FARM STORE FLY FISHING EXCLUSIVE: Skating for Steel with Leaf Seaburg
NOVEMBER 2013
The Kootenai River Northwest Montana’s Lost Gem
Stewardship & Karma
with the Wild Steelhead Coalition
Caught Two Handed on the Missouri River Have You Fished the
Sun River Lately?
reature November C
Feature
This month’s deal p.3
WILD STEELHEAD COALITION hosts Confluence Films WAYPOINTS in SPOKANE
CONTENTS
NOVEMBER 2013 • VOL 6, ISSUE 11 bigrflyshop.com
FEATURES
5 Stewardship and Karma by Josh Mills
Josh emphasizes the importance of protecting our wild Steelhead resources
7 Skating for Steel by Leaf Seaburg
Leaf covers one of his favorite, deadliest Steelhead tactics
11 Caught Two Handed on the Missouri by Sam Wike Sam and Paul in Great Falls haul up huge fish on the swing in Central Montana
25 Kootenia River by Dustin Bise
Dustin from the Ponderay Fly Shop walks us through one of Montana’s great rivers
37 Have You Fished the Sun Lately? by Alfonso Martinez Alfonso stumbles upon his new favorite fishing access spot
CLOSE OUTS p.4
Rathbun’s Sookitdown Skater p.10
November Deal p.3
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FROM THE
EDITOR
GREAT FALLS
H
MONTANA
ere in Central Montana, fall lasted all of about two weeks, which is a week longer than last year. Ready or not, winter is rapidly approaching and we here at Big R Fly Shop are stoked! Steelhead are on the move, spey casters are dialing in their line rigs and words like “intruder pattern”, “stinger hook” and “base layers” make their way back into our collective consciousness. In this month’s issue, North Central Washington Field Correspondent and friend Leaf Seaburg sounds off on skating for Steelhead. In Spokane, Josh Mills and the Wild Steelhead Coalition host the premier of “Waypoints”, the newest offering from Confluence Films. Sam Wike and Paul Considine talk two-handed tactics for trout east of the divide. And Dustin Bise from the Ponderay Fly Shop takes us on a tour of the Kootenai River. Are we cold yet? We’re getting there. Are we ready to pack it up for the winter? Don’t bet on it!
ON THE COVER: Paul Considine hoisting Chrome on the Clearwater River. Photo by Calvin Fuller THIS PAGE: Paul Considine swinging and stepping on the Clearwater. Photo by Jake England
Rob Guevarra 2
November Deal of the
Month
8ft6 5wt
a GREAT fly rod for ANY angler at . ANY skill level The Temple Fork Outfitters Pro Special 4-Piece Fly Rod is the gift that just keeps on giving. Whether you're eyeing this beauty for your partner, buddy, or yourself, this medium-to fast-action fly rod with progressive taper has you casting, hooking, and fighting browns and rainbows in no time. Plus, you'll have funds left over for a new reel or fly line. • Medium-to fast-action rod with a progressive taper provides smooth, powerful, and forgiving casts, and is ideal for all anglers at all skill levels • Translucent green finished blanks, oversized stripping guides, and premium-grade cork with burled accents • Anodized aluminum reel seats with braided carbon fiber inserts ensure durability and years of use • Alignment dots color-coded by line weight for convenience • 5 and 6wt rods feature a half-wells handle that gives you more leverage, allows you to cast longer and fight larger fish, and is ideal for those who like support of their thumb • 8wt rod features a full-wells handle with medium fighting butt that provides hand support at the rear and front of the rod, gives you more leverage, and allows you to cast longer and fight larger fish • Included rod sock protects the Pro during transport and storage
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CLOSE OUTS
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Men's or Women’s R2 Jacket MSRP $169.00 Style No. 25136 & 25146
Even more technical this season and made of breathable, compressible, stretchy, high-loft Regulator® fleece, the R2® Jacket provides superior lightweight insulation under a shell. Black Only
169
95
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Men's Nano Puff® Pullover MSRP $169.00 Style No. 84020
Windproof and water-resistant, the Nano Puff® Pullover is made with warm, incredibly lightweight, highly compressible 60-g PrimaLoft® ONE insulation, and is ideal as an insulating layer or outerwear in cold climates.
