Little Red Bugger

The Little Red Bugger

Hook: Size 10 streamer hook (it's supposed to be tiny)
Thread: 6/0 whatever color you want
Ribbing: Small diameter gold or silver wire
Tail: One red and one peach colored marabou feather
Body: Small red standard chenille
Hackle: Small red strung saddle hackle
Flash: a couple strands of your favorite tinsel in the tail (not shown)

I was first turned onto this fly, some years ago, by the old guy at Flint Creek Outdoors in Phillipsburg, Montana.  I went in to ask for tips on the early season fishing on Georgetown Lake and he told me this little red Woolly Bugger was the ticket.  He said it did a good job resembling a tiny brook trout.  Whatever the fish took it for, it was definitely a really effective fly.  I caught a million rainbows and my first huge G-town brook trout.

The story doesn't end there.  The next day, as it always seems to do up there, the wind started howling and it even started snowing.  I hadn't got my fill of fishing yet (don't know if there is such a thing) so I headed down to the upper Clark Fork at Warm Springs.  Out of pure laziness and curiosity, I left the little red bugger tied on and proceeded to catch what seemed like every last brown trout in the river. It was unreal.  I also caught one of those gigantic rainbow trout that fall over the spillway.

The streamer trend over the last decade has been towards those huge, Gallup-inspired wet mops streamers.  While they are fun to fish and certainly effective in a lot of situations, streamers that huge are really not necessary for catching huge trout.  They can be hard to get down in the fish's feeding zone, they are impossible to role cast, and in tailwater-type waters, they aren't really the best choice. Think about that 2 foot brown trout you caught on the MO on a size 22 midge nymph...bigger bait doesn't always mean bigger fish.

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

It's all out insanity mode right now as I move on over to Butte, America in a scrambled rush.  I did take a mental health break the other day and went fishing for a while downtown.  I killed it with the old Soft Hackle Sow Bug and even caught a 20" bull trout.  I wanted to take a picture sooooo bad but my camera was not ready and I didn't want to harm such a special fish in any way.  While I'm moving to a place with 10x more awesome places to fish, I'm sure going to miss just being able to ride my bike downtown like that.

More soon, be safe...

MT Trout Unlimited on the PBS NewsHour

Check out this great video by Meri DeMarois of the University of Montana and her mentor, Anna Rau from Montana PBS.  This piece aired nationwide last week on the PBS NewsHour.  Some of my local heroes make cameos.  Bruce Farling of MTTU, Dr. Lisa Eby from UM, Carey Schmidt of Westslope TU.

Thanks O-bama! No really, thanks

Photo courtesy of The White House

Yesterday, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum protecting Bristol Bay, Alaska from all future oil and gas drilling.

"These waters are too special and too valuable to auction off to the highest bidder" -President Obama

While this is obviously a great thing and something to be celebrated, the movement to conserve Bristol Bay and the rivers that feed it is far from over.  The Pebble Mine, potentially the worlds largest open pit copper, gold, and molybdenum mine still looms on the horizon.

You want to see how fun it is to have a huge open pit mine in your watershed?  Come visit me in Butte, America and you can see how awesome it really is.

Photo courtesy of The White House

A little surprise

Upper Clark Fork brook trout

So, my "work/school fishing trip" to the Butte area turned into a work/school fishing trip.  Turns out, getting all the required documents to my new school is a lot more laborious than I expected.  However, I did have to shoot back over there yesterday to look at an apartment.  That left me like 45 minutes of daylight in a snowstorm to hit the Upper Clark Fork below the ponds.

I had been fishing for like 5 minutes when I hooked into this male brookie all colored up for the spawn.  I've never caught a brook trout this big in the Clark fork.  There are huge brookies upstream of the ponds and the tribs in the area are loaded with them but this big boy was right in the main stem and was surely a post spawn holdover.

There are redds everywhere in the upper CF right now from the browns (and some brookies I guess) which have been abandoned.  I'm sure you can still find some fish on redds, but it looks like the spawn is over.  Be really careful up here, don't be a dick and fish for trout on their redds.  More importantly, don't walk on the redds.

Redds are easy to spot in small streams like the upper Clark Fork, especially redds from fish who spawn in the fall.  The bottom is usually covered in dead organic material which is a darker color.  The redds are dinner plate to dinner table sized areas of stream bed which are clean gravel.  They are usually in slower water and at the tailouts of deeper holes.

You can see that this fish is wrapped in my leader.  I didn't take the time to try and get a perfect picture because this guy could potentially still be trying to find a mate and he most likely just had a long voyage from wherever he came from.  This was a quick lift out of the net, snap, and release type deal.  Notice the EZ Bunny hanging out of his mouth.

