# Montana pix Round 1



## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

Hola

Well I'm back from fishing Montana. What a trout fishing mecca, great fishing, but BEST of all was the stream access. I was LEGAL to walk in ANY stream regardless of size, as long as I entered the stream legally. This is truely the Gold medal standard for stream access and I wish Michigan would get out of the 1800s and adopt this law!! I'll start with my greatest day of trout fishing ever. After fishing the Bighorn (Round 2 of pix), I traveled to Livingston, MT, where I had a guided trip with Doug McKnight (inventor of the Home Invader streamer) planned for the next day. On the morning of our 'trip', James Anderson, son of legendary flyfisherman and owner of the Yellowstone Angler, George Anderson, told Doug and I that something very special fell into our laps. After doing some 'figure 8s' out of the parking lot to confuse the coworkers, we drove to a small mountain town, where we met a rancher at a gas station. He then proceeded to drive us onto his cattle ranch, and take us to the stream that ran across his property. "You can fish from the fence back up to the barn we drove past. Oh and by the way this section hasn't been fished in 2 weeks", he calmly said. I could barely contain myself with excitement as we crashed through the 6 ft. tall grass, looking for the fence line. Long story long, using one of Doug's Home Invader streamers, I landed 30+ browns and brookies, six over 20", including an absolute brute of a brownie!!

Enjoy,

Hully


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

You can't tell by the picture, but Doug is running so fast, I think he's running on top of the water! He outraced this monster to the corner to keep him in front of us!!









25" beast!!




























A kiss on the hump and set free


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## swampswede (Jun 6, 2010)

I dont even know where to begin ! What a fantastic experience this must have been ! What scenery and then to hook to a 25 inch pig like that ? Very nice !


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

swampswede said:


> I dont even know where to begin ! What a fantastic experience this must have been ! What scenery and then to hook to a 25 inch pig like that ? Very nice !


 
Thanks Swamp, more to come


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)




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## WMU05 (Oct 16, 2004)

I am completely jealous. I fished Montana two years ago and hope to get back out there next year. 

It can not be properly explained without being there. Thanks for taking me back. 

I can't wait for the rest of the pics. Keep 'em coming!


Also, the pics are amazing. Did you have a professional photographer following the two of you around?


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## troutguy26 (Apr 28, 2011)

Wow is all i gotta say. Oh and im really jealous.


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

So when I left Michigan, I planned on going straight to Livingston, but plans changed. Instead I went straight to the Bighorn river and camped at Cottonwood campground located between the dam and the first take out, 3 miles down. What a fishery!! Huge browns and a lot of them. I will be back. The college kid working for the summer, Evan, would get done with his 'chores' around 1pm, then float me down this 3 mile section for beers and tips. We missed more than we caught, including two browns over 25"+, all on streamers. 

Enjoy the Bighorn,

Hully



























Watch out for rattlesnakes!!









Quite a popular stretch, but I was the only one I saw ripping streamers













































Hard to tell, but this was a big, heavy fish









The take out got quite crowded, but I learned a lot listening to the guides


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

Cottonwood campground









A boat ride for Pabsts and bucks from evan the shop rat 


















My biggest brown from the Bighorn- 22"









Would have gotten more pix of him, but my camera went for a swim right after this shot!!


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

So after fishing the stream codenamed Tuna, I reserved a spot (16 rods per day, $100 per rod= $1600 a day for 3 months straight!! Not a bad living huh?) on a private spring creek in Livingston, MT, called DePuy's creek. Once again I was the only guy throwing streamers and I railed 'em compared to the other guys I watched fishing, using dries and nymphs. The stream was super cold and beautiful. I hit it hard in the morning and the evening. Caught many browns and bows, with the biggest being a 21" brownie I landed right after a guide and his two clients fished this waterfall. I felt like a schmuck, but oh well.

Enjoy DePuy's spring creek,

Hully






















































The big boy- 21"


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## Bulletproof (Jul 26, 2005)

Great Fish!!!

Nobody fishes streamers on the Bighorn. Everyone is usually dialed into a Sowbug and SanJuan nymph rig as the soup dujour......We have fished streamers quite a bit on the Horn and have always done well. There can be very good dry fly fishing had there too. 

Don't get me wrong, I love the Horn, but if you're truly after big fish, like really big fish, I have yet to get it done there.....There are good fish, 18-22 inch fish that are plentiful, but I haven't put a true hog in the net on the Horn. But it is an amazing fishery. If your a good stick it shouldn't be hard to get near 50-60 fish days with all fish going anywhere from 14-22 inches.

If you want a legit shot at fish pushing 30 inches and beyond, from my experience it doesn't get any better than the Missouri. There are some true giants in the Mo. On average they run bigger than the Horn fish and they fight harder. If you can find a cloudy day on the MO, with even some rain to boot, there's no other place I'd rather be pulling big uglie steamers. Last summer we got some cloud cover on the MO and moved some absolute giant fish, giant. Fish well over 10 pounds and beyond 30 inches without a doubt. I had a fish swipe at a big articulated streamer last year near the boat and the guy that was rowing the boat, a seasoned guide here in MI, literally jumped out of his seat and almost fall in the drink. There are legit knee shakers in there. The rainbows will also eat spent caddis type patterns and they will push over 2 feet. They absolutely brawl.

The Beaverhead has giants too. There are also giants in the Madison, although I wouldn't say your chances are as good then the Missouri or the Beaverhead.

