​Be sure to check out Hooked Outfitting, Melissa Harrison and Seasonal Montana on the most recent Episode of the The Movable Feast with Fine Cooking.  We fly fish the Madison River and Melissa and Seasonal host a farm dinner at Willow Springs Ranch near Bozeman, Montana.  The farm dinners are great summer events and Melissa has them on a variety of local farms thoughout each summer.  It can be a really fun evening event to add to a Montana fishing trip.  All the food comes from the local area and the farm that hosts the dinner.

We are easing into fishing season in western Montana and plenty of people have been out catching them on the local trout streams.  There has even been quite a lot of unseasonably warm weather to make the conditions good for spring fishing.  We are running out of time to build the mountain snowpack.  There is a little more snow producing time left but I am starting to feel like we can make some good predictions about how the 2016 snowpack is going impact the summer river conditions.  As of now, most of southwest Montana is still sitting just about at normal average snowpack.  That is great news!  Average snowpack on most of the area rivers usually produces good and predictable fishing conditions across the region.  It keeps pressure spread out across a lot of rivers and keeps everyone on good fishing.  On an average year we normally have a pretty minor week or two of runoff here on the Madison River and it usually hits around the last week of May or fist week of June.  However, the timing and duration are mostly based on weather conditions so it can be a little unpredictable.  Overall, it looks like we are headed for all-around good floating and fishing conditions for 2016!

 A recent article by the Madisonian news paper in Ennis, Montana, reported near normal and and above normal snowpack for the Madison River drainage and southwest Montana overall.  I thought it worth while to take this prompt to break down the current state of our 2016 southwest Montana snowpack and look at how it is likely to impact the 2016 summer Montana and Madison river fly fishing season.  

The map below shows that we are currently holding at about 91% of average snowpack Madison River drainage and that the greater part of southwest Montana has accumulated near average snowpack. That is not to say that we have reached 91% of the snow fall that we typically see on an average year. Rather, we are at 91% of what the average snowpack on February 11th looks like.  However, we still have several more months that can produce large amounts of snow in the mountains and while it may not snow much in June, it can be one of our biggest months in terms of precipitation, which can have a big impact on spring runoff. 

What does this mean for fishing in Montana?  It is still too early to tell.  The next few months could produce record snowfall, which would likely create a heavy and extended spring runoff.  Likewise, if the weather dries up and heats up (like last year) we could still be in for some great spring water conditions for fishing, which would likely be followed by warmer and lower flows in the mid-late summer.  For now, we are right around average and thats probably a good thing.  On an average year we will have good spring fishing conditions until late May and early June when we experience runoff and then good conditions throughout the rest of the season (as long as it does not get too hot in August).  More snow always seems to be better for the rivers and fish.  It is much better to have heavy flows and cooler water.  This might create a little longer runoff but the rest of the summer will usually fish much better as a result.  I will take all the snow that we can get!

Most fly fishermen in Montana don't seem to like lake fishing.  There are plenty who do but the majority of anglers I meet just like moving water better.  However, lakes frequently produce more trophy class fish than rivers.  The state record Montana brown trout is not from any river...it's from Wade Lake near the upper Madison River.  Most anglers shy from lakes because they find the style of fishing a little boring but if your put in the time and find the right spots there is some incredible trout action on Montana's lakes.  The style of fishing in lakes does not have to be boring either. In fact most of the Montana lake fishing that I do involves sight casting to rising or cruising fish....theres nothing boring about that.  

Its a fact of life...big fish eat better in bad weather.  Next time you see a photo of someone with a really big fish, take a look at their apparel because chances are, they are wearing a rain jacket or it is at least overcast outside (never mind the sunny photo above...).  There are lots of theories as to why big fish might eat better during less than favorable weather conditions.  People point to barometric pressure changes and difficulty for arial predators.  For me it seems that low light is the trigger.  For whatever reason large trout just seem to be more comfortable in low light conditions.  The same is true of pacific salmon. They just eat better on cloudy days.  It is in their DNA.  

