photography

Silly Sunday Scenery?

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mark and Danielle are in Hawaii checking out the BBQ situation, so it’s up to me to bring you “Silly Sunday Scenery”. Or was it supposed to be “Silly Saturday Scenery”? And come to think of it, “Friday Foto” kind of rings a bell…

While I’m unsure which day is dedicated to landscape photography, I’m certain that I’m too lazy to go backwards through the blog posts to find the answer. So here is a beautiful shot from the top of Dearborn Rock. As you can see, the weather was fantastic yesterday, and more of the same is in the forecast. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

ECHO Gecko

Take a Kid Fishing Photo Contest

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Take a Kid Fishing Photo Contest Headhunters Fly Shop is hosting a “Take a Kid Fishing” photo contest on our Facebook page. The contest will run for a week from today until next Monday, July 24. The winner will receive a free Echo Gecko fly rod package that comes with a reel and fly … Read more

Missouri River Bugs – July

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Missouri River bugs The following are some pictures of Missouri River bugs that were collected just downstream of the Mid Cañon boat ramp on July 7th. It has been a month since our last bug post, so some of the bugs are the same and some are new. Mayfly nymphs, caddis larvae, midge larvae, scuds, … Read more

Wilderness Cutthroat – Video

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/171623459″][vc_column_text]I’ve spent a little time walking around in the woods with Pat Clayton this spring and early summer. Fishing the mountains and looking for interesting things to take pictures of. For those who don’t know, Pat Clayton is the worlds underwater trout photographer. You probably know whim as “Fisheye Guy Photography“. Last week we were chasing Cutthroat around in some high elevation streams and lakes, and ran into this incredible spawning ritual. Dead-centered it, as they say. Pat began taking some of his superb still images, and after doing the same from above the water, I decided to shoot some video of this incredible scene. I could have sat there and watched this for a couple of days.

Wait, I did…

And no, we did not fish. They spawnin’!

When I got home, I decided there was enough material for a short edit. A kind of “tribute’ to our native Cutthroat Trout, and the Summer Solstice. Many in the Northern Rockies associate Cutthroat  Trout with Wilderness. Much the same that Elk and Grizzlies are symbolic of the backcountry. We’ve combined Pat’s underwater still photography (always incredible) with my video to produce this “unfishing” production. If you’re serious about trout, the environment, native species and habitat, you’ll probably dig it. And if you love high-elevation Cutthroat Trout you’ll really dig it. If you’re looking for some hip-hop (or banjo’s?) and millennial, flat-brimmed, bearded, badassery – you’ll have to look elsewhere. There’s no fishing in this one.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This is full time business for Pat. He’s a Fine Artist, and makes the majority of his income selling large prints. Constantly on the lookout for new subjects and places to shoot, he is either a) hiking the high country and looking for underwater photography opportunities, or b) at home on the computer editing those images, or c) scouring the back-allies of Bozeman and Livingston for high-lake intel. In the winter he skis. It’s been quite an experience for me to tag along on a few of his missions. Seen some awfully cool stuff this spring.

You can too. But you can’t drive to these spots, and there’s no fly shop or shuttles available. You won’t get an up to date fishing report except from yourself. Pat and I have failed, succeeded and hit a couple of home runs this spring. So put on your boots and go, it’s pretty fun stuff.

Check out Pat’s photography at:

http://fisheyeguyphotography.com

and if you like a little humor with your art, follow him on Facebook.

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More Creepy Night Photos

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Friday Foto’s this week include more creepy night photos. Who does this? More people than you think. I actually got busted on a couple of spots around Craig the other night. Just like fishing. They beat me to the spot.

(above image: Cascade Boat Ramp)

Speaking of fishing, there is a lot of surface activity in the wee hours right now. Lots. Might be worth a shot, and if the Aurora Borealis continues to glow, you won’t even need a headlamp. Chug a mouse? Skate a big Caddis? Black streamer? Yes.

HOW & WHEN TO SEE IT

I get questioned almost every day about finding out when the Aurora is going to be visible in North Central Montana. Not really by people hoping to capture images, but just by folks who’ve never seen it. Check out Soft Serve News to find out the current activity and “Storm” warnings. If you’re a Facebook afficianado, it’s probably easier to follow them and you’ll see the warnings on your FB feed. I also check out Spaceweather.com, which has lots of cool scientific stuff as well.

(below images: Looking south at Craig under the Milky Way, and my truck near Cascade at 2:30am.)[/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][us_image image=”14383″ onclick=”lightbox”][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][us_image image=”14384″ onclick=”lightbox”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Silly Sunday Scenery Brown Trout Edition #47

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Brown Trout on the dry fly.

The big fly.

Looking like a July week ahead. A 2015 July week with unsettled weather. Looking like a high on Monday of 52F. A typical non-typical year.

The cooler weather should keep some of the pressure from the bikini clad gang…not that there is anything wrong with that. We like everybody. Remember that it is all about intention.

Out early to beat the rest of the troops. Can work.

