August 24-26, 2020
August 24
Granny and I ventured up to Hebgen Lake in Montana Monday night to catch some gulper action with one of our “Fly Fishing Show” pals, Alice Owsley, founder of Riverside Anglers. Alice has been kicking around these parts of the Yellowstone Country for many years doing everything from working in fly shops, teaching fly fishing and now guiding for her own self. We hang out at winter speaking gigs but have never fished together. The last few days we made the fishing thing happen.
After a lovely night watching the sunset from our camp on Hebgen sipping wine, Granny and I crashed in the back of the Explorer. Then after what seemed a like a blink of an eye, I was brewing the coffee Tuesday morning. Hebgen with the sunrise was a sight to behold – calm, quiet and ready for action.
August 25
We met up with Alice at 8:30 and launched her boat. I insisted on taking the oars and before you know it I was rowing the ladies towards many rising trout. And I do mean many. This was my second trip to Hebgen this summer and it’s a place I do at least once a summer – today there were more fish up than I can recall in years!
These risers we call “gulpers” aren’t exactly easy to catch. These trout were slurping Callibaetis but their movements are often erratic. You see one moving to the right and land your fly a few feet in front – or at least you think. But the truth is that the fish completely changed direction and you need to cast again. The cat and mouse game can go on and on and before you know it the maddening trout has fed his way right out of range or disappeared because he’s got a mouthful of mayflies to chew on for a while.
Despite the challenge, chasing gulpers is super fun. Its just as exciting for the rower as it is the anglers. Especially when the anglers know how to cast. And believe me, these two ladies can put the fly where they want. It didn’t take long before a few nice rainbows were brought to the net.
On Tuesday we fished until around 2 PM. In general the action ends on Hebgen around noon but like I already said, this day was exceptional. At 2 strong winds affiliated with afternoon storms kicked up. It wasn’t safe to be on the lake anymore so Alice headed back home in West Yellowstone and Granny and I returned to our camp.
Though we dealt with big wind and lots of clouds, there was no rain and Granny and I had a pleasant afternoon of eating, reading and napping. Tonight Granny did her usual and worked up a dinner that would be hard to put together in a full kitchen with a roof overhead. Her camping meals are to die for and tonight was pork quesadillas.
We had some excitement to go along with dinner. We got so chilled out enjoying the scenery from our Yeti camp chairs that we neglected to feel the urgency to get dinner started too soon. A cracking storm rolled in around 8:30 and Granny got the buffet done just in time to beat the first drops of rain and heavy wind.
August 26
The storms blew through the area till well after midnight. We had a little rain but tons of wind. Lucky for the region, which is extremely dry, it seemed there was very little lightening. We already have a ton of smoke from the CA fires so we dang sure don’t need more.
We met Alice for the same program today. The only difference however was that the gulpers were few and far between. Same place. Same time but less fish. This is typical on Hebgen – you rarely have back to back spectacular days. This being said however, you can always find some fish. It’s just that when there are less it can be exceptionally hard to catch them.
When its hard is when I like to fish. Today I started in the front of the boat and with my size 16 Parachute Adams I was able to get into a few. Though I landed some, I had a problem keeping the tough contenders on past their first runs. I must have lost four nice fish today. But honestly, when it comes to gulper fishing it’s getting them to eat your fly that’s the real mental rush.
We wrapped it up on Hebgen around 1 PM today. Fishing was actually heating up when we left so it was hard to leave. Especially when I ended it with this brown. But Granny heads back to work for another grueling week behind the retail counter in Jackson. I also had a meeting for a few pints with the boys tonight at the Knotty. We are making carp fishing plans for Friday. Stay tuned!