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. 

The end of September 2nd, 2017 can't come soon enough!

Today sucked.  It sucked more for so many people.  On so many levels, in so many places, and in so many ways.  Today sucked.  I look forward to tomorrow.

Helena area stream restoration volunteer event - this Saturday!!

Mine waste in the Telegraph Creek floodplain (image source unknown) 

The Pat Barns Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Trout Unlimited-National, and the Little Blackfoot River (near Helena) need you!!

"The Pat Barnes Chapter of Trout Unlimited and TU’s Clark Fork River Project invite you to join us in our efforts to revegetate the restored section of Telegraph Creek at the Lilly Orphan Boy Mine site. In 2016, TU and Montana DEQ removed 9,000 cubic yards of mine waste from Telegraph Creek and restored 350 feet of stream channel in the headwaters of the Little Blackfoot River.

The day will begin with a tour of the restored stretch of Telegraph Creek. Rob Roberts, TU Project Manager, will explain the techniques TU and partners used to reclaim the mine site and reconstruct Telegraph Creek. Following the tour, we will plant native trees and shrubs in the restored area.

Revegetation of this area will protect the stream bank and hillslope, promote native plant growth, and add shade to Telegraph Creek.  Please meet at 8:00 AM at the Van’s Thriftway parking lot on Saturday, September 30th. From there we will drive an hour to the site. Please bring appropriate clothing, footwear, and work gloves. Lunch will be provided.  We will finish the volunteer event around 2pm.

To RSVP please contact Max Lewis ASAP via phone or email at mlewis@tu.org or 207-701-1683. "

Gary Lafontaine wrote of the Little Blackfoot River, "There is no stream more special to me than the Little Blackfoot River. Let me completely protect one drainage in the state, from ranching, mining, logging, and even over fishing, and this would be the one."

If you have not yet explored the Little Blackfoot River or its tributaries, do it.  This fall.  I worked in the valley a few years back doing a fish passage/entrainment project from the mouth all the way up every trib.  I went places and met people in that valley that I will probably never see again.  And, I can tell you one thing, this fishery is about as resilient as one can get.

The Little Blackfoot River is heavily degraded and is heavily relied upon for irrigation. Many of its banks have been hoof sheered right out of existence, and there are fish-eating canals and irrigation dams galore!  Meanwhile, just about every one of the tributaries (Telegraph Creek, Dog, Ontario) have major impacts from historic mining. Yet, the fishery lives on.  The lower river has medium-sized (6-16'') brown trout galore.  In the fall, you might find some bigger ones that come in from the Clark Fork.  This area of the river is hard to get on as the entire valley floor is private cattle ranches but there are many locations to exercise legal MT stream access and there is one FWP access site.  The middle reaches have a mix of browns and westslope cutts and the upper (above Elliston) turns into more of a cutthroat fishery.

The Little Blackfoot is a major and vital tributary to the Upper Clark Fork River, a river that has gone through ecological disasters on an unimaginable scale.  The Upper Clark Fork is currently undergoing a major, and I mean MAJOR, restoration project to remove millions of yards of heavily contaminated mine wastes from the good ol' days in Butte and Anaconda.   Likewise, the tributaries of the Little Blackfoot are receiving some love from TU National and stream restoration badass, Rob Roberts.  Be a part of it and get off your ass to do something good.

Are you a TU member like me that can't just write checks or make donations because you are a broke ass who is following your dreams instead of following the money train?  Well here's your chance to give your "in-kind" donation.  I have always been disappointed in the fly fishing community when it comes to volunteer events.  Fly fishers like to talk but they rarely walk the walk.  Prove me wrong!!

How to wash your nasty fishing shirts (performance wear)

Polyester performance fishing shirts AKA sun shirts

No matter what you call them, sun shirts, Florida shirts, tropical-wear, or performance shirt, polyester fishing shirts are awesome and I love them.  They are like wearing a silk sheet which keeps you cool anytime there is even the slightest breeze.  In sunny, hot, and dry Southwest Montana, these shirts give great SPF protection and will dry minutes after getting wet, cooling you to the bone even on the hottest day. In the humid south, the fabric dries more slowly and works like a swamp cooler in the wind making even the hottest day on the flats bearable.  Hell, I even wear sun shirts under my hoodie in the winter here in Montana because they are so comfortable and they make me think of Florida and summer carping when it's -25F and blowing.

Not only are they practical but they can also be beautiful.  They take printing and hold images way better than cotton and have been used for years to display fishy art that is super fun to wear.

