Stop The Haul

The part-time activist within me awoke again this week when I became aware of a situation that could potentially threaten some very pristine areas of Western Trout and Salmon country. Public officials from numerous state-run agencies have evidently been spending the past few years planning a program with numerous oil companies (such as Conoco-Phillips, and Exxon), to use rural roads and rivers in the Western United States as industrial corridors, transporting very large pieces of equipment. These "megaloads" (up to 30 feet high, 24 feet wide, 220 feet long and weighing in at 650,000 pounds), would be barged up the Columbia River system to the Port of Lewiston, Idaho, with an ultimate destination of the Tar Sands of Alberta, Canada. Once leaving Port Lewiston, these loads would be trucked along some very hollowed waterways, including the Lochsa, the LoLo, the Main Clearwater and the Big Blackfoot Rivers (the latter being made famous by Norman MacLean's "A River Runs Through It"). Many questions and worries come to mind when hearing of plans like these, especially considering the size and width of these loads, traveling along two-lane, rural highways. Not only should accidents and public safety be considered, but also the impacts on recreation in these areas. Please click here All Against The Haul to learn more and sign this important petition! Attached is a picture of a Conoco-Phillips coker drum, one of many items that could travel this route more than 250 times in the near future. The second photo is one of the Tar Sands in Alberta, Canada. “Alberta oil is conflict-free energy,” stated MT Governor Brian Schweitzer. Really? Lastly, a great shot of the Columbia River Gorge...the area where these megaload journeys would begin. I don't have much of an update yet on a recent post that I did on the Montana House Bill 309 (that could make your favorite fishing spot a "drainage ditch", and inaccessible). It looks like the MT house will vote on this in early March. Look for Montana Troutfitters
on Facebook to keep informed on this one.

The Healthy 'Mo

After a lengthy run of dry conditions around here, we woke up this morning to a report of 13" of new snow in the high country. Over the past few weeks, the snowpack/water equivalency data had been showing a steady drop in the snowpack (although still hovering just above 100% of normal). This blast of snow last night should bump our numbers up again. The deep snowpack around here typically translates into healthy fisheries. More water means happier, healthier trout and aquatic insects. It also means that during the longer runoff period, the fish are not harassed quite as aggressively by anglers. Successive years of high water is great news for river systems all over the inter-mountain west. Check out this article on the condition of one of my favorite rivers, the Missouri River. Back-to-back high water years is boding well for insects, and the 'Mo's healthy rainbows, like this one pictured here. Click here Missouri River Trout to check out the story. Here's another great Scott Smith produced short video below to get everyone out there thinking about another fishing season! Scott does a great job of letting viewers sample some of what the Jackson area has to offer, including some brief glimpses of No Tell Canyon. Enjoy!

The Cure For Cabin Fever

It can be a long winter in Western Wyoming. The rainy, snowy and cold weather can often last up to eight months here. Even an avid skier who usually enjoys winter, like myself, increasingly has thoughts of spring and summer and images in the head of some serious dry-fly fishing. The winter days are shorter and colder, and the opportunities to go wet a line are much more limited. Most anglers I know around here usually develop cabin fever by this time of year. Symptoms include restlessness, irritability, irrational frustration with everyday objects, forgetfulness, laughter, excessive sleeping, distrust of anyone they are with, and an urge to go outside even in the rain, snow or dark. Anyone else out there feelin' it? Not too worry...click on this video produced by my good buddy and co-guide Scott Smith. Nice work Scott.



Here's a few shots of Scott that should help as well...

Montana Stream Access

Thanks to Facebook, I became aware yesterday of a plan gaining fast momentum to rewrite Montana's stream access laws. Republican representative Jeff Welborn, of Dillon, has put forth a bill that would revamp the stream access law in Montana to "make any waterway that receives water diverted from a natural stream off limits to public recreation". Essentially, any water body that gets water diverted into it would be off limits to anglers. Apparently, the way that bill HB 309 is written, the entire Bitteroot River would be reclassified as a "ditch", IE, illegal to access. Many landowners in Montana complain of anglers abusing irrigation ditches, which they cannot legally fish. Welborn says that the bill is only a remedy to a recent Montana Supreme Court ruling on the Mitchell Slough, which was ruled to be a sidechannel of the Bitteroot, and not a ditch. Montana has always had very generous stream access laws that have favored both anglers and landowners; it would be a shame to see this change. Bruce Farling, the Montana Trout Unlimited Director, has said that "The measure is a sneaky attempt to undermine Montana's stream access law that guarantees the public the right to get to streams and rivers." The issue is on the way to the Montana Senate as I write. Whether you are a Montana resident or not, click here to send your comments: Tell the Montana Legislature



