When Joe Moore picked me up to float the Madison last week, the weather hadn’t decided whether or not to continue storming from the previous night or give us a break and offer us up some sunshine. In fact, both happened, which is so often the case in our Rocky Mountain states.
We launched from the first entry point on the river – Lyons, and floated 12 miles to Ruby Creek Campground. We knew within the first hour that we would be getting some rain that day, as the dark clouds started rolling in. The water droplets started first, with the thunder a distant threat. By the time we suited up with our rain gear and discussed our next approach to fishing, it started to come down pretty hard.
We had a discussion about being on the water during a thunder storm and the rules in Montana re private property and trespassing. (Obviously this photo came a lot later in the day!) Like Idaho, you are allowed to anchor in the river but you are not allowed to walk above the “high water line.” Of course, the safest way to make that happen is to not have your feet out of the water.
At any rate, no sooner did we have that discussion that an ear-deafening clap of thunder exploded one ridge to the east of us. We both looked at each other in astonishment and then Joe said wisely, “I think you better lower your rod tip!”
It rained until lunchtime at which point it kindly cleared up so we could have our salads and snacks and the day continued to get brighter and brighter until mid-afternoon when it was yet another beautiful day in the rockies.
Oh yeah… and the fishing. Well, as Joe says in his blog, this time of year separates the experienced and the inexperienced, of which I am the latter – even after 8 months of fishing. I did catch some nice fish, but I missed so many. Yes, patience is the name of the game in fly-fishing in August and September.
I am patient. I am patient. I am patient.
