Page 161 - North 40 Outfitters

Saturday on the Missouri was windy but luckily I went on Sunday and it was nice. The weather warmed up and the wind was down to a dull roar. Lots of people nymph fishing up by the dam still but with the warm weather the swing crew was getting lots of grabs. Small buggers and Hobo style flies were getting eaten on the swing. We fished up above the Wolf Creek bridge and got a few fish but decided to move down because of all the people. We moved down by the Dearborn and hooked a few fish there as well. It is easy to tell where the rainbows are spawning and lots of them are sitting in full spawn mode in the shallows so watch where you are walking, and try not to disturb them. We got fish mostly on firebead flies as we were nymphing the whole day. Firebead Ray Charles and Firebead Soft Hackle Sow bugs are working. Had I known the wind was go...

If you happen to visit our fly shop in Great Falls on any given Saturday a little after 9 am, you will find a gathering of anglers, all unique characters, but their combined wealth of knowledge about the fly fishing opportunities in the area isn’t found in any guide book. These guys know what you can’t find on the internet about fly fishing on the Missouri River and many waters across the state. The wealth of knowledge in the room is certainly thought-provoking. Thoughts are expressed on a variety of topics. The incredible ineffectiveness of the Water Boatman when fly fishing still waters has been up for recent debate. Discussing the proper length of a soft hackle in relation to the shank length of a hook can go on for hours. Recently there have been growing concerns over the lack of whitefish. It seems that back in the day, you cou...

 Winter has been losing its grip this week. Temps have warmed and the Chinook Winds are roaring along the Rocky Mountain Front and out across the plains. I’m also seeing the sunrise on the way to work, confirming that the earth is tilting toward longer days. How about the fishing? I talked to a Canadian gentleman who had some great swinging above Craig this week. He was running the Kreelex and some Polar Minnows along with a few leechy patterns in sizes 6 and 8. He had a big smile on his face and was bummed to be driving back to Calgary. A little wind does not mess up the swinging opportunities. Especially if you pick the right water. Nick from the store got out in town on Wednesday. He found some trout and hooked a big carp. The carp are congregating at the springs right now and will likely be packed in there until the main river star...

We often see people enter the store, spin a 360 and then watch as their eyes glaze over.  There are lots of materials to choose from.  We are always here to help, but in an effort to add clarity, we are going to bring you a post each Tuesday showcasing fly tying materials. This week’s feature is Polar Chenille, including UV Polar Chenille, and Fluorescent Polar Chenille. Polar Chenille has become one of my favorite fly tying materials. While this product is not brand new, many anglers are still discovering how effective it can be and how easy it is to tie with.  We have recently added to our collection of colors and styles for your fly tying pleasure (and mine). Polar Chenille works for bodies, tails, accents, even entire flies and is available in UV and Fluorescent color options.  The fibers undulate in the water like marabou, but...

Test Your Fly I was pretty excited when we got our Flymen  Fly Tester in the shop.  I’ve been wanting a testing tank since I witnessed one used by the Mepp’s Lure Company at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show back in-well back a long, long time ago. Terry Jenner heads up the Project Healing Waters fly tying night each month here in Great Falls.  He also ties a few flies for himself.  Terry is joining Joe, Paul and Denver on the trip to Belize in April.  He’s busy tying flies for bonefish, tarpon and permit.  He’s also been testing them in the tank and making tweaks.  That’s the whole point of the tank.  View the profile and the proportions of your chosen fly in the water.  By the time you are ready to fish, you will be able to pick a fly with confidence, knowing how it is going to look. Come on by with a new fl...

On January 8 at the Giant Springs Fish Wildlife and Parks office, Jason Mullen from Montana FWP will present the annual 'State of the Rivers' address.This presentation will detail the health of our local rivers including the Missouri, Smith, Sun, and Belt Creek. Not only is this an informative presentation, but anglers will have a chance to ask questions of our local fisheries biologist. The presentation is sponsored by the Missouri River Fly Fishers Club and is open to all. We hope to see you at 7:30 pm this Thursday.

