spring to visit Madison........I am already getting a cabin feaver........

Fall Trip 4 - Large Soft Hackles

I had been waiting for opportunities to swing large soft hackles as an soft hackle enthusiast (mania or addict, I may be called). Madison is the greatest riffly river to swing insect imitations among hatches. But when targetting run-up spawners with large soft hackles, my understanding is that those flies would probably trigger something within trout (eyes, instinct, etc) because they come up several feet to take the flies or chase them while swung.

I experienced the greatest swing action ever!!

As I mentioned in my previous post, Soft Hackle Streamer was one of my top choices, tied in white and black. These worked the best on cloudy day, either swinging or stripping long and rapid.

In the evening of Friday, Oct 30th, I tried Cable Car Run and then might as well Barn's Pool #1. At the very last cast, this little 13-inch browny bit on black Soft Hackle Streamer with typical swinging action; tap & tap, then run or leap, and hook itself. Not a bad way to fisnish the day.

Just a quick note here. I didn't want to get close to Barn's Pool #1 or #2 because it's just crazy to make a line with lots of people like at a school cafe. But somehow this year, there weren't many people at all. My guess is one: because it's colder than last several years and two: I heard they say run-up is strong up to Madison Junction. Well, there were much more people around the top section than Barn's Pools!! I played a game right!

Next day, Saturday, Oct 31st, only 1 day away from the closure, I went to Barn's Pool #1. I went through the run as the first customer. Fished for an hour and got no actions. I moved up to Cable Car and swung down. Then just below the cement blocks where it seems hard to fish (wider, deeper, and slower than upstream), I was about to get off the river, yet making some more swings. Then something I had never seen before happenned while fly-fishing. That's the most exciting scene ever but I had never expected this while swinging soft hackles.

My line and leader were straight and swinging downstream. Then several feet straight ahead of the tip of my fly line, suddenly something like a submarine protruded!! Or should I say, it was like an eyewitness video for seaserpent or Nessie-like monsters? For a nano-second, I doubted my eyes, but the next nano-second I cooled down and figured it must be trout coming to my fly and instinctively I set the hook like dry-fly fishing. Next that something like submarine did become a submarine. I fought carefully and confidentially. A 19-inch brown came up to take my skinny Soft Hackle Streamer (black) all the way to the surface, showing his head and back!! Magnificent!!



Gotcha!!

In the evening of same day after I fished for Baetis hatch at Upper Haynes and swung some at Madison Junction, I went back to Cable Car and Pool #1 again. I looked for the second time but nothing really happenned and I was about to quit then I saw the same big rise/attack again!! I tried to set the hook hard and strip some in, it was something really big and tried to run. then my fly line got tangled on the handle of my reel......that something big snapped away with a black Soft Hackle Streamer. I didn't cry or get disappointed. Instead I smiled and said "see you tomorrow" These mysterious unlanded trout always make me go back to Madison.

But the most memorable and my own personal biggest achievment during this trip was the following. This happenned on my first day in, Tuesday, Oct 27th. So you can imagine how I spent the rest of my trip, easy and relaxed. I just fished as I like. I did pursue and expect bigger individuals later on but it was really OK even if I don't see any. I brought my own question and expectation to Madison and I got an answer. That was enough for me.

Let me formally introduce you my own design "Coyote". Full name "Coyoted" Pheasant Soft Hackle. I will definitely post all the stories behind how I came up this fly and why I like it so much soon after the trip reports.

About 5:00pm on that day, as heading back from Firehole, I stopped by Barn's Pool #1. Nobody was there. On the way, I saw several people left in upper streatches so I guessed they might have moved after they killed (or spooked) the pool. Just to get started my swinging for an entire trip, I started from Cable Car Run. I had a good action, tap & tap and run!, somehow my leader broke off. I fished down to Barn's Pool #1 now with white Soft Hackle Streamer trailed with my Coyote. As the sun set, I took my sunglasses off and tried to pack into my vest with my left hand, which means holding my rod with my right hand, though I am lefty, while swinging. I felt two nice taps then the solid run!! Holding my rod with my off hand, I essentially did one of the biggest mantra when swinging "resist your impulse to set the hook, instead don't do nothing!!" Now I swtiched my rod into my left hand, then a huge trout leaped twice!! I tried to drag it to the shallow and noticed it was on my Coyote!! I screamed twice, since I knew nobody was there, "Coyooooooote!!" and Coyoteeeeeeeee!!"
A 19-inch fat hen rainbow came to my net and camera.

