Fly Fishing Montana

On the Water and On Film

---

Just a quick weekend note to let you know about my piece in this weekend’s FT magazine, which you can read here. In May, I drove through Montana with my friend, the great photographer, James Harvey-Kelly. We ate and drank, I went fishing and he took about 200 rolls of film (which had to be individually checked at security in the Missoula airport at 4.30am—the glamorous life!).

I’ve never written a story where I was so close with the photographer. It was a great experience to see what he responded to and how he worked. And just to share time in a place I’ve been going to for twenty years. It was James’s first time and he was very into all the things you would expect: the bison in Yellowstone National Park, serious breakfast at the Western Cafe (who’s afraid of sausage gravy?) to possibly ill-advised late night bowling at the Ranch at Rock Creek.

James loved Montana and Montana loved James—I would turn my back and the next thing you know somebody was buying him a shot at the Old Saloon bar. James was very into Murdoch’s, a ranching general store, where he bought some jeans. At another spot he found some very good cowboy boots, so he’s happy.

James wears a fishing vest when he’s shooting—all the useful pockets—which is funny because I never wear one when I fish. Fishing and photography overlapped some more because James has these fascinating Billingham bags designed for cameras but are also perfect for fishing (waterproof with divided compartments). Needless to say, I’ve been on eBay and my Billingham bag just arrived. Everybody wins!

---

---