Countdown to Extravaganza 2011

Fellow Extravaganzers:

 

Well, the official countdown to Extravaganza 2011 is underway and, starting this coming Monday, you will be receiving from our Extravaganza Coordinator Extraordinaire Patty “Flo” Gallia (hmmm, wonder where she got her E-name from?!?) our dated down flow chart showing the flowage rate in our own Rock Creek home river.  This will become an item of increasing interest as the month of May progresses, as we will begin watching with great care both temperature and precipitation levels in Western Montana.  What we want is a repeat of 2009, gang; simply stated, we shall see what we shall see, so keep a-tuned, gang!

 

Now, each year has its own introductory flavor and this year, like others, with fishing in my veins, I have decided to start off things with an unusual bang:  When our great MT realtor and fishing pal John Horton asked me post our most recent March Bitterroot fishing day (see Der Blog for his fish pics!) if I would like to go to the Bahamas with him to fly fish for bonefish (the salt water look-alike of the Rocky Mountain whitefish), I said, “Let me think about it, yes!”  So, at 10:30 tonite I board a red-eye Delta flight back to Kathy’s native Florida to grab a mid-Saturday charter to Andros Island, the largest of the Bahaman islands, for four days of casting on the flats that surround that island with (heavier) 8, 9 and 10 wt rods for these hot rod fish.  Thanks to Kathy for being so understanding in that regard (May 1^st is our 12^th anniversary); it is nice to have a partner who understands and appreciates the finer things in life (fishing that is, gang!).

 

A wonderful weekend to all:  in your E-11 future, upon my return, look forward to our annual Look Into My Fly Box, receipt of your Camp List of items to bring/not bring with you to Extravaganzaland and continuous updates on the flow of it all as this year’s runoff begins in earnest (as soon as it stops snowing in MT, that is!).

 

Best to all in the official warm up stages of it all!

 

Rock Creek Ron

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Runoff Flow Chartage

Fellow E-11ers:

Well here we are right on the cusp of May, the annual runoff month for
Western Montana. As recently as this past weekend, snow has been
accumulating in the Montana mountains that surround our E-11 fishing
grounds. As our Montana Matters Troubadour Shane Clouse said in email reply
to my "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" email to him over the weekend,
"Quit swearing at me!"

For the past four years we have developed our own flow chart to give you a
visual opportunity to better see "where we are and where we need to be" for
our best fishing opportunities for E-11. I recommend that you print this
chart out in color and keep it handy as we will be using that as our guide
for the next several weeks (after which time we will leave the guiding to
our expert Double Up Outfitters).

The attached chart tells the tale of the last four years and of four very
different runoffs:

(a) in 2007 (the blue line), we had a record low snow pack which resulted in
low water with high temperatures so much so that, during our last group, we
were getting up early to on the water by 7:00 a.m. and off just after noon;

(b) by contrast, in 2008 (the yellow line), we had record high snowpack
which, when combined with heavy and extended May rains, saw the local rivers
flowing at such a high (and treacherous) rate that our first two groups
trekked over the Continental Divide to fish (with great success, btw) the
Missouri River;

(c) our best/ideal year out of the last several was 2009 (the black line)
where we had an average snowpack with nice warm temperatures during May,
such that the runoff surged in mid to late May and then nicely dropped to
very fishable levels by Group One's arrival; and

(d) last year, 2010 (the green line), saw snowpacks at this time at around
55% of twenty year average (leading to some early fears of a repeat of 2007)
only to see May and June being two of the wettest months in recorded history
resulting in unexpectedly high water with huge browns and rainbows gracing
our early fishing lines.

What is the forecast for this year, you ask??

Well, the Bitterroot Basin snowpack is currently 198% of 2010's snowpack,
but right at 103% of twenty year averages. What we all now will be watching
is the weather conditions in May. What we want to see happen is (a) the
snow now to stop (thereby ingratiating ourselves to Shane); (b) temperatures
to begin to slowly but surely rise; (c) water flows to track 2009 (the black
line) and, buy the time of Group One's June 18th arrival flows (as measured
on our home Rock Creek in the attached chart) to be between 1500 and 2000
"cubic feet per second" ("cfs"). [By way of comparison, pre-runoff Rock
Creek today is currently flowing at 220 cfs.]

As the runoff begins (y)our chart will be updated and posted on Der Blog
which should now be safely nestled in your computer's "Favorites" for ease
of future reference.

May the flow be with you!!

