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Friday, November 28, 2014

John Barr's Meat Whistle

The Meat Whistle

























Hook:  Size 4 - Huge Gamakatsu or similar jig style, round bend hook (size 2 is shown)
Cone: Tungsten only
Thread:  6/0 in appropriate color
Tail:  Rabbit strip
Ribbing:  Small copper wire
Body:  Fish Scale body tubing (wrapped flat)
Flash:  Gold or silver Flashabou
Legs:  Silli Legs (Crawdad Pumpkin Silli Legs are shown)
Throat:  Marabou tips
Head:  Thread wrapped in front of the cone.  Use the same thread color as the body or make a hot spot with some color.

This fly has some unique features.  Obviously, it is tied on a jig hook.  This opens up an array of ways to fish it.  It is perfect for dead drifting in the winter and can be used on a dude rig in the spring.  In the late summer, it is a great crayfish imitation that can be dredged through the deepest of runs.

The Meat Whistle is also great for stillwater fishing and can even be fished through the ice.  Not only is this fly versatile in how it can be presented, it also catches many different species of fish.  Tie this fly in every color you have to match all sorts of situations.

One of the best things about this fly is the name.  Google "meat whistle" while not at work.  Pretty funny name for this fly.  Also makes reading the title of this post aloud hysterical.  Didn't know John Barr had such a sense of humor.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

While you were watching football...

...the Bitterroot was on fire.  Contrary to what you may read on some of our local fly shop's fishing reports, the local fly fishing is great.  The lower Bitterroot streamer bite is great right now, there is absolutely NO shore ice, and the water is clear and perfect for wade fishing or a float!


Rainbow missing his maxilla



















Another rainbow in the net






















Nice cutbow eats the EZ Bunny


See Ya!





















































So, thanks to the local fly shops for telling everyone the fishing is essentially "over" for the year.  I like to have my rivers to myself anyway.  It is still November.

I caught fish on streamers (EZ Bunny in white) all day and the only other people I saw were some friendly duck hunters.  I'm not trying to sell you anything so go ahead and keep watching football and leave the rivers to me.  I got this!

Friday, November 21, 2014

More big news at RBM headquarters







 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I am humbled, honored, and beyond excited to have been accepted into the Montana Tech family.  Origionally known as the Montana State School of Mines, MT Tech is a bad-ass little school on the hill in Butte, America.
 
I never thought I'd get my high school diploma, let alone, graduate from college.  Now, I'll be taking my crazy little life to a whole new horizon; graduate school.  Yikes!
 
Butte is right in the center of western Montana.  I will literally be surrounded by world famous trout streams in all directions.  There is also some great fishing right in and around town. 
 
For those of you that don't know, Butte is also one of the craziest places you will ever go, as well as a huge EPA Superfund Site.  I'll be doing my work/studies right in the mess on the hill.
 
Look forward to reports on my new adventures, discoveries, and stories from one of the coolest cities in the country. 
 
GO DIGGERS!!
 

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Marriage Equality in Montana

Image from:  http://www.gayrva.com

























To my gay friends and family,
I'm sorry it has been such a hard fight to gain equality and fight discrimination.  Today, Montana takes a step in the right direction and out of the dark ages.  Let the wedding bells ring!!

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Missoula Area Fishing Report - Mid November


























Yep, winter came in last week and shut down the fall fly fishing for good.  All of the rivers in our area look like Alaska right now.  While most people have packed up their fly fishing gear and have started to think about getting into some powder, I have gone into fishing overdrive.

Winter fishing is awesome.  One of the biggest factors for me starting this blog was a realization that there is very little information and enthusiasm for winter fishing.  That ends now!

For instance, did you know that you can fly fish through the ice?  They even make ice rods with fly reels on them.  You use the same winter flies you would use on the river.  It's a whole different game but it is a hell of a lot better than freaking out about winter and being miserable like everyone else.

