Winter 1978 TROUT magazine

In 1971, a couple years after I had graduated from college and I was just starting in my career, I purchased a large cherry slant top desk that I used to tie flies at and store much of my fly tying materials. The desk has a glass enclosed bookcase on the top where I kept my books related to fly fishing and tying, and the bottom has 4 large drawers, 3 of which I filled with fur, feathers and other fly tying items.

When the slant top is opened and I put my tying vice, tools and hooks on it (which was sometimes for months at a time) I could not get into the top drawer, so I used that drawer over the years to keep a few old magazines and other item that I collected and wanted to save. As a result, I only occasionally opened that top desk drawer.

A couple days ago, however, I decided to remove my fly tying materials off the desk top since I had been doing quite a bit of fly tying for the past year, and I cleaned the entire desk, something that was sorely needed.

When I finished cleaning and closing the the slant top, I was finally able to open that top drawer. When I looked inside, I was surprised to find a copy of the 1978 Winter issue of Trout Unlimited’s Trout magazine. This issue was entirely devoted to Montana. I had made my first extended trip to Montana in the summer 1977, and I fell in love with everything about the state including its trout fishing. After reading that issue of Trout magazine back then I apparently put it in my top desk drawer and promptly forgot about it. Now, 40 years later, I found and re-read it.

For those of us who love Montana and it’s trout fishing, this magazine is a gem. There were featured articles in it written by Charles Brooks, mostly about the Madison River, and by George Grant about the Big Hole. There is an article titled “The Last Big River” written by James Posewitz on the Yellowstone River, and comments labeled “what the guides say”, including comments by Dan Bailey, Pat Barnes, Bob Jacklin, Bud Lilly and others.

What REALLY caught my attention though was a featured article in this magazine titled “What Future for Montana Spring Creeks”. The article’s author was described as being 34 years old, and having received his fishing education on Michigan’s Au Sable, he now applies much of that knowledge working at Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop in Livingston, and fishing Montana’s blue ribbon waters. It says he was a Trout Unlimited member since the mid-60’s, Vice-Chairman of the Michigan Council, and heads up TU’s “Save the Yellowstone Fund”.

I’m not going to tell you any more about the author or what that article entailed. I believe it would be best to hear it directly from its author, whom we all know. I’d also love to hear his perspective on Montana and it’s waters today compared to 40 years ago when this magazine was issued.

What do you say, Neil?


John Rhoades

John, I vaguely remember that article but I think I still have the TU magazine that it was published in. Much has happened to me and the spring creeks in Montana since those days. I think the spring creeks have fared better than I have but both of us have had some tough times. Overall the spring creeks in Montana have fared very well. The Paradise Valley spring creeks south of Livingston have weathered some big floods back in the mid-90's but they have come back strong and some might say better than ever. The owners of these streams have taken many positive steps over the years to preserve these waters and they are to be commended for their stewardship. Some of the Montana spring creeks that were open to public angling 40 years ago are no longer open to the public. Wealthy out of state landowners have purchased them and they are no longer available to the general public, even for a fee. While they have been preserved, they are only accessible to a select few.

Overall I would say that Montana still has excellent angling opportunities but angling and recreational use of many of our waters makes finding solitude while enjoying our sport increasingly difficult. On the Au Sable in Michigan 50+ years ago we had to deal with the aluminium hatch - canoes - and today we are facing a similar situation on many of our more popular Montana waters. Recreational floaters, rubber rafts, kayaks, paddle boards, and anything else that floats are a challenge for anglers on many Montana waters today.

Thanks for reminding me of that article and the chance to make a brief comment on the state of our Montana streams over 40 years later.

The Chronicler

Thanks, Neil. I enjoyed reading your article and intend to keep and treasure it and that magazine for as long as I’m able.

It was interesting to me to read your discussion about the increased fishing pressure on those spring creeks, and elsewhere, and the spring creeks that were open and free for anglers to use up to that time, and the fees that owners had begun to charge for anglers to fish them. Your article concluded “As a fisherman, I vote for fee fishing in preference to no fishing.”

Although I’ve never fished any of Montana’s spring creeks where a fee is charged to fish them, in part because I’ve had free fishing on comparable limestone spring creeks in my home state of PA, and in part because I’m too cheap, I have to agree with you on charging a fee for their use. And, from what I understand the fee-for-use system on Montana’s spring creeks has worked well and is well accepted.

Now, if only there was an easy answer to controlling the ever increasing use on a number of Montana’s other popular waterways.

John

John - The fee fishing concept has kept the Paradise Valley spring creeks open to the public because without those fees the landowners would have either sold the rights to some wealth person or group or would have simply closed the streams to public fishing. I have been blessed with having had access to the creeks, especially DePuy's, since I know the land owners and have been friends with them for nearly a half century. They are truly a treasure, not just for anglers but for wildlife in general. In addition, the spring creeks are important spawning areas for trout that reside in the Yellowstone. Both spring and fall there are large numbers of spawning fish that come in from the river and spawn in these fertile waters. Most of the resulting fry return to the main river after spending a short time in the creeks. Some remain, so it is a win, win situation for everyone.

Controlling the ever increasing use of our other waterways is something that has been a conundrum for many states and there is no easy answer. Whatever you attempt to do someone will lose out, and someone will find a way to circumvent the rules.

Pray that you are having a good summer and catching some fish.

The Chronicler