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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DOWN TO ENNIS – The Channels Section – Madison River…

The weather appeared to be clear, but cold, when we left West Fork Cabins on the morning of Wednesday, September 20th.

The sun beginning to show in the East…

We headed down Hwy 287 North to Ennis, Montana, a distance of about 35 miles…

The sun coming up over Sphinx Mountain in the Madison River Valley…

This is one of the prettiest early morning drives I can think of…

Almost to Ennis and noticing some dark clouds off to the left…

One has two choices for a hearty breakfast in Ennis, Montana…The Ennis Cafe…

…or Yesterdays at the Ennis Pharmacy…

Michael likes Yesterdays…and Tobasco Sauce…

So do I…and one can wear their waders to breakfast…

The Indian Fry Bread is to die for…

The Old Fashion Root Beer is good with lunch…

We are planning on fishing the channels section of the Madison River today, which is just South of Ennis at Valley Garden Campground…

I have been coming to this location on the Madison River since 1975. I is best fished in the Spring and Fall. Here are Michael and Ally getting prepared for an afternoon in the channels section back in 2001…

The clouds are looking a bit more ominous was we make a turn towards Jeffers…

It started snowing, blowing and freezing the moment we started rigging up at the campground. By the time we got to the river’s edge, the wind was blowing sideways at 45mph…

This is not what I had expected…

The bottom in this section is loaded with rock about the size of bowling balls. They are slick and slippery and I had left my Folstaf wading staff back at the cabin…trouble ahead…

I am really having difficulty wading and Michael has to give me assistance…

Michael is also having problems casting in these gale force winds, using a streamer…I have to sit down on one of these small islands and take a long break. I am really cold and having problems with my hands…

This is looking downstream towards Ennis Lake…

I have to wade back over to that bank to egress the river…

Michael casting his streamer…

It’s just not working for either of us today. We are the only ones out on the water and the wind, weather and wading conditions are making it impossible to effectively fish…

We decide to pack it in and head back up to $3.00 Bridge…

After about an hour of unproductive fishing, I am. starting to really get sick. My entire body is shaking uncontrollably…I tell Michael that I need to get back to the cabin and warm up as quickly as possible…

So we head back to West Fork. Later in the afternoon, Michael had to drive up to West Yellowstone to pick up some medicine for me along with some tea and other liquids. I was in bed trying to get warm and still having bouts with shaking. This was one of the worst days I have ever had fly fishing…

 

NEXT: Taking a break…visiting the Gallatin River and goofing off in Bozeman, Montana…

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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