Marvelous Montana

After a spectacular family-float-week on The Green, Kristin & I parted ways with my folks and drove North to Montana, to spend the 4th holiday with the Sardina's (Susan & Michael – K's mom & pop) and the Cosulich's (Lauren, Jared & Abigail – K's sis, brother in law & niece).

Our drive North from SLC took us through some pretty spectacular fishing waters, so we stopped for an evening float on The Henry's Fork through Box Canyon, and also got an amazing morning of wade fishing in on The Maddison below Quake Lake before making our way to Bozeman where Kristin's family had rented a house right on The Gallatin River. Over the week, we fished, ate, chatted, and even got out to the Rodeo. Just a spectacular holiday week with Kristin's fam in The Gallatin Valley.

As it was time for the Sardina's and Cousulich's to head on home, my dad made his way out to spend a few days fishing around MT before the haul back to Tahoe. Some unfortunate weather turned the fishing off on The Yellowstone where we had planned to fish, and an abnormally low snow year made some other options tough, but we managed to spend some time on some new rivers, sticking nice trout before we made the long haul home.

Over the course of the three week road trip, I made it to five states and floated/fished on six pieces of water. Just an amazing summer road trip.

Kristin got one to hand, in Box Canyon

We barely made it to takeout by dark, but were treated to some nice light on the river as the sun set

Ellie hanging with me on arguably my favorite wade river, The Maddison

We were lucky to be there during the salmonfly hatch – one of many big browns that slammed the giant bugs

Some familiar faces when we arrived in Bozeman – Jared, Lauren & the little peanut, Abigail spending some QT on The Gallitan

The sky really is just bigger here

Jared treated us to some music for most of our evenings

We got out on The Yellowstone for a few days of dry fly action in Drift Wood

Lauren hooked up on a nice, sizable cuttie  (Kristin, that's cuttie, not cutie)

A fish caught while you are rowing is 50% yours – thanks for putting me in the spot, Kristin

Kristin's folks took us for an evening in Livingston to the annual rodeo

We saw some bucking broncos

And one of my favorite events

Montana is uber Americana

Kristin and I got out on the upper stretches of The Yellowstone, but found some temperamental weather 

But Kristin managed to get a few nice ones in the net in between some fun, splashy whitewater 

No MT home is complete without rocking chairs, a pooch and some strings

Especially when accompanied by sunsets like this

Michael on the river with his girls

The little peanut enjoying some 4th pulled pork BBQ

Cute even when messy

Kristin & me with the Cosulich's

Another beautiful day on The Yellowstone – this time with Kristins folks, Susan & Michael 

Who knew flat water could be so hazardous

Michael with a healthy looking 'bow

Susan, our designated netter

Me releasing a nice Yellowstone brown

No, Kristin it's suppose to be a frog

Dinner out at The Gallitan River Lodge

After Kristin & fam's departure, Ellie, dad & I head to The Maddison for a float day

We find a few fish while some inclement weather looms

Nice 'bow dad

Then the weather really turned – at first it seemed like fish were rising everywhere, but quickly it was apparent that it was just hail

VERY LARGE hail – this wasn't even the biggest one

We got a little beat up but managed the storm A-OK

The Yellowstone was still blown out, so we shifted plans and headed to The Missouri for two days

For our final day we had a really great guide and honed in on rising fish with small dry flies

Super technical, long casts & crazy drifts could get you one of these

Or these – unfortunately the biggest ones broke off, but were exciting none-the-less – until next time, MT