The Weather Extremes

What a difference a week makes. My previous report from last week was titled "Amazing Weather", describing the incredible run of weather that the inter-mountain west had been experiencing for weeks. Since then, a fast moving, cold weather system moved in over the weekend and has dropped over 40" of snow in the high country, and a good 6 inches in the valley as of today. People are actually skiing Teton Pass already. Our first day on the Missouri River last week had us basking in abundant sunshine and warm weather; local guides we spoke to at the boat ramp were still talking of hopper activity. By the end of the trip, we were chucking streamers in foul weather, and sight-fishing in thick Baetis hatches. We had a great time traveling through the "Last Best Place", covering water on the Missouri and Beaverhead Rivers.
If you're ever up that way, don't miss Montana River Outfitters in Wolf Creek for great lodging options, The Trout Shop in Craig for bugs, and Izaak's in Craig for a great steak. The drive home was rugged through snow and wind. Anglers here are all now flocking to their favorite Brown trout spots looking for aggressive fall feeders. This weather should certainly do the trick. With the "La Nina" weather pattern settling in, forecasters are calling for a big winter. Good news for the rivers and the skiers. I can't remember ever seeing so much snow fall, so early in the season. Here's a few shots from our trip. Stan and I holding the typical Missouri River Rainbow. A great shot of the sunset below Craig, and a view of the broad 'Mo from the Wolf Creek bridge.

Amazing Weather

We are now going on seven weeks of some of the most amazing Fall weather that I have ever seen since living in Wyoming. The temperatures have been reaching highs into the middle 60's with calm winds and abundant sunshine. The foliage is still hanging on in many parts of the valley too. This time of year, the weather can go either way. It can literally cool down and begin to snow in September some years; this year has been an absolute treat. If you're chasing Brown trout right now, I'm sure you are wishing for a weather change. Since fishing the South Fork last week, I've only been out fishing once. Stan Czarniak and I walked the Snake yesterday below Moose under these perfect weather conditions. The fishing was OK...not great. There was not much of a hatch, and the streamer bite was marginal. As an avid Fall angler, I must say it is time for a weather shift. The amazing weather unfortunately has its consequences on the fishing. Bright skies makes these fish nervous; cloudy, foul weather would also spark some serious BWO's, Midges and a streamer bite too. Stan and I are leaving tomorrow with four days ahead of us on the Missouri River in central Montana. For those of you who know me well, you know how much I love this river and the region it flows through. The weather up there lately has been similar...very warm and bright. The most recent report I've received was that fish were actually still looking at hoppers! The forecast looks good for the weekend up there...increasing clouds with a few showers. Bring on the hatch! We'll keep our fingers crossed. Either way, heading North to Big Sky country this time of year always promises to be a great trip. Fall in Montana is not a season, but a state of mind that I look forward to experiencing all year. Enjoy a couple of photos here from prior trips to Montana. Scott Smith snapped this first amazing shot of myself and Meeks Krueger fishing the Clark Fork. The second one is a sunset shot after taking out on the Big Hole. Lastly, here's a typical Missouri River 'Bow. More soon...

Guides Weekend

At the end of each guiding season, the Jack Dennis guiding crew usually puts together at least a day trip to kick back and do some fishing amongst ourselves. Since the weather this fall has been so nice, we decided to do an overnight on the South Fork. We spent the past two days floating between Conant and Byington, serving up streamers and dry flies to some hungry fish. The fishing was great, but what was even better was all of the periphery things that come with an overnight river trip. Fantastic weather and foliage made it an absolute delight to be on the water. Camping around Gormer Canyon was the icing on the cake. We picked one of the most beautiful campsites on the river, and sat around a campfire sipping beer and wine, and eating flank steaks wonderfully prepared by Scott Smith. Great time guys...thank you! The river has dropped significantly over there; we're looking at about 4,400 cfs near Irwin. The fish are really starting to concentrate over here too. Streamers, mahoganies and even a few hoppers did the trick. Look for the South Fork to drop even further soon. These next few weeks should see some more aggressive eats from the Browns; whether you are on the South Fork or up in Yellowstone, the fall bite should be kicking into high gear with some cooler temps on the way. Instead of posting photos of guides holding ridiculously large fish, enjoy a few lifestyle shots that exemplify why we do what we do.

Slowing Down

The second week of October is upon us. The days are noticeably shorter and cooler; the auto and pedestrian traffic around town has diminished. The local streams are quiet and the fishing is good. I've just about wrapped up the 2010 guiding season. Although there is still fantastic fishing to be had, the pool of potential fishing clientele is virtually empty. The guiding season went by very fast for me this year. May and June brought us some very wet and cold weather, which produced very high water. Before we knew it, it was early July and the fishing was beginning to turn on. The "summer" consisted of only July and August. Fortunately, September was spectacular: great weather and fine fishing. The Green, South Fork and Snake all produced consistently good fishing, and I was fortunate to guide some really great people this year. Thanks to all of my clients and guiding colleagues for such a great summer. If you are thinking about fishing the Snake this week, I'd go for it. The weather is still great, and the river is low (377 cfs our of Jackson Lake Dam), so the fish are stacked! Look for mayflies early near the Dam, and later in the day on the lower river. I wouldn't hesitate to throw a hopper either late in the day. The Jack Dennis fishing guides are headed to the South Fork later this week for an overnight trip to celebrate the end of our season, and to usher in some serious fall fishing. After that, it will be time to head north to the grand Missouri River to experience fall fishing Montana style. Stay tuned for more reports. Here's a few fresh photos to enjoy. Fall colors at the Oxbow Bend in Teton Park; a healthy brown that fell for a dry fly; the joy of a large fish exploding on a surface fly, and the exhilaration of a bent rod and a tight line. More soon!

Snake River Water Cuts

Late last night, the Bureau of Reclamation began cutting the water flows from Jackson Lake Dam, which affects the Snake River levels through our valley. Typically, the first week of October is when we see the Snake River reduced to its "winter flows". The plan that many of us saw over the last few weeks via email had the Bureau gradually cutting the water over a four day period. Well, after moving the river from 1,100 cfs to 850 overnight, they proceeded to drop it to 500 cfs during the day today, and then actually raise it back up to 550 cfs. Not sure why they did this. The ultimate level that we will end up seeing will likely be below 500 cfs. Anglers would prefer to see a more gradual drop during these water cuts. Not only does a drastic cut in flows affect the fishing, it also can potentially strand fish in side-channels throughout the river, since they may not have enough time to react to the dropping water. I was not happy to see the graph tonight on the USGS site showing such a drastic drop. (Check my link list below for Wyoming Streamflow data, and go to the Snake River near Moran). Despite all of this, I did have a fantastic day of guiding today on the Snake from the Dam to Pacific Creek. The Trico hatch is still happening in full force in the mornings, and we hit it pretty good. Although they were tough, there were plenty of larger fish up on dries in very shallow water...good fun! Here's a couple of pictures I've been meaning to post for awhile: brothers Fred and Ted Thranhardt with a pair of great fish that fell for dry flies from the South Fork Canyon last week. The third photo is one I snapped on Deadman's to Moose recently: the classic Fall shot of the Tetons. Enjoy!