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Angela's Adventures: Fly Fishing

Posted: Oct 18, 2010 12:50 PM by Angela Douglas - Q2 News
Updated: Nov 11, 2010 5:36 PM

NEAR LIVINGSTON - Montana is known for some of the best fly fishing in the world, so how could I resist picking up a rod and giving it a cast?

Unfortunately it's not as easy as it sounds, especially when you're used to spin fishing.

"You want to throw it from about this high, to here, to there," demonstrates avid fly fisherman, Monte Waite. "It's not a real fast thing, it's not a real hard thing, and then it just lands nice and gentle. And hopefully a big brown trout will see it, sees it coming, comes up real slow, see the mouth close, and just lift the rod."

The key to fly fishing is a stiff wrist, a gentle touch, and patience. Three qualities that I apparently lack as I try to master the art of fly fishing.

"When you're fly fishing you're really trying to simulate what it is they're eating," explains longtime fly fisherman, Mike Hofferber. "So it's an eat rather than a strike."

Did you happen to catch the word "eat" there? Yeah, I did too. But apparently the fish missed the memo.

The only fish caught in our boat was hooked by Mike's wife, Pam, who was a first time fly fisher like me. I, on the other hand, wasn't so fortunate. I saw quite a few fish approach my line, but they were much to quick for my amateur skills.

As I was focusing on perfecting my casting and hooking skills, the other boat was practicing their landing and unhooking skills.

"That would be a Montana Rocky Mountain White Fish," Waite explains as he tosses the fish back into the Yellowstone River.

I'm told that was the first of many for Waite's boat, though I can only vouch for the two I saw.

"Some days are really good, some days are a little slower, but they're all good," Hofferber states.

At the end of the day, I got away with one L.L.R., which is a "long line release" and since I was going to release it anyway, I think it counts.

This is definitely an adventure, I will try again.

After all, once you experience the rush of almost landing a fish, it's nearly impossible not to get hooked.

According to BigSkyFishing.com there's more than 40 fishing rivers throughout the state.

Permits are required and a year pass costs about $30.