This last Saturday was the general opener for our area lakes. The weather was okay, bright and clear, but the temps were down a bit. Most of the lakes were in good shape. Reports from Chopaka Lake were good. Most anglers reported double digits of rainbows for those that were chironomid fishing. A fair number of the fish reported were on the large size of what is normal in the lake. Those using leeches did okay, maybe a little less on the numbers but still good. The down side of the opener at the lake was the number of anglers plying the waters. I can't blame them, the scenery this time of year makes it worth it. Also from what I was told, the road in was not a problem, but again I would suggest a All wheel or 4 wheel drive vehicle. Blue lake in the Sinlahekin Valley was producing for the visiting anglers. Again, double digits were report...

There is a pilgrimage through Europe named the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the Way of Saint James. There are several routes through France, Portugal, and Spain that conclude at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, where it is said that the remains of the Apostle James are buried. Thousands of people walk this journey every year. It can take up to a month's time to travel, unless apparently, if you are a speed walker, the shorter routes only take a couple of weeks. Regardless of the path taken, it's said that the journey begins once you step outside your front door. I'm not making a pilgrimage through Spain or France. I am walking out in my own backyard along the River's Edge Trail, which follows the Missouri. The mayflies swarm like some kind of spring snowflake storm, getting stuck to my sunglasses. Th...

Fishing on the Coeur d'Alene River yesterday was excellent! With a short float in mind, we arrived at the river around 1 pm and the fish were already feeding heavily on bwo's and March Browns. Before even launching the boat, we landed several fish that were feeding right there at the landing. Salmon flys and some other smaller stones were in the air , but the fish were keyed in on the smaller mays. Fish were concentrated on the soft inside seams, but could be found river wide during the peak of the hatch which was around 2 pm. The next couple days should be great fishing as the river has dropped to around 3,100 cfs, and should stay in that vicinity for the next few days. We started our float at Bumble Bee Bridge and ended it at Junkyard. I would definitely head back to the CdA River today if I had the option.

Things are happening out there. Conditions are in flux. Tributaries are starting to pump. Fish are happy one hour and finicky the next. Water temps have bounced around a bit. Lots of bugs are in the mix or not, depending on the day. Midges, BWO’s, a few March Browns and even some Caddis down low. What’s a fish to do? Eat a Scud, a Sow Bug, a Worm, a Midge, a BWO, a March Brown, a Caddis, a Crayfish, a Leech, or another smaller fish. They have lots of choices now. We have to figure them out. Crack the code on any particular piece of water and you can be in for some great fishing. Move a bit and you might just have to start over. It can be maddening. I took Tom Larimer out on the Mo a week ago on Sunday, after our Montana Trout Spey Clave event. He’s made several trips though the area over the years, but has never been able to get on...

Spring has come early in Montana and everyone is rearing to bring in their horses and get back on the trails. Unfortunately, with the warmer weather, ticks have also come early! I've had several people ask me what they can do about their tick problems. Some are full-fledged, head to toe covered in the icky little things, while others are more moderate infestations. Most equine fly sprays do treat ticks in addition to flying insects, fleas etc., but sometimes, we need a more aggressive treatment to get rid of them. Ticks can cause anemia in large infestations if left untreated and they can cause other serious illnesses even in smaller numbers. It's very important to keep you and your animals clear of ticks to protect your health as well as your animals. We've got an article dedicated to keeping ticks off the dogs in your family as well. Ou...

Sometimes, when you're doing interviews, researching stories, collecting materials or otherwise preparing to create new, original content- there are instances when you come across something, some piece of information or a person that makes you stop and take stock of your regular day-to-day existence. Well- that happened to me and Drew when we got into interviews for this fencing sale we were putting on at North 40. We wanted to interview someone who had been at ground zero during the catastrophic 2015 fire season that saw nearly a million acres burn in Washington. We were looking for stories to help our readers and customers across the Northwest get a true sense of the devastation that was wrought last year. What we got out of the following interview WAS that, but it was something more, much more than that- and it solidified for Drew an...

When we started this bee project last year, it was with a mind to really get into the product lines and experience what it was to be a beekeeper. For the Homestead Honey hive last year, it was a productive year, we were able harvest 25 pounds of honey (we've got everything you need to get started beekeeping online here). The hive check is the last step in a beekeeper's first season- to see if your colony survived winter, to see if you still had bees to work with in the second year. With Mr. Roger's statement to expect 50% hive failure during winter, we were a little trepidatious especially considering we opted to take the hands-off approach over winter and left an entire box of honey for the bees to eat no sugar water or additives, just natural wintering of the hive. When we went out to check the hive, we cracked the propolis seal, and ...

What is a Baetis? Baetidae, Baetis, Diphetor, Acentrella, Plauditus Ephemerellidae Attenella, BWO, Blue Winged Olive, Mayfly-Bug. Whatever you want to call them, they are hatching big time right now on the Missouri River. The first big mayfly hatch of the year. They are small in size, but large in number. They are also slightly larger than midges and that makes dry fly anglers happy. They bring trout into the shallows and up to the top. Pods will begin to form where bugs collect in slow currents and eddies. Some of the best dry fly time of the year is now. The fish will get pickier and more persnickety as the season progresses. If you want to feel like a hero, now’s your chance. It’s dry fly fun time. We got your BWO nymphs, emergers and dries. We’ve got leaders and floatant and desiccant dust. We've got everything you need to ge...

I've been wanting to get out to Omak Lake for the last couple of days, but every time I get ready to go something detours me. So, on the way into the shop the last two mornings, I turned right instead of heading north on the highway. A short drive found me at Omak Lake. With the bright sunny mornings, I was amazed at how green the water was. Once I parked, I found myself in no hurry to get to the water, but instead I just took my time getting waders on and rod rigged up. Not sure if it’s an age thing, but I find it more relaxing if I just breathe in moments like these. I was there to fish, so off I headed to lake shore. The first morning when I got down to the lake, I did not see any of the Lahontans cruising close in, like the reports I have been receiving at the shop of late said. Two casts later and the first fish was on. Nice 18" f...