Rock Creek Week

by Phillip Dobson
(Butte, MT)

I joined a couple of friends at a Forest Service cabin on the uniquely named Rock Creek last week. It was a wonderful time.

Andrew is an experienced backcountry fisherman/guide, but his brother was here from Georgia and had never experienced mountains or fly fishing before. The fishing last week was perfect for all of us. Plenty of fish and plenty of challenges, too.

We used a variety of nymphing setups from the Montana classic 6wt and a bobber (effective but boring), to Euro-style nymphing on a 3wt (tenkara with a reel), to a couple long seiryu rods (maybe too exciting when you catch a big fish in current). All worked well, and it was nice to be able to fish with whatever sounded most enjoyable at the time. The long rod with light line technique, with or without reel, was critical for effectively fishing a few of the more technical areas.

The more memorable events started with Robbie's first fish, where he doubled up on his first day of fly fishing. Andrew caught a couple little Bulls on small nymphs. I hooked up with a nice cutthroat that turned broadside into a fast channel and ran Andrew (my net caddy at the time) and me well over 100yds through deep snow and brush before netting. And we ate some amazing steaks cooked on the wood stove.

Lots of smiles to go around.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.

We've all had situations where seriously chewed up flies kept catching fish after fish after fish. It is no sin to tie flies that come off the vise looking seriously chewed up.