Greetings E15'rs
I would like to say hello and give a preemptive welcome to all of you that will be joining us this June here in Montana. Slightly warmer than average conditions have continued through March and April here. With our snow /water equivalent still hovering around 100% and so far normal accumulation of precipitation as well, we will not be looking at the motor coach traveling to the Missouri river this extravaganza! We usually don't know until the end of May as far as how much water we will have here in June and July, but we should be completely fine fishing all three groups in the Missoula area...Hooray! Our water levels were nothing short of excellent last season so our trout are extremely healthy and happy! All three groups should be set up for prime topwater action this June!
We are of course keeping with tradition and doing our Hawaiian Shirt Day on the first day of each group again! Dig through the closet and pull out that Hawaiian shirt and pack it along! Most annoying shirt wins a XXXL Double Up shirt to cover it up! Optional second day of each group may include pirate garb, but haven't discussed it with the captain yet...
Truly looking forward to seeing you all here in Montana in a few weeks, old faces and new! As always, plan on dressing in layers, bring some extra sunscreen and get ready to see Montana in all it's all it's glory this June! The fish are growing as you read this, and we are all ready to make this year's extravaganza one to remember. Safe travels and see you all soon...
Fish on,
Your friendly neighborhood fishing outfitter
John Gould-----<'///:>< ---------<'///:><
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Flow Chart Vintage 2015
E-15ers:
It now begins in earnest!! Each year we closely track water flows on Rock
Creek, located literally in our Headquarters' backyard, to map out and
prognosticate our Extravaganza's rivers' water levels and, ergo, our fishing
fortunes. As you can see from the attached chart (which we will now update
and distribute to you on a weekly or more frequent basis), water levels have
varied "all over the map" from year to year, all the way from the high water
levels of 2011 and last year (where the water levels were so high and river
flows so dangerous that I chartered a bus to trek us over the Continental
Divide to fish the [relatively] calmer waters of the Missouri River) to the
very low years of 2007 (the fire year for us) and 2013.
The federal government has established flow meters along all of western
Montana's meters and this data is the source of our charting. Water flow is
measured in "cubic feet per second" (i.e., the actual volume of water
passing downstream in a second), or "cfs", and that is the baseline of our
flow chart. Today, Rock Creek is flowing at 892 cubic feet per second and,
as ambient temperatures increase, the snow in the upper climes will begin to
melt and you will resultantly see this flow dramatically increase as the
snowpack melts and then traverses itself downstream first into rivulets,
then into creeks and then into our rivers, not only increasing the flowage
but also clouding the water with the silt that accompanies each year's
runoff. The runoff process is an important one, as a good, healthy runoff
literally cleans out the streams of a year of accumulate diterous, relocates
the fish from their otherwise comfortable (and hard to fish) hidey-holes,
and provides the clean water that, with its increasing temperatures,
activates the bug life that paves the way for our fishing fortunes.
As I mentioned to you in a prior email, we have already had a 2015
"mini-runoff" with an unusually warm Montana March and April such that the
current snow water equivalent in the Bitterroot River Basin (our targeted
E-15 waters) is currently at 68% of twenty year averages, with year-to-date
precipitation being at 102% of twenty year norms. As I discussed this with
our Double Up Outfitter and our Montana Matters Troubadour, and nursery
owner, Shane Clouse, while fishing with them last year, the early push has
now filled up the underground aquifers such that the resulting and remaining
runoff will go 100% into our fishing rivers, providing fresh, warmer and
bug-friendly conditions when we arrive mid-June.
In a word, things are setting themselves up perfectly for Extravaganza 2015
with the huge caveat that, as reflected on the wild variations in water
flows from year to year, Mother Nature will reveal herself when she is ready
with the final verdict for 2015. To that end, historically, May and June
are the wettest months of a Montana year and we therefor assume nothing,
watch closely and know, at least at this point in time, that things are
lining up wonderfully for us.
Watch the 2015 redline evolve as time goes on and you will get a good
glimpse into just what is in store for us. Ideally, come mid-June, water
flows in Rock Creek will be right around 1500 cfs, with the bell curve black
line of 2009 as our desired runoff path. Our flow chart will be posted
later today to our blogsite, which should now be marked among your
Favorites, on which is also a weather button so that you can see what the
weather folks are guestimating for upcoming ambient temperatures (noting
that being a Montana weather person is the among the safest jobs in the
world, as you can be wrong almost all of the time and not get fired!).
