Pluggin'

ASK YOUR GUIDE

Check Reports

roll the dice

JUST A BIT OF MUD

-------  

.. Just a brief note: the silt plugs in both the Madison River and the Gallatin River are now responding to the diurnal/nocturnal freeze-thaw cycle.
.. Large sections of these rivers, (and parts of the West Fork of The Madison  River,) are full of silt with visibility in the 1' to 2' - or less, range. Other sections are wonderfully clear and provide excellent conditions for catching the wiggly trouts.
.. The short section of the Gallatin River between the north boundary of Yellowstone National Park and Taylor Fork is crystal clear, cold, and full of trout. Some bank snow is negotiable for the young of leg.
.. The silt plume from the Taylor Fork is very prominent and fish can be seen at it's edge. They are easy to catch if you can get to them. Be careful, the Gallatin River can be treacherous right now!
.. The counter help in the feather merchant shops will tell you it's too cold to fish. Ask them if they have tried.
.. Each silt plume at the mouth of each tributary to Hebgen Reservoir is clearly visible and, the fish are at the edges of the plumes as well as the edges of the shore ice.
.. River conditions are in flux and change rapidly. Use all of your resources when planning a visit to the water.
.. Be ye not sucked in by rumor or sage advice from those who have not visited the segment that you are aiming at.
.. Once you are on the water you are the best expert there is. Spread your own rumors - or the truth as you found it.

-----  

KING PRINCE NYMPH

.. The sun is out. The puddles are draining very nicely = thanks to the city crews for finding the storm drains under the snow.
.. The gossip, stories, information and, observations are flowing nicely at the hardware store and the grocery store.
.. We've got to catch up. Pub stories tonight. We'll keep you informed.

------- 

WALLPAPER: FIXIN'S FOR BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

Prototypical Spring

TEMPS CLIMBING

Fog And Such

discharge watch

DAYTIME HIGHS

-------  

.. If there is a pre runoff catching season this year  --  it starts now. The pleasantly warm and bright days should give the neighbors plenty of opportunities for river days.

THE RED WORM

.. There are no reports of little bugs for the dry fly folks to imitate. They will be around soon and then the fun shall start. Right now it's a drown your fly party.
.. We're still in an aerobic shoveling and plowing mode. Progress is being made at a pace commensurate with our maturity. Sigh . . . .
.. The neighbor kids were out early yesterday. A report is expected sometime soon. We'll see if the trouts are enjoying this warm up!

------- 

WALLPAPER:  FRIED CORNMEAL MUSH - MAPLE SYRUP

Early Runoff Event ??

IS 40° F WARM ?

Downstream Alert

mushy in town

courtesy,   DARK SKY

-------  

.. Preview of coming attraction. We all know how accurate problematic sketchy weather forecasts can be in the high country.

BLAZING HEAT

.. But, there is a warming trend in the short and long term projections. This is a bit early for this sort of pattern.
.. Many of the neighbors count on a pause in river discharge rates between winter and full runoff. This is often referred to as the "pre runoff pause."
.. Most years this is an excellent time for catching of the wily trouts in our rivers and streams. We have seen, infrequently, when there is no pause. Full runoff can last for a month or so in conditions like the current ones.
.. Our snow pack continues to grow, (up to 125% of normal,) [LINK-sn.]  AND, our temperatures continue to rise. Folks in the lowlands don't view 40°F as warm. Here in our village it is tantamount to a tropical heat wave for this time of year.
.. We'll keep you posted.

-----  

.. Between The Lakes is marginally accessible after the recent dump and, license plates from foreign places are showing up mixed in with the neighborhood "6's".

-------  

.

WALLPAPER:  BURGER STEAK & BROWN MUSHROOM GRAVY

Out Of Bank

FIREHOLE ROARS

MADISON FOLLOWS

some local gossip

WALLPAPER:  FIREHOLE RIVER HIGH WATER

------- 

.. Better Late Than Never? The Firehole River is now showing discharge rates far above record rates, (FIRE LINK.) It is running at over 900cfs. That is more than 250cfs above record for the date. The gauge height is more than 4.5' above datum = NWS Flood Stage.
.. The Madison River is flirting with flood stage and just waiting for the Gibbon River to fill it up, (MAD LINK). This must be Spring.
.. For those of you that are looking to enjoy the Lowland Madison River, please be prepared for record runoff down there too. With all the tributary water the river is about 300cfs above the daily record, (MAD KIRBY LINK.)
.. Lash on the mud flies and have at it. This is an event that will rejuvenate the river beds. It will rearrange holding water and hides. It will cause curses and disappointments. It is like what we were familiar with not too long ago - on an annual basis.
.. Oh, by the way, a warm and gentle rain is watering the garden. We're glad we got most of it in over the last three sunny days.

