Justin and Sarah Hartman and Tight Line Adventures are proud to announce the Grand Opening of vacation home Expedition Lodge. The lodge will be open for the public to view, Friday, September 23 from 9am-4pm, with a Beaverhead Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony taking place at 12:30pm. Expedition Lodge is located at 1120 Eliason Lane in Dillon.

Outfitter and Montana Western alum, Justin Hartman and his team of guides have been providing guided fly-fishing adventures in Southwest Montana for the past several years and can now offer vacationers and fishermen the retreat accommodations of Expedition Lodge. Remodeled in the winter of 2010, the lodge is located just minutes south of Dillon and offers three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a loft.

With the first summer season under their belts, Justin and Sarah have hosted numerous groups of happy customers and hope the community can see that Expedition Lodge is not only a great retreat for vacationers, fishermen, hunters, and skiers, but is also the perfect venue for activities as varied as family reunions, corporate parties and retreats, and social gatherings of any size.

Photos courtesy of Clark Marten Photography.

Summer driving in Montana will almost always bring you upon some road construction, but a recent cruise through Dillon has more than its fair share of work zones.

New Hospital – Coming Spring 2012

Our new Barrett Hospital and HealthCare is quickly taking shape. On the south edge of town, just off Highway 91, the construction crews and heavy equipment operators have been busy (much to the delight of our 3 year-old son) and it is looking good!

Carpita Demolition – July 27, 2011

Just as the new 72,000 square foot hospital is being added to our community, downtown is saying goodbye to an old structure. The Carpita Building on Montana Street is in the process of being torn down.

Word is that the space (just across Montana Street from Womack’s Printing) will be turned into a parking lot, a much-needed addition to our bustling downtown.

FISHING UPDATE

Big Hole River

Average flows on the Big Hole River continue to be well above average for this time of year, providing cold water and steady hatches for the 2,500 fish per mile that inhabit this river. Dry fly fishing has been good throughout the river as early morning hatches of Mayflies and Caddis begin to get the fish’s attention. PMD and Green Drake Cripples along with Summer Stones and various Attractors have worked well mid-day. Late evening hatches of Caddis and PMDs round out the day.

Hands Full of Brown Trout

Cooler temperatures in the evenings are keeping more water in the river, and this bodes well for late summer and early fall fishing, as fish retain their strength and pack on much needed weight for the upcoming spawn.

In the next few weeks, we hope to see the first few Spruce Moths, and we’ll keep you up to date when the hatch really gets good, as this can be one of the most fun times to fish the Big Hole River.

Beaverhead River

Water levels on the Beaverhead River have crested at over 1,000 CFS as the Army Corp of Engineers try to drain Clark Canyon Reservoir in preparation for next season’s runoff. Flows may continue to increase as the reservoir needs to drop nine feet just to get back down to 100% capacity.

While wade fishing may be a little tougher than normal, access by drift boat has been fantastic. Fish are eagerly eating PMD and Yellow Sally Nymphs throughout the river and the afternoons have seen good dry fly action on both the upper and lower river. Size 18 olive, brown, and yellow colored PMD Nymphs have worked well on the upper river, while various Yellow Sally Nymphs are the ticket on the lower sections. As flows increase make sure to increase the amount of weight on your nymph rig as well. For the ideal Beaverhead River set-up, check out our Double Dropper Leader, available online or at Rocky Mountain Supply in Dillon. Click HERE for more information.

Beaverhead Rainbow

Side Note: Most of our high mountain streams and smaller tributaries are running clean after a long run-off season. We can report first-hand that they are fishing very well. So, if you have a day to venture out into one of our many area mountain ranges, bring a few different dry flies, a sack lunch, sunscreen and bug spray, and enjoy some off-the-beaten-path wild trout fishing.

LOCAL HAPPENINGS

Summer Sizzler – Downtown Dillon: Saturday July, 30^th

Festival fun opens early Saturday with local vendors, sidewalk sales, live music and entertainment, kids carnival activities and crafts, and festival food including cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn, bratwursts, and pulled pork. Early evening activities include a BBQ and street dance with live music. All brought to you by The Beaverhead Business Builders “Buy Local” campaign.

Incredible Montana Sunset

Vote for IR-125

We need your help in collecting signatures for IR-125, the initiative to repeal the eminent domain law (HB 198) that facilitates MSTI (Mountain States Transmission Intertie). If you are interested in helping out, please go to the web site http://votefor125.com/ and go to “You Can Help” and then “Circulate Petitions.” From this point, download the “Signature Gathering Instructions,” and multiple copies of the “Affidavit of Signature Gatherer” forms and the “IR-125 Petition” forms.