Winter fishing is full of surprises.      

Montana Fly Fishing Connection

Last night, Joe Sowerby from Montana Fly Fishing Connection gave a great presentation on the Smith River of central Montana.  Bruce Farling of Montana Trout Unlimited opened the event by highlighting the potential threats posed to the Smith by a proposed copper mine in the watershed. The underground mine could potentially have serious, never ending, effects on this fabled and loved Montana stream, which is an important tributary to the Missouri River.

 

To show us all what is at stake, Mr. Sowerby put together a slideshow of fantastic pictures, fish porn, and fisheries data.  Joe did a really wonderful job and is a great public speaker.  If you are planning a guided trip to western/central Montana, especially on the Smith, I'd seriously recommend checking these guys out. 

 

If you give a damn about the trout streams of Montana and America, please join Trout Unlimited today!

 

I'd like to thank Montana Trout Unlimited for having me as a guest fly tier for the event.  It was my first time doing such a big event.  I'm not going to lie, I was terrified for the first couple minutes but after people started to show some interest in my weird flies, it was really fun.  The other guest tier was a professional fly tier and a guide which really put on the pressure.

 

Thanks to all of the folks that mentioned my little blog.  It was extremely humbling to know that some of the people who I look up to actually read it once and a while. 

 

I'm currently going through a major life transition and relocation and my posting has slowed down more than I'd like.  Please stay tuned as I'm piling up back stories and making new ones everyday.  It's just me here at RBM Chronicles and I've currently got the weight of the world on my shoulders.   

   

 

Early winter scenes from the lower 'Root

The lower Bitterroot in December

The warm, foggy conditions over the last week have made for some great winter fishing conditions on the local rivers.  Even the Clark Fork has shed most of its shore ice.

No ice - no people

Bitterroot in early winter

Did I mention that there was a solid midge hatch and some fish up on them?  I stuck with the streamer because it is still really effective.  Man, I lost two huge trout yesterday which just about ripped my rod out of my hand.  Sometimes those monster streamer hits can spook you when your not paying attention.

I love walking down a snowy shoreline and the only footprints I see are from the geese, heron, and furry creatures.  

Go Grizzlies!

The Montana Grizzlies take on the Eastern Washington Eagles today in the second round of the FSC playoffs.  No matter what happens, my bet is that it is a really good game.  It's also nice that it is in the afternoon.  This will allow me to get out on the river and swing some flies before the game.

The Clark Fork and Bitterroot are kinda fishable right now.  The work/school fishing trip to the Butte area is all set and I'm really excited to try out some of my ice fly creations on Georgetown.
 

Staying busy

The hot seat

I've been tying flies like a Chinese factory worker for the upcoming demo at the Trout Unlimited meeting this month.  These are all flies that are great winter patterns that can also be used through the ice.  I will post them on here soon.

The fishing has been rough around here since the cold blew in again last week.  The rivers are frozen up pretty good.  At the same time, the ice on the local ponds got pretty sketchy during the last warm spell. For good ice, you have to travel.  Reports from Georgetown are good.

I got a trip to Butte coming up and the upper Clark Fork and Georgetown are in my sights.

John Barr's Meat Whistle

The Meat Whistle

Hook:  Size 4 - Huge Gamakatsu or similar jig style, round bend hook (size 2 is shown)
Cone: Tungsten only
Thread:  6/0 in appropriate color
Tail:  Rabbit strip
Ribbing:  Small copper wire
Body:  Fish Scale body tubing (wrapped flat)
Flash:  Gold or silver Flashabou
Legs:  Silli Legs (Crawdad Pumpkin Silli Legs are shown)
Throat:  Marabou tips
Head:  Thread wrapped in front of the cone.  Use the same thread color as the body or make a hot spot with some color.

This fly has some unique features.  Obviously, it is tied on a jig hook.  This opens up an array of ways to fish it.  It is perfect for dead drifting in the winter and can be used on a dude rig in the spring.  In the late summer, it is a great crayfish imitation that can be dredged through the deepest of runs.

The Meat Whistle is also great for stillwater fishing and can even be fished through the ice.  Not only is this fly versatile in how it can be presented, it also catches many different species of fish.  Tie this fly in every color you have to match all sorts of situations.

One of the best things about this fly is the name.  Google "meat whistle" while not at work.  Pretty funny name for this fly.  Also makes reading the title of this post aloud hysterical.  Didn't know John Barr had such a sense of humor.

Black seadevil anglerfish footage

Damn, that thing is ugly!

While you were watching football...

