Shop for amazing Montana fly fishing holiday presents for a great cause

A whole lot of awesome for a great cause

Online auction Fri. Dec. 2 thru Mon. Dec. 12

Enjoy once-in-a-lifetime guided fishing trips, a custom teardrop trailer, river floats, awesome gear, and much more in our annual auction to benefit a clean and healthy Clark Fork River.

Bidding begins online at noon on Friday, December 2 and ends Monday, December 12 at 10pm. You don’t want to miss this one!

Check out these amazing opportunities:

• Guided SUP, river boarding, and raft trips
• Fully-loaded custom tear drop trailer
• Exquisite hand-made bamboo fly rod from Sweetgrass Rods
• Horseback riding and lunch at the iconic E Bar L Ranch
• Scenic float or fishing trip through restored confluence
• Round of golf & lunch at Rock Creek Cattle Co.
• Seeley Lake condo time-share—hunter’s dream!

Much more!

Image, text, and links taken from an email composed by the Clark Fork Coalition.

The mussels are coming! The mussels are coming!

Photo courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks

According to the Missoulian Newspaper, the Associated Press, and The Daily Interlake, "Preliminary testing has indicated that an aquatic invasive species may have moved into the Missouri River."

The Daily Interlake reports: "Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman Greg Lemon said Monday evening that a water sample taken from the York Islands fishing access south of Townshend was found to be “suspect” during initial testing by state scientists. He said additional testing is needed to confirm whether the sample contained larvae from zebra or quagga mussels, two species of invasive mussel known to multiply aggressively and generate costly damage to aquatic ecosystems and infrastructure."

The Daily Interlake also wrote: "The finding comes about two weeks after mussel larvae, known as “veligers,” were confirmed for the first time in Montana waters at Tiber Reservoir. Another sample taken from upstream in Canyon Ferry was inconclusive, but a visual microscopy test indicated the veligers were present in that water body as well."

In the words of Vice President Biden, "This is a big fucking deal!"  And it's a big deal, not only for the waters where the larvae may have been found, but for all the connected waters (ie. the Jefferson, Madison, Gallatin, Big Hole, Beaverhead and the Lower Missouri.  Not only that, but it will make spreading the larvae around the state of Montana via recreationists, that much easier.

Amazing video! Carp or redfish?

Carps on fly from Arturo Monetti on Vimeo.


Wow! I've seen carp do some cool stuff but I've never seen this. I love those freaking things.

Big Hole River Fishery Report

Environmental Review of Snake River Dams Scheduled in Missoula

-Taken from a WestSlope Chapter email

Brook trout clown suit

Brook trout skin

Here in Montana, we have plenty of those little dink brookies that come to most people's minds when you say "brook trout." They are not native here and they cause some ecological trouble with our native and threatened bull char.  However, in Georgetown Lake, they are somewhat isolated from the rest of the watershed and they are managed for in a positive way because they get huge.  Some of them can get to Labrador, Canada-type sizes.  In the fall, they put on their clown suits and are the most colorful fish you can find.

Big boy guarding his redd in Emily Spring

As of now, the brookies in the lake are in full to late spawn and are just about impossible to catch. The good pre-spawn fishing is over but you can find some schooled-up roamers moving around that are not on the redds.  Throwing a big streamer at them may piss one off but at this point, it's a lost cause.  However, there is a fun alternative.  The rainbows will also join these moving herds. Throw an unweighted double egg rig right in front of the moving school.  As they all move over it, watch your line tip.  Once it starts following the school, set the hook.  It will be a big G-town rainbow every time!

Take your kids up to see the kokanee and brookie spawners in Emily spring and the hoards of eagles. I'd be surprised if you made it all the way around the lake and did not spot a moose or 2 as well.