Extravaganza Headlines: Spring Springs Forth Early!

Extravagant Ones:

 

The calendar says that March 20th is the first day of Spring, shortly after which the first dry fly hatch occurs in the greater Missoula area:  the arrival of the skwala, a stone fly (See the most recent Entomology 1A update/report) indigenous only to the Rocky Mountains that is about the size of a golden stone fly (Ibid.) that makes its annual guest appearance usually in the first few weeks of April, shortly after the formal arrival of Spring.

 

As a best indicator that "things are going to be a bit early and different this year", the effects of El Nino are already being realized in and on our fishing grounds with Missoula area temperatures already in the mid 50's and snow beginning to disappear at an early, if not semi-alarming rate.  As those of us who live in and about Montana know, however, the weather in Montana is as fickle as it is anywhere else in the world--witness the Rock Creek snow storm that we had this past year on June 11th--just a week before the arrival of the first E-09 Group!

 

Having fished long enough now, my (gracefully aging) bones and psyche are becoming more in tune with the elements, as this past Sunday morning found me and my now-trusty black Lab fishing pal "Ma'am" [her companion is our now 11 year old trusty Extravaganza mascot "Sir"] out and on the ponds that surround the Marin County Civic Center casting 3 wt and 5 wt flyless fly rods to duck feathers.  Even I asked myself the question, "Why are you out here?", only to have that question answered earlier today with the announcement from our Outfitter, "John The Great But Propaneless"  Gould that "the skwalas are in!!" 

 

 Resultantly and most pleasantly (in fact, I cannot even envision a nicer bonus), our earlier scheduled ten day monthly trip to Montana tomorrow will now be graced with returning Group One veteran, Montana Wildlife Federation Issues Coordinator "Big Ben" Lamb and I fishing the Bitterroot for skwalas this coming Sunday with video camera in hand so that you can each later enjoy the special glories of it all.  What a gift!!

 

In anticipation of distributing Sunday's video to you next week, below is the link to John's fishing report--something that you each should now mark on your favorites.  This link can also be accessed via Double Up Outfitters' link on (y)our E-10 blogsite.

 

Wowie, zowie--it will be most interesting to see how Western Montana snow and weather conditions unfold this Spring.  As we have done in past years, as the snow runoff begins, we will be charting the volume of that runoff on a weekly (if not more frequent) basis and marking its comparison to the past three years (the time where we have done so in the past).  For you rookies out there, early year prime-time fishing in Montana is either just before the runoff or just afterwards (when we are intentionally scheduled to arrive)--during the runoff the volume and turbidity of the rivers make them unfishable (the color of the water turning for relatively clear to that of mocha coffee). 

 

Here's John's report to me earlier today...talk to you next from the scene of it all in MT!!

 

RCR

 

----<'///><

 

Skwallas are HERE!!!

Come get some....

You can also let the Extravaganza group know that they can view a current FISHING REPORT on my website now!!! Have a look - Click Here

John Gould
Double Up Outfitters LLC
4209 Edgewater way
Stevensville, MT
59870

Phone:406.240.9498

Double Up Outfitters website
"The Daily Float"
Our Latest Video!!!