A Fishing Tale

I can't move on to the Glacier National Park recap without telling this fishing tale.

Prime fishing holes are well-guarded secrets. It is darn near as impossible to get an angler to share his/her favorite fishing hole as it is to get someone to divulge their huckleberry-ing spot or hunting locale. But that never stops Dave and Carson from asking at whatever local fly shop they happen to be visiting where the hot spot is for fishing. They usually get a lot of hemming and hawing followed by a "Welll, such and such spot is pretty good." Sometimes they'll get adequate directions to the location and other times it is all vague landmarks to use as markers.

While in St. Regis they, of course, stopped into the local fly shop to get the scoop on the hot fishing holes. Imagine their surprise when the kid behind the counter divulged to them where the locals go for some good fishing. The directions involved driving about 10 miles down the frontage road to a non-descript dirt road, crossing a farmer's field, telling the farmer that "Jake sent them" (I think that was the kid's name), and then continuing on until they reached the creek.

Now, I would have wanted more specific instructions, but that's just me. The guys were used to vague instructions and were just thrilled that they finally got someone to tell them where the locals go. And so off they went in search of Cedar Creek.

They should have asked for better directions.

They travelled the 10 miles down the frontage road and began looking for the dirt road that goes up a hill. Do you know that in Western Montana there are a lot of dirt roads that go up a hill off of the frontage road? And that it is a probably a really good idea to know exactly which dirt road you are looking for?

Well, the guys didn't realize the importance of being careful in choosing which hill to try. But they soon learned that choosing wisely is indeed important. Their first clue was the first wooden signs they began to see along the dirt road; signs that said "Posted: Keep Out". They didn't pay a lot of attention to these signs because they knew that they were going to have to cross a farmer's property so they figured it was signs for that property.

Their next clue that things might be a little off was that the signs became more threatening; "Warning: Guards carrying guns", "Shoot first, ask questions later."

The last sign sealed the deal and they turned themselves right around. "Warning: entering The Compound. Trespassers will be shot."

Turns out Western Montana, specifically Superior, is now the destination of choice for those conspiracy theorists, anti-government Doomsday Preppers. Carson discovered that after they returned home and then Googled "The Compound, Superior Montana" and got an actual hit and discovered it is a real place.

Good news: They did eventually find the right road to Cedar Creek and had a great time fishing. And now they have a whole different type of fish tale to share.