Photo Sunday

Oar lock on the South Fork. 

Sushi on the Yellowstone River

 

Wolf Creek Bridge reflections. 

Neon Stimi

"Poker Face"

"POKER FACE"

BY 

kuchynkaPHOTO

High Water and off time brings the opportunity to explore other sights and venues that we normally don't venture too. Our friend was pretty stubborn, and was not going to give his ground, no matter what. Thanks lucky # 4.

Montana Fishtails by Scumliner Media

Montana Fishtales from scumliner media on Vimeo.

Just another high quality video short from John Arnold and scum liner media , highlighting

the work of Montana Fishtails and the fishing in and around the Sheridan area. Grab a cup of coffee this morning and enjoy.

In For the Long Haul

After spending a little of the long Memorial Day weekend driving around the backcountry, I think 

we could be in for an extended period of run-off in many areas. With this week ushering in the 1st week of June, I do not foresee the runoff subsiding on many drainages until well into late July.

 Birds eye view of Cottonwood Pass

 The view looking down toward Taylor Reservoir, covered in clouds.

All this moisture will scour our rivers clean and leave us lots of great fishing long into the summer and hopefully fall. 

Swim Lessons

" Swim Lessons" 

Another fine brown trout gets a swimming lessons with a KEEPEM WET release, back into the river.

Ready to be caught yet another time by you possibly.

Memorial Day

Thank you to each and every Veteran, as we celebrate Memorial Day and freedoms we have each and everyday day . It would not be possible if not for our truly brave heroes.

JD and the Amy's Ant

Being a huge fan of the Amy's Ant it was a pretty cool when Mary and I finally got the chance to meet up with Jack Dennis and spend a few days talking fly tying, swapping fishing stories and of course wetting a line on some of Wyoming's fabled waters. 

With the Amy'a Ant being one of my favorite summer time fly pattern, it certainly was fantastic the be fishing out of the back of the boat when the first nice buttery brown rose up and inhaled the olive Amy's. I had the great fortune of telling Jack about one of my photo's that is in a year round display, called "Amy's Army" pictured above.

The trip of two days was nothing short of spectacular, as we fished sections of the upper Green River , that most do not, and the New Fork. Browns and rainbows that do not get streamers and dries casted to them by once or twice a year, if that. Oh, did I mention, the New Fork, crazy nice, beautiful and holds some very nice trout. The moose a plentiful, so one must be careful as you take quite turns on the river bends in the boat, as not to spook them, but so breath taking to see them up close.

Mr. Jack Dennis

Although not on an Amy's Ant, this beauty did scarf a Sz.18 Para-Ant.

Saturday Cinema

A little something to break-up the monotony of the day after day rain and cool weather.

Ready to load up the boat, put on the shorts and sandals and fish.

Another nice edit by Joe Cumming out of Missoula.

Randoms

 Aspens along the river

 TU Donations - Nice foam flies and custom painted box.

My river keeper

Old skool Ross Gunnison #3, from way back. Anyone get one of these with a life membership

to FFF , like us, we have two.....

Wyoming windmill, a survey of the land, the old west at its best.

Beautiful Sights

The photo says it all, words cannot say much else.

Montana at its finest…. 

Cutty……

Very pumped that it is almost time to start visiting area's that hold these beautiful fish.

Cutthroat are near and dear to my heart and some of the most beautiful fish. Please help protect these great fish.

Ditch Digitals

Early bird gets the worm, No you get rewarded handsomely with fish to the boat.

So, where the hell you where this morning at 5:45 ? We took advantage of very low light and very aggressive fish on feed chasing streamers to string together a pretty fantastic 3 hours of fishing.

Some very nice fish to the boat this weekend, as the old and new favorites fly

patterns proved to be the standby's in low-light. Each foam pocket, undercut bank and v-cut 

between rocks seem to hold fish. different from normal, the fisher were chasing, slashing and eating

the fly out 8-12 feet from the bank, very aggressive.

Caught a few more rainbows than normal, which was nice, as they were very fat,

healthy and colored up. Hoping to get a couple more days in before the ditch blows out for the next month or so… Fingers crossed..

Grizzled Old Bastard

the grizzled old bastard called Floatfisher

Day Dreamin'

" Day Dreamin"

Staring at this photo, it just kinda makes you wander into another zone. I think of anchoring up in this spot watching fish rise, I think of other great rivers fished, I think of other rivers I want to fish, hell, I just simply think..... That can be dangerous.

Time to float on and find another great spot to drift off in and ponder the moment..

Time is precious, don't waste it..

"in the Face"

" In the Face"

by 

kuchynkaPhoto

"SPEY" Tempranillo by Floatfisher Cellars

SPEY Tempranillo 

by 

Floatfisher Cellars

A potent and fruity blend with a light acidic tang.
Flavors of cloves with black pepper in the finish.

Our most recent stomp from this past fall recently bottled. It has a little more time to set,

but the first sampling was extremely delightful. Also bottled at the same time was Cab/ Merlot blend

aptly named "JMBJ" . Probably even better than the Tempranillo, although two distinctly different 

wines. 

Oh, how fun to stomp a few grapes them drink them months later.

Life is short, Fish and enjoy a few things…..

