Lazy Sunday in Montana…

So Michael was itching to go fishing while the rest of us needed to get our fishing licenses and some gear down in Ennis. Ally, Nick and I wanted to visit Kelly Galloup’s new shop ( Galloup’s Slide North ) , outside Ennis, MT and stop at the Ennis Pharmacy for some Indian Fry Bread…

Looking North,(towards Ennis) from The Madison Angler’s House at Raynolds Pass, MT…

Cairo checking out the loft in the cabin…

Michael and Ally…breakfast coffee…

Cairo and Nick on the deck…

Heading down to Ennis from Raynolds Pass…

Kelly Galloup’s Shop on the North side of Ennis, MT…Nick and Ally check out the wading boots outside of the shop…

Interior of the shop. There was still a lot of stock waiting to be put in…

Free swag and a photo with Kelly…

Our next stop was MRFC – Madison River Fishing Company to check out their stock of women’s waders for Ally and some new wading boots…

New Simms waders and Patagonia River Salt Boots…👍

The Ennis Pharmacy…

It was busy…

Indian Fry Bread…

Michael, and Cairo with a Rainbow between the lakes on the Madison River…

Cairo, his Mom Aimee and GMa Diane between the lakes…

Just Cairo…

Palisades on the Madison on the return trip from Ennis back to Raynolds Pass…

Raynolds Pass, Madison River in the evening…

Nick nymphing at Raynolds Pass…

Moo changing flies…

Michael LDR’d a nice brown just above here…

Late afternoon view at Raynolds Pass…

Just doing photography and slacking off…

…riverside flowers…

Looking Southeast almost at sunset…

Meanwhile…Cairo and Ally having fun with a slinky…

Train painting…

 

Next: $3.00 Bridge

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Last Days in Montana…Back to Bridgeport…

All good things gotta’ come to an end. Ten days of great times and unexpected weather…Saved the best for last…

Entering the parking lot at $3.00 Bridge with a hint of sun for the day…

First ones to arrive !!!

This rough water is loaded with nice Trout…

So are these areas around boulder…

A Rainbow first…

Michael found some small (#22) Baetis is the drift…

…while working this spot…

But it was this Blue Wisp Midge pattern that got him into fish…again…

A Brown for Michael…

Then it was the “old guy’s ” turn…

The “SHOP VAC ” version on the left, in size #20…worked it’s magic…

Michael holds the Brown for a close up…

It started to cloud up, get windy and a lot colder so I left Michael to wander around and take some parting shots…

A view down river with the foliage starting to change…

A wide picture of the Madison below Michael…

One last photo of $3.00 Bridge until the next time…

After breaking down our rods, we decided to take a ride up the road to visit Blue Ribbon Flies one last time…this is Hegben Lake on the way there…

This is now the only place…

…that I can find these Sports Tools Nippers. They are my favorite for hook eye cleaning and wind knots…I picked up several because it is the only place that has them in stock – anywhere…

Then we headed back to West Fork Cabins where Michael…

…whipped up a delicious steak dinner and packed up his gear to fly out of Bozeman the next morning…

Monday morning, September 25, we stopped in at the Ennis Pharmacy for a final breakfast…

…and the visited the Tackle Shop one last time…I first came to this shop in 1975 when it was the only fly shop in Ennis and the fly on top of the store was 10X larger…

Like this…

So we stopped at a couple of places in Bozeman before Michael boarded his flight to go back to NYC. I didn’t document that because I get really sad after spending a week or so with my kids and then they have to leave. I did take this picture of coming down the hill into Ennis on the way back from the airport…

Last Virgin Bloody Mary in Montana at the Driftwaters Resort just up the road from where we stayed…

I got up at 3:00 AM on Tuesday September 26 and headed back to Bridgeport, CA in the Eastern Sierras to spend a couple of days fishing in warmer weather and sunshine…

It took a bit longer than the time on the above map because of road repairs and flagmen in Nevada…I saw a lot of this…

Further along, but still in Nevada…

On the other side of this grade is the East Walker River and the cut off road to Rosaschi Ranch…

Finally. at about 5;30 PM this came into view…Bridgeport Reservoir…

 

Next: A few days on the East Walker River…

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

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THE BRIDGE of $3.00 – For MOO…( COMPLETED)

These are some ties for my son, Michael to use, when he and Aimee are up in Montana, about the first week in August…They will include PMD’s, Epeorus, Caddis and an attractor or two plus a Stonefly…he can get his own hoppers , by checking at the waters edge -in the grass and bushes – and determining what color and size to use…

A Madison County Bridge…

A box of flies…for Michael and THAT RIVER…

Gotta’ LOVE MONTANA…a FLY SHOP that offers Ice Cream cones !!!

