Bighorn Trip Day 1

Now is one of a few time-periods of the year that I can venture some other rivers in this broad state of Montana. Less number of anglers, splendid spring hatches, and hungry trout: those can be common in other Montana rivers too. Among those, Bighorn River is the highest in the list!

We hit the road very early on Saturday 19th. We successfully arrived at Fort Smith, MT and checked in one of cozy cabins at Cottonwood Campground.

Up until this day, it had been cold through last week. We started a bit late on purpose. Two years in a row, the first launch of my boat for the season was at Afterbay Dam! Certainly this was the first time for Renee to make such a big fishing trip!

Not just us but for most anglers during those 2 days we stayed, Bighorn offered its classic actions!! right off the bat!!

Actions went on.

This was really a nice rainbow!

Always learning.

Over all, two most constant hitters for us were my own Giant Sowbug and Flexi Zebra - black.

For lunch, we cooked up "over-sized" ham-&-cheese with Pioneer Meats ham. Then, considering the cold weather, we also warmed up chicken noodle soup!!

We had fair amounts of actions in the afternoon too.

 This was the nicely colored and one of the best trout we caught!!

 Also in the afternoon, insect hatches were tremendous!! Namely midges and spring baetis!! We pulled over my boat and I was able to fish some. Personally this was what I was expecting for, driving all the way from Livingston. Boy, they were really challenging!! Trout and insects hatches on Bighorn are pretty much equal to those on Livingston's spring creeks. After some trials, and lots of patience, I was finally able to get one!

Searching the answers........

This is why........
Baetis: dun, emerger, ascending nymphs
Midge: adults, pupae, larvae, both in black and olive
............. So many insects were hatching in different stages all at the same time!! and trout were feeding on at their rhythms and whims.

Along the iconic Car Body Pool...........

We grilled up simple yet essential cheese burgers to refill energies for Day 2..........

With relatively lower flow, it was somewhat "pushy" to go through 12 miles to Bighorn Access. Plus so many pods of rising trout here and there!! We discussed battle plans and were up for Day 2!!

Spring Hatch!

Following the previous post, this week remains cold as in winter-winter.
Meanwhile, I've been busy with many little things.......... Filling in fly orders, prepping for this and that, etc., etc., ...............

One of those little things I got it done is this one.
I finally FINALLY got "The Fish of 2015" printed out then in the frame!! I've been doing this at the end of each year but the last year end had been so busy with miscellaneous things and events, including a couple of printer issues.............
Anyway, "The One" is a handsome brown that came up on my Unnamed Caddis at a non-descriptive spot of  Lower Madison at the very end of Mother's Day Caddis on May 13th, 2015 (post here).

OOOPS!!  I made a typo............which could have been caused as I had worked on a picture from the previous year........Since the picture is from the local printing store and fits perfectly, I want to keep it as is.

This cold spell doesn't seem to affect fishing, rather making things interesting. Meaning, spring hatches that have once started can't be stopped!! I spent two afternoons at DePuy's Spring Creek. In Wednesday afternoon, spring baetis were prevalent. Here's a PT caught rainbow!

Here's a Parachute caught brown!

Then Whitie on the dry too!!

At one certain spot, I was able to observe the surface and capture some images.

Only after I checked this pic on screen, I noticed the midge. They are coexisting! Co-hatching!? - Indeed so and that is why fishing is interesting now!

Thursday turned out to be even colder with off-&-on snow flurries. I did expect baetis hatch but also I remained open & flexible then kept my observant eyes wide open. This afternoon Midge hatch was going strong and long. Good start!

Spilled all over........

Yeah!! Cutthroat on the midge hatch too!!

More learning.

This tiny little rainbow marked that I caught all 3 trout species during the hatch!! - Very rare and lucky for this time of year!

Hatch and rise kept on. They were still on midges but now on very tiny ones........ Now fishing became challenging beyond interesting.......... With more focus and observation, I got it hooked!! It leaped out of creek several times..........

It was on my most trusted Pupaerger #24!!

Perhaps the first time for this season with the "match" trout!!

After the hatch, I looked for the opportunity among "runners"........ Nothing super huge but they are many and oh-so-active.........

Well, it's been a while for me to make two posts in a week. That's because I'm heading to Bighorn River over the weekend!! Hope to have some fun and catch some trout!

Spring Fishing 2!

As of this typing, some winter-ish weather is coming back and seeming to stay until this coming weekend. However, spring fly-fishing has been here. It's already beyond signs or premonitions. I have had another great fishing through the previous week. Let's look.

There were a few very windy days through the last week. I went to DePuy's Spring Creek and looked for some rising trout and somewhat protected spots from winds. Friday turned out to be the best condition we could wish for. It was mostly overcast and, believe or not, dead-calm-no-windy day! Errands kept me somewhat behind but I made to the creek just on time. At my choice of spot, I observed a series of spring baetis hatches and rising trout! A couple of regular anglers reported the same.

I didn't hook up to any huge trout but all trout were feisty and hard-fighting.
Up until this afternoon, all the baetis-dry-fly caught trout seemed to be coming up for curiosity and their own wish, however I finally observed the hatch and trout were actually feeding on baetis from my stomach-pumps!

We also started to fish rivers and streams in our area. It's such a great time of year to explore and experience early season with some solitude and surprising encounters.
In those free-stone waters, we could clearly see and experience the arrival of spring!

Always learning.........

Catch of the day!

I got out of guiding once in a while.........

Renee has mastered all the nymphing techniques!

This week is gonna be a busy one! See what's gonna be up on next post!