Gettin' Any ?

 SO FAR, SO GOOD

Madison Up

gallatin down

OFF TO A GOOD START

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.. 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.

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WALLPAPER: AMERICAN STANDARD BREAKFAST

The Slow Drip

LOW SNOW HIGH WATER

RAPID DISCHARGE

temperatures spiking

WALLPAPER: THE MELT IS ON

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., 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.

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WALLPAPER:  CHICKEN DONE RIGHT

Finally Here

GOT SOME

Still Down Some

watch for the warm up

LOOKING GOOD  --  FOR NOW

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.. 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.

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WALLPAPER:  Ragù alla Bolognese and Spinach

White Stuff . . . Please

WE NEED SNOW

Fish Need Water

entering mid winter thaw 

YELLOW IS NOT GOOD

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.. We had some light rain today. Asphalt is showing up on the streets. School kids are wearing short pants. We hit 42°F.

ORANGE IS NOT GOOD

.. The neighbors refer to this period as the "February Thaw."

.. We are in for some oscillating temperatures for the next few weeks.

.. Heavy show forecasts have been abysmally wrong the last couple of weeks and our mountain snow pack is suffering.

.. Added to our anxiety is the warmth of the Pacific Ocean.

.. La Niña is experiencing a mid winter flare up and the warmth has displaced both the polar jet stream and the low level storm tracks.

.. This current pattern is reminiscent of the the drought patterns of just a few years ago.

.. We're not too optimistic that a radical weather pattern shift is in order before springtime.

.. A poor compensation is that access to good fishing is easier right now than it has been in several years.

.. A sled is still needed for the South Fork Estuary - but there is no doubt about the lake water = legal to fish. Out run spawners of the large and snaky form are plentiful and are taking anything bigger than a nymph.

SURPRISE SURPRISE ... !

.. The neighbors are beginning to lay off the spawners by the road Between The Lakes. Better catching is available at the boat ramp near the head of Quake Lake.

.. Speaking of boat ramps: if you can get to it, the boat ramp at mid lake has a large bit of open water full of angry fish. Some are of good size. They were looking up this afternoon in the bright sun.

.. As strange as it seems a Muddler Minnow on the top was highly successful in catching large dance partners. At this point in the fishing year we will take any surprise that is offered.

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WALLPAPER:  ROAST PORK LOIN = NEAR PERFECT

It's Still Early

 HURTIN' SOME !

Lots To Make Up

we'll see "what if"

IS THIS O.K.  ??

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.. 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.

 

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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

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.. 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.

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WALLPAPER:  CHEESE OMELETTE WITH SAUSAGE

Another Gone Along

TO THE NORTH

Damn The Cold Pacific

we're hurtin'

THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

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..  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.

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WALLPAPER:  SHORT STACK

Let It Snow

 DOWN A BIT

Little In Forecast

pray for the fish

Current Snow Depth

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.. 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.

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WALLPAPER:  RIBEYE AND SPUDS

About That Snow

Very Wet

Slush Abounds

fluff in the high country

OUR VERY OWN REPORT

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..Over at "SNOFLO," (LINK,) is our neighborhood 'Snow Report.' This has many pages - well indexed - of current conditions and historical data. Makes it easy for checking on the Madison River and  Gallatin River snowpack, including snow water content. Check it out.

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WALLPAPER:  MEATBALL SANDWICH AND SIMPLE SALAD

Snowballs

NICE WET DUMP

Kids Pleased

more may come

A MOST SATISFYING SITUATION

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.. The snow and rain and temperature just go to prove it's Spring. We had a nice 4" dump of wet snow today. Then, we had a warm drizzle as the temperature climbed to 36°F for a couple of hours. The warm and wet happened just as Saturday basketball practice ended. Snowballs and short pants danced along the routes home.
..  Our snowpack is slightly above normal but, our snow water equivalent is a healthy 115% above seasonal average: this is a good thing for our rivers and the fishy inhabitants. Tomorrow and Monday promise to bring a warmer replay of today. We may hit 50°F by Tuesday. Nothing quite as much fun as a slushy St. Patrick's Day.
.. Come Wednesday or Thursday the local discharge rates should prove informative: Madison River chart, Firehole River Chart, Gallatin River Chart. Right now discharge is hovering around our seasonal norms - or - slightly above: we'll see.