Men's Nano Puff® Hoody MSRP $249.00 Style No. 84220 All the features of the pullover with the addition of a full zipper and hood. Larimar Blue Only
Black Only Prices good through November 30th.
We reserve the right to limit quantities and correct printing errors. Prices are subject to change without notice. Items limited to stock on hand. Prices quoted in US currency.
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STEWARDSHIP
and
KARMA
Josh Mills with
Eastern Washington Field Correspondent
s anglers, we are stewards of the collective resource we hold so dear. Steelhead need advocates, as many as we can find. Now. My involvement with the Wild Steelhead Coalition began with the notion that I’d better start doing something, or be a part of something to keep steelhead in our rivers for generations to come. As anglers we take so much from the resource, that we owe it to the fish, the rivers and to our children to be a part of their preservation.
Every Steelhead angler remembers his or her first fish. For me, I can remember the entire sequence, from the take, the fight and the landing. After that, I was done. Cooked. Finished. My guess is, there are thousands of other anglers out there that have the same story. Maybe from another river, but the episode remains the same. The power we have as a group when banded together is immense. I call on you to join us at the Wild Steelhead Coalition. We are at a historic tipping point in history for wild steelhead All romanticism aside, anadramous fish like Salmon and Steelhead face a stacked deck. Dams, habitat degradation and hatcheries all work against the restoration of the proud game fish and cultural symbol. Now is the time to get involved. The Wild Steelhead Coalition would love to have your help, and the fish karma you get by joining any conservation organization will keep you in good fishing luck for a long time. If you will be in the Spokane area on Friday, November 8, come to the Northern Quest Resort & Casino for the WSC’s presentation of Waypoints; Confluence Films latest feature. Doors open at 6pm. This will be the closest showing to our Ponderay and Omak Sly Shop locations.
For more information:
wildsteelheadcoalition.org millsfly.blogspot.com
WAYPOINTS 5
SKATING
for
Leaf Seaburg with
North Central Washington Field Correspondent
I love catching steelhead on the fly. But my favorite way, hands down, is on the skate. Nothing compares to the feeling of a big fish blowing up on your bug, or when luck has it, leaping out full body with the intent of destroying your fly. These are the kinds of moments that can simultaneously stop and start your heart. Generally, you're looking for a mild day with water temps in the upper fifties, and happy fish. When these conditions are right, and with just the right presentation, skating for steelhead can produce surprising numbers. Good skating water comes in many forms; typically the best places are those that routinely hold fish with a consistent current. Skating a fly is very similar to the traditional swing. The goal is to wake or chug your skater across the water at a speed appropriate
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for the type of water you're fishing. In fast water, try to keep your fly in the zone as long as possible. In slower water, it is often necessary to sharpen the angle at which your fly makes its way across the water to speed up the presentation. This can be done by putting a downstream belly in your line. If you see a spot that you know holds fish, give it at least two or three casts and vary your presentation; some fish may take a few shots to bring up. Also, it is common for the same fish to boil behind your bug numerous times. When this happens, avoid your reaction to set the hook. Instead, see your swing through as the fish is bound to come back. Most folks believe you just need to agitate the fish a bit to evoke a reaction. To produce the action I want, I'll adapt my technique according to the water I'm fishing. As mentioned above, "chugging" your fly is an alternative method to the standard waking technique. Chugging or popping can be achieved simply by pushing and pulling your rod back and forth during the swing. This method works best with flies designed for that particular application. Bugs I like to skate are big foam patterns like the Chubby Chernobyl, also hair patterns, bombers and big stimulators. Confidence and perseverance pay off big if you just skate and twitch the fly over the right fish in the right way. So next time a fish smashes your indicator or tries to rip the streamer off your line as you pull to the surface, take it as a sign that it’s time to get your skate on.
The
Greater Skaters
Finnert’s Steelhead Skater
MFC’s Barry’s Euphoric Skater
Spirit River’s Strung Out Skater
Spirit River’s Strung Out Skater
PLAY
Denver’s Sookitdown Skater
Solitude’s Skatin’ Fool
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FLY TYING
Creature FEATURE Denver Rathbun with
Great Falls Fly Shop Manager
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Denver Rathbun from the Great Falls Fly Shop has had recent success using his Sookitdown Skater west of the divide. This highly visible pattern rides high on the water and creates a wake that triggers a predatory response in fish; large fish. If you’re having difficulty believing in this bug’s productivity, then please focus your attention on what’s hanging out of the mouth of the rather large slab of steel hoisted out of the water by Denver himself in the photo below.