Also, check out this article from the Montana Standard to learn a little more:Montana Standard



I'll certainly be paying close attention to this over the next few days. The access laws in Big Sky country make it possible for myself and many others to experience some truly magnificent places and fishing. Stay tuned. Here's a couple of nice shots of accessing some fine Montana water and releasing its resource.

Guide Wars

I came across an ironic image recently on the internet via the Drake Magazine online website. As many readers may remember, the issue of Jackson guides going "over the hill" into Idaho to legally take clients fishing on the South Fork of the Snake has been a hot topic of conversation around here. There are numerous guides that live in Wyoming that are legally licensed to guide anglers on the lower section of the Snake River in Idaho (commonly referred to as the South Fork). It is typical for many local guides, myself included, to offer the South Fork as an option to clients who want to experience this incredible fishery. Yes, we have plenty of water over here, including the Green, Snake and Yellowstone. The reality is that during certain times of the season, the South Fork can be red-hot, and our clients would simply like to fish it. By licensing ourselves legally through Idaho outfitters, we pay annual fees and taxes to take folks over. Even though we are contributing to the local Idaho economy on these day trips (shuttles, flies, licenses and beer purchases), there are a handful of guides and outfitters over there that just don't like us coming over. In fact, there is one operation in particular that has tried to make it very difficult for us over the years. Even though we are legal, they often harass us and display poor river and boat ramp etiquette in our presence. They have gone so far as to make claims on certain guides that they are doing things illegally, when they are not. Click here Drake Magazine Online to see what these guys were caught doing last year. Very ironic. Many thanks to the Drake.


For those of you that missed this week's edition of the Jackson Hole News, Paul Bruun had a great column on the dire situation that native Yellowstone Cutthroat trout are facing in Yellowstone lake and its tributaries (which I posted on a few weeks ago). Click here to check it out: Paul
Bruun

Also, check out my buddy Brad Schwarm's great website exhibiting some truly fine regional photography...good stuff Brad. Click here to take a look:Brad Schwarm Photography


I ran into town a few nights ago to practice some night photography. Enjoy a few photos from Jackson's famous town square, as well as a shot of my wife Rachael displaying one of the reasons we love the South Fork so much. More soon!

Plenty of Water

As the end of January draws near, the stats on the snowpack and water-equivalency across Wyoming look great. Every drainage in the state is reporting data that is well above average for this time of year for snowpack and for the amount of water being held in the snow. The upper Snake River Basin, the upper Green River Basin and the Upper Yellowstone-Madison basin are all showing snow and water figures hovering at 120% of normal for this time of year. This has certainly been excellent news for skiers, but is also excellent news for anglers. These areas drain water to most of the spots that we fish around here. More snow, means more water, which means healthier area fisheries and better fishing. Click this link to check out the data in more detail: Wyoming Snow-Precipitation Data
Other than skiing and tying a few flies, not much else is going on around here. Now that the days are getting a little longer and brighter, 2011 fishing has been slowly moving into the front of my mind. I like surfing the web this time of year to help satiate the fly-fishing addiction. Checking out photos, stories and travel sites can all help. My friend and former co-worker Doug Mcknight has just launched a new website that is worth checking out: Doug Mcknight's Big Water Studio Doug is an incredibly talented artist, fly-tyer and fishing guide who resides in Livingston, Montana. Check him out! Enjoy a couple of photos this week: Sunrise in the Tetons, and a stud-Brown Trout held by Doug Mcknight.

