FW: E-15 Friday Flow

See what happens when I give his wife a fancy name as "Z-Woman", yet rookie South Carolinian (who has never stepped foot in Montana) Mark "Z-Man" Zion is now correcting me by thinking that South Carolina is God's own Country...little does he know!!

RCR---<'///:><


No it's going to be closer to the 90's in"God's country". Might be in the 80's in Montana. 😊

Z

E-15 Friday Flow

With heavy rains yesterday in the greater Missoula area and warming weather starting to happen (it is supposed to get into the 80's this weekend in God's Country), watch for our to-date de minimus flow start to increase--Rock Creek is right at 1,470 cubic feet per second today which is just about the flowage number we want to see at the END of the runoff!

Ah, the fickleness of our dear Mother Nature!!

RCR---<'///:><

RE: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

And you are Reply #10, Kevin "Me Man" Sweeney, Group Two veteran that you are, entitling you and son "Wee Brandon" to a bottle of primo Rock Creek Red upon your arrival at paradise!!
 

Good morning Ron

I am looking forward to this years Extravaganza primarily because "Wee Brandon" will be with me. He is mKing his return after a one year hiatus.

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

From Group One veteran "Don't Tarry" Winfrey:


Let's go Warriors!!

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

From Group One veterans Mark “Whitey” Handron and his “Son of Whitey” Liam (he of the great and infectious smile, btw…the latter, that is!). RCR---<’///:><


Me and "son of whitey" can't wait Ron. See you soon!!

Best,
Mark
 

Mark Handron
VP, Strategic Alliances
The TAS Group

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

 I can barely contain myself.

 Zane

~~~~~~~

    :

    :

 <•)((((>{

On May 28, 2015, at 11:13 AM, Ron Clausen  wrote:

#7, pal—can't wait to have you back on the MT property!!

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

A nice note and update from veteran Tattooer Matt Brown—yet in search of his Montana moniker!! RCR---<’///:><

Hey, yo, Rock Creek!

There were many a night when Johnny would lull me to sleep with his monologue. It was always a pleasant way to nod off, but it was not interactive. Jonny never seemed to mind, but it was comforting to know that he was there, until there was Leno…Keep it coming. I read them all.

On the fishing front, I fished the McCloud on May 15 and 16. Lots of action 20+ fish per day, really no size, largest in hand was 12”. All nymphing, virtually no top water action. Dark lord, beaded prince, and Copper John worked well for me. The Fly shop was promoting the Chernobyl somethingorother, I did not bite, but this thumb sized waist of yarn hooked one of my buddies.

Fishing solo most of the day, I have no pictures for you.

I am looking forward to Montana and bigger fish.

Matt.

New Montana Group Three Name Announced!

In emailing back and forth with Group Three’s Mark “A-Man” Zion and laughing uncontrollably over his classic “whip me, strip me, tie me, fly me!!” posted below tag line, by the powers vested in me by absolutely no one whatsoever, his beautiful bride Julia will forever be known in Montana as “Z-Woman”!!

RCR---<’///:><

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

Check out this photo, note and signature bloc from veteran Tattoer Zane "Coyote" Wiley's photo album, gang!

Howdy doody Ron!

Day two float of the Black Foot for Al "insert nick name"Baylacq and My self, produced this beautiful Bull Trout and big fish honors!

Al and both went grand slam that day and had Bulls, Bows, Cuts, Cutbows, Browns and Whites! 

Can't wait for the Terrific Two's to flog the Montana waters. 

Finding it very hard to stay in the moment when the Black Foot and Bitterroot and Hooters are calling. 

 Zane

~~~~~~~

    :

    :

 <•)((((>{

RE: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

The heck with the contest rules, your reply is so good, South Carolina Z-Man, that you just won you and your bride a bottle of Rock Creek Red to celebrate your wedding anniversary upon your Montana arrival(s)!!

RCR---<’///:>< ----<’///:><

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

Now I told you we had some wild and crazy Extravaganzers out there, witness Group Three (gotta love that Group Three this year, gang!) rookie Mark “Z-Man” Zion and his comments incoming all the way from South Carolina:


The Southern contingent from the great state of South Carolina is preparing for our first foray into the western lands of Montana. Never set foot in them there hills! J

Now before folks jump to the conclusion that we have some slow southerner showing up, I proudly boast of my “trifecta” plan. First my wife is on board as a 35th wedding anniversary trip. Secondly she joyfully received a dry bag for her Mother’s Day gift and finally her birthday gift was a LL Bean fashion statement to fly fishing. Ron you have given me the gift that keeps on giving. Whatever it takes – whip me, strip me, tie me, fly me!!

 

Z

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

What the heck is this “Rocking Chair Ron” stuff, veteran Tattoer Joe Brown?!? RCR---<’///:><


Rocking Chair Ron,

Who rattled your cage!
We are just tryhing to hold back the excitement.

Joe

Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

Bravo The O'Dea Clan, another Group Three reply while the Ones and Twos continue in their pre-Extravaganza repose…gotta rest up for this big event, all, as, during the Extravaganza, sleep is highly overrated and oft not experienced!

RCR---<'///:><


Rock Creek Ron,
Clan O'Dea can hardly wait until it is our turn to venture to magical Missoula! We are driving there and we have started to put together our itinerary (think National Lampoon's Vacation) to make our trek as memorable as possible. John and Joe are so excited to share Montana with us and have been telling some stories from their idyllic father/son trip just two years ago. Your pictures and stories are starting to get our senses moving and shaking and we can almost hear the sounds of the river, see the sun glistening through the trees, and feel the breeze. WE CAN HARDLY WAIT! Are we there yet? Are we there yet? I can only imagine how many times we will hear that along our drive....and it will be worth every single inquiry! See you in a few short weeks. Much love, John, Jess, Jane, Joe (the J's)

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

 

Now THIS will put a smile on your face, gang—a nearly 30” Blackfoot River bull trout memory from Group One veteran Josef “Fear The Beard” Shepard!!