Did she like it or just mistake as another proven pattern especially in the darkness? But the picture shows my Coyote was hooked solidly on the side of lower jaw, a typical set point when swinging soft hackles.

These two 19-inchers were the biggest for this trip. I didn't catch anything over 20-inch or 5-lb but I really like what I did and what I got. I caught respectable trout with my own favorite way and favorite flies. This is the top highlight of my entire trip.

Fall Trip 3 - Baetis hatch!!

I heard that fall Baetis hatch is really good at Firehole and Madison. Especially Madison in the Park, they said huge spawners were rising on tiny insects/flies. On my first day, Oct 27th, I went to Muleshoe Bend at Firehole River. Trout had been relising and gulping caddis all summer, including our flies, but now they became very gentle sippers and risers for Baetis. I have been managing winds there but this time, there was not many things I could do for frosts and ices on my rod and line, which esentially made impossible to mend, shoot, and feed the line. So!!, I had a perfect excuse to cheat my casting by swinging soft-hackle as emergers. I tandem-rigged two soft-hackles and two trout were on each!! Then the 3rd one, the biggest I ever saw 15-17-inch class, chased those two fish!! I ended up netting only one but it was quite a sight.


Both in Firehole and Madison, Baetis I saw was size 20 to 22.



Then the same Baetis hatch at some selcted spots of Madison both in and out of the Park was a total new experience and a big homework for my future. Friday, Oct 30th, it was cloudy and rainy in the afternoon. I set up nymphs as I have done lots of times before at Upper Haynes. I didn't get any actions. Then I suddenly started to see pods of fish were rising in a slack water including some big backs and heads that would belong to big spawners. I thought "this must be the Baetis hatch that I saw in Craig Mathews and John Juracek's Yellowstone Hatch DVD!!" I was both amazed and excited, then ended up both smiling and frustrated. I understood why local anglers around here can get so excited about this tiny insects' hatch. Just for now, it is good enough for me that I came across this "major league" hatch. I heard that John at BRF caught a 24-inch fall-runner on a tiny dry fly. I believe it.



I did poor jobs. But I did some observation myself regardless of catching or how big they would be. Casting to pods of risers, I figured that they were not taking duns. Instead they were slicing nymphs or emergers just below the surface film. So I tried to swing soft-hackles among the hatch and risers. Nothing!! They even kept rising under my fly line!! This really surprised and frustrated me. Swing method usually works, for example, during caddis hatch and spinner fall. I thought I had to go with dry fly methods. I looked in my vest and I had this "Baetis Foam Nymph". The wing-case is tied with a piece of foam to fish as a dry fly. And most of the times, this pattern is very visible.

When those large run-up trout got close to these tiny flies with a light tippet, I was literally scared, rather than excited or being a cool hunter.



Another pattern that worked was "6X Emerger".


I set the hook with the strength more than needed and broke 6X. I barely managed one of little fish on 6X Emerger. Plus a few more including whitefish.

This whole Baetis experience really tuned up my mind. I'd really better improve my casting and tying these tiny flies. On my very last day at Madison, Nov 3rd, I went to $3 Bridge in the afternoon. Just upstream from the parking lot, I saw the same rising pod in a slick. I raised several trout but they didn't really bite on my offerings. Or was I trying to set the hooks too quickly from excitements? I did hook two of typical Madison trout (14-16 inch ) for a nano-second or so...... It was a sunny warm afternoon, so the hatch and rise seemed to start before 1:00pm when I got there and ended around 2:30pm. I was frustrated but also smiling at the end of the day.

