Soda Butte Creek - YNP

Soda Butte Creek in YNP must be the prettiest stream in the entire world. If there's a prettier one, I haven't seen it. It is also the Fair Maiden's favorite, especially in the Round Prairie section near Pebble Creek. We spent three incredible days fishing this gem. The Fair Maiden caught her share of trout. She especially enjoyed catching those small, beautiful native fish.


The most productive section this year seemed to be between the Lamar Stock Trailhead and the Cone. We began fishing here on August 5 with our friend Ray Rathmell, Lock Haven, PA. Ray and his wife Darlene are the campground hosts at the best campground in YNP, Pebble Creek. We began fishing around noon and soon there were PMD's emerging. Between the three of us, I know that we caught 100 cutthroats. The Fair Maiden would take 5-6 out of each hole, some no bigger than a bathtub. Every couple of minutes or so, we would hear her holler, "Fish on!" She was rigged up with a #16 PMD Sparkle Dun and a #18 Shop Vac.

On Wednesday, August 6 we attempted to fish the Baronette Meadow section in the evening. With the Chief in the lead, we trekked through the meadow to find the spot where the Fair Maiden lost a huge cutthroat in 2005. The Chief saw a grizzly track about six inches across in the sand and attempted to snuff it out with his boot. The Fair Maiden spotted the sly footwork and asked the Chief what he snuffed out. "It was a bear track, wasn't it?" "Ah, ah..." "Let's get out of here," the Fair Maiden shouted. Well, it started to pour, so we headed for some cover. While standing under a lodgepole pine, the Fair Maiden spotted something...

We soon were back at the car heading back downstream, stopping first at Ronnie Wright's to purchase bear spray. Being honest, seeing fresh grizzly sign, even spooked the Chief. Especially after learning that a tenter was mauled by a grizzly just a few days ago just up the road. The Fair Maiden had a few beers to settle her nerves, then started to hammer'em again in Round Prairie.

We were leaving the Lamar Valley on Saturday morning heading to Canyon to fish the Yellowstone. The Chief begged for one more cast in the Soda Butte. We pulled into the Lamar Stock Trailhead and found it empty. The Chief quickly grabbed a fine Montana ale and headed to the stream. When he got to the water, he realized that he had forgotten something. "What no rod?" True story.

Now with rod in hand, the Chief had the prettiest stream in the world to himself. The cutthroats continued to take his offerings, one after another. A mule deer doe came to visit.

It was a true pleasure once againg fishing and enjoying one of God's greatest creations...Soda Butte Creek.

Slough Creek - Third Meadow

The Chief and the Fair Maiden hired Tim Bowers of Bear Paw Outfitters, Livingston, MT to pack them into the Third Meadow for a days fishing over incredibly beautiful Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout. The scenery was spectactular! Tim's grandson, Isaac led the expedition. Tim works for Isaac every summer.



The Fair Maiden rode out with her stirrups rigged high in belief that that would help her knees. She had been riding prior to the trip and her friend told her that bending the knees would help. The Chief knows better. Upon arrival at the Third Meadow, the Fair Maiden's knees were aching. Hayfever also took over with possibly altitude sickness thrown in. Needless to say, the Fair Maiden was not in fishing shape. The Chief was more than eager to cast over those dumb trout. The Fair Maiden fished a bit and took photos of the Chief nailing trout after trout then retired to the ranger cabin. The Chief stayed close and reluctantly didn't seek out the many pods of cutts that were present in the upper meadow.
The cutts were focused on emerging #20 baetis for about 45 minutes. The Chief could have caught a 100 if they kept popping. But they didn't and he only managed thirty-two on his RBF Baetis Half & Half. Yes, thirty-two. It was the only day that an accurate catch tally was recorded. The RBF Half & Half is similiar to the BRF Sparkle Dun, but more effective. Not to be confused with the RBF Half, Half & Half. Half spinner, half dun and half nymph. Damn thing is just pure deadly.


The Chief then resorted to various contraptions without success. He settled on dead drifting RBF's Olive Wooly Booger and caught six lovely cutts in the deepest runs. The Chief later learned that Matthew Long was in the Third Meadow the day before and his clients murdered them on Drake Mackerals even though there were no spinners on the water. This was one of the prettiest fish caught this entire trip.



Many. many trout were caught during this ungodly trip into the Third Meadow. Just a few years ago, I did not believe that I would ever experience such a trip after suffering several heart attacks. I did feel sorry for the Fair Maiden as the return trip really upset the knees. We were to enjoy pizza and beer at the Miner's Saloon in Cooke City, MT for supper but I had to grille chicken breasts and serve the Fair Maiden in bed. We finished off a six-pack of Lang Creek Brewery's Fish On, a full-bodied Montana summer ale to wash down the trail dust and the Maiden's Motrins.

Heels down boys. Besides being easy on the buttocks and legs, this way it's easy to kick'em in the slats if they decide to slack-off mission. Tight reins, too. Just in case they decide to toss you into the sagebrush.