...the Bitterroot was on fire.  Contrary to what you may read on some of our local fly shop's fishing reports, the local fly fishing is great.  The lower Bitterroot streamer bite is great right now, there is absolutely NO shore ice, and the water is clear and perfect for wade fishing or a float!

Rainbow missing his maxilla

Another rainbow in the net

Nice cutbow eats the EZ Bunny

See Ya!

So, thanks to the local fly shops for telling everyone the fishing is essentially "over" for the year.  I like to have my rivers to myself anyway.  It is still November.

I caught fish on streamers (EZ Bunny in white) all day and the only other people I saw were some friendly duck hunters.  I'm not trying to sell you anything so go ahead and keep watching football and leave the rivers to me.  I got this!

More big news at RBM headquarters



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am humbled, honored, and beyond excited to have been accepted into the Montana Tech family.  Origionally known as the Montana State School of Mines, MT Tech is a bad-ass little school on the hill in Butte, America.

 

I never thought I'd get my high school diploma, let alone, graduate from college.  Now, I'll be taking my crazy little life to a whole new horizon; graduate school.  Yikes!

 

Butte is right in the center of western Montana.  I will literally be surrounded by world famous trout streams in all directions.  There is also some great fishing right in and around town. 

 

For those of you that don't know, Butte is also one of the craziest places you will ever go, as well as a huge EPA Superfund Site.  I'll be doing my work/studies right in the mess on the hill.

 

Look forward to reports on my new adventures, discoveries, and stories from one of the coolest cities in the country. 

 

GO DIGGERS!!

 

Marriage Equality in Montana

Image from:  http://www.gayrva.com

To my gay friends and family,
I'm sorry it has been such a hard fight to gain equality and fight discrimination.  Today, Montana takes a step in the right direction and out of the dark ages.  Let the wedding bells ring!!

Missoula Area Fishing Report - Mid November

Yep, winter came in last week and shut down the fall fly fishing for good.  All of the rivers in our area look like Alaska right now.  While most people have packed up their fly fishing gear and have started to think about getting into some powder, I have gone into fishing overdrive.

Winter fishing is awesome.  One of the biggest factors for me starting this blog was a realization that there is very little information and enthusiasm for winter fishing.  That ends now!

For instance, did you know that you can fly fish through the ice?  They even make ice rods with fly reels on them.  You use the same winter flies you would use on the river.  It's a whole different game but it is a hell of a lot better than freaking out about winter and being miserable like everyone else.

During warm spells the Bitterroot, Upper Clark Fork, and the Missouri can fish like the freaking bees knees and you can go days without seeing another fisherperson. We live in a winter wonderland, those people who get cabin fever in the winter are either just lazy or for some reason not able to be active.

So here it is, a somewhat abbreviated (for now) Missoula Area winter fishing report.

The Clark Fork:
Frozen.  However, the upper river will fish all winter.  Use Missouri River winter patterns like orange bead scuds and sows, eggs, and streamers.  There are some monster rainbows up there (pushing 30") that fall over the dam and there's always the resident browns.

The Bitterroot:
Frozen.  When we have a warm spell, this river will be scary until the iceburgs clear out, but then, it is low flows, easy wading, beautiful sunsets and stacked up fish in the winter runs; and you have it all to yourself.

The Missouri R.:
The only issue you'll have here is nasty weather.  When you get a nice day over there, it is winter paradise.  It's so pretty and odd.  I just love it on the MO in the winter.  I don't take a boat because wading is the best in the winter.  It's a nymphing and streamer deal with midges on the shoulders of the season.

And ice fishing:

Beavertail Pond:
I love this stupid pond.  As of yesterday, it had 3 inches of hard, clear ice.  I played it cautious and fished in no deeper that waste deep in case I fell through.  Ideally you want 4".  The north side of the pond is where the aquifer enters so the ice was only 2" thick.  I'd stay away from that end for a while.  The brood stock rainbows are in there and they are ready to eat.  They are huge (25"+ and up to 10lbs.) and they cruise around in swarms.  You can go a half hour without a sign and then all of a sudden there's 3 submarines headed at your fly.  In between trout swarms, you'll catch perch.  I use steelhead size egg patterns, tiny egg patterns, and jig head streamers.

Harpers Lake:
This is a small natural lake up near Clearwater Crossing.  Because it is at a higher elevation, the ice is better than Beavertail. The brood stock are also put in here.  The water is very clear which makes looking down the hole really fun.  One of the best things about ice fishing is that it is a lot like snorkeling.  Your suspended above this whole scene and you can watch all sorts of stuff and get instant feedback on the fish.  I use the same flies up here.