We have been wanting to hit the North Platte around Gray Reef, but have yet to make it. It's a good river to fish before you hit the Horn if your coming in from the south. From what I understand, it's on par with the Missouri and has better big fish opportunities than the Horn.

Great fish and trip.


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## tannhd (Dec 3, 2010)

Pure awesome. I've been waiting to see these. 

How was Phish?


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

So my final stop in Montana was on the upper and lower sections of the Madison river. I stayed at Kelly Galloup's Slide Inn for 4 nights before making the 9 hour drive to the Gorge in George, WA to see my concerts. I doubt I'd be in a hurry to fish the Maddy again. I enjoyed the fishing but prefer a different 'kind' of river, not just a giant 40 mile long riffle. But Johnny and Kelly at the Slide Inn were great guys, and I had a guided float down one of the popular stretches of the upper Maddy. We landed 7 fish with a 20" brownie being the biggest that came into the boat on the cold, rainy, blah day. 

Enjoy the area around the upper Madison river,

Hully









The $3 bridge


















Kelly Galloup at his shop (sorry for the blurry pix)









My cabin at the Slide Inn









Quake Lake formed in 1959 after a huge landslide that killed 16 people









Ennis, MT- gotta love a town that has a huge flyfishing sculpture!!









My guide, Dougie Cool









Last fish of the day- a beautiful 20" brownie


















Cliff Lake- like paddling in a giant swimming pool, so clear, so blue!!


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

Cliff Lake









My last day of Montana fishing (upper Madison)




































My final Montana trout of the trip- a 19" beauty!!



























Phish at the Gorge in George, WA









I'm not front row, but I'm pretty darn close!

Hope you enjoyed the pix and the journey,

Hully


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

WMU05 said:


> I am completely jealous. I fished Montana two years ago and hope to get back out there next year.
> 
> It can not be properly explained without being there. Thanks for taking me back.
> 
> ...


While Doug and I were fishing, James Anderson scouted ahead for us. I didn't realize that he was taking all these pix. Both he and Doug weren't messing around with point and shoots, they both had bad ass cameras. And the quality of the pix, speak for themselves 

Hully


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Great pictures! Thanks for taking us along. Couldn't help notice your Ixtapa hat. Been there?


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

Ranger Ray said:


> Great pictures! Thanks for taking us along. Couldn't help notice your Ixtapa hat. Been there?


I was in Zihautanejo (of 'Shawshank Redemption' fame), on the other side of the hill. Absolutely beautiful!!! Good eyes!!:lol:

Hully


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Hullyscott said:


> I was in Zihautanejo (of 'Shawshank Redemption' fame), on the other side of the hill. Absolutely beautiful!!! Good eyes!!:lol:
> 
> Hully


Been there. Some friends have a place right on the cove. Loved the fish market. The Tuna and sail fishing was great!


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## fishinDon (May 23, 2002)

[email protected] Hully!! Those are some amazing pics and great stories, I'm sure this is a summer you won't soon be forgetting! 

Absolutely awesome!
Don


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## ericzerka24 (Aug 12, 2010)

Awesome!! For the last week I've been impatiently waiting for these pics to be posted. What a trip of a lifetime!


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## Outdoorsman17 (Dec 28, 2005)

What an awesome adventure, great pictures man, thanks for sharing


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## kingfisher2 (Mar 22, 2001)

Great post Hully! You have some brutes there!

Marc


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

troutguy26 said:


> Wow is all i gotta say. Oh and im really jealous.


 
I decided to have an adventure one day after hearing all the stories and tales of all the epic trout fishing in Montana. Turns out, those stories were all true  

Have a great one,

Hully


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

ericzerka24 said:


> Awesome!! For the last week I've been impatiently waiting for these pics to be posted. What a trip of a lifetime!


Glad you've enjoyed em. It was just that, a trip that will not soon be repeated. And if I did it all over again, 90% of my experiences would not happen or occur. I believe in fate 100% and it showed its amazing ability during this trip. I met people and enjoyed opportunities that I will forever hold closely to my core. I'm still 'unpacking' everything that transpired during the past month, and as I do, I have a continous smile on my face.

Thanks again,

Hully


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## Hullyscott (Sep 17, 2009)

These are pix from the Tuna. I had a chance today to look at James' pictures again, and I thought I'd throw these new ones up. To be honest, I had the world's biggest shiite eatin' grin for three days following my guided trip with Doug McKnight! It was a day of trout fishing I will never forget.

Enjoy,

Hully



























































































Smiling,

Hully


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## brookies101 (Jun 23, 2008)

Great pic's Hully... Truely awesome!!!!! Glad you had a great time, thanks for taking us along


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Great report and pics Hully. I'm glad everything exceeded your expectations. I moved out here late January. I have not fished the rivers you have but I have fished the Missouri, Beaverhead, Bitteroot, Blackfoot, Clark Fork, Blackfoot, and Rock creek along with a few lakes and it has more than met my expectations. 

The fish per mile is mind blowing. The gullibility of the fish is pretty nice too. But for me the action and the scenery is where it's at here in Montana.

I was going to contact you to take you on some floats around the Missoula area as you headed to or back from Washington but I wound up going back to Michigan for a few weeks and just returned.

As many here on this site lived vicariously through you on your trip to Montana I also look forward to your Michigan reports as they make me feel like I'm back on the streams of Michigan. Keep up the good posts and may the wind be at your back.

Wildcat


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

That was great, thanks for taking us along. The pics were terrific, and frankly we've had a lot of great pics on here, but those rate right up there..


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