The Chief and Tim Bowers engaged in serious conversation throughout the trip on various subjects such as those damn wolves, killing feral cats and dogs, PETA, Obama, grilling steaks, griz, the virtues of elk meat, crazy people and the benefits of riding American Mammoth Jackstock rather than those bone-jarring horses. Tim is a Great American. His outfit is highly recommended and is a Five Star Business endorsed by the RBF Pro Staff.

http://www.bearpawoutfittersmt.com/Home.htm

Mill Creek Cabin - Gallatin National Forest

The Chief and the Fair Maiden spent two nights in this delightful log cabin built in 1927. The cabin had electric lights and a cookstove. A woodstove kept us cozy when the temperature dipped into the 40's on August 9th. The Mill Creek Cabin is located in the Absoroka Range 12 miles southeast of Pray, MT.

Twenty-three log cabins are available for rent on the Gallatin National Forest. Built primarily in the 1920s and 1930s for use by early Forest Rangers. Some of the cabins have electricity, all have either wood or electric stoves for cooking and heating, none have indoor plumbing. Our cabin had a modern, clean shitter unlike the imfamous contraption at the Rossiter Lodge. The lack of indoor plumbing posed no personal hygiene problems as Chico Hot Springs is just down the road. For $6.50 you can soak your aches and boils away and take a good, hot shower in their incredible mineral water.

The back porch overlooked the fabulous Mill Creek, a trib of the mighty Yellowstone. This tumbling creek is just chunk full of beautiful Yellowstone Cutthroats. The sunburn scene in "A River Runs Through It" was filmed here.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/?page=recreation/areas/cabin_lookout

Chico Hot Springs - Pray, MT

This is one ungodly place beloved by the Chief and his Fair Maiden. In Chico’s healing waters, you experience turn-of-the-century hospitality under the shadow of the magnificant Emigrant Peak. The hot springs, long appreciated by native peoples (Indians), got their commercial start during the territorial period when miners stopped by to bathe and wash their duds. In 1876, an inventive settler attempted an ungodly accomplishment. He tapped into the 112 degree water, piping it under his greenhouse to grow vegetables for local residents. A hotel was planned in the 1800's, but in 1892, there were still no facilities and families camped nearby to enjoy the springs. Percie and Bill Knowles inherited the property in 1894. They ran a boarding house for miners and in 1900 built the long-awaited hot springs hotel. Under Knowles' active promotion, uniformed drivers ferried such guests as Teddy Roosevelt and artist Charlie Russell from the Emigrant train depot to the springs. When Bill Knowles died in 1910, Percie and her son Radbourne transformed the luxurious hotel into a respected medical facility specializing in the treatment of buttocks boils. Dr. George A. Townsend joined the staff in 1912 and under his direction, the hospital and healing waters gained renown throughout the northwest. After the 1940's, new owners and new directions included gambling and dude ranching. In 1974, Mike and Eve Art began recapturing the once-famous hotel's turn-of-the-century charm. Chico Hot Springs, with its Georgian-inspired architecture and warm Craftsman-style interiors, is one of Montana's best-preserved examples of an early twentieth century hot springs hotel and health resort.

The best feature of Chico is its poolside bar. Here the Chief enjoys his second double bourbon and coke after a glorious day on the Yellowstone. Another interesting feature is Chico's numerous "walls of fame". Photos of famous people who visited Chico are featured throughout the resort. The Chief was pleased to find his mug prominently displayed just off the main lobby.

When the Fair Maiden questioned the prominence of his photo, the Chief simply stated, "Soc un gran pescador!"

http://www.chicohotsprings.com/index.html

What About "The Bob"?

Well, for one thing it’s a big place. Together with the adjoining Great Bear Wilderness to the north and the Scapegoat Wilderness on the south about 1.5 million acres are protected. For another thing, it is named after an interesting character, Dr. Robert Marshall, a prodigious hiker and champion of wild places. Bob Marshall was born to wealth in New York City. His father, Louis Marshall, was a lawyer and had a key role in protecting the Adirondacks. Despite his family’s wealth, Bob Marshall preferred simple things and the outdoors. Tales of his hikes abound. A “normal” day hike might have been 30 to 40 miles and Marshall was known to have covered 60 miles in a day. He was an inveterate record keeper noting everything from the lengths and durations of hikes (e.g., most miles in two days—88; most miles with a pack—34) to the number of cuss words spewed by lumberjacks (an average of 136 words in 10 conversations). Bob Marshall held a number of posts in the U.S. Forest Service and was a forester with the Indian Service (today’s Bureau of Indian Affairs). Despite a vigorous life in the outdoors, Bob Marshall died a young man at age 38 in 1939.


It is tempting to believe that the Bob Marshall Wilderness we four prostaffers enjoyed in early August has remained unchanged since the time of its eponymous benefactor. The fire scars, trails, and other artifacts evident in the landscape, however, tell us this is not true. Still, the craggy features of overthrust geology (see Wade, I was listening) have not changed since Marshall’s time. Ecosystems and landscapes change slowly with time so it is probable that some of the Bob looks the same as it did more than 70 years ago.

Bottom photo courtesy of Bowhunter

Culinary Delights Along the Way

One of our best meals was consumed at the Livery Stable in Emigrant, MT. Good food at good prices is available at this fine dining establishment. It was just a shame that they were out of fresh fruit pie.