However, anyone who has ever owned one of these shirts knows that there are a couple of downsides. They hold BO smell and they stain, badly! For a while, I had given up on some of my favorite shirts because they became so stained that I could no longer wear them in public.  I had a couple of white ones that looked like I had worn them as a line cook in a Greek diner on a Friday night! Not everyone will get that reference but just picture a lot of food and fish fry grease.

We tried everything to get the stains out including using chlorine bleach.  I googled "fishing shirt staining" and saw that a lot of folks were having the same issue.  Many people said that they just don't buy the more expensive printed ones and just throw them out after a while.  Others had concoctions they mixed up which sounded like a lot of work without great results.  I didn't find all the info in one place but I did come to a conclusion that works.  Here it is:

DONT: 

• Use bleach
• Throw your nasty stained/smelly fishing shirts out

Using bleach actually, destroys the fabric and causes it to stain more! 

DO:

• Spot treat mega-bad stains with stain remover like you'd do with any type of clothing
• SOAK THEM IN OXY CLEAN!!

Yes, Oxy Clean is the ticket.  And you don't even need to remember anything.  Follow the instructions on the back for "tough laundry stains."  The longer you soak the shirts, the better.  The first time I tried this, I soaked all of my nasty-ass shirts for 12 hours.  I drained the washer and then ran a normal load.  I was absolutely blown away by the results!  I had little faith and this was really the last shot.  They looked brand new!!  The soaking took out 98% of the stains including gnarly ones around the neck from sunscreen and huge globs from the ribs and pulled pork nachos at Izzaks in Craig.  By soaking them, you're not only totally dissolving the greasy stains but you're also dissolving the disgusting human grease, sweat, and carp slime that causes them to get so stinky.  It was a total restoration. 

Now, I only have to soak them every once in a while when they get bad.  The shirts have actually gotten brighter and cleaner after each subsequent soaking. It's easy and cheap and I get to have my awesome shirts back!

Montana's Ringing Rocks

Montana's Ringing Rocks under smokey skies

Next time you are in the Butte/Whitehall area and have some extra time or are looking for a way to burn a few hours in the mountains with your family, check out the Ringing Rocks. For whatever reason, the rocks ring like a metal bell when hit with a hammer.  They only work when they are still solidly attached to the outcrop.  If you hit the loose ones or try to bring one home, it will not ring.  It's definitely weird and cool.

Here's a video I took. Turn the sound on!:

To get to there, get off Interstate 90 at the Pipestone exit and head to the dirt turnaround on the north side of the highway.  There is a couple of dirt roads that branch from this location.  Take the road that seems to head east.  It is marked with a skinny brown sign that says "Ringing Rocks."  Follow these skinny brown signs up into the mountains with your high clearance vehicle for 4 or 5 miles.  My girlfriend got us all the way up there in her Subaru but that is not advised.  It was fun to watch though. You can also go part way and walk the rest (about 1.5 miles) if you drive until the road gets crazy and pull off on the side.

A clear day at Ringing Rocks

Ivan Doig Symposium going on now!

Ivan Doig is certainly one of my favorite authors of all time.  If you aren't familiar with his work, become familiar ASAP. Doig was born in Montana and has written about this wonderful state in much of his works.  My favorites are the trilogy revolving around Morrie Morgan and his tumultuous time in Butte, Montana during its heyday (The Whistling Season, Work Song, Sweet Thunder).

This symposium over in Bozeman is already underway and will continue through Saturday.

For more information, click here.

Stay safe Florida!!

Fuck you, Irma!

A hopper in the cloop hole

Hopper-eating carp of Montana

Catching carp on dries is about as fun as it gets.  And, it is possible in more places than you'd think!

Steelhead in the Standard?

Idaho will implement catch-and-release only steelhead regulations. We've got our hands full with environmental issues here in Butte, Montana.  So, you know it's a big deal when our local paper runs a story about steelhead in Idaho.  The article comes from the Lewiston Tribune.  Read it here.

Slow-mo carp release: some fun with your iPhone

A friend recently showed me how to take really cool slo-mo release shots with my iPhone.  The videos start at normal speed, slows down, and then go back to normal at the end.  It creates a really cool effect that is perfect for releasing fish.

On your iPhone, open the camera, select the slo-mo option and have fun!

