Greetings E13'rs, Old and New!!!
John Gould here, your friendly neighborhood outfitter and guide. Well gang, it's that time of year again we are truly excited about this coming Extravaganza on our end!
This year's snow pack is incredibly average and we are looking forwards to a great dry fly season here with some lower conditions than our last two extravaganzas. This years fly menu should contain multiple different dry fly meals for our fishing fun, and opportunities of seeing of wild trout take a surface fly is always something to look forward to!
High water finally showed up at the end of the first week of April and we've been over on the Missouri for the past week and a half already, but if things stand as is, and our snow pack holds true we should be throwing dry flies here by the end of May, and still have plenty of water for each of the 3 groups in the Extravaganza this season.
This years predicted water conditions should allow us to fish all of the three main rivers in our area. The Bitterroot river is our first to come in the shape after high water in late May/ early June-to even mid June depending on rain amounts.The Bitterroot offers eighty miles of main stem, with another twenty miles of the west fork. If one were to add up all the channels, back waters and springs, not to mention the countless tributaries that hold trout at their mouths, they would find that there is more fly fish-able trout water in this valley, than most people could fish in a lifetime.
The Blackfoot river is next, In June and July, you will see Salmonflies and Golden Stoneflies that rival the size of many fisherman's bass poppers! The pace is fast and furious this time of year, but at all levels, this river rewards the angler. On the Blackfoot, be it with dries, nymphs or streamers, this river offers every fishing challenge one would picture on a Montana river. The water changes character quickly, from long glides peppered with Green Drakes, to frothy plunge pools where anxious rainbows hammer anglers’ imitations with abandon.
Also possibly this year is the opportunity to spend some time on our larger river the Clark fork! This river is named for Captain William Clark, of the famous Lewis & Clark expedition. It’s the "largest water" we have in the immediate Missoula are, and it boasts some amazing mayfly, stonefly and terrestrial fishing! Hopefully, with not to much rain, we can spread some more boats onto this incredible Montana river. The rainbows are bigger this year, and have more fight than almost any other trout in our state! Time will tell on this one, but with an average water year/ snow pack, our expectations are running high!
With that being said, we will once again prepare for day one of each group being Hawaiian shirt day!!! That's right gang, prepare to dig through your closets and boxes in the attic to find your most horrendous Hawaiian shirt you can find! We have found over the last 10 years that the ugliest shirt you can wear attracts some of the largest trout, small honey bees, hummingbirds and causes any digital cameras in the immediate vicinity to go off multiple times! (just kidding on the bee's)
Really looking forward to having you all arrive! This year will be one for the books in many, many ways, and we cant wait for the fun to begin!!! Travel safe, bring clothing for all conditions and we will be afloat on some of the best water western Montana has to offer here very, very soon! Best to all...and...
Fish On,
John Gould
Double Up Outfitters LLC
Phone:406.240.9498
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