If I've learned one thing from Brown Trout....

It's always eat the head first.

Apparently, it has something to do with the spiny dorsal fin of the potential meal. If the brown trout eats a fish with a spiny dorsal tail first, it would most likely get stuck in the brown trout's gullet. That may be the logical explanation, I like to think it's because they are mean, ruthless predators. Whatever.

20 and below

One of these should eat the other.

Winter in the Rockies, it's usually white, cold, and really, really, really, ridiculously good looking. It is also an angling season that is traditionally dominated by flies sized 20 and below. So, it is an angling season that constantly terrorizes my streamer loving mind. We shall see what decision I make when Sanders and I hit the water tomorrow. Life is rough. Especially in the winter.

What Can Browns Do For You?

For those of you that aren't fans of YGF on facebook, the following may be news to you: (1) I caught a nice brown trout on the Big Hole and (2) I have left Montana and moved down to Colorado. The week before I left for Colorado I visited my favorite river in Montana for a farewell tour. The Big Hole treated me well. The streamer fishing was "lights out"(as some cool people say) and the big browns had their feed bags on (as other cool people say). I was lucky enough to catch a beautiful specimen of a brown trout which measured 24" in length and looked to be untouched.

Check out the video in HD. Enjoy.

Calling Hogs

Spent this past Saturday on the Bitterroot with Matt Breuer and Blakely. Floating in the Breuer's skiff, we enjoyed the slightly seasonally warm temperatures, and to a lesser degree, the biting winds. While the float was a little hurried, we were able to stick some fish, including two solid rainbows who were both caught on streamers. Icing on the cake. As always, watch it in HD on vimeo.

Music: Diplo "Sarah"

Calling Hogs from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.

In other news, I now have a friend with a boat. It's nice.

____ in a Barrel

Fill in the blank. This edit/video/film is decidedly longer than any of my recent edits/videos/films. There is a reason for that. On Monday, the fishing on the Ruby was in a word, epic. As such, the edit/video/film is epic (in terms of length).

The combination of overcast skies, cloudy water, and a healthy brown trout fishery produced the best day of streamer fishing a fisherperson could ask for. Bucko, who has fly fished for 9 years, agreed. Sometimes trips are about the journey, the experience, the surroundings. This trip was about all of those things, but mostly it was about some stupid good fishing.

From 11 am to 6pm, the Ruby River's brown trout threw themselves with reckless abandon at our streamer offerings. Often times following the streamer from bank to bank, then breaching the surface to mash on some articulated goodness.

Around six in the evening, the fishing was interrupted by a massive thunderstorm. Following the storm and a little dinner, we returned. Fish were rising. Rainbows and browns were boiling at the surface. Trout were everywhere they should be and they were seemingly eating anything that was well presented in front of them. Bucko and I doubled up at least five times that evening. Then, as if it could have gotten any better, Bucko landed a 27" brown trout. The longest of his life.

I had too much footage from this trip. I had enough footage that I included the misses and my bleeped reactions to said misses. Enjoy in HD.

____ in a Barrel from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.

End of the Worlders in Yellowstone National Park

If you were in Yellowstone National Park on Thursday, you may have seen the End of the World RV. I ran into the driver of said RV in the visitor's center. His pressing questions were not about any major upcoming eruptions in Yellowstone. Instead, he inquired about which of the Yellowstone's campgrounds were open. I guess he was trying to appreciate the little things in life with the rapture coming in a couple of months and all.

Where is the nearest campground? Is it open? Will my End of the World RV have a spot there before the End of the World.

In other news, YNP was open to fishing this weekend. I left on Friday, so I wasn't able to participate in the opening weekend, but, the Unaccomplished Angler was. The UA hinted at the bad weather that was predicted for West Yellowstone this weekend. Joshua Bergan from Troutbugs confirmed it. During my time there on Thursday and Friday, it snowed. Only a couple of inches, but snow nonetheless. It made for a unique opportunity to view the park's hydrothermal features that wintery white stuff.

Upper Falls - Yellowstone River

Lower Falls - Yellowstone River

Grand Prismatic - a bit foggier than usual - cold weather to blame

Bison

Sex Dungeons - fresh and ready for the Big Hole

Boogie Men and Heifer Groomers - hopefully grooming and boogying some heif in the near future

Big Hole Browns - Eat These Please

I fished for about a half-hour this weekend. I did stop by the Slide Inn and picked up some streamers for the season. I could have gone for broke there. So many articulated streamers, so little money. But, I am making up for it with a day trip to the upper Big Hole or Beaverhead with Joe from Evolution Anglers on Tuesday. I am looking forward to it. Should be a good time.

