The East Gallatin River

               The East Gallatin starts off north of Bozeman as a small stream. As it makes its way west the river picks up a few spring creek tributaries and other run off creeks. By the time the East Gallatin meets up with its big sister, the West Gallatin, it's almost the same size. Most of the river meanders through private land so wading is needed to fish it well. The East Gallatin is considered navigable and the deeper, wider, western parts are float-able with tubes. This particular river is often overlooked by the majority of fly fisherman. Most are out enjoying the bigger well-known rivers that are nearby. The East Gallatin offers plenty of trout that, unlike the bigger rivers, are much more willing to take whatever is offered to them. The river is also very close to home. What a great place to go if you don't want to drive more than fifteen minutes to wet a line.

Upper section near Cherry River access

               With access right in Bozeman, the upper section is a quick escape to trout land. One could walk around a  few bends and suddenly be lost within thick deer and bird habitat. The sounds of the outside world are swallowed up by the rushing water and bird chatter. The rivers upper section is all around smaller, with rapids, runs, and pools. There are plenty of trout that live in this ten to fifteen  foot wide river section. I've had good luck here during fall, winter, and spring. I like to fish the upper section of the river when its windy or the weather is bad. The trees in this area of the East provide plenty of cover from the elements. With tight spaces, trees and thick brush, a smaller 7 foot rod would be practical.

Middle section

              Downriver from the Bozeman accesses (Cherry River off of Frontage Road and East Gallatin Recreation Area off of Griffith and Manley) there are a few other accesses. This is the middle of the East Gallatin and it spans from northwest of Bozeman to Belgrade. I use Google Earth to find all of the bridges and then see what kind of parking it provides. Bridges are legal access in all of Montana's navigable rivers. From then on you've got what seems like endless miles of trout water all to yourself. The trees that surrounded the East Gallatin a few miles upstream are now replaced by bits of trees here and there along with a few houses. Lots of rip rap used to secure the river from moving through peoples yards is scattered around bends. When flows are normal one could easily walk the banks without having to be in the water. 

Lower-mid section

              The further downriver you go, I believe the bigger the fish you will find. The river downstream from the middle section widens and deepens causing the flow to slow down. Big brown trout thrive in this kind of habitat where minnows, insects and other aquatic animals live. Streamer fishing targeted at the undercut banks will provide, from what I hear, some very nice brown trout. I tend to focus on this downstream section more this year. I believe it gets a lot less pressure and certainly a lot less live bait pressure. Waders are a must and a tube would be ideal for the western portion. The deep water and high banks make for constant wading. This section of the river is the most secluded section and offers one the ability to escape into Montana's great trout wilderness. Both sides of the bank from here on down are occupied by vast fields of wheat and grass. Its easy to get lost in such a slow moving, beautiful place. 

               The East Gallatin offers many opportunities to catch trout, hone in on skills, and enjoy the peace and quiet of the outdoors. The amount of nature one absorbs while standing in the East Gallatin, listening to the wind and the trees, the flowing water, birds, and among other things, catching trout, is what were really out here for. Too many people now a days are stuck in urban jungles or places without wildernesses and don't get out enough to really enjoy the outdoors. The East Gallatin provides this in an overlooked place right next to home. 

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Quick Tip: Trout Photography

        It was probably the second or third outing to Hyalite Creek that I realized how well the beautiful colors and markings of trout could be captured. It was a small brook trout I had taken a picture of with macro settings that inspired me from then on to photograph nearly every fish I've caught. All of my photos have been taken with an eight megapixel camera phone. Its quick and easy to take out, snap a photo, and continue with what I was doing.
     
        I was experimenting a little bit when I snapped my favorite picture yet. I was too far in the middle of a fairly quickly flowing river to get a good picture without the risk of losing my phone. I held the fish by the line so the water was gliding beneath it, sort of splashing and turning slightly back and forth. I took as many pictures as I could and quickly released the fish.

         An hour or so later, I looked at my photos and first noticed the nice colors on the fish, but there wasn't much I could do with a fish that looked so awkwardly hanging by a line. I turned the picture ninety degrees to the left and it looked just like the fish swimming through the water. A quick cropping to cut out the fly line, and a lomo filter was all that I used to bring out the real color of the scene. A swimming fish was created out of a somewhat dull photo.

