Here in Bozeman, we welcomed the arrival of fall with several days of temperatures barely nudging 50F and a fitting drizzle. Leaves are starting to change, boots and fleece are popping out around town, and every angler’s brain is switching into streamer mode. And while I can’t bring myself to pull the spare pair of flip-flops out of the car, I did toss in another layering piece and did the requisite, seasonal wader leak test.
After a summer filled with water-temperature related river issues, the fishing community around Bozeman is more than ready for falling water temps and happy fish. Instead of “let the fish rest,” the conversation every morning at Yellow Dog has morphed to “let’s rebel and just go fishing.” It’s that time of year where outdoor-oriented Montanans find their loyalties split between fall fishing and the hunting season. Jake has already made good on the archery season and is continually out for more. It’s that never-ending balance of hunt? fish? hunt? fish?
The air is heavy with the smell of moisture and leaves, and I’ll catch a puff or two of chimney smoke as I walk to work. It’s the season of layering — on the river, NanoPuffs and wading jackets in the morning, shirtsleeves in the afternoon, and back into layers as the sun sets. Montana often seems to be the king of swing temperatures, and it’s rarely more apparent than in the fall. If you’re outside this time of year you bring layers… that’s a fact both understood and appreciated.
Winter’s coming, and we’re left to wonder just what the hell happened to the summer. We got out and played, sure — no sitting around allowed — but somehow there’s never enough time to get everything done. I sat around with my roommates this morning, dogs lounging happily on the floor, discussing that it’s simply a fact of life there will always be trails unrun, trips not taken, and plans that somehow just never came to fruition. It’s a fact of life, and we find ourselves transferring those unfulfilled plans to next season, and plotting what recreation we can get into this winter.
But there are still several weeks left before the first snow down low in the valley, and adventures to be had in between trips and assignments. October is shaping up to be busy — the AFFTA Dealer Summit here in Bozeman mid-month, then immediately off to Belize to teach a Yellow Dog On-the-Water Photography Workshop, then back for two days and off to Texas to give a talk at the Texas Women Fly Fisher’s annual meeting. By the time the whirlwind stops, it’ll be mid-November and we’ll be edging into the snowy season.
So here’s to making the most of those in-between days.