-----  

.. In searching for garden supplies, provisions, bills at the P.O. and a stroll through the darker environs of trinketonia we gathered up some interesting bits of local conversation.

SPRING STORM

.. We share them here without prejudice:
>> The folks in Canada are planning to fund a border wall,
>> The big corporations that own bits of this little village are looking to hire Michael Cohen,
>> River guides are drawing straws to see who gets the privilege of escorting Ryan Zinke,
>> Foreign investors from China have gobbled up three campgrounds and RV facilities in our village,
>> Foreign investors from China have gobbled up two working ranches and three small motels in our village,

BOX SHORTAGE

>> Foreign investors from China have built two motels, (and two under construction,) in our village,
>> Only one person now owns all five T-Shirt shops in town,
>> One local family now owns three of the six gas stations in town,
>> Our local fast food joints are among the most expensive in the United States,
>> The local Post Office is understaffed and running out of boxes for the transient visitors and workers.  General delivery mail is running out of space too,

WORKER'S QUARTERS

>> Village merchants are moving in travel trailers and motor homes for seasonal employees - all rentals are full,
>> The new government agency is called the Environmental Pollution Agency,
>> AT&T is looking to hire our one lawyer for advice on a merger with the local radio station,
>> There are openings for the local TSA agents for our single commercial flight into and, out of town,
>> Since the United States Does Not do business with Iran; should we sanction our allies, neighbors and friends?
>>  Two bears were bagged during the Spring Bear Hunt,
>> Visitation to Yellowstone National Park is already showing new daily records for the early season,

..

------- 

WALLPAPER:  CHICKEN FRIED STEAK - MASHED SPUDS

Discharge -- Briefly

HERE IT COMES

Got Some Speed

got some color

WALLPAPER:  SPRING RIVERS COLOR PALETTE

-------  

HIGH WATER MADISON RIVER

.. The recent oscillations in temperature and precipitation have 'gentlified' our anticipated robust runoff episode - but just briefly.
.. Our neighborhood Madison River is showing signs of rambunctiousness.
.. It is running at about 300cfs above seasonal norms. The river is bank full and beginning to become very colorful.
.. In-water visibility is about four feet and darkening by the day. We've been getting some spittings of rain and an occasional cloud full of graupel. It's good for the garden.

VERY HIGH WATER FIREHOLE RIVER

.. The Firehole River is running at near record discharge rates, (about 40cfs to go for record.)
.. It looks to continue it's exuberant ways for the next week or ten days.
.. It is overbank in a few areas and promises to water the grass in many low lying areas.
.. This level of flow will jiggle the river bottom. Small boulders will move around. Sand, silt, and clay will be redistributed. Don't count on standing in your favorite footholds and repeating last year's glorious slaughter.

-----  

.. IMPORTANT: The National Park Service traveling road show will be in West Yellowstone tomorrow.
.. Read all about it HERE.

-----  

.. We're likely in for some garden time today. Composted manure under the fingernails makes for some tasty noon time pizza.

-------  

WALLPAPER:

Bacon wrapped pork medallions with savory stuffed apples.

Year 'Round Fish

A NURSERY FISHERY

Spawning Creeks

resident lunkers

VERY WORTHWHILE DESTINATION

-------  

.. When we have access to a sled this is the place we head to at this time of the year.
.. At the point that the Madison River debauches into Quake Lake is it's confluence with Beaver Creek.
.. My, my, my such diversity in the riverine and lacustrian waters. And again, diversity in geography, geology, and vegetation, and relief.
.. And more: ecotone upon ecotone upon ecotone. Wonderfully diverse biomes* flood the senses.

MORNING ELK, UPPER QUAKE LAKE

.. The micro biomes, (micro ecosystems*,) in this little bit of the Madison River canyon are diverse and highly productive for providing food for trout, (and other critters too.)
.. And, that's not counting the rivers' beds and shorelines or,  the sands and gravels from distinctly different basal rocks from two different mountain masses.
.. There are fish to be had here every day of the year: even the water forms are diverse and shelter fish of all sizes and ages. Such a place indeed!
.. As the Madison River makes it's last bend, coming out of the narrows canyon it burbles through a series of ever-changing riffles.
.. These riffles are modified by both varying discharges from Hebgen Dam and from boulder gravels coming down the steep north facing slope of the mountains to the south.
.. Below the riffles is a short run through nicely sorted sands and gravels. This short run is controlled by the headlands to the south and varies annually depending on the build up or erosion of the alluvial and colluvial deposits from the incipient runoff channels.

2008 MASTER DISCHARGE CHANNEL

.. The snowpack and ensuing runoff controls the downslope  displacement of sediments and causes the minor early meanders of the run that can form small bars and an occasional deep hole.
.. As the water of the short run approaches Quake Lake it runs down grade and picks up speed.
.. The flow is interrupted by the Beaver Creek Delta.
.. During a heavy runoff event about 10 years ago the delta expanded and a new master discharge discharge channel was created, [LINK-1].
.. By march of 2010 the delta had stabilized and a couple of exceptional water features became clogged with huge pods of fish, [LINK-2].

