It’s Bucky
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 15, 2025
- Messages
- 137
Did 4 days 3 nights on the Smith (MT) last weekend and it was unbelievable. The fishing was phenomenal, and the scenery even better. We dealt with some pretty severe weather at times, which made for quite an adventure.
Day 1 was sunny and warm. The dry-dropper fishing was on fire with a big foam stonefly and whatever nymph you wanted to put below it, didn’t matter. A tightlined double nymph rig was money when pulled over. Landed 62 before the day ended, and some really nice fish.
Day 2 was overcast and a little chilly. Went to a sz 6 silver sparkle minnow early and never got off it. Voracious attack after voracious attack all day from both rainbows and browns. Missed a couple big fish. So fun watching them come out from under the edge of a rock or off the cliff wall or out of a deep pool to hammer it. Landed 59 before the day’s end. We got dumped on from about 4pm to 8pm and sat under tarps with a big fire trying to keep gear dry.
We got some torrential rain the morning of Day 3 and the fishing wasn’t quite as on as before. Went back to the same streamer though and fish were still pretty eager and able to be found in the obvious holding/ambush spots throughout the morning. We got some sun in the afternoon and I went back to the dry dropper and it was still good too. Landed 29 before the day was over. The sun also allowed us to dry all our gear out and our legs and feet, and we ended up having a nice morning.
Day 4 we woke up early to rain and knew the forecast was bad so we hit the river around 6am. I fished the silver streamer for about 10 miles, moving/striking/hooking 22 fish, including the fish of the trip that I just couldn’t quite slow the fly down enough for him to take but he gave me 2 good looks, maybe a 19-21 incher with a kype jaw, and landed 7 more. I swapped out my buddy for the rower seat and back rowed us the last 12 miles in a torrential downpour and pretty strong up river wind.
Overall as a group, we thought we were around 330 or so fish on the trip. Maybe a couple guys got one over 18”, but I know I did not. I had 6 or 8 over 17” though and a majority in the 15”-16” range. I think we hit perfect fishing conditions with low stable flows for the first 2 days. A trip I’ll never forget. I can’t wait to go back.
Post some of your photos if you’ve ever done it.
Day 1 was sunny and warm. The dry-dropper fishing was on fire with a big foam stonefly and whatever nymph you wanted to put below it, didn’t matter. A tightlined double nymph rig was money when pulled over. Landed 62 before the day ended, and some really nice fish.
Day 2 was overcast and a little chilly. Went to a sz 6 silver sparkle minnow early and never got off it. Voracious attack after voracious attack all day from both rainbows and browns. Missed a couple big fish. So fun watching them come out from under the edge of a rock or off the cliff wall or out of a deep pool to hammer it. Landed 59 before the day’s end. We got dumped on from about 4pm to 8pm and sat under tarps with a big fire trying to keep gear dry.
We got some torrential rain the morning of Day 3 and the fishing wasn’t quite as on as before. Went back to the same streamer though and fish were still pretty eager and able to be found in the obvious holding/ambush spots throughout the morning. We got some sun in the afternoon and I went back to the dry dropper and it was still good too. Landed 29 before the day was over. The sun also allowed us to dry all our gear out and our legs and feet, and we ended up having a nice morning.
Day 4 we woke up early to rain and knew the forecast was bad so we hit the river around 6am. I fished the silver streamer for about 10 miles, moving/striking/hooking 22 fish, including the fish of the trip that I just couldn’t quite slow the fly down enough for him to take but he gave me 2 good looks, maybe a 19-21 incher with a kype jaw, and landed 7 more. I swapped out my buddy for the rower seat and back rowed us the last 12 miles in a torrential downpour and pretty strong up river wind.
Overall as a group, we thought we were around 330 or so fish on the trip. Maybe a couple guys got one over 18”, but I know I did not. I had 6 or 8 over 17” though and a majority in the 15”-16” range. I think we hit perfect fishing conditions with low stable flows for the first 2 days. A trip I’ll never forget. I can’t wait to go back.
Post some of your photos if you’ve ever done it.
around for 4 days, especially when we’ve done it it’s been 80-90 during the days I mean it’s just baking in there.