In Montana and around the world, tailwater fisheries below dams consistently produce big fish.  Dams get kind of a bad wrap because of all the harm to salmon and steelhead that they have historically caused.  However, rivers like the Madison, Missouri, Bighorn and the Beaverhead would not be the fisheries that they are today if they did not flow from below a dam.  These rivers are all known for consistently producing trophy trout and a lot of that has to do with the dams.  Tailwater fisheries produce huge amounts of insect life and more stable water conditions allow for much longer yearly feeding seasons.  The White River in Arkansas is a great example. There is no way this fishery would hold trout if not for the existence of Bullshoals Dam.  Even with an impressive number of catch and kill bait and spin fishermen along its banks, it still managed to produce back to back world record brown trout in the 40 pound class.  

Streamers may not always be the best way to catch a lot of fish but a committed streamer angler is often the guy who ends the season with the biggest fish.  I call it chasing the dream.  After 5000 casts with a 7 weight, the guy in the back of the boat chucking meat may be down in numbers 10 to 1 but chances are by the end of the day he is going to be the one showing off his pictures at the bar.  Streamer fishing just seems to trigger something in the larger fish that gets them moving.  It probably has a lot to do with the fact that they have to eat bigger food to maintain their size.  That is not to say that plenty of anglers have not landed lunkers on tiny nymphs.

Early and late in the year are my favorite times to target big rainbow and brown trout in Montana.  Before and after the spawn, the fish seem to be more active and more accessible.  Fish that you might not have a shot at any other time of year will show themselves in the spring and fall.  Our lake run fisheries here in Montana are a great example.  In the spring and fall we consistently catch more big fish as they move into the river from the lake below to spawn or feed behind other spawning fish.  The Madison River above Quake and Hebgan lakes is a great place to see this and catch a monster Montana trout.  This is not to say that you should target spewing fish.  They feed a lot better before or after the spawn and it is bad luck to interrupt a fish that only gets laid once a year.  

When people plan their Montana fly fishing trip, most of them are careful to avoid being here during the runoff.  On the Madison River and on most southwest Montana fisheries, spring runoff tends to raise and dirty the water from sometime in late May until early June.  However, for guides and anglers who are good at watching weather and stream flows to find fisheries with 1-3 foot of visibility in the water, this is a great time of year to catch a monster.  The high water pushes the big fish into shallows along the banks and reduced clarity makes them much more willing to eat a fly and do it on heavy tippet.  All of this without seeing any other boats...sounds fun to me.

One of my favorite aspects of Montana fly fishing is the endless amount of water to explore.  I can blow a whole morning drinking coffee and scouring google earth for new fishing spots that might have that one huge trout that I am always looking for.  When I head out to try my new potential gold mine the anticipation is awesome.  Most of the time I come back skunked with my fishing buddies annoyed that we drove 3 hours and blew a day without catching a fish.  However, on the occasions when the plan comes together, these are the spots that produce my biggest and most memorable catches.  The Montana brown trout below was from such a trip.  I put in 3 hours of driving and 5 hours of fishing and that fish was my only bite of the day...worth it!

Its January and lots of Montana fly fishing guides finally have plenty of time to fish for themselves.  Everyday there are new pictures on Facebook and Instagram of a Montana guide hoisting a nice trout over an icy river bank.  Even in the winter when most fly fishermen consider Montana unfishable, the guys who really know what they are doing are getting it done. Everyone has heard the old saying... "10% of the anglers are catching 90% of the fish."  Its true! As a guide it seems that plenty of people attribute the success of the 10% to some sort of secret fly, exceptionally perfect drag free drift, the perfect cast or a hidden super spot where the fish are just lined up feeding like crazy.  

​For the guys sitting behind the oars, these explanations usually don't add up.  There are hundreds of great flies out there but my best bugs every year end up being among the ones everyone knows about.  If I could only use two in a season, it would be a girdle bug and a prince nymph...the two most well known flies in the box...every shop has them.  Likewise, some sort of unacheivable super drift is not going to suddenly get you hooked up.  Good enough is usually good enough and most of the time the drift is more about getting the fly to where the fish are and keeping it there.  There are plenty of days in a Montana fishing season when more trout get caught on a dragged fly than that perfect drift.  The perfect cast? Being able to get the fly to where the fish are definitely matters but they really don't seem to care that your 15th cast went an inch closer to the bank than your first one.  A good cast is one that catches a fish.  Secret spots?  There are tons of them and knowing the river helps with catching fish as much as anything.  However, there are fish all over and being able to read water and know where they are going to be on a given day is the real secret...not one honey hole that is always on fire.  I could go on and on about myths and misconceptions but here are the top 5 reasons that guides notice when people are not catching fish.