2010 STABILIZED DELTA

.. Upstream of the stabilized delta a very deep hole has been scoured out. This holds large resident fish all year, (except when they move upstream for their sexual shenanigans.) The neighbors call this the "DELTA HOLE."
.. The new delta master channel debauches into the Madison River and diverts the flow around the delta and forms a large gyre downstream of the delta. This gyre is called "THE MERRY-GO-ROUND" by the neighbors.

2013 STABILIZED DELTA

.. The 'Merry-Go-Round' is a large liquid 'Lazy Susan' for the fish.
.. It covers both a shallow bit of the river channel and a bit of the deep outflow from the 'Delta Hole.'
.. In the winter and, (to a lessor degree,) the springtime, fish run up both Beaver Creek and the Madison River for spawning.
.. With not too much imagination it is possible to envision the fish movements through the year and through the water.
.. Spawing gravels are in the Madison River all the way to Hebgen Dam and, in Beaver Creek for quite a ways above the Beaver Creek Campground.

FISH EATING FRENZY

.. Scattered along the reaches of both creeks are some protected slack water areas for nursery fish, (and midges.)
.. The diverse river bottom matrix and vegetation variety on land provide all the necessary elements for a veritable, year 'round,  Garden Of Eden for the trout and, the elk and, the grasshoppers and, the beetles and, the ants and, the caddis and, stoneflies and, crawdads and, the . . . - well you get it.
.. In the early spring, (like the last three weeks,) the Madison River slowly eats at the ice of Quake Lake and the debris rain attracts hungry trout. They eat sticks and other stuff. Some of it is nutritious.

THE PARACHUTE MIDGE

.. Yes indeedie, when there is a sled available during this time of year we get down to this playground and gather up several.
.. There are spawners coming back down, there are fry for the snacking. There are residents gobbling stuff deep in the water column and at the surface. There are brown ones and, spotted ones and, colorful ones for the taking.
.. Could be worth the price of a snowmobile.

-----  

.. The melt down continues and the brave kids in town are splashing through the wet. Rooster tails from bicycles erupt from each intersection as the kids try to escape the errant spray.
.. Unbelievably we were young once. We have not forgotten that skin is shrink-proof.

-------

WALLPAPER:   FISH LIVE HERE

* The definitions of 'ecosystem' and 'biome' are difficult to apply to the seasonal changes and, the annual changes in both the biota and gromorphology of these dynamic areas.

What Comes Down

FLOODS COME UP

Watch Not Warn

perhaps it's spring

GREAT BASIN HIGH EXPANDS

------- 

>HERE COMES THE WARM<

Event:	Flood Watch
Alert:	...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM MDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a * Flood Watch for a portion of southwest Montana, including the following areas, Broadwater, Gallatin, and Jefferson. * From 3 PM MDT this afternoon through Wednesday afternoon * Minor flooding is already occurring across portions of this region. However, with afternoon temperatures expected to be around 50 degrees over the next few days, the flooding could become more widespread and impactful. * With frozen ground surfaces and waterways, combined with culverts and ditches full of snow, poor drainage of the snowmelt is possible, causing some flooding impacts. Additionally, unpaved roads will become muddy, possibly becoming impassable for some vehicles.
	A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts. You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.
Target Area:	Broadwater Gallatin Jefferson

----- 

DEEP & UNDER THE BANK

..The near term forecast calls for more warm temperatures and a rain/snow mix. 

.. City crews are searching for our drains as puddles become ponds. The ponds may become lakes. It should prove interesting if overnight temperatures fall to below freezing.

.. The piles get darker. The piles melt quicker. The wet gets wetter.

--------  

WALLPAPER:   MELTDOWN IN WEST YELLOWSTONE

Quickly Now

NOT TOO COOL

A Little Damp Approaches

respite and extension

WALLPAPER:  GALLATIN RIVER RIFFLE

-------

.. The last few days of very warm weather seems to have prolonged our high runoff waters. Despite the high water, river temperatures have continued to escalate to their seasonal norms.

LOOK FAMILIAR ?

.. The color varies by river and is slowly, (finally,) becoming recognizable as what water should look like - should you choose to fish it.
.. We may get a few more days out of the Firehole River with the forecast for upcoming cool and damp weather over the next week.
.. Just keep in mind the fish are already hammered and in a condition of stress. Temperatures on the Firehole River have been spiking to the mid 70's [LINK-FR.]

THESE WILL FLOAT !!

