Simms Ice Out: Day 2 - More Fun

Second day was filled with great programs. I was slightly exhausted for some reason (It will be revealed in next post). The day started with the seminar about the guide business & industry by Sweetwater Travel Company's, Dan Vermillion (as well as the commissioner of Montana FWP). In the afternoon, we moved to an inside area within a big horse ranch in Bozeman. Livingstone's Brant Oswald gave us a casting clinic. His clinic is very valuable for all level of casters with lots of laughs in the air as he acts like a total incompetent beginning caster and have his audience correct his flaws.

After the casting clinic, the first ever "GUIDE OLYMPIC" started. It contained casting, rigging, shot-put (shooting a boat anchor for the distance), and trailer back-up. This is the casting arena (the place is quite a big horse ranch I can tell).

Lots of guides competed. But for some reasons, I didn't try. I didn't even go outside for the shot-put and trailer back-up race as it was breezy outside.

This is the rigging race. When we are just fishing ourselves, we do without thinking. But in a competition, there are several criteria other than speed. It was fun to watch.

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We came back to the venue in the evening. And now "SUPERSALE!", everyone was awaiting, started!! along with a cocktail party!! I first filled my belly with great foods and then started to think about shopping. "Pro Program" already offers us great discount but SUPERSALE was beyond......I sensibly scratched off the prices as some of you readers might get upset or offended on retail prices. I will post what I got later on.

Livingston's Derek DeYoung was painting live. His art can be seen anywhere but this was the first time that I saw him in person and, not to mention, his live work.

Another great day, having more fun and meeting more people, ended.

Simms Ice Out: Day 1 - Guide Society Debut

It was quite an event for a freshman guide. There are lots of great people and good food all three days. Event kicked off at Simms factory in Bozeman. This is the first time for me to visit. I already felt good atmosphere and high expectation from the beginning and they lasted all three days. The first agenda was a factory tour. I really wanted to see how our waders are made. The moment I stepped in, I lost my words but just "WOW!!". Workers were beyond busy. Never did I imagine there were this many procedures and steps to complete just one pair of wader. Each worker does his/her own routine through the shift with amazing concentration and accuracy. Followings are only a few steps. Cutting Gore-Tex sheet into parts. Depending on the model, one wader are made from 8 to 12 parts. Sewing.

Reinforcing seams by a special machine.

Bootie job....

All hand made. The last procedure consists "several steps" of inspection and finally after that, it's packed like this.

Simms waders are really about quality. In my opinion, it's nothing different from beef quality such as source and age verification for best quality and consumer satisfaction. Simms wader and other products are really worth the money, period. I'm so glad to be involved in their "Pro Guide Program".

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After the tour, we had a gorgeous lunch. And then socializing time with Montana beer started.

We moved to a nearby fly-shop, The Rivers Edge, and had some more fun. Guides all over.

There was one more attraction at the theater in downtown but I left for some reason.

It was an awesome meeting from the beginning. I have visited Animal Science and Cattleman's meetings numerous times but I recall I felt I was left alone every now and then. Those were all good meetings with good people and it might have been just my problem. But it was hard for me to be around when some scientists debate statistics or researches over bottles of beer. Cattleman's meeting are typically much easier going but I'm just a breeder. I am not a blood-line geek.........

BUT!! all through this event, I never felt alone. There were lots of fishy conversation anywhere. All we talked was: fish, flies, waters, hatches, gears etc. Great thing about whoever I talked with was there was pretty much NO bragging (about how big the fish was, how good he is, etc) as we are guides. I think we all understand each one of us lives and guides different water with different species and has his/her own expertise.

Guide License

It is official now. I got a state certified guide license. Right now I am more like relieved rather than P.A.R.T.Y. = party!! I filled and sent the application on 4th. And for what I heard, the process usually takes 10 days (not sure 10 days from when the Board gets it or 10 business days). For whatever the reason, "what if I get rejected?" My worry ended up nothing. My endorsing outfitter told me he got it on 12th. That's only 8 days. Wherever I go in this country, I've been the one & only Japanese cowboy and cattle breeder. Now I added myself another title. THE FIRST EVER and one & only Japanese fly-fishing guide in Bozeman/Livingston. I hear several Japanese anglers tried to hang around in this area but they never made it for whatever their reasons were. I will be guiding Stuart Dominick's Renegade Outfitters and Sweetwater Flyshop, both of which have some strong connections to Japanese fly-fishers. Here's the boat tag.