The Chief managed a 16 oz. Montana ribeye and washed it down with three Moose Drools. The Fair Maiden choose a lighter fare with ribs, chicken and pilaf and washed it all down with three rum and cokes. We then soaked in Chico Hot Springs for three hours. We then returned to the cabin and engaged in other activities for another three hours. Photos are not available for these activities.

The very best coffee in all of Montana was had at the Emigrant General Store for the incredible price of 50 cents for a 20 oz. cup.

Matthew Long of Long Outfitting, Livingston. MT prepared an incredible shore lunch for our Yellowstone float. I managed to say within the drift boat this time.
I must admit that the very best meal was prepared by the Chief himself at the Mill Creek Cabin in the Gallatin National Forest. The Chief grilled and juniper smoked two fine steaks purchased in Gardiner, MT. Roasted potatoes and spinach completed this fine meal. The culinary delights were washed down with Madison River Brewing Company's Hopper Pale Ale and a bottle of Oak Leaf Merlot purchased in Laurel, MT for $2.97.

Chief and the Fair Maiden in YNP and Paradise Valley, MT

The Chief and his Fair Maiden recently terrrorized the trout in YNP and Paradise Valley. Arriving in Cooke City, MT on August 4 after an arduous drive over the Beartooths, this handsome couple unpacked their bags at the Elk Horn Lodge. The fishing conditions were arduous and were found not to be as reported by the once popular Blue Ribbon Flies Newsletter. Only a few PMD's and not a single Gray Drakes were seen. The lack of bugs proved only to be a slight hinderance as they simply hammered the trout in Soda Butte Creek. Trout Lake and Slough Creek were also on the week's agenda. The couple then headed to Paradise Valley to float the Yellowstone River and wade fish DePuy Spring Creek and Mill Creek.

Montana beers and ales were sampled as well as the local cuisine. The Chief soaked in Chico to avoid buttocks boils. Full reports will be provided.

A Day in "The Bob"

A few more shots of “The Bob”



Big Salmon Lake from the inflow area where we all managed to land at least one bull trout.
This one was taken shortly before Wade's encounter with a nice size Blackie...








John with one of his 3 bull trout.

Wade Rivers and Matt. After a grueling 7-hour ride all pro-staffers felt right at home.
Wade Rivers “From where the sun now sets I shall walk no more”

A meal worthy of being served at the Rossiter lodge

One for the Chief
All mules were from American Mammoth Jackstock.

Finally a nice Western Slope Cut.

Ok, So Where Are We This Time?

Small Town Fly Shop

Rossiter Lodge West

Big River Bow

Bowhunter with an Even Larger Big River Bow

The Channel Islands

The Next Best Thing to "Cooler Fishin'"

Wolf Creek Bridge

Night-Night

So, where are we?

a) Great Slave Lake, Canada
b) West Branch Susquehanna River, Pa.
c) Grand Canyon National Park
d) The Great Sand Dunes National Monument
e) Craig, Montana
f) Point Barrow, Alaska
g) The Everglades

If you know the correct answer to this question, or think you know the answer, please jot it down a 3x5 index card, attach it to a brand new Swiss made, 4.4 ounce, high precision, Marryat CMR 5/6 weight fly reel complete with disc drag, quick change mechanism, anodized gold finish, WF5 Spring Creek fly line +120 yards of backing and mail it to me, Wade Rivers in Hooterville, Pa.

The Bob Marshall Wilderness

The Bob Marshall Wilderness encompasses 1 million acres of mountains, forests, and rivers near Kalispell, Montana. Four intrepid prostaffers, Bowhunter, Wade Rivers, JohnW, and Agrontrutta, packed into “the Bob” for a week of flyfishing solitude on the south fork of the Flathead River.

Getting to the Bob was no simple task. First we endured a van ride on 60 miles of washboard gravel road along the east side of Hungry Horse reservoir to the Diamond R Guest Ranch. After a night at the ranch, locatd on a scenic stretch of the Spotted Bear River next to the Spotted Bear ranger station, we assembled at the Meadow Creek trailhead where we mounted up and rode horses 20 miles to the camp. The ride in was long (about 7 hours) and punishing on many parts of our tenderfoot bodies but the scenery was spectacular and well worth the saddle sores and trail dust.

Spotted Bear River at Diamond R Guest Ranch:

"The Bob" from horseback:

Our final destination, the South Fork of the Flathead River at the Salmon Forks Outfitters camp:

Western Cutthroat Summit 2008

Four of RBF’s prostaff finest trekked to Montana for 10 days in early August to fly fish on a wild river in the Bob Marshall wilderness and float the wide Missouri river at Craig. It was a wild and wooly trip, which will take several posts over the next days to fully describe. I will kick off the series of posts by describing our trip into “the Bob.” I encourage the other summiteers to add additional posts and images (there must be more than 700 images among all the cameras) as well. Combined with the Chief’s posts on his trip to Yellowstone and Wade Rivers Wild Tramps blog this could be an epic series on flyfishing Montana.