Dropping Like A Stone!

I have to start this Blog by defending myself.
I have received several comments from readers asking where the "fish pics" are?
As most of you know, I have never been a big fan of "fish porn". As my creative stash of off the beaten path images dwindle, there will be plenty of posts in the future with pornographic snapshots of BIG fish. I'm sure ya'll can rest easy now.
I once had a guide ask me to put his bio on my website. ??? I BIT MY TONGUE! Apparently, he had not discovered the self soothing massage of Facebook.
The Ditch your probably wondering is a fairly new sandwich & coffee shop located just South of four corners. The Ditch is pumping out some delicious deli lunches. I will be utilizing them this season as they offer a fantastic fisherman's box lunch!
As for the fishing, well most of the local rivers are on the "drop and clear". I'm sure I just put the jinx on as soon as I hit the publish post button. Today and tomorrow put us on the Missouri. Holy water! It's big - 15,000+ cfs. Normally known for it's dry fly fishing, I think the fish are a tad freaked out right now. You will be successful up here if you change tactics. A long leader, lot's of weight and yep - an indicator. The fishing was allright but not what it was a month ago. We return to Bozeman on Wednesday to hopefully fish some clearing water closer to home. Please send us your photos. Tasteful and artsy always welcome. Please don't send photos of anglers kissing fish or teeth gripping the flyrod while hoisting a pathetic little fish. The extended forecast for the next five days:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
74° F | 45° F	70° F | 45° F	61° F | 41° F	58° F | 40° F	65° F | 43° F
Partly Cloudy	T-storms 70% chance of precipitation	T-storms 80% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 40% chance of precipitation	Partly Cloudy

Eat My Words

After my last post, I began diving a little deeper into this so-called Spring runoff. I would like to eat my last post but rather than deleting it, I'm leaving it alone because there is some good info on it.
As of June 3, we still have not entered into the "Main" runoff. I know guides on the Bighole that don't book trips the first two weeks of June because of runoff. This year there is clear water, caddis, rising fish all over the river and hungry guides wishing there were people here to enjoy it.
The five day forecast calls for more of the same. We are looking at some very unsettled weather. The long range forecast doesn't change much so we might just want to get used to packing the parka and embracing all of this moisture. Ultimately, we know it's good for all the reasons we love Montana.

	5-Day Forecast for ZIP Code 59754 Customize Your Icons! Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday 65° F | 47° F 61° F | 38° F 65° F | 41° F 65° F | 43° F 65° F | 40° F T-storms 50% chance of precipitation Chance of T-storms 80% chance of precipitation Partly Cloudy Chance of T-storms 40% chance of precipitation Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation

Spring Runoff!

Here's how today went down. Jefferson>Upper Madison>Lower Madison is where we settled in and spent our day fishing clear water.
It fished. It fished great infact! We were looking for a different option this morning but were hosed by muddy high water. The Jeff spiked yesterday and the Westfork is churning out the mud on the Upper.
After this weekends valley rain and high country snow - runoff is full steam ahead.
*On a side note. If and when you come out this season to fish the Lower Madison, some of you may not recognize the Warm Springs access. The parking lot has been paved. Parking lines have been painted and Warm Springs now has a very Disneyesque feel to it. I'm not a huge fan of the so called improvements but I guess in time I will adjust. Refreshingly I discovered the Outfitters & Guides annual FAS fees were not used to pay for this project. Those (Fishing Access Site) fees were saved to clean the bathrooms and trash left behind by those who like to represent Montana by floating ass or belly up on inner tubes.
OK, I will keep my blood pressure in check by shortening this rant and reporting only things relevant fly fishing in Southwestern Montana. Runoff has begun but there are fishable conditions and good one's too! Give us a call to discuss your options.

In The Blink Of An Eye

In the blink of an eye our snowpack totals here in Southwestern Montana have gone from 70% to over 100% of average - all within a month. The rain and snow dance worked. As I write this Blog the rain continues to pour down outside. But then, it is Memorial Day Weekend- almost a rain guarantee. This news bodes well for our 2010 Summer outlook!
It's been a roller coaster of a Spring runoff this season. Actually, true Spring runoff has not even ignited - only a spark. The weather has remained cold enough to keep snow piling up in the high country and preserving what we already have. Our rivers have come up a bit, but that is due to a day or two of warm weather and lot's of much needed and welcomed moisture - not a true blue runoff as of yet.
As for the fishing - Epic dry fly fishing all the way around. There are still Mother's Day Caddis on the Upper Madison and a few stragglers on the lower river. The Madison, Missouri, Jefferson and Gallatin are still pumping out the bugs. Even the Yellowstone dropped a bit and cleared enough to fish this week. I don't ever remember Mother's Day Caddis hanging on until June!
This is all very exciting as we will be transitioning into Summer. CK Outfitters will be running a Summer special in the coming month so be sure to stay up to date by checking our new website www.ckoutfittersflyfishing.com and clicking on our Special Rates & Packages link. Also, new this season is a great lodging option at The Ranch At The Dearborn on the Missouri - a bed and breakfast on the Gary Cooper ranch.
Conditions are sure to change so stay tuned for updates by checking our CK Outfitters Reports link or checking our Blog. Until our next post, take care and we hope to see you this Summer for what promises to be some fantastic fly fishing!