PLAY
Denver’s
Sookitdown Skater
Denver typically ties this fly with either blue or purple deer hair, but he says that virtually any color will work. The key feature of this fly is the shape of the head, which is designed to push water and create a wake on the surface. Materials: • #8 Gamakatsu Salmon Hook • Dyed Blue Deer Hair • Brown Crystal Flash • 2mm Sheet Foam
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Caught
Double Handed on the Missouri River
By Sam Wike Photos by Sam Wike & Paul Considine
We meet a lot of people that are hesitant
to try a two-handed rod on the Missouri River. The reasons vary. Some are intimidated by the different casting physics. Some say it’s a method that should be used only for Steelhead or Salmon. And even more still that experience “sticker shock” at the high buy-in expense of getting into a spey rod set up. There are, however, very solid reasons to give spey casting a try, regardless of any preconceived notions, and hopefully this article will sway the doubters of spey as it applies to its use on the Missouri River.
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Under the bridge with Paul Considine
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Two Hand Gear There are a number of methods for fishing on the Missouri with a two hand rod, but the two most common are swinging streamers and nymphing. Streamer Fishing For streamer fishing I suggest a 6wt in an 11’ to a 12’ 6” rod. You have a few options in regards to line, and your preference may develop differently the more you cast. We recommend starting out with a Skagit head.
There are three components to keep in mind when rigging your spey set up 1. Running Line
After backing, you have the running line. The sole purpose for the running line is to shoot the head. You need to be able to hold on to the running line, at the same time keeping it as thin and slick as possible to better shoot through the guides. This translates into a farther cast. We’ve found that a mono running line shoots the best. RIO has a new mono running line out called GripShooter that has a short textured section that minimizes slip during your cast.
2. Skagit Head
Attached to your running line is your Skagit head. Skagit heads come in different grain weights. The standard 6 weight marking that is easy to follow with most single hand rods is really just a rough guideline when it comes to spey rods. Most of the heavy hitters in the Skagit line market have a recommended line guide that will match your rod. Airflo is probably the best line matching guide available, and is available on the Rajeff Sports website.
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3. Tip
Once you have picked out your Skagit head you will need a tip. In the spey world, everything relates to grain weight. When you see the term “T-11” it is referring to the amount of weight per foot. In the case of T-11, there are 11 grains of weight per foot of tip. A standard tip is 10 feet, so a 10 foot tip of T-11 has 110 grains of weight. You choose the tip you want based on the depth you are fishing. You can get tips in 8 grain/foot (T-8), 11 grains/foot (T-11), T-14, T-17, and T-20 as well as straight floating. To cover most situations, I would recommend you carry at least three tips for swinging streamers on the Missouri. • 5 feet of floating and 5 feet of T-11 • 2.5 feet of floating and 7.5 feet of T-11 • 10 feet of T-11. Big R Fly Shop carries all three of these RIO tips in the MOW series. To attach the fly, all I carry a spool of 0X Fluorocarbon. Typically I will use about 5 feet of straight fluorocarbon to the fly.
Sam’s large brown
{
}
There are a number of methods for ďŹ shing on the Missouri with a two hand rod, but the two most common are swinging streamers and nymphing.
Sam Wike demonstrates his one-handed two-handed technique
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A hefty Missouri River Brown
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Nymphing I would suggest a 4 or 5 weight 11 foot rod for nymphing. Line setup for nymphing a two-hander is much simpler. The lines are integrated to allow for mending the running line. You can also rely on the line makers weight rating. I would recommend using either the Rio Switch line or Airo Speydicator. Either one of these lines can mend a mile. Just attach the same leader set up you would use on your single-hand rod.
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The gear has developed substantially in the last few years. When I started just 4 years ago, everyone was told that they needed long belly lines, a 14 foot 9 weight rod, and a oating tip. That setup is now the exception rather than the rule. Rods and lines are much better now and due to the increase of competition in the ďŹ eld, prices have gone down as well. You can now get a very capable spey rod for the Missouri for just over $200, a reel that will match it for less than $100 and a Skagit head for about $40. Of course, as with most things, there are lots of choices and price points.
