River Wire Blog

From Jack Gartside's Blog' So long, and thanks for all the fish Sad news. Last evening, after a hospitalization of several weeks, Jack finally lost his protracted battle with lung cancer. He was in bed resting comfortably, attended by friends, with the first snow of the season falling...

Do You Really Need One?

Here's Why.

Not for Dinner! Where is the Florida Wildlife Commission and why is the staff of the FWC/DFW running amok? By Michael Guerin One of the highlights of any flats fisherman’s experiences is to catch and release a Permit on the flats. These wary fish are considered one of the...

A great way to start the season Trevor! Florida November 29, 2009

This is quite a fantastic fish story. Did he say "one and a half miles"?? Caught 1-1/2 miles offshore while fishing! (After the fires in Southern California). What is that?!  Look in the middle of the picture. Can it be, really!!! It is a deer.  Son of a...

Thanksgiving…Thanksguiding TG, unless you are a real Hardcore, usually means that bows, scatterguns, and rifles have replaced fly rods for outdoor adventure. Numb feet, frozen guides, and dwindling hatches are enough for most anglers to hang up the gear for awhile. Eventually cabin...

Very informative. Simms has a collection of videos that show you how to care for and repair your waders.  Within only  a few minutes, you'll know how to extend the life of your wader investement. 

From the Great Falls Tribune - Novemver 10, 2009. HELENA — The Missouri River's reputation as a world-class fly-fishing destination got a boost Monday with the release of a report that populations of large trout continue to climb in the blue-ribbon fishery.  For the second...

Craig doesn't have an airstrip so the interstate will do.  What else are you going to do when you run out of fuel at 9,500 feet?    It's true.  Check out the photos and the story in the Great Falls Tribune.  There are conflicting reports regarding the emergency landing...

If you're worried about the Craig Bar being open after next year because Craig doesn't have a sewer system, you can relax a little.  The majority of the Craig Water District's new Board of Directors are proactive.  We won't say who's in favor of a city sewer system and who's not. ...

While the tourists for the most part have left the area, the Missouri is still producing some killer days.  There's a ton of big fish in the river.  In the spring, we can't wait until the water temperature reaches the mid to upper 40's.  That's where were at right now. ...

Craig is a fun little tourist town in the summer and closer to a ghost town in the winter. There aren't very many fly rods around when the wind turns cold. A vacuum is seemingly created. Things go back to normal; the way things used to be. The Craig Bar is the only busy place in town. It should be....

Fish Wildlife & Parks at work.

Fish Wildlife & Parks on Duty

The sky is grey and the clouds are low.  It's still a little chilly, but it will feel balmy compared to the last week.  You know the fish are going to go nuts. Wednesday looks perfect.  Cloudy, rainy, calm, 53° water temperature, and 50° air temperature....

Montana Fly fishing guides/bums travel the world seeking out the best spots to fish. Follow the trials and tribulations as they teach a blind man to fish and row unruly strippers down the river. Getting Guided from achiever on Vimeo.

What's wrong with this picture? The "Bread Fly". This is a fly that looks like bread. How does this catch fish? Well, what you do is create a hatch by simply throwing bread in the water. Once the fish start coming up to the bread, then throw the "Bread Fly". it is very simple...

Fall is upon us and the scraggly people who love to "throw big junk" are starting to appear. Dirty wadered anglers will be walking the streets of Craig for the next few weeks talking about "Sex dungeons", "Flu shots", "Slumpbusters", "Belly...

From This: To This in Less than 30 Days: To This: Winter starts December 21, 2009  What will it be like? 

Wylie and the Wild West played inside.  Wisdom grows with age.  You have to smoke outside the Craig Bar.  It's a strange sight.  Smokers smoked fast.  Outside that, nothing has changed.  Still, it's a big change. Winter is not here.  You wouldn't know it...

Kevin & Wade, Can you come back, soon?

For awhile, it seemed like the fishing season was over.  Mid week, the boat ramps were not packed, fly shops were only so-so busy, the bars were quiet, and the restaurants were either closed or busy for an hour or two. It's amazing what happens when the bugs start popping and the fish start...

The town of Craig may be a small, one exit town, but it’s also a place where the hearts of its people are big. When residents, whether full-time or seasonal, see one of their own in trouble, they rise to the occasion. This is an enclave that, unlike some of the great metropolises of...