Chris and Peter fished with Wapiti Waters guide, Nick Stipech, and had a super day on the Clark Fork River.
Here is a note from Chris:
Hello Jack,
Thanks for setting us up with Fly Fishing Guide, Nick Stipech. He and I and my friend Peter had a great day on the Clark Fork a few days ago – a sample attached. Lots of fish and great company. Very memorable, and we put in a FULL day.
Peter and I did pretty good on our own on the Blackfoot, Bitterroot and Rock Creek, but the day on the boat on the Clark Fork was probably the highlight.
Chris Dakan
The photo was sent to us by Chris. The first photo is the same, I just zoomed in to the fish so you could see it closer. ML
See the slideshow below for more photos that Peter sent us today.
Here are the best pics, from our trip with Nick, I think he knew each fish by name or at least knew their address, phone number, food preference and SSS number. He dialed us into so many fish!! It was a great day, I never expected to catch so many fish on a hot bright summer day.( well Chris did anyway). It was all fun, and being “over the hill”, it was nice to have a pair of fresh eyes to untangle Chris and I when we both cast at the same time. He was always positive, supportive and instructive. I ‘d go again as soon as I’m back to grab daughter from MU. –More reasons to visit!!
One pics shows Nick with the fish in mid air. It flopped and he caught it again for the backup pic.
Jack fished Doc and Bo Oldstone for a couple of days. These photos are on the Clark Fork River. They fished for trout and pike and caught both! You can probably tell that this was a bright, hot day.
Wapiti Waters is all about fly fishing and all about great lunches on the water. We shop at many stores in the Bitterroot Valley and the Good Food Store in Missoula. Our newest favorite is Farm to Market in Hamilton, MT. If we can’t pick from our garden, Farm to Market is the next best thing.
Terry and Roxane Hunt have operated Farmers Produce in Hamilton for the last eight years, and in that time they have noticed that customers were interested in products that are local, from Montana or at least regional. The Hunts decided to give the people what they want: a place to buy local and Montana-made products that saves the consumer money by minimizing transportation costs and bolsters local agriculture.
They opened their new store, Farm to Market, in the old Loonies and Toonies building in Hamilton and feature local and regional produce, a Montana meat market, a fresh fish market, a bakery featuring Missoula-baked goods, a deli and a gift shop.
With their styling of each department, the store is fun, economical, full of choices and is all-the-buzz with shoppers these days, even the young professionals. My young dinner guest last night was asked to bring corn. He arrived with Farm to Market corn spouting his appreciation of the market and its great produce as his favorite Hamilton food store.
All the beef in the meat and fish market section comes directly from actual ranches in the Bitterroot Valley. And they carry pork, chicken and eggs, all of which will come from within the state, much of it from nearby Hutterite colonies.
The store’s fish market features only fish shipped fresh from the Oregon and Washington coasts and the produce shop carries what fruits and vegetables are seasonally available locally like spinach, garlic and apples. Other produce comes from Washington’s Yakima Valley. In the dairy section, they carry local milk from Lifeline Farm Creamery in Victor.
The store’s deli offers sandwiches and a large salad bar. The gift shop carries only products made in the USA, including southwestern tribal jewelry, and features Made in Montana products.
We do our best to provide great fishing and great food. Farm to Market is a key ingredient for the great food!
You can find them at: Montana Farm To Market 302 N 1st St, Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 363-3854 1-click directions See more photos of Farm to Market and some of our lunches in the slideshow below.
The Clark Fork Coalition believes that recovery of this amazing river is within reach. One board member, Dan Keily, wanted to see for himself what needs to be done.
This summer, Dan and fishing guide John Havlik floated the length of the Clark Fork River, starting at Racetrack Creek near Butte, and taking out 320 miles downriver at Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho.
Using the words of the Clark Fork Coalition: Long abused and neglected, the Clark Fork River is poised to make a tremendous comeback over the coming decade, and the dream of watershed-wide restoration we’ve been working toward for years is now a little closer to reality. We’re using this historic float to launch our Vital Rivers Initiative, the Coalition’s new stream restoration program that will repair damaged tributaries of the upper Clark Fork River.
During their month-long float, Daniel and John will be joined by Coalition members, political guests, scientists, writers, youth, and sportsmen– and, maybe, by you. This hard-working river is coming back to life, and the Clark Fork 320 will showcase what this restoration means for all Montanans.
Jack participated in this float with many, many other dedicated people. Below are some photos that Jack took. After that, see a video and a map of projects that need to be done. Visit Clark Fork Coalition 320 for more information.
Jack owed Casey Hackathorn on a bet – something about the Pittsburgh Steelers… The payoff was to row Casey on a stretch of his choice for a day, so he did on April 20.
I just found this photo of Casey on Jack’s boat camera. Casey is holding a northern pike. Ugly, huh? That must have been fun to reel in.