The key is having the right weaponry
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The Two-Handed Advantage Understandably, it’s difficult to buy into the two-handed game without understanding the advantages. For the Missouri, the major advantage is that you can effectively fish parts of the runs that the waves of drift boats and single hand wade fishers will not touch because of the length of cast, length of mend, and ability to get weighted streamers to the bottom or the middle of a run. When searching for big fish, this is important. It is also important to cover a lot of water. There aren’t that many big fish out there. In fact, less than 1% of
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{
You can’t make the fish eat your fly, but at least this way you can make sure you put it in front of them
}
the Missouri’s population is 24 inches or better. With a spey rod, you can effectively fish all the areas of a run by yourself fairly quickly. You can’t make the fish eat your fly, but at least this way you can make sure you put it in front of them. Another major advantage of using a spey rod for Mo trout is that you have no back cast. I recently watched a guy at Sheep Creek trying to streamer fish the whole run. He was doing alright--and even caught a nice fish--but he was working really hard for it. He still wasn’t casting to even a ¼ of the run, and catching his back cast in the grass and trees behind him 20
{
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The lines are so good today that you will be able to ďŹ sh with your spey rod regardless of your spey casting ability
}
frequently, which is frustrating. With a two-hand cast, you load your rod with your fly and tip in the water, so your fly never goes behind you to catch on anything. If you are nymphing with a spey rod, the advantage is the same in that you can reach nymphing water that single-hand wade fishers won’t touch, and it is possible to mend 3 or 4 times further than it is with a single-hand rod. The main point here being that you can effectively fish more water, quicker, and potentially getting to more “big fish” water. Big fish will eat big meals so you need a tool to be able to present it to them well.
Mo Spey
The lines are so good today that you will be able to fish with your spey rod regardless of your spey casting ability. And the more you work with your spey rod, the better you will get. There are lots of great spey casting instruction available for free online. Check out our YouTube Channel for a multitude of spey casting videos. A few years ago, I would have said differently, but today a Skagit set up is pretty easy to cast and be effective with. When swinging streamers on the Missouri, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you want your streamer to get down to the fish and swing in front of them at a reasonable speed. In general, you want to look for walking speed runs that are fairly consis-
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{
The really cold months in December, January, and February can still be great swing months on the Missouri
}
Sam’s dog Hatch chasing tail
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tent. A great example is the run right downriver from the Dearborn. The top of the run is pretty fast and I don’t spend a ton of time there, but the middle of the run slows down to the tailout and swings very nicely. Since this run is fairly fast and deep, I use 2.5 feet of floating line with the 7.5 feet of T-11 tip we talked about earlier in this article with a weighted fly, or a full 10 feet of T-11 with an unweighted fly. It’s always a good thing to re-swing a run with a heavier tip if you don’t think you’ve gotten down deep enough. There are a lot of opinions on this, but when I cast into the run, I usually cast straight out and make one mend before letting it swing. This gives the fly a few seconds to drop into the water column before the swing. Lots of different flies take fish on the swing. In general, I think it is a good idea to start with flies that have been designed to swing. Flies with a trailing hook like Ish’s Swinging Cray, a Hobo Spey, or Telleen’s Polar Minnow are all good choices, but my favorite seems to change almost weekly, so be creative. Since you aren’t stripping the fly, you want to use flies with materials that will have plenty of movement when swung, such as marabou, rabbit, ostrich, etc. We of course offer a substantial selection of patterns at the fly shop hand picked for the Missouri. There is a bit of etiquette and culture to be aware of between spey fishermen as well. Make sure that when you cast, you take a few step down. This allows a person to come in behind you
and swing the run as well. It’s also good practice to make sure you are covering more water. Anyone that has come from the steelhead world will also know to do this, and it is a great culture for us to get started with on the Missouri. Please make sure you share this with anyone getting into two-handed casting. If a two handed guy enters the run up river from you, it means he wants to fish the run behind you so don’t forget to step. A “low holer” is someone who enters the run right below you, and that is not very well accepted. But this applies to both single and double-hand situations. The best time to swing on the Missouri is from October to May. The Mo gets lots of weeds and it’s frustrating to try to swing through them. The weeds relent in October, the water temperatures cool and the trout become more aggressive. The really cold months in December, January, and February can still be great swing months on the Missouri, but focus on slow and deep moving runs instead. This is also a great time to use your two-handed nymph setup. Spey casting does not have to be as complicated as it appears to be. It is a very effective tool for the Missouri River as you can fish different water and a lot of it. The gear has drastically improved and has also become much more affordable in the past few of years. If you are serious about getting in front of big fish in the spring, winter, and fall months, then we would definitely recommend giving it a try. No boat required.