RCR---<’///:><

Thank you,

Josef Shepard

WVM

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

Here’s reply #1 from Group Three veteran Denver succession planner, Jim “Brew” Brubaker!! Congrats, Jim—you will get a bottle of Rock Creek Red upon your arrival!!

 

RCR---<’///:><

  

p.s. No flow to photo this year, Brew!!

 
Hi Ron,
I had a Popeye appointment yesterday.
I haven't seen the "logometer" yet?
Jim

FW: Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

Group Three is awake, unlike Dem Ones and Der Tattoos, witness the below from veteran Threer "Little Richard" Deveau…Yep, brother "Dead Drift" Kers is a wounded warrior this year but may yet come as a shore bird…news at 11.

RCR

Cyndi and I are excitrd. Worried about Kers. Heard  rumors about a replacement? Little  Richard.

Wake up Extravaganzers!!!

Hey, gang, it has been WAY too quiet out there; in fact, I feel like Johnny Carson doing his monologue during the old Tonight Show days sans audience!  Let’s spice things up a bit by letting me hear back from each of you about your upcoming and/or past Extravaganzas and we will post your comments to Der Blog, www.montanaextravaganza2015.blogspot.com. Send me a note, picture and/or comment…but send me something…I am feeling lonely here before my departure next week!! 

To encourage you, I will be giving out a bottle of primo Rock Creek Red (there is only one case left of this, folks, btw!) upon your arrival(s) to (a) the first reply; (b) the tenth reply and (c) the twentieth reply, all of which y’all can review on the Blogsite!!

Whoohoo, all…you will soon be fishing the sacred rivers of Western Montana (the very same rivers Lewis & Clark discovered two centuries ago) and that should be cause for some celebration on each of your part.

Just hit “reply” and I will log in your replies and post each for all to see…..starting….right now!!

Rock Creek Ron

    ----<’///:><

Steady as you Flow, Flo

Look at this year's highly unusual straight line 2015 flow, gang--this,
indeed, is very much unlike the flow of any of the other years that we have
been tracking showing that, like each of us, each year is very individual!

RCR---<''///:><

Are you getting psyched up yet, E-15ers?!?

WOW are we getting close, gang, as one week from right now I will be mid-Nevada desert headed to Headquarters to do the final preparation for the arrival of the Magnificent Ones just two weeks from this Saturday, as in it is June next Monday!!

Here is your final “TO DO” list of items, all:

1. Print out the Camp List and check what you have and you don’t have yet set aside to bring with you. Special items to be sure that you have set aside for packing are the following: (a) polarized sun glasses; (b) rain gear; (c) layered clothing; (d) fishing sandals and (e) a dry bag to take a change of clothes with you on the boat.

2. Get shopping for your Gag Guide Gift, as we hand those out on your Day One fishing.

3. Remember your Hawaiian Shirt to wear on your Day One fishing.

4. Bring at least three Grants ($50 bills, gang) for your guide tips—we tip daily as the guides use that money to buy your next day’s lunch.

5. Pack an extra bag as you will be bringing home a whole lot more swag than you came with.

6. Bring sun screen and a brimmed hat, as you will be spending 8+ hours a day in the great outdoors of Montana.

7. Check our blogsite daily for updates, for as we get closer to the blessed event’s Opening Day all communication will thereafter switch over from my email to your checking the blog; also, this is your best source of letting friends and family follow you (ad)ventures as we will be posting it daily with boat report updates and photos.

Also, if you want to ship bags to my attention in Montana in advance please feel free to do so; your contact information and shipping information is as follows:

Rockin’ C Ranch
Attn.: Ron Clausen
1059 Rock Creek Road
Clinton, Montana 59825
Tel: (406) 825-0122
Fax: (406) 825-0133
Email: rclausen at clausenlawgroup dot com

There is no cell service at the house, gang, so be sure to give out the above contact info to those in need.

Best to all on the cusp of it all,

Rock Creek Ron
---><’///:><

Extravaganza Entomology 1A

 

Fellow Flyfishing Enthusiasts:

 

Many of you Extravagant rookies out there have been asking, "Just what kind of flies are we going to be using and how big are they?"  Well, remembering the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, attached is a photo depicting some of the flies that we will be using this year together with a hand-drawn (accurate) measuring stick right beneath to give you perspective.

 

In general, we will be primarily be using two kind of flies:  (a) dry flies to replicate the adult form of the bugs that the fish are feeding on and (b) wet flies, or nymphs, to replicate the immature form of the bugs. 

 

Since these bugs are in their nymphal stage for 95+% of their life, guess what, that form gets eaten 90% of the time.  When the bugs transform into adulthood (much like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon), all hell breaks loose, however, because free eats have just shown up in the air and on the water and the fish can get a bigger bite with less effort. 

 

There are literally hundreds of different types and sizes of bugs that "hatch" (i.e. come out of their cocoon) on the Montana waters.  Thus, you will see that your guide has, literally, hundreds of different flies with him on your boat.  The time of day, the time of year, the heat or coolness of the day, and the river that you are on will drive the appropriate menu selection.  Simply stated, what is good for fishing in the morning often is not in the afternoon; what is good one day on a river is often not the next; and what is good at a particular time of day on one river will be totally different than on another river.  Hence, a guide.

