by Merle Ann Loman | May 4, 2009 | Bitterroot, i Spring
Best laid plans: On May 1, Jack had a great day of fishing with John Hickman and Terry Nobles.
Yesterday, May 2, he and I were going to fish – acually scout, but if I get to go along, I get to fish! We pulled into the access and I (and a few other cars) hear Jack yell, “What the heck happened!” As, I look at the river, I see what he means. Water that was gin clear the day before is chocolate brown, muddy as heck. We had looked at the hydrographs and there was no surge in run-off. This meant that a “ditch” up-river had blown and deposited sediment, a lot of sediment, into the river. Jack has a client day today and tomorrow. He was visibly concerned. All we could hope was that somehow, it would clear. It did and Jack is fishing his clients.
In the photo below, taken at the same access early this morning, the water is clear. Maybe it isn’t gin clear, but it is very clear and fishable. We are happy campers even though I didn’t get my boat fishing in. So that is the 3 day “In, then OUT, then In” story.
It is a tough business. According to some shuttle drivers, there was a flurry of shuffling guide boats and rigs up, and up, and up river to try to find fishable water on May 2. I hope they found some.
by Merle Ann Loman | May 2, 2009 | Bitterroot, i Spring
John caught fish, but the photos are all about Terry and his fish. John is in love with our Chesapeake puppy, Freda, so Jack had to take her along. She is a bit of a handful and won’t be a fixture in the boat on guide days, only as a special request.
Terry insists on sitting in the rear seat, but with Jack rowing and Terry’s skills, he doesn’t get the short end of the rod, he catches trout, always.
by Merle Ann Loman | Apr 28, 2009 | Bitterroot, Friends
I am a bit behind on blogging some photos sent in by friends. Here are two photos from Billy Burk of Pueblo, CO. He is coming up to fish with his (and our) friend, Jeff in June. They are thinking they will fish on the Big Hole.
Billy’s message:
Attached are photos of a recent catch, close to home, on the Arkansas River, and Walter the Wapiti; finally mounted on the wall in our living room. He was harvested from Jeff’s Dad’s ranch in western Colorado last October. Take care and God Bless…………..Billy Burk
by Merle Ann Loman | Apr 18, 2009 | Bitterroot, i Spring
Joe Graziano fished this beautiful day with Jack on the Bitterroot River. With the very cool nights, the river is coming up, but fairly orderly and there are fish to be caught.
The forecast for next week is for 70 degree days and nights above freezing. Those ingredients make for a rising river and possible run-off conditions.
Check back to see what happens and if the fishing turns on or off. For Bitterroot weather (ten day forecast) and local USGS streamflow data click www.wapiti-waters.com/stream.htm.
by Merle Ann Loman | Apr 17, 2009 | Bitterroot, Friends, i Spring
Last week I got a call from an old guide friend, Jeff Levert.
He wanted to fish with me. It is always good to get on the water with incredible casters, professional oarsmen and genuinely good people. For a decade, mid-80s to 90s, Jeff and I were part of a team of about 6 other guides at the Complete Fly fisher on the Big Hole River. We all shared the resource, the clients, the expertise, and the fun. This was a really good time in our lives.
Jeff has since gotten out of guiding and works in the oil fields of Wyoming. He and his wife, Lisa, and their two beautiful young daughters live in Butte.
As you can see by these photos in the slideshow below, his passion for angling has not diminished.
Jeff came to fish today with his close friend, Patrick Botzet, now from Missoula, but raised on the Front Range near Cutbank, MT. Patrick and Jeff were extraordinary river companions and I learned a lot about the energy development in Wyoming. See Patrick’s website at Teton Exploration.
Best laid plans: On May 1, Jack had a great day of fishing with John Hickman and Terry Nobles.