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Words & Photos by Dustin Bise
The Kootenai River, once known as the Flatbow, lies in the very northwest corner of Montana and eventually makes it way through North Idaho and back into Canada, where it forms Kootenai Lake. The drainage hosts many famous fly fishing waters including the Elk, Wigwam, and the Goat. Draining almost 20,000 square miles of snowcapped mountains; it is the third largest tributary in the Columbia River System. Despite its size, consistent cold water discharge from the Libby Dam, and great access, it is rare to encounter other anglers on the river. It is not due to a lack of fish though; the Kootenai is classified as a blue ribbon rainbow trout fishery with population estimates of over 2,000 fish per mile. The river is also host to Westslope Cutthroat, Brown Trout, Bull Trout, Sturgeon, Burbot, Mountain Whitefish, Kokanee, and spawning migrations of Kamloop Rainbows from Kootenai Lake.
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{
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The lower river has been receiving nutrient plants at the Idaho/Montana border and insect life and ďŹ sh size have been improving dramatically in the last few years
}
There is a great variety of fish sizes in the river, ranging from an average catch of 12-14 inch Rainbows, up to the Montana state record 33.1 pound Rainbow. Bull Trout average 5-15 pounds, and recently there have been some exceptionally large Brown Trout found in the 15-20 pound class. While these fish are all rare, they are in the river and anglers using trophy fishing techniques have a decent shot at these elusive giants. Here in the States, the river can be broken into two major sections, which are separated by Kootenai Falls.
Below the falls is the lower river, and above the falls is the upper river. On the lower river, the most popular floats are from Troy, Montana, to the take out at the Yaak River. The next float begins at the Yaak River and ends in Bonners Ferry. This section of the river is a remote canyon and must be floated as an overnight trip, with a wonderful island campsite halfway down the canyon. The lower river has been receiving nutrient plants at the Idaho/Montana border and insect life and fish size have been improving dramatically in the last few years.
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There are numerous sections to float above the falls, where the river feels like a classic tail water. Long flat runs lined with grassy banks give way to giant boulder gardens, often dropping off into deep dark pools. At high water, focus your efforts in the softer pockets, side channels, and along grassy banks. As the water drops in the fall, start to look for areas with medium current speeds and boulders, tailouts of runs, and along submerged weed beds in the river. Log jams almost always hold fish as well on the Kootenai. The most common hatches to encounter are Caddis, PMD, and Midges. Fishing with nymph rigs is often very productive. I would suggest small Lightning Bugs, Caddis Pupae, and Stonefly Nymphs.
If fishing streamers is your thing, then the Kootenai does provide numerous runs which can be swung Steelhead-style, as well has great bank pounding opportunities from the boat. I have had good luck with a variety of streamer patterns like Sparkle Minnows, Double Bunnies, and Sculpin imitations. Because of the river’s big, powerful nature, I suggest a full sinking streamer line with a light fly, or a floating line with a long leader and very heavy flies. Fishing streamers will produce far fewer fish, but the chance for a true trophy fish that has migrated from Kootenai Lake into the river greatly improves.
sections to float above the falls, { There are numerous where the river feels like a classic tail water. }
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{ The river is truly powerful and awe inspiring }
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Dividing the upper and lower river is Kootenai Falls, the largest undammed waterfall in Montana. Here the river drops 300 vertical feet in a few hundred yards, cascading over a series of waterfalls. This area was considered the center of the world by native inhabitants of the area, and is a scared site. Today, when you stand at the edge of the river in the canyon, you can still understand why. The river is truly powerful and awe inspiring here. There is a swinging suspension bridge located here, which provides some of the only non-boat access to the north side of the river. When exploring the falls, it is important to manage risk, as the rapids have taken many lives over the years. Fishing in the falls section is tricky, but a nymph rig can locate some large, acrobatic Rainbow Trout and Cutthroat that spend the summers in the deep pools. The Kootenai is one of the most diverse fisheries in the state and it receives very light angling pressure considering its size and number of fish. If you’ve never explored the river, I suggest you put it on your to-do list. The best fishing is right now, but any time flows are below 18,000 CFS, the river is worth the time and effort.
