2024 Fish Pic Thread

[jpcm]

2024 Fish Pic Thread

The Mrs and I also just got back from a bucket list trip to Chilean Patagonia to celebrate her 40th. We were gone for 16 days, fished 9 bookend by some other travel. We were based out of a lodge in on the Palena River in tbe Aysén region. The variety of water was mind blowing and the fishing was stellar. I’m going to work on a full trip report, but here are some fish pics






Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[schwerty]

Looks like a hell of a trip!

[stealurface831]

fknell that looks nice.

[Norseman]

Wowee

[I've seen black diamonds!]

After underoos and jcpm's posts I'm thinking about emptying out the kids' college accounts. Can I drain a 529 account tax free for a fishing trip in South America?

[Rasputin]

Holy river of dreams JCPM! That is just crazy, such vividly colored rivers, fish, and surroundings.

However, I do not envy you, because I just had a really good day, and not just because I caught fish, and it was a beautiful mix of weather, I inexplicably found myself in an irrepressible good mood. I started the day by visiting a friend in jail. He's getting stepped on hard because he's an activist for homeless rights. However, it was just a really good visit. He seemed to be in much better condition than I'd seen him in months, and with a very positive outlook.

After the jail, I went to Bob Ward's to get a new fishing license; for some reason, Montana licenses run for a year starting March 1st.

I took while to get myself out the door, but eventually I made it out to the boat ramp around 1pm. The weather was coming in, bands of sun and snow, and sometimes both:





The honey hole eventually coughed up a whitefish, the water was pretty murky there, the Clark Fork's water has been colored by rain and snow melt.





I fished my way down to the confluence, enjoying the process but getting no bites, I changed rigs to a #10 Pat's with a hare's ear hanger, which I am amused to call a rabbit's foot, because they seem to be good luck. At the bottom end of the confluence I tossed my rig into a shallow slower current flow, and a fish rose, and struck my indicator. I found this very amusing, but I was not able to catch it.

It wasn't long before a small trout took the hare's ear, but was not worthy of a picture on the same page as JCPM's post.* And after a while longer I caught another whitefish, which is not an unexpected consequence of fishing a hare's ear; apparently hare's ears are a large part of the whitefish diet, and one should never fish with a hare's ear if one has an aversion to catching whitefish.





Even before catching the second whitefish I started noticing that I was in having a good time, just being in my waders in the river and whipping line around was doing it for me. I uttered much thanks with a loud voice, to the Creator of such feelings. I felt optimistic, and only partially because I had winched in a whole tree branch (I prayed for a fish for every stick I landed, so I knew something good was coming). The clouds were speaking to me.





I worked up through the soft water along the rapid main current, which often produces, but to no avail. I worked up through large area of eddying soft water behind an effective diversion dam of two logs which got stuck on shallows as the Clark Fork spills into the Bitterroot. I always work through there, as it seems like natural holding water in winter, but haven't caught one there all winter, a fact I was commenting on, aloud to God and the rivers, when my bubble shot away, and my hook set was met with a yank that startled me. He was a strong puller, but the soft water didn't help his cause, and I winched in the beast after a battle, praising the God of fly fishing (Who also created the Universe of Universes). It is actually really humbling for me when I catch one like this, it's dreamlike, and I just feel like the fish is being sent to me. What a Godsend! (The big guy took the hare's ear)





I felt like somebody up there likes me.





Another frisky little fella continued the good mooding I was doing.





I It was getting on in the day and I decided I was pleased with what I'd done, and headed back toward the truck, planning on fishing the honey hole for a while on the way. After much casting there, I took my customary/compulsive picture with the mountain in the distance.





I changed from a hare's ear to an attacker or some such name, it basically a copper John with a tinsel tail instead of pointy feathers. After a few casts, I attempted to heave it close to the other bank into some soft water, snagged it and broke it off. My Pat's came back solo. I said to myself that it was good enough, I'd adjust the depth on the Pat's and give it three more casts. The second cast got hit hard, and I had a fighter who, after some fun, managed to wrap itself around some sticks which took the fight out of him as I winched him up. The leader was impossibly wrapped multiple times around the stick, which I had to break to get undone. when I pulled the fish out to take a pic, I found that he was bleeding, as he'd been hooked in the tongue. Sorry about that fella. I hope he heals well.





