What I did This Summer

It started on Memorial Day weekend with a well-intentioned trip to the North Platte River in Wyoming. I had a business meeting in Colorado the following week so I thought I would stop in on my brother-in-low in Casper and spend a pleasant few days on the Miracle Mile. We met up and spent an enjoyable afternoon near the Mile and caught a fish or two. On the way home the smell of hot brakes and the telltale pulse of warped rotors signaled trouble. Suffice to say that I was lucky to find a brake shop open on a Memorial weekend Sunday but unlucky in having to spend $1300 on brakes, rear axle seals, etc. Anyway, after the repairs I was able to spend another day fishing on the mile and at Gray Reef.

 

North Platte River, Wyoming

 

A second opportunity presented itself in July with a business trip to Billings. I had read of the Boulder river south of Big Timber from tales of Wade Rivers so I booked a cheap motel in Big Timber, MT for a mid-July weekend. Unfortunately, my early summer luck followed me. Heavy summer rains had made for an extended runoff period and the Boulder was boiling cauldron of churning waters at most places. And, the Yellowstone was the color of a chocolate malt from Meyer’s Dairy in State College. I was able to find a couple of relatively calm area in the Boulder where I did not have to risk life and limb to wade or catch a fish. It’s a beautiful valley, but I did not run into Tom McGuane.

Boulder River, Montana

 

 

Lions Head, Boulder River Valley

 

Boulder Bow

 

Boulder Valley Eatery

 

 

Lastly, the better half, Cricket the flyfishing beagle, and I were able to spend an enjoyable vacation during the first week of September in Paradise Valley south of Livingston at the Yellowstone Valley Lodge. Incredibly, the Yellowstone was still running high and off color from recent rains. However, DePuy and Armstrong spring creeks were in perfect condition.

Yellowstone and Depuy Confluence

 

We also spent enjoyable days on the Gardiner, Lamar, and Soda Butte in the Park. It was hard to wade out of Soda Butte on the last afternoon after fishing brown drakes to willing Yellowstone cutts.

Armstrong Spring Creek

Lake on Beartooth Plateau, 10,500 feet

Gardiner River

Better Half and Cricket the Flyfishing Beagle on the Lamar YNP

Soda Butte

Soda Butte Yellowstone Cutt

Absarokee Sunset

 Well, that was my summer (or most of it). Now its just waiting for that white stuff to fall from the sky and the temps to fall into the negative region.

The road goes on forever and the party never ends!!
Best to all
Matt