River Watch

STILL HIGH

Air Temperature Too

water warm as well

WALLPAPER: MADISON: WATER UP, SNOW DOWN

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.. Not to put too fine a point on it BUT, Our neighborhood rivers are at discharge rates above normal for this date.
.. Average air temperatures are running 2°F - 6°F above normal. Even the water temperature is a little bit above normal.
.. This is good for current catching but not so good of a prognosis for the coming summer conditions.

Briefly:

MADISON RIVER, PARK = 114%
HEBGEN DAM, OUTFLOW = 100%
MADISON RIVER, CAMERON = 103%
MADISON RIVER, ENNIS DAM = 143%
HENERY'S FORK = 116%
.. Interestingly the Gallatin River Canyon is cooling the Gallatin River and allowing some anchor ice but there is an unusual temperature shift - warmer water here than at Big Sky.
.. Even with the ice in and around the Gallatin River the flows at Gallatin Gateway are 113%.

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ALL PURPOSE

.. We got enough snow to shovel last night. It wasn't as much as predicted. We'll take it.
.. Another warm week ahead with temperatures climbing above freezing. No 40's predicted but, we'll see!

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WALLPAPER:   TWO PUMPKINS

Visit A Foreign Country

FISH OF THE SPUDLANDS

A Nympher's Delight

check flows -- catch fish

WALLPAPER: AT WATERFALL RIFFLES

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BEWARE OF IDAHO

.. A few miles, of delightful tailwater riffles and runs, await anglers willing to eschew the dry fly religion du jour.
.. We visited the Box Canyon of the Henry's Fork and it exercised our memory mechanisms. Hadn't fished there since 1968 or '69. Our error.
.. Back then we recognized two parts of the Snake River: 'The North Fork,' and 'The South Fork.' Folks today still understand when we say 'The South Fork.'

FLOAT BIG'UNS EARLY

.. "The Box" is an intimate stretch of water with a lot of willing fish.
.. We had believed, (in the 60's,) that it held 20,000 fish per mile. Today, the estimate is about 7,000 fish per mile. That's still a goodly number since the best holding water concentrates the fish.
.. There is nothing to prevent folks from floating a fly: some do, especially when the salmonflies are popping. The rumored truth of the matter is that the sub surface biota is so dense that the the fish just have to park themselves in a gentle spot and open their maw and let the river sweep food into it.

GET DOWN QUICK

.. This is both good and bad. You need to find the fish. You need to poke 'em in the nose.
.. History and geology conspire to make the simple task of catching a trout more difficult than it would seem to be.
.. The porosity of the jointed and segmented basalts of the Island Park Caldera provide many nooks and crannies for the resident biota and for the wayward nymph hook.
.. This is one place where the old axiom holds true: "If you ain't hookin' rocks - you ain't catchin' fish."

SHORT AND SWEET RIDE

.. The little canyon was carved by the combined forces of the Buffalo River and the Henry's Fork.
.. The scouring force of these two rivers was curtailed in 1939 when the Island Park Dam was completed.
.. The dam created the Island Park Reservoir and drowned some of the best fishing on the Trude Ranch, (yes . . . that Trude! President Herbert Hoover loved it.)
.. This dam and the check dam at the mouth of the Buffalo River just above it's confluence with the Henry's Fork River have slowed flows, (most of the time,) to produce ideal water for catching fish.
.. The dams have tamed the roiling, canyon carving discharge of the two rivers into a pleasant stretch of river for floating in a drift boat  -- or canoe, or tube, or kayak.
.. Should you not be a "nympher;" and should you fish with a guide, you will probably 'cherry pick' the riffles and fish in a most conservative manner. This will stab you some fish and lose you very few flies.

VERY SMALL WORKS TOO

.. If you're after the giants, and if you have flies to lose, you should probe the dark crevasses near large boulders. The giants are there. The crevasses hold deep dark secrets and enormous fish, as well as a full assortment flies - a veritable gold mine of history.
.. Look for flows in the 800 to 900 cfs for a gentle day. Fish deep and fish slow. Lose flies and call it good. Go big when the big bugs are around. Go as small as size 18 when they are not there.
.. You can even drown your favorite surface imitations - (after mashing them into nondescript wads,) and enjoy this little segment of the Snake River.
.. We'll be back.

