Clearwater River The Clearwater is flowing at 9,590 cubic feet per second, as of 12.07. The river is fishing, event though flows are strong. Last Thursday, while I was out on the lower river I got a nice take with a little bit of a pull, yet I missed the fish. I was using an intermediate poly-leader with a size five Winters Hope. So, what to use? Whatever your heart follows. Summer-run steelhead, even though our waters are hovering around the low 40's even high 30's, will still travel to your fly in the upper column. The more I ask the folk who have been fishing around the area for the last 20-plus years, the more I hear full floating lines with small flies are the ticket. You can use tips and weighted Intruders, too. Intruders—meaning bigger profiled flies work. The options are endless. Choose the method you have confidence in. Grande...

Spring is just around the corner and that means we need to get ready to clean up our lawns and gardens. With the DeWalt 20V weed whacker (some people call it a "string-trimmer"), the battle on weeds has never been easier. This product features a patented gear drive design for amplified torque when powering through overgrowth. The bump feed head provides 13" of swath with DEWALT's 0.080" line. The variable speed trigger offers precise power control as well as performance and runtime management with the Hi/Lo speed control switch. Well balanced and only eight and one-half pounds, the string trimmer is easy to maneuver and puts less stress on the user. Watch the video below to learn more.   Ditch the gas cans and the extension cords, and check out the 20-volt DeWalt Lithium Ion XR Stream Trimmer. Powered by a 20-volt max five amp p...

By Dave McCoy Do You Need A Guide to Catch Olympic Peninsula Steelhead Summer trout fishing is on its long gone, and shorter days bring steelhead to mind on a daily basis. This may be the case for you, too. And, if so, I wouldn’t doubt you’re thinking that Washington’s notorious Olympic Peninsula is a worthy destination . . . for many reasons, not the least being a shot at some big, wild steelhead fresh in from the ocean. “Done,” you might be saying right now. “The OP it is.” When Can I Catch Winter Steelhead on the OP If that’s the case, there are several things you need to consider before stringing a rod and starting to huck. First, timing is everything, as this is a rainforest that gets more than a hundred inches of rain a year, guaranteed. In addition, remember that every river here is a freestone—meaning no dams—...

Whether you're a seasoned fly tier or a beginner, our winter fly-tying challenges are the place for you. Bring your own vice or use ours, and have some fun at Mighty MO Brewing Co. We recently held our first Fly Tying Challenge Night at the Mighty Mo Brewing Company in Great Falls, Montana. If you missed out, don’t worry. It was just a warmup. We’ve got four more dates on the calendar counting December 13, January 16, February 20 and March 14. If you can join us for one or all, we guarantee you’ll have a great time and all ages are welcome. What is a fly tying challenge? Basically, the challenge is an excuse to draw some fun people together. While we always enjoy meeting fellow anglers and fly tiers in the store, it’s nice to get into the community and socialize over an adult beverage and some good pizza. Each event offers a fun ...

A steam juicer is an invaluable tool for jelly making. Homemade jams, jellies, or preserves is a heartfelt and delicious gift at Christmas—whether given to yourself, friends, or family. Making these when the weather is cold is equally satisfying as the house fills with a warm, sweet summer fragrance. What’s the difference between jams, jellies and preserves? While these sweet condiments have similar beginnings, the difference is in the final texture. Whether you only use juice or all of the fruit, depends on personal preference. Jellies are the refined version, using fruit juice as the base, which results in a smooth spread. Instead of just using the juice, jams also use the fruit in a mashed capacity. Jams have a chunkier consistency and a heartier texture. Preserves use whole or large pieces of fruit, making it ideal for topping he...

Growing up here in the Northwestern US, we are privileged to have a very established hunting culture. Indeed, in the US in general, we are offered choice meats sourced directly from the land. We have some great wild game recipes up on our Pinterest board: check them out for inspiration. As a great example of the fare we have available to us here in Montana, and added to the fact that I write about food as much as I can, I brought in some elk tamales to work on Tuesday. When I told Jake, our photographer here at North 40 Outfitters, he would be shooting tamales in celebration of the wild game many of us here in the Northwest take for granted, I was astounded to learn he had never had a tamale. What is a Tamale? What is a tamale? The dictionary tells us a tamale is a Mexican dish of seasoned meat wrapped in cornmeal dough and steamed or ba...

When most anglers begin fishing, they just want to catch a fish—any fish, any size. As they progress, however, and begin to find success, all of a sudden they want to catch lots of fish. After catching lots of fish, naturally, they want to catch bigger fish. And then, finally, they are said to achieve a Zen-like state where simply being on the water makes them happy, regardless of the outcome. I’m always happy to spend any day on the water, but I’m not going to lie. I’m especially happy when I’m catching lots of big fish, especially a Trucha Grande. The endorphins released when a super grande lands in the net always puts me in a happy, meditative state. So, why do some anglers seem to catch more big fish than others, you might ask? Do they just want it more than the rest of us? The answer is pretty simple; they fish water where...

Rat Lake No ice yet and fishing has been really good. The bite seems to come and go with each hour. You may be on it for a while then it dies down. But, don’t leave—just wait because it will pick back up shortly. The weather has been pretty pleasant most days. With that said, make sure you bring your raincoat and dress warm. After all it is that time of year when the weather can be quite fickle. Type 3 sinking lines will do the trick on your 5 or 6-weight rods. You can find fish most active between five and 14 feet down. No need for a tapered leader—five to six feet of 3X fluorocarbon is all you need. Any of your leech or bugger patterns, tied on a #8 hook, should work, as long as they are olive in color. Booby flies are working well, too. The Woofta #10 and Chan's Las Vegas #8 in olive are definitely two that I would have with me....

Clark Fork River (ID) This week, the flows have fluctuated daily, from 9,000 cubic feet per second to 28,000 cfs. For the Idaho side of the Clark Fork, this isn’t terrible. The flows are at least semi-predictable for most of the day. Water clarity has been excellent, even with the recent rain and snow. Although the water is clear, keep a good eye upriver for branches, logs, and trees floating on the surface—I was on the river a couple days ago and was surprised by how many logs drifted by. Fishing has been slow. A few fisherman are swinging up hearty cutthroat on black Sculpzillas and olive Woolly Buggers with 10 feet of a fast-sinking sink-tip. Nymphing flies, like a #14 BH Rubberleg Prince, a #18 gray UV2 mayfly, and a #20 silver Tufted Zebra Midge, might be the ticket on a slow afternoon. Right now, this is a good river to ease th...