About two hundred years ago a couple of rock and row stars, by the name of Lewis and Clark, left "the east" and wound up scratching their heads (and other places) while they contemplated which fork of the river they should take on their journey to reach the Pacific. Like future government workers I'm certain their decision took several days and they finally settled on the western most fork. After all, they were traveling west (and since they worked for the government the decision must have been a little harder for them.) That takes me to where this momentous decision was made. The two explorers were standing somewhere in present day Three Forks, Montana. They, and their contingent of adventurers, had rowed up the Missouri River to reach its headwaters. The reason I'm about to group these next three rivers together is because they all merge at this historical location. But, just as a point of reference, I'm certain some guy named Walking on Knuckles knew the area well... some 10,000 years earlier. I think he called it Pulatt-shh (for the sound of a rock being thrown on the water.) However, his name and the names of his descendants were passed over to become the land named what it is today. The Gallatin (named after the Secretary of State for the time) the Madison (named after my hometown in NJ.... No, I'm just kidding... he was also a President.) And the Jefferson rivers (another President) all serve to drain southwest Montana. Is the fishing good here in these waters? Yes it is. And, since the fish have rebounded from a bout of whirling disease things are getting better every year. Whirling disease? What the heck is that? Well just to get away from writing a synopsis about these rivers I'm going to tell you. Can you remember when you were a kid... did you ever hook a fish and just as you were landing the little sucker the line broke in your hand? Then, did you quickly tie the line to the fish's tail (causing the fish to bend a little) and then throw it back in the creek??? Come on... did you? You can remember how it kicked and spun around in circles as it "whirled" in the water. Can you remember how your friend Jimmy either rolled on the ground laughing or looked at you like you were an ogre... Well... I didn't do that either. (Let me stop laughing and I'll continue.) Okay, I'm back.. I want to tell you.... some people really have no sense of humor. So anyway, this frightful description is real close to what happens to the spine of a fish that has become infected with a parasitic worm that causes this affliction called Whirling Disease. When the fish swims it looks like Polio 101 out on a walk. Sure, some of the fish manage to survive a little while... but something (usually with talons) snatches them from life itself. That's fine also.... because starvation (especially when you can see food but cannot catch it) must be a very miserable way to go. Through time and specific conditions the strong fish survived and naturally developed some kind of resistance or tolerance. (It's remarkable how Mother Nature does these things.) Now these same waters are generating a new crop of fish that are beginning to rival their forefathers in both size and number. (And that's good.) Next > The Jefferson > 1, 3 > 4 Previous Features From The Bench: The Muncher is a favorite of Ian James for carp, smallies, more. Tie This! The Doc's Rx: Thoughts of a Chicken Rancher. Doc tells it like it is. The Doc's Rx
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The Muncher is a favorite of Ian James for carp, smallies, more. 
Thoughts of a Chicken Rancher. Doc tells it like it is.
