Photo Contest is a Wrap

So it came and went pretty quickly, the photo contest started this past April and just wrapped up on the 31st of October and all I can say is wow, we got a lot of entries, and got a bunch of great photos.

Thanks to all of the great customers that sent in their photos and sported our caps and logos all year long!

We will be starting next year's contest officially sometime in early 2010, but unofficially you can still be snapping shots and saving them up, Troutfitters Annual Photo Contest will be back bigger and better with a couple more fun categories...

A Fall Not Lost

Well I wish that I was sitting down to hammer this one out after having hung a couple of 28" browns on the ol notch for the fall season, but seemingly the bigger browns have been elusive on streamers so far this fall. Had a few swats, one crawl all the way up and onto the bank to try and eat the fly literally nearly beaching itself on a gravel bar and just a handful of streamer chasers in the 16-19" range so far. I'll chalk that up to the fact that I don't fish as much as I used to and that I've forgotten everything that I used to know, ha ha... (that's for you Andrea I don't spend half as much time on the river in the fall as I used to, so no complaining!)


Well we introduced a few more folks to the addiction this past weekend and needless to say we set the proverbial hook in a few of them - including Molly who hooked up with her first brown on a streamer, a not too shabby 21" fish from the Yellowstone.


On a sour note, I took out and threw my 9 weight Xi3 for an entire afternoon and although I love the rod I have a few caveats - it's not a great wade fishing stick, it's great out of the boat, and you have to be careful apparently as mine blew up in the butt section the first day out. Imagine that, a 9 weight that couldn't handle the flies and line, wow what will I have to use next, a 12 weight tarpon rod for trout, don't get any ideas Matney it's too much even for you.




To Tie the Rapala Knot Visit This Link
http://animatedknots.com/rapala/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Been using a new knot these last few years and I figured I would share it with those of you who enjoy the chucking and ducking - it's the Rapala loop knot and is perfect for streamer fishing since it has tested out by Field and Stream as the strongest loop knot on the planet. Here's a link to how to tie the knot (note - I prefer my loop to be about a 1/4" diameter, it keeps the loop from kinking and creating a hinge point, on the smaller loops the fly actually swims more than hinges.



For Proof that the Rapala Knot is the Strongest Loop Knot Check This Link
http://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/fishing/bass/where-fish/2009/02/strongest-fishing-knots?photo=3


I'll be hitting the river this Thursday in seek of some revenge, well at least that's probably what it's going to feel like for whatever I manage to stick this 3/0 hook into... This poor little fella decided that this fly was just too close to his home and so he smacked it only to find out that it smacks back, didn't leave much of him intact, a 6" minnow on a 6 inch long fly, go figure.

Fall in Montana though is great even if the fishing isn't red hot, with views like these, it's hard to find a reason not to love being out in the fall.

Sometimes a Swing and a Miss Is All You Need

Went out on the Upper Madison on Tuesday looking for a big fish or two, I mean I'm not greedy, just something in the over 25" category would be preferable, but I'd take 22" I suppose...

But to no avail, the Browns are definitely starting to chase pretty good, just not committing the first time through - had to make a few passes to get this guy, but when he finally got pissed enough to eat, he ate.

Been fishing the new Sage Xi3 a fair bit, had to turn in my demo and order one last week, can't wait till it gets here - it's the sexiest hue of blue in the sunlight, which won't matter to me because it will be out on gray days and banging around the boat, but for the saltwater guys that will be something to stare at - if you haven't checked out the new Xi3 and you're in the market for a high end streamer stick, look no further. The 9 weight is my stick of choice and at only 4 ounces it's light and responsive in the hand. Can't wait for my own to break in this fall, hurry up Sage!

Fall colors are showing up some, so is the snow, it's about time for a big boy and I'm just biding the time now, because those sexy white bellies are starting to color up and when that happens, well you know, it's meat hucking time. I'm not a rainbow chaser, just pitching my dreams into the river and hoping for something big and ugly to return the favor...

Oh Hello Fall, There You Are...

Finally, with some nasty weather behind us and in front of us, we can officially say "Fall is here in Montana" and thank god for that. I can't take anymore sunshine and 80's in what's supposed to be streamer stripping time.

There's a few of these guys in the river right now, no wonder browns and rainbows love chowing on these things, I love sculpins almost as much as I love, well we'll just leave it there...

The first storm came through and dropped a few rainbows in the net on streamers, all rainbows, no browns. Dissapointing, and you can see by this guys jaw, he's had a tussle or two with flies.

Baetis were the rule of the day and so once the hatch popped, guess who wasn't eating streamers anymore? That's right the entire river, oh well, swinging soft hackles is sort of like streamer fishing, well not really, ok not at all except for the tug on the line. Here we go fall, I'm waiting brown trout, it's time to munch meat...

Should Have Been Epic...

Well, these last few weeks with the wedding finally in the rearview mirror (I love you sweetheart, but not the picking of colors, flowers, etc...) I've had a chance to do some fishing and hunting. It should have been epic, I told myself on the last two monster floats we did. One day down low on the Stone started out as a streamer fisherman's wet dream - 60's and drizzly and overcast on the first of September. But to no avail, nothing even chasing streamers. Until this lucky Goldeye smoked a streamer in the bright sunlight after every cloud in the sky had burnt off...

Then there was the "Trout Trip" that turned into Carpapalooza '09. Normally I'd be fine by this, but when you go with massive rainbows and browns in mind, golden scaley, slimey carp is not what you want to see all day long, especially 18+ miles of all day long.

Finally we had some redemption with some birds over in central Montana, but a few huns in September is hardly solace for 40+ miles of river with no big fish to show for it... Thank god fall is more than a week or two long, come on October.