Where did the snow go?
Flows Below Holter: 5030 cfs (normally 4800) …. Water Temperature: ….35
Flows Below Hauser: 5190 cfs (normally 3670) …. Water Temperature: low to mid 30’s….
Looks like another unseasonably warm week ahead for all you fine folks is central Montana. Weather pushing into the mid to high 50s from Helena to Wolf Creek and west over the divide to Lincoln this weekend. Most of the local gauges are back online, with some big spikes in flows pushing the ice off the stations. Fishing on the MO has been pretty hit or miss depending on conditions, specifically the wind and your ability to get a good drift. Nymphs are producing well all over and streamers have been pretty consistent down in the canyon. Get em’ low, drift em’ slow and keep an eye on your indicator. For all you guys swinging and stripping junk, look for the dead water in front of a lot of cover, get it down and make it look injured with a slow jerk retrieve. My humble fly suggestions are listed below. For you Freestone freaks avoiding the crowds during the warm spells, keep an eye on the gauges as the rain falls and the temps rise. the lower reaches of Rock Creek, Blackfoot and some smaller local waters opened up nicely with the moderate weather over the last week. Same tactics apply, low & slow. If its warm and calm, rumor has it some Blue Winged Olives were seen coming off in the Helena vicinity in the last few days. On the other hand I would just give a bugger a swing through some of the open deep pools and hope it’s not a Whitefish, unless you’re into that.
Warm weather is time for exploring. Bring your friend, and his owner.
Another benefit of the warmer weather is road conditions all over the state improving which means it’s a good time to load up and maybe fish something you don’t have time for in the summer. Get out of the house, and go explore. Swing by the shop for some suggestions on a good day retreat out of the Queen City, our staff likes to get out in the winter. A change of scenery is always a good cure for cabin fever. Let us know where ya’ go, what ya’ fish and how ya’ do. You never know you might get your very own blog post!
HOT Streamers: Kreelex, Skiddish Smolt, Montana Mouthwash, Zonkers, Mini Loop Sculpin & Sculpzilla
HOT Nymphs: Scuds (Orange and Pink), Firebead Rays, Zebras (all colors),
Good Dries: Midge Cluster, Griffiths Gnat, LaFontaine Buzzball
For a human fishing report please stop by or call CrossCurrents Fly Shop in Helena…. 406-449-2292. We LOVE talking trout…and pike and steelhead and carp and bass and salmon…. Comment below if you have questions or to let us know how your fishing has been this month.
Shameless Shop Promo: Some cool rods starting to take shop in our Helena Shop. The rod building class is full for February but if you’re interested in a spring class swing by and leave your information with Zach and we’ll try to get one set up. If you tie flies and you live in the Helena area, then please join us every Saturday in our Downtown store for our “Open Tying Table” with Larry “The Urban Legend” It’s social, it’s informal, it’s informative, it’s FUN and you’ll enjoy some donuts, cookies and Firetower Coffee to boot. All tying skill levels show up on Saturdays, so yes, you’re good enough to hang out and tie flies with us.
Shameless Product Promo/Flash Sale: We have a special deal on a sweet, small stream rod that was demoed a couple of times but is in like-new condition. It’s the much acclaimed, Orvis H2 763-4 Mid-Flex Rod. (7’6″ 3-weight, 4-piece, model #7A7Y-51-57) We’re offering it here for only $500 (retail is $795 so you’ll save $295!) You can read more about this rod here: Orvis Helios 2 763-4. Click here to purchase this rod securely online on our PayPal site (no PayPal account needed to purchase.) The link will open a new page and that page will say CrossCurrents, Inc. in the top left. We have 1 of these left in stock so it might go quickly.
