April means green grass, clear water and midges....

I am so happy that winter has past, and a new season of late evenings, insect hatches, and rising trout has begun. Along with spring grasses, a new crop of visitors is arriving in Montana to catch trout with a fly rod. The magnetic energy of Montana is strong.  People look to the "Big Sky" country for relief from the congestion of life. Fly fishing is going on all over the state, an abundance of happy anglers. If your plans include Montana, have a great time.

 I hit the highway down to Wolf Creek, near the Missouri River.

When I arrived, I already knew about the midge hatch going on, and the blue winged olives coming off the water at dusk. What a fun day of fishing.
Usually it's a cutthroat or brown trout on the Blackfoot River. The Missouri has an great population of huge rainbow trout. 

 I tied up a midge cluster with a zebra midge trailing. I watched the trout cruising along the riffle, their fins rising out of the water.  They looked like wild sails.  I realized it was in fact the beginning of a great season.  

The Rainbows were big fish. 

 Lively fish, always putting on a show!

a #20 bwo emerger, small flies, big fish!

And then a walk up the local river and cutthroats were rising and antlers were found. 

Christine's first Montana trout! 

and her first shed!

Companion Fly Fishing