I have just read they will be shipping snow by truck to the site of the 2010 Olympic Games – Cyprus Mountain. Mother Nature has not cooperated but they have had time to prepare for the lack of snow. Likewise, here in the fishing business where a trout fishery depends a lot on good, cold stream flows, we have time to prepare or plan for what looks to be a lean water year.
I hate drought, everybody and everything suffers during times of water stress. Unfortunately conditions are looking more and more like drought as snowpack in the Bitterroot is around 54% of normal at the time of this writing. We have had three months of below average snow precipitation and we have less than two months of winter to go. So the prognosis is not good. What this actually means for the fishing, however, is not all gloom and doom.
Here are my predictions for the 2010 season.
Insect hatch on the Bitterroot in the spring.
Photo by Merle Ann Loman
March and April – Early Spring fishing
Expect fishable water through-out this time. Because our low elevation snow is meager, we should have better than average fishing with more fishable days. It is the melting low elevation snow that causes the rivers to pulse up too quickly with warm weather and/or rain. So I predict excellent early spring fishing in western Montana and that means Skwala and nemoura stones as well as Ameletus and Rithrogenia mayflies.
May and June – Usual period of high-water conditions
Again, I expect better than average fishing for these two months. Many hatches such as the salmonfly; pteronarcella, larger stoneflies; March Brown; and Hydropsyche caddis will come off in good numbers during this time and have the trout looking up on a more consistent basis. Pulsing high waters in the average snowpack year don’t give the trout a chance to key on these hatches before water levels may become too big. This year under the possible lower than average flows, it is likely that trout will get a chance to really key in on them. As a result, these conditions may bring some remarkable fishing.
No matter how big or small the snowpack there will be a time of peak run-off for a 2-3 week period. When this happens, most area rivers will probably be unfishable because of high, turbid water. Here is where flexibility becomes important. Some rivers will likely be fishable and changing the location/river will allow you to take advantage of good conditions. Wapiti Waters has the knowledge and permits that can put you on the right water.
David with a Bitterroot brown trout
Wapiti Waters photo
July and August – Summer fishing
Early July is usually a time of some of the most consistent fishing. I expect that to be the case given the number and variety of aquatic insects that emerge during this time. However, by mid-July the prognosis is not good. Using a preferred strategy for low, warm water conditions in mid-summer, we will need to fish from early morning to early afternoon. Fishing early is in favor the trout and yourself – beating the heat. It is quite possible that rivers like the Blackfoot and the Big Hole will have some angling restrictions during this time.
September and October – Fall Fishing
It is a little too early to predict eight months in advance. Our fall fishing is usually a fly fishers dream here in western Montana. Low flows in the summer are not the single deciding factor of unfavorable fall fishing conditions. For example, last year we had a huge snowpack but we had very tough fall fishing because of unseasonably warm temperatures and bright, sunny weather.
In the mean time, I hope the weather systems in the Pacific will deliver us some welcome precipitation through-out the year.
For more info: Wapiti Waters welcomes calls and emails for up-dated conditions and angling reports.
The western Montana rivers Jack fishes most are the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, Big Hole and Clark Fork rivers. See links to more articles and information below.
Fishing and river articles and photos by Merle Ann Loman by key word:
Jack Mauer on Rio Chimehuin (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)
Fly fishing in Montana might be similar to fly fishing in Argentina, but Argentina’s open spaces are even vaster. Jack Mauer first visited the Patagonia region of Argentina in February and March of 2006. He knew that there would be great fly fishing and made the most of it by floating, fly fishing and camping on many different rivers. In 2008, he and his partner, Merle, visited in February and March again. On this trip they spent time in Buenos Aires, San Carlos de Bariloche and San Martín de los Andes. They also fished three rivers, the Chimehuin, Malleo and Collón Curá in the Neuquén District of Argentina. On Jack’s first trip, he fished all these and the Limay, Aluminé and Caleufu rivers.
A favorite city to enter the country is the capitol, Buenos Aires. Take the time to explore the city. It is a vibrant and friendly city with outstanding restaurants, shops, museums and architecture. Taxis, buses and walking are great ways to get from district to district.
Church in Buenos Aires (Photo by Merle Ann Loman)
The domestic airport in Buenos Aires is the Jorge Newbery Airport. From there, they flew an Argentinean airline, LAN, to a beautiful town at the base of the Andes called San Carlos de Bariloche. The busy city is on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, which combined with mountains and forests makes a picture book site and offers much for an outdoor enthusiast to do in both summer and winter. Cerro Catedral, one of Argentinas largest ski areas, is just minutes from town. To the north, by way of a beautiful drive through forests and by lakes, are San Martín and Junín de los Andes.
San Martín is on the shores of Lake Lacar. It has a busy bus station. Public buses are a popular way to travel in Argentina. The downtown area and central park are just a few blocks from the lake. The shops are colorful and bustling with activity and goods.
Junín is a bit smaller and is on the banks of the river Chimehuin. It has motels, restaurants, grocery stores and shops surrounding its central park.
Traveling in Argentina is easy and safe as long as you use common sense and keep your valuable belongings with you or safely locked in your lodging. It is useful to visit travel blogs, such as Trip Advisor to see what other people have experienced. The airlines, buses, taxis and rental car companies give you many options for getting around. The infrastructure is modern and well maintained. People in Argentina are very friendly and helpful, many of them speaking English fairly well.
