Entry by Mike Loebl
We haven’t posted for a little while so here is an update. Casey has headed back to Oregon to get a “real job” AKA swing flies for summer steelhead while unemployed. William ran up to the Missouri for a change of scenery and for the usual big trout sipping tiny Baetis in October. The crew has been pared down, and we’re all still getting out fishing. Even Brad dusted off his tackle and has been fishing the Park a bit. He managed to catch the largest brown of the year by any of the shop staff. Cold weather may dampen the enthusiasm a bit, but the 22 degree mornings are nothing compared to what is to come. I suppose that is why a pair of Simms Exstream waders just showed up with my name on them. No more frozen feet!
Fishing for lake runs is the mainstay of our fall fishing and something I get pretty excited about. This season is about halfway finished for the Madison in the Park and fishing has been pretty good. This week brought the usual Columbus Day surge in angler numbers (along with snow, biting wind and cold) but overall it hasn’t been too tough to find water to fish. Though I haven’t had any jaw dropping days swinging flies, I’m finding enough fish to keep myself entertained. I’ve only seen one awful lowholing so far. Casey was hosed pretty badly on that one, but it hasn’t happened since and this helps making fishing fun. I’m not here for combat, its supposed to be relaxing!
Baetis hatches have been pretty consistent on the Firehole, though the cold yesterday seemed to slow things down. It has been the river where anglers very consistently come back from with good things to say. Of course I’m too stupid to go fish for pods of rising trout that are greedily rising too mayflies and keep hitting the Madison. Thursday, wanting a little solitude I drove down to the Madison below Quake. Around the West Fork there weren’t any cars parked, so Domino and I decided to give it a whirl. The howling wind kept the bite pretty slow for a bit, but in the afternoon the temps climbed into the 40’s, a few clouds moved in and both Baetis and Midges started to Pop. I found two pods of surface feeding fish, but kept plugging away with the nymphs and managed to stick some decent fish. It was a good change of pace from swinging flies. Dom didn’t think much of my fishing, as he kept reminding me that bird season is also here, but he enjoyed the day on the water.
We’ll keep at the fishing in the Park until the season closes after the first weekend in November. Good luck to all, enjoy the best part of the fall.