Today was a good day. Snow, rain, some coffee, a bit of wind and enough sun to make one think that sunshine would be a good thing for a few minutes of the day if only to warm one up and keep one from thinking that rowing is a good idea. Manning the oars is something...
The last Push
The fire next to the kitchen table is keeping all of us, both hounds, a kitty and myself warm on this ultra wet chilly morning. Once again, we slept all night through the pouring rain and woke to the same soaking from above this AM. In a couple hours I will be...
Dispatches from my better half….part two.
The Fishing Life: An Angler’s Tales of Wild Rivers and Other Restless Metaphors (2013) compiles Paul Schullery’s best stories fish, flies, water, and the people who love them all. Including articles originally published from the 1980s and later, he adds previously...
Day off
Just recently, I've spent a little time on the river outside of guiding anglers. After all, it's still summer for a few more weeks and one must take advantage of the time off. Yes it's true, when not guiding anglers, tying flies or sorting through mail from the past...
Rolling along
It's been just over three weeks since the last fishing report. Sorry folks, the river guide lifestyle has gotten in the way of keeping this weekly, sometimes bi-weekly, report from the pages of our web site for your viewing enjoyment. Not to worry....it's back! Over...
Big Bugs
I won't see a day this good on dry flies for a while....it ranks right up there as one the best days ever on the Madison when the big bugs are out. Yesterday and the day before showed moments of greatness, but the river gave us a show today. We got on later than...
Madison River Report 06.13.2014
At some point in the last seven days, the Madison went from greenish brown and high to damn near clear and lower than expected for June 13th. Some of this is due to no rain and cooler nights and some of this is due to PPL missing the mark and dropping the flows in...
pondering water
River Flows Missouri River at Holter: 6090 cfs at 6pm.......three days ago it was 11,200 cfs. Madison River below Hebgen: 1200 cfs.......five days ago it was 1850 cfs. Madison River at Kirby: 1880 cfs.......fishing's not too bad at all with nymphs in the wade stretch....
Late May in Montana
Snow is melting at rapid pace up high in the mountains all across Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. One glance at the flows online will show rivers on the rise, some of which are almost double for this time of the year. The white stuff is still pretty deep in the high...
Missouri River Fishing Report 05.07.2014
Flows on the Missouri below Holter Dam are holding at 8790 cfs and down below the Dearborn it hanging around 10,000 cfs. This is quite a bit larger than a year ago right now, but it's a welcome change of flows and this fine river will fish well into August in 2014. ...
Madison River Fishing Report 04.20.2014
Driving down to the Madison Valley, yesterday afternoon, was a great decision. I almost didn't go, cause construction, moving to our new place and the guide season starting in late April has consumed me; I wasn't sure if I could even enjoy fishing with all that lies...
Move’n on up
It was snaining (snow and rain at the same time) on and off throughout the day, as I peered out the windows of our newly remodeled house. We began to move a few boxes this morning from the old rental house, mostly books from Molly's college education and her rabid...
A little light is shining
I haven't wet a line since late February and most of my thoughts throughout the day take me back to Argentina. A few days ago, a buddy who works for Blue Ribbon was pre-fishing, prior to his clients arrival, around Livingston. This jackass sent me a photo of bare...
One of the best……
The guy in the blue shirt holding that 2 X 4 brown trout is Greg Falls. The other guy, the one who caught that brown on his first cast with a size 20 trico, is one of most genuine clients we have ever guided. Many of you know Greg from trips that we guide together...
It’s late March….what are you doing?
You should be planning a trip to Montana, or better yet, you should be fishing. About a week ago, Molly and I bought a house in West Yellowstone.....looks like we'll be sticking around for awhile. With a little help from some friends, we are remodeling the place...
Bob Lay – RIP Old Friend
Today finds me a little bummed out to say the least. The unfortunate news of the death of fly tying legend and Helena resident Bob Lay was passed around yesterday by friends and anglers alike who frequent the Missouri River. While I live in West Yellowstone, I split...
YNP Native Fish Conservation
Next week, there will be a VERY interesting lecture in Bozeman given by the Super himself, Dan Wenk. Native Fish Conservation has been a hot topic the past few years with ongoing discussions on Yellowstone Cutthroats, Grayling and the other non-native species of...
Upper Madison River Fishing Report 02.22.2014
After a quick run to the dump and to town for some gas, the dogs and I ran down to the Madison Valley. It was 14 degrees when we departed and slightly blowing. Rounding Hebgen I was looking forward to spending a couple of hours on the river as it has been over a...
YNP & a snowpack update
The past month has been a blur. Without a doubt, this season has been as busy as I want to be while snow coaching in Yellowstone and trying to run a fishing business as well. The past three months in YNP are comparable to May, June, July, August, Sept and October,...
The Interior
The slower pace of the winter season allows one to truly take it all in, even from behind the wheel of a B12 Bomb. For me, rubber necking and driving go hand in hand as maneuvering the Bomb really isn't as hard as some think. I love the winter and the solitude it...