Why I Love the Mo

Ahhhh, the Mighty Missouri!!!  I think I love it more and more every time I go.  Too bad the Missouri River Law Office looks like a one man show.  In all seriousness, I don't think there's a better trout river anywhere.  There are a ton of fish, a ton of big fish, and you can make it as hard as you want to.  Most of the time.  I just bought Simon Perkin's Sipping Dry, which I think does a great job of capturing the Mo phenomenon in 15 minutes.  If you're talking about insane bugs, large rising fish, and challenging yourself on the dry fly, the Mo is THE place to be.

The Mo is also currently THE place to be in the MT fly fishing industry.  I haven't really weighed in on the Craig scene at all here at ZCA, but I always try to be nondenominational:) I've had a lot of great experiences in Trout Town, and very few bad ones thus far.

First off, Chris Strainer at CrossCurrents is a good buddy of mine and he was the first person in Craig to give me the time of a day, way back almost 10 years ago now.  After getting "my balls kicked" a few times, he told me what flies I should have been using, and how I should be have been using them.  I never forgot it, so thanks Chris!  Needless to say, that was a while before Headhunters opened, but I'm definitely into their shop and everything they're doing these days to make fly fishing exciting.  Putting some steeze into it is good!  Everyone there was super helpful this last time out, too.

I also hit the Trout Shop for some grub and flies on my most recent trip and almost ended up buying a Simms jacket because I shook my V8 right after I opened it.  Trout on the brain.  Sorry about that, guys and thanks for being so nice.  Luckily, those things are pretty waterproof.  I told Josh, "We better get outta here, or I'm going to be working here to pay for all the shit I'm about to break."  In any case, my new plan is to go to every shop, every time I'm in town if I have time.

I've also made some new friends downriver lately and I bought a new boat.  Cascade resident, former BASS competitor, and elk hunting guide, Marc Betourney was kind enough to part ways with his '02 15' LP Clacka.  I've gained an awesome almost-new fishing platform and a great new fishing partner.  First, the day I bought the boat, Jay, and I took Marc out for the evening stalking some tricky risers.  Then, this Monday, Marc selflessly rowed Josh D and I around all day.  You're the man, dude.  Marky Mark!

Marc, Myself, and a hen brown on a dry.

I'd also like to give a shout out to Phil Camera at the Prewett Creek Inn.  He took me back to my roots and reminded me of why the vise is an important part of our sport.  Great little shop and awesome location.  I'll definitely be back, hopefully with Entztrix and Jason B. in tow, in the near future. I should also add a special thank you to Jay Dixon at Dixon Adventures.  He drove me over to pick up the boat and back, and has been an invaluable resource for fishing the big river.

Finally, here are a few fish photos from the past few weeks, just in case you doubted whether it's been awesome.  It has.  But if you want to fish on top, you better be on your game!
 

 

The Smith: Extreme Edition

 Our saying for the trip was, "Not that it really matters..."   Here's why.

We got to the put in mid-morning on Wednesday, with sunny skies and probably 8 inches of water visibility. No prob, we thought. We'll still be able to stick a few, and we're wearing shorts and Chacos; spirits were high. It was a gorgeous float. JB and I tried the big streamer game for a bit. We remembered trying to nymph out of the boat from last year. Good way to lose all your nymphs in the first 10 miles. Well, the fish weren't able to see our streamers unless they hit them in the face, thanks to Sheep and Rock creeks spewing cattle erosion. We got two trout, both pretty nice sized, but it was rough. Visibility decreased throughout the day and the water was on the rise.

First night we stayed at Syringa, just above the main canyon. There were skwalas and worms crawling all over our camp.  

Unfortunately, most of the fish weren't seeing the skwalas, due to the mud.  We changed tactics in the morning.   Jason had a few large worms left from the insane high water on the Mo last year. We decided to tight line big streamers off the boat, then hit soft, grassy, banks with a rubber legs and the worm. It saved our trip. A few banks gave up multiple fish and I stuck a big one on a black bugger.

Second night, we rolled into Crows Foot hopeful that we could salvage a few the following day if the heat didn't wreck the water too much more. But the river was already over 800, and the weather was about to change. About midnight, it started to rain. It really didn't stop raining either. It was still raining when we pulled out at Eden, Saturday afternoon. We pretty much just rowed from Crows Foot to Ridgetop, barely fishing. The next night it got worse. The snowline dropped and it was sleeting most of the morning. Needless to say, the river maintained its opacity of under 6" of vis, too. While we had a hard time staying dry, we still had a great time. Lots of stories were told and plans of next time were already being made. Can't wait to do it again, and one of these times we're going to hit it right!

