4 Sep 2008
Up and out the door at 7:15 to head over to Cappy’s Coffee Shop in the back of
the Yellowstone Book Peddler. Met Suzie who is the bookstore/coffee shop owner –
she has the place up for sale because “after 26 years, I am ready for a change.”
The shop has been in her family for decades – over the current checkout counter,
there is a picture of her mom running the shop!!
We also met Doug (a fishing guide) who was in for coffee. He
was taking his clients into the Park today (I suspect the high flows on the
Madison due to dam damage was the major reason.) Chatting, we learn there are a
fair number of bears by town including the area of the Madison above Hegben but
below the Park where we plan to fish this morning! We also learned that a fellow
named Robert Scammell of Red Deer, Alberta, is researching a book on some of
Yellowstone’s more unique characters including our own aforementioned Jim
Danskin.
We grab a quick breakfast at the D&M Café – where the business cards state
“Proud to be American” – we all agree.
We head for the Madison River above Hegben where the flows are normal. Slow
fishing but we turned cutts and whitefish – bigger ones on the stonefly/trailing
nymph combination – the water is very clear. JR finds a spot above a logjam with
an active feeding lane of rising fish and like a Army commando crawls down to
the waters edge and kneels behinds a large boulder. AB is fishing across the
river from JR and radios him on his fly and casting placement and together JR
lands 3 nice Cuts and a big Whitefish all on the fly du jur for the trip a #14
Para Adams.
After lunch, we headed to Taylor Creek which Jess from Bozeman had recommended.
We split into pairs about ½ mile apart and start fishing. Lots of 12-16 inch
cutts hammer dry flies!! This is a Soda Butte sized stream and it holds lot of
willing trout. Interestingly, we didn’t see any other fisherman until after 5 pm
when several folks arrived above and below us. I suspect this is a stream
largely fished by the locals who come after work. Still it was wonderful dry fly
fishing - #14 parachute Adams – a pretty simple fly!
Sometimes the photo doesn't go as planned -
"Yes, I was deliberately fishing for a stick!!"
Reluctantly we pull up lines and head for Ennis – driving in
the rain we see dark storm clouds in the hills around us – also we pass a ranch
who had a metal sculptured sign out front naming it the “Concerned Dove Ranch” -
must be a story in there somewhere. We arrive at the El Western in Ennis about
7:45pm, 50F. After checking in and unpacking, we head out to the Reel Decoy BBQ
and Grill (406-682-3858) for some local chow – we had a great steak feed up!!
Back to the El Western a night cap and then it is lights out!