Mid August - British Columbia
If catching 18" to 25" rainbows in a spectacular setting sounds like a great way to spend a few days, then we would encourage you to check out the Spatsizi Wilderness of British Columbia. We have just returned from five days of great fishing where the fish are strong, wild and abunda...and all caught on dry flies!! The Collingwood's are great hosts, the food is wonderful and each day is an adventure. Check our web page, www.ernies.com or www.spatsizi.com - Ernie and Diane Kinzli
July 25, 2008 - Alaska-Innoko River Pike
I want to direct you to my blog, http://leehaskin.blogspot.com/ for the story, and pictures, from my recent trip to Alaska, fishing for trophy pike. It was awesome. Some of the finest topwater fishing I've ever experienced! - Lee Haskin
More Tales From the Road With John and Elaine
West Yellowstone (home base): July 1-8
This base camp afforded us day outings to the Firehole, Madison River in the Park, Galleton, Grayling, and South Fork of the Madison. The Firehole and Park Madison had good evening hatches and fishing was fair. Otherwise, water was high and VERY cold with poor hatches. A fish here and there.
Madison River below Quake Lake: July 9-11
Water flow reasonable and one day was the best we've ever experienced on the Madison. Hatches all day, fish coming up to a variety of dries, great catch rate of VERY decent fish, and almost no one there!
Beaverhead River: July 12
What a tease. The evening hatch, on the channeled water below Clark Canyon Dam, was a vision of beauty. Backs, tails, more backs and tails, big backs and tails in pods, backs and tails everywhere. What were they taking? The fish managed to keep it a secret but let us keep trying 'till dark.
Big Hole River: July 13-15
Wow, things are really picking up. Still fighting high, cold water, but hatches are hopping. Nice browns and rainbows are coming up to dries. And we are actually hooking up and landing them.
Rock Creek River: July 16-19
High, cold water again, minimal hatches, but a couple of great days of fishing mixed with a couple of poor ones. LOVE to watch a 16" Cutthroat role on a dry fly.
Georgetown Lake: July 20-22
Here we dodged rain, strong winds, and thunderstorms as well as a moose or two. The fish here are tough fighters and obviously well fed. We didn't get any of the big boys, but got some 14 inchers on dries and barely submerged. All in all, a rating of just fair.
Selway River: July 32-25
Have been planing to explore this river for the past couple of years. We go down the 50 miles of road into the back country armed with all the information we got from our research anticipating tremendous fishing for large cutthroats. We're 40 miles in and got our first glimpse of the river. It's clear as a bell but, as most of the trip has been, running hard and fast. We give it a fair try, but cutthroats are lazy and few come to the surface. Lots of eager beaver steelhead smolts keep us entertained. We will return when conditions are more conducive. The river deserves another try.
As we head home, we realize that we have had the opportunity to experience springtime in the Rockies with all its greenery, wildflowers, cool temperatures, snow on the mountains, and tough fishing conditions. - Elaine, John, and episodic companions Betty, Doug, Richard, Lynette, Chris, and Annie.