Fall Trip 2 - Trout in the Fall: Tactics

On my way to West Yellowstone, I dropped by a section above West Fork of Madison. I striped a streamer and saw a big shadow. That was it. I dropped by Blue Ribbon Flies and talked with a guide Cam. Been fishing several times with them, I think I can interpret what guides are trying to tell me. Fishing had been good and lots of larger trout had been caught then "depends". "Depends" means to choose flies and spots and then watch for crowds and weather. Most likely combo of two, three, or four!! I did some homework myself. Even before the trip, I had remained cool, relaxed, and flexible. I just made sure that my mind-set was right by talking with Cam and other BRF people.


Like I experienced last year, using nymphs was probably the most consistent way to hook fish, large or small, trout or whitefish. At Talus and Nime Mile Hole, I used streamers but didn't get any actions. I moved to Upper Haynes and started nymphing. I tried a couple of patterns and then right after I switched into Beadhead Krystal Serendipity, this 16-17-inch brown came out. I finally broke the hard time that I experienced in late summer though I wasn't sure if this was a run-up from Hebgen Lake.

At Nine Mile Hole, I chuked a rubber-leg and this nice 18-incher came out.

Rubber-leg eater!!

This handsome buck rainbow was a total accident for both him and I. At a good looking run just below the Madison Junction, I started false-casting and dipped my rod to the water to thaw off some icicles on my rod guides. Then something was hooked and running away from my line. I was like "what?? I haven't even started!!" Anyways, I reeled in and saw a big body. Then I saw it was snagged on his belly. Sorry. Furthermore, that was a San Juan Worm. I just figured he was resting in the shallow and slow water on the cloudy and snowy day. Then I would have stepped in and messed up his comfort. So he had run away and even got snagged on the belly. Whatsoever, he had a nicely curled hook jaw. Since I had to bring him in a bit too hard, I quickly released him after the shot on the snow. I believe he must have been fine.

When I chose nymph patterns during this trip, I basically stuck with Rubber-legs to look for bigger rainbow or brown, not whitefish. Then I trailed smaller nymphs. The most chosen pattern from my previous experience was Beedhead Krystal Serendipity for brown trout. Rest of the patterns (such as San Juan Worm and eggs) seem to catch only little rainbows and whitefish

However this time, nymphing was not all I did.

Fall Trip 1 - Refrain

I just came back from another great trip to Yellowstone National Park. It was a biggest fishing trip I ever made with full of experience, learnings, and homework.

Before actual fishing, this is the prologue of this trip.
I hit the road about 10:00pm on Oct 25th. 15-minute & 17-mile in toward east, I got an unwanted "rise" on my dashboard.........

This reminded me of my last trip in late summer when AC system was down on the way (here). But then again, other than this pop-up, everything else looked, sounded, and smelled right and fine. One option I thought about was to go back my home, wait till morning, and see a local autoshop quickly because I felt it would be a minor problem. That way I can still make to West Yellowstone by night of Monday 26th. Yet, though I am not a mechanic at all, from my experience with my truck (100K miles), I decided to keep going. I had over a week of food supply, 10 gallons of water, propane, warm clothes, etc, in case I got stuck somewhere.

As I drove I-90 to northeast, rain got worse and worse all through Spokane and Idaho Panhandle. This really made my driving unhappy and sulked my spirits. Would Montana be covered by several feet of snow? But right after I entered Montana, it was almost all dry. I felt I was getting lucky in Montana.

Before I hit a "fishing town" like Ennis or West Yellowstone, I made a detour to Belgrade to visit an autoshop. Mechanic read the code and found out it was just the gas-cap was broke and loose. He suggested me to just buy a new one but also it could be any reason because my "Big Fella" is now over 214K miles!! At Napa shop in Belgrade, I bought a new cap with $14.99. That fixed the problem.

Then this whole trouble reminded me of my fall trip last year. I had a stupid flat tire ordeal plus my own stupidity (that I won't tell anybody) at Three Forks. I barely made to Belgrade, got it fixed, then left for West Yellowstone. Then I caught several fall-run brown trout!! This year, I took exactly the same route. This might be a good sign, huh??

