Crump
03-31-2004, 09:04 AM
Over the last week and a half, Pete (greyghost) and I drove 2000 miles, fished 9 rivers spanning four states and managed to catch a couple nice fish. We started in Oregon fishing the Metolius, watching in awe as October Caddis buzzed around our heads and the lack of willing trout. We managed to hook a few fish, including a bull trout eaten whitey. From there we went east, driving most of the night to a undisclosed location somewhere in central Oregon. We slept for a few hours and continued driving, stopping at a creek that flowed out of the desert. After hours of hiking in the hot sun, and still fishless for the day, we continued driving.
We arrived in the evening at our next destination to rising brown trout just beyond the road. All I will say is that over the next two days we landed more nice trout than I can remember. (Highlights include multiple 22 s a 23” and a 24”) We spent the mornings fishing skwalas in the fast water and the afternoons picking off cruising fish in the ‘flats.’ This was probably the best stop of our trip.
After finishing our second full day of fishing the river, we started our driving again, pulling in to the campground on Idaho’s Lost River around 1am. The clear skies made for a cold morning but before long, the ‘bows of the Lost were looking for adult midges. We managed a few nice fish early and when the bwo’s started to come off, the fish were with them, the afternoon was spent casting to rising fish with bwo’s and midges. I believe we had around a dozen fish throughout the day between the two of us. As the sun started to drop beyond the cliffs, we were already on our way to Missoula. A call in Salmon, Idaho, confirmed that all of the local rivers had blown and fishing had slowed, so we began to prepare for the Missouri.
After a good nights sleep in Missoula, we were off to the Mo. We fished below Craig for two days with streamers and the occasional midge. We did get into some fish up top midday and in the evening as well as some noteworthy browns caught on streamers(pics to come) The second day on the Mo was cold and windy and after an early rush of eats on streamers, the fishing slowed down. We were heading back to Missoula.
With decent reports coming from the Clark Fork above Mill Town, we set out to fish some skwalas. Pwoens and his old man met us in Missoula and we headed to the upper Clark Fork. After contemplating a launch that held 9 other trailers, we decided to make our own launch on Rock Creek. We floated from about two miles up Rock Creek down to Swartz Creek on the Clark Fork. The fishing started off okay with a few eats on skwalas but slowed as we hit the Clark Fork. With gale force winds and a temperature drop, the fish were not willing. I believe greyghost Pete was the only one to get a fish…
Our last day in Montana resulted in partly cloudy skies and moderately warm weather. We took the RO up the Bitterroot and launched at Anglers Roost, immediately we had fish looking up and it ended up being a good day on the water. Smaller (12’s) Skwalas were the ticket and when the day was done we had an easy 50 eats. We drove back to Missoula to get one more nights sleep and left early to the Washington desert. The only real report that I can give is to be prepared when you go exploring. Greyghost and I estimated our hike to be around 12 miles and the liter of water that we had was surely not enough.
I would like to encourage all of you to take a fishing road trip. It is fun and can be relatively inexpensive. Licenses and gas were are only true expense and driving at night extended our fishing time. Get some!!
crump:thumb
We arrived in the evening at our next destination to rising brown trout just beyond the road. All I will say is that over the next two days we landed more nice trout than I can remember. (Highlights include multiple 22 s a 23” and a 24”) We spent the mornings fishing skwalas in the fast water and the afternoons picking off cruising fish in the ‘flats.’ This was probably the best stop of our trip.
After finishing our second full day of fishing the river, we started our driving again, pulling in to the campground on Idaho’s Lost River around 1am. The clear skies made for a cold morning but before long, the ‘bows of the Lost were looking for adult midges. We managed a few nice fish early and when the bwo’s started to come off, the fish were with them, the afternoon was spent casting to rising fish with bwo’s and midges. I believe we had around a dozen fish throughout the day between the two of us. As the sun started to drop beyond the cliffs, we were already on our way to Missoula. A call in Salmon, Idaho, confirmed that all of the local rivers had blown and fishing had slowed, so we began to prepare for the Missouri.
After a good nights sleep in Missoula, we were off to the Mo. We fished below Craig for two days with streamers and the occasional midge. We did get into some fish up top midday and in the evening as well as some noteworthy browns caught on streamers(pics to come) The second day on the Mo was cold and windy and after an early rush of eats on streamers, the fishing slowed down. We were heading back to Missoula.
With decent reports coming from the Clark Fork above Mill Town, we set out to fish some skwalas. Pwoens and his old man met us in Missoula and we headed to the upper Clark Fork. After contemplating a launch that held 9 other trailers, we decided to make our own launch on Rock Creek. We floated from about two miles up Rock Creek down to Swartz Creek on the Clark Fork. The fishing started off okay with a few eats on skwalas but slowed as we hit the Clark Fork. With gale force winds and a temperature drop, the fish were not willing. I believe greyghost Pete was the only one to get a fish…
Our last day in Montana resulted in partly cloudy skies and moderately warm weather. We took the RO up the Bitterroot and launched at Anglers Roost, immediately we had fish looking up and it ended up being a good day on the water. Smaller (12’s) Skwalas were the ticket and when the day was done we had an easy 50 eats. We drove back to Missoula to get one more nights sleep and left early to the Washington desert. The only real report that I can give is to be prepared when you go exploring. Greyghost and I estimated our hike to be around 12 miles and the liter of water that we had was surely not enough.
I would like to encourage all of you to take a fishing road trip. It is fun and can be relatively inexpensive. Licenses and gas were are only true expense and driving at night extended our fishing time. Get some!!
crump:thumb