Late Spring Fun

Now that the rivers have decided to go nutso around Zootown, and the trout are trying to find breathing room, I figured I'd post some shots from the last few weeks. I've been busy starting a new job, helping Dwight finish our deck, and other stuff. Here are some of the better pics. Featuring Al Pils, Jay Dixon, Jasama Brin Ladin, and Will.

 

 

 

 

Some thoughts leading up to run off...

For the folks that were able to get out and fish over the past couple of weeks, you probably figured out that the fishing was subject to variability. It has been an interesting spring thus far, with occasional pulses in increased flows, unseasonably cooler temperatures, mixtures of precipitation, to the current warm temperatures we will be experiencing over the next week.

With the variability we experienced some days of great fishing and other days of experimentation and exploration. Days ranged from explosive hatches of march browns on Rock Creek from the upper sections all the way down to the lower sections. Up until the last couple of days, it could be said that the creek was fishing quite well. Times spent on the Bitterroot were either productive or a complete riddle depending on the sections of the river we floated. The upper sections around Hannon, Wally, and Anglers provided solid dry fly fishing during the increasingly productive skwala hatch over the last couple of weeks, to downright mysterious days on the river below Bell Crossing. A lot of this can be attributed to the volume of ground water and influx of water from various springs in the lower section of the 'root. Furthermore, the lower 'root can be highly susceptible to barometric pressure change, and slight bumps in volume. Despite the inconsistency on the Bitterroot at times, we started to see a positive increase in bug production, from the previously mentioned skwala hatch, to march browns, to gray drakes, to the recent experience with Mother's Day caddis a couple of days ago. We even found ourselves on a couple of adventures on the lower Blackfoot. The 'foot was close to shaping up in the lower sections before the recent increase in flows, with some success being found during our annual Spring streamer adventures. The photo above of a nice rainbow that Billy caught on a streamer is indicative of the potential in the Blackfoot during this time of year....if you're willing to work for it. Word on the street is that the upper 'foot was fishing fairly decent as well, despite above average flows coming out of the tribs around Helmville.

So, where does this leave us heading into this first major run-off event? Well, the Spring fishing has been decent thus far and there is some evidence suggesting that we are due for a pretty solid late Spring/early Summer start with the productive hatches beginning to pop lately. One could even speculate that if things continue at the current rate, we may be able to fish a productive salmon fly hatch for the first time in a few years. Personally, I'm looking forward to the golden stone hatch this year due to the potential stabilization of flows heading into June and early July.

As for the snowpack and available moisture, opinions are all over the place depending on who you talk to around town. Some will say that we will be doomed in August due to an "average to below average snowpack." Others, myself included, will tell you that this season is shaping up to be potentially great. If you look at current snowpack in the surrounding ranges it is either average, or slightly above. I believe the key is to look at the water equivalency in the snowpack, as well as the previous seasons' snowpack and the impact that has had on our fisheries.

Depending on where you look in the area, there is between 80-90" of snow remaining in the higher peaks, with a water equivalency in the 30+" range. Most of the low elevation snow has melted off and we are now entering the phase of losing a lot of our mid-elevation snow in the surrounding mountains. Despite a somewhat early run-off comparative to last year, we are still within our average for this time of year and we haven't even discussed the potential for rain. This, in combination with record snowpack last year and the retention of a lot of groundwater due to a mostly mild, dare I say cool, spring and summer last year, should set us up for a solid season thru the summer. This should provide us with more consistent hatch cycles and incredibly healthy trout due to last season's abundance of aquatic insects (particularly sub-surface) and consistently cool water temperatures thru the majority of last year.

Until then, hit the vise, get creative, and prepare for the potentially great stone fly hatches coming around the corner. We'll be launching on the Smith this Wednesday, so look for a report when we return this weekend.

Yurtski: Fun in the Swans

Saying farewell to winter with a few shots from our late March trip to Yurtski. If you haven't been up, I recommend it. Great terrain, great location, and a lot of fun. Carl, Adam, and the crew are pros, and wonderful to deal with. Can't wait to go back, and hoping for some pow next time. With 8 to 12 feet a winter, you have a good chance! Thanks to everyone for your support during ZCA'a first winter season. Cheers!

