Category Archives: Northern Rockies
Fall Baetis 101
Pack your small fly box and slay Two days ago I was driving from Montana’s Bitterroot Valley to the Madison Valley and along the way I passed the upper Big Hole River near Wisdom. That’s one of the coldest areas … Continue reading
Skating for Steelhead 101
Peter Crow’s Go-To Steelhead Dry Natural inclination these days is to go with a variety of sink-tips to get your metalhead. I did that last year on Idaho’s Clearwater River and hooked four fish from one pool and then thought, … Continue reading
Posted in Flies, Idaho, Northern Rockies, Spey, Steelhead
Tagged Clearwater River, Dragonfly skater, Peter Crow
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Fly Profile: Elk Hair October Caddis
Dan Curtis’ Elk Hair October Caddis Ok, I’m all fired up because it’s late August and there’s already fresh snow on the mountains and the weather forecasters are calling for frost. All I can think about are fall hatches and that … Continue reading
Headwaters Backpack from SIMMS Fly Fishing
SIMMS’ Headwaters Backpack Last year I reviewed Simms’ Dry Creek backpack after tooling around southeast Alaska for king salmon, sea-run cutthroat and steelhead. And I found the pack to function great, with a lot of storm protection for my camera … Continue reading
The Western Spruce Month Fly Fishing Blitz
The West’s New Spruce Moth Blitz NOTE: This article previously appeared in Fly Fisherman Magazine. Thought you still might glean some valuable information from these words. If I remember correctly, some people were pissed to see the spruce moth hatch … Continue reading
Posted in Flies, Idaho, Montana, Northern Rockies
Tagged Big Hole River, Gallatin River, Madison River, Spruce moth
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The Henry’s Fork Bounces Back
Whitefish Ed and the rest of the crew Word out on the Henry’s Fork is that the river is back, meaning it’s progressed from a few years ago when anglers insisted that the state begin stocking the river with hatchery-raised … Continue reading
Montana’s South Fork Flathead River
Getting Wild on Montana’s South Fork Flathead My forest of fly-fishing friends is thinning. It’s as if some cut-and-run logging company waltzed into Montana and whacked them down at the knees. These days when I propose a fishing trip they … Continue reading
Posted in Backcountry, Montana, Northern Rockies
Tagged Dan Summerfield, South Fork Flathead, westslope cutthroat
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Big Hole River: An unplanned canyon run
Blunder on the Big Hole There are a variety of possibilities regarding why I missed a takeout on the Big Hole River last Saturday. Could have been foggyness from the night prior at Wise River Club. Or it could have … Continue reading
Posted in Absinthe Lounge, Montana, Northern Rockies
Tagged Big Hole River, Torrey Cenis, Wise River Club
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Madison River Salmonflies
Hatch Imminent. It’s stonefly time in southwest Montana and judging by the number of salmonfly and golden stonefly nymphs along the banks of the Madison River, those bugs are going to pop in the next couple days. And the river … Continue reading
Posted in Flies, Montana, Northern Rockies
Tagged Dan Delekta, Madison River, Salmonflies
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Montana’s Beaverhead River
The Only Game in Town Montana’s rivers continue to run high and mostly clouded with some, including the Jefferson, pushing out of their banks this morning. So where does a guy fish moving water when the flows are up? Judging … Continue reading