Mid March Report

March seems running so fast for me!!
Next week, my schedule is mixed up with Master Breeder and even as of this writing, weather forecast is calling for a change, even some snow coming.........So I go through soon-to-be "temporal spring" days......As always at DePuy Spring Creek (www.depuyspringcreek.com).

Yesterday, I quickly caught one and "pumped". Yes, BWO nymphs are abundant and trout are focusing on them. Duns are found here and there but Trust me, there is no constant trout rises now (unless you count 5 in whole afternoon). So come to the creek with that in mind and adjust your tactics accordingly.

 All rainbows are very strong right now!!

I caught one very distinctive looking buck!!

Yesterdays lucky item: Parks' Fly Shop (www.parksflyshop.com) Camo hat!! See I'm blending in the back! Being stealthy works? Maybe!

 I moved on. I checked an "Anadromous" spot...........

I lost track of how many I hooked, lost, or netted.......This one took my own Spring Creek Stone Nymph!!

Another Big & Strong one!!

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Today, I was just happy enough to be outside in this nice weather. Trout were bonus......
Trust me I'm NOT squeezing!! Remember I'm a cattle breeder. My hands and fingers are very gentle on gentle things!!

Today's highlight!! Am I going in!!??

Both exhausted........not trophy pics........

It's not really worth to go details about my potentially new egg pattern......it worked....maybe!?

Solid 'Bow!! Guess the spot from mountains and trees in the back, if you will!!

 Next spot.......

 One more spot......

This is one of a few browns caught recently.... Large & hungry browns don't seem to come up into the creek yet to munch on rainbows' eggs...

Have a good weekend!!

Over 60!!

Quick report for yesterday & today.
Title is double-meaning.
I fished 61 DAYS (today) with Winter Pass at DePuy's (www.depuyspringcreek.com). Counting from October 15th of last year, I'm visiting the creek average every 2.5 day. Fishing is always good and fun at DePuy's!! That's it!!
Second meaning is that air temperature has reached "Over 60F" yesterday and today. It's very warm for Montanans. But Paradise Valley residents, warm weather in spring means Spring Chinook, so to speak. Sandwiched by Gallatin and Absorkee mountains, it's air circulation in the Valley that causes infamous winds!!

But you readers (even some guided clients) already know that winds don't bother me! Rainbow Runs are very strong right now!! There are many a rainbow in the creek and all of them are very strong and aggressive. But then again, let me remind you to watch redds.

I'd better add "FAT" besides strong and aggressive..........

Again and again and again.........now you know this HOTTEST FLY..........

Nice Buck!!

Not me but trout............ Notice I'm wearing a regular hat.

 I "pumped" a little trout. This why B.P.C. works.

 Last & Biggest of yesterday!!

"Creek Regulars" would notice where I fished. Yeah, I fished the "Entrance for Trout" = the "Exit of the creek". I don't fish this spot as eagerly as others because I'd rather let trout in first. But yesterday, I just tried just to see how it feels........OK, I guess......

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Today's first one!!!

 Gorgeous George!!

Truly a good fly should catch any sizes of trout, right!?

 Today's Big One!!

Probably it's because of weather, I saw large caddis flying along the creek.

I will get back to the creek tomorrow!

3-Day Report: Spring at Creek & Hottest Fly!!

I don't want to say "spring has come" in Montana general public as we can experience severe snow storm any time! But DePuy Spring Creek (www.depuyspringcreek.com) has just been into its spring mode. As more & more rainbows are coming into the creek, two apparent spawning beds: One next to Angler's Hut (or Buzz's Fly Shop) and the other next to Eva's Hut: are CLOSED for fishing to protect spawning rainbows and their eggs. This is really a noble action. I don't want to start a discussion forum about targeting trout in redds. I'd just like to say "follow your sportsmanship and pursuit of technicality". I bet readers at this blog would agree. BUT!! Let me tell you I have seen several people intentionally fished these closed areas!! That's poaching!! I don't mind picking on them. If you happen to fish DePuy's and come across those poachers (they are not  anglers as they are not following rules), you have a right to yell at them!!

Sign by Eva's Hut

As a keen observer at the creek, I had to notice some anglers were feeling they had lost their fishing spots and options. Well, not for this Lefty Angler!! Most of anglers fish ONLY these two areas in the fall while browns are present (no closures in the fall) and before Creek Owners put signs. I've been somewhat different from others. I have spent days and hours at entire length of the creek to locate more spots where trout would congregate (to spawn or rest), especially while bunch of browns are present in the creek. To me, it's only two spots of 3-mile long creek are out of option, which are most of the time taken by others anyway!!
Besides, I have my own flies that have been especially developed for spring creeks (and even beyond)!! My little hero hot fly has been, again & again, B.P.C. sizes 16 & 18.
http://leftytyer.blogspot.com/2012/11/bpc-bead-pheasant-copper.html

I can't fail to catch trout wherever I cast this little dude into. Let's look what I (or it) have done.
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On Wednesday, I hooked a really huge fish!! HEAVY!! Then.........just another likely story......lost him. However, I got another bite right after that!! It was a nice rainbow who fought hard. Just about netting, he slipped away......... Then I realized my B.P.C. was like this..........probably done by the first submarine..............!!

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I stocked several B.P.C.s at Wednesday night. On Thursday, I had a good start with this plump 'Bow!!

Are you pregnant like mammals???