And yes, I am happily registered at Simms "Pro Guide Program".

From today till Saturday, Simms is running a "GUIDES ONLY" event. I could sign up in the last minute. Today was already great and we have two more days. I will post about the event later on.

Midge Party at Lower Madison

We are experiencing very happy-fishy weather. Today, temperature was middle 30s, light sun, and no wind. As a resident and angler in Livingston, I thought I may be supposed to go this very meaningful volunteer action......... but I just recalled the event only yesterday and had nobody to ask details (for the first timer) in the area. Shops in the area were closing when I noticed. Should I bring my wader? or just Carhart and gloves? People with or without boats? This sounds excuses but I couldn't push myself into it. Then I admit the fact "gather at 8am on cold Saturday morning" sounded not much attractive. I would for fishing, breeding cows, and date but......just a volunteer with no information....... Hopefully by next year, I should be getting to know more people around here and make more friends and networks to go along.

So I told myself that I shouldn't feel guilty (After all I'm not dropping any garbage!!). As for fishing, I'm getting addicted to the spring hatches as I've been posting. As I wrote the very last post, both baetis and midges hatches were good along Yellowstone River. But I've been hearing mixed information about baetis hatch along Lower Madison. Some say it's started and others say not yet. According to one of the nearest shops to Lower, they haven't seen baetis at all yet. They say it's due to dam repair project at Ennis Lake. Dam was hit by a bus-size rock, I hear. Now it seems completed and a last couple of days and "they (I don't know who)" are changing water releases, which cause changes in water level, temperature, and color. Over all, people at the shop told me midge action would be actually pretty good and even better than baetis. I checked three parking lots along the river and OH YES!! Too many midges were on the water all along!! Now I forgot anything about baetis hatch and dam repair!! This entire foam (or scum) lane was covered like this!!!

They were having parties all along the river!!!

But...... a BIG HOWEVER here, I didn't see any rises at all, period. I observed all the good looking spots; pockets, eddies, slicks, and seams but no surface actions at all. It's not my style to cast dry-flies hoping for the best when I don't see any risers but I did considering the amount of hatch. Then again it seemed very hard to compete with naturals under the condition. I swung my favorite and trusting midge soft-hackles under the surface also but no actions either way.

Now I got back to the information about the current. If no trout are looking up or moving, most likely it's because water temperature is low. Water clarity might have some effect as well. All due to flow changes for the last couple of days.

As the Sun was setting behind me, I tried to avoid the shadow and move onto still bright spots. Then I recalled a little spring creek is coming in right by the parking lot, which is aptly named Warm Spring. By then other anglers were gone!!!!

I can't explain how excited and happy I was when all of my guesses turned out to be right. I finally saw pods of rises at the confluence where Warm Spring merges into Madison. I was on my knees to keep a low silhouette and finally fixed the "skunk" of the day!! Just a little one but I'm really proud of that my observation, perseverance, and theory finally worked!!

After that, I hooked and lost over 10 fish within less than 30 minutes all at the same spot. And all I needed was Griffith's Gnat Emerger.

Here are more commercial pictures for G Gnat Emerger!!

Little brown liked it too!!

Though fish were small, I can't emphasize how happy I was because all of my observation and theory came together at the end. Other anglers that I passed along the trail were with their nymph rigs with bobbers in spite of this heavy midge hatch. I was glad the last person who was getting back to his car (with his bobber rig) was sensible enough to control his dogs while I was kneeling for the midge rise situation.

And I was sure there must have been a couple of 15 to 16-inch trout in that little pod. I just couldn't get close to them or they might have detected my presence or drags on my flies in that shallow water.

I ended up fishing till 7pm and got back home at 9pm. My cattle breeding business will be kicking off in May so I have three more fishy weeks. I'll get out to Armstrong's next week while the rate is $40 a day. And weather seems to keep fishy next week too!! Then I keep my eyes and ears on baetis, midges, and Mother's Day caddis hatches along both Yellowstone and Lower Madison. But also when water temperature is going up, we all know huge streamers bring huge trout at this time of the year!!

I really love this mixed feelings and strategies of spring!!

