Railroad Ranch

Within two weeks of moving to Montana, this so called trout bum had two jobs, a cushy pad to call home and a girlfriend… sort of. My tread lightly "rough it" plan was failing and I needed to put the breaks on before I spiraled out of control. I packed up the truck with fly rods, reels, waders , camping gear, fly tying equipment, a case of beer and headed South to the Henry’s Fork. It was time to put my life back in order. The Railroad Ranch would never be the same. Never fished here before, just been told to fish downstream with dry flies only! Quite a statement to abide by for a guy that loves to catch fish and knows that trout spend 90% of the time feeding on sub aquatic insects. Anyway, I was here to clear my head and get back to trout bumming.

In two days, I had gotten skunked, lost a rod, broken up with my sort of girlfriend via pay phone but still had two jobs and a place to live. I would work on losing one of the jobs later. I’m here to fish and I’ll be damned to go skunked. Who cares about the majestic Grand Teton purple mountain majesty or the moose sipping water from this legendary spring creek harboring giant, wild rainbow trout? Who really cares about the sweet smell of sage brush bordering the banks of this volcanic wonder? I was here to fish and at this point, a fish would do the soul some good. "Stupid Henry’s Fork, this place is over rated I screamed"! I had to regroup. I’m not going to let this over hyped river get the best of me.

I stormed out of the boiling river and made a B-line for Osborne bridge. I did something I’m not very proud of and short of dynamite, I tied on a size #12 Prince nymph. That’s right, I was nymphing one of the greatest dry fly rivers in the world and I was killin’ it. It makes perfect sense. These fish don’t see many prince nymphs drift by their head, if ever. They were curious and I was catching fish, big Henry’s Fork fish. I felt a little dirty at first but who cares really? I got over the guilt pretty quickly. I’m not a purist, just a self taught fly fishing kid from the Midwest. I’ll justify my behavior as simply a skillful means of catching fish without the use of dynamite.

2011 Season In Review Continued...

2011 was a fantastic season! It was a different season for me personally as I stepped into the role as Owner and Managing Outfitter. No more guide work after 13 seasons. It was a good long run but also time to take CK Outfitters in a new direction.
I want to give credit to my hard working, ass kicking and ace crew who worked tirelessly providing quality guide trips throughout the season. Thanks to: Sean Efferson, Steve Wilson, John Sniscack, Austin Trayser, Jordan Corcoran, Ennion Williams and Ben Jantzen. You are some of the most solid guides I have ever worked with and could not have pulled off this season without your help.
We are looking forward to the 2012 season. We hope you all winter well and look forward to seeing you next season.

Craig Kalpinski
Owner & Managing Outfitter
CK Outfitters Fly Fishing
Bozeman Montana

2011 Season In The Books

The final days of the season are always bittersweet. Currently, there is an arctic cold front hanging around that with any luck will loosen its grip soon! It's the kind of cold that makes most fishing guides think twice about their profession.
We wrapped up our 2011 season a few days ago on the Missouri. Fishing was a bit tough but I suspect it was operator error? If you could rip a streamer in front of a nose or two, you could of moved a few fish and probably even got one to the net... quite a few but that was not the case this past weekend.
The Ritchie family blew into Montana in September and tore 'em up everywhere they fished. My ace crew of guides shined and we could not have pulled off this trip without them. Steve Wilson had my long time client and good friend Mark Baker out on the Upper Madison recently and they had a fantastic day!
It was a late start to the season due to the abundance of snowpack but once the rivers settled, the fishing was solid from start to finish. This is not the last post but one of several before we give up on the cold and are Southbound. Check back in a few for more of the 2011 season in review. To be continued...

Kids, tweak your brim please!

Call me old school but these straight brim fly fisherman scare me. You might as well wear a straw cowboy hat on the river. Plain and simple, these hats scare fish.. and me for that matter.
The 2011 fly fishing is winding down. Just a couple more trips on the books and then it's out like trout. It has been a great, interesting. long, watery, hot and most recently cold season. All in all, it really has been a great season. We will keep you updated on things relevant to fly fishing with CK Outfitters and report on the end to our season. In the meantime, tweak those brims and tip up!