Beaverhead River Fishing Update:

For the first time all season the outflow of the Beaverhead River is greater than the inflows of Clark Canyon Reservoir. The river has seen an increase of around 100 CFS a day for the past 4 days topping out at around 1,000 CFS currently.

Buffalo Corner Lineup on the Beaverhead

Plans are to increase the flows gradually over the next week, so we advise waders to take caution as the tight channel of the Beaverhead can be stronger than it looks.

Fishing during higher flows produces vast feeding areas for the fish as great amounts of grub larva, aquatic sow bugs, and worms get pushed through the system.

Along with the grubs, good hatches of PMDs and Sallies are coming off daily. Caddis have been seen regularly in the evenings as well. Dry fly fishing on the upper river has picked up substantially and many sippers can be found and fished to along the famed “Slick” section.

Lower Beaverhead Brown

Nymph fishing as usual is always a good option. Be sure to include enough weight in your set-up to ensure proper presentation as fast water moves bugs quickly through the feeding column and fish tend to eat a lazily presented nymph over a fast moving one. Various PMD Emergers such as split-backs, case emergers, half-backs, and bubble-backs have been the most productive. The best Sally imitations have been the Psycho Prince, Micro Stone & Iron Sally.

Big Hole River Fishing Update:

With the cloud cover hanging in the Big Hole Valley over the past 4 days, the dry fly fishing on the upper Big Hole River has been superb. Dropping flows have allowed flies to be presented in soft pockets and beautiful riffles as fish are now out of the willows and into normal feeding lanes.

The early morning hours have been fantastic with big Golden Stones and Black Magics, while PMD and Green Drake Cripples have fished well through mid-day stretches. Clouds of Caddis have been coming off in the evenings and various Caddis Emergers have worked well. A few Golden Stones have been spotted and on super cloudy days, Golden Stones can be fished from start to finish with great success. 

Guide, Nic Jovanovich, displays a beauty he caught on a PMD Cripple on the Big Hole River

Even though the flows are higher than normal for this time of year, the quality of fishing has improved substantially as water temperatures remain cool during the summer heat. The fish are in great shape having eaten very well in the early summer and are eager to take a well-presented dry fly. Anglers who are looking to have some fantastic dry fly fishing need to fish the Big Hole from now until the hatches taper off this fall. You can rest assured that if we could, we would live on the Big Hole for the rest of the season – it is just that good right now.

LOCAL HAPPENINGS:

GREAT HARVEST BAKE DAY: Friday, July 22^nd from 10am – 4pm

The Great Harvest Bread Co. franchising headquarters is located in Dillon, MT

Great Harvest Bread Company is “Raising Dough” for the Dillon Backpack Program. Stop by Great Harvest at 25 E. Glendale Street (next door to the Dilmart) in Dillon to purchase Honey Whole Wheat, Nine Grain, Red White and Blueberry, Cracked Pepper Swiss, Blue Ribbon Blueberry Batter Bread, Snickerdoodle, and Double Chocolate Chip Cookies. 100% of everything you spend goes directly to the Dillon Backpack Program.

SOUTHWEST MONTANA RELAY FOR LIFE:

Friday, July 22^nd & Saturday, July 23^rd  – Dillon Middle School Track

Last-minute team registrations can be made by calling Diana Brown at (406) 660-1125 or showing up to the Dillon Middle School Track before 7pm Friday

A fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and a community-wide event that celebrates the lives of folks fighting cancer, remembers lost loved ones, and fights back against this terrible disease. Relay teams work through the night because cancer never sleeps.

Take part in the community hamburger and hot dog BBQ starting at 5:30pm at the Dillon Middle School Track and participate in numerous activities including music, games, and raffles.

Dillon, Montana Hay Field

The sunshine has decided to stick around, and after all the rainfall we had in June, Beaverhead County is the greenest it has been in years. A sure sign of July in this area is seeing the first hay cutting taking place.

According to the Beaverhead Chamber of Commerce, Dillon forms the center of Montana’s largest cattle and hay producing areas, and is one of Montana’s top agricultural centers.

Just as 4th of July festivities were getting underway, farmers and ranchers were busy putting up hay

Fishing Update

Dry fly fishing has hit its stride on both the Big Hole and Beaverhead Rivers. Both rivers are at their prime points in the hatch cycle as numerous types of bugs are coming off daily. Golden Stones are still a good option on the Big Hole along with various Green Drake Imitations, Yellow Sallies, PMDs, and Caddis.

Beaverhead Brown

The Beaverhead is seeing good Yellow Sally hatches along with PMDs and Caddis in the evenings. These hatches will continue for the next few weeks, and we will continue to update you on the hottest flies and sections of river.

