Friday, September 16, 2016

MN Mountain Man: A Trout Hunting Machine

It was a great stroke of luck that I found the Driftless Trout Anglers forums earlier this year.  One of the regulars there is a guy with ties to Montana: MN Mountain Man, aka Clayton.  He moved from the Kalispell/Whitefish area and now pounds the banks of the Driftless Area's cold water creeks.  He runs a couple of blogs/sites:
 After exchanging messages over the summer, we were finally able to sync schedules and meet up for some angling the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend.  We met early and I followed him to a stretch of water he'd gotten permission to access.

As we geared up, it was impossible not to notice that he's ready to fish at a moment's notice. No waders, no boots, no vest.  He swapped shoes, grabbed a rod, and maybe had a small sling pack for his tackle.  Lean, mean, optimized, and ready to go.  Then there's me... classic hare and tortoise.

He's also a very focused angler.  He moves efficiently upstream, methodically working the water.  He says that most days, he fishes deep.  I don't think he changed flies at all during our morning trek upstream.  And why should he when fish after fish take what he's selling?

This man is zeroed-in on catching fish, and knows how to bring in the big ones.  Take this one for example:
This was one of the fattest fish I've ever seen.  I could just barely get my hands all the way around the back and belly.  If you look at photos on his blog, this looks like a normal everyday ho-hum fish for him.  It's a good thing he lives close to a collection of great trout streams, because he's got a stressful job.  To blow off steam, he hits the water often, ties flies, and builds custom rods.

It was a great opportunity to fish with Clayton.  He didn't laugh at me when I made one of my signature Parkinson's Moves (falling down the bank) and wasn't in a hurry.  Like fishing with Eddie, I had the opportunity to learn some great stuff just watching him fish.  In fact, I used some of his techniques to extract a few browns from a tough spot the next day.  Thanks, Clayton!

Great morning with great weather.  Great angler and great company.  I hope we can do it again soon, and not just for the obvious reason:



10 comments:

  1. Looks like you guys had a great time!

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  2. So...you basically covered 2 of the great resources I've been following for over a year. Before I head up to the Driftless I always check out the MN driftless fly fishing. Guess we all need to meet up that way soon. I love that area...seriously!

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    1. So, which is your other resource, the Driftless Trout Anglers Forums? Of course, it could be Eddie!

      That would be a heck of a meetup. The Whitewater River Valley might never be the same afterward.

      One way or another, I think that you and I will be fishing together soon.

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    2. I'd be down! Thanks for the kind words.

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  3. Nice! You're a lucky man...you got to fish with two fishing machines in a week. Sorry that the first machine was broken.

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    1. you mean, temporarily out of service

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    2. Hey Drew, having made first-hand observations, I believe that a little duct tape and baling twine will do wonders. Or maybe some 0X tippet and a couple of rusty hooks. :)

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  4. I am living my piscatorial meanderings, vicariously through you.

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