Biggest Trout of My Life

I am not going to dilly dally around the events of this weekend. It was great. Went to the Madison River, the Ruby River, Warm Springs Creek, and some name-redacted ponds and caught fish in each body of water. The weekend started with the biggest trout of my life. A brown trout, 4+ pounds, between 22 to 25" inches (a guestimate), with a massive head took the M&M's streamer that George Kesel tied up for me in some ponds. While, the fishing could only go down from there, I was able to manage some solid fish on the Madison, despite the 40 mph winds and gusts of 60+ mph. The Ruby River, which has been described as a mini-Beaverhead, certainly proved to be worthy stop on our trip as it's browns were healthy and hungry. It was a great weekend of fishing. Check out the video (in HD). I am fully aware that I have two pairs of sunglasses on in portions of this video.


fly fishing the madison, the ruby, and some ponds from Ivan Orsic on Vimeo.

Side Note: Clif from the Lunker Hunt recently spent some time out here in Montana on the Big Horn River. Check out the video, posts, and pictures from his trip. Looks like it was a good one.

Spawning in my streamer box

My streamers seem to be reproducing. I am having more and more trouble storing them (them being the set of primary streamers) in the cliff's bugger barn. On Monday, I picked up 14 gift-certificate funded streamers from the now defunct Kesel's Four Rivers Fly Shop. George tied five white/red double screamers (or the el blancos), five yellow/red double screamers (or the M&Ms), and four white Muddlers. George is a great fly tier and he will be sticking around Missoula and tying custom flies for those who are interested. We have been getting some warmer temperatures recently here and apparently the streamer bite is starting to improve. Hopefully, I can confirm that this weekend.

new streamers (from top to bottom: the M&M unweighted, the M&M weighted, the el blanco unweighted, the el blanco weighted, muddler)

The Double Screamer Lineup (from top to bottom: the original, the modified, the M&M, the el blanco, the rasta)

the streamer box stocked and ready for the upcoming season (note: the right side is all double screamers - I have a problem)

secrets from my streamer box

I don't tie flies...yet. I have a thesis to write. I am intrigued by the act of tying flies. But, if I am to be honest, I am little worried about my fine motor skills. While, my Montessori education has maximized my fine motor skills, I think the apex of said skills is quite low (see ability to fold napkins for thanksgiving celebrations). I started fly fishing in April of 2009. Over the past year and a half(ish), I have learned to appreciate and enjoy the delicate art of presenting tiny dry flies to rising trout, the systematic approach of nymphing, and slapping large hoppers or stones next to the bank. But, I have fallen for streamer fishing. And I have fallen hard. I now prefer to throw gobs of weighted rabbit fur at browns, bows, cutties, and bulls. I particularly like double hooked articulated streamers. The aggression and size of the fish that a streamer attracts, attracts me to streamer fishing. It also attracts Alex at 40 Rivers to Freedom to streamer fishing. So in the spirit of the holiday season, I have decided to share some of the patterns that have had great success and some of the patterns that have not. Note: All of these patterns were skillfully purchased at fly shops.

Stars of the Great Bugger Barn of Glory (or the GBBG)

Officially, the three streamers seen above are known as double screamers. My friend Bucko and I have devised our own names for each color variation. We refer to the pattern itself as "it". "it" is an articulated, approximately five-inch long conehead streamer available in a wide variety of colors.

The Original - black, olive, and silver

The Original killed the browns during the pre-pre-spawn period of a wide variety of in western and southwestern montana. This streamer has dark and flashy elements. I surmise these elements make it irresistible to large brown trout. I lost one of these in a card game. Quite possibly, the saddest night of my life.

The Modified - red, yellow, rainbowy gold

The Modified enjoyed success on the Big Hole during the brown trout pre-spawn period. At one point, when fishing it in some backwater, I had three 16 to 19 inch browns following it. The 17 incher won.

The Rasta - white, red, yellow, green, and seasonally shiny tinsel

Someone in the fly shop where this fly was purchased, referred to it as The Traffic Light (red, yellow, green). We dubbed it The Rasta. I think Jimmy Cliff or Marley was playing on the way to Ennis. This color scheme saw great success on the Madison in November (see yukon goes to the madison). It was only recently discovered by myself and has not been used during any other period of time.

Flies that havent made it out of the GBBG

officially known as the Clarke's Rat - known personally as the 5-weight destroyer

Based on the amount of rabbit fur involved with this fly, I should love it. I secretly do. But, it shattered my 5 weight redington red2fly rod on the first cast. Not a clean break either. The rod suffered vertical stress fractures immediately above the cork handle around the entire circumference of the rod. Admittedly, I shouldn't have been trying to throw this massive fly with a five-weight. Probably a good-to-great fly for large trout, I suspect the bulls would love it, but it has not been used since it shattered my rod.

Globs of Green

Never used it. Never will. Don't know why I bought it.

Kind of Brown

Like the great Miles Davis album, except brown, not sonically pleasing, and terrible at catching trout. I used it once on a late August morning. This late August morning turned into the day that the Original became the Original. This fly hasn't been used since.