Life on the Ditch

The weatherman has been pretty accurate as of late, and this past weekend was no different. With heavy rain and snow forecasted forecasted for the front range, cooler weather, rain and snow was also

a great possibility on the river.

From the pictures below, mother nature did not disappoint. Mother's Day morning on the river was

stunning. May snow storms are alway beautiful, as the tree's have budded, foliage is greening, and the landscape is gorgeous.

A little morning java in the Howler Bros. - Dawn Patrol  mug. Oh bailey's and coffee is alway a great kickstart to a fishing morning.

The morning sun trying to poke through the heavy dense clouds. Sure made for a beautiful 

sight, but would not last very long, and gave way to a few more  snow showers.

Forgot to mention the fishing was not bad either, however, I must admit, the photo taking was far better over the weekend. Sometimes you just have to make choices, I did..

Life is short, Live hard......

Man Rig

Sometimes one is not enough, you need a back-up. this custom rig was designed a year or so ago

for some steel headers in Michigan for the Great Lake tributaries. Matching Hyside rafts with double 

 decker lowering raft trailer. 

Water on the Rise

With the weekend forecast, posting rain, snow and sleet, we were again looking for favorable streamer lobbing conditions. Saturday morning would give us those conditions with overcast skies, brief periods of drizzle but clearing skies. We would make the best of what we had to work with.

The morning started out with a bang and the first couple of cast producing swash buckling strikes, 

and fish before the bridge, always something that brings a smile to my face. Although not fast an furious, larger than average fish were caught until the clouds burned off and we had some blue skies.

 This would prove for a beautiful float and an opportunity for some nice pictures. 

Although the water was up and pushing almost 750 CFS, the edges were plenty clear, and great for fishing. We should have another week or so, before she goes….

A great day was had on the ditch, and we were off before the second round of rain, wind and sleet.

Happy Mothers Day

 So glad we got to spend the weekend with my mother to celebrate Mothers Day weekend.

I found this quote, that I think sum's it up the best for all mothers.

Happy Mothers Day to my Mother Jeanne and Mother in Law Nancy.

" A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best , but his mother the longest."

Irish Proverb

                

Baby Likes the Big Stick

Now locked and loaded for another trip this year. Ms. Floatfisher is rigged and ready to

swing for summer steel. Now a little practice to in between now and September on some

pesky trout and see will be hoisting some chrome on these pages later this year

Always happy with our Abel and Hatch reels, we added another #7 Black to the arsenal

too match the Sage Method 6126. Should be a great all around rod for most western rivers for both trout and smaller summer or winter steelhead.

Life if short, get out and fish……..

" The Important Places" by gnarly bay

I found this on my good friend Jeff's FB page and had to share, a very powerful video, well worth your  9 minutes. If you are a river rat, you will instantly connect to the power of this film.

" This is one of the most powerful short films that I have watched in a long time. This is a story of 
legacy, a father, a son, and the wild places in the world. Everyone who has struggled with their own
sense of purpose and plan will relate to this story of a man trying to connect with the younger man his father once was."

. 

Tail Dragger

"Tail Dragger"

The combination of clothing and background distortion made this tail shot quite interesting.

The colors are unique to most fishing pictures as pink pastels are not often associated with them.

Just a nice soothing photo for the middle of the soggy week. 

Tuesday Photo Essay

The world sure is a wonderful place to sit and observe from time to time. Just the sights and scenery

that can be captured on any given day. Place and spaces, country roads, rivers, barns and fence lines all 

capture the imagination. Here are just a few images that taken this past week.

 Barbed - B/W 

 Meateater- no caddis for me

 Flankside of the Rainbow

Peacock Wulff - Float like a cork, sting like a bee.

Time to Make Hay…..

Looks like the start of the fluctuation of runoff is starting it's pulsating thump around the state, just a week or two early. Hoping to get another week out of the Colorado we made the right choice by bagging our trip and picking a different river. As you can see by the graphs below, did we ever make the right move. A nice 2000 CFS move over Saturday and Sunday.

Not nearly the same drastic move but up almost 900 CFS. Water had marginal clarity last weekend, sure it went to hell this weekend.

The Eagle also decided to join the game, and spiked a little. 

 The Gunnison stair stepped up a little so it probably isn't in to bad of shape and still worth a trip over, especially with the cold front coming through the next few days. With rain and overcast weather in the forecast, streamers would be in the forecast.

Time to get out and make the best of it in the next couple of weeks, then it would be time for 

stillwater fishing or time off. Make it count….

Drift Boat Drive In- Craig, Mt

Where you going to be on May 15th? Anywhere around Craig, MT , if so you should 

plan on spending the day floating and fishing during the day, making sure to leave plenty of 

beer in the cooler for the Driftboat Drive-In , later that night. 

This is a special treat to the locals and visitors in Craig while visiting in Craig . Come view local made videos form the Montana Fishing Film Festival. Pull up, drop off the raft or drift boat in front of the screen on main street, at sundown, get ready for a little fun and beer drinking.

Come one, Come all, support a great cause.

"Fish on the Lower" by Brickhouse Creative

Came across this beautifully shot video short by Brickhouse Creative. I am always mesmerized by the close up shots of rising fish taking dries. The photography and editing are very nice on this short film. Check it out this morning, enjoy your coffee...

Spring on the Lower Madison