The upper river fish are getting nearly impossible to catch on a dry. Specifically if you don’t commit to drag free drifts. Headhunters that continually slide the fly over the head of the target may be disappointed. Not for the weak at heart. For the strong, try the reach cast. When you hear folks at the bar stating that the reach or some sort of slack line presentation is imperative for success, they are not lying.

Late July fish and early June fish are two completely different creatures.

Totally different. Opposite ends of the spectrum.

Back to your weekend. We are open early in Craig. Coffee is generally ready at 6am for your eye opener. Joe’s open at 8am. Izaak’s at 4pm for your dining needs. Check out Craiglodging.com for any accommodations. Big SALE Rack developing outside the front door.

Trico’s all over, up and down. Some days more than others. Attractors working well. Caddis hit an miss. PMD’s all but gone. Nymphing report? Good on the insides and weed-lee’s. Come on by for any fly help or suggestions. We love to talk about the Missouri!

Stupor busy up top near the Dam. If you like a quieter experience, go elsewhere. Less stuffed elsewhere.

Come by and check out the NRS Freestone Inflatable Driftboat with a new drain system. Just awesome.

Adipose Drifters available every day for rent too. We have waders for rent as well as fly rods, reels, demo fly lines, trout spey rods, anchors, shuttles, free river maps, and a Coke machine that mostly works…

See you this week ahead.

 

Friday Foto

Friday Foto

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Friday Foto Trout Belly Edition today on the Headhunters Fly Fishing Blog.

Rising fish fill the river and this shot was captured yesterday in some sort of feeding frenzy.

Looks good for the weekend ahead. Are you coming to enjoy the trout sipping this weekend? If you are here, we’ll see you on the porch.

Enjoy!

[forecast]

 

Monday Missouri River Macro

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Here’s your Monday Morning Macro of yesterdays Missouri River nymph survey by in-house biologist Braden Lewis. Pretty cool shots, and another weekly change in what’s on the menu for Missouri River trout. Kind of like those “visual” menu’s at Denny’s. If you swim for a living.

What do we see this week? Lots of damsel nymphs, not as many scuds, but still many PMD nymphs. The variety of mayfly nymphs is increasing, with some Trico and Pseudo nymphs, as well as others that Braden will have to get out his ID book to work on.

A big Crawdad made the scene. He appears to be molting. Lots of sucker fry, an often overlooked but very important food source. The Sucker fry were incredibly fragile, beginning to croak a few minutes after we put them in the tank. 1 juvenile sculpin made the scene as well.

The bad news? 1 caddis larva. One. Can you find it?

Make sure and CLICK ON THE IMAGES to enlarge in a lightbox.

Fly Tiers, take a good look at that Sucker fry.[/vc_column_text][us_separator icon=”fas|star” show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][us_grid type=”masonry” post_type=”attachment” items_quantity=”” images=”5858,5859,5860,5861,5862,5864,5865,5866,5867,5868,5869,5870″ orderby=”post__in” items_gap=”” columns=”6″ items_layout=”gallery_default” img_size=”us_350_350_crop” overriding_link=”popup_post_image” breakpoint_1_cols=”6″ breakpoint_2_width=”768px” breakpoint_3_width=”480px” breakpoint_2_cols=”4″ breakpoint_3_cols=”2″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Monday Morning Missouri Macro

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Braden and I set up the Macro Tank the other day to see what exactly is squirming around in the Missouri River. Lot’s of PMD nymphs, and relatively few Yellow Sallies like last week. I do see many stages of PMD nymphs as well. Looks to me like a more olive nymph patterns than the more mature amber nymphs with dark wing cases we gathered last week. Also, lots of scuds and the Damsel nymphs are showing up.

If you want to know exactly what we have here, you’ll have to talk to Braden face to face. Stop by the shop. He’s hesitant to identify things quickly. He does his homework, and does it right.

Do you need to know what they’re called, or just what they look like?

We’re still getting our photo set-up dialed in. Expect the images to get better soon.[/vc_column_text][us_separator icon=”fas|star” show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][us_grid type=”masonry” post_type=”attachment” items_quantity=”” images=”5695,5696,5692,5691,5693,5690,5689,5688″ orderby=”post__in” items_gap=”” columns=”6″ items_layout=”gallery_default” img_size=”us_350_350_crop” overriding_link=”popup_post_image” breakpoint_1_cols=”6″ breakpoint_2_width=”768px” breakpoint_3_width=”480px” breakpoint_2_cols=”4″ breakpoint_3_cols=”2″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Silly Saturday Scenery

Silly Saturday Scenery | Road Less Traveled Edition

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You coming to Montana?

It may be the Road Less Traveled.

We will welcome you.

This is the road to the Blackfoot River over the other side, the wet side of the divide.

We will be traveling across soon enough. Til then we will have to fish the premier dry fly fishery in the state.

 

BBQ Tonight on the property @ Headhunters Fly Shop in downtown Craig.

See you there about 5pm for snacks before you Rib Dinner @ Izaak’s.

The fishing is getting good…