Articulated Rubber Legs of Crap

As I have expressed, I am enthralled with articulated streamers. Not this one. This has to be fished with sinking tip or a full sinking line. I like a streamer that I can fish on both floating and sinking line. This is not one of them. It stays high in the water column, often breaking the surface. Like the rest of the streamers of doom, I haven't given it much of a chance.

Excluded from the list of greatness are Kelly Galloup's famous streamers like the sex dungeon, the boogie man, the heifer groomer, and the articulated butt monkey. This is not a function of the gobs of animal fur not working. I just haven't had a chance to purchase any. Missoula's local shops do not carry his streamers and his shop was closed when I went down to the Madison in November. One of these days....one of these days.

What about your streamer box? What are your go to patterns? What do you regret buying or tying?

Yukon Goes to the Madison

Went to the Madison River this weekend to fish for large, mean, hungry brown trout. Had some good success. Most of the fish were between 18 and 20 inches. Most of the fish were taken on streamers with a few coming on nymphs. My friend, Bucko, caught the largest fish of the trip with a 22" brown. Some seasonally appropriate snow made its presence known on Saturday and especially on Sunday. Enjoy the video. Watch it in HD on vimeo.


yukon goes to the madison from Ivan Orsic on Vimeo.

green drakes in paradise

About two weeks ago, the rivers here in western Montana were still a little bit higher than normal due to rainy weather in May and June. I went to visit Fish Creek, located 40 miles west of Missoula, a favorite stomping ground of mine that I fished quite a bit last summer while learning the basics of fly fishing. Utilizing the creek's relative solitude and lack of heavy fishing pressure, I took my time fishing familiar holes throughout the past summer measuring my progress in fish and casting accuracy. While I have frequented the more famed Rock Creek quite a bit this year, I decided to give fish creek a go. I was rewarded handsomely. With a bevy of mayflies hatching throughout the course of the day (pale morning duns in the AM, green drakes in afternoon, and pale evening duns in the PM), I fished this familiar water with fantastic results. I caught a 21'' rainbow, a 19'' cutbow, two 18'' cutbows, and two 16'' cutbows, and a handful of smaller, less engorged fish. I found success primarily with green drake dry flies in the heat of the day and I pulled a couple more out with some huge streamers. In a repeat performance of last year, the largest trout I caught to date was in my net for a couple seconds only to escape and return to the creek without being photographed. I was searching for my camera when it bucked its way out of my brodin ghost net. Stay tuned to yukon goes fishing over the next couple weeks. I have a couple of trips planned that I hope will be quite productive including a trip up to Eureka this coming weekend, to Yellowstone National Park in two weekends, and a float trip down the Yellowstone in the foreseeable future. Enjoy the video from my banner day on Fish Creek.


Green Drakes in Paradise from Ivan Orsic on Vimeo.

Another Day on the Rock

I went back up to fish upper Rock Creek yesterday. The morning fishing was spectacular. Of the ten fish I caught - ten of the fish were caught between 10 AM and 1 PM. That certainly does not mean the fish were not feeding from 1 PM to 4 PM. I hooked into several fish during the afternoon hours, but I was unable to reel them in. Additionally, I could not figure out the right combination to lure the feeding fish into taking my dry flies, nymphs, or streamers with much conviction. There were plenty of hits and misses. There were several highlights from the day and one massive low point. When pulling in an eight inch whitefish towards the bank, a massive fish flashed at it three or four times. I can only guess that it was a rock creek bull trout. It was exhilarating and confusing all at once. A part of my fishing mind was thinking, "don't lose the fish", the rest of my mind was thinking "let the beast take it." I saved the tiny whitey from doom, while hooting and hollering loud enough for neighboring anglers to take notice. At the end of the day, I was headed back to some water that I had successfully fished in the morning. While walking through willows and thick underbrush, my line caught on a branch. I stumbled shortly after it caught on the branch. Together, the stumble and the snag bent the upper piece of my rod until it shattered at the ferrule. So, without a useful rod, I hung my head and sulked back to my car. Cursing myself for getting greedy. On the bright side, I took some amazing video. Watch it in HD on vimeo. (Music: Kev Brown "Another Random Joint")


Another Day On The Rock from Ivan Orsic on Vimeo.

Fishing Rock Creek on Me Birthday

I was lucky enough to receive a flip hd video camera and a waterproof case for said camera for my birthday. I promptly headed up to upper Rock Creek to fish with my friend Brian and his dog Wilma. While Rock Creek is still flowing high, as a result of spring runoff and the recent rains we experienced in western Montana, it was clear. We found some fishable water along the banks and in side channels. I caught 11 fish including two westslope cutthroat, two cutbows, one brown trout, and six whitefish on golden stone and green drake nymphs, streamers, and on golden stone and caddis dries. Brian also eclipsed the ten fish mark for the day. A sunny day on the rock. Enjoy the video. Watch the video on youtube to see the HD version. The underwater trout release shots were a little disappointing this time 'round, but I'll get them next time. (Music: Kings Go Forth "Now We're Gone")