Old skool

Bear Creek Schoolhouse - Cameron, Montana

Yes litteraly, an old school.  It is the final stretch of my academic run.  All I can say is that there is going to be some serious fishing real soon.  Over it!

Sometimes the fishing blows...

Whitecaps on the Three Forks golf course pond

Yesterday's forecast called for 75 degrees and 8-15 mph winds.  I forgot to do the Central Montana add 10.  Along the Rocky Mountain Front, from Clark Canyon Reservoir up to the Canadian border, you have to add 10 mph to the forecast wind speeds to get the actual wind speed. For instance, say you're going to float the Missouri River and the NOAA forecast calls for 7-10 mph wind with gusts to 15.  Well, in reality, it's probably going to be 17-20 mph with gusts to 25. Yesterday, I was so optimistic to go fishing and needed it so bad, that I neglected to do that.  In this case, I should have added 20 mph as the sustained gusts were enough to halt my plans for fishing altogether.  Anyway, I heard Georgetown Lake had 2 ft. swells yesterday.  I can't imagine what it was like on the Missouri!  Ha!

My other boat

Dragonfly Boatworks Dragonfly 12 paddle skiff

In the south, I'm known as Blue Boat Mark.  Not really.  But when I'm there, I do rock this badass paddle skiff from Dragonfly Boatworks. 

My Dragonfly 12 is an earlier model of the "Techie" and was specifically designed for fly fishing.  It has a clean hull with little to nothing to get your line caught on.  There is an insane amount of storage in a huge water-resistant compartment which is insulated and can be used as a cooler. There is also an insulated circular rear compartment that can be used for storage or a live well. The deck has grippy foam for your feet and 3 tracks for attaching the cooler and an endless amount of accessories. 

Dragonfly Boatworks is a flats skiff company and you can see the style reflected in the hull of their paddle boards/skiffs.  The seafoam color screams Florida to me but you can order them in a variety of colors. 

Fly fishing from a paddleboard is amazing.  It takes some practice but once you get it, there is no sneakier way to cruise the flats, canals, and lakes of Southwest Florida or wherever you are.  You see some crazy stuff that you'd never see in a larger craft. Some of what you see in FL will scare the shit out of you. I would love to have one for carping in Montana!!

I also want to give a shout out to West Wall Outfitters in Port Charlotte, FL for hooking me up with the boat and giving me way too much fishing information.  These guys are one of the only real fly shops for miles (so weird to me) but I'd drive past others to go to West Wall.  They have a great selection of kayaks for any type of fishing or recreation, fly tying materials, flies, leaders etc., groups and classes, and friendly staff that wants to see you happy and catching fish.

I can't wait to go buy some redfish flies from West Wall and fish on the blue boat in the Florida sun!

My pet carp

My Three Sons of Bitches

My girlfriend and I rescued these guys from a dismal end this summer.  Fishstick, the largest is about 5 inches long.  After a couple weeks of recovery, these fish are in great shape and are a ton of fun to watch.  Goldfish (Carassius auratus) is one of the smallest members of the carp/minnow family (Cyprinidae) and they have very similar looks and behaviors. They are always tailing around the tank and they cloop like crazy when we feed them.  The cat likes them too!

Peep the cat stalks Sanchez the mini carp 

I'm having a nasty case of fishing withdrawal as I've been too busy birding in the Berkeley Pit. Yep, I said that and yep, it's true.  Unless there is a major emergency, I will be out on the boat in some new water this weekend.  Stay tuned for some autumn beauty in Montana and more fishy nonsense... 

A little brown sugar

Ye olde brown trout face

I had some work training at the Warm Springs Ponds today.  Checked in on the Upper Clark Fork afterward. The brown trout are not quite in the insane zone yet, but they are definitely starting to get excited to eat meat.  My carp leech to be exact.  Also, above the ponds, the cutts are eating streamers.  Yup.  I have been told a million times that cutthroat are not piscivorous by a bunch of fisheries biologists.  I guess I'm a science denier on this one but I do have tangible proof.  On the other side of the continental divide, the carp bite is still on.  However, the calm clear days are few and far between.  It's trout time in Montana.   

Another legend gone...

America has lost another music legend. This week is not starting out so hot.