River X

Some water is just better left under the radar of the public eye.  My buddy Derek and I headed to the water for a day of hog hunting.  We got to the water and found the clarity at about a foot to foot and a half.  Perfect!!!  We rigged up and instantly I hooked up with an 18" brown. 


In my mind I was hoping this fish wouldn't doom the day, as it seems like when you get into a fish right off the bat sometimes the day can be a challenge to land another.  We worked our way up occasionally moving fish for the next few hours.  We hadn't landed anything since my second cast, however I knew that we were getting into the better part of the stretch of water. So we kept slammin that meat in the water to find that pig.

Long time waiting

Derek started it off finding a couple 19 inchers.  Then the rain and thunderstorm came, which we saw as a lunch break in some nearby willows.  After the storm things were alive on the water with fish rising to knocked down bugs from the storm.

I came up to a  hole with an old car body in it.  I casted it the small run entering the deep hole and got this 20" brown.

26" - Articulated Banshee

Then on my very next cast in the same hole I put it about 2" from the bank, I instantly saw a big object swirl my fly but did not hit.  I let the fly run the the length of the hole, which I saw this fish chase it down and BAM!! After one missed net job we got him on the next try.  His shoulders were massive and that is my one regret photography wise that we did not get a good pic of that.

I love crawdad orange

Right before release

Tough to improve the day after a back to back 20+ inch fish, we found a way to continue finding some nice fish.  I switched to one of my black and olive patterns and nailed this guy.

That's a mouthfull

As the day neared it's end Derek begged the river God for a landed fish over 20 inches which he had not landed yet that day.  Sometimes you just get what ya ask. 

Derek's wish 22"

All in all a pretty good day of meat chuckin.  Here in Montana it takes a lot of time, gas and effort to find these gems that not too many people know about.  I encourage you to search some new water that maybe you think might not hold fish, much less trophy fish, you might find your own little gem.