Shane and I have had more goodbye and welcome home fishing trips than two fishing buddies should have in the past few years. I’ve moved around, he moved to Michigan last fall… They add up pretty quick. And yet we always keep coming back to Bozeman and having to do it all over again. It is a damn hard place to leave and once it gets in your blood you can’t really shake it off too easily. Anyone who has been here would know what I’m talking about.
With Shane coming back last week, all he wanted to do over the weekend was go camp up on the Missouri. So up to the Missouri we went. The forecast in the early part of the week promised cloudy, drizzly skies and temps in the low to mid 50s. In other words, perfect Baetis weather. When we got to Craig and got the boat and shuttle situation figured out it was bright and sunny and you couldn’t ask for a better day on the water. Go figure.
The fishing was slow the first day and both of us had a little rust to shake off. Shane still managed to get some fish to hand though. I’ve been saying on here for years that fly fishing and rivers is the best cure for heartache and the Mo is a damn good place to put that philosophy to action. And it’s really good to drink a beer with an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time and catch up. Since we were in Brantley’s boat we had to make G&Ts, even though Shane forgot a proper cup for one. A PBR can does work in a pinch though…
Throwing dries to rising fish at the Prewett ramp/campground was the perfect way to end the day. Got the camp all set up and just happened to wander down to the water and see fish coming up to midges. I haven’t had much chance to fish at all lately, and I especially haven’t had the chance to fish dries. There is something special about getting a drift with a little bit of feather and fur that is good enough to get eaten off the surface by a water dwelling creature. In all of fishing I’m not sure there is a rush quite like it. Different rushes, for sure, but none like dry fly fishing.
Someone (might have been me…) forgot coffee for the camp so the next morning saw us wander in Mike Bushly’s excellent shop in Cascade, Trout Montana. He’s got a pot of coffee on the counter, comfy stools at the bar, and lots of good flies, information, and just general conversation. If you’re even close at all, I would highly recommend going. The coffee is pretty good too.
We caught a few more fish that day before heading back to Bozeman. Shane fished the next day and is currently on Day 2 of a Smith River Float. For having been back less than a week after breaking up with his girlfriend of a year and a half, that guy is doing right. Cheers buddy, and welcome home.
