Fishing Reports

If the weather holds the key to your river success, you're in good hands.  High temperatures are expected to be in the 40's and low 50's for an extended period of time.  The sun will come and go.  It's not spring yet, but defrosting your bones makes if feel that way.

Low water, and what promises to be continued low water, will provide you ample dry fly opportunities.  Montana's snowpack is week.  Most sites are reporting 70% of normal levels.

Midges are the only bug to contend with and there are plenty of them.  With clouds in the picture most of the time, you have the perfect scenario for outstanding March fishing.  If you're a local, you're loving it.  No crowds and lots of big rainbows and browns.  Pink nymphs and streamers are producing nice fish when the wind blows (which doesn't seem to be the case - bummer.  We guess you'll have to settle for dries).

It's not quite spring yet, but the fish are cooperating.  Low flows (3900 cfs), abundant midges, highs in thelow 50's,  and clouds.  Hmm..........sounds like a dry fly recipe.  If not, the Mo's trout are  readily eating nymphs.  The rainbows are fat and colorful. 

If you're a local, it will be easy to skip working in the yard this weekend in exchange for a well deserved fishing holiday.

The Trout Shop will be open this weekend.

If you've been around Craig lately, you can feel the spring of spring.  Some would consider 45 degrees cold, but it seems balmy after a relatively long cool spell.  By cold, we mean below freezing.  To some, 45 is freezing!  Balmy temperatures in the 40's and low 50's are predicted for the next two weeks.  Even if the fish aren't spunky, it's nice to see the warmth of the river.

There's more activity in town especially on the weekends.  During the week, most of the activity in Craig is conducted indoors.  It won't be long and it will be a seven-day a week affair.  There's still some time to get your chores done.  With low water on the horizon, you might think about taking advantage of the warm weather by getting your chores done early. 

BTW - There are 4,600 virgin trout per mile in the upper Missouri.  A whopping 25% of them are over 18"!  We know that you'll be here this year.  Right now, we'd advise you to move your trip up a little.  June will be ridiculous.

It's still winter despite the signs of spring.  We've had some very nice days over the last week or so.  It's hard not to think about hitting the river. 

The river, meanwhile isn't affected by the pleasant weather.  At 35°F, it's keeping the fish safe from intruders.  You'll catch a few fish, but you'll have to fish pink and ugly to get the job done.  You might see some fish up from time to time eating midges.  Still, it's winter and you'll be looking at your indicator far more than you will be looking at rising fish. 

Don't worry.  As we slip into March, the river will begin to warm and the fish will become more active.  You still have a month or two to get your dry flies in order.  You'll need them in 2010.  The river is healthy to say the least.

Craig is still a ghost town.  There's a little activity at the local fly shops.  There's lots of activities on their computers.  Some of the work is tranparent.  Some of the work is secret and will have to wait for your review.  Sooner or later, the owners will leave their computer screens and get serious about implementing their plans.  It will be time to fish the Mo again.  Who knows, there might be some other places to fish too.  ??????  Why would you want to do that?  The Missouri is so good.  Well, because you can.

For now, you'll find very few if any people on the river.  They love it that way.

If you were hoping for a mild winter in Montana, so far you've had it.  The pine beetles love it.  The snowpack is 20 - 30% below normal.  Not good.  Dance for snow.  You might think about June again.

Sure, you can fish now and some people are.  Some people have hunkered down in their homes preparing for spring and skipping the river.  Sometimes they don't answer their phones for days.  What are they doing in their castles?  Are they really home or are they off where the fish are active?

We know what we're doing.  Do you?  Show up for the fly fishing film festival in Great Falls on January 29th and catch a glimpse of what we're up to.  It's fishy.  Our hard winter's work will be unveiled soon. 

If you do want to hit the river to catch some fish on pink scuds, midge larva, and streamers, the weather will be OK.  Highs in the 30's to 40's will be the norm.  Wind comes and goes.  The extended forecasts calls for cooler temperatures in about 10 days.  Snow may be with us once again.  You know. It's Montana and guaranteed to change.

A little further east and we would have been in the cold snap that gripped the nation.  But, we're not.  It's been pretty nice here.  High temperatures in the mid 40's, calm, and partly cloudy.  Helena has a "stagnant air" warning it's so calm.  We get a breeze from time to time.

It looks like things will stay pretty much the same for the next ten days.  It's starting to feel like spring.  Things are perking up, including our report writing skills.  Cliff N., here ya go. 

Haiti:

No matter what the final outcome, it's going to be really bad.  All the news broadcasts are humbling.  They're going to need lots of help and hearts.

The following was taken from Yahoo.

The international Red Cross said a third of Haiti's 9 million people may need emergency aid and that it would take a day or two for a clear picture of the damage to emerge.

President Barack Obama promised an all-out rescue and humanitarian effort, adding that the U.S. commitment to its hemispheric neighbor will be unwavering.

"We have to be there for them in their hour of need," Obama said.

Other nations — from Iceland to Venezuela — said they would start sending in aid workers and rescue teams. Cuba said its existing field hospitals in Haiti had already treated hundreds of victims. The United Nations said Port-au-Prince's main airport was "fully operational" and open to relief flights.

There's hope.  The world appears to be jumping into action in a unified manner to help.