 

The attached photo gives you an idea of the range of bugs that we will be using (you got it, depending on the time of day, the weather and the river) (for you of inquisitive minds, yes, I tied each of these flies for your viewing enjoyment). 

 

Here's a summary:

 

The fly at the top is a streamer, used when all else fails or to go after big fish.  It is 3" long, weighted heavily with lead, has a tungsten cone, and made of rabbit fur (affectionately known as a "double bunny" with two different strips glued together on a size 4 (i.e. huge) hook.  I show this to you for comparison purposes, as, most likely, these will stay in the fly box--they hurt when they hit you (or the guide) in the head, and the hooks (even when unbarbed) are a nasty date.

 

The large fly on the left is an imitation of an adult salmon fly--the first hatch that will occur post runoff.  There are actually two salmon flies--I gave you a top and side view of this "battleship fly" which floats on top of the water enticing fish of all sizes to rise to the surface and dine.  The salmon fly hatch starts in early June and may still be going on for those of you in Group One and, perhaps, Group Two.  This bug lives under the water for 2 1/2 years and, right about now, as a stone fly, literally crawls out of the river, attaches to a nearby stone and then sheds its shuck to emerge as the flying battleship that it is.  Like most of these bugs, since it only lives a few days in its adult form (to mate, deposit eggs back into or on the river and expire), the bugs have no mouths, do not feed and, therefore, do not bite--nice, huh?!?

 

The medium sized fly on the right is another stone fly, the Yellow Stone.  This will be our "go to fly" for each of the groups, as the Yellow Stone hatch will be in full bloom (along with the Green Drake hatch)--these bugs are about 1 1/2" in length and still constitute a substantial meal for a hungry trout.  Trout need to have enough "meat" to merit a trip from below to the surface to chomp, and this fly has that--if they use more energy than they ingest, they will eventually expire. As such, you can expect explosive "takes" on these floating flies, as the trout claim their bounty.  Hence, polarized sunglasses so that you can see both your fly and the takes.

 

The smaller dry fly in the middle of the page is a caddisfly which hatch in profusive numbers in the heat of the day and during the evening hours.  In good years, like this one, driving through a caddisfly hatch often requires turning on windshield wipers to see your way through.  The mess left behind on the car is truly impressive, as are the swarming of trout when these bugs are on the water.

 

The smallest of the dry flies (right below the streamer on top) are mayflies.  These are bugs that, unlike the stone flies which crawl out of the water, rise to the surface from the bottom as they hatch.  As such, during the rise and while they are on the surface removing their shuck and spreading and drying their wings, they are sitting ducks and the trout will often line up in feeding lanes and stay on the surface slurping these little guys in.  Try finding that floating fly in foamy or choppy water without polarized glasses twenty feet away!

 

The bottom two rows are nymphs of different sizes, shapes and colors.  You can see that size does not matter at this level, as some of the more effective of these are under one half inch in length.  These are fished under the water underneath either a colored floating indicator (so you can see if you have a take by the indicator submerging or just stopping) or as a "dropper" attached by monofilament tied to the hook of a floating dry fly.  Under this latter approach, which is employed once you have your casting under control, you can get two shots at feeding fish and the best of both worlds--shots at both the fish feeding on the surface and those munching on nymphs below. (The bottom row are flies that I have developed after several years of fishing Rock Creek and they have proved to be extraordinarily deadly on not only the Creek, but also on all of the rivers that we fish.)

 

So there you have it, Entomology 1A.

 

Best,

 

Rock Creek Ron

 

   

E-15 Annual Lower Sac Float Boat Report

Well, gang, you know that the Extravaganza is getting close when you see pics, as above, of the annual Lower Sacramento float trip that veteran Extravaganzers Cam “Mend” Carlson, Scott “Crack” Mc Adams and John “SOS” Reimann and yours truly now report on. This past Friday, as tradition dictates, the fearsome foursome, with Elizabeth Spencer wine in hand, er cup holder (another tradition), trekked up and back to Redding, California, to tickle the fancies of 30+ rainbow trout, a small sampling of which is shown above. Unlike the pictures coming out of Montana, however, and perhaps reflective of lower California water conditions, our Lower Sacramento River fishing day yielded a gaggle of 12-18 inchers, with nothing of size other than the inability (again!) of “SOS” Reimann to land any fish at all (although he had multiple hookups!). He and his Crack fishing partner, however, did manage to open, drink and account for three bottles of primo wine between them, showing again why during the Extravaganza we allow no booze on Der Boats!!

I leave for Montana one week from tomorrow, all, so, yes, the blessed event is nigh upon us!!

RCR---<’///:><

More Bull...

This one submitted by daughter Trina's beau, Kit Fisher, whose fishing partner landed this 36" bull trout on a streamer while fishing the Blackfoot River this past week.

I do believe, based on these early returns, that Extravaganza 2015 will be known as "The Year of the Big Fish"!!

RCR---<'///:><

No Bull!

A humongous Blackfoot River 30"+ bull trout who caught our outfitter shown on the right!

RCR

Memorial Day (Non) Flow

Here it is, gang, your very own Memorial Day update on the pikey, pokey flow 2015 flow status. This is great news for all fishing guides who are otherwise unemployed during a normal high water, high turbidity year--witness our very own Double Up Outfitter John "The Great But Propaneless" Gould who has been on the water every day with a bounty of fish to show you on his www.doubleupoutfitters.com website, some of which will follow separately!

