A couple of days ago we got a pretty big storm in Bozeman. It dumped almost a foot of snow in places in town and iced up the roads pretty badly. Even getting back and forth from work was a challenge, especially with all the people who just moved to Bozeman and have never seen snow on a road before driving around. It’s scary sometimes.
Winter is here in a big way. The past couple mornings have been sub zero, and I’m still getting used to scraping ice off my windshield every morning. And it’s only the second of December.
I really do enjoy winter fishing, don’t get me wrong. You won’t find a more peaceful spot than standing knee deep in flowing water with huge flakes drifting down. All sound gets absorbed into the snow and all distractions fade away. Odds are pretty good you won’t see anyone else out there in the winter too. But there memory of summer is still fresh, and looking out the window right now at snowy white is somewhat depressing.
One of my favorite things about summer is one you really just can’t do in weather like this. Driving down some beater dirt road with the windows down and the music up. It’s even better when you’re driving down that road on your way to go fishing. Montana is chock full of places to fish that can only be reached by dirt road. These are the places where people still wave to you as you pass each other on the road, and where you can stop in the middle of the way to take a picture or look at something and not interrupt the flow of traffic. These are the roads where you won’t see BMWs, Lexus’, or Mercedes. You see old pickup trucks, vans, and Subarus.
These are the country roads that make you want to keep driving, even though you’ve reached your destination. Maybe another good song might come on the radio, and who knows where this road might lead? It’s so tempting to forgo the fishing and just see what’s around that next bend…
Speaking of the fishing, a general rule of thumb is the nastier the road the better the fishing will be at the end of it. If you’re willing to beat on your car a little bit, you’ll be rewarded. Well. Sure, you might have to replace your front end sooner. Or it might knock something out of alignment. But take it slow and easy and remember thats what cars are for. Dumb trout in beautiful scenery in a place all to yourself is worth it.
Next time you’re dreaming about next summer’s fishing trips, pull out a map and take a look at some of the more off the beaten path places. The kind you have to take bumpy, beat up dirt roads to get to. It’s worth your time.
