August Fly Fishing

Greetings from Western Montana

These days of August, a few hoppers are still around, but the trout just look at them and smile. Fooled once already, I imagine. The river will be quiet as it recovers from the hopper-dropper season. License plates from many states have been filling all the spots for 6 weeks now, but now only a few smart people are still fishing. Quiet isolation is easy to find.

My best fly selection for the recent past has been a red dot wet fly, trailed off a hair's ear bead head nymph. The swing and the hookup has been really successful. Beetles and ants were performers for a while, but the larger trout were looking for something special. That was the spruce moth! The forest provided an abundance of these moths and the trout lined up each morning to consume as many as possible. Quite a great opportunity to hook a large fish.

The Blackfoot River in August

Westslope Cut Throat Trout

My fishing spots are many and varied, Some are great for catching big trout, others are for isolation from outsiders that flock to the river to fly fish in the summer. I haven't fished some spots since springtime. Montanan's also fly fish and because big named waters are crowded, the Blackfoot becomes attractive. 

The native species of cut throat have many subspecies, defined by isolated pockets living in the Western side of the continental divide. The Blackfoot seems to be a salad bowl of strains and in cross breeding of the "cut-bow". Catching these trout lets me see the variations from green to bright yellow  with silver in between. Added to the mix are the brown trout. The German Brown is a survivor of poor water, but here the fish are smaller than most. Hooking an 18"is possible, but more rare than finding a large Cut throat.

This strain has a lighter body with only a few head spots

A greenback cut throat.

Smiles mean good catch! Fishing with a friend.

Freestone River

Fishing with a friend

More spots on the head

Brown Trout 

Action with a nice wild trout

        

Peace and tranquility                                                                                     

West slope Colors

Pure gold, the cut throat tugged at my fly! Instantly I knew I had a huge fish on my line. The pleasure only becomes euphoria when the net captures the trout. My choice of flies had worked and luck would have this creature in position to strike.

Fishing the Cracks

Fly fishing is a wonderful art. To some , a chance to find peace and comfort within themselves. Others fish for glory and self esteem. The big trout of the west attract anglers from many backgrounds along with multiple mindsets, Big trout, big waters are a goal of many anglers, especially those with a desire to be someone special. Life in the modern world sometimes leaves us with out recognition or satisfaction leading many to hope to be special by catching the big trout in the big name waters.

Along the road of becoming a fly fisher, frustration and anxiety accompany the angler to the water. Vacation times are for many the only opportunity to catch trout and the need to get a "big" one becomes paramount.  Often when  deciding where and when one fishes, The bank account becomes secondary as the need to succeed over powers any rational decisions. Lurking in the mind is a fear of failure, that struggle will ruin a fishing adventure and bring disappointment. I know this from my own evolution and maturation experience,

 During the 90's we lived and worked in the Yellowstone Park area of Montana and Wyoming. Repeatedly heading to the big name waters to catch trophy trout. At a point along the way we discovered that some new fresh perspectives were necessary as some days no big trophies made it to the net. During those years our expectations needed to be adjusted to reality. No matter what we were trying to achieve we learned that all trout were beautiful and worthy of appreciation. Tuning our minds to this exceptional point of view, gave new life and a fresh perspective to the our fly fishing. As we slowed down and began to enjoy the moment, the small things around us as we fished, became the most important part of the day.The mind shifted gears and we looked forward to fishing the cracks. Avoiding big name waters we found trout everywhere that we had always overlooked. The masters of fly fishing know that every trout is a treasure and every moment on the water is a blessing.

I offer this up as a mental path to travel as you head out to be part of the water, know the wild part of our world and the deep pools of our souls. Satisfaction is always present. What was once obscured becomes prominent and curtain of the real world of fly fishing opens. Satisfaction is there for those that open their hearts and give up the need for "big fish". Fish the cracks and enjoying the pleasure of the small unnoticed fragrance of the art of fly fishing. Be joyful and really enjoy yourself. Take the experience and grow. The trophies will still come.

Awesome trout live their lives in many cracks

Satisfaction is peace and serenity

Beautiful brown teout

Wild Westslope cut throat trout

The unexpected will happen given a chance. Never be surprised and always check your knots. The master will use all the 5 senses to become on with the water. Wildlife, insects, birds and other fly fishers will give clues and help find trout. Pay attention to the surroundings, be part of the picture, not just an intruder. Satisfaction and adrenaline may come with any cast,

The always exciting brown trout.

Later I will speak more of technique and approach, but go now to fish the cracks being great places to fish.