The Final Four: Day One, October 15th

Xanterra employment ended this morning. Freedom from the work schedule is oh-so sweet. As of 11 am, my new job description is full-time trout bum. Twenty-somethings aren't the only ones who can get away with this. 

My game plan was completed days ago: convenient camp at Madison Campground; simple/quick meals; fish early and late, relax mid-days.

Campsite in A Loop, surrounded by RVs

Remaining challenges are all fishing-related…bring ‘em on. The Madison River is crawling with anglers now; it’s the annual pilgrimage to fish here for the run-up trout. Besides the competition, there is also so much river…where to fish? In addition to the sixteen miles of road-accessible river along West Entrance Road, the many miles of river downstream from Barns Pools all the way to Bakers Hole are now in play. Then, there is the forecast of cold overnight low temperatures…I have the layers for cold-weather fishing, but can I stick it out tent camping?

I set up camp early on this calm, mild afternoon, savoring my unfettered timetable. Only two of eight campground loops in Madison Campground are left open this time of year, virtually all of the campers are anglers in RVs.

Sheer lava-rock wall at bottom of Firehole Canyon

Done with that. I set out to fish, first working two beautiful deep runs I had discovered at the bottom of Firehole Canyon. Drew a blank on both, but thoroughly enjoyed every minute of working a nymph rig through the water. It continues to amaze me how the water in these steep-gradient places pillow up softly, almost aquarium-like, along the rock-rough edges of fast water. I don’t have to catch fish to enjoy the magic of the river.

Barns Pool at dusk, Oct 15th

For the evening, I joined the dance line at Barns Pool. Again, no crowd. Not much catching either. I caught two nice whitefish, saw only one good trout taken. The day’s fishing performance cemented the plan for tomorrow. I would have to figure out how to join the crowd fishing the Madison further upstream.

At dusk, I joined another angler to walk back to the parking lot. He had caught a 21-inch brown trout working a streamer in the fast riffle below. Storing that in my mental file of fishing forensics, I drove back to camp.

The promise of good fishing weather tomorrow

I felt rich, fabulously wealthy with my timely possession.  Or, possession of time: two full days of Madison River fishing lay before me, together with the forecast of a good weather system.