Hump Day
This time of year it feels like Hump Day for a month. Well, not quite a month, but this summer doldrums bullshit slides by at a turtle’s pace.
September is the best nymphing month of the year, but even that month seems too far away, well beyond an arms reach. Or a long cast for that matter.
SOL’s Casting Brain Teaser of the Day: A lever, primarily a 9″ graphite lever, does it’s best work if you choose to move it slowly, in a linear direction followed by a positive stop.
Like your hand hitting a brick wall. A positive stop.
That’s solid advice, unchanging…Why do we, as men, continually try to fool physics on a daily basis? Physics is a pure science. Physical properties never change. I believe that is so, but you would never get me confused with a smart person, so…
Levers do not work well if they are moved rapidly over very short distances…like inches, sometimes centimeters. This is absolute.
Are you sensing a Squeeky Oar Lock absolute truths classic rant? Boy, I am.
The fly rod, a lever, is the only tool we have when flyfishing. Agree? I believe we all can agree on this simple fact. Imagine what you can do with that crowbar, which is a lever, in your garage. Think how effective that tool is as compared to the claw on your hammer when pulling a particularly difficult nail out. The longer lever always prevails. One, meaning you, does not have to move that crowbar very quickly to achieve success. Correct? Steady as she goes. Now, let’s imagine, if only for a minute, that your wrist is the hammer and your fly rod is the crow bar. Following closely? OK. So, when fly fishing, which is all of our passions…and using a fly rod….the most effective, efficient, successful, well trained & practiced anglers move the fly rod slowly and in a linear directions.
Small rod tip movements produce small results. Large rod tip movements produce large results.
Remember: The fly line has to follow the path the rod tip follows, because the fly line is attached to the fly rod. We never push limp fly line (although we try daily, over, and over, and over)…but, we can do quite well when we pull fly line through the air…with our 9′ over priced lever. It is very difficult, almost impossible to change the laws of physics…that’s my personal belief. I’m just sayin…
Short, erratic, convex or concave rod tip movements are not now, nor will ever be an effective, efficient manner to wave the magic wand…
Emergences Daily
Trico's hatch on the Mo
Ephemeroptera Tricorythodes allectus 0r minutus | White winged black or commonly known as the Trico
Lots of these damn little bugs around the Missouri this month, and for that matter next month too. The fish really used to enjoy themselves indulging on this tasty morsel in the surface film, pods of them, the fish that is. But, alas, no more.
The last line makes me sound like a romance writer…Alas…cheesy shit for a Monday. Standard.
I used to tell clients when asked if they bite…
“Well yes, and don’t let them swarm about your head and face, my last client was inundated by them and we had to whisk her off to the hospital for a poison control,blood transfusions, and the like…”
I also used to attempt to put the fear of god in them by explaining it was either my first day guiding, or that I had a pretty good idea of where the put in was, but wasn’t really clear on how to find the take out. Can you imagine how long a new guide has to lie about his length of employment? It is truly terrifying those first few days on the water, with folks you do not know, who you a trying to do right by…scary shit. You may say, and why would that fishy lad tell a fib? Well, it’s pretty hard to instill confidence in your guests if you are heading into uncharted waters…literally.
A good scene at the Craig Bridge in August
Trico’s are an insect that do not appeal to all fishermen. It is so small, the fish are finicky whilst sipping them, and most of them will eat a caddis anyway. But for the Hatch Matchers, there is no finer quarry than the Trico fishing and all that it entails. As I mentioned above, and for those of you who were so very fortunate blessed mofo’s to enjoy the deceadent fishing of the 80’s, 90’s. and til 2001ish…then the fish boycotted pod feeding behaviors on the oil slicks of Trico spinners. You could set your watch by…
Trico’s are multibrooded meaning several generations will hatch during the year. They last about 2 months. The black male hatches at dusk and well into the darkness while the olive female comes off in the morning. They meet in mating swarms that appear to us the angler along the shorleline in columns reaching 50 feet in height. Big giant mating orgy. Then the females oviposite over the water and the both of them spin towards the water and the fish eat them. Or used to.
