Fishing memories
The roads were cloaked with snow and the air had turned pure white as Joe O'Hara and Bryan Zemtel made their way through Pablo four years ago, while on their way to fish their first Mack Days fishing tournament together.
Joe remembers looking over at Brian and asking, "Brian, are we really gonna fish in this weather?" and he remembers Brian saying, "Yeah Joe, we're gonna fish in this."
The two launched their boat from Blue Bay and fished for a few hours. The conditions were less than desirable. They had to navigate around large chunks of ice as waves rocked their small boat; before they knew it, three inches of snow had accumulated inside the boat.
That was not only the beginning of a great fishing partnership, but a great friendship that lasted until Brian's unexpected death just over a year ago.
Four years ago, Brian convinced both Joe and Joe's wife, Debbie, to participate in the Mack Days tournaments, held twice a year to control the invasive mackinaw trout population in Flathead Lake.
"Brian got us started in this Mack Day stuff. He said, ‘Come on out. It will be fun,'" Debbie said.
Debbie, of St. Ignatius, is currently in second place in the women's division in the tournament.
"He was a great kid with a wonderful sense of humor," Debbie remembers of Brian, who was 27 when he died. "He was so nice he used to set your rod up and even bait your line, that was until you started catching more fish than him; then he'd stop," Debbie said with a laugh.
Today, the O'Haras fish the tournament together along with their neighbor Brady Weible, who is in second place in the youth division. Stories of Brian still linger around the O'Haras' boat, and it is easy to see the impression he left on others.
"Brian was the kind of guy that would always be catching fish," Joe said. "I would stand in his way, cast over him, purposely tangle our lines and when he'd reel in his tangled line there would be a fish on the end of it."
On Saturday, the O'Haras launched their boat from Blue Bay. They didn't have much company, as many fishermen may have decided to stay in because of the windy conditions or decided to launch from other locations. In the morning darkness, the couple made their way to one of their many secret spots.
The frost on the window indicated the frigid temperatures and strong winds periodically brought large waves over the top of the boat. Despite the bad conditions, the O'Haras started fishing.
The O'Haras used the traditional jig and fly method. They tied a leader to the end of their line, placed a jig on the bottom clasp of the leader and a fly on the top and baited their line with Zimmerman Tackle's green colored cut bait. Then they cast into Flathead Lake, fishing at depths exceeding 200 feet.
It wasn't long before the O'Haras started bringing in numerous fish. At one point, Debbie started reeling them in one right after the other.
"I got another one," Debbie said.
"You just got your line down there," Joe responded.
"I know, he must have been waiting for me," Debbie said, smiling as her rod tip bent toward the emerald water.
"You're making me look bad. I just might have to throw you overboard," Joe said jokingly.
By the time the sun finally made its way over the Mission Mountains, the O'Haras' secret spot didn't seem so secret anymore amongst the other fishermen who had arrived. Boat after boat bustled to the location, and before long, the day's fishing had died down.
While waiting for the action to pick up again, Joe started telling fishing stories involving Brian. The time Joe caught a 75-pound paddlefish and Brian snagged a 45-pounder as they fished the Missouri River from a bridge; the time a storm forced them to flee the water, waves crashing over both ends of the boat.
The O'Haras' memories of their friend Brian seem endless. The couple is still deeply affected by his death.
"I've always said that life is too short, so do what makes you happy," Joe said.
For the O'Haras, it's fishing.