(updated 10 minutes later):

Ok, so when you export the slo-mo movie you took on your iPhone it will not play in slo-mo like it did on your phone.  I researched why and it has to do with the way the iPhone records these videos.  They are not actually filmed in slow motion, the phone's app just makes it look that way. Don't fret, there are a variety of ways to get around this.  Here are some links which helped me out:

Stack Exchange Forum

Mac World

I ended up just downloading the free iMovie app, adding a filter which didn't change the video much, and then saving it.  Now, it will export with the slow-mo effect!!  You have to add the filter or do something to it in the app, but that's it.

A Broadwater County Almanac: And Sketches Here and There

Montana Mirror Carp Scales

It has been another very busy summer for me.  Between finishing my degree, making enough money to live, and fishing my ass off, I've had my hands full.  I have slept in my house just a handful of times in the past few months and have been happily far away from the internet.

Montana's hot, dry summer has caused me to go all in on carping for the most part.  There is some ok trout fishing to be had, but why the hell would anyone pass up great technical fishing to large, hard-fighting fish for mediocre trout fishing?  The trout will be back soon.

The mirror carp above was caught on a Stalcup's Cluster Midge.  Yep, a dry fly.  And no, not a hopper.  It was my last fish of the day and it ran all the way across the river and took me deep into my backing.  It was one of many carp caught on the surface that day.  It was also my first mirror on a dry. I'd bet that even the old carp guard folks have never caught a mirror on a dry!! Cool.

Upper Missouri River Elk

When you have the river to yourself, the big animals come out to hang out with you.  This mother elk and her 2 babies came out to spook up some of my carp.

Missouri River Moose

I was happy that this guy (gal?) was on the other side of the river!!  To date, the only animal that has ever chased me and scared the shit out of me is a moose.

Don't fear Montana's mussel decontamination stations

Photo courtesy of MTFWP at montana.gov

I went up to Canyon Ferry Reservoir yesterday to chase some mirror carp, cool off, and also check out the mandatory mussel decontamination stations.  I had been reluctant to launch the boat on Canyon Ferry because I didn't know what the decontamination at the end of the day would entail. At first, the idea of power washing my newly refinished wooden boat with hot water made me a little panicky.

To be clear, decontamination stations are at the boat launches on Cayon Ferry and Tibor Reservoirs (water bodies with detected zebra/quagga mussels).  There are boat checkpoints all over the state that have the ability to decontaminate a vessel but these decontamination stations are a bit more comprehensive.  My plan was to fish all day and then take a few pictures or a video of the decontamination process to share with folks that may be apprehensive or just curious.

So why then, is there a picture from Montana.gov and not a bunch from me?  It's because it went so fast that I didn't even have a chance to ask if it was ok to film!!

Here's why it went so fast.  At the launch, while taking my boat out, I made sure to:

• Drain the boat 
• Removed all my flooring mats  
• I left the oars in place and my trolling motor attached.  
• I took out all my fishing stuff and pulled the gear out of my storage compartments
• I used my Montana FWP sponge (free at checkpoints) to quickly wipe up any water that did not drain

I then drove up to the decontamination station and turned off the truck to ready myself for a hot wash and some picture taking.  By the time I got out of the truck and walked over to talk to the inspector that was filling out the inspection form he said, "ok, you're good to go!"  In that time, 2 other inspectors had checked the entire boat (it's a drift boat so, not much to inspect) and I passed inspection. It was just as fast as the checkpoints and because I made sure to show up with a totally dry boat, it honestly took about 3 minutes and I didn't have to be decontaminated.  I essentially did it myself when I dried the boat at the launch.

So there you have it.  Go to Canyon Ferry and have fun.  It's no big deal.  There is a mandatory engine flush for larger gas powered boats which will take a couple more minutes, but still.

Sedges have edges

Photo of traveling sedge

The annual and usually predictable traveling sedge hatch on Georgetown Lake, Montana has been anemic this year, to say the least.  After 3 weeks of heartbreak, I think it's time to move on the some of the year's best carping.

To be fair, the fishing is still good up at the lake.  There are daily spinnerfalls of callibaetis and the damsels get going around noon.  The fish will eat a damselfly nymph slow stripped or fished below a dry or bobber.  The sight fishing on sunny days in the shallow flats has been really fun and many of these fish are eating dries as well as your perfectly cast damsel nymph or small leech.  I did see the sedges.  Each day I saw more and more.  Right at dusk, you will see quite a few and if you've never seen the hatch at full bore, you might think it looks ok.  But, it's not.  There should be more bugs, the fish should be so keyed in on them that they eat the dry all day, and it should definitely be going strong by now.  The lake has been full and we had a nice normal wet spring.  Maybe it's still coming; I don't know.

