" Pizza Butt" by Blue Halo

             Pizza Butt a Blue Halo Production from Blue Halo on Vimeo.

Just a little something from the boys at Blue Halo Rods, having a little with 

Pizza Butt Rap and some great Cutthroat fishing. What a great way to kickoff 

another weekend of fishing.

If you don't own a Blue Halo, you need to go out and grab one, what a hoot for a few hundred 

shekels. Fun with fiberglass.....

Rockin' Road Trip-

4576 miles would cap off 35 days of great fishing across Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. Ms. Floatfisher and I would start our little adventures fishing the North Platte at Saratoga, WY, as the melt would end Fathers Day Weekend. 

It had been several years since we had floated the waters of the Upper North Platte and it would not

disappoint, fish, scenery and great food.

No trip to Saratoga is complete without a visit to the Wolf Hotel for a beer and steak, however, we would skip the steak this visit, in favor of the new local favorite, Bella's Bistro. Wow, worth visit and amazing food.

Boat Launch on the upper North Platte near Saratoga

Our next excursion a few days later would take us to the Missouri River in Montana for nine days.

We would set up camp in two different cabins and fish the roughly 30 miles of river around, and down from Craig. We would become the local trout bums, as the locals would know us by name at both Joe's and Issack's by the end of our visit. Wow , what a tab, we would rack up too....

Caddis, PMD's and Trico's were all on the menu as we homesteaded on the river. A new experience, as Mary and I would get schooled by a few of the upper river fish, as they were well accustomed to many of the usual patterns and drag free presentations were a must. We soon got the hang of it , and were catching some nice fish.

Rowing the Rio Grande

Our travels would then wind us by the upper Bighorn at Thermopolis and down to Casper to fish the North Platte at Casper. Having passed  by this section of river for 10 + years and never stopped, it was now time. Stupid us, can't believe all the great fish we had been passing up. We caught many nice , healthy big rainbows.

One of the many hookups along the way. What a great road trip.

Fantastic live music on the 4th in Craig, Mt.

So many flies tied on, taken off, lost on fish. Damn this is fun...

The end of the journey would come this past weekend, with blow trip to 

Rio Grande river. 35 Days, 17 days of fishing and 4576 miles driven,

what a rockin' road trip.....

River Fog

"River Fog"

kuchynkaPHOTO

On the Road Again

On the road again, as the greatWilly Nelson sings. It is has been our theme song for the last 8 weeks or so, as each week has been action packed and brought a new river to fish and sights to see. This weeks escapade would take to the southwestern side of the state to visit the Rio Grande River.

Always one of our favorite rivers to fish, up near the small quiant towns of Creede, Southfork and Del Norte. 

Our ambitious float this weekend would have putting in at the Collier State easements floating all the way down to the #17 take-out. I am not sure how far we decided to float, but somewhere between 13-17 mile. Maybe not the smartest move, but sure damn pretty and fun.

Normally it is always the Ms. Floatfisher and I, but this time we decided to take some of our good friends on a little fishing , hoot and holler trip. 3 boats, bloody mary's to kick off the float circus, and what a great day. Bluebird skies, lush green foliage and fantastic flows would treat us to a great day on the SW ditch.

Views in every direction were stunning, water flows are dropping so now is the time to get over and get a float in. Flow at Wagon Wheel Gap were 500 cfs. and 750 cfs down at Del Norte. 

Only wish we would have had the Adipose skiff with us, would have been perfect for the drift boat.

Caddis would prove to be the hot ticket to the day, Ms. Flatfishes, fished the double X-Caddis to amazing success.

Afternoons storms threatened to roll in on us, but it only brought on better fishing .

The lower river is nothing but beautiful, our great friends Jim and Jan enjoy a little wine and ride down riffles of the Rio Grande.

The last highlight to the trip was dinner for 7 at the delightful and wonderful Windsor Hotel and Dining Room. If you have not stopped here before, put this on your list of places to visit and have dinner. The appetizers and main courses were amazing, as well as the tour of the rooms were beautiful. The Flat Iron Steak is to die for, as well as the Chocolate Soufflé. Oh,   This will definitely be a stop next time we come down, with 3 Barrels Brewing on block down. 

Simms

While traveling a couple weeks ago, we had the morning to goof around in Bozeman, have breakfast,

visit a few of the local fly shops and we decided to shop and check out the new facilities of Simms.

Not sure if a tour could be had or not, we would stop by and see the wader production in full force.

Absolutely a huge facility, where all the waders are produced for 28 countries , give or take a couple. I am sure some my information could be wrong as I was not prepared for all the grew information the 
receptionist was giving us about Simms and all the great products they produce. Obviously, most of boots and clothing come from other area's or oversea's and shipped out Bozeman.

One thing I noticed in our visit, where all the smiles and the clean and nice work 

environment that present. Man were they pumping out some units.

Turn Back the Clock

Well over a month away from our home ditch and how nice it was to be back home. Quite a 

significant difference from June 15th when we left and saw the water lapping 4200 CFS. and moving 

small house sized trees down the river. 

Scouting the river would show us the new changes to the river channels, the redeposited debris piles, 

the scoured and clean river bottom ready for new bug life. Oh, how nice... 

Figuring there would many private boaters looking to fulfill their need to fish and row, we decided we would float a lower section away from others , so we did not have to share the river. It worked

not another single boat, a private river.