There are many other ice fishing ponds/lakes around here but I won't report on them until I fish them.  Stay tuned.

Be Steelheaded

On Nov. 20, Trout Unlimited will launch the Wild Steelhead Initiative, an ambitious and hopeful project to protect and restore wild steelhead and the incredible fishing opportunities they provide throughout their native range in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Whether you reside in a steelhead state, or like many, venture cross country to chase this elusive fish, we hope you will get involved in TU's newest venture. The heart of the Initiative will be a new community, Wild Steelheaders United, which is being established to inform, organize and activate anglers (regardless of preferred gear type) to protect and recover wild steelhead. In short, Wild Steelheaders United is a home to anyone who believes in the common quest to protect these fish and the incredible fishing opportunities they provide. The Initiative will focus on river systems that have high potential to support robust, fishable wild steelhead populations, while accepting that properly managed steelhead hatcheries may be appropriate to provide fishing and harvest opportunity in rivers that no longer have the capacity to support wild steelhead. This effort will begin in the Western states and as it grows, expand eastward into the Great Lakes region as funding and resources permit. The Initiative will address both habitat protection/restoration and steelhead policy and management so that all of the "Hs" (habitat (including hydro), hatcheries, and harvest) are aligned so that wild steelhead can thrive. Please join us to kick-off the Initiative at simultaneous events in all five "steelhead states" at the locations listed below. The events are free and open to the public. More information to come soon! Stay tuned to tu.org, our Facebook and Twitter pages to learn more about TU's newest effort. Seattle Earl Harper Studio — 6:30p.m. 5531 Airport Way S Seattle, WA 98108 PHONE: (206) 763-9101 For more information, contact host John McMillan. Boise Empire Building — 7:30p.m. 205 10th St. Boise, ID 83702 For more information, contact host, the Ted Trueblood chapter. Portland Lucky Lab Taphouse — 6:30p.m. 1700 North Killingsworth St. Portland, OR 97217 PHONE: (503) 505-9511 For more information, contact host Dwayne Meadows. Juneau – (Kickoff and Wild Reverence Showing) Silverbow Inn Backroom — 6p.m. 120 Second Street Juneau, AK 99801 PHONE: (907) 586-4146 For more information, contact host Mark Heironymus. Santa Cruz/Monterey Seminar Room, Moss Landing Marine Laboratory — 6:30p.m. 8272 Moss Landing Rd. Moss Landing, CA 95039 PHONE: (831) 771-4400 For more information, contact host Sam Davidson. © 2014 Trout Unlimited - all rights reserved. Contact Us | TU.ORG You are receiving this email because this email address is associated with a Trout Unlimited Membership or has opted to receive email communications from Trout Unlimited. To modify your communication preferences, email us at trout@tu.org or call 1- 800-834-2419. Trout Unlimited 1777 N. Kent Street, Suite 100 Arlington, VA 22209 Unsubscribe from all TU email communication, including news, action alerts and membership offers.

The EZ Bunny Fly - detailed instructions

Hook:  Size 6 streamer hook

Cone head:  Small nickel cone head with eyeball

Thread:  6/0 white

Tail flash:  Pearl Flashabou

Tail/Body:  Small white rabbit zonker strip

Throat:  Ice Dub – UV Pearl

Legendary fly tier Jack Dennis wrote the “Three Commandments” for tying flies.  He states that flies should be durable, easy and quick, and that they should catch fish.  The EZ Bunny Fly is the epitome of this ideology.  The fly is super durable, you can tie one in less than 5 minutes, and it catches huge trout.  You can tie this fly in yellow, brown, green, or red.  The white is really effective and fun to fish because you can see it so well in the water.  It is really exciting to watch it swim across a run and move trout like an electrofishing wand.

Step 1

Tie in about 1 inch of Flashabou off the back of the hook.

Step 2

 

Tie a rabbit strip to the back of hook for the tail of the fly.  There should be about 2 inches of leather for the tail length.  Don’t cut the long end of the rabbit strip as you’ll use this for the body.

Step 3

Fold the long (body) strip back and make some thread turns right in front of it to really lock in the rabbit strip.

Step 4

Apply a small amount of your favorite glue to the shank of the hook.  Then, palmer the long strip of rabbit up to the cone.  This creates the body of the fly.

 

Step 5

Apply some of the Ice Dub to the thread and make a few wraps behind the cone to hide any thread wraps and then, whip finish.

Hank Patterson movie night in Missoula

I saw Hank going into the Missoulian Angler last night while I was on my way to the brewery.

