Paul Roos Dies at 78
Paul Roos Dies at 78 Article in the Helena Independent Record Excerpt from Tom Kuglin, Independent Record Ed Note: I did not know Paul Roos, but shook his hand a couple times over the years. But you cannot throw a…
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An April Reminder to not Tread on Redd
An April Reminder to not Tread on Redd A reminder today regarding the Rainbow Trout Redds currently in the Missouri River. Don’t step on them. They, the eggs and trout doing the fragile incubation and spawning dance of tomorrows trout…
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Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance Video
Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance Video The new video from Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance. Snowing here in Craig today. This video shot in early August. It was warmer then. Hey if you are looking for organizations to donate monies…
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Tonight! UMOWA Annual Rendezvous June 22nd in downtown Craig MT
Tonight! UMOWA Annual Rendezvous June 22nd in downtown Craig MT Tonight! Plan to attend the Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance Annual Rendezvous, Tonight! Saturday June 22nd. BBQ, beer, wine, silent auction items, a Missouri River update, and what is happening…
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Smith River Comment Period Ending May 10th
Smith River Comment Period Ending May 10th If you care about the Smith River, Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) needs to hear from you. Until May 10, 2019, the DEQ is accepting comments on the draft Environmental Impact Statement…
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Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project Video
Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project Video We couldn’t say it better ourselves. A film supporting the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act. It truly is a special place. The entire drainage. Love seeing our friend Stefan Larrson in this short. Love seeing the…
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Zinke and BLM Lands in Montana
Zinke and BLM Lands in Montana Zinke promised something quite different than he left in his legacy. Legacy, a funny concept. I think he promised to leave Montana in better shape than he found it? Editorial from Tony Bynum in…
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Your Trout Voice and Concerns Matter
The upshot from Walleye’s Unlimited is this: They want more big walleye in the reservoirs and river systems. Catch rates and average size has decreased in the recent past. WU would like FWP to encourage walleye growth. The complaint is…
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#TBT Wolf Creek FAS Proposed Improvement Project
Wolf Creek FAS Proposed Improvement Project Ed Note: Lots of conversation about the updated, paved, striped Wolf Creek Boat Ramp since completion late October. The WC FAS has been changed, to exactly the proposal below. It is identical to the…
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Upper Missouri River Management Plan Scoping Meeting Tonight in Helena
Upper Missouri River Management Plan Scoping Meeting Tonight in Helena Meeting tonight at Montana Wild in Helena at 6:30 pm. Your voice determines the future of our Cold Water fishery. This is the pan for the 3 reservoirs above Holter…
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FWP Wants Your Opinion – Upper Missouri Reservoir Plan
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is requesting comments that will help them define the future of Fisheries management for the Upper Missouri River Reservoirs as well as the Missouri River from Toston to Holter Dam. 20 years ago, it’s unlikely…
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Rally on the Rivers Support I-186
Rally on the Rivers! Care about Montana streams, rivers, and clean water? On Saturday, August 25th, join supporters of I-186 who will be rallying and floating on exactly what I-186 is going to protect, Montana’s precious clean water. Come join us…
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Clean. Drain. Dry.
Clean. Drain. Dry. Every time you leave the boat ramp. Clean. Drain. Dry. That is the rule now. The means every time you pull out. Take time to clean, drain, and dry your vessel. Pay particialuar attention to pulling off…
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Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance Annual River Rendezvous
Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance Annual River Rendezvous Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance Annual River Rendezvous Saturday June 16th at the Craig Firehall. Come to the annual round-up with food, river information, what UMOWA has accomplished this last year and…
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YNP Bans Felt Soles
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY –Aquatic invasive species (AIS) could have devastating ecological, economic, and recreational impacts on Yellowstone National Park. They are costly to manage and extremely difficult to eradicate. Due to the urgent need to prevent these destructive species…
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Press release from Montana TU
Press release from Montana TU NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 21, 2018 Contact: David Brooks (MT Trout Unlimited Executive Director), 406-493-5384, david@montanatu.org Chris Schustrom (MT Trout Unlimited State Council Chair), 406-260-1198 chris@gardenwallinn.com Citizen Initiative Filed to Prevent Permanent Pollution…
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UMOWA plans Streambank Restoration @ Prickly Pear
UMOWA plans Streambank Restoration @ Prickly Pear Ed Note: This just in from UMOWA. Their first stream bank project on the Missouri River. Progress from our local watershed group. Congrats. Look forward to seeing more projects like these here on…
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Not Mine, Ours. Smith River Video from TU
Not Mine, Ours. Smith River Video from TU Super Bowl Sunday. Enjoy the game. Save the Smith. www.smithriverwatch.org
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Chasing Coral Trailer
A great film trailer today about coral conservation. Chasing Coral is dramatic. I will be watching it today on Netflix. Beats shoveling snow here in central Montana with outdoor temps currently at -12F. Got a couple more inches of snow…
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Smith River Turnout Helena Scoping Meeting
Smith River Turnout Helena Scoping Meeting Good turnout Monday evening. Lots of attendees. Some interesting points brought up to the DEQ. All surrounding ground water, bonding, economics, and the like. It is not a popularity contest at these events so…
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Smith River Mine Scoping Meeting Helena 6pm Monday Nov 6th
Smith River Mine Scoping Meeting Helena 6pm Monday Nov 6th Tonight in Helena a boat rally along with the Helena DEQ Scoping Meeting at the Radisson Colonial Hotel 2301 Colonial Dr Helena MT tonight at 6pm The boat rally is…
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Smith River Mine Scoping Meetings GF Monday Night!!!
