2024 Fish Pic Thread

Yesterday I had the day off, so I went fishing. I prayed about where to go, and then when I got my answer, I looked at it on the satellite imagery of the area. I noticed that even closer than "the big trout catching place" was the "lower" (main) confluence of the Bitterroot and the Clark Fork, which I'd always been curious about. I decided I'd go there instead. It was a decision which lead to much hiking, little fishing, fatigue and great frustration. I did not have a great day; though I did catch three small whitefish, I had a bee in my bonnet, and I took it out on myself. I have dark moods which are profound and painful, tend to escalate to self hating tirades with much cursing, and yesterday's was a doozy, but eventually I calmed down, and went back to the honey hole (which had earlier produced the whitefish). There was no action, so I swapped rigs a few times, and as the light was fading, I got a hard strike.

I set the hook effectively, and it felt rather like it had snagged on the bottom, until the line started moving around, it was a very big fish, and I excitedly attempted to wrest his mass from the bottom of the river. After absorbing a couple short runs, I began stripping in line, and got my net ready. Then the fish, annoyed at being lifted off of the river bottom, began shaking his head violently, and he was off. "OH NOOOOOO!" was all that came out of me, the sense of loss was intense, but apparently I'd used up all of my cursing for the day. Demoralized, I saw that the hook had been bent to ineffectiveness; I felt completely defeated, exhausted, and emotionally not a way one wants to ever feel.

After work today, I went back to make things right. I caught a couple small whitefish, lost a slightly bigger one that launched out if the water after coming off the hook, and did next to no cursing; I was content enough drifting my nymph's without response. Again, returning to the honey hole just after sunset, I worked through a few rigs with no luck, until I put on a worminator with a Duracell trailer. In the same spot that I hooked up yesterday, the bubble dipped and I hooked into a nice trout fish. It wasn't nearly as strong a fish as the one from last night, but after respectable tugging from said fish, I was happily able to land it, and felt redeemed from the sad state of the previous day. What a difference a day makes.

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I decided to give my usual waters a rest, and drove up to Milltown State Park, where the Blackfoot dumps into the Clark Fork. Before Milltown was a thought, this confluence was known by the indigenous people as "The place of big bull trout". The really good looking water was on the other side of the river, and I didn't think I could wade across safely, so instead I crossed the Blackfoot and went upstream a quarter mile or so until I found some slower softer water. I hooked a fish and lost it after a few exciting seconds, and then nothing.

I decided I wasn't feeling it there, and as I left, I noticed that there was indeed a way of crossing to the other side, as another fly fisher was fishing the really good looking water on the other side, so I now understand that crossing over further downstream is possible.

I decided to drive to another place downstream about fifteen miles, the place of moar bigger whitefish (across the river from "the big fish catching place"), where, after losing a whitefish, I rather quickly snagged a whitefish in the tail. Interestingly, this is the second time I've fished there and snag hooked a fish in the tail, though last time it was a mere western silvery minnow. Anyhoo, I was already happier with my locale than the previous area.

Less than a stone's throw upstream, I hooked and landed a svelte 17" rainbow which made the day a happy one:

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Later on I caught a couple moar whitefish, including this one that I expertly snag hooked above the eye:


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It was another CAVU day on the river, and an enjoyable one as well.


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Big bow on the local water today on a nymph

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c84b84bef9.jpg

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Wow, nice fish!

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Originally Posted by Rasputin

Wow, nice fish!

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I pretty much soiled myself. That's unusual on the Big Wood, our town river.

Another fun part of the story... I'm not an organized person which makes the very nature of fly fishing difficult for me. A few minutes prior to that fish, I was rerigging and looking for my little foam box of girdles that I brought. Panic hit as I recalled balancing it on my bag while tying on some tippet. I looked around, knee deep in the water and then saw the tin floating UP stream from me, caught in a very small eddy. That sort of shit doesn't happen to me very often. I grabbed it, tied on a tan one and BAM...23" rainbow!



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I liked the story as much as the pic, I've lost many flies by getting distracted while swapping out rigs, but gradually this has lessened as I've developed "chairlift awareness", moving very deliberately so that I don't absent-mindedly drop something. That your box was caught in a eddy made me smile, it's nice when our mistakes don't cost us more than the momentary fright that we did something foolish.

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Originally Posted by The Reverend Floater

I pretty much soiled myself. That's unusual on the Big Wood, our town river.