Stone Again

I woke up this morning, heard NO GUSTS, and saw about 2 inches of snow all over. I felt "WOW!! Perfect baetis weather!!" even before washing my face. Today there would probably have been better hatches at spring creeks than I had seen on Tuesday. But I was late to enjoy a day at either one of creeks (missed the morning streamer action) and I can't afford so often. So I decided to hit Yellowstone River even before my line gets dried from Tuesday fishing. My destination was one of upper sections Link showed me (two posts below). I chose a "Madison-look-like" section. When Link guided me last week, I saw a potential in this section when baetis would be on. And since it's Madison-like, I figured the hatch would start at 1pm and end around 3pm. When I dressed up my wader and walked down to river, it was 1pm. Perfect. But.......didn't see any hatches or rises as in my imagination. But, I myself did a year-worth of nymphing at Bighorn last month, I wanted to stick with dry-flies. Besides, I have to test and experiment the spots, reading water, flies, etc. rather than catching fish. My choice of the day was ICU Baetis. This black post makes a very visible parachute during increment weather under which baetis love to hatch. A couple of fish were looking up!! I am a happy-go-lucky guy regardless of trout size!

Then, just about heading back to where I started, about 2:30pm, I finally saw hatches and rises. Now really "I SEE YOU", baetis. Size 20.

And midges were abundant too. Size 24. Both photos were taken after trout stopped rising.

Perfect rise and hook set!!...............whitefish?? Believe me these guys (yes, I caught more later on) were rising like trout. Usually whities rise form is "kissing the surface", but this afternoon, these guys were "slicing the surface" with "dorsal fin to tail" rise forms. Anyway, the moment was exciting enough so I should feel better. But this one sucked my fly deep in its mouth......impossible to recover. As I noticed a wind-knot on a tippet, I let it go with the fly on and piece of tippet.

I kept on. Now is the time to experiment a new pattern I just designed myself. I forgot to use this on Tuesday at Nelson's. It's basically a mix of cripple patterns. I haven't named yet.

Gotcha!!...............Again!? I wasn't sure if I had to feel happy and if my fly was looking good.

Then I got a little rainbow!!......but does this count?

I caught a few more whitefish with my pattern till about 4pm. Regardless of size and species, it was fun and I did see a couple of huge flashes that came to the surface. I just couldn't get to them as whities were snacking on my fly ahead of them! That's how I interpret this afternoon.

Light snow was falling pretty much all day. There were lots of wildlife around Corwin Springs. Groups of buffalo, elk, and this bighorn sheep seemed to take turns who got close to the steam. I haven't seen these sheep in the Park yet.

It was quite fan and meaningful get out. For those of you who are reading this from other than Montana, Yellowstone River has similar insect hatches as in spring creeks in Livingston. So far, I confirmed midges, baetis, and sculpin!!

Early Season Fishing at Nelson's

Great thing to live in Livingston, in return of brutal winds, is only 10 minutes driving to any spring creeks and I can keep a tab on weather forecast so in the worst case I can cancel my reservation on that morning and book again in a day or two!! I had booked for today at Nelson's on Sunday as at that moment Tuesday weather would be calm, cloudy, slightly wet, and no wind. It was true this morning except for winds around my house....well, it still seemed sky would stay that way all day and I'd better manage a day with winds any time here in Livingston so I made a go. Only 7.5 miles away from my house and crossing Carter Bridge to east side of the Stone, there was NO WIND at Nelson's Ranch!!!! I also heard good baetis hatch report directly from Jacquie, so my expectation went high and I started to get shakey with the excitement how the day would be........... Cloudy and constant rain at creeks here in Paradise Valley? The best go-to is...... My day-opener was a respectable 18-inch brown!! I could have head home and done for the day........ What's in your mouth, fella? I don't have to show the fly again, do I?

I had one little rainbow and a few more bites on sculpin in the morning and that was all. My imaginary theory to this is ironic to what I was expecting. If midge and baetis hatches would do happen in the afternoon (it did!!!!), most likely trout were keying on nymphs or larvas in the morning. But then I observed water was still low at this time of the year. Hence cruising trout were pretty much none and visible trout in every good looking spot were so spooky. It was no fun at all to do nymphing at least for me.

So I had lunch 11:30am and ate slowly (which is not my usual style!!) and set up my dry-rig for the afternoon. At this point, rain almost all stopped and even the sun started to come out every now and then. When I walked up to the flats at 12:30pm, midges were hatching but rises were not so excitingly strong. Then again with this low and glassy water, it was tough to get close to casting distance or position. I explored to the upper limit of the creek. From my previous experience in this short run, I recalled upper section can be good as in the middle flats. I was right. Now spring baetis was hatching and trout just started to rise.

My favorite was ICU Baetis,

and Improved Sparkle Dun. Size 20 or 22.

I caught two these little ones.

