Not MO, but MT

[Skeeter ZX190]

I got to fish several times in Montana primarily on Belt Creek east of Great Falls.  I struggled the first couple of trips out, but finally figured something out after the weather changed.  I had been throwing hoppers, ants and beetles and getting quite a few swirls, but few hookups.  We made a side trip up to Eureka Montana to attend a wedding and I got a couple of hours on the Tobacco River.  I caught 3 kokanee salmon.  Back to Great Falls and on Labor Day the weather changed. It snowed in the higher elevations. After that I switched to a purple haze. It was game on after that.  Nothing big, but lots of action. My biggest was a 17 inch brown.  I caught browns, rainbows, cutthroats, and I think even a cutbow.  On our way back to Missouri, we stopped for the night in Buffalo Wyoming.  I fished Clear Creek there and the purple haze was the ticket there too.  

[Dutch]

Looking good.  I have been wondering about you.  Haven’t seen any posts in a long time.

[Skeeter ZX190]

1 hour ago, Dutch said:

Looking good.  I have been wondering about you.  Haven’t seen any posts in a long time.

I need to get down to Stockton soon. The bass should be shallow. 

[JestersHK]

Beautiful specimens!  Thanks for sharing

[Al Agnew]

Trout on the Yellowstone have been eating hoppers pretty well, but have been picky about the exact imitation.  Surprisingly, big imitations have been working better than the smaller ones...I'm talking foam hoppers about 2 inches long.  But yesterday they wouldn't take any of my foam hoppers, so I went old school with a Joe's Hopper...deer hair head and wrapped body, hackle, and extra length hackle bundled into hind legs.  Caught an 18 inch brown and a 17 inch rainbow.

[Gavin]

The old school patterns tend to float a little lower, and it makes a difference at times. I would not go out west without a big box full of Madame X’s, PMX’s, and Pookie’s.

[Al Agnew]

On 9/16/2020 at 10:35 PM, Gavin said:

The old school patterns tend to float a little lower, and it makes a difference at times. I would not go out west without a big box full of Madame X’s, PMX’s, and Pookie’s.

Pink Pookies were deadly for a while, but the trout seem to have gotten tired of being hooked on them.  I'll have to try my Madam Xs...for some reason haven't tied one on this summer.

 

[Gavin]

Patterns come and go, and can be recycled every couple years. Fish that see 500 drifts a day  can get picky. Always did better with my home made stuff. Michigan flies rock out there. Fish have never seen one.

[fishinwrench]

The Chubby Chernobyl is the one I'm hearing everyone from out there talking about.  The sloppier the better.    Imagine pulling a Hopper off the grill of your truck..... that's the look you're going for. 

[Gavin]

Don’t underestimate the power of the cricket. Folks think Hoppers and ignore the crickets. Need to wind up some Malcolm, Skunk, and October X’s.