Droppers are for perverts-Yep!

Yep, this sums it up. Is the future of Montana fly fishing deciding which jig/nymph/ass to tie on? Look, I've went to one of the fabled rivers this past week. Not only did I get a ration of flat-brimmed, millennial guide, lazy gettin'-paid horseshoe at the ramp, but I thoroughly enjoyed the rising trout (and there were a bunch) in just about every corner that you could imagine. So my question is when did nymphing become the default for all of the new crop of guides? Shop owners should be embarrassed, and the guides should wonder if this is all that there is. True enough that many of these pups never knew anything else, but for Pete's sake read a Haig-Brown book. The customer learns nothing about fly fishing, dry fly presentation or the ethics of the sport. I guess it probably goes back to the short-cut, immediate nature of our lives lately. Now anyone can be a "fly fisher". Now anyone can "get into fishing". Shit man, you could be a guide if you have enough coin!

I remember a time when nymphing was dirty, akin to watching midget porn or using powerbait. Midget porn really isn't that bad.

I talked with a prominent fly shop owner today and he explained that his shop would be limiting their guided trips to 6 per day. That's pretty dang cool. He had a bunch of reasons for the decision, but it all boiled down to a better experience for the guest, the health of the rivers and a commendable sense of preservation. His kids need as good of an experience as we all had. The let's "make all we can while we can" mentality is near-sighted and pretty pathetic. So, check yourselves; try to see a bigger picture. Wouldn't it be nice to present to the public a brighter and sustainable face of commercial use? It does seem that the ones complaining about over-crowding and boat traffic seem to be profiteering off of our best resources. It must be hard to sleep each night on pillows filled with hypocrisy. Maybe not. But, it should be. 

Best of luck to the nymphers this season. We will be praying for your souls. 

-Predator

 

Missoula, Montana fly fishing report 2/1/20

   

Ok Pilgirms, let's all be clear right off of the bat; Skwalapalooza just sounds ridiculous. Hipster-anglers are just as silly  in the same way that I hope there are manicured dudes in rainbow suspenders, rollerblading around the strip-mall this weekend, looking to trade flyrods for My Little Pony  temporary tattoos.  Oh, skinny jeans and shorn beards don't help either. Just sayin'... What makes it worse is that there isn't a chance in Hell that someone can, or will, launch a drift boat in western Montana anytime soon. Whatever- let's just get some folks through the door and maybe we'll sell a Pat's and a Chubby. Fair enough. Best of luck. And...gay doesn't have to be mean, or spiteful and full of fear. Who doesn't love Matthew McConaughey?  But, let's all calm down on the "Fests". If I have a "fest", I'm headed to Walgreens for some sort of insecticide. That could suck!
   Missoula, Montana suffered through a fair bit of snow this week-HAHAHA!!! What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on around here? My flaky snowplow guy got stuck in the driveway; I kinda thought these cats like snow. Whatever the case, the February snow Gods have thought us unworthy and they are punishing us. I talked to one guy in the bitterroot valley today and he said that he had at least 40" of snow in his yard. FORTY. Other places have vastly different amounts. That right there is true local knowledge. Whatever- there's a bunch of snow and if you think you're fishing anywhere besides the Missouri, best of luck. I think we're at least 3 weeks out, and that is naively hopeful. But, if you want to help shovel a parking lot, totally show up for the SkwalaPalooza thingy. They'll have hot cider and SJW tying demos.

Missoula fly fishing was brimming with flat-brims attending the film fly fishing tour deal-i-o. It would be a dis-service to capitalize that. I have to give huge thanks to Taylor at the Missoulian Angler  (not a bad place to buy a few flies) for putting together a nice night at his shop. Man, he had it all! Food, beer and plenty of experts. But seriously,  it was good to connect with a few folks this winter; we get pretty locked into the gray skies and ice-fishing .But, the tales of chasing worms and turds seemed to be non-stop. Oh, the poor Bitterroot...Who would've imagined that we could crowd the parking lot at Bell Crossing? Give 'em a break, eh? Take a gymnastics lesson!
   There were a few folks that didn't make it to the Angler, which is good because I had an earful for  the "guides" that were there. Dang.

So, you want the sweet report?  Here it is, pilgrims:
-Clark Fork River
The water is cold as hell; it's winter. The zebra midge isn't bad. The worm will work, too. This week brings lower temps and not many adult midges. Go find a good inside, and nymph the living hell out of it. Instagram the pic of the fatigued fish struggling to survive. If you go the da crick, try the worm and maybe a smaller prince.  Then, go home and wonder why you even bothered. Six weeks and you can go "rip lips". Settle down- you are awesome.

-Missouri River
It's so sweet! Someone tonight said that the "ripped" them at the dam. That could be a good place to start. I would suggest that the water from the dam to stickney would be solid, at least in the slower stuff. Try a Z.M and a amex. The czech in smaller sizes could be good, too. If you want to pull a streamer maybe go small and dark. And slow. You can try to find a pod of midgers, so give that a shot. For heck's sake, its winter. Go dry out your moldy life jackets and learn a reach cast!

Where else do you want to fish?

-Blackfoot River
Bring an auger and a good supply of SJ worms. I know you all have them. God, help fly fishing. Please, oh, please. Look man, it's winter. If you can't figure out where to put the bobber on your leader, neither can I. I'm sure it'll work out.
For Pete's sake, don't be such a clown- Buy a book, find some natural instinct. Ok, try a prince or a worm or a schnugget. All in 14, 16.
Please post photos of your latest conquests. That's what keeps us all going during these gray winter months.

Missoula fly fishing and the horse it rode in on. Or, gone round the bend.

   Missoula Montana fly fishing could be good or bad right now. It's been too damn cold to tell. I did take a quick walk along the Clark Fork with the new dog yesterday and saw oodles of midges on the bank. I still wasn't inspired or hopeful. Go lace up those wading boots and let me know how it shakes out. I heard it was really great between Hamilton and Missoula on the Bitterroot, and there were no toobers. I'll be home with my slippers on next to a fire with a Lab curled up at my feet. 

   So, Ive had enough of this winter. I know I complain every February about how long winter gets, but good Lord! Bipedal mammals aren't meant for this sort of agony, unless you're an Eskimo happily waiting next to a narwhals only breathing hole.  I guess that could be deeply satisfying. I'd never post pictures on Instagram with my bloodied and lifeless narwhal, but I'd certainly tell all of my Eskimo pals down at the Igloo Saloon. They tend to be a jovial bunch. 

   So how about some of the usual b.s.? Snowpack looks about right. It was a touch low, but after the last two weeks we're good. The streamflows on the flowing streams looks about right. On the un-flowing streams it looks like it might be challenging.  

   Our guide "community" lost two really great humans this year. I'm not talking about guys who went out and got "real" jobs- anyone can do that. I'm talking about two men that made the world a better place to wake up to. Patch Godown and Curt McChesney both passed in the last two months, both way too soon.  Curt was the kind of guy who'd take the time for a conversation about whatever, help you load a boat at the ramp and would always greet you with a big smile. He was a tremendous guy. Shit, he taught me about chickens and how a dozen eggs were way cheaper at the store. I have a six chickens now thanks to Curt.  Patch was hilarious and always made you laugh. He was sensible, courteous, provocative and genuine. Let's leave it at that. My thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones. God bless both of these guys.  Google both of them. They meant so much to so many people. Don't forget them. 

   

The BEST day of 2018!