WISH YOU WERE HERE-CREEK FISHING TIME!

It is time. Water looks great. We should have a period of good, fishable creek water prior to the lake running over the spillway.  Use a little stealth, a little finesse, and you will be rewarded. 

Healthy, fat even, 14" Brown that I caught 10 minutes ago....


I have the secret fly for sale. $3.00 each in the fly shop, $10.00 each streamside if you happen to not have any. Bwahahahahahaaa.... 

Wish you were here...

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron 

Good Time for Shooting Sports

Runoff season is officially here. The creek is big, the river is bigger. Don't get me wrong, there are places fish can be caught if you are willing to drive a little or fish the irrigation pond. I'm thinking it is a good time for the shooting sports.

We reset a couple more targets on the sporting clays range and one of them is MAKING ME CRAZY. I quit while I was behind, really. I have witnesses.

Also introduced a few of our staff to the course. One of our first time shooters is our Executive Assistant, Cassie.  She had never shot a gun before and within the hour she was breaking clays out of the air.

 Nice job Cassie.

Several folks have also been tuning up their varmint rifles on targets and then helping out with gopher management. That's just another option.


We are stocked up on ammo and targets, let's go shooting.


See ya on the range,


Ron

 

Temps, Flows, a Catch and Clays

Weather is finally behaving like spring.  As you can see, temps rising nicely everyday, dropping below 40 every evening.

 The rivers run accordingly. During the warmest part of the day, mountain snows will melt and send a surge of water through the system. Here's a look at the Clark Fork graph showing flows.
The river drops and clears a little in the morning, while the late afternoon to midnight times are murkier and high. Runoff has begun.

Zac managed to trick a nice fish the other day. I'll bet he knows where another one is hanging out. You should ask him.
Zac and a nice early season fish.

Andy and I went to the clays range yesterday and reset a trap machine resulting in a VERY CHALLENGING target. We broke it once out of 6 attempts. It is a very long distance shot. I'm going to try it again today but may have to adjust it again to make it a little more attainable.

I'm also going to a National Sporting Clays Association Registered Shoot this weekend in Billings, MT. Wish me luck. PLEASE.

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron

Somebody, Please, Help This Man...........

Look at that poor, deranged, inappropriately attired shooting instructor/fly fishing guide to the right. Obviously, he has been out of his element for too long. Somebody, please call and book him for an activity. You could be his savior of sanity.

There are some good reports of fish being caught on the Clark Fork, the Missouri, the Bitterroot, and the other Rock Creek. 

We have been having winter one day, spring the next, with snow squalls yielding to sunshine. The range lands have a tint of green grass beginning to show up. We are not yet in runoff and fish can be caught. 


The sporting clays range is open. Those of you familiar with it from seasons past will find a couple of different target presentations.


Our new horse wrangler, Chris, has begun conditioning the mounts for the season.

Guide Zac is back and ready to attack.  Joel is ready to row.


The golf course crew is working extremely hard to get it in shape. They are hoping Mother Nature will help them out just a little.

 The kitchen is open and the dining is excellent. You have to come meet Chef Adam and his crew. AMAZING FOOD!


Now, won't someone, please, for the love of all that is good and natural, please help that misplaced individual in the photo above. Somebody, please come fishing, or shooting, or kayaking or something to help this poor fellow get back into his natural element.

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron

Colder Than Hell.....

Yesterday-April 20-Joel met up with our Simms rep, Jon Yousko, to see if they could find a fish on the Upper Clark Fork. They did.

Here's a shot of Jon with a Clark Fork Brown.  

When I asked Joel what the report should say he replied with "It was colder than hell for the first several hours. As the day warmed up the bugs started popping and we eventually boated 10 fish.Some of them ate streamers and nymphs early then a few dries on top. Saw a few Skwala Stones out too."

Here's the deal peeps, the only predictable thing about the weather this time of year is the unpredictability of the weather this time of year. The temp was 17F yesterday morning at sunrise and warmed to 50F with clear skies. Today, it is cold and wet with snow flurries.  We probably wont' hit 40F for a high today.

Between now and runoff is a great time to catch fish.
They will eat sometime during the day. You may have to throw everything in the boat at them, but you will find fish. 
 Be prepared to work for them, be prepared for the weather, be prepared to have a good time.


Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron
 

Simms Ice Out 2011

 
Joel and I just returned from the 2011 Simms Ice Out Guide Event in Bozeman, Montana. I didn't snap many photos, mostly because we were constantly engaged in really great seminars and discussions concerning everything from entomology to marketing and learning how to be a more effective casting instructor.

For the few of you that may not know, Simms produces top quality fly fishing waders, boots, sportswear, outerwear and accessories.  I think it is some of the best available in the world of fishing and this is my official thanks to Simms for hosting and coordinating the event. Very worthwhile. I have had a link to Simms on the left side of this blog since the inception. You can also check them out by clicking this link to SIMMS FISHING PRODUCTS


Also thanks to a long list of sponsors, I'll be telling you more about them as the season progresses. Check them out, some of the best in the industry.
Adiopose Boatworks,  Big Sky Brewing Company, Costa, Fishhound, Galvan Fly Reels, Idylwilde Flies, Montana Fly Company, Scott Fly Rods.  Thanks again to all of you.


Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,
Ron
 

Montana Super Tag

Just in case you are interested-I got this news release from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department.

Be Montana's Next SuperTag Winner! 

From Montana FWP Website:  

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is once again offering a SuperTag lottery for hunters to take another shot at the dream.

Eight lucky hunters will win a SuperTag license. SuperTag chances are available for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, antelope, elk, deer, bison, and mountain lion. One SuperTag will be drawn for each species. The SuperTag can be used in any hunting district in Montana-including Montana's legendary trophy districts. Revenue from the new SuperTag sales is used to enhance hunting access and boost FWP enforcement efforts.

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron 

 

Sign of the Times

A few days ago, our own Chef Adam snapped this shot at the intersection of the North Frontage Road and Rock Creek Cattle Drive. Note the abundance of SUNSHINE and lack of SNOW.

I took this photo this morning with my phone. 

By the way, the design, creation, construction and installation of the sign above was a collaborative effort between our own Maintenance Engineer, Scott Morley, one our our outside services guys, Patrick Loritz, and our own version of Highlander, Tim Heisdorf that helps run the turf grass department.  Nice sign guys.

I'm guessing we have 3 or 4 inches now and it is still snowing this afternoon.  Great news for the rivers and pasture lands.  

It's a sign of the times. Springtime that is, in Montana. 

It is going to be a great season.

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron

I was an April Fool ...

...to believe that spring had sprung. 

 (click image to enlarge)

We've had some days touching 50, and most of the snow has melted off of the front lawn, however we are getting another dose of white and cool this weekend.  Here is the Link to the Rock  Creek Forecast  in case you want to save it.

We have had a warming trend in the lower elevations of the benches and valleys which has sent a lot of water down the region's rivers.  Some are high and muddy,  but some are fishable. A drive over to the Missouri River could pay off in nymph or streamer action.  

I talked to a friend on the Bitterroot yesterday that said water was rising and visibility was diminishing.

Our stretch of the Clark Fork will change daily from murky to clear, depending on temperatures.  Our Rock Creek isn't open to fishing until May 21 this year, by state law. Protecting the spawning fish you know.

It's that river condition roller coaster time of year. Could be perfect today and not so much tomorrow.

I'll be checking our trophy ponds every couple of days to check on the melting of the ice. Hoping to wet a line in them soon.
 
Another reminder that last year's Montana Fishing License is now expired. Take it out and go to the Montana Fishing Licenses Online for a quick and easy way to renew.  They accept Visa and Mastercard.

Please pray for a gentle, gradual, warming trend.  A nice slow thaw would be perfect for fish and fishing.

Sharp  Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron

Zac's Magic Stick...

I'm a fan of Sweetgrass rods. We became Sweetgrass dealers last season. Normally, there is about a one year wait to get one of their rods, but I have two in the fly shop if you ever want to check them out.

Our own Zac is also fan, and what I'd call an intern of theirs too. Kinda sorta.   He is learning the craft of fine bamboo rod building from the Boo Boys whenever he has time to spend at their shop in Twin Bridges. Sweetgrass is also a sponsor of Zac's hopefully hit TV show about fly fishing for native species. He also produces a web log on their website. From time to time, I'll include some of Zac's blog postings here. 

Here is a picture teaser, which Zac drew himself, about a trip with his Magic Stick.... 

And the first paragraph... 


"Glenn finally let me have the walking stick/bamboo fly rod combo he has been showing around the country. He imagined the idea, after thinking about how I often fish remote streams and lakes, which I must hike many wilderness miles to reach. It occurred to him that I could use a good walking stick. In that stick, he figured a bamboo fly rod might as well be present, so I could fish easily once reaching my destination. He did some mental creative design -- likely after a few beers, and pulled some bamboo sticks that were to become what I have named my "Magic Stick." "

Here is the link to THE FULL POST.


Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron

Trout CPR

Joel assigned me the task of designing the new Rock Creek Fly Shop T-Shirt this winter.

I'd had this concept in my head for a while so I scratched out some stick fish on white paper with the end of a bullet and then I took my idea of recycling trout to local artist Mabelle Thompson and asked her to flesh it out and she did a great job.  

The fish in the illustration represent a German Brown, Rainbow and Cutthroat trout with the idea of promoting catch and release fly fishing.  I have been working with the T-shirt vendor and they should be here by mid April.

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron 

Season Warming Up

Here comes spring. It's been a long winter, with snow pack in the Upper Clark Fork drainage standing at about 115% which is great news.




If you look at that forecast, you can see that winter has, by no means, given up, but we are consistently getting warmer days.

Tony called the other day and we are trying to get our schedules in sync so we can float the Upper Clark Fork in search of early season trout.

I'm hoping we can get out before the 15th of this month. Joel, Tony and I fished it last March and though we all caught a fish or two, it was not stellar. It was however, way better than office work.



Here's a reminder-It is time to renew your Montana Fishing License. You can do that online here: Montana Online Fishing License Renewal

Next week, I'm going to try to make my way into the Sporting Clays Range and break a few clays. Depends on how the snow is drifted and whether or not things are still frozen. I'll let you know.


OK, get your license renewed, and start thinking warmer days.