Big Hole River 2480 cfs

I did’nt fish today and it depends on who you talk to as to how the fishing was. I talked to one fella who we shuttled from Divide to Melrose and he said he did terrible. I also talked to a couple local guides (with their clients standing right next to them) and they said they did very well.

The other day I had two eleven year old fly fisherman in my boat. The day started out great with both sticking fish on dry fly’s. They wanted the worm and bobber deal at first but I soon convinced them other wise. Just after lunch tensions started to rise. We were anchored on an island and these two were tallying up there count so far. Tempers got riled when one kept telling the other his whitefish did not count as it’s not a trout. The other countered by saying the one he caught by the tail did not count as it was not legally caught and that his grayling should count as two. The more this went on the more tempers flared and they were like two banty roosters at each other.
I told them I didn’t care if they duked it out, wrestled in the mud or whatever but things had to be settled before they got back in the boat. They finally settled matters by adding there fish together and counting everything in order to beat their cousins who were fishing in another boat.

Last week I mentioned that Frank up at Troutfitters got up pretty early in the morning. The other day when my rig was at Fishtrap access there was a nasty note on the windshield. In it he was threatening to cut off certain of my extremities. Apparently someone read that report and was pounding on Frank’s door at 6:00 a.m. demanding a shuttle. Perhaps we should let him sleep in a bit longer and maybe he’ll quit sharpening his jack knife.

Big Hole River 2850 cfs

Last year the Big Hole River on July 4th was running at 475 cfs. What a difference a normal winter snow pack makes. The river continues to drop but the high creeks such as La Marche and Fish Trap are running bank full still. Dave Guckenberg who owns the La Marche Creek ranch told me today the creek has actually gone up in the last couple days.

He fished with me today and it was fun as always. Lots of smaller fish with the bright sun but plenty of action on top water with small mayfly patterns. A 17 incher was the best we could do in size.

Where are you Maxman? Your new Sharkskin fly line is waiting for you in the shop. Remember you made the bet and I just called it.
I will say that conditions were very close where you could have won it.

Big Hole River 3020 cfs

Went back to the upper river today where the flow is easy, brookies are willing and life is good. Hooked into one big brown but lost him. Got lots of brooks, bows, and several grayling. Was tempted to troll with one but thought better of it.

The river will have lots of pleasure floaters on this long weekend.
If you want good fishing get on the water at first light and be off by noon. Roger is usually at the shop by 6:30 if you need a shuttle. Also Frank up there at Troutfitters is normally up earlier than that. (I’m gonna hear about that one)

As for the guy commenting about just spectulating on using huge streamers for 30 inch brown trout. I would personally have no problem using my tarpon rod if I had to in order to present some 10+ inch streamers. The more I think of it the more I want to do it.

Big Hole River 3320 cfs

Like I thought this morning with all the cloud cover and a few rain showers the fishing would be good and it was. Mayfly patterns, caddis, stones all worked great.

Something happened today which is a first in my boat. Tom caught 10 or 11 inch grayling and was reeling it in when he said for some reason this fish got really heavy. He was in the back of the boat and I wasn’t watching as I was avoiding some rocks. All of a sudden he gave out a yell and I looked back in the water and this big brown trout had the grayling in it’s mouth. I grabbed the net, scooped down and got em both. I have had several big fish chase a little hooked one and even latch onto it but let go when getting close to the boat. When I looked down along side the boat and saw it, it looked like it didn’t have any intention of letting go. Kinda like a shark grabbing a hooked bonefish on Andros Island. After a couple flops in the net it let go of the grayling. It was a husky 22 inch male with an evil look in his eye. The grayling survived the ordeal but with a few permanant scars along it’s sides. Tom got his picture taken with the big guy.
Now is that considered a legitimate catch on a fly or just trolling with a grayling?

Within hours of posting that report last night about Steve’s missing boat I received some info regarding a boat that matched the description of his boat and the location. I called Steve and gave him the information and he relayed it to the Sheriff’s Dept. Officers checked it out and matched the serial number and sure enough it was Steve’s boat. It is now back in his possesion and he is quite a happy camper to say the least.

Don’t forget to bring your rain jacket today as heavy showers are predicted. Fishing should be good.

Big Hole River 3300 cfs
Beaverhead 809 cfs

While floating the Maidenrock Canyon last week Steve Thumlert had a bit of a mishap. They were eating lunch on the shore and he inadvertantly had only a short rope out on his anchor. A sudden gust of wind came up and blew it off the anchor into the river. This is something many of us have done in the past including me. With the fairly high water the boat went down a ways and lodged into some willows and a tree. Problem was that it filled with water and with that flow there was no way they could get it out then. He decided to wait a couple days as the river was dropping and had planned on getting it out yesterday. When they got there with extra ropes and gear to get it out it was gone. Someone had gone there late Saturday and cut the willows and ropes he had secured it with and took the boat.
Contrary to some opinions a boat on the river which has been swamped or whatever is not open to salvage rights like on the ocean. That boat belongs to the owner and unless he advertises a reward for getting it out, leave it alone.