Rock Creek Ron
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Extravaganza Entomology 1A

Fellow Flyfishing Enthusiasts:

 

Many of you Extravagant rookies out there have been asking, "Just what kind of flies are we going to be using and how big are they?"  Well, remembering the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, attached is a photo depicting some of the flies that we will be using this year together with a hand-drawn (accurate) measuring stick right beneath to give you perspective.

 

In general, we will be primarily be using two kind of flies:  (a) dry flies to replicate the adult form of the bugs that the fish are feeding on and (b) wet flies, or nymphs, to replicate the immature form of the bugs. 

 

Since these bugs are in their nymphal stage for 95+% of their life, guess what, that form gets eaten 90% of the time.  When the bugs transform into adulthood (much like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon), all hell breaks loose, however, because free eats have just shown up in the air and on the water and the fish can get a bigger bite with less effort. 

 

There are literally hundreds of different types and sizes of bugs that "hatch" (i.e. come out of their cocoon) on the Montana waters.  Thus, you will see that your guide has, literally, hundreds of different flies with him on your boat.  The time of day, the time of year, the heat or coolness of the day, and the river that you are on will drive the appropriate menu selection.  Simply stated, what is good for fishing in the morning often is not in the afternoon; what is good one day on a river is often not the next; and what is good at a particular time of day on one river will be totally different than on another river.  Hence, a guide.

 

The attached photo gives you an idea of the range of bugs that we will be using (you got it, depending on the time of day, the weather and the river) (for you of inquisitive minds, yes, I tied each of these flies for your viewing enjoyment). 

 

Here's a summary:

 

The fly at the top is a streamer, used when all else fails or to go after big fish.  It is 3" long, weighted heavily with lead, has a tungsten cone, and made of rabbit fur (affectionately known as a "double bunny" with two different strips glued together on a size 4 (i.e. huge) hook.  I show this to you for comparison purposes, as, most likely, these will stay in the fly box--they hurt when they hit you (or the guide) in the head, and the hooks (even when unbarbed) are a nasty date.

 

The large fly on the left is an imitation of an adult salmon fly--the first hatch that will occur post runoff.  There are actually two salmon flies--I gave you a top and side view of this "battleship fly" which floats on top of the water enticing fish of all sizes to rise to the surface and dine.  The salmon fly hatch starts in early June and may still be going on for those of you in Group One and, perhaps, Group Two.  This bug lives under the water for 2 1/2 years and, right about now, as a stone fly, literally crawls out of the river, attaches to a nearby stone and then sheds its shuck to emerge as the flying battleship that it is.  Like most of these bugs, since it only lives a few days in its adult form (to mate, deposit eggs back into or on the river and expire), the bugs have no mouths, do not feed and, therefore, do not bite--nice, huh?!?

 

The medium sized fly on the right is another stone fly, the Yellow Stone.  This will be our "go to fly" for each of the groups, as the Yellow Stone hatch will be in full bloom (along with the Green Drake hatch)--these bugs are about 1 1/2" in length and still constitute a substantial meal for a hungry trout.  Trout need to have enough "meat" to merit a trip from below to the surface to chomp, and this fly has that--if they use more energy than they ingest, they will eventually expire. As such, you can expect explosive "takes" on these floating flies, as the trout claim their bounty.  Hence, polarized sunglasses so that you can see both your fly and the takes.

 

The smaller dry fly in the middle of the page is a caddisfly which hatch in profusive numbers in the heat of the day and during the evening hours.  In good years, like this one, driving through a caddisfly hatch often requires turning on windshield wipers to see your way through.  The mess left behind on the car is truly impressive, as are the swarming of trout when these bugs are on the water.

 

The smallest of the dry flies (right below the streamer on top) are mayflies.  These are bugs that, unlike the stone flies which crawl out of the water, rise to the surface from the bottom as they hatch.  As such, during the rise and while they are on the surface removing their shuck and spreading and drying their wings, they are sitting ducks and the trout will often line up in feeding lanes and stay on the surface slurping these little guys in.  Try finding that floating fly in foamy or choppy water without polarized glasses twenty feet away!

 

The bottom two rows are nymphs of different sizes, shapes and colors.  You can see that size does not matter at this level, as some of the more effective of these are under one half inch in length.  These are fished under the water underneath either a colored floating indicator (so you can see if you have a take by the indicator submerging or just stopping) or as a "dropper" attached by monofilament tied to the hook of a floating dry fly.  Under this latter approach, which is employed once you have your casting under control, you can get two shots at feeding fish and the best of both worlds--shots at both the fish feeding on the surface and those munching on nymphs below. (The bottom row are flies that I have developed after several years of fishing Rock Creek and they have proved to be extraordinarily deadly on not only the Creek, but also on all of the rivers that we fish.)