RCR---<'///:><

E-15: Flies' Time!!

Fellow Extravaganzers:

 

As Opening Day looms closer and closer, I want to report that I spent a good portion of my weekend in the Bay Area tying flies, an exemplar of which is attached. 

 

Below the stylus are six of one of my favorite (and deadly) Rock Creek patterns, six bead-headed midge pupas under the moniker of “Serendipity”—these, like the six mayfly nymphs right below them, are subsurface flies designed to imitate bugs in their larval stage.

Caressing the outside of the nymphs are two versions of adult mayfly, those on the left having a darker body (consisting of wound thread) and those on the right, my favorite fly, wound with a light yellow thread for a body, each with “parachutes” extending upwards to help locate the fly as they drift on the water’s upper film.

It won’t be long now until these are attached to the end of my bamboo rod’s leader and a-fishing right in our Extravaganza home waters.

Bueno, bueno, bueno!

Best to all in the advanced preparation for it all,

Rock Creek Ron

---<’///><

Little Richard, Cynthia Jean and Norma Jeane Checking in!

Witness the following note from veteran Threer "Little Richard" Deveau and watch out for the desperados in Wacky Group Three this year, all!

 

RCR---<'///:><

Ron, Cyndi and I were going through the camp list and were working on packing it all and still have room for swag. We realized we did not have a vehicle that was Extravaganza worthy. I wanted the Turbo Porsche in the background, but Cyndi wanted the 560 SL. And she gets her way, so we will be driving Norma Jeane to Montana next month. Little Richard

E-15 Update/Datedown

Gang:


Fresh in from Chile, where, last Friday we consummated our property purchase and are now beginning the early construction phases of Patagonia, Chile's to-be newest fly fishing and ecotourism lodge, take a peek on the sidebar at the Rock Creek Discharge Report depicting the beginnings of a spike in this year's Montana runoff. Temperatures in the Missoula area are going to be rising this week on an upward ramp where daily highs will be in the mid 60's early this week and will climb into the high 70's over the next 10 days, producing a dramatic increase to what has so far been an underwhelming water flow runoff year.

Reflective of the early runoff push we had back in April, the snow pack in the Bitterroot mountains today is right at 40% of twenty-year averages and at 58% in the Upper Clark Fork mountains (those right above Missoula, generating the flow through downtown Missoula), so the modest amount of water moving down stream is reflective of that with year-to-date seasonal precipitation pegging right at 100%.

For those of you who have yet to get excited, now is the time to do so, as two weeks from this Wednesday I relocate to Rock Creek with your trusty black lab mascot Ma'am to begin the final preparation for your now very imminent MSO arrivals!!

Best to all in the nearness of it all,

Rock Creek Ron
---<'///:><

Y mas de Chile

A Pre-E-15 Chilean Update

As my eventful week here in Patagonia, Chile, winds itself down I thought I would give you this up-to-the-minute update on my days of very full activities. As many of you know, last November, with Kathy then very ill, with her blessings I scheduled a solo February fly fishing trip here to not only fish but see this fabled part of the world. What neither of us realized at the time was that the trip would occur just ten days following her passing.

There is a wise saying that "When one door closes another opens" and that, indeed, was what happened to me in here February: I had just lost the love of my life and was presented with the majesty of this wonderful part of the world as its replacement.

Resultantly, after three months of hard work, I am thrilled to let you know that at 11:00 a.m. local time here tomorrow (we are currently the equivalent of EDT, btw) title to the acreage to Patagonia's to-be newest destination fly fishing and ecotourist lodge will be formally transferred into our Casa Consuela Chilean company with the bonus that property immediately adjoining it will be simultaneously transferred into a just-created Chilean entity known and created as Casa del Loco Ron SpA, which, just like the Montana homes, will be the future site of my own Chilean outpost. And what an outpost this will be with having, like the new lodge, sweeping Andean views of pristine countryside and meandering river but also having a spring creek flowing through it fed by a majestic thousand-foot waterfall right in its very own backyard! Now that is far more cool in reality, gang, than it is loco!!

It has taken all of my legal skills garnered over the past forty-plus years to make this happen, for, as so often is the case with outlying locales, traditions here are as hard to understand as they are to deal with but, this week, with a wonderful series of face-to-face meetings, that is what my new partners Eduardo, Consuelo and I have done and dealt with, and, indeed, together we are a wonderful force to be reckoned with, all--a force that even a handful of local rainbows and browns came to encounter yesterday during a high altitude snow storm visited by Eduardo and me.

So, there it is: tomorrow is our scheduled Big Day here and what a blessed day it will be!

Best to all from the future site of Extravagonia...the upcoming annual trip(s) to Magic Waters's (www.magicwaterspatagonia.com ) newest addition, Casa Consuelo, to be personally hosted by its newest neighbor, yours truly, Loco Ron.

(Loco) Rock Creek Ron de Chile

de Chile

Viva Patagonia via Photos!

See what I mean about HUGE Patagonia Brown and rainbows, gang?!? Say hello to Eduardo (who now will be joining each of our E-15 groups with his primo Patagonia slide show in hand) and a few of his local pectoral pals!!

Loco RCR de Chile---<'///:><

Manuelita y Martin

Vistas de Chile

Update from Patagonia, Chile

Greetings from the other Down Under, gang: gorgeous Patagonia, Chile where,
because of my desire to build the best fly fishing and ecolodge in this
area, my new local name (so bestowed upon me by our wonderful local
Coyhaique legal counsel) is now "Loco Ron" (in fact we are forming later
today a Chilean sister sPa (corporation) to the main investment entity Casa
Consuelo, sPa, that will be named "Casa de Loco Ron, sPa"--who says you
can't have fun from afar?!?

