Like many of my friends and neighbors who fish Montana streams and rivers year round, the weeks from early February to late March or some years even early April can seem like a millennium.
Don’t get me wrong – winter in Montana brings with it a host of fun things to do that aren’t river and water related. There are three mighty fine downhill ski resorts less than an hour away from the front door, thousands of acres of country in which to snow shoe, sled (the snowmobile sled), and cross country ski. Several friends ice climb and winter camp just for the hell of it, though getting frostbite in a small four-season tent with a snoring ice climbing fanatic has never been my cup of tea.
Probably some of the finest fishing on area waters happens in the early to mid-spring; locals have a real itch to get out and fish the early season for a lot of reasons, though more and more prescient visitors are learning to appreciate Blue Wing and Skwala hatches during snow squalls and cold spring rains. Fish and fisherfolk relish the change of diet from nymphs to emergers and dries; every year the early hatches are ripe with the promise of another season to come.
Most springs include at least a few days of dry fly fishing that is so good it seems like you almost forgot how wonderful it can truly be to see a rainbow rise to a dainty Blue Wing or a hefty March Brown, or even slashing Skwalas with abandon on the Big Hole or Bitterroot. We’ve even had a teasing few days with the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch this year on the Yellowstone – damn that’s fun. Those great hatch days just seem to pop up out of nowhere.
Just as abruptly, and about the time I’m getting back in the groove throwing dries and emergers at trout more and more interested in looking up, we’ll have a day or two in the 80’s and boom – rivers are rising, taking on color, and before you know it runoff is raging on the freestones around the neighborhood. This year, like last year, we had pristine water on many rivers one week and in the span of 6 or 7 days full fledged runoff conditions dominated the reports.
Though I bitch and moan about it every year, the runoff window is a great thing. We all understand the good things that runoff does for rivers – flushing flows wash away accumulated silt and various evil humors, reroutes stream and river beds, moves tons of rock and gravel, and redistributes bugs widely (just a few among many other benefits).
The runoff window is a boon for fisher folk too. It’s time to take a deep breath, clean up and re-rig gear for the longer summer and fall season, tie some of the those flies you didn’t during the long, dark winter, and think about some other water. We stand amazed at how many of our fly fishing brethren think only of tailwaters or freestones when pondering their next fly fishing outing. There are a hoard of great still waters and spring creeks upon which to test your skill as well.
At my house there’s always a long list of spring chores around the homestead and office, though everyone needs to spend a bit of time just soaking up the sun. That’s not me in the picture above, but the guy’s got the right idea……
Tags: So What?
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Yep, around the homestead here, it’s become known as the “High Water Chore List”. Good for many spousal credits when the rivers come back down, the flies are out, and I can cash in my credits as the non-fishing half rows the boat. Looks like the peak has been hit on the Bitterroot, so it’s gonna be time to break out the raft again!
I would keep good track of those credits, sounds like they really come in handy. I will have to remember that when I get hitched.
Dang it, Taku, I have to earn work credits AND pay in cash….