AMERICAN DREAM

August 16, 2010

Sitting in the canoe, floating about the Martindale Reservoir watching big fish of unknown origin rising and flopping to even more unknown insects and then having the distinct pleasure and honor of hooking a couple of the mystery fish is perhaps the ultimate American Dream. It turns out our these specific fish were large (five pounds?) Rainbows. The question mark is because we didn’t get even one to hand. How about that for experts fishing? Not.

Checking John Holt’s Montana Fly Fishing Guide East, “Heavily planted with Yellowstone cutthroat and rainbow trout, this 985-acre impoundment is reached just south out of Martinsdale by dirt road. Lying in a board dip in open country north of the Crazies, this one is over 100 feet deep with good fishing for rainbows and cutts up to 18 inches. Some very big browns lie near the inlet. Large streamers in the fall take these big boys. Scuds and leeches and damsel fly nymphs work on the rest of the salmonids. One hotspot is the little island located just south of the dam and concentrate on the clumps of willows along that south shore. This area of the lake produced three rainbows over eight pounds on a single early June weekend in 1995 (two of those fish were caught with spinning equipment, but the third one was taken and released on a size-6 Red/Black Bristle Leech). Bring a boat or a float tube. The Mint Bar in downtown Martinsdale is a good place to escape the summer sun.”

Interestingly the island mentioned is gone - one of the results of being an impoundment.  Husband Trav mentioned one year when he and his late wife Bonnie went up there the water was pretty much just gone. Impoundments are managed for water use for irrigation the fishing and recreation they provide are a side benefit - a wonderful one for sure - but still, one works around the intended uses. I have no idea what happens to the fish in drought years when the water is drawn down.

Martinsdale has designated campsites and vault-type johns and a small population of cows and horses wandering around.

Trav had checked out the information on Martindale before we went, but he honestly didn’t know what the fish were we were seeing. To make the mystery a bit more interesting, there was a couple fly fishing along the shore with a black lab. The lab was having a wonderful time. We did not see the couple land a fish - but he was wading wet.

As we floated along to the spot Trav had picked out across from the boat launch, I did see what I think were “muds” - places fish had been rooting on the bottom. Maybe carp? We know there are carp in Montana but we did not see any on this trip.

I broke off two large fish, in the five pound range. Trav had one beautiful rainbow on for a bit, at least five jumps and it finally threw the hook. It sure was exciting stuff, especially when we weren’t expecting it. I was using a large bulky dry fly and Trav was using a Callibaetis nymph. Both worked. You’ve got to love that. The wind really picked up and with a canoe and small electric motor we decided it was time to head back. The fish had stopped whatever they had been doing and it was past lunch time.

The Ladyfisher enjoying the American Dream

 

We got everything packed in the car, the canoe back on the trailer and sat in the back of the rig out of the wind to have our lunch. There are picnic tables, but by this time the wind was really blowing and it was much more pleasant under cover.

As we were sitting there we were discussing how blessed we are to be able to go to a place like this, to live in Montana where there is beauty everywhere. Too, in fact, be living the American Dream.

For us “older” folks, we accepted the American Dream as a normal part of life. We grew up in a time where the rule was work hard, keep your nose clean (stay out of trouble), get an education and you will be fine. You’ll be able to get a good job, make decent money and be able to raise a family in peaceful enjoyment. The economy was reasonably stable (except for a downturn in the mid 1950's) and even with that you could have a decent life and spend time with your family outdoors. Trav and I grew up in really different circumstances, but we both knew we could be successful and have that American Dream.

We did see a few kids with their families yesterday, there are probably a lot more on the weekends. I sure hope so. The continued invasiveness of our modern electronic world hardly makes it possible for a person to have an actual thought. Everything hums. Did you know some people are employed to decide what ‘key’ things should hum in? 

It’s important that we all have a time to consider our navel so to speak, our being. It’s important to be able to enjoy some quiet time where everything doesn’t hum. It’s critical to be able to appreciate the joys of life and to thank our Creator for allowing us to be and have another day. We should wonder at the fish and the insects and have some gratitude for beauty of our world. 

It may be too late for some of us, too late for our kids as well, but while you can, while we can, take a deep breath, get up out of your chair and get outside. Go for a walk, take the dog for a walk (or have the dog take you for a walk), take wife by the hand and walk together. Aim your face toward the sun and soak up the sunshine like a gopher on the first spring day. 

Enjoy being alive. It doesn’t come around again.

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