Streaming

Ok, this Blog post really has nothing to do with fishing and actually, I feel pretty good about that. It's nice to step away from something that consumes your days. It has been a long and interesting season. We are at the very tail end of thing and it looks like some unsettled weather is finally moving in. Truth be told, fishing has been great but I'm sure the fish are tired of the Big ball hovering above and high pressure.
Wilco. That's what I'm talking about this evening. The whole love - the new album, is scary good. If you find yourself sitting around and need some sweet background tunes, I highly recommend streaming the shows off their site. Go to www.wilcoworld.net > click on roadcase > select a show and enjoy! This band is rippin' right now! We will be back soon to report on fish, rain, cold and clouds. In the meantime, tight lines and bent rods. Not bad fora a rambling man.

Wind..and lot's of it!

Despite the nuclear winds we have been experiencing the day time temps have been pleasant - as in 75 degree pleasant. It's what you expect this time of year. If you or your guide can hold a boat steady or the fish are eating flies on the drag, fishing has been really good. We have another month left before we wrap this show up for the 2011 season. There are some holes to fill in October so give us a call if in the area. Craig @ CK Outfitters 406-539-6582 Oh yeah, be sure to put a few rocks in your pockets.

Light at the end of the tunnel...

It's hard to believe that August is almost over. September is our biggest month and always has been. Kids are back in school, the weather here in Southwestern Montana is near perfect and the crowds are next to none.
It has been an interesting season to say the least. A late start and lot's of water made for some interesting fishing early in the season but we are seeing the benefits now. My wife, Caroline and I float fished the Lower Madison last Sunday - Something I rarely do in August because of warm temps and floating grass/moss/weeds. The fishing was actually quite good and weeds were not a problem until we got below Blacks Ford.
We have another month and a half of our season ahead of us until we wrap this show up. I'm looking forward to September! Old friends, good fishing and that awkward time of year that boggles both fish and fishermen. It happens every year and will long after CK Outfitters. Fish go from looking up for there food to not really knowing where to look for it. This might be a small price to pay for great weather and no crowds. Somehow we still manage to catch fish.

Mullets, Metal Fingers, Miller Lite & Mayhem In Montana!

Rockin' The Rivers 2011 Line-up!

Friday
Creedence Clearwater Revisited
Uriah Heep
Great White
The Dave Walker Band
Led Zeppelin Live starring Heartbreaker
Jamelution
xit 288
Airstream Safari
Alter Ego

SaturdaBachman & Turner

Ace Frehley
Rock Sugar
Whiskey River "Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute"
The Jared Stewart Band
Hell's Belles
Crash Baxter
Dawg House
The Mighty Flick
Printable 2011 Schedule

Sunday
Pat Benatar with Neil Giraldo
Bottle Rockets
Marshall Crenshaw
Too Slim and the Taildraggers
Blue Jack
Adrian and the Sickness
The Boozehounds
Sands of Time
The Frank Keyes Band

*** It happens every year, Rockin' The Rivers blows into Southwestern Montana like a freight train and unleashes some of the greatest washed up music performer still kickin' around. This years lineup is no exception. Folks this is guaranteed to be a doozy! Woo Woo!

Well said Bubba!

I came acrossed this Blog post yesterday and loved it. I could not have said it better myself. It was written by Bubba who guides for Rooster over in Twin Bridges at the Stonefly. I am now inspired to keep on writing my book after serious writers block or summer or something?

So from time to time when a fella catches a decent trout and it has been a slow day I will allow the client to hold the fish for the picture. Now this can be risky, in the event the unsuspecting trout ends up under neath the floor in the boat. Before I describe any further the gong show that took place with a beautiful specimen, I must clear something up right away. It does not work to the anglers advantage to grasp a majestic wild trout as if they were attempting to get the last drop out of their tube of toothpaste! Two reasons, the fish will wiggle twice as much, wouldn’t you?? and fish, if you were not aware do not have an exoskeleton and cannot withstand 100 lbs. of pressure directly to the pumping station.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, it is time to pick on a recent client. A client that supposedly had caught fish on every continent and in every country and most certainly did not need me to throw any pointers his way in the angling department. However, since I have put up with poor angling and what he considered poor fishing, it is my turn! First, his hook set resembled a ribbon routine from the 3rd grade class, his mend was actually the primary influence for character Zorro and his trademark Z. As unbelievable as it may sound this particular angler actually caught fish, one worth taking a picture of. Seeing as we had not been filling the boat with them all day I decided to let him hold the fish and take a sweet “dude” grip and grin. Needless to say Mr. World Wide Fly Fisher had apparently, similarly to his angling abilities, not perfected the art of gracefully holding a fish for a lovely memory. If memory serves me right, this fish bounced off of every surface within sight; the side of the boat, the bottom of the boat, top of the cooler, oar, all the while being batted around like a junior juggler for the Ringling Bros. This poor fish finally found the water and swam over to my feet, as if to beg for mercy. After reviving the fish, he sat in the shallows for awhile straightening out his life and recounting the events that had transpired. Needless to say that trout will think twice before inhaling a hot pink worm. So remember if your guide allows you hold the fish, be nice to it!

