Montana Madness

As soon as I touched down in Montana, I hit the ground running! Not really..I spent almost a day in Bozeman before trekking down to Gardiner to begin the first leg of my trip. My first stop would be 3 days fishing in Yellowstone National Park! It wasn't an easy decision as I had recently read reports that the Madison River was fishing really well. But the hunger for native Cutts drove me to the Northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park once again. Last August I experienced phenomenal fishing on the Lamar River and Slough Creek. So with the images of huge fish and willing risers burnt in my mind, I found myself headed straight to the Lamar River once again. I found it just as I had remembered, although July offered much more company (other fishermen) than I found in August of last year. In the mornings and evenings the fishing was out of control GOOD!! Especially the evenings! The crowds would thin out, the temperatures would cool off, and soon my only company became the river and the buffalo herd near by. At that moment fishing would TURN on fire!!! The afternoons were a bit slower but fish could still be had. I fished Soda Butte a few times on this trip to fantastic luck! The fish would readily rise to a well presented drake pattern! Great size and good fight! On the downside, I lost an absolute HOG of a cutthroat one evening on Soda Butte creek. Sitting a mere 5 yards from me in deep water the fish spit the hook after a rowdy 5 min fight. I tried everything in my power to hook him again, even returning the next morning, but no luck. Luckily there was many more fish to be had in the River and on the trip! I made stops at the Yellowstone River and Slough Creek to finish up the first leg of my journey. One particular evening I was the last person fishing Soda Butte Creek as dark was setting in. Feeling good about my good fortunes on the stream, I had a little pep in my step! It was then that I noticed an interesting scene unfold before my eyes. Out of the sky a large osprey gracefully flew down and snagged a large trout from the creek right in front of me! He circled just over my head a few times, as if to let me know, "this is how you catch fish boy." He landed in a tree just across from me and started enjoying his meal! Another day in Yellowstone and a humbling moment I will not forget! From there I headed back to Bozeman to pick up my friend for some backpacking fun in the Beartooths. 5 or 6 years earlier I had planned a trip to the Beartooths that was thwarted by high snowpack. Now was my chance to see what it was all about! Well..It did not disappoint! The scenery was unreal! The fishing was was incredible! The trailless travel was fun! And the hunger to go back is burning hot! We found beautiful vistas at almost every turn. The fish were BIG! Even bigger than I had hoped! And they would willing rise to a well presented dry of the right color. Subsurface action worked well too! In terms of a "fishing backpacking" trip, this was probably my best! I would not hesitate to put the Beartooths right on par with the Winds in terms of excellent alpine lake fishing. The trailless travel led to some sore feet, but I found it incredibly fun! We spent sufficient time exploring around; climbing ridge-lines, and one afternoon sumitting Lonesome Mountain. Every ridge and every mountain revealed absolutely incredible views of Montana and Wyoming! But all good things must come to an end, so this trip was wrapped up after 12 days of exploration and fun! It seemed like I had been gone so long, but I easily could have stayed another week or two exploring and fishing the area! All the more reason to go back!! Here is an appetizer of what happened!!! til next time..

 -Dreamcatchers

Sunrise from our campsite

View from the ridgeline looking back into Wyoming

Storms were rolling in this day

Inlet fishing

Check out the fish wrecklessly rising

Working one in

Never get tired of this

Surreal fishing experience

Letting him run

Stacked in the outlet

Blue Blue water

Fatty

Sunset shot on a clear night

2nd to last campsite

Calm mornings and windy afternoons

Hiking back out

Decided to take the trail this time instead of rock-hop

Plateau country

Lakes everywhere from ontop of Lonesome Mountain

More lakes

Looking into the Beartooths

Much of where we spent our time

Never get tired of a view like this

Revisit Paradise

When I left Yellowstone last August my head was hung low in disappointment at what could have been. My three day fishing trip had been cut short and I was traveling back to Jackson, WY. Fresh in my mind were the thoughts of the two days I spent out there. Cutthroat trout recklessly launching themselves at every resemblance of a fly, wild and scenic landscapes nearly unaltered by man, beautiful sunrises, simple solitude, and so much more. When I left my first visit to Yellowstone I had no idea it would be more than 5 years before I would be able to return again. As I drove back to Jackson, I feared I might be looking at another 5 year wait before returning. Fast forward to spring 2016 and I was frantically planning a trip to Alaska for September. As my travel partner's plans grew more and more vague I watched as flight prices slipped out of the realm of affordability. But missing on a trip to Alaska opened up the doors for a different opportunity. Inherently my mind drifted to a place I have grown so fond of. Could it really happen? Would I not even have to wait 1 full year to return to that fishing paradise? Booked! I picked up the flights and started planning. In two days I will again set foot on Montana soil and begin a 12 day trip! 6 days backpacking the Beartooth mountains, 6 days exploring Yellowstone and/or fishing the Madison river. Could life get any better? God is truly great! Stay tuned for pictures. Til next time