          I've found many neat photos can come from photographing trout. People have been doing it forever because its not hard to take a bad picture of a trout. Trouts ever so changing beautiful colors, the suns vibrant light rays, crystal clear water, and bright green vegetation make for excellent captured moments. Macro settings are a must if taking a picture closer than ten inches. Next time your'e fishing, bring a decent camera, don't get it wet, and take some great pictures to share with your friends. They're some of the fish that YOU'VE caught and now you will never forget them.

Taking many pictures gives you more to work with in this case and increases the chances of capturing a good shot.

A Quick Look: the Girdle Bug

  Its almost May and the weather here in southwest Montana is going to improve. The ground has thawed and insects are beginning to move about. The trout are also becoming more active as the days get longer and longer. There's one go-to fly pattern I've quickly come to enjoy fishing with. The Girdle Bug. The GB doesn't represent any one terrestrial insect, but has a silhouette and rubber legs that look like a tasty wad of dead drifting, crunchy, bug. The Girdle Bug can trick a trout into thinking it's a salmonfly, grasshopper, minnow, or crayfish. Regardless what it looks like, this fly works!

       
          I find hook sizes six through ten work great. I'm usually using a six to produce impulse strikes and larger fish. The bait comes in many different colors and patterns. I stick with black and brown. The Girdle Bug can be effectively fished the majority of the warmer months. Around the time the early perennials have started to come up is when I believe the Girdle Bug can be used. Use the GB as a top fly with a small dropper underneath. When I was learning to cast I would use just the Girdle Bug and no dropper to avoid tangles and knots. An appropriate sized split-shot weight between the two or above the top fly works best. Many trout hang out on the outside of the far bank furthest from path that fisherman walk. So, cast upstream and as close to the bank as you can. Placing your indicator around 7-8 feet allows your bait to drift and bounce along the bottom realistically.
       
           The Girdle Bug is a great go-to fly to use in freestone streams and rivers. Its big enough to attract the large trout but can make the smaller guys strike on impulse. The rubber legs move while the rig is dead-drifting so it has action of its own. I've gotten strikes on the back swing while floating down river as well. It can be retrieved with action but dead drifting seems most effective. Whether you're new or know all about the sport, the Girdle Bug is a good fly to have in your fly box during the non-winter months.

River Fishing Trout: Winter Months

        River fishing trout in the winter months can be challenging and unpleasant. The weather can contribute to regular difficulties and make fishing much harder for a novice like myself. The wind is much colder on the exposed parts of the body such as face and hands. It's already hard enough fishing on a windy day for a beginner, let alone being warm while doing so. The water temperature of the streams are at an all time low. Putting ones hand in a cold river to release a fish can ruin the rest of the day if you cant get warm and dry. The lack of sun in the winter also factors into making it a harder time to fish. The fish are most active in the winter when the sun is at its highest. The longer the sun is shining on the river, the more the water heats up. During the winter solstice is probably one of the most difficult days of the year to fish. I'm not saying fishing is impossible on this day, its just that, with the lack of daylight, the water is going to stay very cold. Obviously, this very cold environment causes trouts metabolism to slow and they do not need to feed as often. With the bite being off during this time of year, many anglers don't want to fuss with the cold, and sometimes fierce winter weather. Remember, many trout anglers wade IN the water. A few hazards come into mind such as ice chunks and ice flows. If you lose your footing and fall below the surface, hypothermia can very quickly take your life.

       
          So the action is dull and the weather stinks, right? Well no. River fishing in the winter can be a rewarding experience. In Montana, like many other trout states, the mountainous terrain causes for unforeseen weather fronts and ever so changing weather reports. Most of us aren't going to run out to the river when there's forty mph winds or whiteout conditions, that would just be stupid; but for the love of trout, some will do it. You need to find yourself a day where temperatures are thirty degrees or more. I find that if the outside temp is below thirty degrees, trout fishing is very slow. There will be plenty of days where it is warmer than thirty degrees. So bundle up and bring what you need to stay warm. Later I will explain how to multiply your factors for success during this difficult time of year.