During the stay, this was the coldest my truck themometer got........ See the un-scratchable frost........

Fall Flies - 2

Here are other flies that I love to tie on. These should be "lighter" to our eyes than those in my last post. As said there, if I agree to the "big fly = big fish" theory, why don't I carry only those heavy ones? Well, I want be a versatile fisherman to answer what mother-nature is calling for. Match the hatch, weather of the day, time of the day, where I fish, the list goes on but don't forget tips (very important)!! After all of these situation and flies make fly-fishing addictive for any type of fly-fishermen out there. And I like to tie 'em all and want to improve my tying all the time.

I've been watching Craig Mathews and John Juracek's "Fly Fishing Yellowstone Hatches" probably for the 50th time. They call the fall baetis hatch as the "major league hatch". It 's the last hatch of the season, water is the thinnest, and trout can be very finicky.
I will try Firehole for this hatch. And then as they do, I hope I can see and encounter in Madison too before I would step into slow and soft water right in front of me to chuck nymphs to the seam. Here are my copycats from their shop.
Baetis Sparkle Dun size 22. This specific deer hair for this fly (and bleached one) that I picked up from Blue Ribbon Flies is unbelievable! It makes my tying look better (I hope!) and is very visible almost all in any light condition and casting length. I made a thread body rather than using dubbings for thinner silhouette.



This one is called ICU Baetis. I like all the character that Zelon shows on this fly. I tied with both white and black post so I hope this must be very visible.

For the same reason, I like Zelon Midges too. I might need this because the area sounds very cold and the situation might be "winter midging".......



I have several subsurface flies for both baetis and midge. I would use some nymphs and larvas but also just swing some soft-hackles among hatches. You can call it I am cheating the situation and dry-fly casting!!


Talking about soft-hackles, my true obcession, now is the time to swing big soft-hackles in Madison both in and out of the Yellowstone Park.

My tie of Shakey Beeley from Blue Ribbon Flies looks "postable" in public, I hope!
The story of Shakey Beeley is one of the Western folklores to me. That's a big enough reason for me to tie this fly and keep in my fly box.

I came to know Jack Gartside. He is also obcessed, NO!, interested in soft-hackles. His description for the whole pheasant skin makes me shakey from excitement by just reading it. During my June trip to West Yellowstone, I ran into Blue Ribbon Flies and picked up the best in the market. I've been playing with it since then........Ooops, sorry I was about to get off the rail and into my soft-hackle stories.

Anyway here's the Soft-Hackle Streamer that I learned from Jack Gartside. Soft-hackle with marabou and phesant feathers and some flash as seen in most of streamer patterns. I bet this is the one that I swing then also strip it!! I think I would use this floating line but also I think it would be also interesting to trail this behind a huge streamer with a full-sinking line.

This is the same Soft-hackle Streamer but as for the color, it's my own idea. Yellow + brown and a touch of grizzly saddle hackle. Well, I confess I copied this from BRF's Baker's Hole Bugger, as seen on my previous post.

And finally, I'd like to introduce my own design briefly. There are some stories behind it and several flies I based on. I spent lots time on my bench (holding a whole pheasant skin!!). I felt I came up with something, at least neat enough to show others. All I need is approval from trout.

As of now, I am slightly nervous to run into the harsh weather. But typing these two posts, I've got my mind-set get ready for the trip. As always my trips have to be fun. Then do the best and all I can. I will enjoy whatever will happen, ideally with 6-pounder or 25-incher (practically 4--pounder and 20-incher!!??). Now I am gonna start to pack things to my truck.

Fall Flies - 1

Here in eastern WA, we had several chilly mornings last week but now it warms up again. But from what I hear, southwestern MT is experiencing a really cold weather. That's where I am heading in a week.......I suddenly feel I might be insane. Well, I have to.

