West '05 Trip - Day 15

Posted: 2006-04-03
By: Randy Cochran

Great googly-moogly, it was a cold night's sleep by that little lake in the mountains. Frost covered everything outside my tent - car, waders and boots included.

I worked fairly hard to get my ass in gear and on my way to the Madison down in Bear Trap and the great fishing it surely held, but not before stopping and getting a wool blanket, self-inflating pad and more propane.

3 raccoons on a leisurely stroll slowed progress a bit as they walked slowly across the road in front of me. I was too slow to get the camera out for a picture, and even then there were fish waiting and they were damned raccoons. You know those fish won out.

It was 11 by the time I made it to the canyon below Ennis Lake. A quick survey revealed that there were only 2 others to share the river with, so I took my time and prepared for a long day on the water. After a liberal slathering of sunscreen and dropping the kids off at the pool, I was down into the rocky bed of the Madison River.

Fishing was good, but in spurts throughout the day. Throwing a clouser was the ticket, netting my largest stream-run brown to date @ 25" or so, perhaps pushing 6 lbs or more. Swinging and stripping through the tailout of a large pool, the beast seemed as a tree limb or snag until I felt the tell-tale head shake of a large fish that just figured out that it's been hooked. Then he lit into me. I spent the better part of 5 minutes or so (thank the good Lord I was on 4X) holding him off of the bottom boulders and away from a submerged log. Eventually he made an error in judgement, I lifted his head and he was in my net, and none too soon. I took a couple quick pics, admired him for a second and then sent him on his way after revival. His departure was definitely a site to behold.

After that, the rest of the day was pretty much a let down. HA! I KID, I KID!! It was actually great. Rainbows and browns came out to play, some near 18" and football-ish in stature, giving me both a mental AND physical workout as I slipped from run to boulder to run, following them on their strong runs downstream.

At around 5pm, I decided it was time to press on toward the Gallatin.

On the way out and over the hill, it was almost a certainty to see deer along the road. One of the deer that I did end up seeing nearly crossed paths with me and my shroud of 2,500 lb. metal. Luckily for him - and my insurance rate - no harm came about.

While looking for a nearby campsite, I spotted the hind quarters of a black bear splitting up the hill. I slowed down on my approach, and looking up the mountainside I was able to see bushes shaking and a cub's head bobbing as it followed mom on up into the forest above.

Because of the aforementioned close encounter, it took quite a while to find a spot that would suffice. Most every campsite had game trails coming right through, and most that didn't were not level enough for a good night's sleep.

Finally I found a site that struck a good balance between sleeping comfort and bear safety, and I dove in to test my new pad and blanky after a dinner of cold cinnamon crunch cereal.