The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn. ~David Russell
She Who Must Be Obeyed and I have a long awaited week in Montana coming up in few days and there’s been hell to pay trying to figure out exactly where to fish.
We have a skosh of business to take care of in Sandpoint, Idaho on the way over and then will spend a day knocking around our old home country in the Flathead. Those who have made the drive into Kalispell from the west on Highway 2 know that the road parallels one of the least fished gems in the state, the Kootenai, though there won’t be time for a float there this trip.
We’ll have the better part of a day in Kalispell; the main stem of the Flathead can fish very well on warm fall days, though the Swan (low flows this fall duly noted) is always a small water temptation.
Decision make gets a damn sight tougher as we head down to Bozeman; Jake already has a cast and blast float on the docket for Sunday (lower Madi probably).
Pending weather, the list of potentials far exceeds time available: the Missouri is probably at the top of the list right now – it’s been fishing very well and is such freaking great water it’s hard to pass up. Tradition screams for at least a day in Yellowstone, and while we tend to not care for the masses chasing runners the Madison, going after them on the Gibbon or the Firehole below their respective falls seems a bit more sporting.
The Yellowstone north of the Park can make for a nifty float pending wind and weather and at this time of year you can sleep, eat a lumberjack’s breakfast and get on the water by noon about the time the fishing gets rolling.
Finally a friend’s been bragging about dragging streamers above Lyons on the upper Madison….
Too many choices.
