Page 27 - North 40 Outfitters

When you spend 12 hours a day in the same uniform, and when that uniform holds all your important tools where you need them to perform your job well—those clothes, and that tool belt, become more than simple “workwear”. Like any working profession, nursing is an industry where the fit and functionality of your uniform is paramount to comfort and usability on the job. When the clothes you wear become part of your job, finding the right pair of scrubs as a nurse can be like finding the “right” power tools on a construction site. Because of this, there will always be the “Milwaukee versus Dewalt” type of personal preference debate when it comes to "the right" scrubs, but no matter what, two key features in that "right" pair of scrubs are indivisible: Material: needs to be breathable, comfortable and resist stains. Fit and ...

The Grande Ronde River starts its journey in the Blue Mountains. It flows down through La Grande, Oregon making its way Northeast into Washington where it meets the Snake River at Rogersburg. This river offers a wide variety of different species to hook on the fly or conventional gear. With it being only an hour away from Lewiston, Idaho to the mouth, it is a great option for a day of bass fishing. You can also float the river from Boggans Oasis to Shumaker Grade -as well as a nice float from Shumaker Grade to the mouth at Rogersburg, Washington. Most of the float between these two sections of the river is fairly mellow, the only major concern is the narrows section that is between Shumaker and the mouth. Best Fly Patterns for Bass During the spring one of the best fly patterns to use is… You guessed it, a smolt pattern. Anything that ...

Tyler's Big Pheasant Tail The pheasant tail nymph is synonymous with fly fishing. It has been my go-to fly for a long time. I really favor it though in a larger format. The typical ones you'll see in the fly shop bins are anywhere from size 20 on up to a 12 if you are lucky. I fish in the west, and we fish big bugs often. So, I started deviating from the traditional pheasant tail nymph recipe. I tie them up to a size 8 3X long hook. I like a dubbed thorax versus the original peacock herl, and what better color dub to go with? -purple u.v. of course! Lastly, I like it to have a "hot spot." I use fire or hot orange thread for the collar. The rest of the fly uses the traditional specs. Pheasant tail for the actual tail of the fly and also for the abdomen and wing case. The abdomen is ribbed with your standard variety copper wire too. This f...

Rufus Woods (WA) Springtime on Rufus Woods has been one of my best time to hit this impoundment water of the Columbia River. With warming and sunny days, it is a good time to be on the water there. I spend most of my fishing time on the upper part of the lake. Flows have not yet increased from the spring runoff, which makes for just the right conditions to fish from the shore or a boat. When I talk about the upper part of the lake, I’m referring to the waters above Nespelem Creek. When we are out on the water in a boat, we look for seam water and areas off a couple of the islands in that area. Crayfish patterns are our fly of choice. The one pattern that works the best for us is the near nuff crayfish in either tan or olive. Working it on the bottom with what I can best describe as a crayfish scoot. Slow short hops on the bottom then...

Missouri River Spring weather is sometimes perfect, but sometimes you need to challenge the elements a bit.  Highs over the next week will be mostly in the 30s and 40s.  Easily fishable, but not warm.  The only way to tell it’s spring and not winter is that the days are longer and the sun feels warmer when it’s shining. Will you venture forth?  If you want to experience some great fishing, you should definitely consider getting out there.  Cool temperatures will keep runoff at bay.  Pre-runoff can be an ephemeral and excellent fishing window. Trout Spey Swinging flies continues to be productive in the chilly waters of early spring.  The fish are eager to eat, and small streamers continue to grab their attention.  Fishing high on the river, as in above Craig, will keep you in the rainbow zone.  Clouser’s, near nuff sculpin,...