Yesterday we traveled to the new lodge site and staked out the new 6,000+
square foot 10-bed facility--a truly special day in ever so many ways. Not
only was it a family affair with present and lodge operators Eduardo and
Consuelo, but their two wonderful children were also present to help out
with the tape measuring and staking out of the future main building that
will be supported by several additional buildings, including a storage
facility and six bed guide home. Further, the vistas from this new facility
are simply stunning, looking westward from its above-river perch over and
along the totally virgin countryside. Mark my words that, the Loco Ron
moniker notwithstanding, this facility, when completed, will quickly become
a worldwide destination for nature lovers of all kinds--including fly
fisherfolk who look to follow Eduardo's wader steps of just last week when,
with professional photographer at his side, he caught (and appropriately
released) a 23-pound 28" rainbow from one of the very nearby lagoons!!

Tomorrow we will return to the future lodge site (with fishing rods in hand)
to test the local waters that, this Thursday, will adjoin our
then-to-be-purchased 25+ acres, measured Down Under in hectares.

Pictures to follow upon my return this weekend!

Best to all in the early birthing stages of Casa Consuelo with its Loco Ron
sidekick!

(Loco) Rock Creek Ron de Chile
---<'///:><

Greetings From Patagonia, Chile!!

Greetings, Fellow Extravaganzers, from Patagonia, Chile, where not only is it Fall-chilly, but, as the trees bud out in Montana, they here are in their Fall-splendor!

As most of you know, I have traveled here to close purchase on and to finalize construction plans for the site of Patagonia's to-be newest and swankiest destination fly fishing and ecotourist lodge--an outpost in the gorgeous climes of Patagonia whose geography is a beautiful blend of New Zealand's and our own Montana's. This facility will be operated by my hosts and newest friends, Eduardo and Consuelo, who operate Patagonia's premier destination fly fishing experience, Magic Waters, www.magicwaterspatagonia.com.

I am privileged to be staying in Eduardo and Consuelo's home along with their adorable ninos, Martin and Manuelita, who have just returned from their Monday at escuela. Earlier today we finalized the layout plans for the new lodge, which we call Casa Consuelo, and will leave in a bit for the hour plus drive to the new site to stake out the new building--how very, very exciting!!

More to follow from this beautiful country, the home of huge browns and rainbows (yes, of course, I brought fishing gear with me!!), from where Eduardo ( who is planning to attend E-15, btw) and Consuelo extend a giant "HOLA" to each of you!

Bueno!!

Rock Creek Ron de Chile

Extravaganza Traditions

As we have evolved from year to year since the first Extravaganza in 2003, as you can imagine, with all of the craziness that surrounds each year’s event, over time certain traditions have evolved and, for you rookies out there who I do not want to be taken unawares, the following rank high among those now cherished rituals:

1. Boat Reports and The Yellow Hat. Each fishing day we return to Headquarters to compare notes, have a few (or in the case of Dem Ones, multiple) libations and then gather on the outside deck for my favorite part of each Extravaganza, the boat reports. During the boat reports, each team of two has the opportunity to bespell their assembled group with the beauties of their day and tell of strange events that may have occurred—and, believe you me, we have had some strange stories over the years all the way from setting hooks so hard that the setter became a swimmer (as in “man overboard”) to stories of blue marlins caught on Montana’s waters (with camera proof of bbqing the caught [inflatable] bounty) to [actually true] stories of bull trout ingesting sizeable rainbows and cutthroats while being retrieved. Beginning in 2003, I had monogrammed yellow fishing hats created which are awarded nightly to the fisherperson who caught (and released!) the longest trout species of the day. Over the years, miscreants (as in Tattoer Tim “Squawfish” Rodgers trying to submit a humongous squawfish towards a Yellow Hat award [from which he, hence, got his Montana moniker) have tried to sneak in other species, such as huge pike, sucker fish and white fish to claim this award but, no, those proud folks who have Yellow Hats monogrammed with prior years’ dates—and who bring them back year after year to taunt the others—indeed, caught and released the longest trout on a given day of fishing.

2. The Twenty Inch Club. Starting about ten years ago, I wanted to devise a way to chronicle and memorialize the larger of the fish that we catch during each Extravaganza. I arbitrarily picked twenty inches as the cut off point, and, from that decision, came our Twenty Inch Club and our annual Twenty Inch Board. Once again limited to the multiple species of trout that abound (browns, rainbows, cutthroats, cuttbows and bull—and we have multiples of each on the Board year after year), anyone catching and releasing a twenty inch (yes, we provided measuring tapes on each of our boats!), will be logged into our Twenty Inch Club, usually a cut off point for getting a Yellow Hat, btw, and the boards from prior years will be on display this year as they have been in the past. Catching a twenty inch trout is a tough and rare event, each of you should know, such that our average number of Board entries is around twenty for each Extravaganza, except that is for the bountiful year of 2011 when, due to excessively high local water flows, we bussed to and fished the Missouri River where, that year, we posted to our then three separate boards 111 (count ‘em!) twenty inch beauties!

3. The Yellow Shirt. The person who catches the longest trout in each group (and, therefore by definition, a Yellow Hat wearer) is awarded the most coveted and yearly monogrammed Yellow Shirt to take home, wear among friends and, of course, bring back to boast among fellow Extravaganzers. Some of these shirts have seen so much wear that their yellowness has been sun-bleached to near white, but, nonetheless, the award lives on in perpetuity.