Smith River Mine Scoping Meetings Montana’s Smith River is renowned worldwide for its clean water, rugged canyon scenery, and the incredible trout fishery that many Montanans hold near and dear to their heart. The Smith River is a permitted river…
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2016 UMOWA Water Quality Report
2016 UMOWA Water Quality Report Yesterday we summarized the 2016 UMOWA Macroinvertebrate Report written by David Stagliano of the Montana Biological Survey. Today we are going to discuss the 2016 UMOWA Water Quality Report. Study Design In 2016, UMOWA began…
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2016 UMOWA Macroinvertebrate Report
2016 UMOWA Macroinvertebrate Report On March 17, the Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance (UMOWA) published the results of the 2016 bug study performed by David Stagliano of Montana Biological Survey. We are late in sharing the results, but with the UMOWA Annual…
Read MoreTwo Mussel Encrusted Boats Intercepted
Over Memorial Day weekend, two mussel encrusted boats were intercepted in Montana. Invasive species pose a constant threat to the quality of our waterbodies in Montana. As anglers, it is our responsibility to be educated about invasive species and our…
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UMOWA: The Case For Flushing Flows
The Case For Flushing Flows The Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance (UMOWA) recently released their spring newsletter. Within the letter, UMOWA discusses the history of Missouri River flows and the beneficial contribution that flushing flows have upon the health of the Missouri River.…
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Kicking Plastic
After several years of threatening to do so, a few of our guides – myself included – are switching from store bought plastic water bottles to other methods of transporting and distributing water to our guests. Most guides I know…
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Please Leave Redds Alone!
Please leave trout redds in the river alone! Rainbow trout are actively spawning in the river now and will continue to do so for the next couple months. The Missouri River is one of the best wild trout fisheries in…
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Paper or Plastic?
Paper or Plastic? Soon, you might be hearing this question at your local fly shop as well as the grocery store. AFFTA has announced that they are making recycled paper fly boxes available to fly shops as an alternative to the…
Read MoreMussel Update
Proposed Rule Changes Last night, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks hosted a public hearing on new rules aimed at controlling the spread of invasive mussels. The new regulations include the following: All out of state watercraft would need to be inspected…
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Friday Conservation Flicks
Methow Headwaters The Methow is not an incredibly great fishery, but it lies in an incredible valley in Washington’s North Cascades. If you’re a Washington Resident, it represents some of the best fly fishing for trout the state has to…
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Clean. Drain. Dry.
Clean. Drain. Dry. Do this. Commit. Clean. Drain. Dry. Make it part of your daily routine. But only if you like fishing Montana waters. Honest. Do this. Do not spread Aquatic Nuisance Species to non-contaminated waters. Clean. Drain. Dry. Wash…
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Case of the Mondays
Welcome back to the cubicle! Monday morning and we’re all recovering from a busy weekend. The sun came out, and so did all of the Montana anglers who’ve been secluded under a blanket of snow for the last few months.…
Read MoreFront Lines – Public Land Transfer Win
See? It Does Work! This week, public land rally’s were held in Helena, MT and Santa Fe, NM opposing the transfer of Federally owned and managed lands to states. Above you can listen to MT Governor Steve Public rally the…
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F3T Time – Convergence
The Fly Fishing Film Tour is starting it’s way across the country, and here’s a trailer for one of the features titled “Convergence” from our friends at Conservation Hawks. CONVERGENCE, the new film from Conservation Hawks, explores the essence of…
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The Super Salmon – Worth your 25 minutes
The Super Salmon by Ryan Peterson is a fantastic conservation video featuring Alaska’s Susitna River and threats it faces from a proposed dam. Following the incredible journey made by a Salmon, the film features the people and places that call this river…
Read MoreBud Lilly Passes
Bud Lilly Passes I personally did not know much about Bud Lilly. I do know he was revered and loved by many. I have visited his fly shop, sold a few times over the years, in West Yellowstone. Cool place.…
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BHA Quiet Waters Initiative
Above: Headhunters guide Capt. Ryan McCourtney running his powerboat downstream from Cascade. “Montana’s rivers and streams comprise less than 1% of our landscapes, but are valued and used disproportionately by people,wildlife and, of course, fish. They are the focal points…
Read MoreYellowstone is more valuable than GOLD!
