The Wild Man of Wise River

I took advantage of the terrible weather to camp in the Wise River valley - I love it over there. I had the entire campground to myself on Memorial Day Weekend. The Wise itself has bank-full and turbid, but there is much fishing to be done over there.
Got up to a lake near Wisdom that I was told had grayling - it does.

Then fished a sweet new spot on the Big Hole, but all I got where whities. There was an excellent March brown hatch and fish were looking up - I believe they were trout, but not positive.

This morning, I fished a little crick next to my campground that looks excellent - probably better when it's a little lower tho. I managed a 13-inch brown trout however.
A wonderful 24 hours spent in the Big Hole - I might retire over there.

Hebgen Lake Ice-out Report: the Anglers Strike Back

Clay and I fished the north shore of Hebgen today - there is plenty of fishable water. There are spots where it's about 30 feet (and constantly growing) and other spots where there is much more than that. Not huge midge hatches yet, but soon. The fishing was tough - we each got a couple but we worked for them. It was pretty busy, especially with spin fishers who like to snuggle. But there was no wind, and it was beautiful. SPRING!

Not good for the ego

The fishing was fine - it wasn't that. It was what happened when I squatted to pick up our empties as were packing up after floating the lower Madison last Friday. SCREEEEPPPTCHHHH! I blew the ass out of my Simms Classic Guide waders. These are, by many accounts, the best wader ever made and they no longer make them. They were my favorite waders, and I'm pretty sure they're unfixable. Bulletproof, my ass (pun intended).

Anyhow, the fishing was fine - there were baetis, March browns, caddis and zillions of midges out. We were getting them on the size 14 P-tail, the baetis emerger, and, if you can believe this, the crayfish.