Niner
07-11-2014, 01:41 AM
One of the things that my wife and I have been dreaming about since we got married 30 years ago is a fishing trip to Montana. But, with kids, college, and one thing and then another.....that trip just kept getting put on the back burner. After I got sick though, we decided that we needed to reprioritize some of those things. I've already had four intense back surgeries in the last two years or so, and in March I was getting ready to have radiation treatments. During my hospital stay, I got to emailing with Big Sky. The subject of my dream of fishing in Montana came up....and he suggested that it would be a good idea for me to come on out and go fishing with him when I got to feeling better. Before you know it, we were making plans for a fishing trip.
During the following months, I did a lot of praying for healing and worked to build up my stamina so that I could walk more than just "around the house" so that I'd be physically able to handle a few days of fishing out in "Big Sky Country". Even though I had made leaps and bounds in my healing and recovery, as the date grew nearer, I realized I still was not well enough to go out on this adventure by myself. I knew that I would need Di to come along to assist me in doing all of the little things that I still need help doing.
Big Sky had come up with some good places to take me fishing that would not require a great deal of hiking or physical exertion. We arrived in Great Falls around lunchtime on Friday, July 4th, and Big Sky took us out to a friend's property that afternoon to get in a little fishing. We crossed a large pasture (dodging a few cattle along the way), to a beautiful little creek at a hole that I've seen a few times here on GoodHunting. I made my way down to the water, and soon had my first WILD Montana German Brown Trout on the end of my line. We let that hole rest and Big Sky took us to another friend's place with a number of ponds and some very impressive trout and I caught the largest Rainbow that I had ever caught.
On Saturday morning, we went back to that pristine little pasture creek and fished from hole to hole and I caught a VERY nice 18" Brown Trout and also caught several very nice fish out of the ponds before calling it a day. Big Sky said that fishing was just going to get better and better, and he was not kidding! Di and I took a nice scenic drive on Sunday though some very impressive mountains mixed with high-plains and river breaks. The scenery is truly amazing out there. Montana is a wilderness wonderland! We saw herds of bull elk, some with very impressive antlers, white tail and mule deer, a couple of bald eagles and a few antelope.
One thing about summer in Montana, the sun comes up VERY EARLY by southeastern standards. We were getting up at 4:00-4:30 am and by 5:00 am it was as fully daylight as it is in Atlanta at 7:00 am. The sun also sets very late--it was still good daylight at 10:00 pm (makes for lots of extra fishing time!).
On Monday we took a float trip down the Missouri River with one of Big Sky’s good friends. Turns out the Missouri River near Great Falls is a premier trout fishing destination for many anglers. Who knew!! We floated down the mighty Mizzou and caught (and released) a “boat load” of VERY nice trout, the smallest was probably around 17 inches. Not only is the sky big out there, but the trout are too! Seemed like every trout I was pulling in beat my own new personal record set just minutes before that. I was lucky enough to drag in one Brown Trout that measured 21 inches--the largest trout I’ve ever caught. We had such a grand time on Monday, we did the float trip again on Tuesday!
I hope to be able to make another journey back out there someday to try my hand at those monster trout again. Until then, I have many wonderful memories, many photos and the images that are burned in my brain.
My good friend Big Sky helped me realize the dream fishing trip of a lifetime---catching huge trout, enjoying the amazing scenery and wildlife while spending time with good friends. I am so grateful to Big Sky and his good friend Mike for helping to make this dream come true.
WOW, what a trip!
3251
3261
32523253325432553256
I caught this one just as we were coming under that bridge in the background! A nice fight in the strong current!
3257
This was my biggest brownie!
3258
3259
During the following months, I did a lot of praying for healing and worked to build up my stamina so that I could walk more than just "around the house" so that I'd be physically able to handle a few days of fishing out in "Big Sky Country". Even though I had made leaps and bounds in my healing and recovery, as the date grew nearer, I realized I still was not well enough to go out on this adventure by myself. I knew that I would need Di to come along to assist me in doing all of the little things that I still need help doing.
Big Sky had come up with some good places to take me fishing that would not require a great deal of hiking or physical exertion. We arrived in Great Falls around lunchtime on Friday, July 4th, and Big Sky took us out to a friend's property that afternoon to get in a little fishing. We crossed a large pasture (dodging a few cattle along the way), to a beautiful little creek at a hole that I've seen a few times here on GoodHunting. I made my way down to the water, and soon had my first WILD Montana German Brown Trout on the end of my line. We let that hole rest and Big Sky took us to another friend's place with a number of ponds and some very impressive trout and I caught the largest Rainbow that I had ever caught.
On Saturday morning, we went back to that pristine little pasture creek and fished from hole to hole and I caught a VERY nice 18" Brown Trout and also caught several very nice fish out of the ponds before calling it a day. Big Sky said that fishing was just going to get better and better, and he was not kidding! Di and I took a nice scenic drive on Sunday though some very impressive mountains mixed with high-plains and river breaks. The scenery is truly amazing out there. Montana is a wilderness wonderland! We saw herds of bull elk, some with very impressive antlers, white tail and mule deer, a couple of bald eagles and a few antelope.
One thing about summer in Montana, the sun comes up VERY EARLY by southeastern standards. We were getting up at 4:00-4:30 am and by 5:00 am it was as fully daylight as it is in Atlanta at 7:00 am. The sun also sets very late--it was still good daylight at 10:00 pm (makes for lots of extra fishing time!).
On Monday we took a float trip down the Missouri River with one of Big Sky’s good friends. Turns out the Missouri River near Great Falls is a premier trout fishing destination for many anglers. Who knew!! We floated down the mighty Mizzou and caught (and released) a “boat load” of VERY nice trout, the smallest was probably around 17 inches. Not only is the sky big out there, but the trout are too! Seemed like every trout I was pulling in beat my own new personal record set just minutes before that. I was lucky enough to drag in one Brown Trout that measured 21 inches--the largest trout I’ve ever caught. We had such a grand time on Monday, we did the float trip again on Tuesday!
I hope to be able to make another journey back out there someday to try my hand at those monster trout again. Until then, I have many wonderful memories, many photos and the images that are burned in my brain.
My good friend Big Sky helped me realize the dream fishing trip of a lifetime---catching huge trout, enjoying the amazing scenery and wildlife while spending time with good friends. I am so grateful to Big Sky and his good friend Mike for helping to make this dream come true.
WOW, what a trip!
3251
3261
32523253325432553256
I caught this one just as we were coming under that bridge in the background! A nice fight in the strong current!
3257
This was my biggest brownie!
3258
3259