Opening Day. Take a Kid Fishing.

In my case, it’s my kid. This Saturday marks the opening of many smaller streams in Montana. While many (most?) area creeks will be too high for good fishing and safe wading, there will be some small stream opportunities available in our area. What a great opportunity to teach a youngster about “Opening Day” traditions.

Our family will be busy at the shop for the Craig Caddis Festival this Saturday, so Adair and I headed out on an after school mission yesterday. While Adair always catches way more fish from the boat, she enjoys wade fishing much more. Exploring the banks of a river is high on most kids list. And a lot of adults.

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I was hoping to hit some late-afternoon dry fly fishing, but we only saw one fish grab something from the surface. Once.

We waited for the bugs, watched and explored. No rattlesnakes on this mission, but we’ve seen them in this area before. We watched a local ranching family move some cattle, and found a big Rainbow holding over a spring in a slough.

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When it became apparent that the bugs were not going to come – but a massive thunderstorm was going to come – I quickly tied on a nymph rig with a couple of caddis pupa. We waded out to some sunken islands on a nice drop off, and got to work. Within ten casts, Adair was into a nice Brown that put up a tremendous fight.

Land it. Get a hero shot. Clip the flies and head for home. Don’t push it. One is enough.

Turns out we left just in time, as a big thunderstorm was bearing down on Cascade.

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Don’t miss those opportunities to take your kid(s) fishing. It’s way too easy to say “we’ll go fishing next weekend”. Even in Montana. Better yet, take a kid who doesn’t get the opportunity, or doesn’t have an adult in their life to show them rivers and fish.

Future Fly Fishers, take a kid
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