Posts from — June 2008

Montana Department of Natural Resources deferred oil and gas leases in Teton county on the 16th, no doubt after being flamed by just about everyone in the country. One lease was in the Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area and two were very close.

I was curious what oil and gas interests were paying for similar leases nearby so I looked up Chouteau county leases at the DNRC. A total of three new leases cost Megawest Energy Montana Corporation $2320.00, Teton had four . So, I think its safe to assume that had leases been allowed around and on the Blackleaf WMA that they would have been in the same ball park which is absolutely ridiculous considering the potential habitat disruption.

Montana DNRC should consider some kind of conservation sale, trade or permanent deferring of these lands. Its pretty obvious that as long as they continue under current management that the threat for development exists.

So after of week of lousy weather and almost no fly fishing opportunities time was running out, I had to do something- fast. So I got out the spin rod and went Largemouth Bass fishing. To be honest I didn’t really expect much, but I got one hell of a surprise. I guess the gods felt like it was time to cut me some slack after raining and snowing all over my vacation parade.

I recently picked up on a post at the The Caddis Fly, some guy was giving himself a wedgie because a particular fish was caught on something besides fly fishing gear. So, just to nip any similar comments here in the bud, don’t waste our precious time pontificating about spin fishing vs fly fishing here because no one’s listening. Yes, I realize thats a plastic worm and chunk of lead big enough for a black powder rifle, but at this point in my Bass game thats what I’m using. I’ll redeem myself with a fly another day.

The storm that blew through northwest Montana on Tuesday-Wednesday left from a foot to two feet of new snow in the northern ranges of the state boosting them into the 160% of normal range for this time of the year. The forecast is calling for a jump into the 70’s this weekend and into the 80’s through the beginning of the week. Official weather people say they don’t expect any serious flooding and that should make anyone in the flood plains a bit nervous…

I’ll just be glad to finally see enough heat to get some bugs moving. My vacation timing is way off this year having just sat through four days of rain, snow and everything else the weather gods could come up with. We made a dash Monday between squalls for some Grayling fishing, suckered in by the sucker holes. A half hour of sun and a decent bite and a ugly black wall blew in and killed the whole thing. We stuck it out till the bitter end with little success. Next morning it started snowing and at that point I was getting the feeling that I was just not meant to be out fishing so I built a fire and sulked while I organized stuff that I should have organized a year ago.

Next up is early July and mid July, if I don’t succeed by then I’m going to have to take a serious look at my karma debt or something. Here I thought I was being pretty smart following the last few years weather and flow trends and setting my vacation schedule accordingly. I probably had better odds picking a Triple Crown winner.