Friday Foto Sara & a Pot of Dry Fly Gold We are still a couple months from daily dry fly activity on the Missouri River here in Craig Montana. But each day we get closer. Water levels for the summer are looking normal. At least so far. Way too soon to predict the winter, late … Read more
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One of the best from Scumliner Media.
Enjoy.
Back to work tomorrow. Yuck.
Watch it twice, share it with friends.
And, yes, that is real life during Craig winters…[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/88394847″]
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Feels like there should be a few folks out on the Missouri River searching for trout this weekend. Really nice temperatures with winds forecast to be around 10-15 mph (not bad at all this time of year). I’m guessing there be a few guys camped at Craig in this nice weather, and a few beers knocked back at Joe’s and Shotgun Annie’s this weekend. The new Craig sewer system is done and the construction work is even over. Nice and quiet with a chance of very good fishing…
The Missouri is still on the shift after the bump in water flows last week. I can also feel a drop in water temperature. Not a sudden or drastic one, but as its now down into the 38° range, your feet can feel that its cold. Those two factors are pushing the fish into deeper water, but they haven’t moved all the way down into the winter tanks. They are still favoring a decent current, so I’d suggest looking at the heads and bailouts of long runs.
The black leech is still my best pattern. Sara and I spent a few hours floating from the Dam to Wolf Creek yesterday with Russell Schmidt from G. Loomis. Finding and catching fish was pretty easy on the two-hander, and the deeper tips outfitted the lighter ones. The Leech was money, but we also caught fish on some smaller buggers. As usual for this time of year, the Rainbows we caught were all big.
But this Leech isn’t the only fly producing. Medium sized flashy patterns are starting to work well (about a month later than normal). Whitney Gould and Mike McCune were out yesterday and reported some good action on the Shock & Awe, a slender baitfish pattern tied on a tube (available at the shop). Kreelex, Foxy Clouser, Thin Mint, Brown Skiddish Smolt and Zonkers are also consistent patterns right now.
Streamer fishing from the boat is also good right now, and if you’re headed to the canyon make sure and rig up a 6 or 7 weight with any of the above patterns. You’ll usually not find me throwing huge articulated streamers on the Missouri, but if I was going to right now might be the time and the Canyon the place.
No clue on the nymphing report, I haven’t heard much in recent weeks. I suspect its pretty good if you can pinpoint the right current depth and speed. The typical Mo’ winter nymphs should produce. Think pink.
Bottom line… the weather is unseasonably warm, the scenery and light are spectacular right now, and the fish – especially the Rainbow Trout -are in fantastic shape and you’ll catch some of the largest fish you’ll catch all year. Time to hit it. Good Luck…[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”29300″ align=”center”][vc_column_text]Sara Roholt casts into big water with the new IMX Pro 11′ 11″ 4 weight.
Top of page G. Loomis sales rep. Russell Schmidt with a nice Missouri River buck.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Big Game hunting is finished but Upland-bird season is still going strong for many Montana sportsman, and the mild weather we’ve been having has created some great conditions for wing-shooters. Our upland hunting expert Sara Roholt can be hard to find around Craig this time of year. If she’s not in the shop (only 4 days a week in the off season), she’s probably following her dogs Waylon and Sturgill through the wide open country of eastern Montana, along with her husboyfriend and Missouri River guide Kurt Michels.
In this part of Montana, hunters like Sara employ pointing dogs while pursuing Hungarian Partridge and Sharptail Grouse. “Sharpies” are our native birds around here. Cool critters that evolved on the cold and windy prairie. These two species hold best for pointers, but if a Cock Pheasant gets up, he dies too. While most hunting takes place on private property, Montana’s excellent Block Management hunting program allows hunters to access a massive amount of private property. Sara has this program dialed, but also secures access using her wit and charm on other farms and ranches.
If you’re interested in learning more about upland hunting in Montana, and specifically how to gain access to private property, we do not recommend talking to Sara. She won’t tell you a thing.[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”29295″ align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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A quick video from 6 years back, our last high water era, with instructional overtones. While this video is a few years old, it still applies to us today. Meaning today!