A warm winter day on the Gallatin River

         Lets say its late December and you've got the itch. Most public streams in Montana are closed this time of year and all that remain open are the big, vast rivers. Here in Southwest Montana, I have been fishing the lower Madison River and all stretches of the Gallatin River this last winter. I've had a lot of success! No matter where you go, as long as there are trout, you will hook up in the winter. If you have many options to choose from you should find which river would fish best in the winter. All rivers are different. Some have minerals which feed micro food which brings more trout food in the system. Some are tail waters or spring creeks which tend to be much warmer in the winter. These warmer bodies of water will have more active fish this time of year. The Madison River and all spring creeks will be significantly warmer. Regardless, wherever you find yourself putting on your waders, I'm willing to bet it is scenic and beautiful.

         I mentioned before that multiplying factors for success is important. Its simple. The more you do to make your presentation viable to winter trout, the more likely you will catch them. First we need to know that, since trouts metabolisms slow down in the winter, trout need to gain the energy they lose, plus some, while pursuing food items. Trout are constantly deciding whether or not insects or small fish are worth the energy to move and chase. It takes a small trout less energy to move further to eat than it takes a large trout, therefore the offering needs to benefit the fishes energy output. Small fish are less likely to chase a big minnow or sculpin and more likely to eat several small insects instead. Big trout, I've noticed, will go out of their way to eat a small trout. The energy output is high but they gain enough to satisfy their metabolism longer. Large trout will also be taken on the smallest flies this time of year but it needs to be presented close to the line the fish is concentrating on. Big baits, such as F-7 or F-11 Rapala, jigs, and large streamers will catch some big fish this time of year. The right small fly will also consistently catch trout.

Big trout/big crank bait

         Another thing you'll want to know is where the fish are this time of year. Out of all of the rivers I fish, this rule tends to stay the same. Trout are in deep holes, or deep slow moving runs. The brighter the sun is shining, the shallower the fish will move. Google Earth has been a big help for me this time of year during the hunt for deep holes along the Gallatin River. Every deep hole I've found has held many large trout. I found it was difficult to get my streamers and flies deep enough and resorted to crank baits and jigs. If you're fishing water where fly fishing is comfortable, the smaller the fly the better, and big streamers will produce.

Copper john #18

         The baits. You cant beat prince nymphs, zebra midge, or copper johns # 18-22. On sunny days I use dull colored flies and on overcast days I will throw shiny, flashy flies. I am still a very beginner dry fly fisherman so I cannot write about the subject in depth. There will most certainly be hatches on calmer days. If you notice many fish rising and you want to participate, try to match your pattern with what you see and go a size or two bigger. The fish tend to be less picky in the winter as food isn't as plentiful. So when a big brown trout in a deep hole under a bridge sees my big crank bait slowly chugging along near the bottom, it realizes that its a great opportunity and will quickly accept my offering. Earthly colored jigs such as grey, brown, dark purple, green, and black out fish bright colors. Personally, I didn't have much luck with spinners either this time of year. Black and brown wooly buggers, both dead drifting and with action, caught trout. Egg patterns work VERY well on top of a small dropper. Red San Juan worms continue to produce into winter as well.

            Winter fishing has its ups and downs. There are no birds chirping as the sun throws its rays over the cottonwoods down around your feet. The absence of leaves and green grass make the rivers look baron at times, as a howling cold wind pushes against the surface. If the fish aren't biting, there aren't many other reasons to be out there. Then again, there are days which are exceptional. Sometimes a calm forty degree day can yield thick, heavy snowflakes that fall silently amid the sound of the river. There are days that are unseasonably mild and you'd think that spring is only days away. Many people who spend time in the water during summer are out of town during the winter. The traffic is much lesser than that of early summer, where guides with groups of people from out of town are out and about. Fishing in solitude is one thing many fly fishers seek while catching trout, and during winter, one could certainly find that.

          There you have it. A small portion of the basics that I have learned with a lot of patience and frustration. Starting off with a spinning rod and transitioning to full time fly fishing during winter has taught me some good lessons. Trout aren't as easy as other fish. I expected to catch right on, and yes, with some luck I actually did pretty fair. I think that has to do with the sheer number of trout in the waters around here. Eventually a hungry trout is going to see your fly and give you a taste of the joy they provide. Its not so hard to fool a trout but it's a challenge to keep fooling them over and over again. I will hopefully spend a whole lifetime learning about these beautiful cold water fish.

