21 May 2010

Spring Brook Trout Fishing, Big Hole River Valley

The day after we returned from Boston I went fishing on a small creek in the upper Big Hole River Valley. It was a grand afternoon with thunderstorms bursting over the peaks of the Pintler Wilderness, herds of elk feeding in the pastures of their calving range, the resident white-tailed kite (a rare bird for this area) soaring over the meadows, and sandhill cranes hooting it up in the creek bottom.

The ice and snow are largely gone from the creek bottom:

The brook trout are fat, sassy, lovely, and tasty:

And the rainbow trout (catch & release only) are "snaky" (emaciated) from their spawning activity:

It's good to be home again!

5 comments:

Should Fish More said...

While you were galavanting back east (I wish you wouldn't talk about fresh, succulent, plump oysters)I fished the BH in the canyon before the river rose. Plenty of surface activity. Congratulations on Emily's accomplishments! Also just got back from a road trip up to the Yaak.

Anonymous said...

What are the brookies going for this time of year? And what time of day is best?

Terry Scoville said...

Nice fish and what a great time to be doing so, with all the frenzied bird activities now. certainly no shortage of sights and sounds to keep us turning our heads every which way.

troutbirder said...

I don't want to write about this. Too jealous. :(

EcoRover said...

Anonymous, either garden hackle or small nymphs (I like mossy greenish-gray Hare's Ears) are good. The best time to fish is when you've got time (I like 3 pm to dark).