Day 1: Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner
Date: July 26, 2007
Location: Gallatin
Air temp: 80s-90s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: ?
Fish landed: 3
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Quickdraw
Xan
After a slight delay, QD and I landed in Bozeman to begin our adventure. We had a number of hours to kill before Jazz Hands and Booter were to land, so we went fishing.
I was able to get us to a spot Jazz and I had fished and camped at last year on the Gallatin. Here, the Gal is split into two streams, one slower channel and a faster one with a huge hole.
Quickdraw introduced himself to a double digit haul of MT trout. His inaugural MT experience was slaying the beasts, dead drifting a Bitch Creek and then a bugger. I was able to pick up a few after much effort nymphing.
We departed for some food and came back to a spot Booter and I had fished. Our short time on the river flew by as we then had to depart to pick up Jazz Hands, and then Fruit Booter. Soon, the F.A.G.s were all assembled, and we cuddled up in a fancy, old school inn. It was an impressive, old structure, straight out of Booter's favorite movie, Dirty Dancing.
Highlights of the day:
- QD slaying them
- QD pouring table salt on the shuffle puck table, fucking it up good
Day 2: I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Thing
Date: July 27, 2007
Location: Madison
Air temp: 80s-90s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: ?
Fish landed: 3
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Quickdraw
Jazz Hands
Fruit Booter
Xan
After a good night of sleep and dog fighting jokes, we arrived at the Madison to fish (go figure) before checking into our next inn. Please enjoy very much this eye candy.
Highlights of the day:
- 1 celebrity sighting (Mr. Bill Devane on a drift boat)
- Fruit becoming part of local lore by inhaling a Den burger (locals were actually speaking of this the next day at the Den Bar)
Day 3: $3 Dolla, Make Ya Holla
Date: July 28, 2007
Location: Madison
Air temp: 80s-90s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: ?
Fish landed: 4
There is only one game in town for breakfast, and it was good.
We hit $3 Dollar to negotiate the boulders in the search of pigs. My nymphing thus far had been a disaster of unrealized drag and piddly fish. After a pep talk by Boot, I was able to start correcting my unwise ways and get some action. As I was too busy fishing to take many pictures, I offer you this photo of Boot on a rock.
Afterwards, we night fished by our lodging. The nice lady that ran the place had told us of the big browns that cruise the side channels at night. We had found two such channels and I was able to pull a couple nice fish with a Royal Wulff in the slow water.
Highlights of the day:
- 1 celebrity sighting (Mr. Bill Devane, looking at Booter and saying, "Doppler Radar!"
- Actually being able to see my dry fly on the water (and catching fish with it)
Day 4: They Mostly Come At Night, Mostly
Date: July 29, 2007
Location: Madison
Air temp: 80s-90s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: ?
Fish landed: 6+?
We started the morning at a new spot near $3. I guess we didn't hike enough cause that spot sucked.
After breakfast, we decided to hit a spot near a popular boat launch. The water up from the launch was quite wade-able. A brief rain came down, and soon I was to have the fight of my trip (aside from the fistfight with Booter over him stealing my whitefish. What a dick). The weather brought strikes, and a 14" bow that I battled for what seemed like 10 minutes, as we ran up, down and across the river. My nymphing and weighting was finally starting to produce.
After din, and getting the shit scared out of me by an air horn at the Happy Hour Bar (I have a sticker to show for it), we hit another new spot. This time, we were between the lakes. If you want to catch some sweet whitefish, fish here.
I found Booter after he had wandered off into the woods with a whitey (fish).
We headed back to the lodge for some more night fishing on the channels. Nymphs, the Wulff and a bugger all brought fish to my hand. If you were wondering if we actually caught any fish, I offer you proof. This was caught by Jazzy on his second ever cast of a mouse pattern.
Highlights of the day:
- The chick working the gas station
- Jazzy's mouse pig!
Day 5: The Pool, the Rocks & Whitefish Alley
Date: July 30, 2007
Location: Gallatin
Air temp: 80s-90s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: ?
Fish landed: 3
Before boarding our flights, we hit the Gal for one final F.A.G. rod session. Once again, Quick crushed them. Jazz was having fun fishing the Munny Hole. I fed the whiteys in Whitefish Alley, while Boot ran around fishing in other people's spots.
When the clock signaled the end of the game, Fruiter tossed rocks into the Munny Hole, to the great pleasure of Jazzer. Jazz drove us to the airport, and the Upper Midwest F.A.G.s flew home. Jazz fished for a bit more, but he'll have to tell you that story.
Highlights of the day:
- QD slaying them
- Jazzy and his Munny Hole
1 comment:
nice post. wish I could have joined you.
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