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Western Montana Fishing Report
April 14 thru April 22, 2008

Another week of more than 'unseasonably cool' weather made fishing a challenge this week. Though most days found a few mayflies, as well as skwala on the water, temps in the mid to upper 30's most of the time made
for very few of anything actually on the water.

Fishing for the most part ranged from down right miserable... To what some folks claimed was 'epic'. I was actually skunked on a boat with a couple of folks for what I believe was the first time of my guiding career.
Fortunately, for both myself and that couple of gentlemen, they followed a couple of tough days with their 'epic' day. Rumor has it they might have brought to hand as many as 100 trout... Not a bad day considering when they
weren't landing fish they were chipping ice from their guides.

Overall, it was a strange spring. Temps seemed to average about 20 degrees below normal most the spring, and are not improving yet. I'd expect about another week of good fishing before some of that snow that's packed good in the high country decides to make it's way westward. Since we're not doing any more trips until salmon fly season, this will be our last report until late May. Until then.

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Western Montana Fishing Report
April 7 thru April 14, 2008

It's been another weird week here in Western Montana. The temps early in the week hovered around the mid 40's... Only to see them jump up to the mid 70's by weeks end. The weird part, as if temps alone weren't weird enough, is the fishing remained good to excellent all week long.

We're still seeing plenty of skwala on the water and along the banks, the blue winged olives are thick most days there's any kind of cloud cover, and the March Browns are showing in good numbers. Add a few nemora into that
mix, and the beginnings of some caddis, not to mention abundant midge, and you begin to see why spring fishing can have it's good points.

With temps forecast to remain in the low to mid 70's thru Monday, I'd look for the rivers to spike a bit for the next few days. However, the outlook is for the temps to drop back into the low to mid 50's Tuesday, and remain that
way for the next several days. This should drop water levels right back down, and allow us to fish on stable or dropping water for the majority of the week.

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Western Montana Fishing Report
Mar. 31 thru April 7, 2008

Unseasonably cold weather made fishing early in the week a game for the rugged, as temperatures hung in the high 30's to low 40's from the weekend thru Friday. Though the temps made fishing difficult... Many days the
fisherman was dipping his rod in the water to remove ice that had collected in his guides... Other than the last day of cold weather, fish responded well to flies.

As we moved into the weekend, temps climbed into the balmy mid-forties range. Along with the warmer weather we began to see a few blue winged olives, a lot of midge, and even the occasional March Brown. The Blackfoot
is fishing decent on midge clusters, while the Clark Fork and Bitterroot continue to produce on skwala patterns as well as midge imitations and the occasional mayfly imitation.

With temperatures this week forecast in the upper forties early in the week, rising to the low 60's by week's end, I'd expect more of the mayflies to start popping on all our waters. For those venturing over to Montana this
week, I'd also have a few caddis patterns tucked away... Just in case we start to see a few of the Grannum start to pop.

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Western Montana Fishing Report
March 17 thru March 24, 2008

It was an on again, off again week here in Western Montana. The early half of the week produced some excellent fishing days, with strikes in the 20 plus per rod rate. Later in the week, and especially on Saturday, prior to
Easter Sunday, the skies produced blue bird weather with temps in the high 40's, low 50's, and it seems everyone who owned a rubber ducky or K-mart rod decided to take to the river and declare themselves a fisherman.

Needless to say, Saturday was tough fishing. Fortunately, Sunday saw most these folks back in church and glued to their televisions or computers... Playing hunting or fishing games... And the rivers were once again much more
friendly.

There still has been no sign of March Browns or Grannum caddis, though I would expect a few to start showing any time. Main hatches are still the nemora, capnia and skwala stoneflies. If venturing out on your own, I'd have
several styles of skwala tucked away in my pocket. Not only would I carry several of the traditional large and bulky patterns, I'd also include a few in the more subtle ties... For those fish that seem a little finicky.

With this weeks weather forecast for temps in the mid to upper 40's most the week, I'd expect another week of good to excellent fishing on the Root and upper Clark Fork.