I kept fishing where other anglers weren't around. I just can't emphasize that trout are swimming all along the creek.

I moved on. As I picked up my line, I felt it might be a "bottom-snag"..........It was actually a "belly snag"!! Huge rainbow suddenly leaped out of the water!!..........gone.............

I pressed that spot. I saw a flash underwater and set the hook!!

It was a nice rainbow (maybe a touch of Cutbow) again on B.P.C.!!

I might as well took a liberty of stomach-pump. I told you!! BWO nymphs had been eaten!!

Right after these two, I had a much bigger tug, which snapped my line in 3 seconds!!! This spot and trout there were on fire!! I re-rigged my line to fish a spot right next to it in order to rest the spot a while.

Then I tried streamers to see if they were HOT enough to chase Meat..... I tied on my own ZAC Fry in black (http://leftytyer.blogspot.com/2013/01/zac-fry.html) .

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!  Indeed, a furious submarine attacked it!!

I moved on to next favorite spot of mine. (Now you can see background is different.) I went back to my nymph rig. B.P.C did it again!!

Actions kept going..... I set the hook and it was BIG!! HUGE!! Again on B.P.C.!! I did net him this time!! I was so attracted to his curled up lower jaw. As you can see, his lower jaw was curving to the left. So I wanted to flip him gently to take up-close pics, then eventually for my own "trophy shot"!!

Lost him.........gone. He was big. I wish I could show you how big and handsome he was.....

I ended with a nice little brown.

Offshot......... Refugee for multi species..........

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Then today, I just kept on. I started with nice rainbow!! Big & powerful!! See his hump!!

Within ONLY 10 minutes, I caught 4 nice trout!! (I didn't hit the redds by the way!) This is the forth one!!

At next stretch, I caught a rainbow suitable for "pump". Hmmmmmmm, she had been eating something crunchy!!

I was surprised by sudden presence of cutty!! He munched on an egg. He just looked like a lost child........Rainbows haven't swum up to where he was yet.........

B.P.C. again!!

He wasn't not as big as the lost one of yesterday, yet still a nice buck!!

Another one!! In the middle of upper jaw!! Perfect hook-set!!

I will keep fishing!! Hopefully I can report spring hatches and rising trout soon!!

First Dry-Fly Fishing 2013!!

I was busy with Master Breeder projects over last weekend. Although February ended on 28th, not on 31st, it felt like I was not fishing over a week. So I visited to DePuy Spring Creek (www.depuyspringcreek.com) in the afternoon just as I've been doing. But.........probably because of warm weathers (at least it's not super cold) and some rumors of big trout circulating in the area (is this blog of mine famous??), creek was occupied full on this weekday!!
...............should I just go home and come back tomorrow?............ I could have but as weather gets warmer, my mind is getting ready and shaping up for up-coming guide season (fishing never stops around me and I'm keeping my body in shape all through winter, you know that!!). One of my guiding mantras came up to my mind. It's the words of my mentor's (Tom Travis) mentor (the late Don Williams).
"For each guide trip, always have a plan and a backup plan".
Surely I wanted to fish DePuy's but I had to admit I was almost all setting up routines at the creek recently. It's not bad to do something out of those routines. Where else could I go fishing? Unless one's totally blind, Mighty Yellowstone River is running right along Livingston. So I chose "The Ditch" as my instant backup plan. The Ditch is a side channel where DePuy's spills into, right along HWY 89. Just before the channel merges back to the main channel, there's a little irrigation/diversion dam called "Livingston Ditch". From my experience of last winter, I know this section can be really fun to fish, especially when midges are hatching and trout are rising!! Without a second thought, I grabbed my dry-rig (5wt rod with DT line). Wind wasn't bad at all. I was walking to a spot where I expect the best of hatches and rising trout. As I was attaching my flies on my tippet, fish started to RISE!! & RISE!! I knew so!! Fish were definitely looking up for midges, which were abundant in the air and on the surface!!

These are patterns for today.
Matt's Moose Mosquito

Goose Biot Midge

Foam Emerger Type 1

 Foam Emerger Type 2

Withing the first few casts, my first catch with dry-fly for 2013 was a little feisty rainbow!! I did net this little fella. But while I was getting ready for a pic or two, it swam away!!

But they kept rising!! I hooked another one then next one!! But they all got loose before netting, not to mention before taking pictures!!! It ended 4 frustrating losses!! One of them was a nice leaping rainbow!!

Finally I made a solid hook-up!! Midge hatch and rising WHITIE, I couldn't be happier than that!!

I have developed a set of skills to conduct stomach-pumping on Whities!! Hmmm.........usual menus, I suppose.

I kept hooking and losing. Again, one or two of them looked and felt like really nice ones. Then I got another!!

I got better pictures this time.

 Guess what Whities are eating.........Just same as trout!!

 Little one......

Hatch and rises seemed slowing down. "Am I getting only Whities today?".........AH!! finally I caught a nice little Cut-bow!!

Look how Type-2 was chewed off. This proves my story is true that I kept hooking but losing. My flies, even tiny midges, won't tear up like this by catching one fish!!!

So my backup plan turned out to be great and I enjoyed an alternative afternoon. In fact, I wanted to fish The Ditch but since I was doing so well at DePuy's, I was lazy to try. Today, I was given a reason to fish there. That's my interpretation.
I intend to visit DePuy's tomorrow (and later) but I always have a viable backup plan!!