conservation

Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project Video

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Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project Video

We couldn’t say it better ourselves. A film supporting the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act.

It truly is a special place. The entire drainage. Love seeing our friend Stefan Larrson in this short. Love seeing the beauty of the Blackfoot. We love the smell of the westside. The fishing. The feeling. The entire package.

Check out more @ www.blackfootclearwater.org

We fish across the divide as often as we can get over there. It is just fabulous. Check in with Headhunters if you want to head over to the westside. Mark, John, Brett, Ben, Braden are all interested in helping you discover the Blackfoot.

Sign a letter of support if you want to your kids and their kids to enjoy the Blackfoot River for generations to come!

More snow in the canyon this morning. 6F and another 4 inches last night and this morning. Snowing now. Gonna snow-blow at the shop so we can get around!

Rarely see as much snow on the ground as we have now. It keeps coming. But the amount of snow here and the snow that we have in the mountains are two different things. We want more in the mountains. Here in Craig at 3400′ it really does not make an impact on our summer flows. At all. But it does show that winter and snow accumulation is indeed happening.

Long weekend. Watch conservation videos. Tie flies. Nap. Clean your fly lines. Organize fly boxes. Shovel snow.

Headhunters closing early Sunday for a bowling affair about 1pm.

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UMOWA plans Streambank Restoration @ Prickly Pear

UMOWA plans Streambank Restoration @ Prickly Pear

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UMOWA plans Streambank Restoration @ Prickly Pear Ed Note: This just in from UMOWA. Their first stream bank project on the Missouri River. Progress from our local watershed group. Congrats. Look forward to seeing more projects like these here on the MO! Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance has completed plans for a full restoration of … Read more

Chasing Coral Trailer

Chasing Coral Trailer

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A great film trailer today about coral conservation.

Chasing Coral is dramatic. I will be watching it today on Netflix.

Beats shoveling snow here in central Montana with outdoor temps currently at -12F. Got a couple more inches of snow yesterday including last night. Snow flurries happening right now but looks like not much more accumulation until later this week.

Fishing looks likely as we movie into a few more moderate temps mid week. I’m sure we will see a few anglers on the water as it is the first break in at least two weeks.

I bet skiing is good! Looks like the Montana hills have gotten a nice shot of new snow! Go skiing this week. Fish next week.

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Smith River Mine Scoping Meetings

Smith River Mine Scoping Meetings GF Monday Night!!!

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Smith River Mine Scoping Meetings Montana’s Smith River is renowned worldwide for its clean water, rugged canyon scenery, and the incredible trout fishery that many Montanans hold near and dear to their heart. The Smith River is a permitted river for not only commercial sponsored trips but also recreational trips as well. This in response … Read more

2016 UMOWA Water Quality Report

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 2016 UMOWA Water Quality Report Yesterday we summarized the 2016 UMOWA Macroinvertebrate Report written by David Stagliano of the Montana Biological Survey. Today we are going to discuss the 2016 UMOWA Water Quality Report.[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”27520″ align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Study Design In 2016, UMOWA began collecting water quality data at the same seven sites where they began … Read more

2016 UMOWA Macroinvertebrate Report

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 2016 UMOWA Macroinvertebrate Report On March 17, the Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance (UMOWA) published the results of the 2016 bug study performed by David Stagliano of Montana Biological Survey. We are late in sharing the results, but with the UMOWA Annual Meeting coming up in Craig this Saturday, June 17th, I thought now might be … Read more

Two Mussel Encrusted Boats Intercepted

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Over Memorial Day weekend, two mussel encrusted boats were intercepted in Montana. Invasive species pose a constant threat to the quality of our waterbodies in Montana. As anglers, it is our responsibility to be educated about invasive species and our role in preventing their spread. The remainder of this post is republished from the Montana … Read more

UMOWA: The Case For Flushing Flows

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Case For Flushing Flows The Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance (UMOWA) recently released their spring newsletter. Within the letter, UMOWA discusses the history of Missouri River flows and the beneficial contribution that flushing flows have upon the health of the Missouri River. The remaining text of this post is republished from the UMOWA spring newsletter.[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”27520″ align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] River … Read more

Please Leave Redds Alone!