The past week has seen extraordinary dry fly fishing as late afternoon storms have supplied cloud cover and ideal top water feeding conditions.

Southwest Montana Thunderhead

LOCAL HAPPENINGS

If you find yourself in the Dillon area this weekend here are a few local events you won’t want to miss!

BANNACK DAYS:

Saturday, July 16^th &

Sunday, July 17^th 

Bannack State Park

As the first territorial capital of Montana, Bannack has a colorful history full of road agents and vigilantes. See this ghost town come to life and enjoy a day full of period demonstrations including shoot-outs in front of Skinner’s Saloon, gold panning, and blacksmithing – all free to the public – as well as wagon and Model AA rides throughout Main Street.

Enjoy food vendors like the ice cold watermelon stand and don’t forget to join along with the Slightly Soiled Doves as they dance their way around town.

For More Information and the Schedule of Events CLICK HERE 

BIG HOLE RIVER DAY: Saturday, July 16^th – Melrose MT, 9am-5pm

The Big Hole River Foundation’s annual fundraiser features vendors and activities, including casting, fly tying and rowing demonstrations, tours of the newly constructed diversion dam at Divide, their new river fencing project, and much more!

Help support the Big Hole River Foundation, the town of Melrose, and raise money and awareness in support of the Big Hole River. Enter to win the NRS 13’ Otter Raft or for more information call (866) 533-2473.

DILLON FARMER’S MARKET: Every Saturday through September 24^th

Wells Fargo Parking Lot, Dillon

Featuring the products of local gardeners, bakers, artists, and craftsmen, the Dillon Farmer’s Market is a great stop for fresh roasted and brewed coffee, delicious baked goods, fresh produce, jams, jellies, and a variety of handmade items for sale. Open from 9am-1pm at 20 N. Montana Street, Dillon.

Last week's season opener for the Dillon Farmer’s Market saw a great turnout

March 22, 2011

House Bill 309, the ‘ditch’ bill, was tabled in the Senate Ag committee this afternoon.

Amendments were offered to strip the bill of any mention of redefining what is a ditch and related access issues and to update the Stream Access law to reflect corrections from the so-called ‘Galt Decision’ from the Montana Supreme Court.

Even while considering these wholesale amendments, committee members were wary that a stripped-down HB309 could be amended  back to the original language in the House or in a conference committee formed to iron out any and all amendments from both the Senate and the House. 

With this possibility in mind, Sen. Taylor Brown moved to withdraw the amendments and table the bill.  The committee voted 8 for tabling, 3 against. 

Sen. Brown may try to have the House suspend their rules barring introduction of any new bills at this late date and try to cobble up a committee bill to bring forward the Galt Decision language in a new bill, but the chances of an unused bill draft being available and the House suspending their rules to allow it’s introduction are sketchy.

We will track the final throes of HB309, but today’s committee action may well be the end of this saga.

By Robin Cunningham of FOAM

By Nic Gevock of the Montana Standard

(*We went to Helena to sit in on the hearing and testify against this poorly written HB 309)

February 27,2010

Reported by Eve Byron Independent Record

Fifteen years ago, words like “crisis” and “devastation” were used to describe the expected impacts whirling disease would have on Montana’s fisheries after it was discovered in rainbow trout in the Madison River in 1994.

Officials called whirling disease the “single largest threat to wild, naturally reproducing trout populations in the Rocky Mountain Region.” Within a year of its discovery in Montana, the disease had spread to 14 streams, and people feared it would kill nearly all of Montana’s prized rainbow trout population. A rapidly assembled task force asked for a crash research program. State biologists harvested nearly one million trout eggs from Canyon Ferry Lake to keep the state’s fish hatcheries free from the disease.

But today, some fish biologists believe the crisis never materialized, in part because the fish adapted their behaviors.

“Back in the 1990s, when we first found it, whirling disease was a big unknown and we saw a big decline in the (rainbow trout) population in the Madison River. It was a big, scary disease that none of us knew anything about,” said Eileen Ryce, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ aquatic nuisance species coordinator. “It caused big headlines, like trout fishing was over as we knew it.

“Now that we have done all the research and are monitoring our populations, we have learned a lot, and perhaps we have learned how to live with it.”

Whirling disease was first described in Germany in 1903 and was accidentally introduced into North America in the 1950s. It begins with a parasite, Myxobolus cerebralis, which wiggles into a fish’s flesh and injects spores that attack and eat cartilage. That doesn’t bother large fish, but the young ones that are more cartilage than bones eventually bend in two and swim in circles. They can’t eat or avoid predators. Once the fish die, the spores are released into the water and are eaten by worms called “Tubifex tubifex,” and the next group of parasites starts to grow.

