Middle Fork of Flathead River Float Trip

August 20^th, 2016

Middle Fork of Flathead River Float Trip

Today I took a few friends out today for a float trip on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.  It is always great to have two other guys in my boat that know what they are doing.  Let’s face it, rowing two people all day is not as fun as fishing. Even better is when those other guys in the boat know what they are doing with a fly rod and both know how to read water.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I love teaching new anglers how to fly fish.  I love taking people on my raft and watching them catch fish.  There are few things that give you a sense of pride as taking a couple newer fly fishermen out and getting them on fish.  But, once in a while I have to feed the ‘beast’ so to speak and feel a tug or two. To me, ‘the tug is the drug’!  Anyone that has held a fly rod in their hand and tossed a fly to a rising fish to see that fish come up and grab your fly knows that feeling. To me the experience and just being outdoors why I do it…but don’t let anyone lie to you about it, catching is still fun.

But today was about floating with two friends that were good fishermen as well. We split the rowing chores in thirds so that everyone got to catch fish.  And catch fish we did.

We put in at Blankenship Bridge and floated the Middle Fork down to the House of Mystery take out.  Roughly 11 miles of good fishing water.  Even better, not to windy. I have fished that section when it was nearly impossible to cast because the wind was to strong.  Today, calm winds, sunny skies and lots of fish.

I tied on my standard Stimmi, Rubber Legged Purple MoFo with a Purple Griffith Gnat trailer. Before we were a half mile downstream I boated three or four fish.  The fishing stayed productive all afternoon.  

Sometimes though it is not about catching as much as enjoying.  Ross said ‘You just missed a nice fish’.  My reply was I wasn’t really paying attention just enjoying the day.  He replied, ‘like this spring when you were commenting about all the colors along the bank while you had a fish on?’  A little back story about enjoying.  I was floating the Main Stem of the Flathead earlier in the season with Ross and another friend. I was commenting about how bring and bold the colors of the plants were along the river banks when Ross yelled out, “SET THE HOOK!”  Sometimes the experience is more important than the catch.  Today, we boated several fish each but the experience of just being out and enjoying was far more rewarding than the number of fish caught.