May
The Value of Hands-On
There is no subsitute for time on the water.
Here's a deal that's going to be pretty hard to pass up. Outside of our casting school, probably the most important class an angler with some experience can take is our Trout Fishing Skills class on May 20, 27 and 31. Folks who take this class are going to get a pretty good idea of what they didn't know. We'll take a look at stream dynamics, insect life stages and imitations, leader systems, fishing strategies and casting, casting, casting. Then we'll go fishing. The fee is a mere $100 and the additional incentive is that upon registration I'll give you a gift certificate from Bob Mitchell's Fly Shop good for $75 off major equipment. You'll learn a ton and get money back, so what's not to like?
Don't fish hard, fish smart.
Part II...
And, for those of you who always heard about sink tip lines or always wanted to try them but didn't know how, here's this great little class taught by Bob Nasby on May 17th. Bob is an inveterate tinkerer who's been playing with these things for decades. Bob will teach you how to make your own, how to cast them and how to fish them. If you don't like getting skunked, maybe this is the class you need? Fishing Sink-Tip Lines is only $25 and even gives you some time on the water.
Don't fish hard, fish smart.
Two Roads to Heaven
Lou Lavoie
There are two roads to heaven and they both begin at Bob Mitchell's Fly Shop. The north road takes you first to the Big Horn; the south takes you by the Black Hills and over the Big Horn plateau. They are roads to fly fishing heaven and that is what I am going to share with you.
First steps: Interstate 90 and 94 split in Tomah, Wisconsin. I-94 swings north to Fargo, ND, passing through the Twin Cities on the way. It then shoots straight as an arrow 320 miles across North Dakota and another 30 or so miles into Montan where it comes upon Glendive and the Yellowstone River. From there it follows the river southwesterly to Billings where it rejoins I-90. An exit 50 miles or so before Billings (exit 49) takes you south 30 miles on route 47 to Hardin, which is at the entrance to the valley of the Big Horn river. Those interested in fishing for big trout will continue south from Hardin 40 miles on route 313 till they reach beautiful downtown Fort Smith, MT.
Meanwhile, I-90 has proceeded westward from Tomah across southern Minnesota and allmost all the way across South Dakota, roughly 200 miles south of I-94, before it encounters the Black Hills, where it briefly sails north before heading west again through Wyoming. The Black Hills have some nice trout streams which you would be encouraged to explore some other time. The passage through eastern Wyoming is about as exciting as the passage through western North Dakota on I-94. It is bleak for the better part of 200 miles till the imposing front of the Big Horn Mountains forces the highway to turn almost due north through Sheridan and eventually rejoin I-94 at Billings, a distance of some 130 miles. For those interested in real trout fishing for trout 14" and under but in an absolutely idyllic setting, exit the interstate north of Sheridan at Ranchester on westbound US-14. The drive to the top of the Big Horn plateau will bring you to the North Fork of the Tongue River.
From here on, whether on the north road or the south road, you are in heaven.
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