Get 'Em

 

Just a bit short...Spending the day off with one of my favorite little fishing buddies down in Alder, MT. The drive was worth it. It gave me a chance to get away from the Missouri for a day and relax and also check out some of the water, weather and snow-pack around the state.

 

The Jefferson is still out but the Boulder by Boulder, MT is fishing as well as the Ruby. There is still snow up in the mountains that will gradually contribute but I think things should clear up on the big waters pretty soon, which means options for guides and less pressure on the tail-waters and spring creeks. (A tail-water is regulated by a dam so it shouldn't blow out as easily and has a longer window for fishing. Free-stones are unregulated and with snow-pack like we had this year, these streams blow out and remain high and unfishable for a longer period.)

 

What has saved us from record run-off this year is the fact that we didn't get any precipitation for the entire month of May and half of June. We also had cool temperatures, which kept rivers from gushing all at once. We are getting much needed rain and even some snow now. Yes, I said snow. I was driving back from Alder yesterday and saw fresh snow on the ground at Jefferson City just south of Helena. That would be the latest I've seen it snow out here.

 

I drove out to Montana for the first time in 2001 to work with Alternative Youth Adventures. It was June 6th and as I hit the Bridgers near Bozeman, I was stuck in the middle of a snow storm. I couldn't believe it. I spent eight days in the backcountry starting the eighth of June. The snow melted a few days into it but then on the 15th, it snow 18 inches on us. That was an epic week for a lot of reasons but I left the backcountry really questioning what I got myself into.

 

Like I said, this is the latest I've seen it snow but I'm glad we're getting the precipitation. We definitely need it. What we thought was going to be record levels on the rivers is now below average and we are well into the fire season already. This last week of weather has been a blessing.

 

Keep 'em where they live...