Helping Yellowstone's Native Fish

As many of you may know, native Yellowstone Cutthroat trout are a highly threatened species right now as a result of the rapidly expanding population of non-native Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake. In 1994, biologists discovered that non-native Lake Trout were illegally introduced to Yellowstone Lake. As many as 3.5 million Cutthroat once inhabited the lake. It is now believed to be just a fraction of that number. These fish are not only a beautiful , strong Cutthroat strain, but also an intricate part of the Yellowstone ecosystem that Eagles, Osprey, Otters and Bears depend on to survive. Trout Unlimited has just sent out an "action alert" to its members asking for help, so I thought I would pass it along to non-members too. The park service has developed a draft plan and environmental analysis addressing future protection and restoration of the park's native fish. The Native Fish Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment is meant to outline the actions needed to help protect native fish in the park for the next 20 years. Not only would native Yellowstone Cutthroat benefit, so would Westslope Cutthroat and stream-dwelling Grayling, both of which used to exist in the park, and could be reintroduced. Trout Unlimited is asking that we tell the park service that native fish conservation should be the number one fisheries priority in the park, including reducing the harm that Lake Trout has had on native Cutthroat.




Please click on this link http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=37967&tr=y&auid=7636043

to specifically, tell the Park Service that:
1) You support its stated objective to make suppression of lake trout in Yellowstone Lake the highest priority action for native fish conservation in the Park;

2) You support the Park's stated, measurable targets for restoration of the Yellowstone cutthroat population in the lake, as well as the objectives for stream miles to eventually be occupied by Westslope cutthroats and Grayling;

Also, ask the Park to:
Increase the time and resources it dedicates to lake trout removal to ensure the population of this non-native predator is reduced to numbers that result in a significant rebound of Yellowstone cutthroat trout numbers.
Employ rigorous monitoring to ensure the Park meets its stated objectives, and to implement important research projects that help the Park better understand where lake trout spawn and how they move about the lake. This important information will help ensure the Park achieves its objectives.
Implement the recommendations from a science panel the Park convened in 2008 to help guide its efforts on the lake.








If you would like to read more specifics on this conservation plan and assessment, click on this link:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=111&projectID=30504&documentID=37967&tr=y&auid=7636041



The more feedback the park gets, the better. They will be taking comments through January 31st, so lets act quick! For those of you that have not visited Yellowstone, it is home to some of the most pristine fisheries on the planet...an absolute treasure. Enjoy some photos too...a healthy fly-caught Yellowstone Cutthroat successfully released; the stunning Firehole River; a remote spot on the Yellowstone River; walking the Lamar River with my daughter Charlotte.

January Thaw

Without fail every January, a thaw hits Western Wyoming and a temporary snow melt usually begins. We are in a Winter Weather Advisory right now, with plenty of wind and moisture hitting the area. I spent the morning with Rachael skiing in Teton Village with some old friends. The skiing above the valley floor was fantastic; high winds and heavy snowfall are making for some great conditions. The valley floor is seeing rain today, particularly south of town, where we live. The temps around town are nearing 40 degrees, and it's very wet outside. It looks like this thaw will last a few days. It's likely that even warmer temps are being recorded over the hill in Idaho...I'll bet the South Fork and Henry's Fork are seeing some action today. Anyone out there fishing around here today? I would love to hear a report! While skiing today with good buddies John Holland and Jon Wylie, we were trying to plot a few fishing adventures for summer 2011. With growing job and family responsibilities, it seems like we have to plan earlier and earlier each year to pull off our favorite trips. We came up with a great idea (which we ran by our wives in the gondola today): a 20-day "punch card" that we can use from spring until fall to allow us that elusive "hall pass" to get out and fish. What do all the guys out there think of this idea? Stay tuned for my progress on this :) Attached are a couple of photos of a local friend that likes to visit our front porch from time to time. There are a handful of Moose that winter in our neighborhood, and this one decided to take a nap outside our front door. More soon!