But before these two, I got hooked into two larger ones. Here's a proof. I didn't set the hook so hard by applying slip-strikes so I don't break 6X tippet. I set the hook right but they were gone by opening the gaps of my size 22 baetis flies....... They could have been 17-18" class.

Some of you could read my palm for my luck for fishing or anything about life?

Insect hatches and surface actions pretty much ended by 2:30pm as the sun started to show more often. I tried to cast some nymphs with indicator and midge dry-flies for very sporadic risers. It was just slow. The sun and clouds were taking the top of each other so I decided to stay late. Just waiting for the one more & last chance with sculpin. Meanwhile, I saw a cute fawn on the other side.

With my very last effort, I landed a nice fat rainbow......

My camera was wise enough to cut my head off for grip-&-grin!!

To summarize the day, it was not an easy day. Water level was low as aquatic weed has just barely started growing at this time of the year. This makes trout very spooky or just hide and stay very bottom. Yet I experienced a fair weather all day and managed several trout by any means available and thinkable. I can give myself 3.5 stars out of 5 during the baetis hatch as I am getting better and learning more for this hatch every season in both spring and fall.

Nelson's is just about 1/2 mile run and good looking spots are so obvious. And trout are always there and that makes them spooky!! But this short distance keeps me fishing with different tactics at each spot all day. If it works, it's good! If it doesn't work, go next spot or change your tactics. If you get tired, go back to your car, grab a Gatorade, sit on the bench, and refresh.

I might head out one more before the rate goes up......

Yellowstone Grand Slam

Here in Livingston, we finally got over with long, cold, snowy, & windy winter. Spring days are settling in. Yet we still know snow can fall on us in April........ Today, I went out fishing with Link who made friends with through my blog (I thank everyone who drops by my stupid blog all the time). Link has been suggesting me his favorite spots along Upper Yellowstone and I have been eager to get out. Our schedules and weather finally worked!! NO WIND in Livingston area!! Unbelievable!! Link knows a lot about Upper Yellowstone and that side of Yellowstone Park waters. We talked a lot about rivers, spots, seasons, flies, etc. I might as well keep them secret as I'm trying to be a fishing guide in the area. We were expecting early season baetis and midge hatches to fish with dry-flies. At one of Link's favorite spots, we saw baetis in the air and took several with our dry-flies. They were all native Yellowstone Cutthroat. As you all know the population of Yellowstone Cutty is endangered due to Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake and hybrid with rainbow all along the river. But in this upper stretch of Yellowstone, there are still lots of pure cutties to keep our hope. Regardless of its size, I love every cutty on my dry-flies. Baetis patterns worked for me are; ICU baetis,

Baetis Foam Nymph,

and Baetis Soft-Hackle. Especially the one that broke my 6X tippet with this soft-hackle seemed a fair size cutty. I often use 6X tippet during baetis time and keep in mind to slip-strike. But the excitement oftentimes makes me set the hook harder, which causes tippet-breaks.

All of above are for sale in my sales catalogue so if you are interested, just give me a jingle.

I can't emphasize the diversity of Yellowstone River, either in the Park or Montana section, as it's the longest free running river without any dams. This section just below the town of Gardiner is a very good free-stone and pocket-water run, like Madison. Link was working on a spot ahead of me.

It was cloudy and quiet in the morning without any gusts but the day turned out to be very sunny and warm in the afternoon, up to 60F. It was a very good day to go outside but we had to see it was not quite expecting for baetis and midge hatches to fish with dry-flies. We switched into nymphs and streamers. I caught a so-so rainbow on a Rubber Leg.

I saw lots of midges on water but somehow rises were very sparse, which seemed done by little ones.

After all the fishing with scuds and midge larva at Bighorn, today I expected and pushed myself into some amounts of dry-fly fishing, regardless of catches or trout sizes.

Link caught a so-so brown (we didn't take a picture or two).

And we both caught whitefish whether we liked or not (obviously no pictures).

So between two, we managed "Yellowstone Grand Slam" = catch bow, cutty, brown, & whitie.

Right now we are simply enjoying the end of harsh winter. And then we still have about a month before the famous Yellowstone's run-off will start. Right now Yellowstone is offering all kinds of fishing; dry-fly for midges & baetis, nymphs, and streamers.

By the time run-off hits the river, I will be breeding cows all through Montana. Then again, we all expect well-known Mother's Day Caddis hatch and spring streamer bites in this mixed time of the season. And our feelings and expectations will be mixed as well........

Thank you, Link, for a great day!!