“Back in the late 1990s there was hope of finding a cure or silver bullet, but everyone came to the realization that’s not likely to happen,” Ryce said. “There are some places in the state we’re still very concerned about, but overall we’re just monitoring it and hoping it doesn’t spread.”

About $9 million in funding aided more than 120 research investigations that were conducted since the Whirling Disease Initiative was established in 1997, but the last of the projects concluded in 2009 and the Whirling Disease Foundation no longer exists.

Still, that research was fruitful, noted Bruce Farling, executive director of Montana Trout Unlimited.

“It was cool to see anglers, conservationists and Congress mobilize so quickly, with a lot of federal funding to research this since whirling disease is present in a lot of states,” Farling said. “We learned it manifests itself differently in different places; that different species have different resistance; and that the habitat relationship to whirling disease – i.e. cleaner streams – makes it less likely to host the worms that carry it.

“It’s also interesting that the fish figured it out before we did. They didn’t evolve in 15 years, but nature selected ways for the fish to be resistant.”

He adds that while fisheries like the Blackfoot, Madison, Rock Creek and upper Bitterroot have changed fairly dramatically in the types of fish in them, Montana remains a Mecca for people who love to fish.

“We dodged a bullet with this one, but it’s a good heads up for us to be wary about other invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels,” Farling said.

Grant Grisak, a fisheries biologist with FWP for waters below Holter Dam, is part of a four-year study that looked at trout spawning behavior to determine if that had an impact on the Missouri River population. He noted that they had been monitoring trout there since whirling disease was discovered in Little Prickly Pear Creek in 1995, which is one of the Missouri’s tributaries.

“At first, we wanted to see how it would expand and how severe the infection was,” Grisak said. “We were able to determine that 54 percent of the spawning habitat in a 74-mile stretch of the Missouri (including tributaries) is highly infected and about 57 percent of the spawning rainbow trout would use that habitat.

“So 46 percent of the habitat either had no infection or was lowly infected, and 43 percent of the rainbow trout used that habitat. So that’s about half and half, which is one reason we didn’t see the population collapse.”

Grisak’s study also involved surgically implanting radio receivers in fish to see where they spawned year after year. The results surprised him, because instead of returning to the same spot every year like salmon do, the rainbows often spawned at least 4 miles away from where they went the previous year.

“One year they might spawn in Little Prickly Pear, the second in the Missouri, and the third year in the Dearborn, or any combination of those, so it’s a highly diverse spawning strategy,” Grisak said. “That straying mechanism helps them avoid unfavorable conditions and helps them to combat that disease.”

He noted that the study also showed the trout traveled an average of 42.8 miles over a three-year period, with one putting on 324 miles.

“That’s a real mobile fish,” Grisak said.

Today, Grisak estimates they have 2,818 rainbow trout per mile on the Missouri River, compared to a long-term average of 2,933.

Ron Spoon is the FWP biologist who monitors the headwaters of the Missouri and the stretch above Canyon Ferry Reservoir. He feared the complete collapse of the rainbow population when whirling disease was found in the Jefferson River, but a study showed that the temperatures that prompted the trout to spawn weren’t conducive to whirling disease.

“So it missed the rainbows there because of the timing of their life cycles,” Spoon said. “The drought had a much bigger effect on the population than the disease, even though it’s still there at low levels.”

That wasn’t the case closer to Canyon Ferry, and Spoon said former spawning grounds like Deep Creek, Dry Creek and Confederate Creek aren’t nearly as productive due to the disease.

He noted that in other places, like Rock Creek near Missoula, the fishery changed dramatically from one featuring rainbow trout 15 years ago to a predominantly brown trout one now.

Browns spawn in the fall, when temperatures are cool, and their young hatch earlier in the spring than rainbows, which researchers said makes them much less susceptible to the disease.

“People seem to be happy with that,” Spoon said. “I think cutthrout benefited too; there seems to be a few more. So there was a shift in the community rather than the loss of an opportunity, and we all kind of adapted to it.”

Grisak added that brown trout evolved with whirling disease in Europe and are somewhat more resistant to it.

Fishing rules

Fishing rule #1: The least experienced fisherman always catches the biggest fish.

Fishing rule #2: The worse your line is tangled, the better the fishing is around you.

Fishing rule #3: Fishing will do a lot for a man but it won’t make him truthful.