Another fun part of the story... I'm not an organized person which makes the very nature of fly fishing difficult for me. A few minutes prior to that fish, I was rerigging and looking for my little foam box of girdles that I brought. Panic hit as I recalled balancing it on my bag while tying on some tippet. I looked around, knee deep in the water and then saw the tin floating UP stream from me, caught in a very small eddy. That sort of shit doesn't happen to me very often. I grabbed it, tied on a tan one and BAM...23" rainbow!

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That's cool.

For me, when one thing goes badly I tend to spiral into disfunction until I sit down for a minute and reset.

And nice fish.

Been on a bender...

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Damn you're tidy, swimmy!

I got off work early today and headed for the usual place. The honey hole seems to only yield whitefish in the afternoons, I caught two small ones, then headed down to the confluence, intending to return around sunset when I've caught a number of big fish.

The confluence quickly produced moar whitefish, but not any really bigger ones. I caught seven of them all told, including one which I expertly snag hooked in the tail, for maximum fighting power.

I often talk to the fish, and the river, and God and everything while I fish, and I was doing so today, as I was fishing a really good looking piece of water where wide and shallow parts of the Bitterroot pinch together a bit and create a central current with back eddys on each side. I have fished it often, but have only ever caught a small rainbow there. Today I fished the softwater to the seam with no results, but then I thought, since the whitefish were on the bite, and it was really warm today, that maybe, they could be in the trough just above where two current streams collide. As I was thinking that, I was saying out loud how it seems to me ridiculous that I only ever caught but one small rainbow in there, and not even one bite aside.

First cast into the midst got a hard strike, and then I saw a giant shape streak down current and start yanking on the line so heavy, I kinda felt scared. As I tried to get him into the soft water between us, but after twenty seconds or so, the 4X tippets Maxima Utragreen failed. I was gut punched, and that fish had stole my rabbit's foot (hare's ear)! I couldn't tell what kind of of fish it was for sure, but it looked like a giant whitefish, though it fought more like a rainbow. I bet it holds in a bucket at the bottom of the trough, I'm definitely going to target that again.

I went back to the honey hole, which produced one strike which I missed badly. I took today's version of Snowbowl and Point Six in the river's background, and put another day to rest.

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Warm winter weirdness. The big blizzard that shut down targhee blew 4 foot deep drifts over the water but there's barely any shelf ice underneath. No snap; just suddenly you're on a car sized floating marshmallow.
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Fishing was meh. Not much ice out magic to be had in a winter without lasting ice.
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The big take away from last night's after work session, was a fellow fisherman who said he'd just caught his biggest ever trout on a March Brown dry fly. All I managed last night was one whitefish, four fish coming off the hook, and a sunset pic.


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Originally Posted by I've seen black diamonds!

That's cool.

For me, when one thing goes badly I tend to spiral into disfunction until I sit down for a minute and reset.

And nice fish.

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Exactly. I'm like textbook spiral guy.

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Originally Posted by Rasputin

I liked the story as much as the pic, I've lost many flies by getting distracted while swapping out rigs, but gradually this has lessened as I've developed "chairlift awareness", moving very deliberately so that I don't absent-mindedly drop something. That your box was caught in a eddy made me smile, it's nice when our mistakes don't cost us more than the momentary fright that we did something foolish.

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Yeah, I had a serious moment of "something" helping me out because normally that would be the beginning of frustration and subsequent bad fishing.

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Well you guys are making me feel less chagrined by my frequent references to streamside meltdowns. :)


Today I went to "the big fish catching place", and in spite of much casting, the big fish remained coy. This was the only fish I managed there.


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So, after hooking and losing a whitefish there, and feeling scorned by the resident big fishes, I headed upstream to the "big hurkin' stonefly nymph losing place" where I also know there are big fish, like the one that took my big hurkin' stonefly nymph. It wasn't too long before my indicator told me that my brand spanking new pink worminator had been a good investment, and I managed to land the type of troutfish I had made the hike for, YAY for me!


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I put Red, White, and Blue backing on one of my new reels. Yes, Red, White and Blue is capitalized. If yours isn’t like this, why do you hate America?
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Originally Posted by Rasputin

and I managed to land the type of troutfish I had made the hike for, YAY for me!


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Totally worth it!

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Originally Posted by plugboots

I put Red, White, and Blue backing on one of my new reels. Yes, Red, White and Blue is capitalized. If yours isn’t like this, why do you hate America?
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Damn, man, how can I get into this? Is there any more left?!?

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Originally Posted by ::: :::

Totally worth it!