                                                   I thank you for reading my blog.
                                                                  Stay tuned!

A Day at Depuy's

          One of the best places to fish in the lower forty-eight just might be a quiet place in southwest Montana. I couldn't imagine this wonderful place ever being overly crowded or bustling. For a stream so well known among the fly fishing community, Depuy Spring Creek is a paradise that has a quiet feel. Depuy's just so happens to sit in the Paradise Valley and shares the valley with the very wild Yellowstone River. Depuy's was one of my recent trips, and it is the trip that inspired me to write about my trout experiences. The one day I spent at Depuy's taught me more than half of my season already. Not only is it a challenging creek, its rewards are worth every dime. Depuy's is a pay to fish spring creek, and many people think "what? pay to fish?". Even guides with experience to catch fish anywhere else will pay to fish the challenging Depuy Spring Creek.
       
         I was fortunate enough to meet a good friend named Mark. He guided for years and is a long time Bozemanite. Mark and I have traveled and fished on many outings and I've learned a ton from the guy. Its just been great. Mark and I planned on hitting the creek on a Sunday, and of course the day before the weather reports turned bad, real bad. The predicted forecast went from forty five degrees down to thirty. To pay good money at a challenging place on such a crappy day, it hadn't phased me, we were still thinking about the trout!. Two in our party backed out when they saw the fresh snow on the ground. Also, Paradise Valley is notorious for its heavy winds. Putting the two together was going to make for a miserable day, but still, WE WERE STOKED!

Depuy House, late summer

         We arrived at the creek at nine o'clock am. To pay we entered the mansion. This thing was elegant as hell, one of the factors of this great experience were its luxuries. Betty is the elderly woman who lives in the house. Her dad owned the property, three miles of spring creek, and has kept it open to the public. While chatting with Betty we saw a few other people canceled so we were going to share the three beautiful miles with only six or so fisherman.  We were the first to arrive, first to pick our place on the river.

         The creek has four or five warming huts, all equipped with wood burning stove, wood, newspaper, fishing magazines, and other small things to utilize if youre crazy enough to not be fishing. We had a fire going within 3 minutes while we got our waders on. The weather outside was frightful, but we new the water was warm for the fish. Since spring fed it always stays between 42-52 degrees. Simply put, the fish don't care how cold it is above them, that's for the fisherman to deal with.

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Inside "Evas" warming hut. 

         Mark has fished the placed several times so in a way I had a free guide service, and he got me on fish! In the first ten minutes, within twenty feet of our hut, Mark put me on a nice rainbow. Third cast and I knew it was going to be a good day. The snow was sideways in the air along with the trout. We hooked into many fish. We both started nymphing with eggs and small size 20 black midge pupa. I had my luck on the egg and Mark was killing it with the small dropper pupa. 

       

               A few hook ups later, we decided to walk down to the outlet to the Yellowstone. Mark knew of a spot where some fat rainbows would be eating eggs and or making their beds. Anything that comes across their "redd" will quickly become disposed of, in their mouths. Now this is where I learned a life lesson of fly fishing. This part of my day was the most intense part of the whole trip for me. It is also one of the most exhilarating and adrenaline pumping moments of my life. We were about twenty yards downstream from some big rainbows cleaning off their redds. They were already in eight to ten inches of water so a few rolls on the redd and they eventually show a big dorsal, producing loud splashes. I had my eye on them. In predator mode, I slowly stalked up to within casting range. My feet in a few inches of water and the trout on the same line as me. I cast my pink salmon egg just a foot or two upstream of her mouth. My indicator instantly went down and I set the hook! BAM! She showed me her football sized head and that was the last time I saw her. The hook flew out. Jeopardizing my chances of catching another, I finally calmed down and walk back down stream to let them relax a bit. I was so pumped! I smoked a cigarette and talked to Mark about the approach. Everything was perfect. I was still seeing the fat sows rolling around. They were all over, probably fifteen of them within a fifteen foot radius. This was sight fishing at its most intense! Now I know pulling spawning rainbows off their beds may be considered easy, but we found them and I saw an opportunity to get me a personal best. I told Mark to get up there and he relieved me for a try. He made a second cast and WOOSH, fat mama rainbow showed herself and once again, that was the last we were going to see her today as well. The fish was so hefty she broke his 6x dropper just like that. They were taking whatever we threw at them, first cast every time if we got it in the zone. It was amazing. Mark retreated to retie and I knew I had another chance to land one!  We may have known right where they were and giving them what they wanted but it never seemed easy. Just when you think youre doing well theyll remind you that theyre very keen to fisherman. 