I’m not stating that our fish do not eat them anymore, because they do indeed eat Trico’s daily. Larval, pupal, emergent, dun, and finally the spinner. Then why are they so hard to catch when they are keying in on this impossible insect? Hell, I don’t know. I’ve never been able to communicate with those damn hard of hearing trout. Even shouted expletives do not seem to awaken them?
Bins of Trico flies at Headhunters
If you still wish to fish this hatch, as I do, as most of us…the hardheaded trout fisher dudes do…come out to the Missouri in the coming month. They will be here, in droves. The best day to catch these fellas when the fish become fond of the topwater bite…is…an overcast warm, calm, no pressure day. It is game on. Maybe this above average water will bring back the surface rise? Who knows, Mother Nature will certainly dictate the future. She nearly always does. If the last bigger water years are any sort of indication, and I think it may be, our fish will once again gorge themselves on this tiny tasty bug.I had a fellow once ask, “Why would such a large trout eat such a minute insect?”
I answered back, “How many sunflower seeds, M & M’s, pieces of popcorn… can you eat during a sitting? Countless…
A day spent headhunting…
Fly thoughts...
He’ll eat this fly. The last one did. And the one before…
Maybe I should put on a comparadun? Haven’t caught a fish on one of those this spring? I’ve always liked that fly…introduced to me by my father. My fishing mentor. Or at least the first.
Headhunting...it's a passion shared by many
Sometimes hunting heads is a solitary pursuit. Other times it is better spent with friends. The discussion of approach. The decision of who will throw at the target. The not so gentle ribbing when your buddy misses the take…
Every day is different. Every fish has a personality…the rise form, the lie, the rhythm, the take…all individual.
Dry fly weapon...Loomis GLX Max
What is your dry fly weapon of choice? Has it changed over the years? Or, like many of us, we have several candidates resting in the back of the pick-up.
Some prefer a soggy old graphite noodle, some a bamboo with sentimental sap attached, and still others like a snappy and light modern dry fly gun. A completely subjective decision for the headhunters of this world.
A final relase...
The end of the journey? No. The beginning? For some.
The life of a headhunter is only interrupted by reality. Don’t let it happen to you.
A day spent headhunting is truly a day well spent…
Respect for Private Land
Afternoon @ the Welcome Hole
The structure near this oft fished area has changed in the last ten years. There used to be a great big hole near the bottom of this run…no more. Now it is filled in with small gravel and a touch of silt. There are a few rising fish here in the summer, and definitely during a spinner fall. Just below is the new fence installed by the Sterling Ranch Co.
Sterling Ranch lets many folks wander around the property for most of the year. The exception being in the fall . Anything painted Bright Orange is private property in Montana and if crossed is considered trespassing. If you have fished between Stickney Creek and the Dam on the frontage road side, you have stepped foot upon Sterling land. They allow access if for all anglers. It is gracious and which they do not have to do. Keep this in mind if you are fishing on the property.
I have seen folks parked in front of field entrances, therefore blocking entry and prohibiting daily ranch work. Not too smart. I have been known to leave hand written come to Jesus notes Love Letters slipped under the windshield wiper hopefully educating assholes with blinders on their eyes. It is the same fella who immediately calls the tow truck if some body is parked in front of their driveway. Lets just be aware of others around us and act appropriately. Respect landowner rights while fishing the Missouri.
Golden Eye's Going Away
Most of the land you cross to wade fish here is private land. Yes, most all of it. The boat ramps are owned by the state and access there is open to all. Tread lightly elsewhere. It is a privilege granted by others that benefits our fishing experience. Keep these items in mind while fishing the Missouri.
Never park where you know you shouldn’t. Gated fence areas! On the dirt road (Holter Dam Rd) heading to the Dam. That too is an easement and should be treated as private. Park in designated areas.
Don’t litter, be cognisant of your self and belongings. Go one better, pick up anything you may see strewn on the shoreline or during your travels. We all win.
Just remember it anytime you are on private property, treat it with respect. Leave gates as they were. If it was closed when you pass through, close it behind you. If it is open, let it remain open.
