Hey guys. It's been a while since I've been on here. Between the economy and work it's been an intersting few months. Thankfully I was able to get out Montana and Drag asked me to post some pics. Real low budget trip compared to the fully guided trip I did last year.[up]
Day 1 - leave Newark at 6:00 AM. Bad start, 1 hour delay for some stupid paperwork reason and we miss our connection in Minneapolis. Our party get's split up - 2 of us on to Bozeman, 1 they have routed through Salt Lake City to arrive late night. Total airline BS. We decide to put him through Billings and then he would drive so he didn't lose the whole day.
Hit my friends property on the upper Madison around 4:00 PM and fish til 9:00PM. Good action nymphing, tons of caddis but no risers. Some nice fish. walk back to the camp site for steaks and cigars. Cold/breezy night but we were prepared for it.
Day 2 - up, breakfast, fish. We hit the river until about 4:30 with only a break for lunch. Good action again but this time we get to do some dry fly fishing. Did well with salmon flys and caddis. Landed my best brown to date but couldn't manage a picture before he dropped out of my hand.[mad]
Day 3 - back at the house. Wake up, drive over to the Gallatin and start nymphing. Smaller fish but lots of em. Everyone is catching fish but me, can't get myself sorted out. [wallmad] so I decide to walk upstream a ways. I'm starting to see some mayflys and I finally hit on a pool with some rise action so I switch over to a pattern that looks right and I'm catching rainbows immediately. Continued up river and hit two more pools full of browns. Good dry fly action for 2 hours off and on. Wrap back to town for lunch and beers, then we hit the river again and fish until day end - another couple browns and we're off for dinner, sleep and an early flight home.
GREAT trip! Hope I get these pictures right
Madison River in the morning
Salmon Fly
Gallatin
Gallatin
Day 1 - leave Newark at 6:00 AM. Bad start, 1 hour delay for some stupid paperwork reason and we miss our connection in Minneapolis. Our party get's split up - 2 of us on to Bozeman, 1 they have routed through Salt Lake City to arrive late night. Total airline BS. We decide to put him through Billings and then he would drive so he didn't lose the whole day.
Hit my friends property on the upper Madison around 4:00 PM and fish til 9:00PM. Good action nymphing, tons of caddis but no risers. Some nice fish. walk back to the camp site for steaks and cigars. Cold/breezy night but we were prepared for it.
Day 2 - up, breakfast, fish. We hit the river until about 4:30 with only a break for lunch. Good action again but this time we get to do some dry fly fishing. Did well with salmon flys and caddis. Landed my best brown to date but couldn't manage a picture before he dropped out of my hand.[mad]
Day 3 - back at the house. Wake up, drive over to the Gallatin and start nymphing. Smaller fish but lots of em. Everyone is catching fish but me, can't get myself sorted out. [wallmad] so I decide to walk upstream a ways. I'm starting to see some mayflys and I finally hit on a pool with some rise action so I switch over to a pattern that looks right and I'm catching rainbows immediately. Continued up river and hit two more pools full of browns. Good dry fly action for 2 hours off and on. Wrap back to town for lunch and beers, then we hit the river again and fish until day end - another couple browns and we're off for dinner, sleep and an early flight home.
GREAT trip! Hope I get these pictures right
Madison River in the morning
Salmon Fly
Gallatin
Gallatin