              We each had hooked into one, and we both made mistakes. I knew I hadn't set the rod straight up, I set it horizontally and to my right. That will cause the hook to naturally come right out. Mark probably set the hook too hard or the knot was weak. We both knew they were going to catch a glimpse of our fly line or look back and see us just to dart forward and spook the rest. We had one or two chances left. I slowly walked forward knowing what I had to do. I cast a few times to let some line out and guessed right where that egg would land. Within one second that indicator went down and I gently but swiftly set that damn rod straight up. I got her and I had her after the head shakes and a few leaps into the air. She immediately came down stream and I was stripping the line as fast as I could. Now I have done a lot of cool things that would raise the adrenaline of any normal person to high levels. This trumps any I can think of. She ran and took line and I got it back, I didnt want to fatigue her to death. Eventually I was able to get her into calm water. My personal best fish on a fly rod. A beautiful, FAT, wild rainbow trout. She was the days biggest. We werent able to hook anymore of these fat babies after this, they got spooked. 

             All in all it was an excellent day. Depuy's offers a lot. Its hard to say its the best place to fish. The only way you can get a glimpse of the glory to be had here is to spend a day fishing it. Rain or shine, snow, and wind..the fish are always eating. One thing I'm trying to share with the readers one step at time is how majestic the sport of fly fishing is. Majestic is a word I believe fits well. Once you dive into it and see that its not just fishing, it is an art, youll enjoy it or you wont, but you risk getting hooked. Im amazed at the way some guys can manipulate their line, and whip it around like its an extension of them. Add this knowing you dont just pick up your crappie jigs and hit the water. Theres an infinite amount of types and patterns of flies. People are making new ones everyday, and trust me you do have to be specific with certain patterns, at certain times. If youre off, youre not going to have a productive day. It will drive a man crazy, and it will make a man obsessed. The bottom line is, we are always having fun and learning. The places we fish are just as great as the fish we catch. A moment like I had at Depuys is what keeps me going back. Fish on!

The Grass is Greener out West

         The grass is always greener on the other side. In my case that phrase is very true. I literally made an overnight decision to leave my home in Central Iowa and go against the wind to a whole new world. I had just gone through a difficult time and thanks to my family and friends I probably wouldnt be where I am today. One week is all the time I had to sit on my decision. Just seven days before I was in Montana did I not have a clue it would be where I would reside. Bozeman, Montana. Hell I hadn't even heard of the town a year before. All I felt at the time was I did not want to live in Iowa anymore. Change is good they say, and once again, in my case it was legit. I decided to head out West.

          The very beginning of my journey was about to make way. I've never been to Montana before, and like Bozeman, I never thought to live there. The drive was 16 hours but I was very excited to get out of the Midwest. We stopped in Rapid City, South Dakota on the way to let the dogs run around and stretch. The air was starting to smell different, we were movin' on!

East of Rapid City, SD, Cali looks west

 

          With all of my belongings and two dogs on the road, I was a bit nervous. My Jeep even broke down two times on the way. It was slightly stressful but she made every mile of it after we fixed her up. We pressed on through South Dakota, then Wyoming where we started seeing mountains. We stopped in some small town I cant recall and I remember a huge sensual fiesta! The wind was blowing through this enormous valley, the air was warm, and the smell of the air was mountainous! I was finally feeling excited to get there. Change was happening and it felt incredible. We rolled across the state line and I was now in a true state of wilderness and adventure. Usually when I'm at places like this I am on vacation, this time

I wont be going anywhere.

