Posts from — May 2008

From Montana FW&P, Thursday, 5/23:

“Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials said today that flooding has forced the closure of 11 fishing access sites in the western portion of the state and made conditions hazardous on a number of rivers.

Seven FASs on the Bitterroot River were closed Monday, May 19 including: Hannon Memorial, Wally Crawford, Angler’s Roost, Woodside Bridge, Bell Crossing, Poker Joe and Florence Bridge. On the Clark Fork River the Kona Bridge FAS west of Missoula on Mullan Road is also closed.

FAS sites in southwest Montana closed today include: Four Corners and Gallatin Forks (Nixon Bridge) on the Gallatin River near Manhattan and High Road on the Big Hole River near Twin Bridges. The closures will remain in effect until flood conditions subside.

Currently, high flows on the Missouri River are above Canyon Ferry, with lower flows below the dam. FWP officials are closely watching conditions at Headwaters State Park near Three Forks and said portions of the park may need to be restricted as early as tomorrow if the rain continues.

Water levels on the Missouri River below Holter Dam could increase dramatically over the next week as Canyon Ferry Reservoir fills, or sooner if the heavy rains develop as predicted.”

The Flathead peaked out at flood stage on Monday. All the rivers of northwest Montana were at flood stage Monday but were beginning to recede today. Forecast is for rain showers throughout the week and river flows back flirting with flood levels again Thursday.

Think lake fishing or tail waters. If you are traveling and looking for some trout on rivers, check out the Missouri or the Bighorn.

Here is the definition of the Montana Stream Access law from Montana, Fish, Wildlife & Parks (brief):

Under the Montana Stream Access Law, the public may use rivers and streams for recreational purposes up to the ordinary high-water mark.

The law states that rivers and streams capable of recreational use may be so used by the public regardless of streambed ownership.

While fishing on the Flathead River this weekend we encountered the reality, two instances of private land owners blocking or obstructing access to water below the high water mark. The one pictured below also had a culvert pipe built into it which is also a violation of the Soil and Conservation Districts laws.

The second was a developer that built a fence across a fishing access ramp that was supposed to be included as part of a sale. I’ll get to that one a little later.

Ok, so I’m primarily into fly fishing but…

There are very rare times when it has its limitations or, should I say, I personally lack the patience, persistence and time to endure the pummeling necessary to experience some of the higher plateaus of fly fishing consciousness.

Case in point, Largemouth Bass. I know very little about them and nothing about going after them with a fly rod. Time and fate have a way of steering you into situations to tempting to resist and thats when the slide begins. The seduction of bottom fishing plastic baits, Lipton Iced Tea, 12 lb. monofilament, and the promise of large, voluptuous, full bodied fighting fish was beyond my resistance. I reduced myself to what some “purists” would call a fishing harlot. But, damn it was fun. I woke up Sunday morning and there was no urge to swear off ever using a spinner bait again, no fear that I had been seen by my “purist” fly fishing contemporaries drunk on that other kind of fishing . Truth is, it was great fishing, and at the end of the day, it was as fun as casting flies.

Most people do not associate Montana with Bass fishing but both Large and Smallmouth Bass do well here. Saturday we had the good fortune to go fishing with local Bass Jedi, Darrin Gilmond. Darrin, who could easily guide or tour, graciously offered to take us out and show us the ropes. My son, an aspiring Bassmaster, is bent on destroying my fly fishing “purist” sensibilities, and Darrin a willing accomplice. I admit I was going in with preconceived notions of what Bass Fishing was about, most born in that snobbish, assumed nobility of the fly fishing kingdom. However, when it comes to fishing I am easily corrupted as long as it doesn’t require things like dynamite or worms.

It soon became apparent that my time away from the spinning reel left me at a distinct disadvantage. I did bring my fly rod, mostly out of guilt as I had little or no real Bass “ammo” with which I could mount any kind of redemptive assault. Darrin and my son were almost immediately catching fish, nice fish. It was a subtle display of “shock and awe”. Bass apparently have a lot of ways of taking their prey and I wasn’t tuning into any of them till Darrin suggested a change from a spinner bait to plastic worm. The “secret weapon” instantly hooked me up with fish. From then on I was “part and parcel” to this small band of incorrigibles bound for a day of spin fishing debauchery.

My image of Bass as a simple minded predator was pretty much put to rest. What emerged as we fished and listened to Darrin’s Bass anecdotes is a fish that’s actually a pretty complicated target. They are also, on the end of the line, great fighters. They are full of runs, jumps, head thrashing and will defiantly spit a lure back in your face and go home.

At the end of the day, as I was going back over all the water covered, the fish, learning from Darrin’s experience, I was glad I had stuck with the standard Bass attack spinning outfit. I got acquainted with a fish I knew little about and it set me to wondering, how do I get this fish on the end of my fly line?