CZECH CATNIP…Daniels/Variant…

THREAD: UTC Ultra, 70 Denier, Black

HOOK: TMC 2499SP- BL, Daiichi 1120, Mustad CO 68 or TMC Czech Comp. Hook – #8 – #14

ABDOMEN: Micro UV Polar Chenille, Olive – (Hareline)

RIB: Glimmer Thread, Root Beer (Cascade Crest)…George uses Mono 4x

THORAX: Micro Polar Chenille, Black

SHELL BACK: Thin Skin, Mottled Oak, Olive

BEAD: Tungsten, Black – one size under, with lead sub. wire wraps

A George Daniel’s pattern…Colorado guide and author of “Dynamic Nymphing”…something for Michael to use to take his flies deep…George ties it HERE…at my favorite Fly Shop…

FOAM FLY ANT…Nyman/Variant …

THREAD: UTC Ultra, 70 Denier, Black

HOOK:  TMC 101, #14 – #22

ABDOMEN: Black Razor Foam – Wapsi, 1MM

WING: White or Dun Zelon

LEGS: Sili Legs, Black/Blue Flake- Wapsi…Craig uses round rubber…

A GREAT pattern to have, for the month of August, on the Upper Madison…when they are about, the Trout go nuts for ’em !!!…Craig Matthews ties Rowan Nymen’s pattern HERE:

Happy MOO with a squaretail Brown…about 300 meters above the BRIDGE…

PUTZY PUPA – TAN…Lobrel/Variant…

THREAD: Abdomen-Danville 6/0, Tan…Thorax forward – Tiemco 16/0, Brown

HOOK: Daiichi 1250, #14 – #18…I prefer these over ANY Dai-Riki hook…

ABDOMEN/SHUCK: UV Tan Ice Dub

THORAX: UV Brown Ice Dub

BEAD: Plummeting Tungsten – Hareline – Metallic Purple, sized to hook

Another simple tie out of the BIG “R” Fly Shop…Tan Caddis…Hydropsyche, are present in goodly numbers in August on the Madison…The tutorial is HERE:

A LOT more of these...LONG WING TUNG COPPER DIP…

HOOK: TMC 2499 SP BL, #14 – #18

THREAD: Wapsi, Ultra 70 Denier, Black or Brown

ABDOMEN: Copper Krystal Flash

RIB: Wapsi wire, Copper/Brown, SM – coat with SHAN or Hard as Hull for durability

WING: Bleached Coastal Deer Hair, Nature’s Spirit – held vertical to hook shank and clipped – long-ish

HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite, # 5

BEAD: Gold or Copper Tungsten, sized to hook

BECAUSE…

THEY like ’em…

…around SUNSET…

CHARTREUSE HOLO LONG WING DIP…

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

HOOK: TMC 2499SP-BL, #14 – #18

ABDOMEN: Holographic Tinsel, Chartreuse, Med. or SM

RIB: Wapsi wire, Black and FL. Yellow, SM…coat with hard as Hull or SHAN for durability…

WING: Coastal Deer Hair, Medium

HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite Floss, #12, Fl. Green

BEAD: Black Tungsten, sized to hook…
This and the long wing Copper Dip are meant to imitate emerging Caddis Pupa…work, they do !!!

CLAKKA IRIS CADDIS…Matthews-Wiese/Variant…

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown or Olive

HOOK: TMC 100BL, #14 – #18

SHUCK: Gold Zelon

ABDOMEN: Fly Rite Poly, Olive/Brown

WING: Grey Poly Yarn

THORAX: UV Ice Dub, Tan

HACKLE: Light Ginger

The Improved version of Craig Matthews by Walter Wiese (Park’s Fly Shop)…Craig once fished the Madison for a whole season using only the Amber Iris Caddis as his fly…go figure…Walter ties a version HERE:

EPEORUS RS-2 EMERGER…Chung-Stalcup/Variant…

THREAD: Gordon Griffith 14/0, Primrose

TAIL: Bleached Moose or Light Elk

ABDOMEN: Yellow Micro Tubing over tying thread

WING: Yellow CDC, Clipped

LEGS: Yellow mallard Flank

THORAX: Trouthunter, Yellow CDC Dubbing
I won’t even reflect on how many Madison Trout have gobbled an RS-2 pattern…I tie a lot of them…this one is for Michael to try during that astounding hatch of Epeourus on the Madison…this may be fished deep or in the surface film. Epeorus, like March Browns, emerge as adult duns…patterns that mimic this behavior – can be deadly !!!

