Not Quite . . .

IT ONLY GOT TO 47° F

Winds Were Manageable

neighbors vacate town

THE NEIGHBORS PAUSE IN THEIR LABORS TO QUAFF A BREW OR TWO

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..Sunday was another pleasant and unseasonably warm day. The thermometers in town ran to 47° F and not a bit more. We were hoping for another 50° F. The day was "Squinty Bright," and sun block was a definite must.
.. Some of the brave neighbors probed the estuaries along the shore of Hebgen Lake for legal open water: it's a sport for the young and thick of body. Rumors of open water at the mouth of Grayling Creek persist - SO?

Size 20 winged midge with outriggers

.. Ice fishing is still in full swing and, (depending on expertise,) some fine trout dinners are being gathered up.
.. Smokies, (whitefish,) as well, are running to 3# and seem eager as the ice-out approaches.
.. The water around Campfire Lodge is getting a pounding - all the way down to Quake Lake. Fish are being taken on just about any subsurface offering in the size 10 to 14 range. Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Prince Nymphs, Feather Duster Nymphs, Shop Vac Nymphs, and winged midges, (size 20 - 24,) are getting drowned in abundance.
.. The extended forecast calls for a few more gentle days with some mixed rain and snow about to show up in the neighborhood.
.. There is a steady stream of cars running from town to the little bits of legal open water. There are quite a few non-recreational snowmobilers headed to the major estuaries as well.
.. The fisher folk of our village have abandoned their 'stool-warming' at the pubs during mid day and can only be found with their prehensile cheeks squoze down after dark - - SPRING FEVER HAS ARRIVED !

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With the last few weeks of salubrious weather the Madison River is already bank-full

.

. . . And Then Some !

50° F FOR TWO DAYS

The Bottom Falls Out

the neighbors rejoice

FISHERS OF THE FLY  --  Between The Lakes

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.. It happened. The thermometers in town hit the magic number:  50° F. The neighbors are sanguine enough to understand that it means nothing of great significance at this point in March - but they chortle and giggle at the prospect of our impending Spring.

.. During the daytime hours our town's roads become a rutted mush. As the sub-zero nights blanket our basin the roads become icy tank traps waiting to devour the undercarriages of unsuspecting visitors in their low-slung $50,000 chariots. Even the granola skiers have trouble with their "Super Subaru's."
.. The very thin skim of ice that was left on several neighborhood small streams has evaporated with the bright sun and high temperatures. A few shaded small streams, (like Cabin Creek,) are still ice and snow covered.

Sierra Bright Dot

.. Surprisingly, (and happily,) Friday and Saturday were not only bright and warm, - BUT -  without any significant winds. The midge fishers jumped on it!
.. It may hit 55° F today but the winds have already started. The "snow-eater" arrives!
.. A couple of months ago we extolled the virtues of the Sierra Bright Dot as a fly for taking trout when the midges were hatching.
.. Of course the fly-shop-groupies poo-pooed it and stuck with the sanctioned offerings of their respective feather merchants. It's understandable given the economic and social competition between the elitist fly shop gangs, (whose hat do you wear?)

Olive Double Midge

.. We would like to highlight a very, very, similar fly from RiverBum; used in exactly the fashion that we've touted. On occasion even the feather merchants get it right.
.. Between The Lakes on the Madison River the neighbors, and a few visitors from states in the deep south like Utah and Wyoming, are taking fish on San Juan Worms, Sierra Bright Dots, floating Shop Vac's, and small streamers of various sorts.

Worms du jur between the lakes

.. The combined effects of warm sunny days and top-of-lake-discharge have made the Hebgen Tailwater very productive for the winter hatching fauna.
.. According to the glitterati literati folks that know, there may be three species of midges and their associated worms in the tailwater.
.. We have no idea. We do know that the traditional San Juan Worm in a glorious red color is the preference for the fishers that like to catch fish.
.. We're headed down that way, (sort of,) to a bit of open, legal, water without a trampled footpath. We suggest that you fish Between The Lakes now. It's hard to tell when the Montana DFWP will figure out that there is genteel recreation occurring there and regulate it.