         Five or six hours later we made it to Livingston, MT, we were almost there! Between Livingston and Bozeman is a fast and winding interstate section. It all happened so fast and before I knew it we had broken into "The Valley of Flowers", aka "The Valley of Peace, or, the Gallatin Valley. The Gallatin Valley is an enormous open space that cradles the freestone river known as the Gallatin River (well get to that later). The whole valley is walled off by four major mountain ranges. The Bridgers, Tobacco Roots, Madison, and Gallatin ranges. All filled with trout habitat, grizzly bears, wolves, moose and everything else there can be! This adds for some excitement when a newcomer like myself ventures into the wilderness , it leaves a lot to the mind. Part of my journey has been somewhat subtle changes like said above. New things that I've never encountered or need to worry about are all around. I would certainly be respecting this massive state and its green areas on the map.

The Gallatin Valley looking west over Bozeman

             Since moving here this wonderful escape has influenced me more than I could write about. You'd have to experience it yourself. Sure people move to great places all the time and they feel the same I'm sure! For a place I never had on a list, Bozeman sure is 5/5. Now If only I could stop all the people from fleeing out here after they read this, LOL. Id have more river to myself. With low population per square mile, you really dont have to rush to your honey hole or bump elbows or tangle lines with other fisherman. If I choose to be secluded and unplugged, I can certainly find a place where there is no one around. That's what its all about out here, finding yourself but getting lost at the same time. 

Starting the year off right...

         I've spent many many hours wading these beautiful streams and rivers here in big sky country. Only being here for one year, and a few hundred fish later, I consider myself a fair trout fisherman. I started off chasing trout by using the skills I learned from the warm waters of the Midwest, and have since transitioned into fly fishing.  Trout fishing was something I was very thrilled to immerse myself into. I was amazed to find out about the wonders of trout, they are nothing like the warm water species back home. There is a special allure to trout that only unveils itself the longer you are out there pursuing them.
           I started off buying my eighty dollar non-residential fishing license (must be a MT resident for 6 months). It was hard to stomach paying that much for less than a year of fishing but we are talking Blue Ribbon fisheries here. I was anxious to fish the deep, swirling pools, of crystal clear water that flowed through the canyons. Waterfalls, class IV and V rapids, to long running riffles paralleled by amber fields and high canyon walls were something to look forward to. Not only was I standing in the middle of a river in  a beautiful place, I was also catching fish.
           I have been living in the "last best place" since May of 2012, and hit the waters within the first few days of  my U-Haul return. The weather was always changing and unpredictable.You don't change your plans by what the forecast says, you just prepare for it. My exploring days began around July of '12. The weather by then had gotten very hot and dry. I often went to the river with my ultra-light, 4 lb test, a box of spinners, rapalas, and spoons, and just slay them! I would have days where I would catch fifteen or more. The fish were too easy and I would come home bragging!  The spinners and crank baits sure did kill them on some days, and I felt pretty confident with them. They didnt always work but I might as well have been fishing with live bait because my success rate was high. Who would have thought that six months later my theory on trout didn't improve at all. I just couldn't find a pattern on weather fronts, barometric pressure, changing temps, and how it effects the fish; this bothered me.
         I finally bought a fly rod and started the grueling process of relearning how to do something I've done all my life, fish. I felt I was getting away with murder, usually out fishing my fly fishing partners with spinning gear. I wanted a challenge, this was one major reason I made the switch. Let me tell you its A LOT harder than it looks! The wind, knots, and trees, are three things that can ruin your day, and until I learned how to improve my fishing with these factors, I could spend more time fishing and less time tying.
           It was probably somewhere around early September that I caught my first trout on a fly rod. I had just purchased a cheap nine foot rod and five-weight reel and a handful of flies. Very anxious, and unfortunately not knowing what I was getting myself into, headed to where dreams were made, the Gallatin River. My third or fourth cast into a beautiful hole resulted in a fourteen inch rainbow trout! Let me tell you the feeling of fighting a strong, cold water fish, on a nine foot rod and 3 lb tapered leader, incredible! The feeling after have landed my first trout on my first day with a fly rod was awesome. I myself had been hooked, ha!
          So I will share with all who are willing to accept, my trout fishing journey in Montana. My experience has taught me a few things about trout themselves, and also the trout have taught me. Spending hours and hours a day along a gently flowing stream, with hundreds of trout silently below the water, has showed me many things. Its not at all about catching the fish, its about immersing oneself in their world.