***It must be noted that no fish were harmed, just maybe bruised and a little sore today.

Fishing has been solid as of late. Bookings look better than ever this year. We will be going strong through September. Hard to believe it's almost August (Hopper time). We will do our best to keep this Blog updated with all things relevant to fly fishing with CK Outfitters. Maybe we'll even post a photo of a fish if we are having a slow day and trust in the hands of the angler.

Fish On!

It took awhile but everything with the exception of the Yellowstone is fishing. Actually the fishing has been quite good and improving daily.
The "Big Bug" is on the Upper Madison right now. The bulk of the hatch is around Lyon's bridge and moving upstream slowly this year - no surprise with our current water temps and conditions. There are also pockets of pteranarcys californica's all the way down to McAtee bridge.
Other rivers of interest are the Lower Madison which is shaping up beautifully and the Jefferson which is on "the drop & clear". We are a little behind schedule in terms of river flows and hatches but what it means is a long water filled summer of fantastic fly fishing Montana style. We are booking trips daily and are booking up quickly so be sure to give us a call and reserve your spot ~ 406-539-6582

Greasy grimy gopher guts.

Gopher blasting season is winding down and we are once again on the water catching fish. We have several high water options now. Upper Madison wade section is fishing well! Lower Madison is shaping up, YNP Firehole Salmonfly hatch won't be long and the Jefferson is on "the drop". One thing is for certain, we will have no shortage of water this summer. We look forward to seeing you in Montana this summer!



Craig Kalpinski
CK Outfitters Fly Fishing
Bozeman Montana
406-539-6582

Rivers On The Rise Again...

Well kids, there on the rise again. Unless you are fishing one of three tailwaters in the southern portion of Montana, (Missouri, Beaverhead or Bighorn) you might have some trouble finding fishable water. I'm not talking that quarter mile stretch above cabin creek in between Quake and Hebgen lake either. Those fish have run up and out of Quake Lake to spawn. Leave em' alone! I'm waiting to hear from a guide friend if the Big Hole is fishable today - sometimes an early option during runoff?
One thing is for sure, as soon as these river come back into shape - the fishing will be "Light's out"! A good flush means a couple of things. A#1 Fish will have been feeding heavily for months and will be plump, well fed and healthy. B#2 The river bottoms can always use a natural scouring.
This is always a tough time for me. I'm dying to fish some clear H2o. It's a good thing I have "the book project" to keep me busy this year. I have finished three chapters and feel pretty good about the project. Finally have a title too. Montana Hold 'Em. Oh, I forgot to mention the Salmonflies down on the Henry's Fork. By now, I'm sure they have moved up into Box Canyon but always worth a trip for a lunker rainbow or brown or a good volcanic ding to your chines. Actually, this year, it might not be a problem due to our abundant snowpack and current river levels. Any how, we will keep you posted on all things relevant to fly fishing with CK Outfitters as conditions warrant. Until the next post, tight lines and dry bags!

All Over The Map!

Folks, hang on for this wild ride. This weekend has been drop dead gorgeous with temps in the mid 70's. Tomorrow's forecast is for abundant sunshine and a high of 80!
This sort of behavior by Mother Nature should (fingers crossed) should spark the beginning of the "official" start of spring runoff. I will keep you posted.

The Strangest Spring Runoff...

