September Rock from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.

Living in Missoula does have a few perks….Rock Creek proximity is one.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

Hot off the FWP press yesterday -

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is accepting public comment through Friday, June 24 on a proposal to extend the float fishing season on Rock Creek, east of Missoula, due to unusually high river flows that have prevented most spring floating opportunities this year.

Typically, Rock Creek closes to fishing from boats beginning July 1, but FWP Region 2 Supervisor, Mack Long, says that this year, without an extension, anglers may get little or no time to fish from a boat due to extraordinarily high early season flows.

If approved, all anglers, including members of the public and outfitters and their clients, would be allowed to fish from a boat on Rock Creek through Friday, July 22, 2011.

To comment, email Sharon Rose at shrose@mt.gov or call 406-542-5540 by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 24. The FWP Commission will make a final decision on the proposal via conference call.

We say hell yes.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

Wayne’s got the lead on the story here, and we agree with initial assessments by those in the fly fishing community that the potential for Pebble like mine along the headwaters of one of Montana’s most special fisheries, Rock Creek, is a very real.

We’d also be in full support of the Montana Stream Access Coalition reforming – more to come.

(The King’s Speech remains a must see movie, by the way.)

Tags: Damn!, River - Rock Creek

Fall is here in full force and the rivers are feeling it.  Rock Creek has reached its fall patterns, with some dries in the afternoon but most of the action taking place subsurface.  There is still a fair amount of water in the creek these days, with flows still above the 80^th percentile.

If you feel the need to fish dries, wait for the Baetis and mahogany hatches in the afternoon.  They are the best between noon and four.   Cloudy days will be much better for these hatches.  I have heard several buddies of mine talking about using smaller (14 and smaller) attractors with pretty good success.  As much as I love fishing the BWO hatches, I find it hard to see those little dries anymore.  Damn old eyes.

Instead, I find swinging soft hackles during the BWO hatch to work very well.  Down and across with a couple flies of varying size is incredibly effective.  Nymph patterns such as san juan worms, princes, pheasant tails and the like are working well all day long.  Streamers have been most effective in the mornings, afternoons and evenings.  Black, olive and white are the hot colors at this time.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

This year it seems like summer went straight into winter.  Or maybe that is just what it seems like for a crotchety old man.  Two weeks ago, daytime temps were in the 80s and lots of sun, and now there is snow in the forecast.  Talked to Jake in Bozeman this morning and he said there is another four or five inches at his place.  Seems awfully early for snow like that.

Rock Creek is feeling the weather.  Terrestrial fishing is done.  No chance at all of hoppers bringing fish up before next summer.  Dry fly fishing as a whole is slowing down.  Mahoganies are coming off in the afternoons most days, as are BWOs.  The upper reaches of the creek are much better for dries.

Most of the action is taking place subsurface.  Mayfly nymphs, small mayfly nymphs mind you, have been taking a lot of fish.  Personally, I would be fishing with a double nymph rig consisting of a pheasant tail and soft hackle.  Streamers for big browns have been pretty productive as well.

Just looking at the forecast, things are going to cool off quite a bit this week.  Bring a jacket.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

Rock Creek is caught in that interesting in-between place.  It is not quite fall yet, despite what the calendar says.  Temps have been in the 80s and 90s, which is very unseasonable for this area.  

Fishing hasn’t been too bad.  There have been hatches of BWOs, mahoganies, and October Caddis.  Once the weather cools off, as it should later this week, it is going to get a whole lot better.

There are not too many folks fishing the Rock these days, but that should change when it cools off.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

Rock Creek is still hanging in there.  Flows have been steadily coming down for a while and are just above 280 cfs as of this morning.  The hot weather and lots of sun has not really been helping much.  

Despite the unseasonably warm temps fishing is not too bad.  The upper half of the creek is fishing better.  Mayflies and caddis are the main hatches, with lots of terrestrials still around.  I haven’t been over in a while, but a friend was there yesterday throwing beetles with great success.  The hoppers will be with us until a hard frost.

If I had to fish with one fly on the Rock right now, I would probably pick the purple haze.  It can imitate a lot of insects and is a very versatile pattern.  Nymphing has also been working with small, flashy nymphs.  The standard pheasant tails, bead head hare’s ears and princes are a good bet.  

Once the weather does finally cool off and get cloudy again, we will start seeing better mayfly hatches.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

Rock Creek is entering its really good window.  Flows are still in good shape, 320 cfs, this morning.  This is above average for this time of year.  Conditions are all pointing toward a great fall.

Mayflies are the main hatch on the Rock right now.  There are lots and lots of them.  PMDs, flavs, drakes, a few BWOs, mahoganies and more.  Take your pick and have at it.  A mayflies pupae or emerger such as a soft hackle, small prince, or pheasant tail has been really working well. 

If mayflies don’t quite suit your mood, try fishing a small grasshopper.  The fish are still going after hoppers, but not so much the bigger ones.  A yellow stimulator is a favorite pattern of mine.  Fish one with rubber legs and twitch it a bit.  

This is going to be a good fall on Rock Creek.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

I love years like this one.  They don’t come along often, but when they do be ready to take advantage of them.  Everything just falls into place on years like this.  Take Rock Creek, for example.  This year has been great, and it will continue well into the fall.  Flows have been steadily dropping, down to just over 360 cfs last night.  These levels are above average for this time of year and just perfect.

There are lots and lots of bugs on the water right now.  Caddis, PMDs, BWOs, Spruce Moths and terrestrials have been keeping folks busy.  Look for PMDs and Spruce Moths mainly in the mornings, with ants, beetles and hoppers working later in the day.  BWOs and caddis in the evenings.  Attractors are working pretty much all day.  I have been fishing the Rock with just Elk Hair Caddis, several hoppers, a Royal Wulff and the purple haze.