Fishing Reports or Commercials?

So, Dixon and I have been chatting a lot lately about the skwala fishing report phenomenon. You can read Jay's newest report here. Obviously, there are a bunch of different reasons to write fishing reports. Some fly shops just want you to buy flies. Outfitters and guides (like me) want you to buy trips. Some people don't want more people on 'their' stretches, so they give bad reports. Some people really want you to think they are God's gift to fly fishing, too. There are also plenty of real honest folks in all those professions, but who can you trust?

I show off my nice fish as much as anybody, but remember, a blind pig could always find that acorn by chance, including me. And in my experience, the best fishermen are the quiet ones. (Obviously, we're still not that good, 'cause we never shut up!) Anyway, I think you get the idea. Here is my current, no-nonsense, Bitterroot River skwala report for March 28, 2012.

It depends (said like a lawyer). Yes, there have been a few great days for some people. Those days have primarily been cloudy on the middle river above Stevi, with more success in the sun above Hamilton. However, consistency has been lacking. Between Stevi and Missoula, I have only seen one adult, and two shucks. Above Bell, I've seen lots of adults, starting two weeks ago. If there are mayflies or nemouras on the water, and you see a group of rising fish, you can probably get them to eat the skwala, sometimes even if there aren't any skwalas on the water. This doesn't mean the skwalas are "all over the river."

I haven't heard any reports of good dry fly fishing below Stevi. If you have, I'd suggest taking it with a grain of salt. If it was you, please teach me your magic. My email and phone are below. Near town, the action has been picking up due to mayfly activity, but the middle-lower end is still a nymphing game for the most part. I have seen fewer than 10 rises on two visits between Stevi and Florence. Yesterday was rough, but it was gorgeous and we only saw one other boat.

Not coincidentally, the places where the fishing is good are also the most crowded. I really don't think it matters if you are the third boat down a section. It might matter if you are the 8th boat in 30 minutes. Trout only need 10-20 min without a disturbance before they start to feed again, and some trout return even faster. If you make an effort to spread out and the fishing is decent, you should be fine, no matter where you choose to go. One fish might like bullet heads, another might like a foamy and you could be right behind someone else and catch a fish.

Finally, remember that water temperature is probably your most important factor, and that it can change between stretches of river, and between side channels and the main river. In warmer areas, you'll probably be seeing more mayflies and more bugs in general, and mayflies will get more and more important in the coming days and weeks. Good luck out there.

Fishing Between the Boats

Well, the skwala hatch, and their cousins the nemouras are in full swing on the Bitterroot, but the crowds continue to grow too. Lots of boats. We've been getting some nice fish on dries, though, by hitting secondary spots and trying creative floats to avoid the masses.

If you are heading that way, I'd advise being flexible with your float, especially with weather like we're seeing today, in the 60s. If you are dead set on floating Bell to Stevi when you leave Missoula at 11am, you are going to see some people, probably a lot of them. That said, please be courteous to each other. We've seen a few mayflies hatching too, although they aren't really close to fishable on the main river yet.

As far as those other rivers are concerned (what, you say?!), they are slowly coming around. Obviously, I've been spending most of my time down the valley, but the Clark Fork and Rock Creek hatches should be getting ready to go, if they aren't popping today in the sun. Remember, this will eventually include the March Browns, BWOs, Grey Drakes, as well as the stones, so don't get caught unprepared in the fly department.

I'm not sure how close we are to Blackfoot streamer action. Typically, April is green water time. Keep your eyes on the graphs though. With the warm up and rain predicted, we could be in store for a pulse of low altitude runoff/rain-on-snow, but it should be temporary, provided temperatures stay cold at night.

I plan to start exploring outside the 'Root soon. I can only take the people for so long, even if the fishing is good. The FCFT kids are on the Mo today, so they should have an update from Craig along with some sick pics, I'm sure.

Stay classy out there, fish heads.

Andy Simon - Occasional Trout Angler

For those of you who don't know Andy, he spends most of his time chasing any kind of fish but nonmigratory trout. Steelhead, pike, whitefish, pikeminnow...you get the idea. In any case, we posted up on this pod hoping to get some video of a big fish eat. Instead we got some comedy. Enjoy.

