Posts from — March 2008

I tried. First Hole had a fisherman already in it. Had a quick visit, nothing much going on. Moved on to choice #2, went in light, to light- wanted stuff I left in the truck. Didn’t matter the mojo was far, far away- I could tell. So I put down the rod and got out my camera and started shooting.

So, in spite of not scaring up any fish I still found an image or two.

Its almost official spring and we are on the usual weather roller coaster. The last few days saw some decent high 40’s to low 50’s and sunshine. This morning it was snow again and the next several days forecast with mid 40’s as highs. Maybe warm enough with a little help from the wind to take the now rotten ice off the lower lakes and river sloughs. Looks like nymphs for the weekend.

and just tie on a crumpled sheet of tin foil for these guys! This came through on an email today. Captioned as a record Piranha its actually more likely an African Goliath Tiger Fish. Apparently not many fly fishers make the attempt on these things but their smaller cousins are a little more manageable as witnessed by Bozeman Photographer/Angler, Denver Bryan.

Even if these things stick to eating other fish, I’m not sure that I would want do a lot of wading with teeth like that cruising around on a frame that size.

Not long ago the Troutunderground reported on some studies done on Montana Rivers and aquifers and the subsequent findings. Namely, that a state renowned for pristine waters and countryside was found to be tainted with various pharmaceuticals and fertilizers, the beginnings of a toxic broth for both man and beast.

Some water sources contained a complete pharmacopoeia of presciption medicine for our most common present day afflictions including sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, Ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory); 17-betaestradiol (estrogen); Bisphenol A (used in plastics, but also activates estrogen receptors); Diethylstilbestrol (estrogen replacement removed from market in 1997); estriol (estrogen); fluoxetine (anti-depressant); gemfibrozil (cholesterol treatment); meprobamate (used to treat anxiety/tension); naproxen (antiinflammatory); oxybenzone (sunscreen); pentoxifylline (treatment of leg pain from poor blood flow); progesterone (female hormone replacement); triclosan (antibacterial agent in soaps and detergents); and timethoprim (used to treat urinary tract infections). In addition the study also found DEET and atrazine. How’s that glass of water looking now?

Today, an AP probe released findings that 41 million Americans have tainted water supplies. What a sigh of relief huh? Montana’s not alone! Long the the vestige of all things pure, the “Last Best Place”, we are now part of the polluted greater whole (hole?). And in case you are wondering about what all these goodies that are passing through our urinary and digestive tracts are doing to our aquatic neighbors, another study under way at Lake Mead tells of mutant Carp and feminized Fathead Minnows.

Rest assured though that the “concentrations are small” and that officials, keeping your well being in mind, are not releasing the reports for fear you “would misunderstand, overreact to disclosure”. Sort of like when the doctor says, “there is something on your X-ray, we’re not sure what it is, but don’t be alarmed, it could be anything”…

Gee, I’m feeling better already.