holding on to what's GOLDEN

As some of you may know, last weekend, I caught my first carp on a fly rod. I was floating the Missouri River with guide Jared Edens and owner John "Scumliner" Arnold of Headhunters Fly Shop looking for some it's trouts rising for the buffet of bugs (Mother's Day Caddis, March Browns, Blue Winged Olives, and some weird Trico-ey mayfly) that were hatching. Around 3, the high sun started to take it's toll and the bugs weren't coming off well. In the start of the float, John had mentioned that we would potentially have a shot at carp during the float. He asked if I would be interested. Being a sugar lips virgin, I said "Yes." Fast forward to 3 o'clock in the afternoon, John double checked with me and asked, "Are you serious about this carp?" I replied, "Yes."

So, we took an hour break from catching gaggles of trout on the Missouri to stalk some backwater carp. The carp has it's fair share of haters, but, they are worthy fish on the fly. Sore forearms, folded six weights, purring reels, and gold. During my five plus minute fight with my carp, Jared made it a double. A carp double. No footage to verify that. Just yelling. It happened. Trust me, I am a fly fishing blogger. After our carp break, we resumed hunting rising fish on the Missouri. The dry fly eating trout of the Missouri will grace the next YGF video. For now, enjoy fly fishing for Missouri River carp in HD.

Music: Jurassic 5 "What's Golden?"

Watering Water - Angler Harassment on Mitchell Slough

The issue of public access to Mitchell Slough is a controversial one. The Mitchell Slough was ruled to be a natural stream in 2008. As such, public access is allowed on the slough under the Montana stream access law. While access is limited, there are a few public accesses to the slough. In April, I went to the slough to fish with a friend. It was my first time on the slough. It was a different experience. Barbed wire draped across the stream every eighth of a mile. Security cameras lined the banks.

As we progressed upstream, a particularly impressive security camera was set up just upstream of some barbed wire. The moment we came into range of the security camera, sprinklers turned on. These sprinklers were set up about a foot to two feet away from the bank of the slough. The sprinklers pointed towards the slough and only rotated 180 degrees. They were set up to spray the slough and it's occupants. There was no gap in the sprinklers. It seemed quite apparent that the sprinklers were set up to deter fisherman from fishing the Mitchell Slough. We couldn't avoid being sprayed if we wanted to stay within the high water mark. The sprinklers lined the banks for the next 1/4 mile.

I cannot stress this enough. The sprinklers watered water.

After we moved upstream and beyond the quarter mile long sprinkler system, it turned off. We fished upstream and when we were done, we started to walk back downstream towards the property. As we approached the property, the sprinklers turned on again.

After consulting several sources, it was their opinion that the use of the sprinklers constituted angler harassment. I called the FWP to report the potential harassment. The state office referred me to the Region's Game Warden Lou Royce. I contacted Mr. Royce. I have not received any information from Mr. Royce since my contact with him last week. Updates to follow.

Sugar Lips: 1st Carp on the Fly

This weekend, a float on the Missouri with Headhunters looking for rising trout was interrupted by a backwater filled with schools of cruising carp. Scumliner did a little recon and our short leash nymph rigs were quickly switched out for unweighted leech patterns. Five casts in...I saw a cruiser. I cast to him. He turned on it. Strip set. Now, two days later. My forearm is still sore. I like carp.

Like me, they look better in person.

Unlike my continued unsuccessful quest for pike, I can now cross off carp from my list. I thought it would different.

Maxima Finger

When tying knots, sometimes 20 lb. test gets the better of you. When it does, utilize the cut as a painful stripping guide when ripping streamers.

20 lb. test finger (photo by Laura Verhaeghe)

You're welcome.

Spring Runoff - It's here. It's early. It's biggish.

Spring runoff is upon us in western Montana and it is early. Early by a couple weeks (more like a month) at the least. It was a weird winter and spring. In the valley, it was pretty mild, but we maintained a pretty healthy (read average) snowpack with a good deal of low elevation snow. For much of the spring, the area rivers were running two to three times the mean historic spring flows. With the recent string of high 70 degree days, runoff was initiated.

We are experiencing record breaking flows for this time of the year on all four of Missoula's famous local waters. Certainly not the record setting flows of last year. But considering that it is April 27th and the Clark Fork above Missoula is already pumping at 17,200 cfs, we are experiencing record flows for late April. In fact, the historic maximum discharge for the Clark Fork above Missoula on April 27th was 13,500 cfs (set in 1934).

Similar stories can be told about the Bitterroot and Blackfoot Rivers, as well as Rock Creek.

The Bitterroot at Missoula is flowing at 15,500 cfs, breaking the previous April 27th record (2003) of 5,960 cfs.

The Blackfoot at Bonner is flowing at 11,500 cfs, surpassing the previous April 27th record (1974) of 7,690 cfs.

Rock Creek near Clinton is flowing at 3,380 cfs, breaking the previous April 27th record (1974) of 1,540 cfs.

I'm blaming this on La Nina.

Although, this could be the first year that I truly hit the Salmonfly hatch. Everyone else probably has the same idea. Side Note: Golden Stones could be quite good this year as well.