Headwater Refuges

I set out last Sunday on a different type of fishing excursion. I wanted to leave the weekend crowds behind and look for a 100% pure westslope cutthroat. A local biologist had mentioned a very, small headwater stream that had pure cutts in it...and it was close to home. So I packed up my 6' 3wt, a lunch, and my camera and hit the trail.

It took some bushwhacking to finally locate the tiny stream, and when I did I have to admit that I was skeptical. The stream had a steep gradient with lots of woody debris, and not much water. It was set into a relatively steep ravine that made walking difficult, not to mention fishing. I wasn't about to turn around though, and started up the brushy ravine trying my best to drop my fly into all the pockets I could. I had on my trusty foam beetle...a pattern that rarely fails to produce on small creeks. On this day, however, the beetle was not the ticket and after not getting any action out of one of the deeper spots I switched it up to a small stimulator. The next cast into the pool instantly produced a small fish, and I was excited to meet this little cutthroat. As I bent down to unhook the fish, though, I could see something was wrong. This little fish didn't have the distinctive slashes of a cutthroat and was much too spotted. It was a rainbow trout that had managed to swim upstream through the obstacle course...and now threatened to compromise the genetic integrity of the cutts. I was momentarily stunned, and the fish sensing my current state expertly flopped itself out of my hands and back into the water before I could execute it.

I continued on upstream, and came upon a short level stretch with a couple of better looking pools. I fished these and was pleased to see some fish attempting to hit my fly...I guess this tiny creek has some life in it. A thunderstorm suddenly broke, and I as I watched the rain pour down I realized how hard the fish must have it in this stream. Just this quick little storm was rapidly affecting the level of the stream, as well as the clarity. I could only imagine what a raging torrent it must be in the spring. It is a testament to the tenacity of these little fish, that they can survive in these conditions...and at the same time, it is sad that this habitat is all they have left. As the storm passed, I began walking downstream towards the confluence with a larger stream full of rainbows and brook trout. I flicked my fly a few more times into a good looking pocket, and a tiny flash of silver hooked itself. Here it was, in my hand, a little cutthroat trout with its colorful slashes looking like small jewels. As I fumbled for my camera, the little fish (with an impeccable sense of timing) flipped up in the air and went nose first back in to the creek. It's ok...at least I know he's there.

Bull Trout

It amazes me how some fish can get such a bad reputation, and how long it can take for those perceptions to change. It reminds me of the saying "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." In this instance, we are referring to the historically maligned and misunderstood fish, the bull trout.

The bad reputation stems from it's aggressive predatory behavior. The bull trout eats other fish, it is a piscivore, and the apex predator in the aquatic systems it inhabits. This puts it in direct competition with human fishermen. I guess we don't like competition...bull trout/salmon, wolves/elk, etc. Salmon is really what made the issue a big deal. As we began to continually overharvest salmon, and the populations plummeted, we began to search for scapegoats. The bull trout was an obvious candidate, and consequently a bounty was put on these fish. Fisheries workers would pitchfork spawning fish up onto the banks to rot, and people were encouraged to kill these fish if they were ever caught. Thankfully these practices were discontinued, and the bull trout managed to hang on and eventually receive needed protection under the ESA.










I have been fortunate to fish for bull trout in some of their few remaining strongholds in Montana and throughout the west. These fish are truly a worthy pursuit, and the potential for some really large trophies exists. A bull trout can grow to lengths of 35+ inches and can top 20lbs. I'm sure that the thought of hooking into a monster like that would make any fly-fisherman drool. I think the future of bull trout will depend on the perceptions of today's new breed of angler. The image of the bull trout needs to become one of a respected fish and a coveted trophy experience. If more anglers target this fish in catch and release areas, than it will do nothing but assist the long term recovery of the species.

Mr. Whiskers

Ok, so the whiskers are should correctly be called barbels, but then there would be no association with a cat. Let's face it, the fact that the fish has really long tentacles coming out of its face is the reason it is called a catfish. These barbels are really an amazing adaptation for feeding in dark and murky water. A catfish actually has taste buds all over its body, but on the barbels they become extremely concentrated. This allows the fish to easily find the daily diet of, well, just about anything on the bottom. Catfish are easily caught by anglers...you just throw some bait on the bottom of a likely looking hole, add a little bit of patience, and you will get one. Targeting the really big kitties is where it becomes more challenging.

Many anglers specifically target this worthy species. Big cats are the stuff of legends...it seems no one really knows just how big they can get. Bigger ones are always being found, and they can put up a serious battle. I guess I should get a little more specific here, and mention that I am referring to Channel Catfish. Now these are not the biggest catfish in the US...but they are the largest in Montana. Montana is starting to pump out some real trophy fish. Rivers like the Missouri, Yellowstone, Musselshell, and the Milk are all consistently producing fish over 20lbs with the Missouri currently having the state record at just over 30lbs.










I needed to catch a Channel Catfish for my native species challenge, and I wanted it to be a respectable fish. Not that there is anything wrong with the little guys...but you know how it goes. I went to the Missouri River, and after catching some goldeye to use as bait, I set up some heavy rods targeting some large cats. I have to say, I am impressed by the quality of the fishery in that river. We caught some really large fish, lots of really nice fish, and plenty of others. Montana does not come to mind when people talk about catfishing, but we have some tremendous fisheries available.

Big Eyes

What if we lived in a world that was consistently murky and cloudy? Would we evolve so that our eyes were larger to let in more light? Well, if you are a fish that depends its eyesight...and you make your home in the Missouri River, the answer would seem to be yes.










The fish I am referring to is the Goldeye. Although it is also known by a variety of other names such as Yellow Herring, Toothed Herring, Shad Mooneye, and my favorite Weepickeesis. This is a native fish in Montana that is really quite common, especially in rivers like the Missouri and the Yellowstone. Lewis and Clark even commented on it around the mouth of the Marias River. It is a unique fish in a family with only one other species, the Mooneye. When you look inside the mouth of this fish, you will see teeth all over...even on the tongue. Goldeye don't get exceptionally large, a 20" fish would be a real trophy.

I recently spent some time on the Missouri River fishing for Goldeye, and I can honestly say that they are ridiculously easy to catch. They will hit just about anything anywhere in the water. You can catch them with a fly rod on top, or with a nightcrawler on the bottom. For their size, however, I was impressed with their fighting ability. A while they begin to seem like a nuisance when targeting other species, remember that Goldeye cutbait is the hot ticket for big channel cats.