During warm spells the Bitterroot, Upper Clark Fork, and the Missouri can fish like the freaking bees knees and you can go days without seeing another fisherperson. We live in a winter wonderland, those people who get cabin fever in the winter are either just lazy or for some reason not able to be active.

So here it is, a somewhat abbreviated (for now) Missoula Area winter fishing report.

The Clark Fork:
Frozen.  However, the upper river will fish all winter.  Use Missouri River winter patterns like orange bead scuds and sows, eggs, and streamers.  There are some monster rainbows up there (pushing 30") that fall over the dam and there's always the resident browns.

The Bitterroot:
Frozen.  When we have a warm spell, this river will be scary until the iceburgs clear out, but then, it is low flows, easy wading, beautiful sunsets and stacked up fish in the winter runs; and you have it all to yourself.

The Missouri R.:
The only issue you'll have here is nasty weather.  When you get a nice day over there, it is winter paradise.  It's so pretty and odd.  I just love it on the MO in the winter.  I don't take a boat because wading is the best in the winter.  It's a nymphing and streamer deal with midges on the shoulders of the season.

And ice fishing:

Beavertail Pond:
I love this stupid pond.  As of yesterday, it had 3 inches of hard, clear ice.  I played it cautious and fished in no deeper that waste deep in case I fell through.  Ideally you want 4".  The north side of the pond is where the aquifer enters so the ice was only 2" thick.  I'd stay away from that end for a while.  The brood stock rainbows are in there and they are ready to eat.  They are huge (25"+ and up to 10lbs.) and they cruise around in swarms.  You can go a half hour without a sign and then all of a sudden there's 3 submarines headed at your fly.  In between trout swarms, you'll catch perch.  I use steelhead size egg patterns, tiny egg patterns, and jig head streamers.

Harpers Lake:
This is a small natural lake up near Clearwater Crossing.  Because it is at a higher elevation, the ice is better than Beavertail. The brood stock are also put in here.  The water is very clear which makes looking down the hole really fun.  One of the best things about ice fishing is that it is a lot like snorkeling.  Your suspended above this whole scene and you can watch all sorts of stuff and get instant feedback on the fish.  I use the same flies up here.

There are many other ice fishing ponds/lakes around here but I won't report on them until I fish them.  Stay tuned.






Saturday, November 15, 2014

Be Steelheaded

Be Steelheaded — Mark your calendars
On Nov. 20, Trout Unlimited will launch the Wild Steelhead Initiative, an ambitious and hopeful project to protect and restore wild steelhead and the incredible fishing opportunities they provide throughout their native range in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Whether you reside in a steelhead state, or like many, venture cross country to chase this elusive fish, we hope you will get involved in TU's newest venture.
The heart of the Initiative will be a new community, Wild Steelheaders United, which is being established to inform, organize and activate anglers (regardless of preferred gear type) to protect and recover wild steelhead. In short, Wild Steelheaders United is a home to anyone who believes in the common quest to protect these fish and the incredible fishing opportunities they provide.
The Initiative will focus on river systems that have high potential to support robust, fishable wild steelhead populations, while accepting that properly managed steelhead hatcheries may be appropriate to provide fishing and harvest opportunity in rivers that no longer have the capacity to support wild steelhead. This effort will begin in the Western states and as it grows, expand eastward into the Great Lakes region as funding and resources permit.
The Initiative will address both habitat protection/restoration and steelhead policy and management so that all of the "Hs" (habitat (including hydro), hatcheries, and harvest) are aligned so that wild steelhead can thrive.
Please join us to kick-off the Initiative at simultaneous events in all five "steelhead states" at the locations listed below. The events are free and open to the public.
More information to come soon! Stay tuned to tu.org, our Facebook and Twitter pages to learn more about TU's newest effort.
Wild Steelheaders United
wsu_state_wa.gif
Seattle
Earl Harper Studio — 6:30p.m.
5531 Airport Way S
Seattle, WA 98108
PHONE: (206) 763-9101
For more information, contact host John McMillan.
wsu_state_id.gif
Boise
Empire Building — 7:30p.m.
205 10th St.
Boise, ID 83702
For more information, contact host, the Ted Trueblood chapter.
Oregon
Portland
Lucky Lab Taphouse — 6:30p.m.
1700 North Killingsworth St.
Portland, OR 97217
PHONE: (503) 505-9511
For more information, contact host Dwayne Meadows.
Alaska
Juneau – (Kickoff and Wild Reverence Showing)
Silverbow Inn Backroom — 6p.m.
120 Second Street
Juneau, AK 99801
PHONE: (907) 586-4146
For more information, contact host Mark Heironymus.
California
Santa Cruz/Monterey
Seminar Room, Moss Landing Marine Laboratory — 6:30p.m.
8272 Moss Landing Rd.
Moss Landing, CA 95039
PHONE: (831) 771-4400
For more information, contact host Sam Davidson.
© 2014 Trout Unlimited - all rights reserved.
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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The EZ Bunny Fly - detailed instructions


























