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