 

So there you have it, Entomology 1A.

 

Best,

 

Rock Creek Ron

 

   

National Wildlife Federation WDC Confab

Greetings fellow Extravaganzers!

 

Well, I am fresh back from five days in our nation’s capitol, having had the honor of attending the National Wildlife Federation’s 75^th annual confab as the delegate from our own Montana Wildlife Federation.  It had been over a decade since I had been in WDC and what a difference a decade makes:  the town has all the trappings of an armed city…electronic operated barricades cut into every major thoroughfare as you neared the Hill; more armed police per capita than any other place that I have ever been; electronic and metal surveillance to enter both the House and Senate office buildings; and a general feeling in the air that this is no longer a city to celebrate our nation’s heritage in but, rather, a city to feel the tangible terrorist fear than now permeates our national (and personal) psyches.

 

The National Wildlife Federation is a federation of 47 state organizations with a $15million annual budget to be proactive on a multitude of issues that face our nation’s flora and fauna; the Montana Wildlife Federation is the Montana NWF affiliate which, itself, is an affiliate of 22 sports-minded state organizations.  Not only was it an honor to represent our special Montana interests but it was also my privilege as co-chair to roll out the first-ever Conservation for Conservation program between NWF and MWF to restore the bison to the prairies of central Montana.  This campaign is the newest in our Montana Matters campaign (www.montanamatters.com) and, as part of the roll out, we had the pleasure to meet in person with Senator Jon Tester (who, the day we met, saw his much desired delisting of wolves bill become law) as well as staff for Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and Congressman Dennis Rehberg (R-MT) and present them with posters highlighting the campaign’s recently commissioned Cynthie Fisher bison painting (copy above). 

 

More (much more!) on this campaign to follow!!

 

Never a dull Montana moment around here (even back in California!), gang!!

 

Best to all,

 

Rock Creek Ron

     <’///><

 

 

 

 

 

10 Weeks and Counting: The Rivers We Will Be Fishing

Fellow E-11ers:

 

Well, we are now 10 weeks and counting for the arrival of the Ignoble Ones on the scene of Extravaganza 2011 on Saturday, June 18^th…not too long ago, it seems, it was ten months!  As the nearness of it all approaches, this will the first of several background and informative emails that I will send your way primarily for the benefit of all of you E-11 rookies and as reminders for many of you veterans out there who are getting longer in the tooth and shorter in the memory (you with me long time and venerable veteran Group Oner John “SOS” Reimann?!?).

 

Upon your arrival(s) in Missoula, each Group gathers for its traditional Opening Day Luncheon at the Montana Club (where else?!?), whereafter we will take a “finished product” tour of our now completed Blackfoot house on our way up to Rock Creek where, en route, we will stop by our land provider the Rock Creek Mercantile to get Montana fishing licenses, receive your first extravagant installment of E-11 goodies and then proceed 10 miles up Rock Creek Road to Headquarters for an afternoon of unpacking, casting about on the home lawns, libations and orientation.

 

The next morning, and each of the two mornings thereafter, will find us caravanning into town to meet up with our guides [this year our meet point will be the Wal-Mart on Brooks Street where we have met in the past—sadly, our friend George Kesel closed his fly shop last month, the latest recessionary victim] from whence we will scatter like quail to fish any and all of the following rivers:  (a) The Clark Fork of the Columbia River; (b) the Bitterroot River and/or (c) the Big Blackfoot (“A River Runs Through It”) River.  Your individual guide, based on then current fishing and water conditions, will determine exactly which river you will be fishing and what section of that river on any given day and we intentionally separate our boats so that we are not “fishing over each other’s water”. [That being said, if you want to fish in tandem with another boat that is perfectly okay—let me know in advance if that is your desire, however, as that will influence my guide pairings for “y’all.]   And “Just what are these wonderful rivers?” you ask…

 

In preface, each Extravaganza is designed to be on three of the best fishing rivers in the Western United States at each of their “prime time”, to wit:  The heavy snow pack that currently is in the upper mountain ranges will be melting off over the next 10 weeks (something that is called “the runoff” and which we will be graphically track for you beginning May 1^st…stay tuned in that regard),  That runoff will literally “blow out” the rivers, cleanse them of their prior year’s accumulations of debris and plant decay, and, as the temperature of the rivers rise from near freezing to 50+ degree temperatures spark the bug life [more on that later, as well] that results in the “lights out” fishing that we extravagantly experience year after Extravaganza year.  By way of runoff example, we use our Headquarters’ Rock Creek as our base river for measurement purposes; currently Rock Creek is flowing at 220 cubic feet per second (“cfs”)—visualize a garden hose running a low flow; in past years’ runoff, the volume of water coming down Rock Creek has increased up to and well in excess of 3,000 cfs—the equivalent of a fire hose pumping out water at full force.  Again, as we do each year, we will follow this year’s runoff very, very closely as the progress of that runoff (which can dramatically vary each year) will be the precursor/prognosticator of our E-11 fishing conditions.  And we begin this year’s watch with a “full batch” of highland snow pack—which is good news at this point in time.

