There is something about trout fishing that reminds me of my favorite vacations. Nothing is so relaxing and mentally stimulating at the same time. I will never forget my first glimpse of what trout fly fishing is really like. The movie “A River Runs Through It” takes place in Montana. It follows the lives of two brothers who fly fish their local streams in Montana with their father. It wasn’t long after my dad took me to see that movie that we made our first trip west. Being from Florida, I loved being out on the open water and fishing for Red Fish or Snapper with a spinning rod and reel. Having done this for most of my life, I was intimidated by the images I had seen on the big screen. He wasn’t sure he could learn a new fishing gear that seemed so fluid.
Montana is a wonderful state that is almost as big as California and has 1/30th of the population. I had never seen such wide open spaces. Winter skiing in Montana had been my only experience there, and it was a completely different experience. We stayed at Big Sky and scoured that entire area looking for the best spots. Fortunately, we had a native Montana with us who had fished in the state since childhood. He knew every hot spot like the back of his hand. All he had to do was learn the new art of fly fishing.
We came out into a meadow that had a river that meandered like something you’ve seen on a postcard. This was after the three mile walk from the road that started with a sign that said “Beware Grizzly Bears”. To start with, I had loaded my line with a Mepps lure so I didn’t have to worry about bait while practicing. To cast, drop a couple of feet of slack and also hold a couple of feet of line in your free hand. Move the rod back and forth mainly with your wrist, you will get the feel of the weight of the rod and line. While you’re doing this, simply search the opposite bank for some still water.
Trout love to wait in calm water for food to drift by. Then simply cast upstream from the set entry you saw, releasing the extra line that’s in your free hand to extend the cast. By letting the current do the work, you can hang the lure near the hole to attract trout. It takes less time than you think to master fly fishing and you quickly learn that finding the right spot is the hard part that comes with years of practice.
Fishing with a fly hook is not much different, but it floats on the water. It can be frustrating and if you come across an empty basket first, just ask a local where Loveland Pass is. This is a small lake that is teeming with trout. It has a great view of the mountains and is right off the highway. It’s a local secret and you can catch as many fish as you want.