Anyway, it's hot in Montana and so is the fishing.  It's also prime time for giving the trout a break from the summer crowds and exploring all over Montana's carp country.

The dog days of summer

Lexi the figurehead

The scorching-hot dog days of summer have taken hold across the great state of Montana.  However, unlike the last few years, there is still lots of water and the fishing is shit hot.

Still water carping in the reservoirs is about as good as it gets right now.  The fish are post-spawn and hungry.  Early morning into early afternoon is the best time as they start to fade off when it gets mega-hot.  You'll find them but they won't eat like they did earlier in the day.

We've been hitting Georgetown every weekend for the past couple in order to hit the traveling sedge hatch.  These huge caddis are awesome and this is one of my favorite hatches.  Due to the high lake level and the cool spring, the water temps were just not warm enough yet to get them to pop on a grand scale.  We saw a couple here and there and had some surface eats on our not-so secret pattern but the hatch had yet to materialize.  Since last weekend, it has been hotter than 2 hamsters farting in a wool sock.  I would bet the dog that they're going off tonight!

The damselflies are a major factor for the G-town trout and the still water carp now.  Putting a damselfly nymph a couple feet below your high riding "caddis" pattern will get you into fish at G-town all day long.  Additionlly, dropping one in the action zone of a large, slow-cruizing carp may result in excitement and hilarity.

Stay tuned for Georgetown updates and some summer carp action!

Mish mosh SW Montana fishing report - Late June

Carp flies now sold at Sportsman's Warehouse in Helena 

The huge variety of fishing options in Southwest Montana makes it much harder to write coherent fishing reports like I could do in Missoula.  I write reports every once in a while so that there is a non-biased, transaction-free source of information out there for anyone who cares.  I also use this blog as a personal fishing log which comes in handy sometimes for my own pursuits.  So here it is:

Big Hole River:
It was huge and the salmonflies have come and gone.  Usually, the fishing sucks for a couple weeks after the hatch.  It's called the "salmonfly hangover" and it can really suck.  I avoided the party this year due to my trip to Florida and the shitty conditions.  The river is dropping in nicely now and summer on the Big Hole should be the best it has been in years.  It would be awesome to be able to fish hoppers in the afternoon this year!

Upper Clark Fork:
As the river drops and clears, the caddis fishing will get insane.  The Upper is a caddis stream through and through.

Silver Bow Creek:
I haven't been out there yet this year but things usually get going right about now.  You'd be surprised by what may eat your larger attractor dry or simple streamer...

Missouri River (Craig reach):
I have to distinguish what area now because my Missouri River Range has grown so much over the last few years.  The dry fly bite is on big-time.  There are pods of snotty MO trout all over the river. You need to bring your A game.  Perfectly placed casts and drag free drifts are crucial.  Fly selection comes second in importance.  They will eat PMD spinners, caddis, and buzzballs like candy if you can present them properly.

Holter Lake Carping: 
I'm embarrassed to say that it was my first time on the boat up at Holter recently.  It is such a beautiful place!  I didn't have much info on carp fishing up there but I knew that they had to be there. They are, and they get big like in Clark Canyon.  The carp were tough and I got my ass handed to me. There is still a bunch that are spawning but I was able to find some over on the rockier eastern shore that were willing to eat.  I even landed one of the largest carp yet to date. I can't wait to get back up there again.  There are also some great trout in Holter!

Three Forks Ponds Carping:
The carping in the Three Forks Ponds is outstanding right now!  There are still some spawners but the ones that aren't are tailing in groups in the flats.  Throw a small black wooly bugger or small leech pattern for all-day action.

Clark Canyon Carping:
I haven't been down there since I've been back but I imagine it is the same as Holter.  They were in full spawn mode before I left and the fishing was hit or miss picking on the wallflowers. The carping should get better and better here by the day.  It's time to start thinking about callabaetis, damsels, and dragonfly nymphs perfectly cast and timed to be in the hot zone of a slowly cruising, golden submarine.

Georgetown Lake:
I will be checking in on Montana's finest brook and rainbow trout lake very soon.  The traveling sedge caddis should be underway as we speak and intensifying over the next few weeks.  Also, callabaetis, damsels, and dragonflies in nymph and adult form will play out as well.  The traveling sedge hatch on G-town is one of the finest of any hatch you will ever encounter.  Big bugs and big willing fish are what it is all about.  Have you ever had a 100+ fish dry fly day?