4. The Bullshit Bell. Pictured above is the cherished and truth-seeking Bullshit Bell that adorns the center of the outside table during each of the nightly Boat Reports. With each group member sworn to seeking out the stretched truth or embellished tale, each is fully authorized to then hit (read “pound”!) this veteran bell to let the assembled multitude that either a misdemeanor or felony has been committed in the then being proffered tale—and nary a night has gone by without its melodious tones having had been heard!

5. Guide Gag Gifts. Something that we started about a dozen years ago, on Day One of each group’s fishing, when you are introduced to you guide (who will be with you for the next three days) tradition has it that you present your guide with a gag gift of some sort—not only is this a great way to break the ice and begin your most important three day affair with him, but it is and has been an absolute hoot of imaginative givings over the years. Everything from lure imbedded toilet seats, to fishing manuals, to “fish-o-matics” (extendable measuring tapes for calculating the length of catches) to beanie propeller hats to mini goldfish nets to land your catch have seen their way to this fun-filled event, and I encourage each of you to go into your garage to see what you might want to get rid of and bestow upon your guides!

6. Hawaiian Shirt Day. For years and years now, Day One of fishing has been our Hawaiian Shirt Day where we each wear the most garish adornments that you can find. Highlighting this day several years ago, one of our guides showed up in an Hawaiian skirt with matching coconut breast plates, lending a true Polynesian theme to the opening day’s festivities. The Best of the Bunch gets a Double Up Outfitter 3x tee shirt to cover up the error!

7. Your Montana Name. From minute one, day one of the very first Extravaganza I began assigning “Montana Monikers” to each of our Extravaganzers and, for you rookies out there, odds are almost 100% that you will come home with a new name to boast. Such names as “Moraine:, “Big Ben”, “SOS”, and “The Ghost” will be found among returning Oners; others like “Fawn Lady”, “CT”, “Sockeye”, “Maven” and “Compari” will be found among the returning Tattoos; and the likes of “Dead Drift”, “Mad Man”, “Zion Man” and “Onefer” (who will be accompanied by “Twofer” and “Threefer” this year!) will mix and mingle in and among Dem Threes. Never a dull moment in Extravaganzaland, writes Rock Creek Ron!

8. The Package. Each year upon your arrival(s) as we go to the Rock Creek Mercantile to license up and receive an initial installment of your Extravaganza swag, the Merc offers “The Package”—a retail therapy opportunity that is not to be passed up of packaged goods that you can and will use during your stay with us. Via the package we help out the Merc and they do the same for us—one good and kind hand washing the other in the Extravaganza way!

9. Der Blog. www.montanaextravaganza2015.blogspot.com is and should be among your favorites as there you can find posted the Camp List that you have already lost, pictures of the day and a summary of activities of each group as each day of the thee week Extravaganza progresses. Tell your friends and families of this site as it is a cool way to communicate with them without even having had to do so---kinda like a FaceBook page on steroids!

So there you have it gang, a summary of some of the many, many Extravaganza traditions that have evolved and developed over the last near decade and a half. The tradition(s) continue and, each year, we add on to those of prior years’…what does this year have to unfold for us?!?

Best to all in the tradition of it all,

Rock Creek Ron
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E-15: Steady as She Flows, Flo!

The runoff this year is taking the appearance of a bleed off, gang, yet
paving the way for a spectacular Extravaganza 2015! We are right at 1,160
cubic feet per second on Rock Creek today and the chart is starting to
resemble the wonderful 2013 fishing year that we had a couple of years ago.
The slow runoff this year is a good thing as, with the earlier April push of
water downstream, the snowpack in the Bitterroot River Basin's mountains is
currently at 50% of 20 year norms, such that there is now less to run off
and the lower flow will time things perfectly for Group One's arrival now
just a tad more of a month from now.

I will send you one more update before leaving for Patagonia, Chile in the
morn for a week; my staff will continue to update you with flow reports in
my absence, during which time your homework is to review your Camp List and
to begin assembling the stash of gear and duds that you will be taking with
you to Montana. Our mantra this year is "Less is More" so keep that in mind
as you begin your annual ritual of Extravaganza packing!

Best to all, sensing the nearness of it all,

Rock Creek Ron
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YOUR VERY OWN E-15 MONTANA CAMP LIST!

MONTANA CAMP LIST

Yep, it is beginning to happen folks, so, as promised, here is your Extravaganza 2015 packing list:

In preface, June is the wettest month in Montana. The earlier in the month, the wetter it typically is--most often laden with afternoon thunder storms but sometimes the beneficiary of all-day rain. So the earlier in the month you are (and that's you, One-Of-A Kind Group One, which arrives on June 13th) the greater the probability of temperatures in the 50's to 70's with afternoon showers; and the later in the Extravaganza you are (and that's you, Group Three, which arrives on June 27th) the greater the probability of no rain and temperatures in the mid 70's to 90's--yes, folks the change is that dramatic in just the few weeks that we fish together. For each group, however, your packing list is the same--plan on coolish mornings transitioning into mid-day warmth, that will then be subject to afternoon cooling off and rain (when cells pass through the temperature often drops over 20 degrees is fewer than that in minutes), followed by coolish evenings as we sip (guzzle, in the case of Group One) wine, throw horseshoes in the back yard and exchange our tales of the daily blessings that have been bestowed upon us.

The list below is broken into "MUST HAVE" and "CAN HAVE" sections. Regarding the latter first, through our outfitter extraordinaire, Double-Up Outfitters, rods and reels are available to our groups, gratis. Feel free to bring your own gear if you have it [see below in that regard]. Regarding the need for waders and wading boots, if you have them, bring them, but we most often fish in shorts and sandals (with fleeces and rain jackets aboard in all cases).