Coeur d'Alene River The river is flowing at 3,460 cfs at Cataldo and leveling off.  This is a very big increase in the last week.  As of now the river is starting to level off but don't hold your breath.  Middle too late next week, if not sooner, rain is forecasted.  Any precipitation now and the river will make huge jumps.  Sounds like folks had good fishing in the last week, and I think if you are to float it this week, you will do fine.  By Thursday or Friday, if the forecast holds true, it most likely will be a goner.   Wading now is tougher in spots with the big increase. So, floating is going to be a better option if you can get your boat in somewhere.  Also, streamer fishing is decent now.  The main culprits getting it done are near nuff sculpins, home invaders, circus peanuts, kamikaze sculpins, and big jolly buggers.  ...

For many years, most rivers and streams in North Idaho were closed to fishing from the end of March through the Saturday before Memorial Day.  The reasoning behind this closure was to let the native Westslope cutthroat do their spawning activities.  The short Spring closure ended 10+ years ago and now with the wide-sweeping catch and release rules on our streams, we are allowed to fish year-round.  This can be some of the best fishing of the year. I have been in North Idaho for almost 25 years and have come to realize there is no "normal" or consistency to our weather. In North Idaho, one year we will be in t-shirts and mid-50s in March, and the next moment we’ll have blizzards and freezing temperatures.  We may get excited about having a mild winter and spring and not having to shovel all that snow and long winters.  However, t...

Anticipating Ice-out for Fly Anglers This year, most lakes east of the Cascades have acquired a thick, stubborn ice layer that is only now just starting to thin. Late March is here and finally, the sun is out. In the Omak shop, we’ve noticed that cabin-fever is luring winter-weary anglers out from behind the vise. Many anglers are starting to get that itch and ice-out can’t come soon enough. But when? We can only clean our fly lines so many times, right? Ready for much-needed river time? Read about the first fishable hatches here. Ice-out is not only the termination of a long fish-less slumber but also some of the best fishing you’ll ever witness. So, after you’re convinced that your fly lines are clean enough for surgical sutures, saunter over to your handy internet device and check the weather. As you can guess, certain weather...

Spring is in the air.  You can feel the fly fishing buzz building and Missouri River Fly Fishers is bringing The International Fly Fishing Film Festival back to Great Falls.  The show date is Friday, March 29th.  The fun starts at the Do Bar Banquet Hall at 7:00 p.m. The IF4™ consists of short and feature length films produced by professional filmmakers from all corners of the globe. The selected films showcase the passion, lifestyle and culture of fly fishing. IF4™ contains exclusive content and is a must-see experience.  There will also be some raffle items and some free stuff to give away.     Before the films, Montana FWP will present their popular State of the Rivers Address. Come join us for an evening of some of the world’s best new fly fishing films and learn about the populations and health of ...

By the time March and April roll around, I’m ready for some much-needed river time. Hatches this time of year can be sparse, yet they can still provide some stellar fishing if you hit them right. Even if these bugs aren’t “hatching”, they will be crawling or swimming below the surface. As a disclaimer, there are a million and one different bugs that pop off during the spring, and the following are the ones that we observe as fishable hatches. Thinking about heading out to the Mo? Learn more about early spring fishing here. Midges March is a tricky month for fishing. It could still be cold, or it could start getting warm quick. Either way, this is a good pre-runoff window to fish if you find some accessible waters. On most rivers in the Inland Northwest, midges are one of the first bugs that come off in numbers. Patterns such as a...

My Grandfather, "Grandpa Jack," landed on the mainland of Japan during the final stage of the Second World War. Originally he was there for the impending invasion, but as events occurred his job turned into more of a humanitarian role. I never got to hear much about his time spent overseas, but occasionally, he would pull out a few pictures that he took of the area surrounding ground zero. I do however, distinctly remember him telling me about the kids he encountered there. He treated the local children as if they were his own. "This wasn't their fault," he told me. At the time he was 19 years old. Grandpa Jack liked his food cooked well, borderline burnt. I was told this was due to his time in the army, something about eating raw chicken. Subsequently I don't think he ate much chicken the rest of his life. He was part of what would beco...