It's Go! Time!

Epic is the only word I can use to describe the fishing. If you like floating lazily down the river in your shorts and tevas and casting dry flies, Montana is the place to be. The weather has been perfect - 75 degrees and sunny and light winds. The caddis have been erupting on both the Upper and Lower Madison, mingling with both Baetis and March Browns.
Word over on the Yellowstone tonight is MUD. Unless we have a cold snap soon, this is probably the beginning of runoff on the Stone. We'll keep you posted on current conditions on all our local rivers. Be sure to stay up to date by checking our Reports link on our new website > www.ckoutfittersflyfishing.com

Mother Natures Many Faces

It's May right? That's what my calender say's. Apparently Mother Nature has a split personality. Snow, rain, wind, sunshine, pretty much everything you would expect living in Montana. Clients flew in to fish the much anticipated Mother's Day Caddis Hatch. It's a legendary hatch - a real flyfisherman's dry fly extravaganza - if you hit it right. The 2010 MDCH may not have amounted to much thus far and if it does, we have already surpassed Mother's Day by 3 days and the estimated time of arrival for the caddis is usually a week before Mom's Day.

Even though were not straining our eyes to see our caddis imitation amidst all the naturals.... the dry fly action has been steller (wind pending)! Caddis, B.W.O's & March Browns will curb your dry fly fix. Now, when the wind does blow, it's streamer time. Some true lunker (Hate the word, but at a loss) fish have been caught recently!

Check out this book soon

Passion. Devotion. Obsession. Do those words describe your relationship with the opposite sex? Or with fly fishing? And what happens when the passion for one collides with the passion for the other?

The usual result of those collisions is tragedy. Or comedy. Or both.

The eight chapters of Till Death or Fly Fishing Do Us Part are about those collisions of passion, and even the tragic ones are pretty funny--mostly because they're happening to someone else and not to you.

The first seven chapters are written by different people (three men and four women), and are quick, easy reads. The last chapter, by Tom Pero, is long--about half the book's 168 pages--and gives you perhaps more info on Pero's love life than you wanted to know, from his encounter with a "Mrs. Robinson"-type when he was a teenager, to adult encounters with the girl (woman) next door.

Each chapter has its insights into male-female relationships and how those relationships are affected by fly fishing. Some of those insights are spelled out in the text, and others you have to dig up on your own ("Boy, was that guy clueless about women.")

Till Death or Fly Fishing Do Us Part is a well-written, enjoyable book. Although I found a few typos near the end, the production values are good. And it's not like I haven't generated one or two typos in my own writing. The eight caricuture drawings by Whitney Martin capture the often comic nature of male-female relations.

This is a good gift book, and I suspect that more fly anglers will get their copy on their birthday or for Christmas rather than buy it on their own. it would be a Valentines Day gift, however; you'd have to read the book to understand why!

Bottom Line: Good, fun read. Here's a breakdown in case you forgot and if you still cannot remember, give us a call on the trout line 406-539-6582 Until you read again, tight strings!

May	Caddis	ElK Hair Caddis, Parachute Caddis size 14
	March Brown	Adams, Dark Cahill size 10
	Baetis mayfly	Parachute Adams, Blue Wing Olive size 16

Thanks for a great season!