So, here it is, your Official Extravaganza 2015 Camp List: (NOTE: MOST ALL ITEMS LISTED BELOW CAN BE PURCHASED AT THE ROCK CREEK MERCANTILE [WITH YOUR 10% STORE-WIDE DISCOUNT] ON YOUR ARRIVAL IN MT., IF YOU WISH)

MUST HAVE:

1. Polarized sunglasses (these are an absolute must); mine are prescription (because I am nearly blind without glasses) and the Merc has not only a great selection of regular polarized sun wear but also very comfortable sets that can overlay your prescription glasses--just like skiing goggles, but a little more chic/stylish.

2. A rain jacket not a water resistant jacket [which really just absorbs water at a slower pace], but a poncho or truly water resistant lightweight/medium weight rain repellant--we have had the weather change from warm blue skies to cold (as in really cold) torrential rain and then back again all within an hour--if you get wet on the river it is not a pleasant experience--See 3, infra.

3. A dry bag/boat bag for a complete change of clothes for the river.

4. Fast drying fishing shirts and pants. In the past, the former has been a staple of what we hand out to you as you arrive--history will repeat itself, by the way. As to pants, I highly recommend the fast drying, zip off pants which serve as long pants in the morning hours and shorts in the afternoon.

5. Brimmed fishing hats. Yes, history might just repeat itself here again regarding a baseball type hat; for those of you who are sunlight sensitive, I recommend a fully brimmed hat with a tie-string [so that the famous and inevitable MT wind will not decrown you].

6. Layered clothing. Imagine that you are going to a Niners game in September--you never know what you are going to get, so you wear a short sleeved shirt with a long sleeve shirt over it, carrying with you a fleece and a warm jacket/raincoat--voila!!) We have washers and dryers available to you if needed, so don't bring the whole wardrobe but certainly pack an extra day's supply (remember that boat bag and its contents-to-be in 3, infra?!?).

7. Waterproof sandals/fishing shoes. 90% of our fishing will be in the boats, but you will be getting in and out for entry, potty breaks, lunch and return, and will get wet to your knees as you embark/debark. Tennis shoes are an alternative if you don't mind changing their color [permanently] Yes, fishing sandals are an excellent Merc purchase upon arrival--they have multi-uses and will last forever.

8. Sunscreen and bug-spray. Bring sunscreen rated 15 and higher even if you think you don't need it, as you will be on the water, unprotected, for up to 10 hours each day--enough to challenge even the crustiest lawyer's skin! The bugs are nothing like Minnesota and usually are not a problem at all, but have some on hand and that normally makes the experience totally uneventful.

9. Fleeces (long and/or short sleeved). These are going to be your best friend, both early in the morning and late in the evening after a fully sating day. Temperatures during your stay see average highs in the 70's to 80's and evening lows in the 40's and 50's.

10. Casual wear. This is not a black tie event, folks; shorts and levis are standard fare [even in Missoula's finest restaurants, I might add] both on the boat and at the house. Our fishing focus is exclusively on the brightness of the color bands in your rainbow trout, the brownness of your brown trout and on the scarletness of your cutthroat's gill plates.

CAN HAVE:

A. Fly rods and reels (5 and 6 weight rods are the order of the day--again, these are included in the Extravaganza package so only bring yours if you have them and want to fish them).

B. Waders (more so in Group One; less so in Groups Two and Three).

C. Expensive digital camera gear that you would like to get wet and destroy (Yes, folks, upgraded this year, we are going to have 16.0 megapixel digital cameras for your usage in each of your boats. As in the past, we will assemble all pictures taken by your group and post them to the cloud for your post E-15 permanent viewing and storage).

D. Booze (We have it all folks, so make your request in advance so we can have a supply on hand and leave it at home--only water and soft drinks on the boats, by the way.)

* * * * * *

There it is folks, your Official Extravaganza 2015 Camp List. May the blessings of spring be upon each of you as we stretch out towards the glories of Montana, shortly ahead for each of us in just one month now!!

Call me directly if you have any questions or concerns.

Best to all in preparation for it all,

Rock Creek Ron

Gearing Up for Extravaganza 2015: The Rivers We Will Fish

Greetings, fellow E-15ers, wowie wowie are we getting very, very close to the Opening Day of E-15, as in exactly one month from today your E-15 now six year old black lab mascot and I will be driving to Montana to do the final week’s preparation for your then very imminent arrival(s).

Attached for your files and perusal is the final E-15 roster boasting 62+ participants from over half a dozen states (one of which being the State of Confusion!) and a multiplicity of returning veterans as well as a healthy splash of rookies to perpetuate our ongoing Darwinism (yes, gang, the Extravaganza will ride again in 2016!!).   Also attached is a preliminary copy of this year’s calendar of events as displayed on our Month-at-a-Glance which, group by wonderful group, shows a full agenda of presenters who will be joining us each evening après fishing to update all of us on the multivarious environmental activities that I am involved in all of which have an eye towards preserving the glories of Montana for the next generation(s).  Witness Group One who will see a visit from my dear friend MT cabinet officer Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Jeff Hagener as well as a last night invasion by the one and only fab honky tonker Bob Wire; as well as Group Two who will see the annual Tattoo-return of Montana Matters Troubadour Shane Clouse; and Dem Threes who will have a full plate of presentations by the Montana Outdoor Legacy Foundation on its grizzly bear relocation progress, by both the Montana and National Wildlife Federations as well as see the final night’s featured presentation by the Montana Natural History Center (for whom, group by wonderful group, we are going to raise sufficient funds for them to purchase a new school bus to enable them to activate their outreach program to get grammar school kids out into nature—a program confusingly recently cut by the state school system but taken up and filled in quickly by the Natural History Center…our new to-be-purchased bus, to be named “Rocky”, btw, may well be in our driveway by the time Dem Threes depart the scene!).