-Dreamcatcher

Sunset on Lewis Lake 

April Showers

Spring brings the best fishing of the year to southeast Tennessee. But in April, spring often brings the rain. I have been practically living at the Hiwassee over the past month. At least fishing twice a week! Yesterday was the best dry fly fishing of the season so far! I was met with a nasty storm, but nothing my waders and a solid rain jacket couldn't handle. I tried a smaller grey wulf pattern yesterday and it did not disappoint. There were plenty of bugs on the water, both caddis and BWOs. But I was getting sufficient hits on my fly so I didn't bother changing. Something I have noticed over the past few years is that brown trout seem to love the grey wulf pattern. And lucky for me, I also love brown trout. So I often am compelled to stick with the grey pattern, to tangle with the browns! Yesterday's prize was a nice hefty 15 or 16 inch brown trout. We tangled in a fight I will not soon forget. Also had a new thing happen to me yesterday. I casted my line out and put my rod in my mouth, out of laziness, so that I could tie my boot. As I was tieing I felt a jerk on my line. I tugged a little with my mouth but but didn't think much. Then all the sudden I felt some serious movement on the end of my line (keep in mind my rod is still in my mouth) I quickly finished tying my shoe and picked up my rod to feel a fish on the other side. I can honestly say I have never caught a fish with my mouth before. But now even that has happened! I hope to be back out over the weekend! Get out and enjoy spring! Til next time

-Dreamcatchers

Cool scene after the storm rolled through

One of the many browns that ended up on the other end of my line

We Found Gold - Part II

It has been long delayed, but I finally got my hands on my brothers pics from our trip out to the wild west last summer! Since then, I often have thought about that trip and reminisced of both the fun and struggles we encountered. There is something to be said about being out in the wilderness and never seeing another human for 3 or 4 days. Very surreal. I hope to experience that again! The same could be said about fantastic fishing, awesome vistas, quality time with the fam! I hope to experience all those again! But there are a few things I could pass on experiencing again: hail storms on a ridge line over 10,000 feet elevation everyday, endless mosquitoes, and temporary altitude sickness. What a trip though!?? We set out with a plan in mind and completely altered it on the fly! It still turned out great! And we still found GOLD! Enjoy the pics! til next time....

-Dreamcatchers 

Surreal Campsite

First GOLD of the trip

Sweet look down the lakes from an outlet stream

Trying my luck in the outlet stream before the waterfall

BOOM! Vibrant colored GOLD waiting!

Smile for the camera!

Danny we like to call the tamer of the BEASTS!

Til Next Time my golden friend

AGAIN!

T-minus 20 minutes until hail storm!

Cozy camp

Beautiful open area

Still going strong!

Can't beat fast action dry fly fishing

The last night from our campsite

Sunday Surprise

It had been quite some time since the Dreamcatchers were reunited together. Life goes on and people grow up! My brother recently had a child and that certainly has kept his life racing. It had probably been a solid 10 or 11 months since we had fished together. Sunday would finally provide an opportunity to string it up together again! It felt like old times out on the river together, every so often glancing over to see how the other is doing! Sharing the cordial handshake after a solid catch! Fishing wasn't quite as good as the weekend before but still managed to catch a ton of fish! The prize of the day would be a fat rainbow. I chased that thing for what seemed like an hour, more likely 10 or 15 minutes, but finally got it in the net! The weather is great and this fishing will match it! Get out while you still can! Til next time

-Dreamcatchers 

Big boy couldn't resist the dropper

Rain or Shine

It was a long drive home Saturday night. I had just spent 4 hours playing basketball; made complete with a turned ankle and sore knees. Rain was in the forecast and highly likely for Sunday. I debated in my mind whether I should make the journey out to fish Sunday or just stay at home and heal my wounds. Tossing back and forth between each verdict. Arriving home just after midnight, I got some things together, still unsure whether I would go or not. Just before 1 am I laid down to sleep and check the weather one last time. It looked like I would for sure see rain in my day tomorrow, and likely lots of it. Making no decision I fell asleep. 6:45 came fast! I awoke and looked at my phone only to remember it was day lights savings time! I jumped up and made the call to test the weather! My travels to me to the Smokys yet again. I knew the fishing would be good if I could just get the rain to hold off! I stopped on the little river at one of my favorite spots and quickly got into some action! Fish were looking up and it was a fantastic feeling! The rain held off for the most part and made for a delightful day! I fished until dark and turned back to the truck to drive home! Another great day on the water here in Tennessee! Caught bows and browns and missed more fish than I care to admit! But it was another fun day in a beautiful place! Til next time

-Dreamcatchers

Break for lunch

Feisty Friend

Little guy couldn't resist the dry fly

Just Around the Corner

The weather was been FANTASTIC all week in Tennessee! It got me itching to get out and see if the fish, like me, also thought it was Spring! I made it up to the Hiwassee River yesterday and I was greeted with BLASTING flows! The CFS actually dropped from when I first got up there but it was still a tough wade. Had I not have feared that TVA would make another push to over 4000cfs at any time I probably would have ventured further out! But I stuck close to the bank and managed one fish in about an hour of fishing! Still a great day in my book. Watching the sun peak over the ridge in the distance gave me a warm feeling in my soul. I didn't have to be catching fish or wading through new terrain. Just a simple moment of thanks that I was able to be a part of a creation as great as this! Hoping to be out a lot more soon, rain or shine!! Til next time!

-Dreamcatchers