Getting there...

    The bugs are showing up in greater numbers, the rivers clearing and the fish are starting to look up, but it hasn't gone off yet.  We bribed a local guide with beer down at the Claim Jumper Saloon last night.  The word is that the bugs come off whenever they want and you just have to be on the river everyday.  So that's what we're doing.
    We floated Varney Bridge to Ennis today.  I stuck a fat brown today on a brown girdle bug and after a considerable struggle he came to Kevin who was manning the net.  Kevin was a bit confused because I'd been nymphing for most of the day and a large sofa pillow was sticking out of the fish's mouth.  The mystery was solved when we pulled the fish from the net and found the girdle bug in the other corner of the fish's mouth.   Apparently another angler's day didn't work out so well.
     Kevin landed a rainbow to match the brown, by working a back slough that the majority of fishermen were ignoring.  This fish also took a girdle bug.

Bugs Attack!

    

   Tomorrow- Storey Ditch to Ennis and maybe a bath in the river.  I haven't had a shower since Friday.  The waitresses have quit smiling when we walk in and the river dog's quit stopping by camp for a pat on the head. Might be a sign.

Whitefish: The fish of 473 casts

We put in at Varney Bridge, which is supposed to be an 8 hour
float. We did it in 6 with a ninety minute lunch thrown in for good
measure. Fishing was rough, with only one whitefish landed. The
natives are blaming the silty (read: muddy) water for the poor
fishing. We saw a few salmonflies; one nymph, one shuck and one adult
with the requisite blaze orange belly.
On the brighter side, we saw a cloud of caddis heading upriver at
dusk. We'll give the ruby river a go today and try 3 dollar after
dinner. Hopefully the tribs will finish their spring cleaning in the
next day or two.

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What I learned about Montana in 48 hours

1. You can't get a good night's sleep driving 1500 miles, even in
shifts. Especially when KC is jammin' to Van Halen and drumming on the
dash at 3:00am.
2. Montana Mosquitos are vicious little bastards and immune to cigar
smoke.
3. Some Montanans can make a decent plate of grits. Secret ingredient-
green chilli & cheese!
4. Moose like campgrounds.
5. "Nice" Montana campgrounds have trees, they do not have running
water or electricity.
6. Kettlehouse old smoke scotch ale makes everything better.

Westbound and down

We're heading out of Fayetteville, AR at 1430. We've got 1500 miles to
cover. Driving in shifts ought to put us around Ennis, MT in 24 hours.

A little Reel Recovery love...

Browns rising to #24 black midges over Spring Break on the Taylor Creek stretch of the Frying Pan.

So here's the deal...

Headed to Montana in 4 days with Kevin Calhoun, trying to catch the big bugs and miss run-off. That's the official plan. Unofficially, we've got a 16" Hyde, a truck full of gear and 10 days to kill. I'm not a huge fan of dragging technology into the great outdoors, but this way my lovely wife, Lauren, can keep up with my whereabouts without worrying about me stepping on a rattlesnake or getting eaten by a grizzly.

Time to tie some more stimulators.