If you have any question if a property is private, assume it is and ask permission before crossing. Be on your best behavior and we will continue the longevity of respect and trust between landowner and angler.
We can all get along with our neighbors…if we try and are aware of our surroundings.
Scud Satisfaction Guaranteed
SOL's Scud Box
Is it time to work on building your Scud Box? When fishing the Missouri River nearly any time of the year, any season, any time…do not mis-place your scud box.
A good scud box takes time to create. You cannot just go on-line and order yourself up one. I’m sure you could, but without real world trials and tribulations…what is it really worth. Does it carry weight…I mean is it heavy? Bad double entendre. A genuine kick-ass box takes time to develop. When building, err on the obscene side when talking about quantity. Yes, more is better. They do not last forever…and the fish do love them. That combination leads us down the path of ever dwindling supplies. Keep it stocked. That is a rule.
If you want to play with the big boys, you may want to arm yourself with two of these stuffed boxes. One of the reasons to carry so many patterns, flies, colors, hook types…is the overwhelming number of too cool fly boxes on the market today. I have been locked into the C & F Designs boxes of all types for the last several years. The sheer number of knock-offs available today will surprise even the most current of gear junkies. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry outfit offers the now blasé Micro-Slit style boxes in amy configurations as there are stars in the sky. I secretly love it. I like fly boxes!
Organized fly boxes get me real excited. Organized and filled…double the pleasure.
Pretty in Pink
How you fill your Scud Box is your perogative. Completely subjective to your angling style, local waters, and anal personality traits. Mine must be itemized according to color, size, popularity, oft and not oft used…Fly boxes are as individual as the user. That is one of the many reasons looking through other boxes is so entertaining; and telling!?
My cuurent version, let’s call it 3.0, certainly contains a much narrower selection than the previous 2. This time it is mostly Scuds. All colors, weights, and sizes. It has not always been this way.
The first box was a generic attractor fly box. Scuds were mixed amongst Prince’s, Zug Bugs, PT’s, some gaudy overdressed caddis pupa’s I ties, worms, and any fly I either did not know the name of, any fly found in a lakeside tree, and a rusty sz 10 McGinty.
Box 2 was with me for nearly a decade. A small black foam inserted $3 jobby bought at a small sports store in Yakima Wa. This included such flies as Ray Charles, Bighorn Scuds, Princes, worms, and lots of bastardized pink and red flies stolen from local guides who had held my hand through the first year of guiding. The Big Pink, Red Death, and some abomination that Capt. Yetter tied. Possibly the ugliest fly I have ever seen…until I fished it. Then of course, version 2.0 was crammed full of the ugly pink fly. That box is now retired as a new box was unveiled in the spring of ‘09.
Now I am rollin’ with the box above. It consists of many tailwater favorites with the accompanying local standards. The following patterns adorn Sol’s Scud box…
- Rainbow Czech
- Amex
- Tan Czech
- UV Czech
- Orange Czech
- Berry Nymph
- SH Ray Charles, 4 colors
- Hot Bead Ray Charles, 3 colors
- Pink Lightening Bugs
- Arnold’s Sili-Scud
- generic Scuds, all colors
- Raisler Depth Charge
- a whole pile of random flies purchased 2 dozen at a time @ any fly shop I frequent…one can never have too many
Fly Boxes fall under the “must have” category in fly fishing. New fly lines, bomb proof rain jacket, new 4 weight with matching reel…these too fall into the same realm…It is all fantasy land and we do our best to stay in it all often as possible.
When fishing the Missouri do not forget your scud box. One of them adorns my line nearly every day for the entire season. Do not discount the effectiveness in winter either. Friend and guide Dave Payne fishes it exclusively in the snowy months and into a sz 8! A good mid week project is to begin the colossal task of building your very own scud box.
Let me break it down for you brother…
Fishing banks is OK...but let yourself fish between too!!