It begins, folks, it begins!!!
Best to all on the cusp of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
---<'///:><
It now begins in earnest!! Each year we closely track water flows on Rock
Creek, located literally in our Headquarters' backyard, to map out and
prognosticate our Extravaganza's rivers' water levels and, ergo, our fishing
fortunes. As you can see from the attached chart (which we will now update
and distribute to you on a weekly or more frequent basis), water levels have
varied "all over the map" from year to year, all the way from the high water
levels of 2011 and last year (where the water levels were so high and river
flows so dangerous that I chartered a bus to trek us over the Continental
Divide to fish the [relatively] calmer waters of the Missouri River) to the
very low years of 2007 (the fire year for us) and 2013.
The federal government has established flow meters along all of western
Montana's meters and this data is the source of our charting. Water flow is
measured in "cubic feet per second" (i.e., the actual volume of water
passing downstream in a second), or "cfs", and that is the baseline of our
flow chart. Today, Rock Creek is flowing at 892 cubic feet per second and,
as ambient temperatures increase, the snow in the upper climes will begin to
melt and you will resultantly see this flow dramatically increase as the
snowpack melts and then traverses itself downstream first into rivulets,
then into creeks and then into our rivers, not only increasing the flowage
but also clouding the water with the silt that accompanies each year's
runoff. The runoff process is an important one, as a good, healthy runoff
literally cleans out the streams of a year of accumulate diterous, relocates
the fish from their otherwise comfortable (and hard to fish) hidey-holes,
and provides the clean water that, with its increasing temperatures,
activates the bug life that paves the way for our fishing fortunes.
As I mentioned to you in a prior email, we have already had a 2015
"mini-runoff" with an unusually warm Montana March and April such that the
current snow water equivalent in the Bitterroot River Basin (our targeted
E-15 waters) is currently at 68% of twenty year averages, with year-to-date
precipitation being at 102% of twenty year norms. As I discussed this with
our Double Up Outfitter and our Montana Matters Troubadour, and nursery
owner, Shane Clouse, while fishing with them last year, the early push has
now filled up the underground aquifers such that the resulting and remaining
runoff will go 100% into our fishing rivers, providing fresh, warmer and
bug-friendly conditions when we arrive mid-June.
In a word, things are setting themselves up perfectly for Extravaganza 2015
with the huge caveat that, as reflected on the wild variations in water
flows from year to year, Mother Nature will reveal herself when she is ready
with the final verdict for 2015. To that end, historically, May and June
are the wettest months of a Montana year and we therefor assume nothing,
watch closely and know, at least at this point in time, that things are
lining up wonderfully for us.
Watch the 2015 redline evolve as time goes on and you will get a good
glimpse into just what is in store for us. Ideally, come mid-June, water
flows in Rock Creek will be right around 1500 cfs, with the bell curve black
line of 2009 as our desired runoff path. Our flow chart will be posted
later today to our blogsite, which should now be marked among your
Favorites, on which is also a weather button so that you can see what the
weather folks are guestimating for upcoming ambient temperatures (noting
that being a Montana weather person is the among the safest jobs in the
world, as you can be wrong almost all of the time and not get fired!).
It begins, folks, it begins!!!
Best to all on the cusp of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
---<'///:><
E-15...Just when I thought I had seen everything...
veteran Tim "Squawfish" Rodgers [yes, there is a story behind his moniker!]
writes of the custom made Sweetgrass Rods bamboo walking sticks we handed
out last year, and sends the accompanying photo of his beautiful daughter
Alia "Snowflake" Rodgers:
Ron......?
Are you telling me that those sticks are for walking??!!
The flag pole is not a bad idea..But we thought those bamboo sticks were for
showing and training pigs!!!
It sure is hard being Rock Creek Ron!!
----<'///:><
Monday, April 27, 2015
E-15: Bamboo has many uses...
Bravo, NSF!!
RCR---<'///:><
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Osprey, Osprey!
lodging (rebuilt last year) at the foot of Rock Creek...yes, gang, we are
now that close!!
RCR---<'///:><
Extravaganza Date Down!
