{"id":922,"date":"2010-02-10T11:11:20","date_gmt":"2010-02-10T17:11:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/?p=922"},"modified":"2010-02-10T19:00:35","modified_gmt":"2010-02-11T01:00:35","slug":"wapiti-waters-2010-fishing-forecast-for-western-montana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wapiti-waters-2010-fishing-forecast-for-western-montana\/","title":{"rendered":"Wapiti Waters 2010 fishing forecast for western Montana"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-size: 100%;\">Wapiti Waters&#8217; 2010 fishing season forecast based on over 30 years experience in western Montana&#8217;s trout fisheries.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_twjVsg9p-90\/S3IC7H0pYyI\/AAAAAAAAS5E\/syNiG2zwQgo\/s1600-h\/pred2.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[922]\" onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\"><img id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436410914925011746\" style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 197px;\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_twjVsg9p-90\/S3IC7H0pYyI\/AAAAAAAAS5E\/syNiG2zwQgo\/s320\/pred2.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Jamie and his Bitteroot trout\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"hidefrompromo\" style=\"margin: 0pt 5px; float: left; color: #333333; font-size: 10px;\"><span style=\"padding-left: 10px; font-size: 85%;\">Jamie &amp; his Dad.<br \/>\nJamie his trout in July on the Bitterroot.<\/p>\n<p>Wapiti Waters photo<\/p>\n<p><\/span> <!-- **** This is the end of the default image box **** --> <!-- **** This is the start of the default image box **** --><\/p>\n<hr style=\"border: 0pt none; background-color: #d9d9d9; color: #d9d9d9; height: 1px;\" \/>\n<h2 style=\"padding: 10px 0pt 10px 10px;\">Related Articles<\/h2>\n<ul style=\"margin-top: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; width: 150px;\">\n<li><!--link--><a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Ey2009m10d23-When-is-the-best-time-to-fish-western-Montana\" target=\"_blank\"><!--headline -->When is the best time to fish western Montana<\/a><\/li>\n<li><!--link--><a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Ey2009m9d27-Fishing-for-northern-pike-on-the-Bitterroot-River-in-Montana\" target=\"_blank\"><!--headline -->Fishing for northern pike on the Bitterroot<\/a><\/li>\n<li><!--link--><a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Ey2009m9d30-Fly-fishing-the-Blackfoot-River-in-a-rain-storm\" target=\"_blank\"><!--headline -->Fly fishing the Blackfoot River in a rain storm<\/a><\/li>\n<li><!--link--><a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner\" target=\"_blank\"><!--headline -->Merle&#8217;s articles on Examiner.com<br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<p><!--end of list--><\/ul>\n<p><!-- **** This is the end of the default image box **** --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-style: italic;\"><br \/>\nJack Mauer, Wapiti Waters outfitter and guide<\/span><\/div>\n<p>I have just read they will be shipping snow by truck to the site of the 2010 Olympic Games \u2013 Cyprus Mountain. Mother Nature has not cooperated but they have had time to prepare for the lack of snow. Likewise, here in the fishing business where a trout fishery depends a lot on good, cold stream flows, we have time to prepare or plan for what looks to be a lean water year.<\/p>\n<p>I hate drought, everybody and everything suffers during times of water stress. Unfortunately conditions are looking more and more like drought as snowpack in the Bitterroot is around 54% of normal at the time of this writing. We have had three months of below average snow precipitation and we have less than two months of winter to go.  So the prognosis is not good. What this actually means for the fishing, however, is not all gloom and doom.<\/p>\n<p>Here are my predictions for the 2010 season.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin: 10pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; font-size: 10px; background-color: #eeeeee; color: #666666;\">\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_twjVsg9p-90\/S3IHz0dnhQI\/AAAAAAAAS5M\/Zhn9DysFVas\/s1600-h\/pred3.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[922]\" onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\"><img id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436416287027201282\" style=\"margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 160px;\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_twjVsg9p-90\/S3IHz0dnhQI\/AAAAAAAAS5M\/Zhn9DysFVas\/s200\/pred3.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Insect hatch on the Bitterroot in spring\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Insect hatch on the Bitterroot in the spring.<br \/>\nPhoto by Merle Ann Loman<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>March and April \u2013 Early Spring fishing<\/h3>\n<p>Expect fishable water through-out this time. Because our low elevation snow is meager, we should have better than average fishing with more fishable days. It is the melting low elevation snow that causes the rivers to pulse up too quickly with warm weather and\/or rain. So I predict excellent early spring fishing in western Montana and that means <a href=\"http:\/\/www.west-fly-fishing.com\/entomology\/stonefly\/skwala.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">Skwala<\/a> and nemoura stones as well as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.west-fly-fishing.com\/entomology\/mayfly\/ameletus.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">Ameletus<\/a> and Rithrogenia mayflies.<\/p>\n<h3>May and June \u2013 Usual period of high-water conditions<\/h3>\n<p>Again, I expect better than average fishing for these two months. Many hatches such as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.west-fly-fishing.com\/entomology\/stonefly\/salmonfly.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">salmonfly<\/a>; pteronarcella, larger <a href=\"http:\/\/www.west-fly-fishing.com\/entomology\/stonefly\/black.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">stoneflies<\/a>; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.west-fly-fishing.com\/entomology\/mayfly\/march-brown.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">March Brown<\/a>; and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.west-fly-fishing.com\/entomology\/caddis\/spotted.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">Hydropsyche caddis<\/a> will come off in good numbers during this time and have the trout looking up on a more consistent basis. Pulsing high waters in the average snowpack year don\u2019t give the trout a chance to key on these hatches before water levels may become too big. This year under the possible lower than average flows, it is likely that trout will get a chance to really key in on them. As a result, these conditions may bring some remarkable fishing.