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.

Stinson Sets Bar High For Big Fish of Creek

If you are going to catch the biggest fish of the season on Rock Creek this summer, you are way behind, thanks to Al Stinson. Check this one out.

Measured out at 14 7/8". Nice fish Al.

Al caught this fish on July 7th. In the evening. In the water. The remaining details are top secret.

I can tell you this--I took 8 year old Josh Hollingsworth out late yesterday afternoon, pictures to follow, and we found fish in every pool and run, right where they should be. We had several takes on dry flies. It was fun.

Think evenings right now. The good hatches are after 5PM for the most part. Think golden stone imitations, some mayflies in the softer water pools, little brown stones are here and there too. Think mosquito repellent too. I'm just sayin'.

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron

Creek Down, FISH UP!!

FYI--The creek level has come down and the fish are looking up.

Mornings are OK, but evenings are great. I spent an hour on the creek last night, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Caught 6 browns on dry flies. One tiny, the rest average.

Here is an above average fish, caught by Don DuBois.


Nice fish Don. Thanks for the picture.

So, the fish are looking up, come get you some!

Sharp Hooks and Tight Lines,

Ron

Top Performers: At Home On The Range

Fidelity National recently honored a group of Top Performers with a trip to Rock Creek Cattle Company. They had business meetings, fine dinners, award ceremonies and sampled most of the activities available here.

Zac wrote about some of the fishing they enjoyed in the previous post. This one is a quick photo blog about some that chose to check out the Sporting Clays course.

There were shooters of every level on the course that weekend and as you can see, lots of smiles with them all feeling right at home on the range.

Erika and Al

Top Performers walking to the first shooting station.

MJ, demonstrating proper double barreled shotgun carry technique.



And MJ breaking clays on the high incomer station, 3.

Rob is getting into the swing.

Chris, mastering the 12 gauge, Winchester, semi-automatic shotgun.

Ron helping Erika understand refined visual focus on the target.

(Note to self: Wear a hat. Glare from my ex-forehead, now a fivehead, is distracting shooters)

Al taking a fast, left to right, dropping-crosser while Ron looks on.

Special thanks to Erika for sending these photos. There were lots more taken by those participating and if you'll send them to me, I'll get them posted.

ONE MORE THING-Another reminder and please help spread the word to other members-The grand opening tournament of the Stinson-Hagerty Sporting Clays Range on Linehan Lane, has been moved from Memorial Day weekend to Sunday, July 18th. That is the same weekend as our "Wrangler", Member-Guest" golf event.

At home on the range,

Ron

The Magical Clark Fork

Thunderstorms have been threatening from over the Flint Creek mountains. But, upon reaching the Clark Fork valley, they seem to magically meander elsewhere, leaving anglers alone to enjoy Montana's feisty fish. With historic low water levels in most our rivers, we have been looking at new places and ways to find and catch fish. Fortunately for the Fidelity Financial top performers, recently visiting Rock Creek Cattle Company, we've been finding some action.

It started with Dan Williams, from Orange county, Calif. I fished with Dan last year, and introduced him to fly fishing on Rock Creek, fishing near the Cattlemen's Club. Though no fish came to hand, Dan did well, and missed a few sneaky Brown trout. This year, I was determined to get him on fish, and took him to my secret hole on the Clark Fork river.

It's a secret, because the day before, I fished it and had a monster trout break my rod near the grip...it was a small 1 weight rod, and maybe a little-over matched for the larger fish, but still IT BROKE MY ROD! I kept fishing the hole with what was left of the rod, and managed to land a couple nice trout and a few Whitefish, while missing several others. I knew I had found a magic spot.



Dan and I arrived to the unnamed hole, went over a few basics on how to fish this particular water, and got to work. Right away the fish were willing to play. But they stubbornly threw the hook while twisting circles in the river's currents. Dan adjusted his technique for landing fish - and got his first Montana trout, a beautifully wild Brown. The day continued with action. Lots of action. Hit after hit, fish after fish. He couldn't help it. At the end of one particular drift, he lifted the rod to cast upstream, but found it wouldn't move out of the water. He turned around to see what was going on, and found he ha hooked a trout. They just wouldn't stay away!



We figured he landed 15 fish, and he even let me catch another three, in a few hours' fishing. His biggest were two 18 1/2 inch Browns, one a little skinnier than the other.



Dan's trip set the tone for Rob Wineman, another Fidelity guest. Rob had never been fly-fishing, but had heard so much about it - mostly from Dan, that he just had to do a quick trip before leaving. We started with casting in the grass on the river, then right on in to fishing. After Warming up, and getting in the casting groove (which I think he likes better than fishing...) Rob landed his first fish on a fly. It was a beautiful 17 -inch Brown--another jewel from the depths of the Clark Fork.



Satisfied with the morning, and invigorated from the fishing, Rob and I headed back to the Ranch, so he could head back home-to work. Everyone who has returned from the wild waters of Montana heads back home with smiles on their faces. Until they get to their offices....

In Wild Waters,

Zac Sexton