The "World Famous" Totally Amazing Bitterroot Skwala Hatch

We've been hitting the river pretty hard lately, trying to be there on "the day." You know what I mean. Today is probably "the day" because I'm not fishing. Anyway, we've seen some bugs and we've caught a few nice fish (although not tons of them). We've also seen sideways snow, 60 mph winds, flipped drift boats, 20+ foot canepoles, and some large pike.


The first bug I found back during the warm snap.


Soooo cold.


Chad leaning into a 50 mph wind.


Look out whitey, this guy will catch you and kill you.


Soooo exciting...


Every once in a while, we manage to get one in the boat.

Skwala Update - River Safety Addition

First off, I didn't post this to make the guys in the photo feel any worse than they already do, or chastise them. I posted it to remind people of a few things. I was in this exact position, back in March 2004, so I feel I can speak from experience.

The Bitterroot is easily the most dangerous river around Missoula. It has killed several very experienced guides. It might look lazy, but those logs are death traps. The water flows through them, and they act like a sieve, and catch people and boats. If you aren't an experienced rower, or just got a new boat, or are feeling rusty, don't make this your first float of the year.

This accident happened today just below Tucker. Sadly, it was the first ever voyage for this boat. The man on the oars was not experienced and was asking the others to give him some pointers before this happened. If you want to avoid similar accidents, here are several things I've learned from almost getting killed myself in the past. (I almost died. I'm not joking.)

1) Never let a true beginner row on the 'Root, especially from Hamilton to Florence. It's the wrong place to teach. Go to the lower Clark Fork or even the Mo. The Blackfoot is rocky, but at least there aren't so many logs. If a beginning rower gets you into trouble, it is YOUR fault not theirs. You are responsible.

2) Always have rescue equipment with you. At least have a strong rope that doesn't stretch. The river is placing thousands of pounds of pressure on this boat. You aren't going to move it with a nylon safety rope.

3) If you get wet this time of year, you will get very cold and you can easily develop hypothermia. The water today was 45 degrees at its warmest. If you flip, get wet cotton off of you fast.

4) If a boat is stuck this bad, you aren't going to move it without machinery. Don't exhaust yourself. It's not going anywhere soon. Go get a come-along or a winch.

That said I can tell you a bit about the fishing. It isn't great. We landed 4 fish all day on dries. We also saw probably 10 boats and at least 10-15 wade anglers in 3 hours. If you go down there this weekend, it's going to be really crowded. The water is also still really low so the fish are going to catch on to our game pretty quick. I'd go explore somewhere else if I were you. 'Nough said.

Steel Your Face

J.D. and your's truly, on steelhead vacay. More pics over on our FB page.

Shirts On The Way Soon

Ok, so I've said that a million times. But this time I really mean it. Did a small run of stickers too, with more to come. Will probably have them available at some of the local fly shops. Will let everyone know when I get it together. Trying to focus on the bar exam at the end of this month.

F3T Review

Well, another Fly Fishing Film Tour has come and gone. Thought I'd share my thoughts on the evening. First of all, the crowd is getting crazy! Almost had a rock concert mentality up on the balcony, if you know what I mean;). I made the mistake of forgetting that I had to print my tickets. My brain somehow thought they were at will call. In my defense I bought a bunch of Wilma tickets that day and I always choose WC. Anyway the guys were kind enough to let me show them tickets on my email. Thanks!

The highlights as far as I'm concerned. My Hardcore Porn Award definitely goes to Riding High: A Season on the Fly for just pure pump-up value.

Great way to start the night off, with repeated insane shots of giant tarpon inhaling flies and going nuts. Can't ask for much more for adrenaline. I was totally stoked. Honorable mentions include The Kodiak Project and the Arctic.

My Best Story Award is a tie between Doc of the Drakes and Reverb: A Punk Rock Love Story. Loved that the Doc got his big fish at the end, and what an amazing guide, to stick with him through all his misses. Great piece. Reverb really touched me as a musician and a fly fisherman. All I could think about was Entztrix and I tramping around our small stream chillers. Reverb here.

Best Film for me is still Sipping Dry. Just my personal connection with the Mo' makes the wonderful footage all the more powerful and it speaks to what I'm all about as an angler. Hope y'all enjoyed it too. I loved all the movies, but more accolades will have to wait for another post. I gotta run!

Winter Steelhead Silliness

Here at ZCA, we are not above nymphing for steelhead. Yet.