For at least one day a year, I can honestly say that I’ve fished every day of the year. Some years, I can hold out for several days in a row. This year, I got just one. It was cold and windy, but beautiful and productive. I guess I can say that my 2015 fishing year is off to a great start. The current fishing report is that now is the time to tie flies. It has been cold and the snow has been piling up of late. The river is a bit icy. It’s ok to give the fish a break now and then. When it next warms up, the fishing will likely be just fine. If you want to get ready for the next thaw, stock up on your Soft Hackle Sow Bugs, your Fire Bead Soft Hackle Sow Bugs, small bead head leeches, an assortment of midges and tiny little pink stuff. If you are headed off to a warm destination, stop by and see Joe. He’s busy tying all kinds of fli...

Snow, snow, snow around here.  I normally take the week off between Christmas and New Years to spend some time with my family and do some winter fishing, however this year a "White Christmas" went a little longer than anticipated.  Actually a lot longer, as in: about 18" of snow with temps hovering around zero most of the week. I was plenty busy pushing my Yo-ho snow shovel around most days. This is the snow shovel you'll want in your arsenal when the work gets serious.  In between snowstorms the boys and I found some time to go play in the snow with an Otter sled and the new GoPro Hero 4 Black. January sees these Otter sleds in our stores mainly for calving and ranch work. These sleds are big and the edges tall, making them ideal downhill sleds that are stable.  Most runs we were coming down the hill faster and went further than...

"It's all about the pounds." This is the idea behind Dectomax Pour-On Solution. People in the Northwest deworm cattle and calves in order to promote weight gain. This is usually after warble season, but you can check with your local vets for the best time to administer for your area. In winter, you'll want to reapply to stop midges and other parasites you can get from barns and close quarters. How do we know? We actually did a year-long study on Dectomax. Read it here. Jennie Ritland runs a commercial cow herd along with the feeders and backgrounded calves out of her Montana outfit: Ritland Feeding Company "I could be a salesman for Dectomax sure it costs more, but we make that money back plus some every year." Why do you Choose Dectomax over other Generics? Why pay 289.99 for 5 quarts of Dectomax , when you can get 5 quarts of generic...

With the New Year comes the rebirth of the spirit and a clearer vision of the next 364 days, but soon jaded reality and frigid temperatures touch the heart and it becomes harder to maintain a positive outlook. This year my resolutions are to find ways to shake off adversity with new vision, and, of course, to do more fishing. Resolutions are like fine china meant to be broken, but not this year (hopefully). With the mercury dropping like an anchor in the Baring Sea, it looked like the prime opportunity to make good on my resolutions. It’s hard to make a good D loop with the Okanogan covered in with ice so the steelhead will have to remain safe for the time being. So what is an avid fly bum to do with ice everywhere? You guessed it: hit the lake. Ice fishing with flies, you ask? That’s right, a new twist on an old subject. Many devo...

The use of Spirit River's new UV2 tying materials makes this pattern even more of a bruiser in the fly tying world. Fred likes to chase King Salmon on the fly in Alaska and when he does, he uses the Bruise. Try these new UV2 materials and see for yourself how they get the attention of the underwater brute you decide to pursue. Recipe 210 black thread Waddington shank 45 mm Uv polar chenille in black Fluro blue strung saddle hackle Uv2 marabou fl. Blue Octopus hook 1/0 Black marabou 20lb maxima

Fred at the Great Falls Shop ties his Foxy Jig Minnow. This Clouser-style, jig pattern utilizes arctic fox fur, a bit of flash, and some UV materials which are great for triggering fish. When tied at the end of a floating line, the eyes allow for convincing movement in the water column. Recipe Daiichi 4660 90Ëš Jig Hook - Size 4 Spirit River Real Eyes Plus - Size 3/16" UTC 140 Ultra Thread - Olive UV Krystal Flash - Pearl UV Large Eye Guinea Feather - Chartreuse Arctic Fox Body - Olive UV Ice Dub - Red