Thats all I got for now.

Tips on reading carp spawning behavior

One of the most important skills an angler needs to consistently be able to catch carp on the fly, is the ability to read the carp's behavior.  Right now, across the northern USA, many carp are spawning.  If you are new to carping, this can be an exciting and frustrating time.  There may be carp everywhere, some larger than you may have ever seen, and some may even be jumping way the hell out of the water.  To the beginning carper, all of the fish and activity can truly blow your mind and get your heart pounding.  However, I've got bad news. You're going to want to keep moving if you want to actually hook one by the mouth!

Generally, spawning carp will not eat.  You will be wasting your time on these fish but likely, there are fish feeding close by.  Instead of pulling all of your hair out, you'll need to find the fish that are actually willing to eat.  Surprisingly, fishing during the spawn can be incredible, as long as you can read the fish's behavior and choose the right one to cast to.  To complicate this, there are many different types of spawning behaviors.  Below I will discuss a few.

Carp spawning behaviors

Obvious spawning behavior:  This is a no-brainer.  If you are seeing groups of carp circling each other and splashing around in super-shallow water right next to the shore, these carp are obviously getting busy and are not going to eat anything you throw at them.  Keep moving!

Subtle spawning behavior:  I took some folks out earlier this year before I assumed any carp would be spawning.  These carp were slowly chasing each other around and were in small groups that were both, closely and loosely grouped.  Sometimes there would be just 2 or 3 moving slowly.  In August, this would simply mean 2 fish cruising slowly; pick the bigger one and cast to it!  However, during the spawn, these fish will not eat.  Even though it may not be super-obvious spawning behavior, they are in some aspect of spawning.  We couldn't get any to eat anything.  Move on!!

This conduct can be the hardest to read.  Below is a video I took of a group of carp exhibiting this behavior.  Notice how they are grouped up.  Before I started filming, they were in smaller groups and sometimes they were alone, but not for long.  These fish were not actively engaging in reproduction but they were courting each other.  These fish are not looking for food!

Many books, blog posts, presentations etc. have described what has come to be known as "wallflowers."  These are carp, which are in the vicinity of spawning carp but for whatever reason, are not taking part in the ritual.  They may have already spawned, may be taking a break, or are just not ready to spawn yet.  These fish are catchable and there are at least 2 types of wallflower behavior.

Inactive wallflowers:  These carp will be in the vicinity of spawners but may be sunbathing, resting, sitting still, or some other type of passive behavior.  Just like any other time of the year, these fish may be caught but they are not actively feeding and therefore, the results may be varied.  Make a few casts to them, if you are not getting any responses, change flies.  If still nothing, move on!  On some days, these fish will wake from their inactive state at the sight of your fly and pounce on it.  Other days, they'll wake up and bolt.

Active wallflowers:  Just like you may have already imagined, these are actively feeding/searching carp and they will eat big-time!  If you can distinguish the difference between "subtle spawning behavior" and "active wallflowers," you are in for a good time.  Sometimes these active wallflowers will be in a completely different part of the lake or stream.  But as I ran into last week, I caught tons of active wallflowers tens of feet away from actively spawning shore splashers.  My targets were tailing hard and some were even clooping.  It was really insane to hook into one and watch it blow up the hundreds of spawners as it made its initial run.

In conclusion, reading carp behaviors is always important for distinguishing actively feeding fish from those that are not.  During the spawn, it can be even more challenging.  However, if you put in the time, the spawn can be some of the best fly fishing for carp of the year.  Many of our Montana streams are currently experiencing a solid spring run-off.  Don't get bummed, go carping!

A group of carp showing subtle spawning behavior

These carp are exhibiting a more obvious subtle spawning behavior.  Keep moving!!

I needed a break

Baby tarpon face

After a long busy winter, I was due for a real break.  All I wanted to do was fish my ass off and get some revenge on some Southwest Florida saltwater species who have been giving me hell for some time now.  Mission accomplished!

Redfish tail spot

I spent some serious time spooking every redfish I came across.  It took many days for me to be able to consistently spot redfish with enough distance to get a shot at them before they took off scared.  By the end of my trip, I was pretty good at it and started to catch a lot of redfish.  What a beautiful and fun fish to catch on the fly!  I can't wait to get back on my secret redfish flats!

