Armstrong's Spring Creek - August 22, 2009

Armstrong's Spring Creek, Livingston, MT

The Chief could not believe that he could have had better fishing than he had in the Lamar Valley. But he did. Floating the Yellowstone River with friend Matthew Long of Long Outfitting, the Chief caught more trout than he deserved. He caught trout throughout the float using only two flies, a Club Sandwich and a Hi-Vis Brown Ant. But the best fishing came on the Chief’s last day. He decided to fish Armstrong’s Spring Creek on the O’Hair Ranch south of Livingston, MT in the beautiful Paradise Valley. He had never fished this section of the famous spring creek. He had fished the DePuy stretch several times with the Fair Maiden.

Matthew said that the spring creek bookings have decreased substantially this season due to the closing of one booking agency and the thirty percent decline in local fly shop sales and guide services this year. Matthew has not experienced this decline and is busy as ever. You would know why if you have ever fished with him.

Matthew and his father Bill prepared the Chief well for the day’s fishing. Bill provided his #22 Biot Sulphur Sparkle Dun, bits of tactical advice and suggested areas to fish. Matthew suggested the no nonsense tactic of throwing hoppers and ants.

O'Hair Ranch Horses

The Chief forgot his well stocked beer cooler back at the B&B and had to go back. He didn’t begin fishing until 10:30 AM. A very large cuttbow took the #22 Biot Sulphur Sparkle Dun on his very first cast. But he snapped it off on the hook set as he was not accustomed to using fine tippet after throwing those huge foam bugs on 4X in the Yellowstone River.

Spring Feeding Armstrong's Spring Creek

The PMD’s and the Paradise Valley Sulphurs, actually a baetis, began to hatch and the dumb trout began to show themselves. The Chief dropped a tiny RBF Pheasant Tail off of a RBF PMD Sparkle Dun and hooked numerous average sized browns and an occasional rainbow. The emergence waned and he moved up upstream to the area below the corrals. The Chief's heart started to pound when he spotted several large rainbows and hybrids cruising eating ants and hoppers.

He tied on a Hi-Vis Brown Ant and quickly hooked a very large hybrid. The dumb trout performed a tricky maneuver in the weed beds and broke off the Hi-Vis Brown Ant. The Chief continued to fish the Ant switching occasionally to a Chaos Hopper. All in all, Chief caught twelve beautiful trout before lunch on those contraptions.


Kate Long provided a delightful shore lunch including elk burgers. The Chief grilled the burgers and just sat and took in the scenery while drinking numerous fine Montana Ales.

Before the Storm

After the late lunch, the Chief continued to catch fish until a mighty storm blew across the valley. He donned his L. L. Bean rain gear and Sunday Afternoons Cloudburst hat, sat and watched the storm. After the heavy rain and hail, he caught fifteen more rainbows and hybrids mostly with the Hi-Vis Brown Ant. He was getting tired after eight long days of fishing and was ready to quit when a swirling wake appeared twenty feet out. The Chief quickly cast out the Hi-Vis Brown Ant.

He hit it and the fight was on. The Chief skillfully turned on his camera and securely placed it in his wading jacket pocket. He netted the beast, estimated at just under 24 inches, after an epic battle. The beast had two Hi-Vis Brown Ants in his mouth! That’s when the Chief noticed that his camera was in the water! He skillfully retrieved the camera and released the magnificent fish but not before snatching the lost Hi-Vis Brown Ant!

It was a bitter sweet walk back to the Surburban. After thinking about that magnificent trout, the Chief set the Surburban's heater on 90 degrees and placed his camera on the defroster vent. The camera was fully operational the next evening!

It was a very good day on this very beautiful spring creek. It is not often when one can fish over trout averaging 14" with plenty of willing trout 16" - 24".

A 14 oz. Montana Rib Eye at the Stockman in Livingston and Kate's Caramel Brownies back at the B&B completed another wonderful day in Paradise Valley.

SIDE NOTES – Armstrong’s Spring Creek has larger fish than DePuy. There may be more trout in DePuy, though. The water types are more diverse on DePuy. The upkeep on DePuy is much better. Daryl mows the paths and there are plenty of benches to rest.

Sunset in the Paradise Valley, MT