Recommended Patterns Patss Rubber Legs Griffin’s Gnats Caddis Soft Hackles Copper Johns Lighting Bugs Elk Hair Caddis Snow Cones Pale Morning Duns Black Ants Sparkle Minnows Grasshoppers Stimulators Recommended Gear 4 wt dry fly rod (SA Trout Taper)
5/6 wt nymph rod
(SA Indicator Taper or GPX)
7/8 wt Streamer Rod
(Streamer Express or GPX)
Lodging/Guide Services Linehan Outfitting www.fishmontana.com 1 800-596-0034 Kootenai River Outfitters www.KROutfitters.com 1 800-537-8288 Campgrounds Yaak River Campground (Forest Service) 7 Miles Northwest of Troy. Confluence of the Yaak and Kootenai Libby Dam campsites are located at the boat launch. Blackwell Flats, Libby Damn – US Corp of Engineers (Dry Campsite) GPS 48.410801, -115.314995 18 Miles NE of Libby on Hwy 37
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Have you Fished the
Sun Lately?
Words and photos by Alfonso Martinez
Largent’s Bend Fishing Access Site Much of my recreation has been focused south on the Missouri River for big waters. I’ve also put in a lot of time east towards the Highwoods and Little Belt Mountains whenever I wanted to hit small streams. Until recently, I haven’t given much thought to the area north-west of us along the Rocky Mountain Front Range and the Sun River drainage.
Big R Distribution Manager Brian Pfile successful on the Sun River
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Pat’s Rubber Legs proving to be an effective snack choice on the Sun.
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The Sun River starts in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, at the confluence of the North and South Fork of the Sun River. It then travels approximately five miles through Gibson Dam and the Sun River Dam three miles further downstream. It has only ever been through this wild and mountainous section that I have ever really seen the Sun River, other than over a bridge from a vehicle. Over the next couple of months, I did a few camping trips
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and photo shoots with our customers. Traveling up and down highways 21, 89, 200, and 287, I finally was able to put a location on so many of our Great Falls customer accounts and quickly began to see why the Sun River watershed was so important to so many of our producers. Being a ranch kid and an admirer of Montana’s rich history, I became interestd in the background and importance of the Sun River. So, I started exploring after photo assignments.
A healthy Sun River Rainbow in hand
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I would always see the sign for the Largent’s Bend fishing access site a few miles outside of Vaughan in the 75 mph, four lane section of Hwy 200, but was always speed by too fast to stop. One evening right at sunset, I made it a point to pull off and check it out. What I discovered was a really nice FAS with not a whole lot of activity, lots of vegetation, fall colors, and what looked like really fishy water. I convinced my friend and fellow co-worker, Brian to take a Friday off and go fishing with me. I had this new spot that I wanted to try out on the Sun that was a few miles out of town but really needed someone to come with me to catch fish so I could photograph. He was very skeptical at first, after all it was the Sun River and he probably had the same impressions I had for so many years. But when presented with the choice betweenwork or fish, Brian made the right decision.
Dusk on the Sun River
Largent’s Bend FAS is located five miles west of Vaughan, about 20 minutes from Great Falls. Headed west, it is approximately a quarter of mile before the four lane section where HWY 200 comes to an end, immediately before Indian Hammer Veterinarian Hospital. Be sure to slow down and be prepared for a very narrow entrance. It is a nice 163 acre FAS with tall cottonwoods, willows, deep holes, bends, and various channels that really reminded me of the Beaverhead River. Overall, Brian had a great day catching a trifecta of Rainbows, Browns, and Whitefish, all on Pat’s Rubber Legs. Me? I caught a single, one eyed Rainbow on the swing with my own fly pattern which I now call the “One Timer”. But I did get to explore some new waters with a friend and photograph the beautiful and historic Sun River.
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CLICK • READ • SUBSCRIBE
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{
}
Same Wike demonstrating
his two-hand
skills on the Missouri River Photo by Paul Considine
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Sam Wike’s Westslope Cut Photo by Jake England