Cocktails at the Fairmont, San Francisco

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Going through tax info this past week and found this receipt from San Fran, when I was there attending a Canada gathering and figuring out where I would visit this year.

The thing is, this is a tab for two, and my pal that night is set up for a trip to the Gaspe Peninsula with me in less than a month. Having a few drinks, however, in San Fran is a little different from having a few drinks when you are on one of the most important and fortunate angling trips of your life. I’m sure we’ll be feeling Continue reading →

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OK, You can have it for $107,000 now.

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Lived in this house for eight years and it served me well. Sorry to see it go, but I have to find a place in my new home, Missoula, for me and the girls. This is a great house for any family, but especially great for a young family with kids. Lots of yard to play in and mature vegetation everywhere. Good neighbors and just a block from mainstreet, which means Continue reading →

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Summer Storms and Fishing in Lightning

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Greg Thomas

In 1996 I had a lightning bolt hit the ground about 10 yards from where I was walking. I thought I took a direct hit because the noise was so violent and I felt a jolt in my left foot. But a witness said the bolt didn’t hit me and I believed him—hell, I was alive.

So, July and August and even some of September hold high potential for electrical storms and one of the easiest places to get hit is on the water, graphite fly rod in hand. Don’t think that lightning can’t reach out and get you. I think it’s potential is 20 miles. Not many of us get off the water when a storm is that far away. I didn’t last week when I fished Continue reading →

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Halestorm in Missoula

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Wow. Two young daughters and a big future out there. Got a little taste of it last night when I joined my friends, TC and JD, for a concert at the Wilma Theater by Halestorm.

TC has two daughters, one in high school and the other in college. That is my future. I watch the way TC works with those girls, how he joins in with whatever they want to do. He’s an active parent who won’t let the girls get away with murder, but he allows a lot. So we met the kids at McKenzie River Pizza and the waiter says to me, “Look over there. That’s the band.” Continue reading →

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Fly Fishing for Native Cutthroat Trout, Montana

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Been keeping an eye on a particular stream that I started fishing last year. Didn’t really understand why there were so many large fish in it. Thought, must be a spring spawning run bringing big dudes out of the main river and into the smaller flow to frolic.

So I went back earlier this year thinking that I’d find them in droves. And I couldn’t buy a fish. Strange. Water was high and fast, but still. Soft edges, slower runs. What the hell? I wondered.

Gave it a rest. Fished some Continue reading →

Posted in Montana, Northern Rockies | 2 Comments

Bass in Western Montana

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Greg Thomas

All right, so this isn’t the B.A.S.S. circuit. But this is pretty cool, given a week on week off schedule with my daughters and no friends who fish bass at all. Trout guys. For sure.

So I talked a bud to take his seven year old out with my seven year old and four year old, to switch off and fish a little and paddle around and talk to the girls in pink inflatables. I took the latter directive first and failed miserably. My bud trolled, trolled for bass and caught 11 in a half hour while I watched three young ones jumping off the dock. Serious. Serious. He hauled in 11 Continue reading →

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Montana Cutthroat Fly Fishing Commando Mission

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Last week. Lots of options. The water rolling high in some places, perfect in others. North Idaho? The Big Hole? West Fork of the Bitterroot? Where to go with so many options?

That was the question I had in my mind with the girls hanging with their mother and my schedule looking free. So I teamed up with D-Sum and headed for an obscure stream that we wanted to check out, thinking the water would be high and manageable and its cutthroats super Continue reading →

Posted in Backcountry, Montana, Northern Rockies | 2 Comments

Fly Fishing for Largemouth Bass

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Greg Thomas

I know it’s trout time and that most people are focussed on moving water and those rainbows and browns rising to dry flies, but there are other options out there, likely close to your home.

I passed on Montana’s trout yesterday and took the girls to a nearby pond where I knew bass could be found. I just didn’t realize how big they could be. I swear, we passed right over bass that weighed five pounds, but I couldn’t get those large females to eat. The smaller males, however, Continue reading →

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Fishing Montana’s High Mountain Lakes

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Greg Thomas

You can’t get into all the West’s mountain lakes right now, but most of them below 8,000 feet are accessible, free of ice, and offering eager cutthroat, rainbow and brook trout. A few lakes also hold golden trout, which are a personal favorite of mine.

I took the girls and hiked into a small lake in the Montana’s Bitterroot Range last weekend and we Continue reading →

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The Mount Jumbo Stumble

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Greg Thomas

Things were going well today.  A last couple hours with the girls before they head out with their mom for eight days. They’ve got a three-hour drive ahead of them so I decided to wear them out a little. I said, “We’re going to the L.” The L is the letter on Mount Jumbo.

So up we went admiring the views. Made it to the L and all is well. But on the way down the girls got into a lead battle and ignored my suggestions to not run. Here’s the result. I’ll say this, Myka is one tough little bugger. She cried for sure, screamed actually, but it didn’t last long and she toughed it out. Didn’t really even flinch when I cleaned her up. Got some kid blood Continue reading →

Posted in Backcountry, Culture, Missoula, Montana, Montana | 6 Comments