Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Montana Flyfishing & The Big Hole River

I first visited "Big Sky Country" in the mid 50's camping with my parents. We visited Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. I was particularly enthralled by Yellowstone’s thermal activities and wild creatures. Later my wife and I revisited these places on camping trips into the Rockies. We often returned there with our young sons.
Living as we did in a small town in Minnesota without any fishing lakes, I took up the art of Fly-fishing in our many limestone spring creeks. This new hobby was to cause a big turn in my perception of Montana. It became not just a camping tourist venue but the "Mecca" of my trout fishing dreams.
It all began with an invitation from one of my brothers to join him on a mid-summer scouting expedition for fall elk hunting with his bow. Being occupied with teaching during the fall, I had no interest in that particular sport. I did realize, however, that this would be a golden opportunity to check out Montana’s fabled "blue ribbon" trout streams. What a two week adventure we had! I was hooked every bit as much as the trout we caught and the back country we visited.
As my sons grew into manhood, we began to make regular summer fishing trips to southwester Montana as well a canoe trips into Minnesota’s Boundary Water Wilderness.
Some of our favorite Montana places were The Boulder River south of Big Timber, Hyalite Creek, the Gallatin River and Swan Creek all south of Bozeman, the West Fork of the Madison River, Sam Billings campground on Boulder Creek a small tributary of the Bitterroot River, and the Missouri River below Holter Dam.




There was one river we always returned to fish no matter our time schedule. It was the Big Hole.
College professor, environmental activist, author and blogger Pat Munday writes about the Big Hole in his book Montana’s Last Best River: The Big Hole and its People. Here he tells the story of a beautiful valley and stream through the eyes and experiences of the people who lived there. Among others were the Indians, miners, homesteaders and ranchers. The breathtaking beauty of the place is superbly illustrated with a series of great photographs. The book is much more than a pretty "coffee table" book of pretty pictures. The conflicts of culture change and land usage are not glossed over from past to present. The author emphasizes an emerging consensus towards cooperation that would reflect Aldo Leopolds vision of a land ethic. If that proves to be true there is hope indeed that this treasure of a river will survive to enchant future fathers, sons and daughters with a love of the great outdoors.
I can still see my eldest son Ted leaning forward midstream in the Big Hole, casting with a beautiful rhythmic motion to trout rising to the fly. Memories like that were brought to mind when author/blogger Pat Munday gifted me with his book about The Big Hole. Ted is in a better place now but I’m sure he is still smiling as he catches those big ones.
I met Pat through his blog Ecorover. There you can see southwestern Montana in all its splendor. Here is the link: - check it out and say hello..... http://ecorover.blogspot.com/

21 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this post, Troutbirder. You must have tons of wonderful memories gathered around this place.

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  2. It is a great place, and Pat is a keen and good observer of our area. I feel privileged to live within a half-hour of the Big Hole, and even on the days I decided not to fish, it's comforting to know it's there.

    We've had quite a winter and spring, the Big Hole has not dropped below 6,000 cfs in weeks, and although the Stonefly hatch is here, the flows are keeping the fishing difficult.

    I might also mention Al Lefore's blog, "Big Hole Journal". Al lives and guides out of Divide, and is a wealth of information.

    cheers,
    Mike

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  3. I think you have tons of memories, TB! Great post.

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  4. Never been to Montana. Sounds wonderful. Reminds me of "A River Runs Through It" Loved that movie and book.

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  5. It looks like a great place to fish. Great post.

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  6. Not being a fisherperson, I don't know what it is about certain places that seem to give some people such nostalgia. But I did visit Yellowstone and will never forget the beauty of the place. It also reminded me of "A River Runs Through It," thinking of your son as Brad Pitt.

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  7. So sorry for the loss of your son. I'm sure memories help immensely.

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  8. I have been to some of the places you write about but not to individual streams. It is a wonderful county, Montana, and aptly named, Big Sky Country. For someone, like me, who was born and raised in the flatlands of Ohio, Montana was a revelation to me that the sky is between here and there.

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  9. I have never fly fished but think it is beautiful to watch. The grace of the flicking line is spell binding.
    One of my favorite movies was "A River Runs Through It".

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  10. i echo tina's comment. melancholy memories, for sure...

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  11. Enjoy the Civil War days. Look forward to your post on it. Come back by my blog and see today's post. I think you'll get a kick out of it. Have a great weekend!

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  12. Whatta a collection of treasured memories this post contains! Thanks for sharing. NICE pics!

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  13. You have such good memories to share... and great places to recommend. :-) We are hoping to get to Montana this summer, I think...

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  14. Would you believe Ecorover mentioned my father in one of his posts?

    We just got back from the greater Yellowstone area - fishing ain't good yet, in a year when snow levels were something like 400% of normal. The rivers are roiling!

    Check Amusing Musings for posts on the trip soon!

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  15. Thanks Ray--I am deeply honored by your review, and even happier with the way the Montana landscape (and activities such as flyfishing) raises deep & lasting personal memories for you.

    DJan raised an interesting point, and indeed it's hard for those who do not actively connect with nature (flyfishing, birdwatching, hiking/backpacking etc) to understand the emotional attachment that outdoorsy folks have to particular places.

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  16. Love my fly fishing time around various WY rivers until I keeled over with appendicitis. Seriously. Great memories here!

    Jane

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  17. I think fly fishing is an Art! It is wonderful that you shared this sport with your sons..it makes for good memories for you. I am sorry about your son..children should not die before their parents.
    I have not fly fished..but I have walked some of the streams in Montana..and some like the Gallatin are kinda scary...rushing water the times we were there. It would lull me to sleep at night..gosh I miss camping..:)

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  18. It looks great! i wish my hubby and i go there sometimes!

    and yes we have a fishing pole, but i hasn't seen a fish yet... hahaha

    Thanks for sharing
    Leontien

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  19. I haven't been fishing for years. Ever since my dad passed away. This post brings back some good memories!!

    xo Catherine

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  20. I don't fish (I just watch Steve fish), and I've only been to the Big Hole once. It's a truly magnificent place, though. Your photos brought back memories.

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  21. These are beautiful memories you have shared. Thank you for sharing part of your magnificent part of the country.

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