That's not Brett Favre on the tractor, it's actually good friend Tim Haslitt ponied up and thinking about working for his turns after he digs his way to freedom. love that photo Alex. Truth be told and let my lower lumbar be proof, it was actually 22" of heavy wet cement.
If this is any indication of things to come, than brace for yet another banner Winter here in Southwestern Montana. This recent dump of snow bodes well for all the reasons we live here!
As for the fishing - well, on days when your guides aren't iced up and you can actually cast a fly it's been pretty decent. Here's the skinny on Winter fly fishing.
Get a late start. No reason to race to the river. Let the water warm up. ***Remember, this is fly fishing. This whole sport revolves around insects and their life cycles. If the bugs are frozen and immobile, then too are the fish - most likely. Take the time to steep some beans and prepare a thermos of coffee in the morning. Drinking a hot cup of joe on the river might just be the highlight of your day. Enjoy the fish you do catch. It takes a special soul to be out there on the river this time of the year braving the elements. Lastly, think about the reasons why you fly fish. I rediscovered something this past season I've known for a long time but hit me upside the head. Angling for the right reasons is as personal and as real as it gets.
Thank you to those who helped make CK Outfitters 2009 season a success! It is amazing what a little bit of water, favorable conditions and cooperative fish will do for the fishing. This year was the best fishing we have had on the Jefferson to date and this river is only gaining momentum. The Madison produced some trophy trout as always and the Yellowstone fished well late into the season. The shining star in Southwestern Montana had to be the Missouri. This tailwater is a "must fish" if in the area. Since the Missouri requires a bit of traveling and a minimum 1 night/2 day stay, currently we are working on lodging options for 2010. In March, be on the lookout for our Spring special - a great way to cash in and save on some great fishing. Although the season has finally come to an end, we will continue to update our Blog as the fishing warrants. Be sure to stay up to date on all things relevant to fly fishing with CK Outfitters by visiting our Blog @ http://ckoutfittersflyfishing.blogspot.com Have a great Winter and we hope to see you this Spring!

Craig Kalpinski
Owner & Managing Outfitter
CK Outfitters

MO Rainbows

What a great time of year to be fishing the Missouri! If you are looking for solitude and great fishing, the MO is your best bet. You will experience fantastic dry fly fishing in the afternoon. Nymphing with baetis nymphs and emergers is solid before the hatch comes off. Haven't thrown any big junk - haven't had to but I suspect those big browns would take a bite.

A brief warm up!

Looks like we have seen the last of this arctic ass whooping. Predicted highs for the rest of the week should reach the mid forties to mid fifties. We'll see if the weather guy is right or just a wannabee James Span.
The weather guy said something to the effect of this being a “once in a generation” weather event. Temperatures this cold in October happened last about 25 years ago. It's certainly not global warming... maybe a global cool down.
As for the fishing, we begin to pick it back up tomorrow and will have more to report at a later time. Before this freeze, the Browns were beginning to stage up in the shallows and slow moving tail outs before they make the run to do their thing. If wade fishing ***Use caution this time of year not to disturb the redds. They are pretty obvious looking barren patches of clean gravel that the fish have pushed away. This will help protect future generations of fish. We saw a new age class of Brown trout on the Lower Madison this year. These fish were clean, bright, powerful, HOT and wild fish. Most fish had very few hook scars and some had never been hooked before - a testament to the importance of Catch & Release fishing.
On a side note and a break from fishing here in Montana: Ya'll need to check out my brothers Blog.
http://milespaddled.blogspot.com// His crew of dedicated kayaking friends are as serious about their paddling as we are about our fly fishing. Barry hooked this turtle gettin' jiggy - something I did not teach him this Summer. Turtle was unhooked safely and released back into the Wisconsin River. Way to represent CK Outfitters! I will continue to keep you updated on all thing relevant to fly fishing here in Southwestern Montana until it is just too cold.

COLD!

COLD! 4 degrees this morning and rising. We went from Summer straight into Winter bypassing fall. This cold snap is not even funny. It is too early for this bone chilling torture.
We had a couple of trips booked last week but due to the weather we pushed those into next week when the weather is supposed to warm up a bit. They are calling for a high of 51 on Tuesday. Sorry to say but I don't have much to report other than one mediocre day on the Lower Madison last week. I will amend this report after it warms up this next week.

Up and running!

After a brief sabbatical from technology, we are back! The fishng last week was good, as it should be during fall in Montana.
We have been all over the map. From the Jefferson to the Missouri and over to the Stone. Everything is fishing well! ***Word of caution*** Come prepared for foul weather. Most days will start out cold and if we are lucky, temps might reach a comfortable level.
Were getting fish on dead drifted Bugger and Bead combos. Baetis dry fly fishing has been weather dependent. If there is a ceiling, the fish are looking up in the afternoon. If that big bright ball is out and about, it's been a nymphing game.
My apologies for lack of Blog posts. Computer crashing, geeky techs, poor service, you get my point. We are up and running again and will keep you posted as the fishing continues!

On Hold...

Computer problems have me down for awhile but thanks to the very knowledgeable computer geek fixing my laptop, I should be up and running soon. In the meantime, the fishing remains very good! I will keep you updated on all things relevant to fly fishing with CK Outfitters as well as the front that is going to push through tomorrow.