Skwala Fishing at it's Best!

As the month bleeds away into April I can't help but think that this year is possible one of the best March's I can remember.  Even though we had a cold winter and weather this month has yet to get above 60 degrees the fishing has been great and it looks like it will continue to be great well into April.  In the last 10 days we have seen the dry fly fishing get better and better each and every day.  Although there is plenty of traffic out there everyone seems to be catching fish.  We have been averaging nice fish with atleast a few shots per day on big ones over 18 inches.  The biggest problem right now is getting people to slow down their hook sets and let the fish get ahold of the fly before taking a swing.  Fishing should be great for another couple of weeks maybe all the way through April so come on out or give me a call.  http://www.sheerwaterguides.com/

Well it is here! March Madness! In the last week we have had some excellent dry fly fishing in the late mornings and afternoons. The Skwala hatch is in full swing and as good as ever. I say it every year but it is like clock work, "come March 15th no matter the weather fish start looking for Skwala dry's." I feel like many years March is as good or better than April even though there aren't all that many naturals bugs about. It better just because the fish haven't seen a bunch of various fake dry imitations that are consistently being pulled out of their mouth. We are still totally on the Bitterroot but as the earth warms we will begin to fish both the Clark Fork and Blackfoot as well. I think water conditions should hold together into mid April but I would come fish as soon as possible. Get a hold of me at karl@sheerwaterguides.com or check out the website and remember we are running spring specials until May 15th just $375/day

March Madness!

Well the report we have all been waiting here is finally here. Spring fishing is here and the fish are biting! One of my guides Nick Stipech and I floated the Bitterroot yesterday and had great fishing! We didn't see any dry fly activity but nymph fishing was good to great all afternoon. Once the temps. get above 50 degrees in the afternoon we are going to see some really good Skwala dry fly fishing and nymphing in the mornings should remain kick ass! These early season hatches can be kind of hard to pin down so you are always better off hiring a guide until the hatch really gets underway. Remember we have a spring special going until May 15th.

karl@sheerwaterguides.com

Spring is here! Sort of....

Well things have finally started to warm up and the snow is starting to melt in the afternoons. We will have lots of snow in the Mountains through early July but the valley snow should melt out in the next few weeks. As most of this valley snow disappears the rivers will rise from their wintertime lows and the fish bite should turn on. March has always been the least talked about month that offers great fishing because it can be cool and snowy. The weather shouldn't deter serious fisherman I have seen some of the finest fly fishing Western Montana has to offer in Mid March. I will have more to report once we get out on the water this week. But keep in mind fishing in the last two weeks of March and through April is going to be awesome this year and we run spring fishing specials of on $375/day/two anglers, this is a screamin' deal!

karl@sheerwaterguides.com

February and the Sun is Shining!

Although winter is definitely not over, we have gone from getting pounded with snow last week to today where all I can think about is going trout fishing.  The weather today is in the high 40's or low 50's sunny and feels great after all the cold weather we have had for the last three months, if this were the first week in March we would be seeing a pretty good afternoon dry fly bite today.  All you really need for great dry fly fishing in the spring is afternoon temps in the mid 40's and the fish will start to look up consistently.  March is mainly a Bitterroot deal since it is the first river in Montana to warm significantly and have really good Skwala Stone fly hatches.  This year March is going to be excellent so if you haven't booked yet get in touch with me and book some days.  Also remember the spring special of only $375/2 anglers/day this only lasts until Mid May.

Californication

Well today is the last day in Southern California after spending the last week with a couple of my good friends and fishing customers.  This whole trip sprung out of an idea one of my friends had while fishing the Missouri River in Montana last June.  It was one of those idyllic calm Montana days in June where just about everywhere you cast your fly catches a nice one,  Glen was having a pretty good time in the back of the boat catching fish after fish and this idea.  The idea was that I should come down this next winter and put on a talk about fly fishing Western Montana at his wife's casting club (notice his wife's fishing club).  The trip then spiraled into a week long bonanza of snow skiing and fly fishing adventures in the Eastern Sierra.  We had four wonderful days skiing Mammoth in the mornings and fly fishing Hot Creek and the Upper and Lower Owens rivers in the afternoons.  The weather was amazing! 40 plus degree temps ruled in the afternoons and it was gloriously sunny each day.  It was bizarre coming from Montana to such beautiful weather in January.  The shear numbers of fish/mile in these small streams is staggering, since none of them are larger than the Beaverhead.   We then spent a couple of days seeing the sights of the Los Angeles area, had a awesome personal tour of the Disney Theatre and had a great time eating and drinking ourselves into sleep each night.  After a wonderful dinner at Walt's Seafood in Seal Beach we drove up to the Long Beach Casting Club for my Presentation on Western Montana.  I have been to a number of fishing clubs but never have I been more impressed and warmly greeted.  They have a giant casting pond and a great club house with all the technology to provide an excellent presentation.  The presentation went off really well and I really enjoyed getting to talk to a large number of fly fishing enthusiasts.  To Bill, Jeff and the Long Beach Casting thanks again for everything and hope to see you all soon on the water's of Western Montana.  Tightlines and Cheers.

January

As the snow continues to pile up in the mountains we have had a serious warming trend in the valley's and the rivers have all bumped up quite a bit.  It is amazing how last week everything was darn near frozen solid and this week we are experiencing 40 plus degree temperatures during the day and the water is on the rise drastically.  I starting thinking back how a couple of years ago although we had a great snow pack up high in the mountains day time temps were such that the last week of February had some of the finest dry fly fishing of the year and as a result March had these amazing Skwala Stone Fly hatches.  I still think we are a ways out from that but who knows.  I remember launching the boat on the Bitterroot on Feb. 25th and thinking to myself, "do I really need this coat?"  We were really just out on the water to be there after a long winter of not trouting and not really worried about great fishing we just wanted to be out. As the afternoon warmed up the fish began to look up and holy cow! the fish were on!  We caught quite a few on the dry and a bunch more on droppers and as we drove back to Missoula that evening all of us agreed that was possibly the best day of trout fishing anyone of us had ever seen in February, and on the dry fly as well!  Western Montana's pre runoff fishing can be just as productive or more so than any other time of year.  We are truly blessed that because of the lower altitude of the Missoula area things warm up enough to offer literally three more months of great trout fishing than any other Montana fishing destination.  Come check it out!  Get ahold of me at http://www.sheerwaterguides.com/