If you want to fish, as in Montana, you need a fishing license. The cost was around $50 at fly shops. Jack recommends using a professional fly fishing guide. Be sure to visit a reputable fly shop for your license and guide. There are rogue guides that are not licensed properly and you do not want to get in trouble with the law by using an unlicensed guide off the street. There are many shops and lodges that hire qualified guides that have a picture ID with proof of license and insurance. The cost of a day fishing float compares to Montana starting at about $400 and going up from there. The best months to fish are November through March.
If you like this article, be the first to see the more, subscribe by email at Merle’s Outdoor Recreation site on Examiner.com. You can also subscribe by RSS, Twitter, or Facebook. More Argentina and fly fishing articles coming soon!
It is fall in Montana and great fishing, but watch out for redds. Brown trout are spawning.
Brown trout from the Bitterroot in the spring
Fall brings cooler temperatures that cue brilliant foliage, migrating geese and spawning brown trout.
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) is an exotic species in Montana. It was introduced to North America and Montana in the late 1800’s. Brown trout belong to a different genus than our native trout species. Widely stocked early in this century, they are currently doing well as a self-sustaining population.
The brown trout are golden brown with spots, lots of spots. They have black spots that may be irregular, and often red and orange spots. A distinct characteristic is spots with halos on the gill covers. Their tails are short and square. They commonly grow to 12 to 20 inches, but Montana’s state record is 29 pounds.
Brown trout feed largely on underwater aquatic insects. And, as a predaceous fish, more so than rainbow or cutthroat, the larger browns often feed at night on other fish, crayfish and other invertebrates. Brown trout have a few advantages over native Montana trout species. Brown trout are better adapted to disturbed habitats, and can live in areas that experience unnatural changes in water level, temperature, and water quality.
Brown trout caught by Jeff
Brown trout also lay their eggs in the fall, getting a jump on the native species which spawn in the spring making them subject to irrigation seasons water fluctuations among other things. Spawning occurs for brown trout when water temperatures drop to about 40 degrees F. and lasts usually from October through December in Montana. Female brown trout make redds in gravel or small pebbles in shallow water, usually less than a foot deep. Females deposit the eggs, males fertilize the eggs and they are covered with very small gravel or silt. In the spring, about 50 days later and at 50 degrees F, the surviving eggs hatch.
Some brown trout spawn on their resident rivers, but to find the right (very specific) conditions most migrate, sometimes traveling great distances upriver or into tributaries. During this critical time for brown trout, if you are aware of spawning beds where you are fishing, it is preferable not to disturb them.
Here are some things to think about when fishing during the spawning period:
Stay away from the redds, do not walk in them. In general, they will be in clean gravel and it will look like someone dug a hole in the smaller gravel.
Fish downstream to the probable pods of trout below the redd, not IN the redd. A clue is fish sitting on top of thecleared off gravel in pairs.
If you catch a spawning trout, try not to sap their strength; play them quickly, release them quickly and of course, handle them gently.
Last, target fewer fish. Catch a few, and then move on to another area.
Brown trout are usually in the larger, slower and lower gradient streams often where there are logs and other structure available to hide under. They also do well in reservoirs.
Brown trout are a popular game fish and a challenge to catch because they are selective and wary. When an angler catches them, it is exciting as they can be large and put up a good fight, running with the line.
Billy Burk is a friend from Colorado. He is a busy guy with family, work and of course his outdoor recreation. He has been building a “trophy room” and I asked for photos. It isn’t quite “decorated” yet, more photos and mounts to hang. Nice!
When he included these photos of trout he photographed in the Arkansas River, I had to blog them.
Casey Hackathorn is an Outfitter/Guide out of Missoulian Angler in Missoula, MT. He and Jack have this bond: a fascination for pike, actually BIG pike. So far Casey is the winner but then he has been at it longer. I see a long running competition developing. Fun!
We highly recommend the Missoulian Angler Fly Shop and Casey Hackathorn. Professional, great selection and service and the staff is exceptional. Visit them when you are in Missoula.
John Corrigan took a working/vacation trip to the northwest US in late August. He attended a conference in Portland, Oregon, and after taking care of business, rented a car and headed east. When he reached western Montana he met and fished with Wapiti Waters on the Bitterroot and Blackfoot Rivers.
Wanting to see even more country and catch more fish he drove north through the Seeley-Swan valley to Glacier National Park and the Going to the Sun Highway. The fishing part was when he hooked up with Tim Linehan in northwestern Montana.
It was his first trip to the northern Rockies and I think he did it justice. He said, “After leaving Missoula, Glacier National Park turned out to be the most beautiful place I have ever seen. …and I had a productive day fishing with Tim Linehan.”
John writes for the Concord Monitor, New Hampshire – an online newspaper edition. Writing a Trout Unlimited chapter newsletter for many years helped get him the newspaper column. Having also served as chapter president and chair of the NH Trout Unlimited Council, John often works a conservation angle into his writing.
Below are snippets of his three most recent articles. Click the links to read more. A hop, skip & jump
Sun Sep 13, 2009
Effective cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing in late August means a hop, skip and a jump. No analogy is perfect. Rainbow trout in Montana give much more of a jump than their cousins, but the tacti… more…
Finding inspiration in Montana
Sun Sep 6, 2009
A rental car motored through it. William Least Heat-Moon’s book, Blue Highways, chronicled his travels along the back roads once marked on maps with blue lines. more… Making connections out west
Sun Aug 30, 2009
Anticipation leads to the memories. Fishing comes in between. As you read this, my second western fishing trip of the season has become a memory. I was scheduled to arrive back home from Montana la… more…
