The Perfect (snow) Storm

STAINED & BANK FULL

Calm Before The Deluge

of cutts and lakers

sad prognosis

.. The perfect storm materialized yesterday in the form of a nearly cloudless day and temperatures more than a mite above the predicted numbers.
.. We took the pleasant day as an omen to peruse the water level and color of the Madison River.
.. Result: flood stage in about 6" - 8", heavy stained color and under 2' visibility. How usual.
.. The hot springs in National Park Meadow are flooded and steamy in the early morning temperatures.
.. The bison were lolling about in the sun; ruminating and absorbing rays.
.. The elk were munching happily on the fresh green shoots along the road corridors where the sun allows sprouting first.
.. We watched one exuberant fish beating up some invisible bugs. We tried a long distance photo. It's barely visible so we enhanced it some. Believe it or don't.
.. There were many fish rising at each place we stopped - between 8:00 AM & 9:00 AM - hmmm!
.. The meadow at 7-mile bridge is saturated, soggy, wet, and nearly underwater. The swans love it; as the meadows flood the bison will soon be clogging the road, and the elk will begin their upward migration soon: bulls first.
.. Hopefully today's snow storm will be as perfect as yesterday's and we'll get a peek at the Gibbon River. It's pouring most of the color into the Madison River right now.

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.. Yellowstone Science is online now and has a brief note about the conflict between Lake Trout and Cutthroat Trout in Yellowstone Lake.
.. The sound of doom and destruction is thick between the lines of the note.
.. Last August a significant gathering of fisheries scientists from around the country met at Chico Hot Springs, (tough work,) and addressed the declining population of Cutts.
.. Current efforts and future possibilities for salvation of this fishery were discussed and recommendations generated.
.. A report with complete findings of the science panel, including strengths and weaknesses of the current program and specific recommendations to the park, is expected some time this year.

MONEY QUOTE

. . . efforts to date, while certainly slowing the lake trout population growth rate, have not been substantial enough to collapse that population. Consequently, the cutthroat trout population remains in peril. They strongly stated that very little time remains to turn the situation around and immediate action to increase suppression efforts should be taken.

.. As fishers we are obviously concerned about the opportunities that are being lost with the disappearance of the cutts in Yellowstone Lake. We often, sadly, can overlook the larger ecological consequences.
.. For a peek into the ecological value of the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout check out the article from the bear center at Washington State University.
.. The article reveals the surprising relationship between bear scat, bear hair, and Cutthroat Trout. Bears are not the only species affected by the disappearing food source. At least 20 other species historically used the fish as a food source.

--> YELLOWSTONE SCIENCE (PDF)
Part 1
Part 2

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.. Our local photo processors and resident photographers estimate that over 20,000,000 photos of bison are taken each year in Yellowstone National Park.
.. Not many photos are taken of these neighbors next door. We strive to do our part in correcting this disparity.

On The Desk

SB 425
AWAITING SIGNATURE

Mostly A Good Idea

feds pay costs for awhile

.. SB 425 was transmitted to Governor Brian Schweitzer for signature yesterday. He is expected to sign the bill.
.. The full time operation of Fort Peck Hatchery will incur additional operating costs of $80,000 per year. This burden will be covered by federal Wallop-Breaux funds through 2012.
.. In 2012 the Montana Warm Water Stamp will be eliminated and state funding will be supplied from the general license fund. The estimated cost, to the state, of hatchery operation in 2013 is $243,616.
.. In 2014 the total cost of operations for Fort Peck Hatchery is estimated to be $436,059. This money will come from the general license funds.

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.. The Fort Peck Hatchery was built by the Corps of Engineers and completed in 2006. It is operated by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks and sits on federal land leased by the state.
.. Since completion it has operated at less than capacity. It has been both under-used and under-funded.
.. In anticipation of completion the state instituted the $5 warm water stamp in 1999. This has been the primary source of funding for the facility and it has been insufficient to fully utilize the available 22,000-sq.-foot hatchery.
.. Up until now the hatchery has been essentially idle after the annual walleye production has been completed. SB 425 will change that. The facility is capable of producing tiger muskies, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish, sauger, and the endangered pallid sturgeon, in addition to the walleye.
.. The hatchery could also produce trout if Montana law would allow it. Currently trout that are planted in the eastern part of the state are trucked in from other hatcheries at a cost of thousands of dollars in gasoline and staff time.