For those of you who might be following the Milltown Damn project, this is the week they expect to begin sending water around the damn... Making it the first time in nearly 100 years fish will be able to pass up and down the Clark Fork drainage. No one is completely sure how much fish kill might take place due to the process of removing the damn, but most estimates show a high mortality... At least as far down stream as where the Bitterroot joins the Clark. For those of us that supported the removal of the damn, we feel a slight, short term loss should be far outweighed by the long term benefits of uninterrupted fish passage. Time will tell, but I'm optimistic.

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Western Montana Fishing Report
March 10 thru March 16, 2008

Well, it looks like those skwala decided it was time to get moving. They started popping early in the week, and obviously, the fishing began to improve almost immediately. Though the hatches are still just a trickle, there have been enough coming off to get the fish turned on to them, and almost every day this week a well placed skwala or nemora pattern could elicit a strike from a hungry trout.

Weather conditions stayed up in that 50 degree range early in the week, then dropped back into the low to mid 40's by weeks end. The forecast for this week is mid to upper 40's all week. These temps should be fine as far as
keeping the fish and bugs active. If the breeze stays down, it should also be fine for the fisherman or woman.

I guess what I'm taking so long to say is the following, 'If you've been waiting to get over to Western Montana and wet a line for some great dry fly action, the time is finally here.'

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Western Montana Fishing Report
March 3 thru March 10, 2008

Definitely a transitional week here in Western Montana. Still enough winter in the air to keep most bugs subsurface, though enough warmth to get them at least thinking about venturing out into the great unknown. About mid-week, goodly numbers of nemora were reported around the Bell Crossing bridge, and numerous skwala nymphs were found moving around in the gravel alongside the shores. To me, this indicates we're not too far from some top water action.

If you couple this earlier activity to a weekend where the ambient temps reached mid to upper 50's, combined with similar weather for today, all indications are we very well could see skwala floating along at least a few
of the currents by the weekend if not mid week. Though this is just a guess, I sure would not hesitate to give it a try almost any day from here on in. To be safe, however, I'd make sure there were at least a few nymphs in my
fly box for the next few days. With luck, I'll be able to venture onto the water myself shortly.

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Western Montana Fishing Report
March 1, 2008

Well, here we are. It's another year, and the sun's still coming up, the birds are once again migrating, and the ice is beginning to depart. I guess it's time for Backdoor Outfitters to get back into the fishing mode, and
start getting out some reports.

What I can tell you at this time is the water is great. Clarity is fine... Though temps are still a bit low. About the best temp I've heard of is one taken last week, when the ambient got up to about 55. Late afternoon yielded
a stream temp of about 38, a few degrees short of that magical 40 to 42 needed to get those stoneflies really moving about and hatching. Most, if not all, activity so far this spring has been with a nymph or streamer. Some
nice fish have been being landed for those who like fishing sub surface.

As for when things are going to get started on top. Well, you might not want to rely upon me for that prediction. After all, I predicted the Patriots were going to win the super bowl... though I was beginning to wonder if
anyone could go 18-0 in professional football, and was thinking the Giants were looking tougher every game.

Anyway, what I'm thinking is, if we get a couple days in the mid to upper 50 bracket, it should get those Skwala up and about. Our snow pack is pretty good this year. Most of it is about 5,000 and up, but we're sitting at about
119% snow water equivalence and 111% precipitation for the year. My guess is this will keep the waters a little cooler... At least for this spring... And set back those early March/late Feb. Skwala hatches we've been having the last few years while snow packs were low and temps were up. It might be one of those years where the Skwala really get going later in the month, with Nemora and Capnia dominating the early top water action here in the Clark Fork drainage.

On a different note. For those of you who have not heard, our son, Cody, is getting married this March (the 14th. To be exact) to a very nice girl from here in Stevensville, Katie Brown. We're looking forward to the happy date.

Finally, Pat is continuing to improve in health, and my surgery seems to have gone well. My shoulder is once again functional, and the constant pain has definitely lessened. My hope is to spend many more days on the water
this year.

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