Fishies and Freshies

With Thanksgiving bringing a much needed break from the daily grind, I was able to take some time to go hunt some tigers again. This is always an adventure. On the first morning I met up with Grant and Derek again.

We got to the spot and rigged up. It was freezing. Today, Derek and I were determined to get some morning fish on streamers. I had good follows on about every cast, but the trick seems to be to get them to cross the line and hit. When Grant landed three or four fish in the first half hour I decided that the streamers could wait for another time. Derek, however, did end up getting a fish or two on streamers. The morning was turning out great. Despite freezing my Bobo the clown off, it was great and we were all getting into fish. It wasn't long before Grant and Derek got a double. A nice male and female. The male had some of the biggest shoulders ever. I'm learning not to be suprised by the amounts of big fish that Derek catches. Maybe it's a Montana thing. I dunno but I hope some of it rubs off on me.

My fish of the day came as a big suprise. I hooked what I thought was a decent-sized male tiger, but when we got him in the net Grant said, "It's a brown!" I didn't believe him. I looked in the net and as very suprised to see one of the prettiest browns I'd ever seen. Man, the food sources in this place sure do make for some pretty fish. Sweet.

The fishing continued to be good all morning and then died as usual around noon. Nothing too special happened but it was pretty cool to meet a few guys there that were helping Bryan Gregson with an article on Tigers and mice. They had been fishing mice all day. I couldn't believe it, being this late in the season. I went and talked to them when one of them (forgot his name) landed a really nice male on a mouse. They got into a few in the morning as well. Well, shiz, doesn't take a whole lot to talk me into fishing mice. At about 3:45 or so I through on a mouse and tried my luck. I had some good follows, including a really big male tiger that I'd seen on more than one other occasion. Grant honked from my car signalling he was ready to roll out and I missed the only take. Dangit. Anyway, it turned out to be a decent day with some tigers, chubby cutties, and a nice brown in the net.