Redfish face

Baby tarpon

The big tarpon were in SW Florida while I was there but the wind was insane and I don't have a big enough boat to get out into the Gulf, yet.  I did, however, get into some great baby tarpon!  All I can say about these guys is holy shit!  They are the most insane, acrobatic, and fun fish you can ever imagine catching.  Like the redfish, it took a couple of days of exploring and getting my ass handed to me to be able to catch this entirely new species on flies.  With some help from the local fly shop and endless determination, it happened big-time.  I also can't wait to get back to my secret baby tarpon ponds.

Florida gator

Mother and baby manatee

Going fishing in Florida is full of sights, sounds, and dangers.  The variety of birds, plants, animals, and fish in Florida is just insane.

Gigantic Florida ditch pickle

Even the bycatch is cool here.  While deep stripping streamers for tarpon, I'd sometimes hook into the biggest largemouth bass I'd ever seen.

Gar

Anyone who's fished Florida knows about these gars.

Tarpon skin

Southwest Florida fly fishing is super challenging and fun.  I'm so lucky to have a connection to the region and I can't wait to spend time studying and exploring the fishery in the future.

Until then, it is go-time in Southwest Montana!  There are salmonflies on Rock Creek and the Big Hole, the MO is heating up big-time (as long as there isn't another push), and the carp are on the flats in the lakes.  The hills are green and there is still a lot of snow in the mountains.  The lilacs are blooming in Butte and it's a good time to be a fly fisher in Montana!

Vision from the past

Bud Lilly's Anglers' Retreat

Came across this scene in Three Forks last week.  It's all run down and seemed vacant.  Kind of cool, kind of sad.

Fly fishing for carp in Montana presentation today - by me!

Tonight at 6 pm, I will be giving a presentation on the fun, joys, and heartache of fly fishing for carp at the George Grant Chapter of Trout Unlimited Annual Meeting.  The presentation will start shortly after 6 and will be in the conference room.  Come have a beer and learn about one of the most underutilized and fantastic fishery in SW Montana!!

Christine's Makeover Part 3: A New Begginning

Christine is reborn!

It was a ton of work and it took a bit longer than anticipated but the great boat makeover is over!! She had her second "maiden" voyage on the Big Hole River yesterday.  I was too excited about it to actually take good pictures but you can expect more to come.

Click here for the before pictures. 

Inside back after interior paint with doors and seat benches removed

The back deck got a non-slip additive in the final coat of paint to make it a great casting platform and the dog doesn't slip all over the place anymore. The entire floor surface also non-slip.  All wood surfaces received at least 3 coats of marine spar varnish and are glowing again.  They look even sexier than ever with some patina.

Inside front after interior paint with doors and seat benches removed

Shiny, stinky, and beautiful!  We accidently picked a different color for the inside this time.  It has a light blue tint which I love.  It looks a lot cleaner and more boaty than the old color.

Finished boat, ready to fish!

Here is a crappy picture I took while we were loading up to float in the morning.  You can see the floor system, the doors are back on, and the new rower's seat is installed.

The boat looks better than when it was brand new.  This is the first major overhaul since I first built it 8 years ago.  I beat the absolute crap out of this boat and now she's ready for a bunch more.  Some of the work I had to do this time, I should have done when I built it. So, it was a much larger project than it would have been otherwise.  While wooden boats do require some love every couple of years, it's absolutely worth it.  Even if you didn't build your boat, you'll still get a great feeling when you see how gorgeous your boat looks on the water after some winter love.

There will certainly be better pictures of this posted soon...

Carp art!

Custom carp painting on leather mounted in a net

Check out this cool fish art my girlfriend got me for my birthday.  It is painted on leather and strung into a wooden net with fly line.  The artist said it was her first carp.  She got the hysterical, I'm about to freak out, carp eye and face perfectly.  Awesome!  She usually paints trout and salmon and her work can be found on her facebook page and on Instagram Pulham Paintings (@pulhampaintings).

Orvis Down the Hatch Fly Fishing Festival - Missoula 2017

Montana Fly Fishing Magazine - Spring 2017

Celebrate Earth Day by helping to plant 800 native trees in Butte!

Two Weeks

In two weeks, I will regain some semblance of my life back.  It cannot come soon enough.  The boat is done and more beautiful than when it was brand new.  I will post a follow up to the last post soon. I still have to put all the parts back together.  The second maiden voyage will kick-start a new era.

It is truly spring now.  I have seen many osprey and pelicans.  The Oncorhynchus genus are spawning throughout the state now.  The carp are also getting going for real.  I need some good tent/boat time. I may also get some SW Florida time soon.  The chronicles should get a lot more fun in the coming weeks!!

