Big Hole 852 cfs Beaverhead 613 cfs
Yesterday the wind blew like a force 9 gale and the fishing was tough. Today the wind was light and the fishing was great.
I had a young man in my boat who is mentally and physically handicapped from a serious accident a few years ago. His sister who takes care of him booked the trip some time ago and said they would be spin fishing if that was ok as neither knew any thing about fly fishing and did not think they were capable of learining. We did the spin thing for a few hours with little success. I had my fly rod along as always and when the top water action started I got it out just to demonstrate how this type of fishing works. Some how I was on one of my favorite corners of the river and the late morning hatch was in full swing. There were noses coming up all along that seam and I knew this was a no brainer. First cast I nailed one and they were in awe of this fly fishing stuff. Two more casts and another one. Then I handed the rod to Stu who had been watching very closely and told him to do the same thing I was doing. I was amazed how well he did the first time and on his second or third cast a fish went for the fly and he just stared at it in awe. After several more misses he stuck one and I thougt he was going to jump out of the boat. I have seen happy people when they catch their first fish on a fly rod but I don’t think in all my years I have seen any body as happy and elated as he was. I am now his new best buddy and hero. That fish was only about a 13 inch rainbow but it might as well have been a 30 incher as far as he was concerned and he has the picture to prove it with the fly rod, fish and smile about as wide as Montana.