Good things happen on the water. It’s hard to be bogged down by the weight of everyday life when the sun is peeking through October fog; when the air is crisp and golden and the river is trickling at our feet. Sure, all the worry and want of daily life doesn’t go away; but maybe it’s suspended for a while.
This past week, friend Alice (West Yellowstone’s Riverside Anglers) texted and said she had a free day, coinciding beautifully with some editorial work I needed to shoot. We met up with mutual friend Reba and hit the Madison for a day. Bright sun prevailed—never the most productive streamer weather—but we nonetheless enjoyed a rare relaxed day on the water. It was the first time I’ve been in an all-girls boat, and the experience was entirely unique.
Fishing’s funny in the way it connects people. Alice, Reba, and I all met at the Somerset Fly Fishing Show last January, and somehow now we’re all living within a few hours of each other. Strange somehow to unite back on the water and spend the day fishing and continuing some rather heated conversations about the industry. Above all, it was just a damn nice day to get out and be on the water.
Alice proved her fishy-as-hell skills when she landed a beautiful rainbow that looked to be straight out of the lake. A chubby 21”, the fish readily resembled a smallish steelhead—chrome and fat and healthy. We had several healthy browns to the boat, and even the requisite whitefish. The bright sun didn’t offer the best light for images—I’d always rather shoot on cloudy and stormy days—but took advantage of the brightness for a few underwater shots, and we had lovely golden fog in the morning.
We ended the day at the Gravel Bar in Ennis, enjoying the quietness granted by the late season. I can’t begin to explain how nice it is to be back in the land of Carhartts, Wranglers, and muck boots. It’s the little things in life.