The boat is a 15 foot Clacka Craft, white with a sage trim line toward the top. Toward the stern on only one side it has the words Fear No Rock. Serial number is XEP00431C404.

Steve is a local fisherman from Alder over in the Ruby Valley. He comes here to the Big Hole often and loves to float and fish it.
He just recently purchased that boat and was quite proud of it.
If anyone knows who took his boat thinking it was open to salvage rights, please do the right thing and give him his boat back.
Steve Thumlert 406-842-7960
Or you can drop it off by my shop, no questions asked.

Police reports have been filed with Beaverhead and Silver Bow County’s.

Steve has offered a reward for it’s return and every local guide has his eye open for it. If you have a boat that is close to that description and an outfitter or guide asks to see the serial number, please don’t be offended. We just want to get Steve’s boat back.

Big Hole River 3300 more or less

Here it is almost July and the river is still running full. Haven’t seen this for a year or two—like twenty something.
I remember June 17th 1985 when I was running the old Anglers Paradise Lodge at Brown’s Bridge the river was lapping the bridge.

Today was Barnacle Charley’s last outing. We went way up river to avoid the weekend crowds. The river is much slower and the fishing was actually pretty good. Brook trout, grayling, and rainbow mostly with lots of spot fishing which is fun. The high point came within a couple hundred yards of the take out. Charley hooked a monster brown trout on a double humper (not to be confused with a double humpy). The fish was trying to get behind some big rocks on the south shore. I told Charley to put his rod tip into the water while keeping him from the rocks. “This worked and brought the fish to the middle of the river. However a short time later the fish gave two sudden upstream lunges and broke that 2x, 10 lb tippet. I only got a glimpse of him but he was in that 25 to 28 inch range. For several moments after that Charley just hung his head in silence. I patted him on the back and told him you hooked him, fought him and did nothing wrong. About that time his buddy Mike said “it’s better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all” Charley looked at him and said now what the hell does that mean. It did bring him out his slump of not landing the fish.

Fly’s used today—-conventional adams, sneaky pete pmd, purple haze, cat puke and the now proven double humper.

Big Hole River 3660 cfs

First I would like to thank all those who sent positive comments. It’s encouragement like that which keeps me going on this.
There are times when I get off the river and sit in front of the computer and just stare at the screen, drawing nothing but a blank.

Humor is the essence of a fun trip on the river. Yesterday Charley was getting back in the boat when he had one leg in and the boat moved out causing him to flop backward into the water. The boat then moved back over him. The most serious thing was that he almost choked on his plug of tobacco. After getting him upright and he spitting out the rest of the plug he started laughing like crazy and told me that upon close inspection there were no barnacles on the bottom of the boat. I do believe a good laugh was had by the rest of his crew over cocktails last night.

The fishing yesterday was hit and miss with big dry’s and nymphs. We had fair action on Salmon Fly patterns in the morning and nothing on them in the afternoon.

Chuck with Pioneer Outfitters was telling me last night he helped some floaters who got into an irrigation channel and t boned the headgate. He got their oars and much of their gear which was floating down river. For those who do not know the river you should stay out of small channels. This has happened several times this season and luckily nobody has been hurt.

Many other rivfers in SW Montana are still blown out so there are lots of fisherman here on the Big Hole. I have noticed in the past week that most are very courteous to each other and respect others water.

Big Hole River 4170 cfs

Most of the action today was on top and it was quite good. There was a good deal of changing patterns but we got the fish to eat on most we tried. Salmon fly, golden, chernoble, stimos and the like.

Apparently I ruffled some feathers by telling the guy to take a walk and not to read my reports if he didn’t like them. I was even called a old crotchety transplant with an attitude or something like that. After being on the sticks for the past couple weeks every day in this heavy water I probably am. Others said their shadow would never again cross the door to my shop. Hey that’s what’s great about this free country. You don’t have to read my reports nor do you have to visit my shop.
Bottom line is I have been doing this report for quite some time now. I don’t get paid for it. I do it because most times it’s fun and I get many thanks from people who do stop in the shop and appreciate the info.

Big Hole River 4650 cfs

We used a mixed bag of streamers, nymphs and salmon fly patterns today. The most action was on a cat puke and that was late in the afternoon. There are still a few salmon fly’s and goldens in spots.

I do believe the flow has crested and the river will slowly start to drop. As of tomorrow, June 25th I think Maxman will have lost the bet. That sharkskin fly line will be a bit expensive but it’s still worth it.
Here I go merchandising again—as for the comment saying he was a bit put off by me merchandising I have one thing to say, don’t read it any more. This is my site, I own a fly shop and I’ll do all the merchandising I please. Actually I do very little so take a walk pal.