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.. We look for a $1 - $2 increase in license fees to take place in the next year or two to support the full funding and operation of the hatchery. We suspect that there is already a draft bill for the production of trout at the facility. This will relieve the burden on the state's other 7 hatcheries.
.. We commend the legislature for this straightforward approach to funding. We commend them for rejecting the thinly veiled attempt at funding in the guise of declaring the walleye a native fish. And, we commend them for placing the burden of funding on the population of users.
--> SB 425 Language
--> SB 425 History
--> SB 425 Fiscal Note
--> FWP Funding Page
--> FWP Quick Facts for Fort Peck
--> All 8 Montana Hatcheries

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.. Well, time for steak and eggs. With all due respect to the 2008 "Orvis Fly-Tyer of The Year," Greg Senyo; we'll eat ours before yours.

Far And Fine

GET WAY OFF THE ROAD

As Far As You Can Get

in the lower 48
the stuff of stories

.. Plan now! There is a place in Yellowstone National Park where you can catch fish farther from any road - anywhere in the lower 48.
.. You can get there on foot; it's best done with gentle horses and friendly mules. It takes some planning and some determination, but it's worth the time and money.
.. Wild, "un-pounded" fish, native to the stream and molested only very infrequently, are yours for the taking, (and putting back,) in the Thorofare.
.. This is no plush 'fly-in' experience so favored by the Alaskan tourist bureaus. No boats with guides and tall tales is this. This is work, hard work; and solitude and glorious adventure.
.. Remember these numbers: 6Y2 & 6Y4 & 6Y5. These are the campsites closest to the one spot farther from any road in the lower 48 - and you're not there yet. Fewer people stand on the spot than climb Mt. Everest in a year. Fewer yet, catch a fish here.
.. Ask your favorite Yellowstone expert how the fishing is on Cliff Creek. Enjoy the quizzical expression. Ask what fish can be caught. Ask about the mosquitoes. Only a select few can enter the conversation. Only a select few explode with enthusiasm about the voracious trout that will dance with you at the drop of a fly - any fly.
.. There are 20" native Cutthroat Trout that soar like a pounded Rainbow Trout never could. But they are in the bigger streams nearby. You'll see where they are. You'll even see them. You'll catch them too.
.. But the thrill of taking a fish far from the road and fine as they can be can only happen on Cliff Creek. Here a 10" fish is a giant. Here a 6" fish is a prize.
.. In about four months there will be a few people near this place. Probably not a one of them will stand at: 44-05-05 N, x 110-04-12W. Maybe one will. Maybe they will catch a 5" native. Maybe it will be you!
.. If you plan to walk it will take you a week, probably more. It demands stamina and enormous backcountry skills. This is bear country at it's finest. It is also moose country, deer country, and all the other critters in Yellowstone's country. It's as wild as it gets - anywhere.
.. If you go by horseback, it's probably still a week - but it's more gentle. It's a bit easier but a bit more expensive. It will cost between $1,500 and $2,500 depending on the outfitter and the amenities that you choose. And, even then it won't be plush.
.. There is still time to get a spot. There's not many and they are filling fast. Remember, the photo ops are spectacular, the experience exhilarating, the water cold and clean, and the fishing is "UNIQUE" in all the lower 48.
.. Want to read about how it's done on foot? Check out the hiking report at SEAKAYAK. Want to see the spot? Watch the video below. It's from the documentary film Division Street, the official selection of the "Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival."
.. Like movies on your computer? Tired of HULU? Try TERRA! Don't know about Terra? It's full of movies about Yellowstone and our neighborhood.
.. Whirling disease? Sure thing! Montana beef? Sure enough! Elk responding to wolves? Of course! Fish & Cow? Most certainly! Winter in Yellowstone? A sure thing! Check it out.
.. It's Got'ta be good it's from MSU.

..

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Here's Mud In Your H2O

BROWN IS THE COLOR OF MY . . .

They're Going Out

Fish The Edges
wait it for a spell

.. It had to happen. It does so every year. The rivers in Yellowstone National Park are changing color and character. Rain, temperature, and other vagaries bring about the seasonal change. We call it runoff, (although runoff occurs all year long,) and we moan.
.. How long will it last? When will they come back into shape? When can we go fishing? Where should we fish now? Imponderables!
.. Here's the poop: the neighbors fish Between the Lakes, the edges of Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake, and a bit of water above the Taylor Fork between Snowflake Springs and the park line.
.. Below are the discharge charts from the USGS that we watch daily. Click on a chart for current, real-time conditions, (note: the Madison River at Grayling, Mt. is Hebgen Reservoir discharge.)
.. This could last for some time given our long range forecast. A week of moderating temperatures with intermittent snow and rain should only postpone the inevitable.

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FIREHOLE RIVER

GIBBON RIVER

MADISON AT WEST YELLOWSTONE

MADISON AT GRAYLING

MADISON AT KIRBY RANCH

GALLATIN RIVER

.. BABY PLEASE DON'T GO - MUDDY WATERS.