Until then, I'll listen to old Grizzly Bear at my desk.

Fisheries Biology Presentations on Jefferson and Beaverhead Rivers in Butte

There is a public meeting tomorrow April 12, with presentations by Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks at Butte Brewing Company in Butte, Montana @ 6 pm.

Ron Spoon will give information on the Jefferson and Upper Missouri Rivers.  Matt Yeager will give an update on the Pointdexter Slough restoration project and provide the reasoning behind the new brown trout regulations in the Beaverhead River.

Local fisheries info, good folks, and beer?  Slam dunk!

The Worlds Most Sophisticated Drift Boat Sails Lake Berkeley

Photo from the Montana Standard

A story in Butte's Montana Standard described the successful launch of a drift boat drone. It was developed at Montana Tech. They had had some technical issues with the launch earlier in the week. The boat is designed to be remote controlled and also collect water samples of the toxic pit water.

Where am I?

Spartina grass redfish flat?

Is this a spartina grass flat filled with redfish in some tidal channel in South Carolina?

Carp flats of Clark Canyon, Montana 

Nope!  It's the carp flats of Clark Canyon, Montana.  I walked for miles and found no carp in the flats at Clark Canyon, yet.  Still hard to beat a long walk with the dog and some taco bus on the way home!

Christine's Makeover Part 2

Damaged bottom chine

The past few weeks have been insane!!  I've been getting my ass handed to me by work and life.  A good friend allowed me to borrow his heated garage so that I could restore Christine.  I told him I could get it done in a week.  Nope!!  What am I stupid? Anyway, It's been 3 weeks and at this point, I'm getting close.

Here's what has happened so far:

As you can see from the picture above, the bottom chines have done their job at protecting the boat's outside bottom edge.  These bottom chines are actually designed to be removable and replaceable. They are not epoxied on like the gunwales.  Although they have taken a beating, they are still in good enough shape to leave on for another 8 years, after a good sanding of course.

Gunwales

The gunwales are in good structural shape but were in dire need of a sanding and spar varnish.  A couple of years ago, my girlfriend got the worst sliver I have ever seen.  Most carpenters/woodworkers know, there's nothing like hardwood slivers!  She bled so bad into the Beaverhead river.  As she was recovering, I started to catch fish and we declared that it was because she had chummed the water.

Fisher's seat bench

Rower's seat bench (rower's seat to be replaced too)

You can also see that the seat benches were in bad need of some love!  Christine is designed like an aluminum boat with side rails which give the bow structure and adjustable seat benches which tie the boat together.  It is called the "skin stress" design.  When you build a boat, it is like your baby and you worry more than you should about everything.  When we flipped the boat to sand, epoxy, and paint the outside, I was worried that the boat would be too weak without the benches in place to give it rigidity.  When turning it over it was very clear that Christine was rock solid and that I could have flipped it myself probably with no chance of structural damage of any kind.

Side rails were badly checked

Checking happens to douglas fir plywood as it ages and is weathered if you do not use fiberglass cloth when you epoxy it.  I was in a hurry to finish the build 8 years ago and completely out of money.  I figured that some interior surfaces would be ok with just a wet coat of epoxy and 3 coats of polyurethane boat paint.  While they held up ok, after 8 years, they looked horrible!  I was embarrassed when people would look in the boat sometimes.

Inside front of boat after sanding

 I also left 4 small areas of the interior unglassed.  These areas checked when I had to leave the boat in my driveway in the middle of a hot Missoula summer to go work in California a couple of years ago. The area of the hull in front and behind the side rails were not glassed and checked too.  Here you can see some of the checking, the side rails, the front compartment with the doors removed, and the sanded gunwales and horns.

The horns before sanding

The horns were in pretty good shape but were in need of a good sanding and spar varnish.  You can also see that the front casting tray was glassed and although it was dirty, it was in perfect shape.

The back of the boat after sanding

Here you can see the back of the boat after sanding and with the back compartment's door removed.  I had originally planned to attach a seat on this platform so that there would be 2 fisher's seats and one rower's seat (3 inline classic trout boat) but it soon became apparent that it was a perfect for a dog platform.  As I spent more time on flat water and fell in love with carping, the platform, which was engineered to be super strong, became one of the coolest features of the boat.  When I fish by myself on flat water, I stand on this platform (see it here) and when we're carping on the rivers we just row the boat downstream backward and the fisher stands on the platform.  The only bad thing was because I had planned on having a seat on it, I never added a non-slip surface to the paint.  Therefore, dogs would eat shit when they attempted to jump into the boat, up onto the platform, and with wet paws.  It was also a bit slippery to humans with bare feet.  So, I will be adding a non-slip material to the paint when I paint the surface of the platform.