Tyin' Flies

With the busy holiday season now behind us, fly-tying season is now just beginning for me. Although I love fly-tying, I unfortunately don't do it consistently enough. Once the fishing and guiding season begins, I often have very little time to devote to it. The first part of the year is when I typically find some extra time to sit down at the vise and whip out some bugs. By this time of year, I'm starting to think about the upcoming fishing season, and tying some flies just makes sense now. With our snowpack at over 100% of average right now and frigid temps almost every day, wetting a line right now is just not an option around here. For those of you that know me or have fished with me, you'll recall that I row a South Fork Skiff, which is a low-sided driftboat, meant to fish out of in a sitting position. Most of the boats that you see drifting on Western water these days are higher sided, with casting braces that allow anglers to stand as they fish. There are different theories as to which one is "better"; in general it's a personal preference. Although many anglers have an easier time casting distance while standing, it is generally thought that in a sitting position, there is less chance of spooking fish, particularly any fish that are feeding on top. Sight fishing to large, spooky fish from Skiffs is the way to go. Low-pros also tend to do a little better in the wind. I have always been an avid believer in low profile skiffs or "prams". The South Fork Skiff that I row (now owned by Ro Driftboats) has always done me well. There's a new player now on the market that is worth checking out. Click the link here to learn more about Adipose Boats, out of Helena, Montana. These Missouri River guides look like they have designed a sweet product. I've attached a couple of pictures too. These boats look great! http://www.adiposeboatworks.com/ I'd also like to shout out to my photographer buddy Jeff Diener. He just launched a great new stock photography site worth looking at: http://www.jacksonholegallery.com/ I've known Jeff for many years; we've spent a lot of time together skiing and fishing, often while I'm on the other side of his lens. If you're looking for some great images, don't miss this local talent.

Happy New Year!

As each year draws to a close, I typically like to reminisce and reflect on the events that helped shape my year. The older we get, the faster each year seems to pass. 2010 was no exception. With a young family, work obligations and the burning desire to get out there and play, the time seems to go by faster than ever. One of the highlights of my year was the chance to watch my daughter Charlotte develop from a vibrant two-year old into an amazing three-year old, while watching Hannah blossom out of infancy. The last couple of months of 2010 saw both girls starting to play together and the seeds of a strong sibling relationship developing.
The year in fly-fishing was a great one. After a lackluster winter, the skies opened up with spring snow and rain to bump up our water content which helped the fishing tremendously. From the pre-runoff angling on the Snake and Green, to the Salmonflies, Drakes and PMD's on the South Fork, the first half of the summer was stellar. It only got better from there, with record low flows on the Snake through the fall, which made it easy for us to find the goods. The year culminated with a great fall streamer bite. Thanks to everyone this year, clients and guides alike, that made it so special. The summer was also bittersweet; the river accidents that took the lives of Rob Merrill and Phil Blumquist on the South Fork remind us of how fragile life is, and of why we do the things we do. My thoughts were with them this holiday season. Here's to a great 2011...hope to see all of you on the river. I'll be celebrating a rather large birthday this coming year and will be planning a truly epic fishing adventure to ring it in ...more on that later. Make sure to visit the Trout Unlimited Feed on my site (all the way down on the right). Click on Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Dreams to view a great video that my good buddy Scott Smith produced. Enjoy a few photos...the best seat in the house of 2010 on the Wind River; the prettiest Cutthroat of 2010 in my net; the best conversationalist in my boat in 2010 (Tom Brokaw); the two cutest daughters around enjoying a Christmas snowstorm. See ya next year!

The Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice has arrived! The days are now finally starting to get longer again. Living at this latitude, there are many days that we leave for work and come home from work both in the dark. Obviously, the sun is the cornerstone to life on earth, but it is also pivotal in keeping spirits up. The warming effects of the sun on the body and mind are amazing. That big orange ball in the sky also rules the life-cycle of aquatic insects and trout.
Rays of light allow vegetation to grow in our rivers and along their banks, creating breeding factories for Mayflies, Caddisflies and Stoneflies...all of which feed our trout. Rachael and I have always celebrated the 21st of December as a bright day. It is also our daughter Hannah's first birthday today...Happy Birthday Hannah!
The snow continues to fall around here; we're on our way to a record winter of snowfall. We had a huge storm over the weekend. Seventeen inches of snow was reported at Teton Village in 24 hours. The skiing Sunday was amazing, with coverage looking more like late February. I shoveled our driveway and walk three times on Sunday, barely keeping up with it.
I've put together a collage of some of my favorite photos of some amazing sunlight from our travels. Sunset on Ko Tao Island, Thailand; sunset from Tamarindo, Costa Rica; sunset on the island of Santorini, Greece; sunset from the boat dock at Boca Paila, Yucatan Peninsula; sunrise from the beach at the Palometa Club, Yucatan Peninsula. Happy Holidays!