Fellow E-15ers:
Yesterday I returned after a sprint of ten (count ‘em!) days doing the final prep for Extravaganza 2015 and I can tell you, with great excitement, that all is in order for a(nother) spectacular (ad)venture into the majestic flora and fauna of western Montana. As you can see from the above pics, I even had time to spend a special day on the water with Group Three’s George “Onefer” Choe, show above with a baby pike that he landed via streamer (a rare catch, indeed!) and a handful of little guys who occupied the lower Bitterroot and upper Clark Fork waters that we traversed that day. As is often the case with spring fishing, much less so that with the Extravaganza where we are purposefully on the water après runoff, we found ourselves on the water on a day after three days of heat, resulting in a “mini-runoff” with higher, rising cooler waters and resultantly, the fish “being grumpy” that day, as our “Great But Propaneless” Double Up outfitter would be wont to say—fish, like we Capricorns, do not like change and when that occurs we each go to ground.
That being said, fear not for E-15’s waters as we are perfectly positioned for one of the most outstanding fishing water years in recent memory. Soon, as in later this week, we will be distributing you our Flow Chart where we have personally tracked and charted the runoff for each of the last ten (count ‘em!) years, using our home Rock Creek waters as our baseline. Unlike last year where both snow levels and snow water content were each at 200% of normal, we are now in the wonderful and long-missed range of having just enough water at just the right time to have the best possible fishing fortunes for us. Specifically, year after year we schedule the Extravaganza for a year just like this one—where the May runoff occurs in a sane, stately manner and, thereafter when the snowmelt is well downstream, the water temperatures increase from there now 40 degree levels up to the mid 60 degree level whereupon the bugs (more on that later for you rookies out there) get the thermometer wake up call, begin the hatching cycle of their lives and make their appearance upon our water surfaces, opening “Joe’s Eats—‘come on in, food is on the house’” and all heck breaks loose in reply to our proffered flies, wetting nets that result in pics of fish far bigger than the early-season fare that blessed Onefer above—I was just along to carry his rod and to be his personal photographer, as it turned out—an outstanding day on the water ‘twas!
Gang: We are getting close, very close, as in just seven weeks from today Group One will be on the water with their first of three days of fishing and you Tattoos are just eight weeks out and you Wonderful Threes a pacing at nine weeks from right now. Look for your Camp List to come your way shortly—the short list of what you should consider bringing and the longer list of what you will not need—and, as I the past, Rock Creek Ron hereby warns each of you to leave PLENTY of extra space in your bags as you begin your packing (or, better, as you veterans know, just to pack an empty bag to be filled upon your return) for, as has been the case for each of our last twelve years, you will be taking home a LOT more than you brought with you, as I exercise my self-bestowed right to treat each of you exorbitantly and extravagantly upon your arrival(s)!!
More—as in much more—to follow as we get down to our final pre-Extravaganza 2015 days!!
Best to all in the final preparation stages for it all,
Rock Creek Ron
---<’///:><
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Bitterroot Brown on Bamboo!
Well Day One of 2015 Montana fishing is now in the books for me and what a
fun day it was, indeed, fishing with my buddies our Double Up Outfitter John
"The Great But Propaneless" Gould (hey, Propaneless even remembered the
propane, miracles of miracles!) as we had what developed into a shirt sleeve
day on the Bitterroot River. Shown above is yours truly with his catch of
the day, a dandy of an 18" brown landed on Sweetgrass bamboo ("how sweet it
is!) with boat mate Shane putting on an afternoon power play that saw him
catch (and release!) cutthroat after rainbow after brown trout.
With all that has gone on (and is currently going on) in my life it was an
absolute joy to spend a day of solace on the water (more photos to follow)
in the grace of God's wilderness with the only sounds being those of
clamoring eagles, soaring hawks and plump colorful fish popping as they
in-took our dry flies (and that is all that we fished all day long). My
smile widened as the day lengthened as the flowing of the water coursed
through me like a curative rain and by the end of the day I was so relaxed
that a large soupspoon could have disembarked me.
