Montana Water

Looks like snowpack for the Clave area is very low and, like in
Colorado you had some early melting. But also like Colorado, there's
been some significant moisture over the last week. Weird weather year.
Anyone have any feeling on the water situation and how it will
effect the fishing come Clave time?

Willi

I have been trying to find out, Willi, and my current "impression" is:

that everything is likely to be ahead of schedule ( hatches) ... BUT
that has slowed a lot the last couple weeks in the colder, wetter, weather

I've called Blue Ribbon, Henry's Fork Anglers, TroutHunter and a couple
area friends in the last week or so and the "educated guesses" I've gotten
have ranged from "probably a lot like last year" to " probably close to
normal" ... in reference to hatches and fishing .. clearly the water
situation is critical in most of the West regardless of how many fish we all
catch

To put that in perspective, last year was, imho, ...poor ( compared to
what it can be ... I still caught rising fish every day and some real nice
ones, but only had two or three days when you could tell what it can really
be like on the Fork or Madison )

IMHO, if, this summer warms way up to record temps like last year ( no, Mr
George Bush Jr, global warming isn't "proven" .... no, neither is evolution
.... those silly 99% of the scientists and their junk science can't be
trusted ... you just continue to believe what the oil companies tell you to
believe, that's what you do best )
...oops, sidetracked ..... if the weather stays "normal" or cooler than
normal for the next month ... it may be really wonderful fishing around
clave time
... but, last year by mid-July the Madison(YNP), Firehole and
Gibbon were closed to fishing because the water was too hot and it was very
rare, on any area water, to find the bigger fish feeding on the surface,
hatches were just too sporadic ... even the caddis were coming off after
dark, not just late Spinner falls were the most reliable action (
besides chuck and duck ... but who the hell drives 1500 miles to nymph? )
Even the higher areas like Slough Creek were an inferno by mid-July ... my
log shows me complaining about the too damn HOT day there, on July 16th

ANYway ... I'm expecting better fishing than last year, poorer than what the
area can really provide ...but I'm no expert, and I haven't found anyone
willing to stick out his neck and really commit to a prediction ... as Willi
says, " Weird weather year."

There's always the other side of the story .... just checked the weather in
Alaska and was very sad to see it's raining and expected to for the next
several days .... my wife is there and I'd like her to have sunny and warm
..... can you imagine what a bitch it would be to be the weathergod and
actually try to please everyone ??

take a look at these, Willi, Warren sent me the link

ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/id.txt

and

ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/mt.txt


the snow pack percentages look real bleak, but the overall precipitation
figures aren't nearly as scary Several people I've talked to have told
me that the current rains and wintry mix seem to be soaking in, not running
off. In that case the water might actually be better for the rivers than an
equivalent amount of water in quickly melted snow, replenishing the rivers
and keeping them cool over a much longer part of the summer

Larry L wrote:

take a look at these, Willi, Warren sent me the link

ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/id.txt

and

ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/mt.txt


the snow pack percentages look real bleak, but the overall precipitation
figures aren't nearly as scary Several people I've talked to have told
me that the current rains and wintry mix seem to be soaking in, not running
off. In that case the water might actually be better for the rivers than an
equivalent amount of water in quickly melted snow, replenishing the rivers
and keeping them cool over a much longer part of the summer



Thanks for the links. Very similar to the situation in my part of
Colorado. My guess is that if we don't get an extreme hot spell like
last Summer, the rivers in the area of the Clave should be in what I
consider excellent fishing condition, relatively low but still nice and
cool, when we're there. That's my hope anyway.

I think Warren picked a good time, August is going to be rough again
this year I think.

Willi

"Willi" wrote


I think Warren picked a good time, August is going to be rough again
this year I think.



yes, I agree that Warren "done good" ..... if I had to bet my money on the
largest number of different YNP area waters being "prime" at one time, I'd
pick the same time frame I hope to meet you and Warren, maybe some of the
other roffians.

But I'm probably going to move out of the area about the time the clave
starts ... why? ... because it should also be prime time on another river
( new to me ) I want to fish, one suggested by a Russell, and one that looks
( I've been there, but never fished ) exactly like "Larry's kinda place"
The problem is that prime time is prime time in too many places at the same
time.

Then we get August, and it's hard going even in a good year ...feast or
famine. Well not famine really, Tricos .... I love 'em G

Larry L wrote:
"Willi" wrote


I think Warren picked a good time, August is going to be rough again
this year I think.




yes, I agree that Warren "done good" ..... if I had to bet my money on the
largest number of different YNP area waters being "prime" at one time, I'd
pick the same time frame I hope to meet you and Warren, maybe some of the
other roffians.

