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!!

Gear Thoughts

As my previous posts about my favorite rivers, this post is only my personal experience and thuoghts about fly-fishing gears, not a professional review at all. After all I am one of the consumers in the fly-fishing industry. I know I usually go with lower-end gears. But also I know that does not mean I am being cheap. Besides, I really hate to be a "Mr. Gear" who could a good customer (maybe rich) but not a good fisherman at all, period.


For example, definitely the most expensive gear in fly-fishing is the rod. If I were to run a fly-shop, work at there, or be a professional (guide, instructor, writer, etc), I would own more than several rods and had better be able to review and explain each to customers and non-pro anglers. Fortunately, I am not one of them. My attitude here is "'d better practice and improve my casting first" and "owning higher rods does not gurantee me casting further or catching bigger fish than using cheaper rods". I don't think trout can tell whether the fly is presented by Orvis or Cabela's. I believe it's all up to anglers' ability including reading waters and tying better looking flies.


I always look for the brand/company who specializes each gear and stick with them.....affordable ends of course. I am not a great fan of who wants to produce all such as.....(I zip up my mouth here.) For the rod, I like Sage's. I think it's mostly because I live in Washington State! For the line and leader I stick with RIO or Cortland. Only one exception is Jim Teeny and Kelly Galloup's full-sink line, very specialized for streamer fishing. These are top-end and high-qualities anyway. Then as for the reel, I choose something silvery and fancy!!

For the fly-tying materials and tools, I do go with the best in the industry such as TMC and Dai-riki hooks, Whiting hackles, and premium feathers and hairs from Blue Ribbon Flies. And always trying to be picky too. Matarelli tools, Gossamer silks, etc......Those are much less costing in general money-spending. After tying lots of ugly flies with cheap materials (though I caught trout with them), I really appreciate those materials and tools I have gathered.

The list goes on. I was dreaming about Brodin's ghost net but I found the same looking rubber net at Cabela's in half a price of Brodin's. Got it!! Actually I like this one better in term of over all length and size of the net. It's bigger than Brodin's products and I always look for big trout, right??



Now I want to replace my HMH vise to Regal's.........Or should I get another Sage?........etc, etc....


But here's a bit serious review that made me feel "the higher, the better". I had been using just a regular pair of felt-soul wading boots from Columbia. It wasn't really cheap in general, around $100 or so (and good looking too). Also Columbia produces lots of nice outdoor apparels, you know. My vest is Columbia too, which is very comfortable on my back and neck. Anyway one of its shoe string holders was broken so I got a perfect reason to replace it!! It has been slippery but I've been assuming it is because of the rivers and my strength.

During my last trip to Yellowstone over three weeks ago, I picked up a pair of Simms Guide boots. It was about 40% discount from its original price at Blue Ribbon Flies due to some movement to rubber-soul in the industry. That made this top-end gear down to about the same price as the so-so Columbia boots above so I gave a shot. I thought this might be a bit too fancy a gear for my level and I might even be "shopping-high" in a tourist town.......but I am very glad that I bought this.

In the evening right after I bought it, I used it. It was a total revelation. I could walk into slippery and swift Madison River like Spiderman sticks and climbs the wall!! I am not only saying Simms products are great (I have been using Simms' wader so I already know they are great) but also I really have to realize that I have been putting my life in danger, making myself nervous when I was wading in, and limiting my fishing ranges with those previous cheaper and affordable boots.

This was quite a lesson. We really should not go cheap with gears that matter to our bodies and lives in any kind of outdoor activities. But then again, as for the rest of fly-fishing gears and tools, fancy ones do not gurantee to get you into big fish. Instead it's totally up to your ability. I always keep that in my mind.

The hand-crafted boots-drier is patented by me!! This will drop all the water from the boots yet keep out the debriz and dirts on my truck bed. All you need is some pieces of woods from lumber yards (usually free) and nails. If one of you come up with a better idea, please let me know.

Also, here's my hear-say. I asked lots of people about rubber-soul wading boots to go with the latest technology.

My interview ended up like this,

OK/good : likable but so-so : hate it!! = 1 : 2 : a lot!!

Well, now I really feel happy with that Simms pair!!

