Gettin' Any ?

 SO FAR, SO GOOD

Madison Up

gallatin down

OFF TO A GOOD START

-------  

.. Well it looks like La Niña has kicked some snow toward our corner of the world. We've had the snow depth like days of yore. It's been dry snow and blows around for days after the event. We'll take it for now. Hope it continues.

.. The last few gentle winters have allowed Yellowstone National Park to replenish it's flora and fauna to "Postcard Splendor," Both the bison and wolf populations were at record numbers last fall, Since then about 20 of the wolves have been eliminated by hunters and 900 bison are slated to be culled (LINK  1, LINK 2.)

.. Catching along the open water edges of the legal estuaries has been exceptionally good. Snow machines are required to get to the good spots. Just about any bright sunken fly will deliver dance partners. All size  fish are on the bite.

-------  

WALLPAPER: AMERICAN STANDARD BREAKFAST

Just Could Be

 FROM BAD TO WORSE ?

Grocery Prices ?

wet or dry ? 

..

------- 

We suspect that both the fish and the fishers will suffer.

-------

WALLPAPER:  TAQUITOS PLUS

The Slow Drip

LOW SNOW HIGH WATER

RAPID DISCHARGE

temperatures spiking

WALLPAPER: THE MELT IS ON

-------  

., Very simply: snow pack down, discharge up. Looks like low water and easy fish finding coming to the neighborhood.

.. We're in the wet and rainy season. The snow that falls is just small flakes and a slight dusting. The charts and maps tell it all.

MORE THAN JUST A BIT LOW

.. The weather gods have blessed other areas more than our neighborhood. The recent warmup has also accelerated the low level melt and the rivers are running fast and warm.

.. The Firehole River is flirting with record discharge rates and has already spiked to near 60°F. The Madison River has hit over 50°F and the discharge is in record territory. 

.

.. This is not a terrible situation yet. This could rapidly become a terrible situation if the rains are warm and heavy. We'll keep you posted.

-------

WALLPAPER:  CHICKEN DONE RIGHT

Fish Now

 SURPRISE WEATHER

We'll Take It

spring bear too

TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE

-------  

.. Get out the sunglasses. Grab the rejected winter fly selection. Find some open water. Catch fish and rejoice in the Spring warmup.

THE FUZZY JOHN

.. Estuaries on Hebgen Reservoir have pushed beyond natural lake circumference and are legal to fish. The same holds true for Quake Lake and the tumbling waters Between The Lakes.

.. There is even some open shoreline along the road beside Hebgen Reservoir as well - take sun screen! There is not much chance for a spring bear shot in the roadside areas - BUT - bear spray anyway!

.. A sow and two cubs spotted near the airport. Wouldn't shoot that one but the boars are out too.

-------  

WALLPAPER: STRAIGHT FROM ICELAND = sinful

Slowing Down

 THE BIG WATER

THIS AFFECTS US ALL

------- 

WALLPAPER: CHEDDAR CHEESE OMELETTE & BACON

Finally Here

GOT SOME

Still Down Some

watch for the warm up

LOOKING GOOD  --  FOR NOW

-------  

.. The meager snowfall of the last two weeks has given our fish some hope for the coming summer.

.. The Pacific Ocean temperatures plus the polar vortex outbreak has allowed the Pineapple Express to take aim at our Pacific Northwest.

RARIN' TO GO

.. All we need now is the Gulf Of Alaska Low to reform and we will get some regular pulses of precipitation. Hopefully it will be snow instead of rain.

.. The snows have been relatively dry and contain just a small bit of water content.

.. It's perfect for challenging trees at speed and ripping donuts in the town intersections.

.. We are not holding our breath - BUT this year's winter snowpack may turn out to be O.K.

-------  

WALLPAPER:  Ragù alla Bolognese and Spinach

It's Still Early

 HURTIN' SOME !

Lots To Make Up

we'll see "what if"

IS THIS O.K.  ??

-------  

.. The eternal optimists cry of "it's early," pales in the face of this year's strong La Niña weather pattern. We won't give up yet - BUT - it is looking a bit bleak for the neighborhood river basins.