RBM Chronicles goes big-time

I've been involved with Trout Unlimited over the years as a student, volunteer, and employee.  They are a great organization and anyone who calls themselves a trout fisherperson or conservationist should become a member.  Our local Missoula chapter (WestSlope Chapter) asked if I'd help out with the Fly of the Month section of their monthly newsletter and I said, "hell yeah!"

They'll be linking to the blog for fly recipes.  I couldn't be happier about it.  I'm really going to have to fix the logo now!  I kind of like it as it is.  Kind of an ongoing joke with myself.  Anyway, stay tuned for a November fishing report, a review of Hank Patterson's Reel Montana Adventure, and stories from a day out with another beginner fly fisherperson.

Take a kid fishing. If you don't know any, teach an adult.

Check out the November newsletter from the WestSlope Chapter of Trout Unlimited and become a member today!

I fish and I vote

Image from: blogs.kqed.org

Get off your ass and go vote today!!

Dia de los Muertos - Missoula, MT

Light Bike

For a small city in Montana, we have a really good Day of the Dead Parade.  The parade runs through downtown and ends in Caras Park on the bank of the Clark Fork.  There is a big party with all sorts of curiosities under the pavillion at the park.

22nd Annual Day of the Dead

Mother with lights

Gliding Brides

Tall Skeletons

Day of Dead Banners

Caras Park - Day of Dead

In Memory of: Grandma C., Grandpa P., Great Grandma R., and Wizzie.

Happy Haloween

My favorite pumpkins from when my pup was alive

Have a safe and happy Haloween.

Hank Patterson's Reel Montana Adventure

Hank Patterson's Reel Montana Adventure debuts in Missoula on November, 7th at the Wilma and is presented by Trout Unlimited and Trout Jousters.

Great new video from Joe Cummings

Check out this great new video from A Classic Journey Outfitters.  These are the home waters.   

A cool place to stay in Butte

The next time you find yourself in Butte, America after a long day of chasing the area's huge trout, do yourself a favor and stay at the historic Finlen Hotel.

Finlen Hotel Ballroom

I had some family in town and we went to Butte.  We stayed at the Finlen and it was pretty freaking awesome.  For the same room price as the chain motels in the area, you can stay in this really cool, super kept-up, beautiful old hotel on the hill in uptown butte.

Hotel Finlen Lobby

I should have took this picture at night when the lobby was all lit up by those chandeliers.

1/2 of the two room "double bed"

The rooms were clean and pretty fancy.  When you get 2 beds, you get two rooms, each with there own desk and TV.

The Butte area has great fly fishing.

Blacktail Creek:
You may not guess by looking at it but Blacktail Creek, which runs out of the Highlands and right through town, is full of nice brook trout.  There is a trail along most of the urban stretches with all the access you could want.  I've walked the length of that stream from the mouth all the way up to the top in the Highlands, and I can tell you that there is 5-12" brook trout with the occasional cutthroat in every hole, even under Harrison Ave.

Figure It Out Yourself Creek:
You wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway and I'm not going to be responsible for letting the word out. Spend some time talking to locals or ask around at the local fly shop.  There is a very unassuming creek right under your nose with some unbelievable fishing.  Literally, sniff out the smell of urinal.  That's all the clues I'm giving.

Warm Springs Creek:
This small stream, like the rest, has gone through hell and somehow is still an amazing fishery.  This stream is hard to get on but a day spent exploring this creek can be fun.

Warm Springs Settling Ponds:
These large man made ponds were built to allow metals from Silver Bow Creek to settle out before it is released from the outlet as the Clark Fork.  The ponds grow gigantic freaking fish in this nutrient rich environment.  The fishing here can be epic at times.

The Upper Clark Fork:
This is one of my favorite places to fish.  From the outlet of the settling ponds all the way down to Jens will keep you busy for years.  There is so much to explore.  Brown trout rule supreme in the upper Clark Fork and there are miles and miles of undercut banks and deep holes to mine for copper and gold (all puns intended).  There are also some great tributaries to the Clark Fork up here which can make for good day trips.  Racetrack Cr. and the Little Blackfoot are great options.

The Big Hole:
The Big Hole River is amazing.  From the brook trout and grayling in headwaters in the Big Hole Valley all the way down to the hallowed brown trout water of the lower river, the Big Hole is a must for anyone who's ever dreamed of the Montana experience.

The Beaverhead:
This is a bit down the road, but in Montana, it's not really that far.  The Beav is a small, high elevation tailwater stream.  It is another one of my favorite places to fish.  It's very similar to fishing the upper Clark Fork but with more trout per mile.  There's also more people per trout per mile.  That's a ratio which should always be considered.