I remember the first time I saw the Missouri. I had come from Missoula upon recommendation from the owner of the Missoulian Angler. He suggested I go to the Missouri, go ahead and fish the Missouri River, it is never out of shape. All Westside rivers were blown out due to torrential rains in the last couple of days. Having never heard of the Missouri, all the while thinking that it must be in Missouri, I pointed through the plate glass window towards the dilapidated Subaru out front, mentioned I had only 7 days left of my vacation, and did not believe I could make it to Missouri (the state) on this trip. He turned and looked at me with a smile on his face, trying not to laugh, and said, “Oh, it’s in Montana, less than two hours away.” So I purchased the Montana State Gazetteer and Montana Angling Guide(still have it; it’s the one with all the cool fold-out maps…greatly needed by novices like myself!!!) by Chuck Fothergill, shelled out $60 in thanks to him and was off to the Missouri. Having no idea what the Missouri River was about, not knowing what a tail water was at this early and very green point of my fly-fishing life. I had only fished small creeks/streams and lakes in the northwest. So you can imagine my surprise when I first saw the Mo crossing the Wolf Creek Bridge.
My first reaction…
“Ooooh shit! I hope that’s not the Missouri. It looks like a slow moving lake!”
I’m sure more than a few of you had a similar initial reaction to the World’s Largest Spring Creek. It really took me a long time to start understanding how to read such a large body of water. I was so used to stomping up a creek and casting behind rocks, where the trout would ultimately be, where they should be, where they belong. This all changed as I started to crack the code of the Missouri…or did it. I will spare you the details of days too many and painful to re-count, the days that I was not catching fish do to both naivety and ignorance. Don’t make the same mistakes I did by being intimidated by the vastness of the Missouri.
Fish in the center and fool 'em all! Duh? says Ashley
The way one can be immediately successful is to breakdown the large river into small river components. Although it resembles a slow moving lake, do not treat it like one.
Seams.
My advice. Broaden your fishing horizons.
Bank to Bank good water...Fish it All!
One thing that you will also notice is the lack of riffle water. Yes, there are plenty of runs that you may recognize as fishy, but they are not plentiful enough to fill a day’s float. They also attract fisherman who may still be intimidated or may believe that riffles are the only place to find fish. Again, keep in mind that riffle runs are heavily fished; I suggest looking for less obvious trout lies. If you can find a fish that has not seen a fly all day…boy it really increases the odds.
It has been too long since I learned the phrase… “hedges, ledges, edges”to remember who stated it, but I think it was Tom Rosenbauer in Prospecting for Trout. The fact is that this phrase was burned in my memory and I have used it to break down many rivers since, including the Mo. It is a great rule of thumb for anybody to remember and use in various fishing situations.
Hedges.
Ledges.
Meaning any change in the depth of the water. A shelf, drop-off, etc. On the Missouri there are three sets of ledges. The
Kelley believes in the 3rd shelf line!
Edges.
Meaning of course the bank lines, seam lines, or any differentiation of current. The easiest one to identify and the one that most fishermen spend their time on. Again, smart fishermen seek all of the above, not concentrating on one type of water all day. Speaking with anglers at the end of the day that describe “underwhelming” results leads me to this first question. “Did you fish tight to the bank all day?” Typically the answer is yes. Of course there are times to fish in this manner, with streamers, hoppers, etc, but do yourself a favor and expand your fishing horizons. You will be rewarded with more fish and more knowledge.
Those fish that have not seen countless flies drag over them are more likely to eat your fly!
These are two of the ways you can break down the Missouri to acceptable components. Seam lines throughout the river and hedges, ledges, edges. I wish I would have learned about these techniques earlier in my life, it would have eased some of the frustration. Most importantly fish the Missouri with confidence, and do not be afraid to explore away from your comfort zone.
1st published 1 year ago today. I re-edited, added pictures, and republished. Written before I knew what a blog was. Scumliner phoned me in the Keys and informed me I was to write a Blog for the shop. So, I did. It has been fun. I use it as a writing exercise. I do not always like writing, but mostly do. I usually pick a couple photos and write the post. Generally the first draft is published with some minor editing, very minor. I’m not the only author, but the primary, Scumliner and B & E Ben have written too. Thanks for reading, you must be off your rocker and in need of some help. Or just very bored at work. Today is the 1 year anniversary of the Headhunter. Year 2, I’m in.
