Seriously Homesick

Mount Powell and the upper Clark Fork

I am having some pretty serious fishing withdrawals and it looks like I won't get to go home anytime soon.

To the faithful blog readers: I've been way out beyond any internet connection for 3 weeks now and it looks like I'll be down here for another month.  Yep, I'm missing September in Montana and you might as well just rip my heart out.

The fishing sucks here, it's hot, and there's not a real trout stream for 100's of miles.  I can not wait to be back in Montana!!

I'm trying to stay strong - I and the blog will make it through this.  I'd rather be playing disk golf in some mine waste.

The disk golf course in the mine waste behind Montana Tech in Butte - WTF?

Forest fires are beautiful and important

I know we've all been water boarded with Smokey Bear Kool-Aid but in reality, forest fires are crucial, important, and beautiful.  In the big picture, our management of forests and the streams that run through them has been far more destructive than even the most brutal forest fire.  Nowadays, everyone wants to build a McMansion in the middle of western forests, many which can't even reproduce without fire.  The 24 hour news cycle has made everything a million times worse by framing them as natural disasters rather than a natural and important ecological function.

I don't mean to be preachy but I'm awfully sick of assholes building their houses on the banks of meandering streams and/or in the timbers with no regard to the natural functions while the rest of us bail them out with big-time taxpayer dollars to protect their private land.

The world is not a cartoon, it's complicated!  Anyway, here's some pretty pictures of the Moonlight Fire in the Plumas National Forest, CA.  There may not be any fish, fly, or boat pictures but fire on the landscape and wild, native trout go hand in hand.  Nuff said.  If you want to talk fire science, leave a comment.

Ceonothus cordulatus - California white thorn is not your friend!

Sunset float on Antelope Lake

I got to go out on a sunset float on Antelope Lake last night.  There were some serious trout rises that really boosted the old moral.  Seeing some of my friends from Montana like, osprey, nighthawks, bats, and caddis also helped.

Hell yeah

California mystery girl

Bats, nighthawks, and trout were destroying the caddis

Finally getting settled into my temporary home

The past week has been insane!  I made it to a very remote part of northern California.  I'm currently stationed at an abandoned Forest Service camp and only get power and a shitty internet connection when the generator is on in the evening.  So, thanks for your patience as I worked everything out.

Although I'd WAY rather be in Montana right now throwing hoppers and getting worked up about the tricos, I'm in an extremely beautiful part of the country, working and hanging with some awesome folks, and there are some trout to be caught.

Here's some pics from my super-remote and breathtaking drive, as well as some shots from the reservoir I'm working/living next to for the next couple of weeks.

Smokey Salmon River near the 7 Devils

The lower Salmon River in Idaho is amazing!

Eastern Oregon road sign

Eastern Oregon is almost as remote as eastern Montana.  There was some really sexy high elevation streams that I'm going to hit on my way back.

Huge dry lake with no outlet

I walked out onto this dry lake.  It smelled funny, had really cool geology, and was like a giant, quicksand filled valley.

This is the shoreline of the reservoir I'm stationed by.  There are some nice stocker rainbows and a million smaller sized small mouth bass.  I found a fly shop in the area and got some info on places to explore this weekend.  Stay tuned for some northern California fishing adventures. 

Road Trip - California!

First, click play on Dr. Dog's "California."

I don't think I've ever been this busy in my whole life.  Last week I went to Butte for work and to check out Montana Tech for grad school.  On my way home, my boss called and asked me to go to the Sierras to help a lab-mate finish her research project.

I plan on taking my rod and camera and sharing this adventure with the faithful readers of the blog.  I'll be back just in time for autumn in Montana - the reason I was put on this planet.

Until then, buckle your seat belt - hope you don't mind if I do a dube...

PS: I'll fix the logo when a get a minute.

The Measure Net

I have owned many Measure Nets over the last few years.  The river has eaten two, I've lost one, another was stolen, and I broke one.  I always get another one and have found them to be the best wade fishing nets out there.  Here's why:

Having an accurate way to quickly measure fish without touching them or even taking them out of the water is awesome.  The rubber coated bags are nice to the fish's slime coat and doesn't allow hooks to get embedded in the bag.  So, no more dropper getting all tangled and fish doing the shark roll only to get helplessly tangled in the net.

The net zips off so you can put them on any frame that it fits on.  I found a wooden handled net in the bushes once that had the old fabric netting.  I cut that off and put on a replacement net (sold by Measure Net).

The "large" size measure net is small enough to take wade fishing but big enough to land 2'+ fish and it also has a telescoping handle.  They also have boat sized "guide" nets which have a stouter frame and a courser net bag.

These nets are made (in China) by a company in Victor, Montana.

Check out the website: themeasurenet.com