99% of all fish are caught in the water!  Putting the fly in the water seems simple but sometimes it is the only thing you have to do to catch a fish.  I see a shocking number of hook ups when we are pulled over changing a bug, eating lunch or talking and someone's fly is dangling in front of the boat.  Some days dragging the fly when you are rowing to the other bank seems as productive as a dead drift.  However, waisting time by second guessing yourself and changing bugs every 5 casts or doing 5 false casts between drifts does not help. We call this "casterbateing" and it will make you go blind...or at least keep you from hooking up.  Its simple math, if you do 5 false casts when you only needed one, you spent 80% of your time with your fly in the air and you spent 80% less time in the water and caught 80% fewer fish during that time.  

This one is super common on guided trips.  If you don't commit to that hook set, by the time you realize that there is a fish on the other end it is too late.  Most often when a fish comes off mid fight it is the result of an uncommitted hook set. It is shocking how much time guides spend trying to convince people that there was a fish chewing on their fly while they were shaking it off of a rock.  We always lose this argument but normally we are making it because we could see that little rainbow trout turning side to side under the water trying to shake the fly free.  Again, it comes down to math. Whether you think it is a fish or not, if you miss 50% of you shots, you caught 50% fewer fish. When in doubt rip it out! 

Back to math class...if you spend all day in a hole that is only ever going to be good for 5 eats, the best you could hope for is 5 fish.  This is one of the reasons drift fishing is so popular.  You cover tons of water and sometimes you can have solid fishing just by showing your fly to lots of different fish.  For wade fishermen knowing when to move is a big issue.  The biggest advantage of wading over drifting is the ability to park on a good hole and get a bunch of shots.  However, knowing when to leave is just as important.  Usually you are going to have your best action and best shot at the big one in your first 10 drifts through a run.  After that it is often just going to fade.

When things slow down a bit and you went through a beautiful spot without a tap, you start to think that something you are doing is not working.  Two or three good spots like that and you need to make a change.  Being able to adapt to different fishing conditions is one thing that keeps good anglers hooked up.  However, overthinking the situation and second guessing yourself can lead to disaster.  I find that on most guide days if fishing starts off slow and we have to change bugs a lot, when it finally does get really good, we are catching them on the same rig I started with.  Changing flies is good but keep it within the relm of reasonably good bugs and don't be afraid to circle back to your first instinct or what you have the most confidence in. It is easy to spend 50% less time with your fly in the water because you are trying every rusty mouse in the bottom of your box and cussing it for not working within 10 drifts.

This one is not an easy fix.  It takes time and it is the reason that those Montana trout guides are able to go out in the dead of winter and have some pretty solid fishing.  People see the photos and say "well..if you are going to be dumb you gotta be tough" but guys are out there catching trout on some of the west's most famous rivers and never seeing another angler. If you know exactly where to fish and what to use on a given stream you can make things happen in even the worst conditions.  For this, the only answer is practice. Learn how fish behave under various conditions, in certain spots during all times of year and what bugs they ate under those circumstances.  

Most people I talk to ask about what fly to use or what section of river to fish or a dozen other questions without ever considering the role of water temperature.  Trout are cold blooded so the temperature of their environment plays a major role in how they behave.  If its cold, they are going to hold in deep slow water and move much less than they might at warmer temps.  Further, water temperature is the main thing that triggers aquatic insect hatches.  There is one major factor that influences how fish move and where they hold and what they eat and most people don't even consider it until it gets too hot on a summer afternoon and nobody is catching anything.  Paying more attention to water temperatures in your fishing is a good way to get into that 10% who are catching 90% of the fish.