I am starting to pack my stuff. Of course all the Long-John (tops and bottoms) are already packed. Then flies. Right after I came back from my Aug/Sep trip, I tied a lot for what I would be needing in the fall. I even accumulated some of them till I ran out of hooks. Two of "go-to" & "must" flies are $3 Serendipity and Beadhead Crystal Serendipity. I don't have to explain the effectiveness of these two as in my fishing report from my last trip. I know I will have to deal with lots of whitefish but on slow days or times of the day, these two nymphs will keep me busy. I have made a "Dipity Box" exclusively. I have tied sizes 14, 16, 18 (from left to right). This is a "storage box". From here, as I lose them or they get chewed up by fish, I pick some to a box in my vest. I will also trail these with streamers too.

Then the rest is about heavy "artilleries". "Meat & Eggs", I call.

Last year, rubber-legs was the best ticket for larger trout. Besides, whitefish doesn't seem to be able to bite on these biggies with their small mouth. Also, I learned that nothing wrong with using egg-flies as long as that's what fish want.

I recall I tied some rubber-legs quickly in my motel room. Then these hungry trout liked them.

Since rubber-legs and eggs are easy & quick to tie, I can fix some quickly in my motel room if I have to. But hopefully not.....

Of course, I like to "chuck & duck" streamers too. First, I enjoy spending time to tie big flies on my bench. It's fun to play with marabou feathers and trim & shape up deer hair. I like anything from classic to modern patterns. I ended up having several streamer boxes and wallets for these big-&-uglys. Below is only two of them.

I agree to "big fly = big fish" theory. When I go with streamers, I personally follow Kelly Galloup's "Predatory Theory" along with his own rigging and styles he does. I bought his streamer fishing VHS for ONLY $5 the other day!!

Here are my own ties of Kelly's signature flies; Zoo Couger and Heifer Groomer, along with a classic Marabou Muddler and Scott Sanchez's famous Double Bunny in two colors.

Another box here contains Blue Ribbon Flies' Baker's Hole Bugger and Doug McKnight's Home Invader. Can you recognize Doug's Home Invader was somewhere in one of my previous posts?? If you can, we might see somewhere at the same spots with same flies......

Are you full with all these biggies and uglies? I am. I will post a "softer" one next. And that will be the last one before I hit the road.

About Comments

Here's a quick note.

I have just changed the setting for comments. My friend CJ let me know a problem that I did not notice. The original setting had been only for people with Gmail accounts or live-ID sites. Now it should show "Name/URL" and "Anonymous". With either one of this anyone who happennes to see my blog should be able to leave comments. And please do!!

By the way, Gmail is really interesting. I have a Hotmail account too that has been serving me pretty well. But Gmail offers something new such as; keeping track of swapping emails, skimming the potetial spams, Picasa to share photos, and obviously this free blog.

As of now, I haven't learned the monetizing gain through a blog, so this post is never meant to be an advertizement!! As my previous post for my favorite rivers and gears, this is just what I think.

Thank you for visiting my blog so far. I am still learning to keep this blog going.
I will post one or two before I hit the road to Yellowstone.

Favorite River - Armstrong Spring Creek

Armstrong Spring Creek in Livingston, MT is such a lovely place. To me, what Montana offers is all in one place. First, it's running through a true Montana working ranch. O'Hair Ranch runs a herd of really good looking Angus cows (I am a cattle breeder, so I am picky and observant about cows too!). They are very friendly people too for visitng anglers. Their office is actually their boots-room. And a couple of friendly cow-dogs also welcome anglers.

There are also famous Depuy's (fished only one afternoon) and Nelson's (haven't been) spring creeks in the area but for the reason above and some tips from locals, I like Armstrong's the best. To me ranching and fly-fishing are always some of the biggest Western icons.

Then the scenary is so gourgeous along with lots of wildlife, birds, and insect hatches. I can't emphasize how lunch tastes better when eaten at the picnic tables or at the very top of the creek (where not so many people step in) on sunny days. By the way, Livingston is a nice little town and has lots of great eateries in only several miles away. So far this is the only one place that I don't pack my sandwiches on purpose!!