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It amazes me still, how catching a big fish changes my mood, I can feel a inner smile for hours afterward. Really, the place I caught that one is only about a 40 minute hike from the fishing access parking lot, but I've developed painful swelling under the head of my right foot's first metatarsal, which has made hiking uncomfortable, but catching a fish like that is definitely worth it nonetheless.

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https://jblineone.net/shop-our-produ...w-core-spectra

Red white and blue. Is that some sort of accuracy-distance-tight loop combo backing?


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Originally Posted by stealurface831

Red white and blue. Is that some sort of accuracy-distance-tight loop combo backing?


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It’s really good 60# hollow core backing that I wanted for Tarpon. It just so happened the RWB was on sale, and I like the change of color every 50 feet, which is available in another color set if I recall. But…merica.

Not so humble rod/reel porn...

My company got me this set up as a token of appreciation and today I got it out for glamour shots. Sweetgrass with a Hardy Perfect. So classy.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...ageq0IVFV.heic

Actually had an eater on a March Brown but couldn't close the deal.

But it was a nice day out with my oldest step son.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...ageVsfM5V.heic

Sweetgrass are the truth! Brackett is dialed like no other. Congrats man.


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Purty

Gorgeous - that’s some major appreciation

I’d be afraid to use it - I’m not worthy

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Originally Posted by stealurface831

Sweetgrass are the truth! Brackett is dialed like no other. Congrats man.

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This is my first venture into the world of bamboo. But I have a good friend who is obsessed with bamboo and he says the same thing. He has a ton of respect for Sweetgrass and Glenn. When the company told me they wanted to get me a rod, he actually helped me pick it out.

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Originally Posted by ::: :::

Purty

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Random photos of bamboo rods and Hardy reels might be my new thing. https://images2.imgbox.com/2d/4c/TCA...?download=true

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Originally Posted by TBS

Gorgeous - that’s some major appreciation

I’d be afraid to use it - I’m not worthy

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I've been with this company for 20 years. It is the only job I've had since graduating. They hired me right out of college and immediately relocated me to Bozeman. I'm really grateful for my career and agree, it is an awesome gesture on their part.

Congrats swimmy, quality gear clears the fishing day of a set of limitations, and allows focus where it belongs, on the drifting fly.

I find it interesting that bamboo has become the epitome of fly rods, as that was the standard long ago. My dad had a number of bamboo fly rods; during his efforts to clear his house of things he didn't use anymore, he auctioned off most of his bamboo rods (from the '50s and '60s) on ebay, and was very surprised at how much they went for. He much preferred his graphite rods which were much lighter and better balanced. Of course none of them were Sweetwaters, or really high end brands.

When last I visited, among many things he tried to give me, was a bamboo Shakespeare rod. It came with, and has, two tip sections, in case one got broken. It has very slow buggy whip action, and is quite tip heavy. I left it with him, as I am in my own process of downsizing, and I have three fly rods already. I will likely inherit all of the fishing gear eventually anyway.

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Originally Posted by swimmy

Not so humble rod/reel porn...

My company got me this set up as a token of appreciation and today I got it out for glamour shots. Sweetgrass with a Hardy Perfect. So classy.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...ageq0IVFV.heic

Actually had an eater on a March Brown but couldn't close the deal.

But it was a nice day out with my oldest step son.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...ageVsfM5V.heic

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Ooh I know that riffle. If anyone happens to be poking around and sees ice coming off at C&W lakes lemme know.

Heading out to the local to teach the new dog some fishing manners. Wish me luck!

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That's a great gift, Swimmy. Congrats.

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Originally Posted by swimmy

This is my first venture into the world of bamboo. But I have a good friend who is obsessed with bamboo and he says the same thing. He has a ton of respect for Sweetgrass and Glenn. When the company told me they wanted to get me a rod, he actually helped me pick it.

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Glenn is the man. If you get the chance, take a tour of the shop up there. Pretty cool operation. What length/line you get?

In continuing with the new rod/reel theme, the UPS man just stopped by with some goodies. Mine is bigger. Attachment 491457Attachment 491458



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Had a nice day on the creek. Rocky did great and wasn't super interested in the fish unlike Walter. Almost pulled off a slam but no bull trout. I suck at taking fish pics. I'm a bit overdue for new boots and tires....https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...fe4422f48b.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...731204ea81.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...10accbb767.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...45dae121d6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d13dcd1c39.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...5177d57667.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...069085e072.jpg

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Originally Posted by lifelinksplit

Had a nice day on the creek. Rocky did great and wasn't super interested in the fish unlike Walter. Almost pulled off a slam but no bull trout. I suck at taking fish pics. I'm a bit overdue for new boots and tires....https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...fe4422f48b.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...731204ea81.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...10accbb767.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...45dae121d6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d13dcd1c39.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...5177d57667.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...069085e072.jpg

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Is Rocky a German Shepherd? I used to have a GS/Mix and that was a great benefit...they don't love the water unless you train them to. Never had to deal with her fuckin up the fishing hole. I can't even begin to take my two Griffs fishing.

