BOZEMAN — When the weather hits over 90 degrees, a great way to stay cool is by standing in cold water with a fly fishing rod in your hand.
At least, that's how the Montana State football team treated this weekend's hot weather.
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The team's team-building event, dubbed "Casting with the Cats", provided an opportunity for some players to learn the sport for the first time, while others enjoyed an excuse to share a favorite activity with their teammates.
Running back Adam Jones was one of the players who came in with experience.
"It was a great day in the water, a beautiful day in Bozeman," Jones said. "(It was) 95 degrees, but we caught a lot of fish (Saturday), so big props to Jason (Fleury) and Troutchasers for getting it done for us."
Jones shared that answer while posing with offensive lineman Tommy Nilson, who shared his favorite memories from the outing.
"Catching the biggest and the smallest fish and catching the most fish," Nilson said with a look in Jones' direction. "Just catching fish. Also falling in."
On the second day, it was Taco and Caden Dowler's turns to try fly fishing for the first time.
Caden struck first.
"I didn't think it was actually going to happen," Caden Dowler said. "(The guide) was telling me what to do and I pulled it in and it was tiny, but it was still fun."
No matter how many fish each player caught, the consensus was that the team just enjoyed their time with one another.
Safety Mason Dethman enjoyed the group he hit the river with.
"Being with these three guys, Taco, Justin (Lamson) and Caden, out on the river was pretty cool," Dethman said. "Being around them was pretty cool, and competing with them was fun."
Bobcat quarterback Justin Lamson shared the sentiment.
"Some guys haven't fished a lot, so learning from the guides is really cool," Lamson said. "And I learned a lot, so it was a good time."
Dowler emphasized the uniqueness of the nature of this event.
"(You) probably don't get this anywhere else in the world," Caden Dowler said. "So just being on the football team and being lucky enough to come out here with these guides and catch fish and learn more about Montana is awesome."
Dethman thanked those in the Bozeman community who helped make the event possible.
"To the people that sponsored this, (it) was pretty sweet, so thank you," Dethman said. "I had a lot of fun."
Even a former Bobcat in Sebastian Valdez, who now plays for the San Francisco 49ers, flew back to the Treasure State to partake in this event.
"It's awesome to be back with these guys, and (they) still treat me like I never left," Valdez said. "It's a cool culture that they have here, and (after) talking to the new guys they are bringing in, it sounds like they have a good thing coming (to) keep building on."
The organizers' goal is to keep the Casting with the Cats event growing in the years to come.
