It's deliciously cool in the pre-dawn of this summer morning. I sip coffee and hastily pack a cooler for the day. Last night I'd packed an inflatable pontoon boat into the back of my little car along with some fishing gear.
Hebgen. After more than four decades I was finally getting around to wetting a line. I'd rolled the thought of fishing it around in my mind for a long time. Like the Henry's Fork or upper Madison, it was another backyard piece of water that I'd neglected for too long.
I'd heard about them, seen videos. Fish cruising, vacuuming their dinner from the lake surface.
Gulpers.
How hard could it be to catch a few? It was time to find out.
I hit the road early. Driving along the Gallatin, then through the northwest part of Yellowstone on the road to West. There was a bit of fog, the temperature dipped to thirty-six along a low-lying stretch of highway.
Out of the park and north of West Yellowstone, I turned onto gravel.
It was warm by eight,…
Hebgen. After more than four decades I was finally getting around to wetting a line. I'd rolled the thought of fishing it around in my mind for a long time. Like the Henry's Fork or upper Madison, it was another backyard piece of water that I'd neglected for too long.
I'd heard about them, seen videos. Fish cruising, vacuuming their dinner from the lake surface.
Gulpers.
How hard could it be to catch a few? It was time to find out.
I hit the road early. Driving along the Gallatin, then through the northwest part of Yellowstone on the road to West. There was a bit of fog, the temperature dipped to thirty-six along a low-lying stretch of highway.
Out of the park and north of West Yellowstone, I turned onto gravel.
It was warm by eight,…