Big Hole 212 cfs Beaverhead 252 cfs
It was cool and cloudy this morning when we put in and I didn’t expect any top water action until the tricos came off later. To my surprise just after we started there were a lot of fish feeding on the surface. In the poor light created by the cloud glare I could just barely see the unmistakeable shape of their wings and there were a lot of them and as usual when they hatch the fish are right on em. I haven’t seen BWO’s for awhile and was not expecting them, but the cool and cloudy conditions were just right for them. I tied on a BWO cripple behind a big attractor and the fish were nailing it. The biggest problem was seeing the fly. The clients were having trouble finding the attractor fly and I’ll have to admit that the cloud glare was such that I had trouble picking it up, but it was a lot of fun with a lot of action. The tricos started soon after and I left the cripple on to see if they would hit it and they did. The rest of the day was cool with a brisk north wind but it didn’t hinder Tami and her son Tim who are novices but quick learners. They finished up the day with a 18 inch rainbow and a 20 inch brown on a chernoble ant, not bad for beginners. The only mishap of the day is when Tami fell into the river and filled her waders. It was pretty cold, so I told her to go into the bushes and take her wet clothes off, put on my waders, cowboy up, and continue fishing—she did and was a real trooper about it. She looked a little funny as she is a rather small gal and my chest waders could go over her head. We all decided it was a great photo opportunity and she agreed.