Yellowstone is more valuable than GOLD! We keep saying NO to mining in Montana. We still say NO. Not too much more to it that that. No mining near our National Treasures. Period.
Read MoreRiver Nomads Video
Pat Clayton – CEO at Fisheyeguy Photography – and I put together another “Life Aquatic” nature video, this time featuring some of the original Montana natives… Bull Trout. Took some work and some bushwhacking but we got some very nice footage,…
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UPDATED 9/2: The latest info on the Yellowstone River Fish Kill
Yellowstone River Fish Kill Here is the latest info. The Yellowstone is open, partially. Read carefully. The latest info on the Yellowstone River fish kill includes updates from the governor, the guides, and FWP. We have spoken to a…
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State of the Missouri River Craig Montana 8.26.16
State of the Missouri River Craig Montana 8.26.16 Bringing you the State of the Missouri River Craig Montana 8.26.16. Headhunters is the information source on the banks of the famed Missouri River. Keep it tuned here for your daily bite of…
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Aquatic Nuisance Species Reminder
Aquatic Nuisance Species Reminder Before moving to a new body of water you must wash your boat, waders, boots, or anything that may carry Aquatic Nuisance Species. This has become habit for many in the last several years with the…
Read MoreReal Scary Shit
Real Scary Shit This developed yesterday. Actually the day before the signs were in place. The entire stretch of the Yellowstone, the trout fishing reach, is CLOSED TO ALL RECREATION. That is serious. Read it all at RT News, or…
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Recycled Anchors
A few years ago Jason Fowler walked in our shop and asked if we wanted to buy some “used” drift boat and raft anchors. When I asked him where he got used anchors, he told me he dove for them.…
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UPDATED HOOT-OWL CLOSURES
Recent warm weather has increased water temperatures and decreased flows on a number of Montana rivers triggering Hoot-owl restrictions. It seems the days of complete closures are over. Here is the most recent update for those wondering which rivers are under restrictions.…
Read MoreThe Montana Story 40 Years of Success Video
The Montana Story 40 Years of Success Video Awesome. A great story about this great state. It is why we have trout like no others. Period.
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Montana Hoot-Owl Restrictions
Here we go. July 1 and we’re already seeing some “Hoot-Owl” closures around the state. That means that June was a little warmer than we like it. Or than the trout do. It seems early, and it also seems like…
Read MoreWilderness Cutthroat – Video
I’ve spent a little time walking around in the woods with Pat Clayton this spring and early summer. Fishing the mountains and looking for interesting things to take pictures of. For those who don’t know, Pat Clayton is the worlds…
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Upper Missouri Waterkeeper sues EPA over Water Quality
Our friends at Upper Missouri Waterkeepers filed suit this week against the EPA over it’s approval of a so called “variance standards” for nitrogen and phosorphus pollution in Montana’s waterways. Excessive levels of Nitrogen and Phosorphus are leading contributors to the…
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Trending: Stream Access & Gubernatorial Race
You can’t really call attacks on our Stream Access Law here in Montana “Trending” because the attack is constant. If you live in Montana and follow the news or social media, you may be aware that Republican Gubernatorial hopeful Greg Gianoforte…
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Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance Annual Meeting April 29th 6pm
Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance Annual Meeting April 29th 6pm This from the UMOWA website. The Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance (UMOWA) would like to invite the public to the annual members meeting and barbecue to be held April 29th 2016 at…
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Public Land Water Access PLWA.org
Public Land Water Access PLWA.org Public Land Water Access PLWA.org is a great organization fighting to keep some of your land open. Commonly private interests insert themselves into our fishing and hunting life by buying, owning, and changing your land…
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UMOWA Spring Meeting April 29th
UMOWA Spring Meeting April 29th This is the Newsletter from UMOWA as posted on their site. Missouri River UMOWA has set the date and program for the annual member’s meeting. The gathering will be April 29th at the Craig Fire…
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How a River Shuttle Saves you Money & Time
How a River Shuttle Saves you Money & Time All the fly shops have shuttle businesses. So before I get too far down this road of this math equation I will let you know that I am not yelling from…
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Missouri River Summer Water Update
Lots of talk about the upcoming summer season including water predictions. The Missouri River Summer Water Update can be explained easily with a couple charts. That chart above shows the probable water levels for the year ahead. You have seen…
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