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ROYAL COACHMAN BOMBER - WORKS NOW

.. The neighborhood conversation is jammed with three topics: good catching, rich folks back from Hawaii and, what supplies to lay in from the grocery store.
.. Good catching reports from three places: Between The Lakes, Boat Ramp at Quake Lake, Quake Lake Outlet.
.. Save for the occasional midge hatch all fish are being taken with subsurface nymph sorts of patterns. A few snakes are being reported from the boat ramp. The spawning exodus is under way.
.. Some rich folks have returned from Hawaii, (not in our neighborhood.) They had a good time, by all accounts. Social distance is the watchword from here on in. We promise not to kiss any strangers.
.. There are not noticeable shortages in our grocery stores - or the hardware store or, our convenience stores. Beer and toilet paper are still on the shelves. Sanitary wipes are still in their regular places. The madness should start around April 17, 2020 when the West Entrance opens. If our warm weather continues the skiers and bicyclists should be here in a couple of weeks.

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WALLPAPER:  COULD BE FAJITAS

Gettin' There

SNOWPACK IS HEALTHY

Still Just A Bit Low

anxiety relief

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.. Playing catch up produces some level of anxiety for fly folks when watching our snowpack. Our anxiety level is fairly low - for the moment.

GET YOURS NOW

.. We're having another tropical interlude. Day time highs are hovering around the melt point and, night time temperatures are not far below zero.
.. Our village is bustling and the ice fishers are arriving in significant numbers. Skiers come and go. They cluster around the weekend as do the sledheads. Grocery shopping is best accomplished on Sunday during church. Otherwise traffic jams in the aisles provoke multi-lingual confrontations.

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.. On a different note the high school kids are still sporting short pants. Day walks to the museums and zoo happen periodically. There are a few shops open and anticipation is running high for the big happenings this weekend.
.. Ukuleles are beginning to show up and they cause a stir in this winter playground.

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WALLPAPER:  PREP THEM SHRIMP

That Time Of Year

MORE TYING

Less Catching

a lot of squinting

WALLPAPER:  SPIKII THE LITTLE GOLDEN STONEFLY

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.. We are watching the white stuff falling out of the sky. It's a blessing and is sure to be appreciated by the ski crowd, the sledheads, and, the fly fishers around here.

BEAD HEAD SHOP VAC

.. Some of the young folks are taking sleds to the mouth of the estuary of the South Fork of the Madison River. The spawn is about over and the snakes are returning to Hebgen Reservoir. The ice is creeping toward the river and soon it will not be legal to fish and catch over  there. But, as long as the estuary extends into the reservoir beyond the natural shoreline the trouts are fair game.
.. As the discharge slows into the reservoir the debris and flotsam hangs in the water before sinking. Trouts enjoy these slim - but easy - pickings. small twigs, leaf bits, nymphs, and other debris are all indiscriminately gobbled up by very hungry sex ravaged trout. Some fishers know about this.

SCALAWAG

.. The neighbors are mostly using one of three patterns: Spikii, Bead Head Shop Vac and, Scalawag. These can be seen and are very attractive in the debris fall from the discharge into the estuaries.
.. These patterns are easy to tie and require only a modicum of squinting, (sizes 10 - 16.) This is a good thing!

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..  Over the next couple of warm days we could get 6 or 7 inches of very dry fluff. It will make for good snapshots and stories of buried snow machines. It will also make tender cornices that will trigger avalanches. SLEDHEAD beware. Some skiers head that high up the mountains too. There are some new trucks parked around he Gallatin County Sheriff and Rescue building.

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WALLPAPER:  ROAST BEAST SANDWICH