Ok this is truly a weird spring runoff. The rivers here in Southwestern Montana are in flux in a big way. I spent the month of May living in the Lucky Ewe cabin situated right on the Gallatin river. I watched the river come up, come down, blow out, dirty, clear, green, fishable, not fishable to just ? Folks, true spring runoff has not even started. There is still a lot of snow locked up in the high country.
I had reports of boats over on the Yellowstone yesterday. The fishing reports were mixed but if you want to experience some weirdness, head over to the Yellowstone in June. Caution: The river is muddy below the sheilds so I would stick to the valley. The river gauge at Carters bridge said it was at 7,000 cfs.
Your most stable and productive option right now is still going to be the Missouri below Holter dam. We appreciate any reports you may have for us. We will amend this post as conditions change but for now, hang on folks and enjoy this wild ride.

Southwestern Montana Rivers On The Rise

We all look forward to the Mother's Day Caddis hatch but a lesser celebrated bug is the March Brown. Spring runoff is still holding out so we will continue to keep our reports up and running until we get our annual Spring flush gets underway.
Rather than updating the fishing reports on the Blog, click on the Southwestern Montana Fishing Reports Icon in the upper right hand corner of our Blog.
The March Brown hatch on the Yellowstone pre caddis can be phenomenal. Larger than average fish down low is probably what you will find. We had our first report of the bug showing up Easter Sunday.
This is an exciting time to be fishing in Montana. With Spring runoff coinciding on the wings of the much anticipated Mothers Caddis, It's important to stay tuned and keep up to date on current conditions. If you are in the area, enjoy the fishing!

Spring Runoff...

We are checking out for a few weeks and will resume fishing reports on 5/21 (Spring opener on the Upper Madison - conditions pending). I anticipate a lengthy Spring runoff with snowpack averages hovering between 130 - 140%. Impressive! With a limited amount of fishable options, late May will find us based in Craig Montana fishing the legendary Missouri R. tailwater. Thanks for reading and be sure to stay tuned...

Jefferson-

Madison
Upper - *Remember, the stretch from the outlet of Quake lake to Mcatee bridge is closed to fishing until the third Saturday in May.
Lower -

Gallatin -


Yellowstone -

Pancho & Lefty Scar The Palisades

The song "Pancho and Lefty" tells the story of a Mexican bandit named Pancho and a more enigmatic character, Lefty. The song tells of Pancho's death and implies that he was betrayed by his associate Lefty who was paid off by the Mexican federales. Let me give a first hand guides account of what happened that fateful afternoon on the Madison River in Montana.

Here is a brief history. Pancho stood 6'7" and hailed from the great steelhead city of Traverse City Michigan. Lefty, a stocky fella was an ex Chicago Blackhawk hockey player. *The real names of Panch & Lefty have been changed to save them from future embarrassment of being left stranded on a Montana river.

This trip was pre arranged by a local Outfitter I was working for at the time and my assignment was simple. An 8 a.m. pick up at the San Marino cabins in Big Sky Montana followed by a day of drift boat fishing on the Upper Madison River. Easy enough, I do this all the time. As I whipped into San Marino I saw an old friend I had not seen in years and stopped to chat, so I thought. Pancho & Lefty spotted my rig towing a boat and began hootin' and hollering. "Over here"! Would I really dismiss this sort of foolishness before our day even begins? It usually takes me until sometime before we take off that the war wounds blister. Question to self. What does patience have to do with fishing? I told Jim, "see you again in five years, I've gotta bolt and pick up my dudes". Dudes they were.

These two sports were foaming at the mouth when I finally arrived five seconds later. Obviously, psyched to wet a line or drive an hour or something? I parked, got out, shook hands, grabbed gear and there was plenty of it for a day trip to the Madison. Pancho & Lefty were both sporting those trendy straw cowboy hats along with shwag from exotic fly fishing destinations like El Pescador and the like. This sort of showboating leads a fishing guide like myself to believe I have two strong sticks that can fish right? I was quite pleased with my talent for the day until we began rolling South toward West Yellowstone when Pancho lit a cigar in my truck. This was just the beginning.

This is a short excerpt from the "Book With No Title Yet". The book is coming along nicely. In the meantime, our crew is back guiding anglers with this beautiful weather we have been experiencing lately. We are taking reservations for the 2011 season so be sure to give us a call to reserve your spot for the upcoming season. Also, check the Blog for updated fishing reports and more from "The Book With No Title Yet".