Another issue was that I only made one drain hole.  That was a serious first-time boat builders mistake!  I drilled a second drain hole and hid them both right up against the floor boards.  When In use, the boat has a rubber floor (that restaurant floor stuff you see in boats) which fit perfectly in between the floorboards and make the floor a flush plane.  This also makes the wingnuts on the drain plugs flush so that they don't catch fly line or get damaged.

The back platform was glassed and was in good shape.  It just needs some grip and fresh paint.

Found net

Here's a little side project that I thought would be easy to do while I had all the sanders, tools, and varnish out.  I found this wooden net at the bottom of the Red Rocks River.  As you can see it was down there for a while and was covered with muck.  I sanded it and spar varnished it.  While it spent enough time underwater that the wood colors were lost, it is still structurally sound and a good net.  I need to attach a new bag to it and bam, cool net!

Sanded benches

This is the benches after sanding.  They are nice and soft and smooth now and I love that there is some aging on the wood.

Sanded boat still trailered

I sanded everything I could while the boat was still trailered because, why not?  At this point, the entire thing was sanded inside and out (everything I could get to) and ready for faring, epoxy, varnish, and glass.

The whole boat sanded

There was a check on the front left of the bow which was bad enough that some material needed to be removed.  To fill what I took out, I fared it with a mixture of epoxy and sawdust.  This makes a peanut butter-like material that you can use to fill anything.  Making a faring compound is an art in itself.  You can buy epoxy thickeners from the manufacturers but sawdust works great.  The type (or grain size) of sawdust can make a variety of faring materials.  Sawdust from sanding is great for what I had to do.  Larger grain sawdust, like you'll get from sawing, is better for doing structural faring.

The inside with glass

Here, the areas which needed to be glassed got a wet coat, faring (that spot in the front left), glass coat, and finish coat.  You can't tell there is fiberglass because it kind of disappears when you apply the epoxy to it.  It's really cool but a ton of work!  The side rails, the front bow, and the rear bow are all good for the life of the boat now.  No more checks!!

Front of glassed boat

Here you can see a lot of things.  First, the gunwales and horns have been sanded and received 2 coats of varnish (they'll get one more).  You can also see the epoxy/glass on the front right bow is ready for sanding and paint.  The door is removed from the front compartment.

Seat benches with 1st coat of varnish

This is a picture after the 1st coat of varnish.  As of now, there have been 4 coats of varnish.  They are freaking shiny and beautiful!!  You'll have to wait until the "Christine's Makeover Part 3" pics to see how good they look!

Upsidedown boat

When we flipped the boat, we realized that there was a spot on the bottom which had sustained damage through the epoxy/glass and which needed to be repaired.  Also, there was as another surface wound on the side which happened when I ran into a sunken rail car in an attempt to save my girlfriend's dog who was about to swim through a dangerous obstacle. Those areas received a wet coat, glass, and finish coat.  Additionally, I put another coat of epoxy over the whole bottom because there was just enough left to do that and, why not?  It's is the part of the boat that gets dragged over gravel bars etc.  We prioritized the bottom so that I could trailer the boat again after 3 coats of paint and get it out of my friend's garage after 2 weeks.

Tipping off!!

This is my friend helping me by tipping off the boat paint.  At this point, the bottom chines are sanded, epoxied, and have 3 coats of varnish.  The bottom and sides have been repaired, epoxied, and has 3 coats of boat paint.  We have trailered the boat and brought it back home to paint the inside and put it all back together.  I will put the first coat of inside paint on right after I finish this!

Stay tuned for the finished product.  I'm so excited to not only have my boat in tip-top condition but also because I have added some new features which will make life a lot easier and safer on the water.

I have been asked a lot of questions over the years by boat builders and folks who are refinishing old boats.  If you have any, let me know.  I'm always here to help the boat builder community.  While all boats are awesome, wooden boats, specifically ones that YOU build are somewhere up there next to godlyness.  You can have your Adipose, Clacka, ot Hyde!!  You will never know the feeling of sailing through space and time in a vessel you built or feel the pride and joy when people constatly give praise on the river!  If building a boat is something you've always wanted to do, DO IT NOW!