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[vc_row 0=””][vc_column 0=””][us_image image=”26680″ align=”center”][vc_column_text 0=””] Please leave trout redds in the river alone! Rainbow trout are actively spawning in the river now and will continue to do so for the next couple months. The Missouri River is one of the best wild trout fisheries in the country. Wild trout are not stocked, they must spawn … Read more

Paper or Plastic?

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Paper or Plastic? Soon, you might be hearing this question at your local fly shop as well as the grocery store. AFFTA has announced that they are making recycled paper fly boxes available to fly shops as an alternative to the usual plastic fly cups. These new boxes are part of Costa’s #kickplastic campaign with … Read more

Mussel Update

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Proposed Rule Changes Last night, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks hosted a public hearing on new rules aimed at controlling the spread of invasive mussels. The new regulations include the following: All out of state watercraft would need to be inspected by FWP prior to launch in any Montana waterbody. All watercraft leaving Canyon Ferry … Read more

Clean. Drain. Dry.

Clean. Drain. Dry.

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Clean. Drain. Dry.

Do this. Commit.

Clean. Drain. Dry.

Make it part of your daily routine.

But only if you like fishing Montana waters.

Honest. Do this. Do not spread Aquatic Nuisance Species to non-contaminated waters.

Clean. Drain. Dry.

Wash your boat @ Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig. You are always welcome to scrub away the ANS creatures hitchhiking on your drifter, raft, kayak, or PFD! Stop by anytime and use our cleaning station!

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Case of the Mondays

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Welcome back to the cubicle! Monday morning and we’re all recovering from a busy weekend. The sun came out, and so did all of the Montana anglers who’ve been secluded under a blanket of snow for the last few months. By winter standards, the river was packed. Fishing reports were varied, and frankly we heard a lot of tough fishing stories. Regardless of success, everyone seemed to be enjoying the fresh air and time on the water. Probably the first days of the year for many folks.

Nymphing reports were good if you know where and what to throw. We’re always preaching it this time of year, but “slow-water” was the word. Like not moving. And pay attention. The usual stuff produced, and a boat is really necessary for much of the river. The canyon had some good reports from those who didn’t spend the day in fast water.

Streamer fishing reports I heard were not great, but I think everyone I talked to caught at least some fish. Some two-handed anglers did very well. There were a few stories of fish in fast and shallow water, which I myself experienced on Friday with some explosive hits on a floating line way above “the bucket”. Might be some Rainbows beginning to move into shallow water for reproductive duties.

I spent Sunday fishing with Todd Tanner from Conservation Hawks, the Bigfork, MT based conservation organization whose mission is centered around the effects of climate change and future impacts to sportsmen. We decided to hunt heads while talking conservation, so I don’t have much of a report to give. The stars never aligned (wind, sun, clouds, bugs), but we did see an excellent midge hatch mid-day. All too brief, however. We also swung a fish or two.

Go check out the Conservation Hawks website and get involved. You may also be familiar with films produced by Conservation Hawks, as they’re typically included in the F3T lineup. While you recover from the weekend, hide from your boss and enjoy the most recent flicks from Conservation Hawks.[/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/197360846″ video_title=”1″][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/150681923″ video_title=”1″][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/124560152″ video_title=”1″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Public Land Water Access PLWA.org

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Public Land Water Access PLWA.org Public Land Water Access PLWA.org is a great organization fighting to keep some of your land open. Commonly private interests insert themselves into our fishing and hunting life by buying, owning, and changing your land into their land…and consequently blocking the access that truly is allowed by law. “The mission … Read more

Fly Fishing Conservation News

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Fly fishing related news from the WWW:

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Exxon Must Pay $1M for 2011 Yellowstone Spill

Safety regulators said Exxon Mobil failed to adequately heed warnings that its 20-year-old Silvertip Pipeline was at risk from flooding. They said the company lacked procedures to minimise the spill when the line broke.

from the Guardian

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Access Denied: New Mexico Gives Public-Water Wading Fisherman the Boot

The New Mexico Wildlife Federation’s Joel Gay summed up the sporting public’s frustration, “We don’t have a lot of water here in New Mexico. We do have 300,000 sportsmen and –women though. It would be really nice to be able to fish the resources that our supreme court says we have a right to fish.”

from OUTDOOR LIFE[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”12306″ size=”full” link=””][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][/vc_column][/vc_row]