Fish the soft inside water, not the outside sexy stuff. Insides my fishy friends.
While we are not seeing the flows that we saw during the previous early summer season high water period 2008-2011, we may see them rise to the 10K-12K-ish if the water comes of the hillsides quickly. Or even higher if the rain gods grace Montana, the Rockies, and surrounding communities.
If the snow comes off slowly we may see the flows in the 6K-8K range for the month of June. This according to Stephanie Micek of the DNRC. Squeeky spoke with her yesterday and she said it has a lot to do with how the water comes off. Warmer temps, or even hot temperatures with day time highs in the 80’s F and night time lows above 55F will trigger some rapid run-off. If we see more seasonal day time air temps we will see a gradual run-off. Night time lows are part of the equation. When she dips into the 40’s the pace of the run-off happens much more slowly.
That is the news of the day my Missouri River brethren. Not excluding my sister-ren. Hah.
See you on one of those flooded dry fly flats soon enough. Until then happy hump day from us out here in central Montana to you living vicariously out there in wide open America.
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Cool new, used, new to her Montana Boat Builders Skiff.
Cool wood components with this ultra sleek rowing skiff.
Stealthy too.
You have seen these boats. Good looking on the water and easy to row. Light for sure.
See you on the water Sara in this sleek dry fly boat!
New Boat Smell today with Sara’s Montana Boat Builders Skiff.
Sara speaks this week with 10 questions from Sara.
Similar questions were asked to Dewey this previous week and now it is Sara’s turn.
We have a few more people of interest coming up too. And, and we have some winter guide blogs in the can as well.
Sara has been with us at Headhunters Fly shop and Guide Service for 6 years and is integral to our operation.
10. Your favorite reach of river. Why?
Prewitt to Cascade
9. Favorite season of the year? Why?
Spring. Fresh and green.
8. What rods do you like to fish with?
Pro1 7 wt 1 Piece Streamer, SAGE One 9′ 5wt and 6wt, Loomis NRX LP 5 wt
7. How do you like to roll. With friends, solo?
Solo. I love my dog.
6. What is your personal Conservation focus?
My thoughts are just be good. Don’t be a dick. Be nice to others. Does that work?
5. Do you like the fishing lifestyle?
Yes.
4. Do you think Craig will change upon sewer installation?
Yes. There will be more places to stay. I think more folks will try to bring business here. I don’t think it will get busier, I think the existing folks (businesses) will develop more businesses.
3. One hatch? Which one?
Trico’s.
2. Where do you like to fish outside of Craig?
Anywhere warm and saltwater. Primarily warm.
1. How about 6X? Yes or no?
No.
Bonus Question 1. Hunting or fishing? Which do you love more?
Both. Same.
Bonus Question 2. Barbed or barbless?
Barbless, all the time.
Bonus Question 3. Did your family get you involved in the outdoors?
Yes. My Dad.
Bonus Question 4. Who is/was your biggest fly fishing mentor?
Yes, My Dad.
Bonus Question 5. Has working in the fishing business changed your love for it?
Um, no I don’t think so.
Thanks Sara for enduring a couple minutes of questioning from Mark this last week. We know you have much more to do that to answer Mark. The folks on the phone are much more important…
Sara loves Saltwater fishing and wants to do much more. She is constantly cold and hovers around the heater at Headhunters swaddled heavily in down clothing.
Sara also love to hunt upland birds. She truly wishes that the bird hunting season lasted about six months.
Give her a call at the shop if you would like to get on our summer schedule. She is a booking genius!
And a pretty good shot!
You may have seen this short 1 minute film with Sara having some winter fun.
She wanted to go faster. But in the name of safety, and lack of Fireball, we kept the speeds under 30mph.
This is SOL’s favorite film by Scumliner. Short and sweet. And funny!
Enjoy this nice quick winter break from an early 2014 Scumliner Media Short Film.
Somewhere Out West from scumliner media on Vimeo.