<\/p>\n<p>No matter how big or small the snowpack there will be a time of peak run-off for a 2-3 week period. When this happens, most area rivers will probably be unfishable because of high, turbid water. Here is where flexibility becomes important. Some rivers will likely be fishable and changing the location\/river will allow you to take advantage of good conditions. Wapiti Waters has the knowledge and permits that can put you on the right water.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin: 10pt 10pt 10px 0pt; float: left; font-size: 10px; background-color: #eeeeee; color: #666666;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_twjVsg9p-90\/S3IIkHVxUcI\/AAAAAAAAS5U\/0a2dH9F1FsE\/s1600-h\/Pred1.1.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[922]\" onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\"><img id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436417116728283586\" style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 154px;\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_twjVsg9p-90\/S3IIkHVxUcI\/AAAAAAAAS5U\/0a2dH9F1FsE\/s200\/Pred1.1.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nDavid with a Bitterroot brown trout<br \/>\nWapiti Waters photo<\/div>\n<h3>July and August \u2013 Summer fishing<\/h3>\n<p>Early July is usually a time of some of the most consistent fishing.  I expect that to be the case given the number and variety of aquatic insects that emerge during this time. However, by mid-July the prognosis is not good.  Using a preferred strategy for low, warm water conditions in mid-summer, we will need to fish from early morning to early afternoon. Fishing early is in favor the trout and yourself \u2013 beating the heat. It is quite possible that rivers like the Blackfoot and the Big Hole will have some angling restrictions during this time.<\/p>\n<h3>September and October \u2013 Fall Fishing<\/h3>\n<p>It is a little too early to predict eight months in advance. Our fall fishing is usually a fly fishers dream here in western Montana. Low flows in the summer are not the single deciding factor of unfavorable fall fishing conditions. For example, last year we had a huge snowpack but we had very tough fall fishing because of unseasonably warm temperatures and bright, sunny weather.<\/p>\n<p>In the mean time, I hope the weather systems in the Pacific will deliver us some welcome precipitation through-out the year.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin: 5px; padding: 5px; background-color: #ffffff;\">\n<p><strong>For more info: <\/strong>Wapiti Waters welcomes calls and emails for up-dated conditions and angling reports.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Contact information<\/span>: Toll free 800-254-5311, email <a href=\"mailto:wapiti@wapiti-waters.com\">wapiti@wapiti-waters.com<\/a>, website <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">www.wapiti-waters.com.<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div style=\"margin: 5px; padding: 5px; background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> <\/strong>The western Montana rivers Jack fishes most are the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/ww_broot.html\" target=\"_blank\">Bitterroot<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/ww_bfoot.html\" target=\"_blank\">Blackfoot<\/a>,  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/ww_bighole.html\" target=\"_blank\">Big Hole<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/ww_cfork.html\" target=\"_blank\">Clark Fork<\/a> rivers. See links to more articles and information below.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Fishing and river articles and photos by Merle Ann Loman by key word:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Etopic405292-Bitterroot-River?selstate=topcat#breadcrumb\" target=\"_blank\">Bitterroot River<\/a> |  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Etopic424536-Big-Hole-River?selstate=topcat#breadcrumb\" target=\"_blank\">Big Hole River<\/a> |  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Etopic424536-Big-Hole-River?selstate=topcat#breadcrumb\" target=\"_blank\">Blackfoot River<\/a> |  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Etopic456798-Clark-Fork-River?selstate=topcat#breadcrumb\" target=\"_blank\">Clark Fork River<\/a> |  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Etopic424537-Missouri-River?selstate=topcat#breadcrumb\" target=\"_blank\">Missouri River<\/a> |  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.examiner.com\/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner%7Ey2009m10d24-Fly-fishing-from-Montana-to-Argentina\" target=\"_blank\">Argentina<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>Here is a slideshow of more western Montana photos. To see the album on line with descriptions click <a href=\"http:\/\/merleloman.smugmug.com\/gallery\/11194165_bZzwF\/#784885473_A5hW7\" target=\"_blank\">Merle&#8217;s western Montana fishing photo album<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><object classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" codebase=\"http:\/\/download.macromedia.com\/pub\/shockwave\/cabs\/flash\/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"align\" value=\"middle\" \/><param name=\"wmode\" value=\"transparent\" \/><param name=\"bgcolor\" value=\"000000\" \/><param name=\"allowNetworking\" value=\"all\" \/><param name=\"allowScriptAccess\" value=\"always\" \/><param name=\"src\" value=\"http:\/\/www.smugmug.com\/ria\/ShizamSlides-2007090601.swf?AlbumID=11194165&amp;AlbumKey=bZzwF&amp;transparent=true&amp;crossFadeSpeed=500&amp;clickUrl=http:\/\/www#46;smugmug#46;com\" \/><embed type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/www.smugmug.com\/ria\/ShizamSlides-2007090601.swf?AlbumID=11194165&amp;AlbumKey=bZzwF&amp;transparent=true&amp;crossFadeSpeed=500&amp;clickUrl=http:\/\/www#46;smugmug#46;com\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\" allownetworking=\"all\" bgcolor=\"000000\" wmode=\"transparent\" align=\"middle\"><\/embed><\/object><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wapiti Waters&#8217; 2010 fishing season forecast based on over 30 years experience in western Montana&#8217;s trout fisheries. Jamie &amp; his Dad. Jamie his trout in July on the Bitterroot. Wapiti Waters photo Related Articles When is the best time to fish western Montana Fishing for northern pike on the Bitterroot Fly fishing the Blackfoot River [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[175,173,174,176,192,193,194,177,178,170],"tags":[54,50,12,58,8,95,9,10],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=922"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":931,"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922\/revisions\/931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wapiti-waters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}