.. Our head is wrapped around the fish of the neighborhood and that is our focus. Lots of snow means stirring up of the stream bottoms during spring runoff = that's good for the biota and the health of the streams. Lots of snow means good stream flows during the summer = cooler river temperatures and less stress for the fish. Lots of snow means that groundwater is up = better herbage and lower fire potential.

.. Montana has a slew of fair weather fans. They look forward to the snow melt. Most of our neighbors, however, enjoy a good snow year. Skiing is better. Snow sports of all kinds are better: hockey, sledding, biathlon, ice fishing, etc.

..  For just a little while yet we will play the optimist game. We will pretend that it's too early to worry about the snow water content of our snowpack.

.. Statewide we're not where we would like to be. In this chart the colors of YELLOW, GREEN, and BLUE are the best. 

.. RED and ORANGE are not so good. We will give it another four or five weeks before we whine. We won't cry until we are hurt.

.. Park attendance is down, park tours are down, skiers and ski races are down. The ukulele festival has been canceled.

..There are fewer foreign license plates in the Hebgen Tailwater region: catching is good and the redd count seems to be high for this time of year.

.. Even church attendance is down. There are restrictions on dark corners in the pubs and fewer giant fish are talked about.

.. Our near term forecast is for very little snow and occasional diurnal temperatures above freezing. As we said = it's early.

 

-------  

WALLPAPER: BLACK BEANS, BEAN AND CHEESE BURRITO, MEXICAN RICE

DAMNITALL

THAR SHE GOES

To The North Woods

ours is dry

THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS HEADS NORTH AGAIN

-------  

.. This is not the weather pattern that our fish desire. With our current Pacific Ocean temperatures this is what the Pineapple Express currently looks like. It has even subsumed our friendly Gulf of Alaska low.

.. Snowfall in the our neighborhood is sparse with small flakes and dry. Our snow water content is at 72% of normal for this time of year.  The east slope of the Rocky Mountains is in the shadow of these weak weather systems. We can say no more.

NEED SOME SNOW

.. By the way: ice fishing is well underway. Shacks at both the narrows and the dam are sprouting like mushrooms in the burned over areas.

-- Right now scuds and leaches are working well. Scuds with a small split shot and a thrumming rod appeals to the most successful catchers. As the subsurface temperatures cools the leeches will pill up and sink into the bottom muck.

-- Check this post for good information = CLICK HERE.

-------  

WALLPAPER:  CHEESE OMELETTE WITH SAUSAGE

Another Gone Along

TO THE NORTH

Damn The Cold Pacific

we're hurtin'

THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

-------  

..  This is the fourth "Pineapple Express" that has tracked north of us this year. In a 'normal' year or in an El Niño year, (with warmer Pacific Ocean waters.) it tracks further south and blasts San Francisco and climbs over the Rocky Mountains in southern Idaho. That's when we get our heaviest Spring snows.

 ..  Our snowpack is down for the season. Depending on where it's measured and, how the depth is calculated, it's looking rather bleak. We may be anywhere from 24% below average to 74% below average, (A, B.)

.. Our snow water equivalency is really way down. It may be as low as -280%. (C.) or just -67% for the Madison River Basin, (D.) What ever the case may be we certainly need some snow for our fish.

-- We will keep you informed.

-------

WALLPAPER:  SHORT STACK

Let It Snow

 DOWN A BIT

Little In Forecast

pray for the fish

Current Snow Depth

-------  

.. Our snow depth is below what it ought to be for this time of year. The Madison Valley is skirting 30% below average. The Gallatin Valley is around15% down depending on elevation,

.. It's early in the snow year and we continue to hope the La Niña conditions weaken and allow our Gulf of Alaska Low to pump some moisture our way. The cool Pacific Ocean pushes our major weather patterns to the north. We've already missed two of the "Pineapple Express" events as they went to British Columbia.

.. The Gulf of Alaska Low is weaker than usual because the Japan Current is being cooled on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. We will get snow but it will have to climb over the highest point in the Continental Divide between The Tetons and Spanish Peaks. Even the sledheads are worried.

