Beartooth Pass and Hidden Lake - Montana

[shlingdawg]

After reading the gold that Loah puts up here, I totally feel out of place with this fishing report but I'll give it a go anyway.

Last week I made the 2200 mile round trip to work Montana and mix in some needed time off to toss the fly. After wrapping up work in Billings, I drove out to Red Lodge, picked up a case of Red Lodge Brewing Bent Nail IPA and headed for the Beartooth Highway and over the Beartooth pass. Topping out at 10,947 feet, you are afforded magnificient views in all directions.





From there, I drove in through the North entrance to Yellowstone (Cooke City) and was going to head straight to West but they had the road closed that going directly there, so I had to detour all the way around and down by Lake Yellowstone adding an hour and a half to my already lengthy drive. I've been told that the time to go to Yellowstone is either before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. Guess what? I've been before Memorial Day and agree. Now I've been after Labor Day and I disagree. Sure, all the kids are in school - but guess where all the Blue Hairs went before loading up the RV and heading south?

I met up with my friend by Henry's Lake and we made the drive out through Centennial Valley to Elk Lake.





It was dark when we set up camp but the tent went up quickly and the suds went down quickly. Chilling by a campfire under a trillion bazillion stars was utopia.

A quick breakfast of bacon, eggs and camp coffee and our tubes were inflated and ready for the water. After a bumpy 5 mile drive, we were hiking the 1/3 mile hike down to Hidden.



Shortly after rippling the tranquil water, we spotted the only other fishers on the water during our 2 day stay....



Fishing Hidden in the fall is always a guessing game. If you go too soon, the fish are really deep and picky. Too late and you get snowed on. We were a little early this year so we tied on the magic buggers onto our sinking line and went after them. About a half hour after we immersed, I found one of the many native Rainbows peeling line off my new Orvis reel.



And then another....



By buddy was having equal success...



It wasn't as quick as it was for the opener this June, but after fighting a few angry 20 inchers - my arms were plenty tired.





No bears to report this year. The Bow hunters were the only other people we saw around the area. Otters and a Bald Eagle completed the wildlife portion of the trip.

Another fun fishing adventure in southwest Montana.

[accadacca]

Epic win!

[LOAH]

Great report.

The view from the pass is insane! That's a paved road? Wow.

Beautiful rainbows. Beautiful pics.