Nice Fish Josh!

It's been all about the skiing around here lately. The snow continues to fall heavily while another winter storm warning goes into affect today. If it keeps up at this rate, we may not be fishing anywhere next summer until August! With all of the moisture we have been getting, the temperatures have been staying relatively warm. The La Nina weather pattern usually brings ample moisture with warmer air...this is exactly what we have been seeing. I've received some great reports from the South Fork from Paul Bruun, Tom Montgomery and Jeff Currier lately. Check out Currier's Blog (below on my link list) for some details. Click on this link to take the Trout Unlimited Quiz: www.youdontknowtrout.com How well do you know trout? You'll be entered to win a Dream Fishing Trip to one of my favorites: The Bighorn River in Southeastern Montana. Enjoy this recent picture of my buddy Josh Graffam. He's just finishing up a whirlwind tour of New Zealand. He apparently knows trout very well...

Traditions

Rachael and I took the girls today on our annual hunt for our Christmas tree. It's a great tradition that usually involves good four-wheel driving through the Bridger-Teton National Forest, hiking through the snow and some good hot chocolate. It was a great day for it...the temps were in the high 30's which made it very pleasant. We chose a spot South of town that I had never explored before; I think we'll check it out again this summer in search of some fish! On the drive out, Charlotte actually asked: "Daddy, are we going fishing?". I guess it looked fishy. Not bad considering she is just about to turn only 3! If you have not seen the Trout Unlimited live feed that I have on this site (all the way down on the right side), check it out and click on "A Monster on the Horizon". Wild Salmon fisheries may be facing a new threat: genetically modified fish that could do irreparable harm to the wild strains. Scary stuff. If you are not a TU member, consider joining today! It is a critical non-profit organization that has the sole mission of protecting our nations cold-water fisheries. Check them out.

Winter Has Arrived

Rachael and I took the girls to Seattle for Thanksgiving to visit family and had a great trip. It was a quick trip filled with lots of good family time...not quite enough time to wet a line, though. The region is well known for its salmon and steelhead fishing, as well as a place to target sea-run cutthroat trout. The weather was quite wet, with rain and snow; I'll bet the steelheading on the Olympic Peninsula is prime right now. We arrived home last night to find extreme winter conditions here. There is a good snowpack in the valley already, and an unusually deep snowpack in the mountains for this time of year. It's still snowing today with more forecast for the week. The La Nina weather pattern we are currently in should give us a wet winter. Skiing should be great and our water content next year promises to be healthy. The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort opened yesterday for the season. The entire mountain opened...top to bottom, which almost never happens this early. Not much to report on the fishing front; for now, this image tells the story around here...

No More Dams!

The weather around Western Wyoming has begun its transition into late fall mode. The cottonwoods and aspens have completely shed their leaves, the sky is grey and the wind is blowing. A winter storm watch is in effect for the weekend and the 2010 fly-fishing season is now a distant memory for me. Time to start thinking about some skiing! In the meantime, here is yet another update regarding the Green River dam proposal for the Warren Bridge area.

The last report I gave made it sound as if this project had no possibility of going through. There was yet another article to run on this story in the Jackson Hole Daily last week. Click this link for all of the details: http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=6676 The recommendation from the Wyoming Water Development Commission to not fund this study apparently stemmed from opposition from Governor Dave Freudenthal. It now looks like our new Governor-elect Matt Mead may in fact support this project. Let's hope not!

Just after this story ran, another disturbing story made the front page a day later. There is growing support over the hill in Idaho to rebuild the Teton Dam, on the Teton River. This project would flood and fill the beautiful Teton Canyon. The original dam broke on June 5, 1976 releasing 300,000 acre feet of water and killing 14 people. Idaho farmers are worried about back-to-back drought years and think that rebuilding this dam will solidify their water needs. This has yet to be determined. The Teton Canyon is a critical winter range for Mule Deer and Elk, not to mention a pristine fishery for wild trout. Click this link for more info: http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=6679 There certainly must be other solutions out there to address the water needs of farmers and ranchers. Here's to more days like this on the Green River...good times with Scott Smith and Tom Montgomery. Happy Thanksgiving!