The Great Migration

Yep, that's right, it's that time again when the geese and mallards are coming back to the Mo and the whistlers, (golden eyes,) are heading north to their summer range. Along with this great migration, the guides are heading back to Craig and Wolf Creek. Last year I decided to forgo the move and stay in Helena. I feel like I missed out on some valuable last minute bookings by not being in the area so I decided to move back to the little white house in Wolf Creek and put all my efforts in to just guiding for the season and playing music. (It's proven much easier than putting effort into relationships anyway. As long as I stay busy, those stings will fade and the healing begins...again.) My first day back seems to have paid off as about a minute after walking into Headhunter's, an outfitter from Missoula called and wanted to book a trip. My second trip of the year, consequently, was yesterday; April 2, 2011. Last year my first actual guide trip was May 7. I feel pretty good about that. The river is busy this weekend as the Missoula folks, who were counting on skwalas, got blown off the Bitterroot. Spring rains have brought some epic flows and with visibility of only a couple inches, even dredging the bottom won't produce fish. The smart outfitters from over there do hire locals as the fishing can be pretty tough this time of year on the Mo. Yesterday was tough but I think we did as good, if not better, than most. My guys put 7 or 8 fish in the net on streamers with a couple really good fish. (I'll have to post pics when I get them from Steve.) We also caught close to a dozen on nymphs. It wasn't on fire by any means but respectable. Dry fly fishing, although we did see some fish rising, was pretty much non-existent in the upper canyon. I heard there were a few more heads down-stream. Well, time to get ready for the big show at the Blackfoot River Brewing company. Keep 'em where you live y'all.