Summertime!

I know I haven't been blogging for  a while but here is the pre summertime update!  Things are shaping up for an amazing runoff this year.  What this means is that since we have more than 140% snowpack in most of our mountain ranges we are going to have awesome water conditions July through Oct. this year!  We haven't seen a runoff like this in a few years so if you haven't experienced high water nymph fishing in late May or June give me a call.  There are still openings in August, September, and Oct. so get ahold of me soon or follow us on facebook (Sheerwater Guide Service) for all of the latest river reports.  karl@sheerwaterguides.com

March Madness!

I know you all have been awaiting another blog entry but I have been really buisy refinishing guide boats for the upcoming season and skiing really deep powder in the mountains.  We have had an awesome winter with upwards of 140% snowpack in some of our mountains!  Things are beginning to fish around the Missoula area as we head towards the fabled Skwala Stonefly hatch of March and April.  Although not many skwalas are out yet we should see the first good hatch in the next week.  The Bitterroot has been fishing well subsurface all day.  I still have some openings in April if anyone is interested but as a whole our summer fishing is going to be awesome!  August through October should have great water conditions this year as well so come on out.  Follow us on facebook for more info.  Cheers.

January in Montana

Well 2014 has been great so far we have a great snowpack in the mountains and this next spring looks like it is going to be great fishing!

Spring Skwala Stone Fly Fishing in Western Montana.

  Now that fall is gone and winter and the Holidays are here it is time to start thinking about the great fishing options for 2014.  Many of you probably have a warm saltwater trip planned or maybe an adventure to Patagonia for Southern Hemisphere trout but there are also some great options in Montana that are just around the corner. 

  The Skwala Stone Fly hatch on the Bitterroot, Clark Fork, and Blackfoot rivers of Western Montana is definitely some of the finest stone fly/dry fly fishing of the whole year!  Skwala nymphs begin to move and crawl out from under rocks in late February and depending on weather and water temps begin to offer good dry fly opportunities in the Afternoon by mid March.  This isn’t your typical cool weather fishing, when the trout get on the dry’s it can be really exciting with lots of eats, they are very aggressive and they really crush the bug.  Skwala’s are typically a size 10 or 12 dark colored stone fly, olive or black but with some lighter segments to their under bodies.  What is so unique about this hatch is the time of year, this hatch happens months earlier than any other aquatic hatch and is prolific and since the fish are just coming out of winter they are ready to feed heavily.  March is generally solely Skwala stone fishing but as you move into April you begin to see other types of small stones as well as March Brown and Grey Drake Mayflies.

  The season for fishing this hatch runs from about March 15^th to April 20^th with the three best weeks being the last week in March through April 15^th.   This is because this hatch occurs  pre mountain runoff so the farther you get into April the higher the chance that the snow will begin to melt and the rivers will start to rise.  The weather can be cool in the 40-55 day time temp range but the fish are like clockwork once they get on the bugs they get on them every day whether the days is warm or not.

  A day on the water goes something like this.  Meet at your hotel at around 8 or 8:30 am depending on the weather (you guide will pick you up at your hotel).  Head out to the river, dry, dry/dropper, or streamer fish until noon and have lunch.  Shortly after lunch the fish will be looking up well and we fish single or double dry’s all afternoon until the hatch quites at 5:30 or 6 pm.  The fish of western Montana are a nice mixture of Rainbows, Westslope Cutthroats, Cutbows, and brown trout and the average size most days is between 16 and 19 inches with the occasional trout going over 20 in.  I always recommend booking atleast 3 guide days so that you get to see a wide selection of the different types of water and fish we have to offer in Western Montana.

  Sheerwater Guide Service still has some prime dates open for the spring so if you  want to get in on some of the best dry fly fishing of the year please contact me at karl@sheerwaterguides.com 

Karl Jones

Sheerwater Guide Service, outfitter #10893

www.sheerwaterguides.com

           Karl Jones

Happy Fourth of July!

Finally have a day off and what a June and Early July we have had!  Fishing has been fantastic!  Hope everyone has a wonderful fourth and see you all on the water soon.  Here is a nice one we caught on the Smith last month!

It time for the big bugs!

April ended beautifully this year with great dry fly fishing all the way to the end.  Now it is Missouri River time and the "Mo" is fishing great!  I spent the last week there with a day on the Dearborn as well.  We had fantastic fishing on the Mo and a great day on Salmon Flies on the Dearborn.  The next couple of weeks should be just as good!  The Missoula area will start to fish soon with a salmon flies so summer has finally come.  I still have some openings in July and August so if you want to get in on the awesome golden stone or hopper fishing ahead let me know and we will get something lined up.  Tightlines!

April

April has been fishing great! Although we did have some high water last week there was a large number of great fishing options.  With the cooler weather this week everything will drop into shape nicely for the next 10 days or so and dry fly fishing should be awesome!  If you haven't booked a day yet get ahold of me there are still a couple of days open in my April calender.  Cheers see you on the water!

Its on Like Donkey Kong!

Well so far March has been great fishing overall with the exception of a couple of days last week where it blizzarded and the skiing was much better than the fishing.  Skwalas are out in force and since the weather is warming now and should be nicer through April the bug hatch should only increase to include Grey Drakes, Baetis, and March Browns.  This is one of the very best times of year for dry fly fishing!  If you haven't grabbed some dates yet you better get on it cause things are going fast.  See you on the water!