.. The neighbors have found a new regional weather site that is centered on West Yellowstone. Check it out HERE.

-------  

WALLPAPER:  RIBEYE AND SPUDS

Ready, Set, Go !

 COLD FRONT ARRIVES

Bit Of Snow Coming

how's by the swede ??

..

-------  

 

.. It's estuary time. There are cruising pods of trout - some with eyes up!  The neighbors are using an unusual local technique.

.. Grab your biggest, fluffiest streamer and load it up with flotation stuff, (your choice.) Cast it far away. Keep it on top and twitch it a little just like you were in Louisiana and teasing a large mouth bass. Great takes and great fun.

-------  

WALLPAPER:  CRISP OUT AND FLUFFY IN

The Coming Attraction

 FINALLY ARRIVING

End Of Fair Weather

early snows dwindling

..

-------  

.. Our perfect fishing weather is coming to an end. It's just about a seasonal bullseye. We have enjoyed the last few weeks while lowlanders and new arrivals have moaned about brief snow piles.

.. What ever you need to do without multiple layers  --  DO IT NOW. Roll up the hoses. Shutter the windows. Stack the wood. Check automobile fluids. Winter is bearing down on us. We're pleased.

BIG DIP AHEAD

DEADLY ACCURATE BOOM STICK

.. Soon we will be tucked snugly in our igloos. Covid-19 will be stalking our every foray into the real world.

.. The neighbors are relieved that the knuckle dragging, mouth breathing visitors are vanishing. We're lucky so far: no Covid-19 related deaths. Three of the neighbors are out of town in intensive care. We wish them well.

BACK IN THE DAY

.. We are looking forward to this coming isolation phase of our socioclimatic calendar.

.. We'll tie a few flies. We'll attend to the rods, reels and, lines. We'll mend some clothes. We'll drag some hunting gear out of the vault and clean, oil, polish and coat some handsome stainless, blue and, camouflage metal.

..There is still time to torment a few trout. The big bend at Snow Flake Springs on the Gallatin River has quite a few submarines enjoying the food laden debris from the discharge.

NEEDS ATTENTION !!

.. The boat ramp area at upper Quake Lake has some cruising pods of pre-spawn fish that are aggressive and willing dance partners. Just down-lake a bit the delta gyre where Beaver Creek debouches into the lake has cruising monsters on their merry-go-round. They too are gobbling up sticks and other flotsam from the discharge.

.. We now mention the verboten words: Duck Creek  &  South Fork of the Madison River. Each year about this time we incur the wrath of the neighbors for this mention of our home waters. But, fish are there and very rambunctious. We're headed out now.

-------  

WALLPAPER:  HALF-KETO BREAKFAST PLATTER

All Done

CLOSED FOR NOW

Park Notice

chamber of commerce note

KEEP OUT

-------  

.. It's finally come to this. Requests from the counties surrounding Yellowstone National Park, combined with a park push to modify operations to implement the latest COVID-19 health guidance have closed the park until further notice.
.. Our village has followed suit with measures in line with state and federal mandated actions. Included actions are a few unique suggestions not seen in national or state practices. Two of the more interesting suggestions are: 1) wipes for grocery baskets and/or gloves for claiming goods from the shelves and, 2) fingernail brushes for hand washing.

RESOURCES

>> Yellowstone Park News Release,
>> TIME,
>> West Yellowstone Chamber,
>> Yellowstone Vacations.

-----  

GOLDEN HAYSTACK - NOW

.. The village streets are plumb dry and, the old snow piles are showing the many layers of gravel from plowing. All but the flat roofs are devoid of the white stuff - sliding snow is a cacophonous event.
.. Mud is showing on most fishing trails around the lakes and even the South Fork of the Madison River is about to be conventionally accessible - another couple of weeks or so.
.. Spring is in full roar and getting punctuated by occasional spittings of snow. We should get another dump, Zeus willing and the foehn winds don't blow. We'll keep a weather eye out for developments.

------- 

WALLPAPER:  SHRIMP, FRIES, GRANDMA'S DIPPING SAUCE