..
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Baby Please Don't Go
Muddy Waters

Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go, down to New Orleans
You know I love you so

Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
I get you way'd out here, and let you walk alone

Turn your lamp down low
Turn your lamp down low
Turn your lamp down low
I beg you all night long, baby, please don't go

You brought me way down here
You brought me way down here
You brought me way down here
'bout to Rolling Forks, you treat me like a dog

Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go, back the New Orleans
I beg you all night long

Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
I get you way'd out here, and let you walk alone

You know your man down gone
You know your man down gone
You know your man down gone
To the country farm, with all the shackles on

by McKinley Morganfield a.k.a. Muddy Waters

As Arnold Said . . .

"I'LL BE BACK" - ohmygawd

SB 425 Alive But Not Well - Yet

Keep Watching This One

.. Just when we thought the Montana State Legislature had settled down to do the people's work along comes our old friend SB 425. It's hard to kill a walleye. The current bill is just a re-write of the construction authorization bill and a hasty effort to generate funds for an ailing facility.

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.. Here's an interesting section for your perusal: (red=stricken, blue=new, black=as written.)

--> (4) Costs for hatchery construction, operation, maintenance, and personnel are to be funded with revenue in the warm water game fish accounts established in 87-3-236, revenue in the general license account, or any federal funding available to the department. It is intended that the hatchery be constructed in stages as revenue becomes available in the warm water game fish accounts established in 87-3-236."

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.. At least the walleye is not going to be "declared" a native species in order to generate the funding.
.. Perhaps there are "WALLEYE BAILOUT FUNDS." Perhaps, as the hasty bill suggests, - we should all bailout the walleye.
.. For some informative reporting about the SB 425 visit GazOutdoors. For some interesting analysis check Will Fish For Work, (#1, #2.)
.. The bill has struggled but looks like it's a done deal.
.. The Bill's History: click HERE
.. The Verbiage: click HERE.
.. Montana FWP page on funding options: click HERE

How'd We Miss This ?

OLDEST PETRIFIED BRAIN
BELONGS TO A FISH

300 million is a lot of years

check the discussion at scientific american

.. Just what does a 300 million year old fish brain look like? How big is it, ( very small )? And, where can you find the information? And, who does this stuff anyway?
.. From an article at Scientific American we tracked down the original article at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences web site. It's an open source article so you don't have to pay to read it.
.. Specimens and researchers from Kansas and Oklahoma contributed to the landmark research. The fossil was from an iniopterygian, an ancient extinct fish that is a relative of sharks, rays and ratfish.
.. Researchers were surprised that the scan showed a brain. What surprised the researchers even further is that it showed a brain similar to that of a modern-day shark.
.. The image of the fossilized brain was recorded during a routine computed tomography (CT) scan, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
.. Until now, scientists assumed that brains rarely—if ever—turned into fossils. Other soft tissue fossils, such as muscles and kidneys, have been found that date back longer than 350 million years ago, but because the brain is delicate and consists mostly of water, it's much less likely to be preserved in fossil form.
.. Modern technology has revealed a fossil that was unknown before this application.
.. High-powered scans using x-ray synchrotron microtomography (which, like a CT, uses x-rays to image cross-sections of an object) allowed scientists to peer into the rock-solid skull to see the 0.06-by-0.28-inch (1.5 by 7 mm) brain.
.. Other bits of the fossil include braincase, orbits, and jaw fragments. There are also parts of the ear canal and other forward parts of the braincase.
.. Supporting documentation includes two movies, (sadly in a "dot mov" format, or we'd show them to you,) and a 4 page PDF document that details the techniques used and, the generated images.

.. As an aside; a spirited discussion about theology and old fishes is taking place on the Scientific American page. There must be something going on in Kansas.

click for larger image

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.. We can only wonder what kind of fly to use.

A Day In Wonderland

LIVE A LITTLE - LIVE A LOT

Have Fun - Help Out

the chance of a lifetime

.. The blog at 1% For The Planet has announced an auction that should interest most readers. Go fishing with one of our neighbors. Gather yourself together and investigate this opportunity.
.. You'll have the chance to bring a buddy and fish with Craig. Who? Craig Mathews, that's who.
.. This well known fly fishing personality, and co-founder of 1% For The Planet, will give it up for you, should you be the high bidder in the auction.
.. Secrets will be revealed. Techniques will be explored. Scenery will be experienced. Fish will be entertained - so will you.
.. The catching might just be as good as the fishing and the company. Just bring yourself and a bit of enthusiasm.
.. Craig will outfit you with all the right gear, tie a fly one handed, tell stories that only he can tell, and then take you to dinner. What more can a mere mortal ask?
.. What a deal. You get a chance to go fishing - and support a great effort. Perhaps you'll out-fish the master - now that's an opportunity not to be missed.
--> Just 9 days left.
Read about the auction HERE. Enter your bid HERE.