Page 61 - Flathead Beacon // 6.24.15

MOUNTAIN EXPOSURE
OUTDOORS IN BRIEF
WHITEFISH WOMAN’S RIDE TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Whitefish’s Katy Branston has been living the self-pro- claimed “Bike-and-Build” life for years in an effort to raise money for affordable housing.
In August, she’s preparing to pedal 900 miles from Portland, Oregon to Bellingham, Wash- ington as the leader of Bike and Build’s Drift West trip, and before setting out on the journey she’s hoping to raise $2,250.
Branston works for Habitat
for Humanity Flathead Valley,
but her experience with Bike and Build, a nonprofit organization that has contributed more than $4.5 million to affordable housing groups, combines her two foremost passions – biking while building awareness for the affordable housing cause.
Her trip will include five build days along the way, while other Bike and Build journeys track through Montana with building days in the Flathead Valley.
To donate to Branston directly, visit her rider profile at www.bike- andbuild.org/rider/7759
Going on an adventure? If you would like to be featured in “Mountain Exposure,” email information to [email protected].
OUT OF BOUNDS ROB BREEDING PSYCHEDELIC TROUT
THE STORY I HEARD SOME YEARS ago was that when Norman Maclean was trying out perspec- tive bidders for the right to turn his classic “A River Runs Through it” into a movie, actor William Hurt got a chance to pitch his vision during a day fishing in Montana.
Hurt, unfortunately, showed up late, an unpardonable offense for the author, and without a license on top of it. They still went fishing, but as we know, the movie rights eventually went to Robert Redford.
Fact or fiction? I’m not sure. One thing I’m sure about is that in my world, being late for fishing is just part of the routine. I can’t recall a group fishing trip where someone wasn’t late. Usually more than one. You’re fine so long as you’re not the latest of the late.
This phenomena has been amplified since I started fishing with my now young adult daughters. Perhaps it’s the uncon- ditional love thing they’re banking on, but they have yet to betray any trace of fear that my annoyance will last longer than in takes me to say, “Get in the truck. Let’sgo.”
But they pressed me to my limit the other day. The plan was for an early din- ner followed by the nearly one-hour drive out to the Thompson River to hopefully hit an evening hatch. Well, early din- ner turned into late dinner and what I assumed was a decision to pass on fish- ing altogether. That’s not how they saw it, however, as they pushed away from the table at 7:30 p.m. and one of them won- dered aloud if we had a shot at catching any fish.
It was late, but what the heck? We drove to the river.
We arrived with maybe an hour’s light left to fish, and that’s only because we were nearing the summer solstice at about as far north as you can get in the
lower 48, and at the very western edge of our time zone. And there was a bit of a hatch on. Not wide open, but the surface was dimpled by rising fish here and there. We tied on dry flies and gave it a shot.
We missed a few fish, and were dis- tracted by a beaver that seemed intent on swimming back and forth through the run we were fishing, occasionally slapping its tail in a thunderclap to let us know he shared Maclean’s contempt for tardy anglers. I suspect the river is usu- ally his this late in the day.
Then I got a couple small browns that were nonetheless fun to catch on dry flies and a light, noodley four-weight. I’m a bit of a sucker for small-stream browns as they’re the trout I learned to fly fish on decades ago in the mountain streams of Southern California. Small browns, like those in the Thompson, are some of the most beautiful trout I’ve ever caught. Their flanks are butter yellow, speckled with blood-red spots.
In the fading light the gill plates shim- mered with a trace of turquoise. That color was also apparent in faint halos around the spots.
It always surprises me that such gaud- ily colored fish blend in so well to its envi- ronment, but as I slipped the fish back in the water they nearly disappeared, mim- icking the gray-green stream bottom so well it would shame a chameleon.
And then one of my girls landed a fish. Not a monster, but it was her first-ever brown trout. We’d been late because she had been packing for a year-long trip studying abroad. This brown might be the last Montana trout she catches for a long time.
As she released it into the inky dusk we agreed it was time to leave.
Being late for fishing may be an unpar- donable sin for Maclean, but I know one far worse: not going fishing at all.
Congratulations Remedies Lakeside
Pharmacy & Gift Boutique on your
new Lakeside location!
206 Stoner Loop, just off Hwy 93
- From your friends at TL Custom Homes
Remedies Lakeside is a unique gift boutique and full service pharmacy, including medication compounding.
One of a kind gifts and Montana items as well as full service health care, they have you covered!
TL CUSTOM HOMES INC.
PO Box 1942 • Kalispell, MT 59903 tlcustomhomes@centur ytel.net
Office: 406.755.5911 Cell: 406.212.4596 Web: tlcustomhomes.com
Rob Breeding writes and teaches when he’s not fishing or hunting.
DUCTLESS HEATING & COOLING
294 2nd Ave WN Kalispell 257-1341 www.airworksmt.com
JUNE 24, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
61