LITTLE YELLOW SALLY EMERGER – Howard Cole/Variant…TMC 5212, #12 – #16…(and YES, they can emerge on the water’s surface…happened a lot of times on the Madison and Lower Owens Rivers – straight into my face…see pg. 98, Schollmeyer & Leeson’s – “Tying Emergers”…

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Lt. Cahill

HOOK: see above

TAIL/SHUCK: Amber Zelon topped with Wood Duck fibers

ABDOMEN: 1/3 Fl. Orange dubbing – 2/3 Creamy Yellow dubbing

WING: Dun Zelon

THORAX: Creamy Yellow dubbing

HACKLE: Lt. Dun CDC

WING CASE: Thin Ethafoam or Electronic packing foam (used here)…

Howard Cole ties some great patterns…I’m loading Michael up with a bunch of U-Con 2 Caddis Emergers that are also Howard’s design…

FAST WATER EMERGER – EPEORUS…Nemec/Variant …

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Lt. Cahill

HOOK: Daiichi 1760, #18

SHUCK: Olive-Brown Zelon, sparse

RIB: Pearl Krystal Flash

ABDOMEN: Yellow Marabou and Tan Marabou, twisted together

FORWARD WING: Two small bunches of Yellow Sparkle Emerger Yarn

FORWARD WING/POST: Small cylinder foam, Yellow – Rainy’s

HACKLE: Cream

An adaptation of Jan Nemec’s… Fast Water Emerger-Baetis…which I will further detail when I start tying up BWO’s/Baetis for this Fall…He’s out of Reno and quite an interesting tier…

FAST WATER EMERGER BAETIS – Nemec/Variant – TMC 200R, #18 – #20…this is a #20….(10.12.13)

BAT WING EPEORUS EMERGER…Petersen/Variant …

THREAD: Tiemco 16,0, Lt. Cahill

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #16

TAIL: Yellow Mallard Flank Fibers

ABDOMEN: Yellow Goose Biot, fringed

RIB: Lagartun, x-fine gold wire

THORAX: Trouthunter CDC dubbing, yellow

WING: Cream Hen Neck

BEAD: Killer Caddis Diamond glass bead

I tie these to match just about every May Fly…because they truly perform…from the bottom of the water column to just under the surface…A Tracy Petersen winner !!!

KF PMD EMERGER…Murphy/Variant…

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

HOOK: TMC 100SPBL, #16 – #20

SHUCK: Rusty Brown Zelon, sparse

ABDOMEN: Rusty Brown Goose Biot, fringed

RIB: Lagartun Copper Wire, x-fine

WING CASE: Pearl KF, coated with UV Knot Sense or Clear-Goo

THORAX: Yellow Ostrich Herl

LEGS: Rusty Brown KF…three strands, each side

A Rick Murphy pattern that I play around with a lot. I think I have a tie for every May Fly in the West – based on his design…

SOUTHERN CROSS… (“…and ‘ya know it will”…)

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

HOOK: TMC C400BL, #14 – #16

TAIL: Bobwhite Quail -fibers from tail feather

ABDOMEN: Rainbow Sow Scud dubbing

HACKLING: V-notched feather from shoulder feather- Bobwhite Quail

THORAX: SLF Spikey Squirrel dubbing – Black

HOT SPOT: Datum Glo-Brite Floss, #3, Red

BEAD: Gold Tungsten

An attractor for Michael to play with…I got a feeling a Trout might like it…

Boy looks for Trout…somewhere, down there, in the Madison…

NICK’S SOFT HACKLE PMD EMERGER…Nick Nicklas/Variant…
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Lt. Cahill

HOOK: TMC 2302 – #14 – #16, Daiichi 1760, #18

TAIL: Yellow Mallard Flank Fibers

RIB: Wapsi Wire, Hot Yellow, SM

ABDOMEN: Gold Tinsel

THORAX: Yellow or Gold Ostrich Herl

HACKLE: Lemon Wood Duck, V-notched and spun

Anything from Nick catches fish !!!…HERE is Craig Matthews tying it…

Looking down the Madison River Valley from Palisades towards Ennis, MT…

CHARLIE C’s JUJU PMD – Light Phase…

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White to THORAX, then Tiemco 16/0, Brown – forward

HOOK: TMC 2488, #16 – #20

TAIL: Brown Hen Neck fibers

ABDOMEN: 2 strands Tan Super Hair, 1 strand Orange Sea Hair

WING CASE: Pearl KF, coated with UV Knotsense or Clear-Goo

THORAX: Spirit River Emergence dubbing – Pheasant tail

Legs: Brown Fluro Fiber…look at Charlie’s suggestions in tutorial…then go crazy counting

I wouldn’t see Michael off without an abundance of ties from Charlie Craven…HERE is his tutorial on the Juju Baetis with the PMD at the bottom…

CHARLIE C’s  JUJU PMD – Dark Phase …

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Lt. Cahil to Thorax, then Tiemco 16/0, Brown – forward

