Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Taper

Gray skies and blue wings have blessed Montana in recent days. It's a great time to be fishing, perhaps the best of times. Heavy morning frosts and snow-capped summits are a subtle reminder of the long winter soon to settle in. Down, fleece and wool have replaced sandals, shorts and - sadly - skirts. Hoppers are but a distant memory.

Solitude can once again be found on blue-ribbon water. Those anglers who remain are buoyed by baetis and brawny browns. The ranks are increasingly being thinned by the pursuit of bucks, bulls and birds. The taper is in full effect.


6 comments:

  1. Thanks. I had plenty of photo opps, Ben was hooking up left and right.

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  2. My favorite place to be in the world is on the Missouri up or down river from Craig around this time of year, drifting along on a blanket of wings searching for pods of sipping trout.

    Unfortunately, I won't make it this year. The freezer is getting empty so I'll be tracking the elk pretty hard this season.

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  3. Nice pics, and I'm with you in spirit. Sort of. I've abandoned Montana(and snow shovels)for the winter. It was 68f on the Smith today, where the kings sneered at my chartreuse weighted fly.
    Cheers,
    Mike

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  4. Good pics Will... it is tapering off... like the tail end of a turd...
    I'm not ready for a Co winter let alone a long dreadfull, cold windy Mt winter...

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  5. Thanks for putting it so eloquently, Josh. I was thinking more along the lines of tapering off... like the tip of a fly rod... but your analogy works too.

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