by Merle Ann Loman | Nov 15, 2008 | Conservation/benefits/organizations
Friday, November 14, 2008 Fishing Link to FWP.MT.gov:
General fishing season on most of Montana’s smaller rivers and streams in the western and central fishing districts closes Nov. 30.
In the eastern fishing district, the season on rivers and streams extends year round. Fishing is also open year round on all of the state’s lakes and reservoirs.
Emergency regulations are sometimes in effect to protect a fishery, for example when low water flows combined with winter freezing present a threat. Signs are posted on waters with emergency fishing regulations in effect.
To check in advance for emergency regulations call 406-444-2449, or go to the FWP Web site at fwp.mt.gov under Fishing, click on Regulations and then on Emergency Fishing Closures.
by Merle Ann Loman | Oct 22, 2008 | Friends, Other
Yesterday, Jim Wellendorf sent us this message and photos. I am including the photos in a slide show. Jim, no photo of you? You must be holding the camera. Jim and Dick, thanks for sharing!
My friend, Dick Lentine, took me bass fishing this morning on the Susquehanna River. Sun rise was beautiful! Hope you enjoy it. The weather was nice to begin with but got very nasty. High winds and waves just when we were about to stop. If you ever have to land a bass boat in high winds don’t call me. Dick did a great job in very tough conditions.
The fishing was not so good, probably because of the front that was approaching. Dick caught 2 bass and I caught one. All about 12 inches long. In spite of the bass and the weather we had a good time.
The last picture is a duck hunting blind on the western side of the River.
Jim
Another link to a PA-DCNR website for the Susquehanna River.
by Merle Ann Loman | Oct 21, 2008 | Friends, music
A bit of a side…we met Nate online and are emailing about fishing, Montana, family, and his band in New York. Check out the latest New Heathen Blog.
As for Jack and I, we are getting ready for our annual antelope hunt near Zortman in eastern Montana.
Here is Nate’s comment about that. Wish we had a photo of Junction Pool.
Good luck hunting (man, I don’t even know where Zortman, MT is!). I had to work in upstate New York today and when I finished I had about an hour and a half of daylight to fish the famous Junction Pool in Roscoe, NY. The trout were rising to MIDGES, and I hooked only one, when it rose to a knot on my tippet.
by Merle Ann Loman | Oct 20, 2008 | Friends
Above is a photo of Nate. Nate is originally from Missoula, Montana and is now in New York City in a band called New Heathens.
About the New Heathens! They have a great sound, you can check it out on their website http://www.newheathens.com/. Some of the reviews call them American Roots Rock or Rootsy Rock and Roll. I think their sound is more complex than that! Tell us what you think…
Members: Nate Schweber, Singer, Guitar, Harmonica; Butch Phelps, Guitar; Dominic Tiziano, Guitar; Eric Seftel, Drums; Brandy Wood, Bass
Genre: Rock n Roll Hometown: New York City
You can see by this slide show that Nate still spends time in Montana and fishing. We have quite a bit in common, including a love of music!
A Note from Nate: Thanks for digging the band. I’m working on trying to come up with the songs and, more importantly, money to finish a second record. We’re working with a producer named Eric “Roscoe” Ambel who played with Steve Earle and produced a bunch of cool bands that I dig including the Bottle Rockets and the Yayhoos. Making records is almost as expensive a hobby as flyfishing.
I tried my luck on Connecticut’s Housatonic River this past weekend. Beautiful fall colors. I hooked one brown trout on a nymph but lost him. Fish were rising all around but I couldn’t get them to take anything I was offering. I tried big nymphs, little nymphs, big dries, little dries, streamers and everything in between. Nothin’. To be honest, it reminded me of a few times I’ve fished the Bitterroot when the same thing has happened: fish rising everywhere, but not to any of my flies.
Well, Nate, we know what you mean. The fishing in western Montana this fall is amazing. The days are calm and beautiful; the water is like glass. That means the fishing is technical and even though the fish are rising, it takes a lot of effort to find out which of our flies and what size they will be interested in. At least you have targets to throw to. When you do hook up, though, the rewards are fantastic!
by Merle Ann Loman | Oct 6, 2008 | Bitterroot
Click on photo to see larger version in a new window.
As our new friend, Nate, says, “Hot Damn!” The fishing was amazing today. I met Jack on the Bitterroot about noon. IT FISHED ALL DAY!
When we got on the river, the trico spinner fall lasted about 3 hours. It seemed every cutthroat and rainbow in the river were up. You had targets to cast to, too many. Using a fly with flatter wings and 5x tippet, it was difficult to see/follow your fly. We had some challenging places to put the fly so it would float drag free. We shot for fish hanging right on the seam — you needed to put the fly right in their mouth, as Jack said, “force feed them.” They didn’t know what fly to eat, but if they took yours, you had better lift the rod carefully, keep the tip high, and let them run for a while. Wow, it was fun. Needless to say, my finesse was lacking and I learned some lessons in line management and tension while I broke some nice fish off.
Late afternoon they seemed to switch to Blue Winged Olives and we could get away with a slightly bigger upright winged fly. You still needed to cast a long distance. When you raise the rod smoothly on a take, be ready to let them run. We were still on a small, 6x tippet. It was great practice for me as I learned to bring in the bigger fish.
When I post the slide show (later today), you will see amazing fall colors and reflections along with a deer crossing the river and a grebe (duck) diving.
For now, I will post a photo trying to show the trico spinner fall and a couple of fish.
Not a bad day. Start with office work at home, meet on the river at noon, get out by 6:00. Jack attends a Fish, Wildlife, and Parks RRAFT board meeting while I do some chores with my daughters in Missoula. Get home and run through the football game we taped. Life is good.
