July 20, 21, 22, 2001

Big Sky, Montana and The Gallatin River.

Time to stay put for a few days and do some fishing on the beautiful Gallatin River.

This river is perfect for me, the inapt but earnest  fly fishing woman.  It’s shallow and calm. I can easily wade in it and cast without tangling in the trees. I did catch a small fish but in a very unconventional way.  I slipped on a rock, fell forward onto a very large boulder, and when I stood up I had a trout on my line. I reeled him in, set him free, and whispered a “thank you” to Mother Nature and a “go figure” to myself.

I read and ate some of my meals on the river.  One day when I was fishing a deeper section of the river, a small tour boat went by.  I was in my full fly fishing woman outfit; waders, boots, vest, and hat.  I could hear the tour guide directing the attention of the group toward me.  Remembering the words of my state’s often repeated tourism motto, I stood at attention, smiled and in my best attempt at a spokesperson voice, shouted, “I love New York but I really love Montana!” I sometimes scare myself.  Luckily, I will never see any of those people again.

I met a really nice couple, Tim and Mary, who were staying in the same campground.  They invited me to go fishing with them and taught me how to keep the leader floating in front of the line a little longer and stuff about drag and working the shore. Because of them I caught a few more trout and I didn’t have to fall on a rock to do it.

Good days on the Gallatin.