HOOK: TMC 2488, #16 – #20

TAIL: Brown Hen Neck fibers

ABDOMEN: 2 strands Brown Super Hair, 1 strand Orange Sea Hair

WING CASE: Pearl KF, coat with UV Knotsense or Clear-Goo

THORAX: UV Ice Dub, Brown

LEGS: Brown Fluro Fiber…see above pattern…

Because like BWO’s/Baetis, PMD’s come in a variation of colors, in close proximity, in the same watershed…be prepared…

Who knows…maybe Michael and Aimee might even try some of these over here…on the Stillwater River…Rusty Brown is killer there…

“G”, Split Wing Case PMD…

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

HOOK:Daiichi 1130, #16 – #18

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark

RIB: Glimmer Thread – Cascade Crest – White

ABDOMEN: Rusty Brown Goose Biot, fringed

WING CASE: Mottled Brown Medallion Sheeting…split wih an exacto knife after being tie in

UNDER WING CASE: Yellow Razor Foam, .5MM

LEGS: V-Notched Brown Hen Neck Feather

Yeah…it looks weird…some of my weirdest patterns are my best producers…I will let Michael put it to the test…

SPECKLED HEN PMD…

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

HOOK: TMC 2488, #16 – #20

RIB: Lagartun Copper Wire, x-fine

ABDOMEN: Pheasant Tail, Rusty Brown

WING CASE: Rusty Brown Krystal Flash

THORAX: Stalcup’s PMD dubbing

LEGS: Speckled Yellow Hen Neck fibers

Another option with a small, slim profile for the MOO to toss around…

MICRO MADISON PMD/Variant – Matthews…

THREAD: Lagartun 74 Denier, Rusty Brown

HOOK: Daiichi 1560, # 16 – #18, TMC 3761, #20

TAIL: Rusty Brown Pheasant tail fibers

RIB: Wapsi Copper Wire, x-sm

ABDOMEN: Working Thread

THORAX: Nature’s Spirit Emergence dubbing, Pheasant Tail

WING CASE/LEGS: Black Krystal Flash

BEAD: Copper Tungsten sized, ONE SIZE under

Craig Matthew’s Madison standy-by…bumped by me…another PMD nymph alternative for Michael and an opportunity to test out the Lagartun Rusty Brown thread…

Where Michael’s feet will be planted…soon…

I’m also going to sneak my Montana (special) Nymph box into his vest when i see him this weekend…

SIDE # 1.

Side # 2.

NEXT: ROAD TRIP !!!…with ALLY and a visit to a Fly Shop next to a lake in Sonoma County with Michael and Aimee…

PT/TB 

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Adding some family photos….

Here they are…DOGS COUNT TOO!!!

Michael and Ally at the TOP of the WORLD…Saline Valley…

Children of dune…Saline Valley…

Michael and a person with their tongue sticking out…at Trumbull Lake, Bridgeport, CA…

Ally gives shooting instructions to my mentor, Sal A. (guess she wants to do some writing…like I have to do)

Ally at the campsite with Angelo, Hogback Creek, 2002 Winter

This was a GREAT steakhouse that burned to the ground in 1993 on Hwy. 178 between Ridgecrest and Kernville. I tipped more than enough here before…Sal got a hold of me…

PT and Allo on the Madison, 2001, photo by Michael

Ally getting whacked by hailstones on the East Walker, August 2000

Michael and Ally DEEP in the VALLEY of the ” Aliens “…April 2001

Angelo,bookin’ it after a strange encounter…2002, January

Down the Wabbit HOLE….

Angelo, playin’ with pinecone, White Mtns., Jan. 2002

Big Pine Creek, Fall, 1999

Pond…off Big Pine Creek

Michael, Jack Flat, North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Tule River…1987

He ate a BWO…Spring 2007

…and he ate a Bat Wing Baetis, Lower “O”, spring 2007…

Ally in Bouquet Canyon…

This place has a spiritual nature… Winter, 2003

…maybe the people who left this grinding stone could explain…

Another time, another place…

 

Michael, Charlie’s Butte, spring 1986

Michael, East Walker River, July, 2003

Michael, below the dam, East Walker River, August, 2003

Michael, North Fork of Middle Fork of Tule River, June 2002

Mr. Newt…NF Tule, 2002

Nice waterfall & pool on the Tule, June 2002

Wild Trout section, Owens River, December 2002

…and below 5 Bridges….

Upper Owens River, May, 2003

Nad & Pop, Hot Creek, 1976

Tule River, may 2004

Owens River, Fall 2001

Snow in the Owens Valley, 2003

Road to the highest weather station in the U.S., White Mtns., 2002

Ally, at her favorite eatery in the VALLEY – Lala, 2009…

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