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WALLPAPER:   BUREAU OF RECLAMATION WATER HOUSE - 1939

Far And Away

MORE THAN JUST RUMOR

In A Remote Land

gas up the trusty horse

ON THE FORK

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.. Even here in our isolated village when there comes news of spectacular catching in a land far away and in wild lands to the west of us: we listen.
.. Most parts of the HENRY'S FORK of the Snake River around Last Chance, in the foreign country of Idaho are producing catching stories of epic proportions.
.. From reports of a flav hatch that blotted out the sun, to Green Drakes the size of hummingbirds, to caddis in numbers not seen in decades; the reports are staggering. The fish are gluttonous and the fishers exuberant.

Trade Items

.. With the recent ratcheting up of the flows through the Box Canyon even float trips have become nearly gentle and fishers are becoming catchers with little effort. Double droppers and streamers are taking the legendary Rainbow Trout of "THE BOX."
.. We've put the bite on some of our inebriated neighbors and gathered together a war chest. It consists of enough trinkets, tackle, money, and maps to fuel an exploratory expedition to the wonders of the foreign country across the continental divide.
.. Body armor, wormwood infusions, brewed hops, MRE's, and gossamer tippets are in the provisions.  The kit also includes a simultaneous translator device to enable us to communicate with the natives. There are even very foreign looking buglettes that are rumored to entice exotic and cagy foreign trout to the hand.
.. Rivers wider than our driveway are not usually our choice for exploration, (yet we're stuck with way too many of them.) We've seen them fished. We've fished a few. We may have to suffer through another day of water where the far bank can't be reached with a cast from the near shore.
.. Should the moon and planets align correctly and should the opportunity arise, we shall mount the extended visitation to verify the legends. After all, we're loath to have to be forced to return the extorted largess to the original donors.
.. We'll report the results right here: should we be lucky enough to escape from the savages, over the hill, with our fingers and epidermis intact.

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WALLPAPER (Loaf 18):    SOURDOUGH SANDWICH BREAD

We'll Miss Ya

AS GOOD AS IT GETS

Kind, Gentle, Competent

caught fish & built rods too

 

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.. We can't say much more than has already been said. Ralph Moon has passed on after 85 years on this earth. He enriched us all with his charm, wit, insight, and joy for life and fly fishing.
.. About 18 years ago we became enamored with Ralph's personal rod. A unique taper that allowed us to fish big water with a short rod. It just fit us. At that time it was a 7 1/2', one tip, six weight that seemed to cast itself.
.. During an afternoon session in the basement rod shop I opined that the rod was nearly perfect. Ralph asked what it needed to be better.
.. "The same thing in a 5 weight would knock the socks of all the little fish in the lonely stretches of small waters that we liked to fish," burst from our lips.
.. About a year later the rod was ours, a surprise gift from Ralph. It was now fitted with two tips and cradled in a soft corduroy sleeve that was lovingly hand made by Pat Moon.
.. The rod now casts both tips with the same precision, delicacy, and ease. That's the kind of guy that Ralph was. Thanks again, more than a bunch, Ralph.
.. You can read his newspaper remembrance in the Island Park News. It does barely scratch the surface of this once fine fellow. He lives in our memory and that of may others. We're enriched for having known him.

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'Sno Snow

PLENTY OF GRAY

Sky, Water, Day

great for fishing

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.. Gentle drive across Idaho. Nothing but wind and a song to keep us company; and that's just fine.
.. The spuds are in: the Fork is fishing nicely, the hay is stacked, the sky is vast, and we'll have breakfast in about an hour - somewhere in Oregon.
.. Just for Ed - stopped to see if downtown Jerome was still the hot spot of southern Idaho. Report in 12 days.