And now a recap for your veterans and a peek for you rookies out there on the three primo western Montana rivers that we will (definitely now!) be fishing this year:  (a) The Clark Fork of the Columbia River; (b) The Bitterroot River and (c) The Big (“A River Runs Through It”) Blackfoot River:

The Clark Fork of the Columbia river is now back in full force for this year’s Extravaganza, having been the subject over the last decade of the largest Superfund site in the country.  For 110 years dammed at the mouth of the Blackfoot River just 8 miles east of Missoula, the Milltown Dam was removed almost a decade ago now resulting in major, expected temporary interference with fishing conditions on this majestic “big river” that now again is the home of huge rainbow trout.  The removal of the dam caused understandably major disruption to the bed of this great river, resulting in a plethora of “fines” coming downstream after the dam was removed (in turn to remove thousands of cubic yards of arsenic-infested river soil the result of a century of upstream leach mining) which literally temporarily killed all of the plant life in the river resulting in a mass exodus of the resident rainbows.  Well, time has now cured this interim disruption and, based on our own fishing experience last year and early 2015 fishing reports, the Clark Fork (errantly referred to some in the Tattoos after too much red wine as the “Black Fork”—not to mention names, Tattooer Brad “Maven” Miller!) has now come back on its own and I look forward to glowing after glowing boat reports on the bounty of this great river, which serves as the “freeway river” to the Blackfoot and Bitterroot Rivers as is course flows from east to west and eventually out to the Pacific Ocean just outside Portland, Oregon.

The second of our targeted rivers is the 52 mile long Bitterroot River whose roots are at Lolo Pass (over which Lewis and Clark almost met an unfateful end by leaving their Bitterroot River’s Travelers Rest after their second wintering overs) on the Idaho border from which its east and west forks flow unusually northward until their joining mid-journey into one yet-meandering rainbow, brown, cutthroat and cuttbow (a neuter cross between the bow and the cut) filled river from which, year after year, huge fish are netted by our crew and adorning our Twenty Inch Club Board (every twenty inch trout caught makes its way to that perpetually kept record board).  I have fished this river dozens and dozens of times and simply never get tired of its quiet passage, gorgeous view of the adjoining Bitterroot mountain range.  For many of the guides, this is not only their “go to” river but also their favorite.

The third of our bounty is my favorite river in the world, the Big Blackfoot River, about which Norman McLean wrote his fabled “A River Runs Through It” from which the fly fishing industry-standard movie was created by director Robert Redford and a then-young actor by the name of Brad Pitt.  How many fabulous days I have spent over the last dozen years on this magnificent specimen of water, from which, year after year, Extravaganzers have caught (and quickly released) endangered bull trout many of whom have taped-out in the 30+” range (no kidding, folks) and many more of which have been seen engorging whole an 18” cutthroat live on the line of our anglers as they reel in what they earlier thought to be their huge catch.  Flowing from the north towards its confluence with the Clark Fork, the 60+ mile long Big Blackfoot is the home of huge fish—huge browns, huge rainbows, huge cutthroats and even huger bull trout.  This river, which, because of its shallow terrain and muddy banks is the last river to become fishable after the run off, should be available to us during each of our nine (count ‘em) days of E-15 fishing in the course of which we will put over one hundred boats on the water—making the Extravaganza the largest annual Montana organized fishing event.  Treat yourself and take a peek at “A River Runs Through It” in either movie or written form and you will get a great glimpse of what you are in for…better yet, just go to our www.montanaextravaganza2015.blogspot.com blogsite and take a look at the 15 minute Extravaganza movie that we did in 2008 and see then rookie Jami Grassi hook and land a 31” Blackfoot river bull trout with the footnote that “this can happen to you this year…each of you!!”

So there you have it, gang, as I now slip into my final month’s preparation mode.   We are in such good shape, by the way, that one week from today I will arrive in Patagonia, Chile for a week’s stay to begin the construction of Chile’s newest fishing lodge to be operated by my good friend Eduardo Barrueto (who will be on the scene of E-15, btw!) under his Magic Waters program, a lodge that starting in January 2016 will be hosting my newest (ad)venture:  “Extravagonia”!!

Nope, never a dull moment in and around Extravaganzaland!!

Best to all on the approaching eve of it all,

Rock Creek Ron

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E-15 Friday Fishing Fodder

As found on the internet (Anon):

               Standing thigh high on the riffle,

               Feeling the current pull at my knees.

               Breathing deep…my world is calm now,

               Winged beauty drifting by on the breeze.

               My line floats out like a feather,

               And patiently waits a strike from below.

               My soul seeks the magic of water,

               I’m lost in its ebb and flow.

               I admit it’s really not about catching,

               I don’t care if the prey is that clever.

               The light gently leaving the canyon,

               I want to hold this moment forever.

               Why do we fight daily battles

               Looking for fortune or fame?

               I turn from this life of unease

               The river is calling my name.

As you read the above, think now back on your week as it now passes….hmmm…  As for me, a week from today I return to the blessed waters of Patagonia, Chile to revel in the above and to create opportunity for others to follow in my wake.

A great weekend to all!!

RCR---<’///:><