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HEY GUYS, LOOK WHAT'S OPEN

Of Fishers & Photographers

IN THE MIND'S EYE

The G.A.S. Attack

just do it

WET SEASON
by Marco Adamczewski
See it on Flickr:

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..  It's called Gear Acquisition Syndrome. We all have it to a greater or lessor extent.
.. Fly fishers and photographers seem to be constantly coveting the latest, or oldest, or greatest, or shiniest, or heaviest, or lightest, or spiffiest, or what-ever-est gadget.
.. We just saw an interesting note from Blood Knot, (thanks Tom,) about preserving things and a wonderfully snide bit of humor = "89% of U.S. Anglers Can't Afford Fly Fishing Gear." My, my!
.. The image above was taken with a camera that uses no batteries, requires film, demands waiting for the film to be processed, probably cost in the neighborhood of $30.00, and hasn't been produced since 1984.
.. The image has very little to do with the camera - it's about the vision. That image speaks volumes without saying a word. It tells a tale. It engages the eye and conjures up feelings in our experience. We like it very much, indeed.

Leica's in Yellowstone.

.. Please don't be deceived, we certainly do enjoy our Leica's and Ed Payne bamboo rods - sure do! But we enjoy taking pictures and fishing more.
.. We're not an expert at either endeavor by a long shot. We are, however, entertained and engulfed by both.
.. Being a fly fishing "Duffer" is probably akin to being a "Snap-Shooter." The implication is that there is something wrong with not being a professional or an expert. Truth be told - most of us are neither experts or professionals.
.. We, now, speaking from both experience and criticism, in fact, certainly are not.

Payne in motel in Oregon.

.. And that's the rub. Many of us, while seeking to avoid snapshooting, or dufferdom, retreat to G.A.S. How human.
.. We retreat from the task at hand. We avoid mastering the tools at hand. We retreat to the conceit that better tools make better craftsmen! 'Taint so.
.. From many years of experience, and several G.A.S attacks we, ourselves, have discovered that the gear never made us any better.
.. Just watch and see how pretty our tailing loop becomes when tossed with a $900.00 fly rod - the wind knots are so much more symmetrical!
.. Just admire the blown highlights from our $4,568.00 digital masterpiece - the empty spaces are interesting!
.. There's a lesson here somewhere. Perhaps it's the doing rather than the being that satisfies.

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Olympus Trip 35 and a fine book about doing.

It's A Neighborhood Thing

LITTLE BLESSINGS

Full Moon Skiing

cold clear skies await

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.. We enjoy the exuberance of the young of heart and leg. Off they go into  the twenty below evening, (it was -18° last night.) Good on 'em!
..For 3 or 4 nights: when the sky is clear, when the moon is big, when the spirit moves them, when the forest is full of shimmering light and eerie shadows, the neighbors celebrate our place in the universe.
.. Read about the big doings HERE.

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Of Snowballs and Trout

AN AUTHENTIC SPRING SNOW

Heavy - Wet - Warm - Sticky

make some snowballs

Sodium lights from many of the businesses
give the town an eerie glow at midnight.

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.. Our snow is usually of the powder variety. It's highly prized by skiers, sledheads, and other adults of the mature variety. The neighborhood kids aren't much impressed most of the time.
.. Last night the kids got their snow. It was, (and is,) perfect for snowballs and snowmen.
.. As our Springtime inches closer, the snow becomes more to the liking of the kids and the informed fishers. It's moisture content is higher. It's heavy. It packs tight. It lasts through the upcoming rains of Spring. And, though they don't know it, the trout like it too.
.. The storm dropped only about eight inches here. It was widely scattered around the region. But it's a blessing and appreciated by all. The nighttime was cool: -15° F. This is even better for the snowballs and the fish. Amen.

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Ask & It Shall Be . . .

NEED SNOW ??

Got Some

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.. We are blessed. More snow, wet snow, heavy snow, warm snow. Hallelujah!

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.Advertencia de Tiempo Invernal
No se encuentra la traducción al español en este momento.