This cute little fawn was taking a nap on the grass in a warm sunny afternoon. I never meant to but I was sorry that I woke her up.

This was my first trout at Armstrong's. When I visited for the first time in early June 2008, I was totally green. I walked around almost all entire section without fishing. I didn't see rises or hatches either. I was not getting any actions. So I ran into Yellowstone Angler who keeps a good tab. They told me it was the time when baetis hatch was over and PMD and caddis might come off so better odds with nymphs, larvas, and scud patterns. Well, I finally netted one on a Sparkle Scud. It measured 15-inch and quite a fight with 6X tippet. I was so amazed with beauty and healthy condition of trout here. I hooked several more in that afternoon and I felt the "touch" of this water and started to enjoy.

Then this year in late April and early May, I booked three days. This time I did some homework. Though it's not a secret at all but since this post is never meant to be how-to & where-to, I keep my mouth shut about spots and flies \(*_*)/

These fighters went WHAM!! x WHAM!!

So far this is the largest rainbow I caught. I really like this over-spotted 'bows here. They are so unique.

Then this is the largest at Armstrong's and one of the best browns I ever caught. It measured 20-inch and it was so "toothy" and left some punctures on my fingers. I love this picture-perfect (or drawing) vivid red spots of browny's here too. This one has some even up on its adipose fin.



You sucker!! Actually it didn't suck but got snagged on the back. I first thought of a whitefish, which is pain the back when snagged, but this one came up effortlessly. And its skin was not coarse like whitefish but oh well.......gross

One thing I kind of don't like or understand is that visitng anglers are required Montana State license (extra cost for us) also though we are paying directly to O'Hair family to fish in their private land. I was told that it is because the fish is from the river or belongs to the state, something like that.

Also, I have to mention some bad-mannered people in this lovely place as I have noticed in my area (like Rocky Ford). O'Hair Ranch keeps a nice fishermen's hut with picnic benches and a bathroom but some people leave cigar butts, cans of beer and pop, lunch packs, etc right there on the benches. Also there's a courtesy garbage box in the bathroom to dump ONLY paper towles that the Ranch supplies. But some people dump everything they don't need. I'd like to say loudly here; please NEVER do it, not only for O'Hair people but also for the visiting anglers who love and respect this place.

I really respect and admire what O'Hair people do to keep their tradition going in this tough time. I belong to agricultural producing side too so I totally recognize how hard it is. For me, rod fee at Armstrong's is one of the best things that money can buy (summer rate is a bit too high for me, I admit!!). As said above, I enjoy a whole "Montana package" in one stop and then if what I am paying helps them preserve their land, which they open for us in public, I really feel I am making a good investment.

I am not sure yet, but I might be able to swing by Armstrong's in early November after I fish Madison and Yellowstone Park in late Oct. If I catch a few (I don't say a lot!!) of 19-inch or above in Madison, I might have reason to leave the harsh weather.......

What entices me is: winter rate at the creek and good food in Livingston!

Rocky Ford Fishing Report (I forgot my camera!!)

I went fishing to Rocky Ford Creek on Sep 30th. I was thinking about going to Naches also, but now it's a hunting season here in eastern WA, which attracts more crowds than at Madison River! Declined. But also I was not very eager to go to Rocky Ford either. It is a long way for me and I would be doing the same thing......please see my previous post below (Favorite River - Rocky Ford Creek ).

Well, I just couldn't sit in my house and I had to feel fish before my next trip to Yellowstone just in a month. So I made up my mind, yet my mind seemed slightly off or relaxed because I could imagine what I would be doing (and I did). I just gathered flies I would use (and I used). With that attitude, I noticed that I forgot my camera in my truck half an hour later I left my house. Then I had had the best (actually the easiest) day ever in Rocky Ford!!