*****

.. Click on over to ART CREEL for a special deal on limited edition prints from some of fly fishing's more renowned artists - (including Jeff Kennedy.)

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Crowded In Idaho Too

FISHING THE FORK

Disguised As A Tourist

saw big spring

fooled no one-------

.. It's just a short drive over the hill and into the Pacific Drainage. We do it frequently.
.. It's a change of scenery, and it's nice to keep up on road construction on that side of the divide.
.. The road is coming along just fine, thank you.
.. We stopped at Big Spring to feed the birds some trout food. They posed and so did a couple of fish. The blustery weather produced enough hail to drive most folks from the river about 5:00 PM.
.. The quiet time has hit the "road water" on the Henry's Fork.
.. Despite the slowdown in catching, fishers continue to 'elbow-up' in all the usual places.The truly committed folks fish the ditch, and around the memorial out house.
.. Fish are taken by those that have the patience and dexterity to try many fly patterns.
.. The prolific hatches continue to roll on - the fish love it. They can, however, tell the real ones from the fakes since they have been pounded unmercifully.
.. Spinners are the action right now. But what kind? Baetis, Callibaetis, Flavs, PMD's, Caddis? Yup - all are working occasionally. So are the classics and the cripples - on occasion!
.. Keep a full box exercised and present your fly gently to the mirror smooth places in the never-ending riffles.
.. Some of the time a fish will surprise you. Most of the time you will surprise, (or amuse,) the fish.
.. Hoppers have begun to make their appearance felt; along with Beetles and Ants. Keep some of them handy too.
.. Oh, and of course that tickle in your nose and ears lets you know that the midges are about as well!
.. No big fish were fooled by us. They must have known we were coming. A few 12" youngsters grabbed a floating Feather Duster. And the village idiot took a midge cluster that was mostly thread. Oh well, at least the cormorants were entertained.

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.. However, the most entertaining interlude of the sojourn was the visit to Big Springs. It's a source of constant delight to see a whole river just boiling up from the ground.
.. The crowds on the Henry's Fork were dwarfed by throngs at the springs. Inclement weather or not this place is a big draw.
.. There seem to be fewer fish nowadays, and even fewer big fish. Rumors of poaching have been legion for the last 40 years that we know of.
.. Yet there are still some dandy fish. The splashes in the spring pool attest to the population density of smaller fish.
.. The serenity and beauty of the locality is stunning. Dedicated photographers have been known to spend days and weeks trying to capture it's essence. Winter or summer; rain or shine the images are plentiful and can be spectacular.
.. We just point and shoot - sometimes we get lucky. Posted images are inordinately large - click on them to see detail.

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A Moldy Blog Gathers No Moss

NEW ADDRESS FOR
THE REEL PURE

Fix It Now
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Henry's Fork Aliens

.. The folks at MOLDY CHUM have a new address. They have some new headers. They have a new host. Bless 'em all.

Here's the link that will get you there:

http://moldychum.squarespace.com/

.. Now there is a Forums Page, Surf Topics Page, Archives Page, Links Page, & a link to the Reel Pure Store. Check it out. We sadly note that we are no longer a friend of the Moldy Bunch.

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.. The Standard Journal reports that the Henry's Fork Council is preparing their battle plan to wage war on invasive species. Read it HERE.

PSSSST - Right Now

GET TO ISLAND PARK NOW

Kokanee At Coffee Pot

OR

Big Fish At Tower
BIG CHANGES FOR MONTANA FISHING !!

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.. We've got just enought time to let you know that the sparse run of Kokanee on the Henry's Fork is concentrated around Coffee Pot. They won't last long. Get there quick.
.. If you miss them, there is a good bunch of fish at the Tower - Yellowstone confluence. Hoppers and Cahills. More tomorrow.

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.. Read about a flock of proposed regulation changes in the Bozeman Chronicle. Affected rivers include: Yellowstone, Ruby, Madison, Darlington Ditch, Big Hole. Some Reservoirs are also included. The proposed changes would be in force for the 2008 - 11 fishing seasons.