If you don’t want to fish dries, nymphing has been very productive with the regular goods: princes, san juans, pheasant tails, hare’s ears and so on.  Fish something with a bead head for a little flash.  But I do have to say, if you are fishing nymphs when dries are working then something is wrong with you.  Seriously wrong. 

Streamers have been working very well in the lower third of the creek.  The lower reaches have been good for almost anything.  I have noticed a pretty sever drop in fishermen of late, better take advantage of the quiet! 

Tags: River - Rock Creek

I love Rock Creek.  And anyone who fishes it at this time of year will too.  Flows are still way higher than normal for this time of year; 440 cfs this morning, which is above the 80^th percentile for average flows this time of year.

Fish are eating a variety of insects along the entire length of the Creek.  Hoppers are a good choice all day, as are beetles.  Spruce Moths are still hatching, more heavily on the upper reaches of the Creek.  Usually they are done by now, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Also, keep an eye out for a caddis hatch in the middle of the day.  There have been some reports of a tan mayfly that is not a regular visitor to this area.  In the evenings, Baetis have started to show up.  This hatch is only going to get stronger the further into the year we get.  Most days, the only patterns you will need are a purple haze, some form of hopper, elk hair caddis, BWO and a tan mayfly. 

These fish have seen a lot of flies this year, so place a premium on presentation and drift.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

There is a lot of water in Rock Creek.  Flows as of this morning were sitting just below 500 cfs, in the 90^th percentile for this time of year.  Flows have actually come down quite a bit from what they were earlier this week.  The rain is likely going to keep flows high for a bit.

Fishing, however, has not been adversely affected by the deluge of water.  In fact, in has been quite good.  Lots of dries are on the water, including Spruce Moths, evening PMDs, caddis and hoppers.  Don’t expect to see Spruce Moths for a few days as the rain puts them down.  When it does clear back up, head higher up the Creek if you want to fish this hatch.  Hoppers are also going to be impacted by the wet weather, but action will pick back up on the next sunny day.

Nymphing or streamer fishing is not a bad option during the cloudy weather.  If you don’t see any mayflies coming off, and they should be, tie on a double nymph rig with princes, pheasant tails, lightning bugs or any other mayfly of caddis pupae pattern.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

This is something I have not seen in many years.  Over the past several days, flows have come up on the Rock to over the 80^th percentile again.  Usually this time of year we are running out of water, not watching it come up.  All the rain recently has put some mud in the water, but it is still very fishable.  From the looks of the forecast, we are going to be getting quite a bit more rain the next few days.

The appearance of Spruce Moths in the past week is the big news over here.  The fish are keying in on these bigger bugs and they provide good dry fly fishing all day. They are sensitive to the rain, and it will be hard to find the moths when it is really coming down.  

Caddis and PMDs are still coming off in pretty good numbers.  The PMDs are getting smaller as the year goes on, think size 14 and 16.  Terrestrials are of course a good bet this time of year.  A fair number of folks have taken to strictly nymphing in the afternoons.  This method, using princes, pheasant tails, stonefly nymphs, and other mayfly and caddis patterns, works very well, but I just can’t bring myself to fish nymphs when dries are coming off.  

The Rock is crowded, but the people will be fewer in-between and the fishing will be better the higher up the canyon you go.

Tags: River - Rock Creek

I don’t know what it is about the Rock this year – despite a great start to the season and plenty of water and bugs through the season – the Rock just hasn’t seen (at least in my simple mind) as much traffic as in years past.

The rain induced spike in flows that moved through on Monday and Tuesday of this week is all but gone, and the mild temperatures (at least for this time of year) have been delightful.

I’m a big Rock Creek fan, I’m sure it shows, and I should probably be glad pressure hasn’t been too bad this year.

Bugs are varied – there are lots of terrestrials including hoppers now (you’ll probably do better with beetles), PMDs in the morning and with a spinner fall most evenings, with plenty of Caddis (I’m seeing at least three different ones) in the evening too.

I like to fish the PMDs in the morning and then will nymph through the midday – it’s easy to outfish the hopper-dropper guys that way…….

Tags: River - Rock Creek

It has been a hot one over here for the past few days!  With temperatures reaching the triple digits, getting out on the water to cool off is never a bad idea.  Water temps are rising on the Rock, but they are still at fishable levels, especially up high.

There are a lot of PMDs on the water in the mornings and I have to say this is probably one of my favorite hatches on this stretch of water.  I was having great success with a size 16 parachute PMD.  

Not a whole lot goes on in the heat of the day.  You might be able to pick up a few fish with a grasshopper, but on the whole it is better to let the fish rest during the midday hours.  When late afternoon and evening roll around is the time to break out the hopper box.  Caddis start coming off about then as well.  Keep an eye out for yellow sallies too.  

Hopefully the weather will cool before the water heats up that much more.  

Tags: River - Rock Creek

The Rock is always a good option this time of year.  After a brief spike earlier this week, flows have come back down.  Clarity is great, and the fish are biting.

The creek is in its summer pattern of hatches.  Look for PMDs in the mornings and again the evenings, caddis almost all day, scattered stoneflies and of course hoppers.  It is possible to fish nothing but dries all day and catch fish.  Bring lots of mayfly and caddis patterns.  Also throw in some attractors such as humpys and royal wulffs.

Nymphing have been very productive.  If you had to only bring one pattern, make it a prince.  This particular fly has been doing quite well.  Hare’s ears and pheasant tails are also producing.

Keep an eye out for grasshoppers.  There are a lot of them in the area, but the fish have not really started targeting them yet.  Give it a few more days and that will change.  The hot weather this next week will help.

Tags: River - Rock Creek