It is interesting that this reminds me what Dan from Blue Ribbon Flies told me when he guided me in late October last year. Following his guiding and instructions, I hooked a big brown, 20-inch class. We did see its body. We had talked "no pictures for below 20-inches". Dan instructed me to cast large Royal Wulff trailed with an egg to the cutbank. At mighty Madison, it was suddenly a springcreek situation to spooky spawners. Regardless of the size, I liked the way we did. So with excitements I said,

"I've gotta have a picutre of this!!"

Dan: "Don't talk about pictures now!!"

Then the fish was off the fly......Dan told me "don't talk about pictures until you land the fish" and also"usually we forget either camera or net when we catch big fish".

This day, I did remember and packed my net but the camera......very funny

As a remenisce, at the very end of the day, we finally hooked another nice brown and landed it to make up my mistake. Dan took nice pictures for me. Here's one.

But I already know trout in Rocky Ford so it really didn't matter to me to take pictures. They were just the same as in my previous post. Yet two things I slightly regreted are: I was with some kind neighborhood fishermen around me who could have taken pictures of me holding nice fish and the coloration of trout in the fall.

So no pictures for trout and scenaries, all I can do is to show my flies.

Here is the "advanced" tie of San Juan Worm. It sinks pretty well. I admit I accidentally hooked one. It ran, jumped, and snapped my fly off. Just a typical 16-incher at Rocky Ford but I really liked its typical Rainbow actions.






Then this size #20 San Juan Worm was killing. I guessed it might also look like midge pupa, chronomids, and even tiny red/orange scud. Since I was catching, people around me asked me what fly I was using. I was embarrased but show them this......

I recall I tied this at the Fishermen's hut of Armstrong Springcreek last June. It was when there was not so much insect actions. People at Yellowstone Angler suggested me but obviously I didn't want to buy it. So I quickly spread my travel kit and tied some. I also recall I burned the ends with matches from my camping stuffs. Anyway, I hadn't used them till now!!

As always scud worked too. Sparkle Scud is always good. My Deer-hair Scud didn't get any attention on that day.

Then I believe this is the method that few people do at Rocky Ford. Whenever I am fishing, I always look for opportunity to swing flies, which is very rare at stillwaters like Rocky Ford. Two exceptions are: when it's windy that causes lots of waves and at the head of the creek, an outlet from hatchery boundary. That outlet is the only one riffle. Though forming a little pond, the movement goes on enough for me to swing flies. Not to mention, midges are very important for trout at Rocky Ford. I think it works all day and any days. But at least for my eyes, trout start rising to surface film or to rolling at subsurface on warm days or in the afternoon.

This is the one I copied from Blue Ribbon Flies, named Mighty Midget Emerger. Obviously this was invented for Yellowstone waters by them but hey, it works anywhere.

The last trout I caught was on this tiny soft-hackle that I learned from Sylvester Nemes' book, called Peacock Herl and Yellow larva style. Can you imagine an over 20-inch & 5lb trout was hooked on this tiny fly along with 6X tippet?? Now I really miss my camera!!

Here's one controversial and ethic/moral thing in Rocky Ford. Is it an unfair and un-flyfishing action to dap our flies in front of trout right at the bank?? Is it even cheating?? Certainly it's not technical at all. But considering the fishing situations and my experience at Rocky Ford, I am sure not everybody can catch fish by doing it (unless trying to snag on purpose with leech pattern, that's a bad thing). Also I am sure trout know what we are doing and oftentimes they just get away or never respond. But it's a very up-close and personal fishing in my opinion. Though you are not making fly-casts, can you stalk that close to trout in clear and heavily fished water then make a light action dapping?

This day, I saw one big fish at the bank who hadn't see the shadows of me, my rod, and line. I dapped Sparkle Scud with Mini SJ Worm right in front of it. It did recognize the scud pattern that they have and will have been seeing through their lives at Rocky Ford. Then I twitched my rod and showed him the Mini SJ Worm, and it went for it. I confidentially set the hook by streatching my body upward. That was some of the biggest in Rocky Ford, 25-inch and 6-lb class. I can't express all about actions and emotions of trout in that so-close fishing.

Typing all through, I think I regret that I forgot my camera!!