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.