Two Dudes, One River, No Fish

It started with a call to a friend, someone I trust.
“Hey, you wanna go fishing?”
“Sure,” he said.
“Cool. You down if I film you?”
“Sure.”

That’s generally how he answers most questions. Mellow, easy, always down to get out and play.

We found a time that worked for both of us, and he scavenged his storage shed. “It’s been about five years; not sure if I have all the gear, but let me check.” He did… vintage Simms bibs and an older but solid Ross Reel on a G. Loomis rod. What do I know, though? I’ve lived in the valley almost four years and have never gone fly fishing. Unacceptable.

The idea came to me to start focusing more locally. I’ve traveled most of my life for work, which is fun, but lately I’ve been drawn to what’s right here in my backyard. Getting paid to learn from locals, build relationships that go deeper than one job. Not just for work, but for fun.

Chuck and I met up, packed the truck, grabbed everything we needed, and headed out.
“How do these work?” I asked as I unfolded the waders I’d need to step into the Yellowstone for what I was already calling the epic of epic shots.

We awkwardly and cautiously waded out. He was fumbling with his line.
“It’s all tangled, shit,” he muttered.
While he untangled, I stumbled over rocks, trying to find my inspiration. I had a 50mm lens on. Nope, that wasn’t going to work. I swapped it for the 24mm. Yeah. That’s the vibe.

It was around 5 p.m. (too early for the sexy light) but enough time to get my head right. Stoking the muse.

Pretty soon, both of us were in stride. It all blended so naturally that I didn’t even notice the time until we wrapped around 7:30. I was finding fun angles and enjoying the shooting. He was finding his rhythm again with each cast. The evening drifted along, and the river quietly relaxed us both. Conversation came naturally; we were each content in our own small way.

I’ve been talking a lot lately about chasing the muse, and that was the goal for me that night. Just getting out, putting myself out there, finding her where she waits. This evening was no different. She was there, patient as ever. It didn’t take long to find her, and as usual, the experience shifted from the awkward forcing of shots to a seamless flow state. That’s the addiction, the high of creating something real, of seeing a moment come alive through my lens.

What struck me most, though, was the energy exchange between two people creating, even in different ways. I love heading out alone with a camera, but there’s always a different kind of spark when someone else is there too. Maybe it’s the shared focus, or maybe it’s the quiet responsibility you feel toward each other to do the moment justice. This night was no different.

We didn’t catch any fish. Not a single one. But by the time the light faded and we packed up our gear, it didn’t matter. The muse had already shown up, the river had already done its work, and that was more than enough for me.

Keep Chasing,

Matthew James Price
paradisevalleymedia.com
@mjpmontana