Hook:  Size 6 streamer hook
Cone head:  Small nickel cone head with eyeball
Thread:  6/0 white
Tail flash:  Pearl Flashabou
Tail/Body:  Small white rabbit zonker strip
Throat:  Ice Dub – UV Pearl


Legendary fly tier Jack Dennis wrote the “Three Commandments” for tying flies.  He states that flies should be durable, easy and quick, and that they should catch fish.  The EZ Bunny Fly is the epitome of this ideology.  The fly is super durable, you can tie one in less than 5 minutes, and it catches huge trout.  You can tie this fly in yellow, brown, green, or red.  The white is really effective and fun to fish because you can see it so well in the water.  It is really exciting to watch it swim across a run and move trout like an electrofishing wand.

Step 1
Tie in about 1 inch of Flashabou off the back of the hook.

Step 2











 









Tie a rabbit strip to the back of hook for the tail of the fly.  There should be about 2 inches of leather for the tail length.  Don’t cut the long end of the rabbit strip as you’ll use this for the body.

Step 3























Fold the long (body) strip back and make some thread turns right in front of it to really lock in the rabbit strip.
Step 4























Apply a small amount of your favorite glue to the shank of the hook.  Then, palmer the long strip of rabbit up to the cone.  This creates the body of the fly.
 
Step 5























Apply some of the Ice Dub to the thread and make a few wraps behind the cone to hide any thread wraps and then, whip finish.

Friday, November 7, 2014

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

RBM Chronicles goes big-time

















I've been involved with Trout Unlimited over the years as a student, volunteer, and employee.  They are a great organization and anyone who calls themselves a trout fisherperson or conservationist should become a member.  Our local Missoula chapter (WestSlope Chapter) asked if I'd help out with the Fly of the Month section of their monthly newsletter and I said, "hell yeah!"

They'll be linking to the blog for fly recipes.  I couldn't be happier about it.  I'm really going to have to fix the logo now!  I kind of like it as it is.  Kind of an ongoing joke with myself.  Anyway, stay tuned for a November fishing report, a review of Hank Patterson's Reel Montana Adventure, and stories from a day out with another beginner fly fisherperson.

Take a kid fishing. If you don't know any, teach an adult.

Check out the November newsletter from the WestSlope Chapter of Trout Unlimited and become a member today!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Monday, November 3, 2014

Dia de los Muertos - Missoula, MT

Light Bike

























For a small city in Montana, we have a really good Day of the Dead Parade.  The parade runs through downtown and ends in Caras Park on the bank of the Clark Fork.  There is a big party with all sorts of curiosities under the pavillion at the park.

22nd Annual Day of the Dead
















Mother with lights
















Gliding Brides
















Tall Skeletons
















Day of Dead Banners















Caras Park - Day of Dead






























































In Memory of: Grandma C., Grandpa P., Great Grandma R., and Wizzie.