My friend Craig called and pretty much called me a panzi if I didn’t go fishing with him. “Dude its 32 degrees and snowing lets wait a day or two” I said.
“What else are you going to do, hang out, play on your computer, look out the window wishing you were fishing” he asked?
“It’s warm here looking out my window, at least I’m not freezing,” I said. “All right, let me clean my drift boat, its full of dirt from steelhead fishing in Id ” I grumbled.
“Boat, we don’t need a boat, lets wade fish” Craig blurted.
People don’t understand, the reason I have drift boats and rafts is so I can access spots that you can’t get to wadefishing, but I thought to my self well at least I won’t be stuck rowing my drift boat, freezing my ass off and not catching any fish because its too fucking cold!!! And I’ll be able to walk back to the car after a short time, hopefully go to someplace warm and get a beer!
2 hours later, Craig says, looking skeptically “we are walking all the way down there”? I replied “dude this is wade fishing, you walk 2 hours to a spot or else everyone else will be there, besides, this is the best run on this section of the Bitterroot.” As I look down this 100ft frozen cliff full of snow, ice, frozen mud, trees, sticks and other perilous obstacles that can break bones, dislocate joints, and poke holes in people and their gear. “I’m glad I have my felt bottoms, because they work great on this type of terrain” I sarcastically pointed out. Anyone who has ever had to walk up a hill in felt knows that felt has the traction on dry ground similar to sliding uncontrollably in a rogue runaway ice sled!
We slid on our asses down this hill, and walked 1/2 an hour to a sweet run on the river. I anxiously tied on some flies, started casting, thinking maybe Craig was right after all, and then my right wader leg filled with ice water. Snow was falling, I walked out of the water and there is a 1 inch hole where a stick blasted through my wading boot and though the canvas. “This sucks” I yelled. “What don’t be a pussy” Craig replies as he finally makes it into the river. I explained my situation and how I was freezing all ready, Craig of course had no compassion!
I toughed it our for an hour or so, had on a trout or two, stuck some white fish. I looked and my leg turned completely blue as took off my waders on the gravel bar. I poured a couple of gallons of water out of them, rung out my socks, in preparation of the assault back up the hill to the car.
20 minutes later we are back in the car, I’m regaining some feeling in my frozen leg, and I’m thinking: I should have brought my drift boat. I did a killer video fishing report, that Craig has and you will probably have to visit his blog to see it, since he seldom sends me stuff. flyfishdude We proceed to a brew pub in Stevensville and end the day on a high note talking to other fishing guides/ buddies and drinking some awesome local MT micro beer. Black Smiths Brewery beer in Stevi, MT kicks ass!!