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Originally Posted by The Reverend Floater

Is Rocky a German Shepherd? I used to have a GS/Mix and that was a great benefit...they don't love the water unless you train them to. Never had to deal with her fuckin up the fishing hole. I can't even begin to take my two Griffs fishing.

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Rocky is a rez mutt. Seems to be a German shepherd/aussie/heeler(?) Something mix. He's 5 months and 27lbs. My golden retriever is very interested in fucking up my fishing water but I have him trained fairly well. I had a German shepherd/wolf mix that was a perfect fishing dog because he would only get in the water a little bit and sit right behind me. Walter has the honor of falling out the boat twice getting too excited on the Missouri as we landed fish. I was smart enough to put a doggie pfd on him with a grab handle and pull him back into the boat as my buddy netted his fish...

I'm curious how rocky is gonna adapt to the driftboat.(was gonna take him this weekend to Craig but we're supposed to get a bunch of snow).

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Originally Posted by stealurface831

What length/line you get?

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8 1/2' 5 wt Pent.

https://images2.imgbox.com/ae/31/Pw6...?download=true

kicked off the season chucking hardware on flat water,
no fish for me ....

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fuck the pic rotation function ....

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Took a trip back to Michigan to see my family. Been a while since I floated Eastern water. Big fun, spent the day on the Pere Marquette. Used to dodging rocks on the Green, different game missing trees and flipping casts instead of chucking across a river.

Slayed em

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My uncle and friends manage to get em to the boat.

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Nice one, you don't catch boxes of wine like that every day! Oh, and nice brown too. :D

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Originally Posted by BobMc

Took a trip back to Michigan to see my family. Been a while since I floated Eastern water. Big fun, spent the day on the Pere Marquette. Used to dodging rocks on the Green, different game missing trees and flipping casts instead of chucking across a river.

Slayed em

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My uncle and friends manage to get em to the boat.

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Moonbag!!!!!

I wanna fish with Bob.

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I put in a long day on the river today, and with great results, I caught a grand slam plus! Almost five separate species!

On the first cast of the day in the honey hole, I hooked up on a fierce Northern Pike Minnow! I hooked and lost four other fish there before moving on.


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Working up the confluence I caught my second fish and species of the day, a Mountain Whitefish which took a prince nymph.


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After a while I hooked into something big, a really strong fish, which took a while just to get into sight. At first glance I thought I had hooked a mammoth whitefish, but once I got it close, much to my surprise and delight, I saw that it was the third native species I had caught that day, and was a first for me, a powerful and heavy Largescale Sucker!


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So at this point, I was really hoping for a native grand slam, and the potential for it was certainly there, as I noticed fish rising further up the confluence, which meant there was likely some West Slope Cutthroat Trout. I switched from my nymph set up to a March Brown dry with a olive loopwing emerger trailer, which was unattractive to the rising fish. I discovered that the only fly box I'd left at home, was the one with my CDC baetis emergers, which I believe would have been crushed by the many rising fish. There were both March Browns and Blue Winged Olives floating past me, and the BWOs were getting gobbled. I tried a BWO Sparkle Dun, but got no interest, nor did a olive Caddis X. I decided to try out a green Crystal Caddis, as the body of it is pretty baetis looking. A good sized riser grabbed it, and with my lighting fast reflexes, I yanked it right out of his mouth. Eventually I got another taker, which made for a fourth species for the day, and at first, when I saw the gill slashes, I thought I'd got a fourth native species, but on closer inspection, it turned out to be a Cut-Bow. (the jaws of a WS Cutthroat extend past the eyes)


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On the way back to the truck, I caught another whitefish (which took a hare's ear so deep I had to reach down his gullet with forecepts to unhook him), and finally a Rainbow Trout, which kinda makes a fifth species, with a little overlap of the trout fishes. It had gone pretty well, and I hardly had any tantrums all day long! :)


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while floating and tubing, I've spotted some HUGE large-scale suckers in the Spokane River
nobody I've talked to targets them or even knows anything about them ....

nice fish!
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