Favorite River - Rocky Ford Creek

Though I often visit Montana to fish some of the best rivers on the earth, I do have some waters to fish here in eastern WA. Well, actually never equal to the qualities of Montana rivers, yet likable and OK. There are lots of lakes to fish here in eastern WA, but I don't like to fish in lakes. Though I understand trout can grow much larger than those in streams, lake fishing is slow for me and I am not a great fan of float-tubes. What if there's a freshwater crocodile or a shark in that lake? There might be some enormous trout or carp that can gulp your feet!! These are my belief and respect of the water, and that's my problem about fly-fishing in eastern WA.

Rocky Ford Creek in Ephrata, WA can offer some trout fishing on foot. But then again, but.......

Put it simply, I go there twice a year only when I need to feel some big trout without going to Montana, and that's enough.

Here are a few things that I don't enjoy. First of all it's open year around, so it's everybody's place = lots of people from the Coast to Idaho. I don't mind that because I can handle the same situation at Montana rivers (Madison, Firehole, etc). But I have to see some problematic people such as; who leave their garbage bags at a camp site, who don't really fish but talk loud and their dogs are barking loud and running around, who are illegally wading (wading is not allowed and very dangerous in this muggy and muddy bottom) and sending waves to other anglers, etc.

Second, it's called a creek but it's basically a huge pond. A bit too slow to trigger me and make me keen and do the best presentation for dry flies or swinging soft-hackles.

Third oftentimes, all you need is scud......Here's my own Deer-hair Scud with an orange hot-point. I am embarrased to show but this has caught too many trout here.

But I don't want to get sulked or be pestimistic at my blog! Here are some good things about Rocky Ford. And these are the reason to make me go......twice a year.

First, these are stocked Triploids. the smallest I caught is 16-incher yet weighing 2-pound, fed by all these scud, leeches, and even mud.

Second, I have figured out the way to avoid the crowd; to start way earlier even than campers.

Third, by doing that, I can do some stalking and bow-&-arrow castings to the crusing trout by the banks. Very up-close and personal.

And forth, if there are lots of people around me, I will get lots of attention from them as an audience when I hook trout, especially when trout are jumping around!!

Also what I have found is to check the opening days of lakes in the area; that way lots of people go those lakes and Rocky ford can be empty!! Trust me!!

This is the obvious (and easiest) spot, where the creek narrows and makes the deepest chutes along with rocks from both sides. It's about just below from the parking/camping site. When I really need to feel fish, I keep this spot at uhhhhhh........5:30am after 2 hours driving!!

Whatsoever, this is the biggest trout I ever caught. I really did not measure but considering what the picture says, it was difinetely 25-inch long and above 5-lb. I was really scared to net it bacause it was so huge and heavy.

Then these two were some of the huge "hogs" from Rocky Ford. Please note, I hooked and landed them with my Sage 4-wt!!

Especially this fatty, I hooked this probably 5-ft away from me while it was crusing the bank and I was hiding behind the little bush. The fly was the scud above. The bite and hook-set were so vivid that I can't explain in words....

Oh, yes, Sparkle Scud was in the middle of upper jaw. This was a slightly technical for me at here. I swam my fly behind the rock then the Thingamabobber let me know the take.....well, how technical it is.....??

Finally but not the last (hoping for more to come!!), catching this one set me into some upper-levels of fly-fishing and made me feel what I have been learning (from books and experience) are correct. There is an outlet from the hatchery (who manages this public section also) and that is the only one riffle. I saw lots of midges were hatching and trout were taking under the surface of that little and only riffle. And nobody was paying any attention to that.

I swung my own tied midge patterns that I learned from Sylvester Nemes' books = "THE" soft-hackle guru. This tiny #20 midge larva/pupa on 6X tippet landed this 18-incher that weighed 3.5-lb (I was sure because on the way home I dropped by a Safeway and felt and made sure with a pack of ground beef!).

Again, there were several people around me and the trout jumped a few times. I never meant to but I had to show them off my fish-handling and landing.....Happy!

I am thinking to visit Rocky Ford for the second time of this year, which will be before I visit Yellowstone in late Octber. Just to feel some big fish.

Rocky Ford can be lovable/hatable for anyone but as long as one can get along with what's going on, it can be an OK place to visit every now and then.
After all, though it would only a few, what's wrong with catching big hogs in front of other anglers??