 

As we fish in our drift boat/rafts two to a boat, we will be doing so on three of the world’s most renowned fly fishing streams:  

 

The first of these is the Clark Fork of the Columbia River.  This several hundred mile long river has its origins 75+ miles east of Missoula and, as it flows westward, picks up volume and size from the influx of literally hundreds of tributaries and sub-tributaries.  We are on the immediate west side of the Continental Divide and the Clark Fork is the major tributary river that traverses through Missoula on its way up to Canada and then southward to and through Portland, Oregon.  It is a high bank, mature (i.e., non-meandering) river where huge rainbows are known to reside.  Three years ago, however, five miles east of Missoula, in what is currently the largest Super Fund Clean Up site in the country, the Milltown Dam was removed at the confluence of the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers and the resultant disturbance to the fish and biologic live of that river has been so severe that, once a river that we sent 25% of our Extravaganza boats down, saw only a handful during E-10, one with a very rare and embarrassing “no-fish day”—right, veteran Group Tattooer Doug “Popeye” Hamilton ?!?  Hence, for E-11, the Clark Fork should be regarded as yet a river in its “dam[n] recovery stages “ and one that more than likely will see the least amount of fishing presence and pressure from us…we will see, however!

 

By contrast, the 52 mile long Bitterroot River will, once again, be our “go to” river for E-11.  Most all of our E-10 big fish came from this marvelous yet-meandering river and I will predict that up to 80% of our boats will fish one or more of the 20 entry points of this river as well as its marvelous Western Fork.  As each of your fly into MSO from the west, it is this river that you will traverse during your approach into Missoula and you can see it gravel bars, braided waterways and emerald green color.  In the recent photos that I sent your way from Group Oners Brian “Moraine” and Josef “Fear The Beard” Shepard you saw the wonderful bounty of brown trout, rainbows, cutthroat trout and the cross mix of cuttbow trout that the Bitterroot is home to; moreover, this is now the fourth year of “normal or above” water conditions so the nursery has had plenty of good years to breed a brood of native trout that will tantalize your flies, bedeck you net and serve as framed beauties for you to visually take home with you.  Whereas the Clark Fork flows in an east to west direction, the Bitterroot flows in a south to north direction, meeting up with and flowing into the Clark Fork in Missoula; it is near this confluence that Lewis & Clark spent their second winter at Traveler’s Rest, located in today’s Lolo, MT, an underwhelming site which you will drive by.

 

The third of the rivers that we fish (and my favorite) is the Big Blackfoot River.  The Blackfoot was made famous by Norman McLean’s essay and short story “A River Runs Through It” which was featured in the Robert Redford directed and Brad Pitt featured movie by the same name—a movie that literally turned the world onto fly fishing—the Big Blackfoot was the setting for that wonderful novel.  More importantly, the Blackfoot is the home of huge trout of all denominations; with the granddaddy of them all being the yet still endangered bull trout.  My largest caught trout was a 34” bull trout and in our Extravaganza video you can see one of these specimens—a 31 incher—up close and personal as it is hooked, fought, landed and released.  A day on the Blackfoot is an adventure---you never know what you are going to see in the way of wildlife along the shore (elk, deer, cougars, eagles, bear, osprey and more have all been witnessed by more than one Extravaganzer) and a visual trip down “the canyon” section of the Blackfoot is worth the trip alone even if the fish are being fussy on that particular day.  The Blackfoot flows sin a southerly direction, counter to the Bitterroot, and meets up with our “Freeway River” the Clark Fork five miles east of Missoula.

 

One of the reasons that Kathy and I chose Missoula for our second home was the variety and abundance of fishing that is there available.  If a storm is a-brewing in one of these river’s valley, then we have others to choose from; also, the fly fishing guide book that hooked us on the Missoula area read, “if you live in Missoula, Montana, you can fish your entire life, never have to fish the same water twice, and never have to drive more than 50 miles” and so will we during E-11!

 

Welcome to your home away from home, fellow Extravaganzers!!

 

Best to all in early preparation for it all,

 

Rock Creek Ron

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