.. The color is good and despite the high water both the bugs and the fish have been doing the "Riverside Rag." Get off the river by noon and move on.
.. The Madison River, has shaped up nicely in the last week. It's still running above seasonal discharge rates but is beautifully clear and cool. Recent temperature spikes have just now topped the 70°F mark. Take a long lunch and you should have a full day of good catching, [LINK-MR.]

GALLATIN GREEN UP AND SLOWING FLOW

..  With an exclamation of final satisfaction we can report that the gooey colors of the Gallatin River seen last week have receded.
.. Last Wednesday marked the turning point as the gauge height at Gallatin Gateway dropped to sensible levels for the season.

GREEN IS GOOD

.. Temperatures are near perfect for catching and the neighbors have grudgingly joined the visiting elbows for the fine catching opportunities on the river, [LINK-GR.]
..  The overcast and intermittent drizzle over the next few days should bring back the hatch of the Baetid bunch and provide good times for the float 'em folks.
.. Just like a broken record we will suggest that fish can be taken on all three rivers with your favorite soft or stiff hackle fly. 

NEIGHBORS FAVORITE RIGHT NOW

.. Use the smaller ones on top and the bigger ones underneath. OR, start with a floating big one and when it starts to sink - let it go. There are dance partners for either presentation.
.. Right now the shaded water and dark deep protected hides are where the fish are.
.. There are noses in the air all day long if you should choose to pause and watch the water before splashing your way to the "perfect spot."

MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE

.. Whether it's just whim or real insight; the neighbors are using very sparsely tied flies for their excursions. You can pluck yours if they seem too bushy.
..  We would be remiss if we failed to mention the beginnings of the availability of terrestrial food sources. Beetles have led the charge this year and the ants are close behind.
.. White Miller sorts are also available and beginning to thicken up around noon - or thereabouts.

WE LOVE A CHALLENGE

.. In a fit of masochism we've been fishing a few fan wing flies.
.. They are cute. Sometimes they float correctly. They even take a fish or two.
.. The most rewarding bit though is, the wonderful fluttering noise that they make just before they impale themselves in your ear. We do have mental issues.

-----

.. The gray is here already and the drips from the trusty steed are making a line in the sand. Breakfast is early and there are lights on in the neighbor's kitchen. Must be time.

-------

WALLPAPER:  PIZZA PIECES

 -------

P.S.
-- Try Hebgen Reservoir in the still of the morning.

THE GOOGLE EYES HAVE IT

Spring's Mixed Blessing

WARM AND WET

Some Snow: Some Rain

snow melts quickly

WALLPAPER: OVERBANK FLOW MADISON RIVER

-------

.. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help, {Psalm 121:1.}
.. Pacific moisture is still streaming into Montana from a displaced Gulf of Alaska Low Pressure System.
.. It brings wet snow to the higher elevations of our mountains and warm rain to the rest of the hills and river valleys.
.. The intermittent cyclic nature of the storms and, the rapid warm-up between them, sends the melting wet snow charging down slope into the saturated river valleys.
.. Fisher folk look to the hills and praise our current snow pack and the snow water content. It is higher than we've seen in quite some time.
.. However, both the pack and water content are sinking rapidly to low levels. The snow pack depth is holding nicely but the water content is already below normal. 
.. We'll keep you posted as May fades to June and then rapidly slips into July. This phenomena produces an interesting bit of dynamic in our river's runoff. 
.. As the cooler storm weather slows the snow melt,  the tributary streams slow down and rapidly clear of their suspended load.
.. As the post-storms warm weather bursts into the neighborhood the tributaries roar to life and color up as they grasp the sand, silt and clay from their channel and move it down stream.
.. "So what?" - you say! It's a normal thing. And so it is BUT, the regularity of this oscillating phenomenon leads the neighbors to "FISH THE PULSE."
.. Right now the  Gallatin River is pulsing regularly. Sections of the river are very clear: others are chocolate.
.. Some folks in Bozeman and many in Big Sky are searching the river for the clear segments - AND CATCHING FISH. It seems that the fish understand this!
.. The clear plugs vary in length depending on the depth of the cold weather and the rapidity of the warm-up. Some of these clear pulses can be several miles long. Take you time and carefully examine and observe the river for clues.
.. River depth can maintain or degrade the pulse. Deeper sections are generally the most clear, (higher upstream.) More shallow sections can slow and mix the sediments and produce cloudy or milky waters.
.. Kudos to those neighbors from around here and as far away as Bozeman who have figured this out and are fishing through this high water "unfishable" river stage. Dry/dropper is the ticket.

-----

.. So far our predicted storm is kind of puny. We're headed to that fresh section of water just below Taylor Fork.
.. It's just now beginning to color up. Hopefully this 'storm' will bring some coolness and another pulse of clearer water.

-------

WALLPAPER: WAFFLED HASH BROWN SPUDS & CHEESE OMELET