Promises to Wife

Four married guys go fishing. After an hour, the following conversation took place. First guy: ” You have no idea what I had to do to be able to come out fishing this weekend. I had to promise my wife that I will paint every room in the house next weekend.” Second guy: ” that’s nothing, I had to promise my wife that I will build her a new deck for the pool.” Third guy: ” Man, you both have it easy! I had to promise my wife that I will remodel the kitchen for her.” They continue to fish when they realized that the fourth guy has not said a word. So they asked him. You haven’t said anything about what you had to do to be able to come fishing this weekend. ” What’s the deal?” Fourth guy: ” I just set my alarm for 5:30 am. When it went off, I shut off my alarm, gave the wife a nudge and said, ” Fishing or Sex” and she said, ” Wear a Sweater.”

A Proposed Ban on Felt Soled Boots/Shoes in all Montana Waters

February 1, 2011

Soles like these may be on their way out of Montana's waters in 2012.

As the new legislative session in Montana heads into its second month, Senate Bill 230, which would ban the use of felt in Montana’s waterways, is on the forefront of anglers’ minds. Following a common trend by other states to ban the material, which is widely known to trap and transport Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS), Montana’s proposed law would take effect October 1, 2012. States like Idaho have gone a step further and have required any water vessel over 10 feet to purchase an Invasive Species Sticker to help build a fund to fight ANS. They have also set up check points near their borders and other high boat traffic areas to check incoming and outgoing boats for ANS. 

Tight Line Adventures jumped on board in early 2010 to help stop the spread of ANS by pledging to be a clean angling operation.  We joined the effort being put forth by www.stopans.org, and are proud to say that we have been felt-free for over a year.  Places like the Big Hole River, whose river-bottom is like walking on greased bowling balls, is a difficult river to wade even in felt. Although the current alternatives to felt soles have been seen by some as unsatisfactory, we believe companies in the fishing industry are dedicated and working hard to develop comparable products for gripping even the most slippery rocks.  One great advantage to non-felt soled boots - they tend to be more compfortable and easy to walk in, and in snowy conditions you won’t get the build-up of snow and ice on your soles, weighing you down and making walking difficult.

Are there other materials/gear/vehicles that spread ANS?  Sure there are, but take a look at a study done in 2007 by Montana State University graduate student Kiza Gates of the potential for angler movement of whirling disease (WD) http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2007/gates/GatesK0507.pdf.

We listended to her presentation a year ago at our FOAM annual meeting, and let’s just say that it was eye opening. Her work has helped prevent ANS from taking over our Montana waters as it has in other areas.

We would love to hear your comments on the subject, and encourage friendly debate.  After all, an educated angling community will help Montana’s waterways stay healthy for current and future generations.

Justin

News article from todays Montana Standard:  Looking really good for 2011 water levels and trout population!

December 10, 2010

It’s the ideal forecast for Montana outdoors enthusiasts.

We’re in for a long, cold winter with plenty of snow predicted for area ski hills.  And with healthy mountain snowpack, next spring and summer will likely present good opportunities for wetting a line as runoff recharges our rivers.

Weather forecasters are predicting an active winter with storms dumping precipitation throughout western Montana, said Peter Felsch, the warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Missoula.  Montana has seen back-to-back years of below average snowpack, but Felsch says those levels are expected to improve this year.  Near normal snowpack is expected for southwest Montana, with those predictions increasing to at or above normal levels further west and in northern Montana.

He attributes that prediction to a moderate to strong La Nina weather pattern already in effect. The region transitioned from an El Nino to a La Nina climate pattern last year.

“That means very active weather in terms of storms,” Felsch said.

During a La Nina weather pattern, Pacific Ocean surface water temperatures decrease, producing moisture and precipitation.  An El Nino, on the other hand, generates warmer and dryer conditions.  Studying Montana weather data dating back to 1950, Felsch says this La Nina weather pattern could follow a two- or three-year cycle.

Montana is impacted by two weather systems: a Pacific front and a Canadian front that can both affect temperature and precipitation.  Southwest Montana is dominated by the Pacific front, which commonly translates to windy conditions with blowing snow in the valleys, and heavier snowfall at higher elevations, Felsch said.

During La Nina cycles, Felsch said extreme sub-zero temperatures ranging from 20 to 40 degrees below zero are common.  The weather service already recorded a 22 below zero reading before Thanksgiving in Butte, he said.

“The big story in terms of La Nina is more snow in the mountains,” Felsch said.

Felsch this week visited with Butte-Silver Bow’s Local Emergency Planning Committee to discuss the winter’s forecast.  Roger Ebner, director of the city-county’s emergency management coordinator, said he’s preparing for colder temps and frequent storms.

“We want to be forward looking for preparedness,” Ebner said.