When someone asks about my best fishing day ever, as a fishing guide it’s a tough question to answer. However, after yesterday, I have a clear favorite. And the best day only comes with fantastic clients.
I spent six consecutive days guiding fellow Missoula fly fishing guide Trevor Anderson and his clients. The first five days were solid, with a mix of slot reds and bull reds on the fly. On the final day, we decided to "gamble" and venture a bit farther in search of the big ones. We began by spotting a few single bull reds cruising in deeper water, but we couldn’t get any shots. Shortly after, we stumbled upon a massive school of about 500 black drum and quickly doubled up!
After cleaning up the mess from those stinky fish, Keith returned to the bow with his nine-weight rod, eager to find a bull red. As we rounded the corner, the light was tricky on the right side of the boat, making it hard to identify the four fish heading our way. Before I realized what they were, Keith casted right into the middle of them, hooking a 25+ lb jack on his..... nine-weight rod. He played the fish flawlessly for 15 minutes, knowing there was no room for error with the rod. After an intense battle, he was quick to request a redfish next.
After we had lunch, we resumed our patrol along the shoreline. Glancing up, I spotted 50 to 100 pelicans diving into the water about three-quarters of a mile offshore. I decided to fire up the motor to check it out. When we arrived, what we saw was pure chaos: hundreds of jacks and bull reds competing for bait fish on the surface. The bull reds were so tightly packed they were practically on top of one another. This frenzy lasted about ten minutes before everything went quiet as they regrouped and prepared for another attack. With each cast, Trevor and Keith hooked as many fish as they wanted, teasing the jacks by pulling the popper away while the bulls smashed their flies.
This feeding frenzy lasted for four hours. During breaks from reeling in fish, we sat back and marveled at the incredible activity around us. It was a scene straight out of a Blue Planet episode. The best part? We didn’t see another boat all day—world-class fishing just for us. Once Keith felt his arms could take no more, we drifted back into the school so Trevor could land one more before heading home on glassy waters.