 We invited our good friends Andy and Paul to see a part of the river they had never fished, 

as rapids they would row for the first time. Always fun to see some beady eyes, a little wide 

open, as they hit the wave trains. Rapids always look a little different from water level,

than they do from the scouting level.

 Well I think it has been at least 5 or so years since we have a day like this, not many casts

went without a fish being on the end of the line. A single dry would do the trick most of the day for our boat, but Paul and Andy would fish doubles and do equally as well.

Going small in the soft water with a #16 olive stimulator was deadly. The fish would be sipping and sucking them down with wild abandon. In the heavier water, a Chubby in purple, would be equally as deadly, and not be to tie on to 3X. A one fly kind of day.

Frequent stops were in order to laugh and giggle, occasionally have a shot of fireball, 

and decide which bank to switch things up on. 

Weathered hands tie on another fly from the toothy browns, that were tearing 

the flies.

 Ms. Floatfisher likes fish pictures so she can have pedicures and pretty nails.

North Platte Stage Stop

Well, I can't believe it we finally broken down and did it. After thirteen years of working next too, driving past, so many times, Ms. Floatfisher and I finally decided it was time to see what everyone

was talking about and wet a line. We would make a stop one the way home after our ten days on

on the Missouri River, just to break up the drive a little. (sounds like a good excuse )

Ray Lutz with Wyoming Flyfishers would be our host for the day, and 

what a great host we would be. A complete fishing nut, dude can put people on fish, fish

and more fish, and apologized repeatedly for us not catching the large ones. I guess the cookie cutter 19"  fish aren't acceptable after the first 30 or so, and you want some  21-23" fish. I am pretty happy with 19" fish, they are very scrappy hard fighting fish.

For the first trip I was not expecting high pines and overwhelming beauty that the other Wyoming rivers we have fished, as the wind and pararie grasses were blowing.

Thought this was a great picture, as this was a little rats nest that 

Ray would pick useful flies and other item out when he needed them.

Seems some various boxes of supplies turned over in the drift boat a few weeks

ago and made the beautiful mess. He has just mad the best of it, as business has been to busy 

to mess with it. Worked for him, worked for us....

The bug boxes that worked for us.

Thunder storms brewing in the distance.

Some great non descript  water that provided many fish. This river will 

now be on our regular agenda. However, we will have to get a trolling motor for 

the Adipose, I am guessing....

Ms. Floatfisher is a New Breed

Ms. Floatfisher is very photogenic, and is quick to make friends. Mark Raisler of Headhunters was no exception during our last trip. Recently Mary made the New Breed Chicks Colorado edition .

She was very excited.

New Breed Chicks Rule Colorado Edition

 July 12, 2015

 Mark Raisler

 New Breed Chicks

 No Comments on New Breed Chicks Rule Colorado Edition

Mary K. with this nice brown trout on the release.

We are keeping ’em wet this summer with our trophy shots not out of the water.

We may slip up once in a while but the entire HH gang is on board. So not as many at all fish outta the water.

New Breed Chicks Rule Colorado Edition

Keepemwet is the right thing to do and Mary agrees.

We all have plenty of 16″ Rainbows. Do you/we really need more?

May says no, no thanks.

Remember them how they are as they are etched in our memories for life.

Words of wisdom Mary. Thanks a ton for coming out with Brian and we will see you again in 2016…or later this fall for the BWO bite!

Cup O Joe Float

Our morning would start very early, usually before the sun was up, we would call this the 

"cup o joe float". It would involve some Orphan Annies and Coffee and our float from Craig to Mid-Cannon. A relatively short float the would provide some great dry fly fishing with no other boat and some great wildlife viewing.

Bent over with a eat on purple chubby.

The pot at the end of the rainbow.

After a long day on the river, bellying up to a frosty IPA at Issack's

is a the perfect capper.

Had the opportunity to fish and float with our great friend Eric, long time guide on 

the Missouri. Eric was showing us some of the finer points of fishing Trico's.

Moving our feathered friend out of a real nice back channel. Damn pelicans.

Ms. Floatfisher again rails another rainbow to the Adipose. Mary

held the title of queen flyfisher for the trip. 

Sheer beauty

Missouri River Escape

Headhunter's on the Missouri River would be our center of operations for 10 days of great dry fly fishings. Once again the fantastic team at Headhunters, treated Mary and I like kings and queens during our visit. Sara, Julie, Mark and the rest of the crew really know customer service.

 The reason we would choose to spend the entire time on the river, would be the ample river miles one can cover, (over 30) and the crazy amount of bugs that are available on this river.  As you can see, from the photo below, the balls Trico's where thick. We managed to catch several fish on the spinners, as this would test our wits. These bastards were tough. 

One of the nice bows that fell victim to a nicely presented trico, finally.

Much like a steelhead, a fish of many casts.

 We would be present for the annual Craig 4th of July celebration.

Band playing at the Log Jam Stage at Issack's. We would have prime seats from our cabin

on 1st street, with a great view of the stage and fireworks on main street and the rooftop of 

Headhunters , Joe's Bar and 2 Private shows. What a great way to spend the 4th!

 A little highlight from the rooftop to Headhunters Flyshop

 The Grand fanalie!

We would share our stay between two nice cabins near the river one in Craig and 
our second residence on Cox Creek, a great little cabin off the main path.

 Isaac's would provide some excellent libations after a day on the river and fantastic 

food. Ribs and walleye were excellent. Not to mention the IPA's and Moscoe Mules.