I was glad to have a day without any meltdowns of impatience or any downward spiraling feelings really, of course I mentioned in my last post that the adversity of experience on Wednesday, could only assure that I would have mercy from of the God of the fishes (and of Heaven and the cosmos), today. I had a good day! It's a miracle!

* Actually I tried to take a picture, but fumbled him with my clumsy aging hands.

[stealurface831]

And after a while longer eventually caught another whitefish, which is not an unexpected consequence of fishing a hare's ear; apparently hare's ears are a large part of the whitefish diet, and one should never fish with a hare's ear if one has an aversion to catching whitefish.

if you fancy yerself a whitefish guy, grab some whitening bugs. the mo flash the mo betta for whities i've found. goddamn i love them.

the state record mountain whitefish is .... 5.11 lbs. i'm certain i've caught a handful over that, but not since i found out the number. once you go for them, they disappear. my buddy and i have a pact that if either of us catch a record whitey, once official, the other must buy the winner a beater white van and pay for spray painted caricatures of winner with record fish in hand, both donning wizard hats, on both sides of van. under the image will be a caption proudly proclaiming "XXX XXXX, whitey king of Montana!"

one day man, graham. and i'm gonna daily that shit.

[Rasputin]

I got off work early today, so of course, I ran down to the fish catching place. It was a beautiful afternoon with sunshine, and bands of snow squalls.





While it was no threat to the state record for whitefish, I landed my largest yet, almost 18".





After belly-snagging another, much smaller whitefish, I caught a couple trouts.








I was unable to convert at the honey hole; I had two takes, which left two startled fish, as I ripped the nymph away from them, and I watched them flash in runs of terror, sigh.

While I have been perfectly content to fish all winter, and not ski, the mountains are looking mighty frosty and inviting.





Another afternoon out, and other sunset on the river, at least part of my life has been going quite well.

[Rasputin]

Though I didn't work today, I didn't wet a line until 4pm, while later than I would have preferred, it was still enough time to catch some fish and enjoy the river. I caught a couple whitefish and one trout. I also had a fish break the hook of my nymph when I set the hook, I saw him briefly, and was sore disappointed that I missed such a nice fish. However at least I caught this one at the confluence:





Until next time, may your drifts be dead and your fish lively, and may you find enjoyment in the great outdoors. Oh, and pretty mountain shot.

[Rasputin]

It was a CAVU day, just gorgeous!





I caught nothing but whitefish, a half dozen of 'em, but only took a pic of the first. None were big.





The end.

[swimmy]

Definitely feeling the changing of seasons

[Rasputin]

Definitely feeling the changing of seasons

Yes indeed, the temp in Missoula is 53 degrees, and the Clark Fork is approaching 40 degrees above Missoula. There has been a sizable hatch of fly-fisherman, emerging from their winter holds, and appearing at the river where I like to fish, which is making me nostalgic for the cold solitude of winter.

[Rasputin]

Today was a "therapy" day for me, which means I had many fits of ill tempered vitriol, howver, I managed to catch a half dozen whitefish, and a lone trout. I also had three fish come unpinned after hooking them. The weather was gray-blah-ness with occasional sprinkles.

A whitefish:





A trout:

[stealurface831]

Was able to put a buddy on his first missed musky today. Should’ve gotten the shot of anguish after he realized he trout set the shit out it. Also shoutout to the smallies that go after flies bigger than themselves.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Talisman]

To celebrate my FIL's 90th birthday we went fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and caught 44 pounds of vermilion snapper, released many red snapper and tossed back small vermillion and white snapper. While not my style of fishing it was fun and my FIL had fun giving away filets to his neighbors.