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
944 AM MST TUE MAR 6 2012

MTZ008-015-055-070000-
/O.CON.KTFX.WW.Y.0016.000000T0000Z-120307T0000Z/
BEAVERHEAD-MADISON-GALLATIN-
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...BIG HOLE PASS...
CHIEF JOSEPH PASS...DILLON...MONIDA PASS...ENNIS...NORRIS HILL...
RAYNOLDS PASS...TWIN BRIDGES...BATTLE RIDGE PASS...BOZEMAN...
BOZEMAN PASS...TARGHEE PASS...WEST YELLOWSTONE
944 AM MST TUE MAR 6 2012

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS
AFTERNOON...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS
AFTERNOON.

* TIMING AND MAIN IMPACT: SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THIS MORNING. SNOWFALL RATES AROUND 1 INCH PER HOUR
CAN BE EXPECTED AT TIMES THIS MORNING. EXPECT THE SNOW TO
GRADUALLY DECREASE IN INTENSITY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE
EXPECTED IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN...WITH 3 TO 6 INCHES IN THE
BOZEMAN VALLEY...WHILE 1 TO 3 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED AT
LOWER ELEVATIONS OVER THE REMAINDER OF GALLATIN...MADISON...
AND BEAVERHEAD COUNTIES.

* VISIBILITY: SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO
LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE AT TIMES.

* OTHER IMPACTS: EXPECT ROADS TO BE SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY...
COMBINING WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES TO MAKE FOR HAZARDOUS
TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

* LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE: BATTLE RIDGE PASS...BOZEMAN...
BOZEMAN PASS...TARGHEE PASS...WEST YELLOWSTONE...ENNIS...
NORRIS HILL...RAYNOLDS PASS...TWIN BRIDGES...BIG HOLE PASS...
CHIEF JOSEPH PASS...DILLON...MONIDA PASS

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS THAT
VISIBILITIES WILL BE LIMITED DUE TO A COMBINATION OF FALLING AND
BLOWING SNOW. USE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN
AREAS.

FOR SPECIFIC ROAD AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS IN MONTANA...DIAL 5 1 1.

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.

Nothing Spectacular

GOT SOME SNOW

Water Content Up

a whisper of spring

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.. Well now; Yellowstone National Park will be closed to over-the-snow vehicular travel at the end of the week. The Snowmobile Expo will take place on the following weekend.
.. These two events signal a few realities for the neighbors. There will soon be places to park downtown. Seasonal employment will disappear for about two months. The heaviest snowfalls of the season are in the offing. Muck, mush, and melting will dominate the town snow piles. Winter fishing will be the best it's been since Adam was a rib, or thereabouts.
.. Our snow depth is approaching the 100% mark. That's the good news. The snow water content is lagging on the Madison River and the Gallatin River by about 20% over both drainage's. That's the O.K. news. Spring will tell the tale.

.. If the current warm-up persists to the point of rain we're done for the year and that's not all bad. If we get a few more snow storms with some wet spring snow that's not all bad either. If we get a few storms and pile up the snow to above average depths and spring warms up rapidly the runoff could be excessive and persistent, and that's not necessarily bad. Obsessing fails to comfort the soul.
.. The mid-range forecast suggests that we may see 50° F by next Sunday or Monday. That is what the folks next door call " . . a whisper of Spring . . " It's has been a gentle winter by historical standards and we're pleased to let the upper prairie states be the coldest in the lower 48 for a change.
.. Fishing has been good, catching has been better - probably because access has been easy with the soft snow and mild weather. We've been fishing our usual assortment of flies plus an additional newcomer to the boxes. Along with our worms, shop vacs, winter grub & Yellowstone Spruce fly, we've added the winter caddis.

.. The winter caddis is nothing spectacular. It's just a large, bright, overly-dressed soft hackle. It has a lead core for the body, no friggin' bead head, and is made from chartreuse hare's mask and partridge breast. It is a simple, quick, effective fly. So we use it. It can be tied without the lead and greased to float. That works too.
.. With the lowland Madison River closed, (where it's economical for us to fish it,) we're stuck with the Hebgen Tailwater, (and that's not all bad - high as it is.) There are still midges and as the days get brighter and warmer they will play a role in the theater of the fly as well.
.. We'll let you know if it gets to 50° F over the coming weekend.

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