But I'm probably going to move out of the area about the time the clave
starts ... why? ... because it should also be prime time on another river
( new to me ) I want to fish, one suggested by a Russell, and one that looks
( I've been there, but never fished ) exactly like "Larry's kinda place"
The problem is that prime time is prime time in too many places at the same
time.

Keep us posted on your where abouts like you did last year. I enjoyed
those TRs. When you get to that place I hope to maybe meet up with you
there. Might be shaky though. My fishing prospects for the summer are
looking kinda bleak. We bought a new house last fall and SWMBO says the
basement must be finished.

Have fun,

Russell

"Russell" wrote

Keep us posted on your where abouts like you did last year. I enjoyed
those TRs.

Well thank you. This is the first fishing log I've kept and I found it
great fun. I went back over all the entries from last year and it's
amazing how much it brings back, and how much you can learn from your old
entries. For one thing, I seem to be a real grump, something I would never
have guessed G. I'll record into my laptop, daily, then upload when I
can find a 'Net connection.... check the site every week or so, if you want
to follow my misadventures

Some guys love the excitement of the new places, and so do I, but I far
prefer the intimacy and warmth of the familiar. I've fished the HFork and
Silver Creek nearly every year, at least a little, for many years now, and
they feel like home. The feeling of "home water" is what I hope will
evolve for my remaining summers, though my home has wheels.

I want to be able to know a few streams well enough to confidently say, " I
don't fish long hours, just the best hours." That is is what I seek from my
current study of fishing....intimacy with a few of Nature's best places.
That is far more important to me than catching a lot of fish or becoming a
"really good fisherman" ... I almost always "could have" caught more fish
than I do. After a few I'm no longer hungry for that and often just watch
'em feed, or go for a walk, instead of trying for more fish. "How many is
enough?" is a question with a different answer each day. One, done well,
can be enough ... sometimes 50 wouldn't be ... but the latter days now only
exist in my memory of a "hungry fisherguy" of the past, that looked a lot
like me.

Of course my desires involve commitment to learning a particular fishery.
At this point, I think that "a" fishery isn't enough, but I feel that I have
found my "summer home" in that eastern corner of Idaho and can be very happy
returning to the same places each year for as long as God makes that
possible. I'm sure my summers will consist of a few weeks at each of a few
"favorite places" ... although the order may vary each year, so that each
can be learned at various times. ...and I'm sure the place you suggested
will be on the list.


When you get to that place I hope to maybe meet up with you
there. Might be shaky though. My fishing prospects for the summer are
looking kinda bleak. We bought a new house last fall and SWMBO says the
basement must be finished.


I hope you can make it ....HWMBO ..HE who must be obeyed .... is your own
"spiritual side" and if you are anything like me, HWMBO says, " find some
water, .... fish, sit, look, and listen .... not necessarily in that order
..... " Not that it will help, but you can quote me to SWMBO g

"Larry L" wrote
I'll record into my laptop, daily, then upload when I
can find a 'Net connection.... check the site every week or so, if you
want
to follow my misadventures


I got a new, pocket sized, "water resistant" digital camera, too. I'm
certain I won't live up to Willi's example, but I plan to have the log "more
visual" this year.

Larry L wrote:

"Russell" wrote


Keep us posted on your where abouts like you did last year. I enjoyed
those TRs.


Some guys love the excitement of the new places, and so do I, but I far
prefer the intimacy and warmth of the familiar. I've fished the HFork and
Silver Creek nearly every year, at least a little, for many years now, and
they feel like home. The feeling of "home water" is what I hope will
evolve for my remaining summers, though my home has wheels.

The Teton is no longer my favorite type of stream to fish. I now much
prefer much smaller mountain streams. The types of streams where a
fourteen inch trout is huge. These are streams where Dippers (Water
Ouzels) seem to nod their approval as they follow you as you work your
way upstream. But, I have that intimacy of which you speak with the
Teton. It almost calls to me. On it's waters I learned to fly fish, and
for that reason alone I have a great fondness for it. When I on it I am
at home.




When you get to that place I hope to maybe meet up with you
there. Might be shaky though. My fishing prospects for the summer are
looking kinda bleak. We bought a new house last fall and SWMBO says the
basement must be finished.



I hope you can make it ....HWMBO ..HE who must be obeyed .... is your own
"spiritual side" and if you are anything like me, HWMBO says, " find some
water, .... fish, sit, look, and listen .... not necessarily in that order
.... " Not that it will help, but you can quote me to SWMBO g


Well said. However, it is unfair to lay this on my wife. In fact, the
other day she suggested that I go fishing. My To Do list won out. The
basement needs to be finished. Members of my wifes family often come
from Brazil for extended visits and I need to make room for them.

Russell