Après fishing I became Shane's "Roadie" as we trekked further down the
Bitterroot Valley to attend a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Banquet and
Fundraiser where Shane played to the crowd of 350 then present as I caroused
thought the silent and live auction items, with substantial bidding success,
I might add, to wit: Two new turquoise-embedded custom made fly nets now
adorn our Headquarters' living room, and, in conspiratorial conjunction with
Shane's beautiful wife Kelly, I ended up acquiring a select supply of
hand-made exquisite jewelry employing our table-generated theory that,
rather than pursuing what I perceive to be the dead-end strategy involved in
on-line meeting sites, "if one has the jewelry, the rest will follow"--my
application to the local monastery having been earlier rejected and leaving
me with little recourse other than to immediately implement what Kelly and
I had wizendly divined. So, with Kelly's help and prompting, and with the
greatest respect to all concerned, I now have custom jewelry on hand for
both the Montana and San Rafael houses in advance wonderment as to just what
may well lie ahead for me in the future and just who might be their
adornee--note that, unlike our hound dog Double Up Outfitter, the last word
here is in the singular, not the plural!!
The weather here in Montana is stunningly gorgeous and I anxiously await
your arrivals. Some just couldn't wait, however; witness Group Three's
George "Onefer" Choe who, right now as I type here in my Montana office, is
fishing behind Headquarters--an activity, come to think of it, I just can't
stand thinking of him doing alone--so, like with the jewelry, I simply have
no alternative but to wader-up and wet a line with him...darn!!
Best to all at the beautiful front end of it all--and, by all current
accounts, we are going to have one whale of a 2015 fishing year gang!!!
Rock Creek Ron
---<'///:><
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Update From E-15 Headquarters
I flew in yesterday for a ten day stint to get things ready for your
arrival(s) in now inside of just two (count 'em!!) months. The photo above
was taken from my Delta flight as we were approaching Missoula over and up
the Bitterroot Valley. As you can see, not only is it stunningly beautiful
in these here parts but, in contrast to one year ago when we had snow pack
200% of twenty year averages, this year we have returned to the world of
practical reality, with the snowpack in the shown "Root" mountains right at
88% of twenty year averages--boding very, very well for our E-15 fishing
fortunes. Unlike drought-plagued California, precipitation here is right at
105% of twenty year averages, with a warmer-than-normal April and May
resulting in a bit of an early runoff, hence the lower snowpack average.
As to fishing, this Saturday (hey, that's just the day after tomorrow,
gang!) I have the great pleasure of fishing with our "Great but Propaneless"
Double Up Outfitter, John Gould along with my close friend, our Montana
Matters Troubadour Shane Clouse. We are amidst the annual skwala hatch (a
stone fly that emerges from the river to mate on our local rivers, only,
from mid-March to mid-April (it was that hatch that Group One's Brian
"Moraine" Shepard and daughter "Beautiful Eliza Jane" fished last month,
with a resulting gaggle twenty) and I simply can't wait to break out the
bamboo and to fish with my buddies and thereafter provide you a first-hand
initial fishing report, along with some pics I hope!
Also, I have just charged up my camera batteries and will begin sending
along to you photos of Montana in her early Spring dress. Spring is my
favorite time of the year--everything is new, fresh and untarnished and my
favorite flora, the March pine (the only deciduous member of the fir family)
begins budding out. I like this tree so much that several years ago we
planted over a dozen on the property so, with photo, "this bud" will be for
y'all!
So there it is gang, your very first on the scene report for Extravaganza
2015...whoohoo!! We have a full roster with over 62 of you soon to be
headed this way and, boy, do I have a party planned for ya...a swarm of E-15
gear, a first class line up of nightly presenters and more wine on the
premises into which even the professional reprobates of infamous Group One
will not be able put a serious dent...well, more I think about it, that is a
darn foolish statement, isn't it you veteran Ones?!?
Strap it on, folks and stay tuned to this email station and our
www.montanaextravaganza2015.blogspot.com blogsite, as E-15 is now roaring
down the road and headed right into your hearts and souls!!
Best to all from the scene of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
---<'///:><
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
FW: Bitteroot Spring 2015
And a confirming note from the Lady of The Hour:
Thank you Ron!
I had to work for it and it made it all the more worth while. We had such a great time and I've found a man who loves Montana as much as us!
Eliza
Bitteroot Spring 2015
‘Tis a beautiful thing, Eliza Shepard—you finally landed your first 20” Montana trout…congrats!!!
RCR---<///:><
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