Extravagant Ones:
We are now nearing "the zone" when things are going to start moving quickly to shape up our fishing conditions for E-10. To that end, I had the chance to chat with our outfitter, John "The Great But Propaneless" Gould yesterday who reports that, notwithstanding recent wacky weather conditions (temperatures 20 degrees below "normal" for this time of year, snow storms, ice storms, and legendary wind) fishing conditions for E-10 are shaping up in apple pie order, and that is great news for us all.
With lower snow levels in the mountains, lower than normal May temperatures delays the snow-melt and resulting runoff a bit closer to "our time--prime time", further assuring that we are going to be in great shape fishing-wise for E-10. That is borne out by the current issue of Montana Outdoors (the absolutely stellar publication of the MT Dept. of Fish, Wildlife & Game--get your subscription for [get this] six issues for all of $9.00 at www.fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors ) which reads "snow pack on April 1 was well below average because of meager winter snowfall in the state's western half. Stream flows across Montana are forecast to be 58% of average. That said, fishing is expected to remain very good in most popular rivers and streams."
I am still optimistic and, more importantly, Propaneless is as well, that we are going to have plenty of water and fish to greet us during our late June and early July forays onto the (most) pristine waters of Western Montana.
And, oh, do I love this time of the year!
In and amidst over half a dozen of major transactions on which we are currently engaged, (a) a week from today I drive your Hostess With The Mostess, together with your Extravaganza mascots Sir (the spaniel) and Ma'am (the now one-year-old black lab) to Extravaganza Headquarters for their annual summer relocation; (b) two weeks from today Ma'am and I are set to fish with Propaneless and his legendary white lab, Buddy to do our guide assignments [on the water]--get any requests into me by then; (c) three weeks from today, four of us Extravaganzers are headed up to Redding for our annual rainbow trout fishing of the Lower Sacramento River; (d) the following day, Brian "Moraine" Shepard and I are set for three hours of spey (14') rod casting lessons in Sacramento on the American River, (e) the day after that will find me fly fishing for striped bass on the S.F. Bay with long-time Extravaganza veterans "Down River Dave" Studeman and Scott "Crack" McAdams; and, were that not enough, (f) shortly thereafter, on June 10th, I return to Montana for an entire month to blessedly be with thee.
Yes, we work on succession planning here at the office and, with the root word of that phrase being "success", this example of nirvana is self-defined and wonderfully enjoyed. "Retire", you ask? "To and for what", I reply!!
So print off that Camp List (as has done Group One's Larry "Papa" Gondola, who proudly showed it to me in his back pocket at fellow Group Oner John "Half Century" Kruger's birthday party this past Tuesday evening--Happy 50th, John!!), begin getting that gear out of storage and (r)amp up for what is shaping up to be one more wonderful of a fishing (ad)venture for us all!!
Best to all gearing up for it all,
Rock Creek Ron
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