It seems like I have tried my hand at a little of everything in my short 21 years. Growing up, I had a deep love for animals and I searched for anything that meant I could spend more time in the barn and less time in the house. From choosing the correct tack for my performance horses to winning Grand Champion with my barn cat at the county fair, I've always been involved in livestock and shows. I'm the daughter of an outfitter, which means that hunting and fishing is a way of life. In the spring, I love to fly fish and hike. I could spend every day on the river catching trout... or attempting to. When I don't have my crown on as Miss Rodeo Montana, you can find me working as a dental lab technician in scrubs of many colors. Stay tuned to yourlocal40.com for more blogs and write ups as North 40 helps promote the Western culture alongsi...

We have all experienced it. Perhaps it is on the way to the grocery store. Or to a friend's barbecue. Or even walking in your own neighborhood. Regardless of where, you've seen it. You may have even taken the time to stop and admire it. The design. The colors. It's landscaping, and good landscaping, well, looks good. But achieving such a look takes time and effort. And not just digging holes and planting plants, but then upkeep and maintenance, and of course, watering. So how can we create a garden oasis that our neighbors will be envious over and stop joggers in their tracks? All the while still allowing us to have day jobs? Installing a drip system is how. Once installed, a drip system will water your plants more efficiently. Rather than water spilling and spreading away from the plant, as seen with traditional sprinklers or hand water...

Certain childhood memories seem to resonate more than others. Many of them revolve around summer break and several are simple in nature. For me it was running through a sprinkler, mowing the grass for an elderly couple down the street, watching the bugs dance under the lights during a baseball game and of course having a cool snack from time to time when the dog days of summer rolled around. With this theme in mind and the dog days seemingly early this year we decided to offer up a cool memory for the young and young at heart. For a limited time we are giving away an old fashioned soda at all of our stores for kids who bring in a colored picture of Cecelia, our farm truck mascot. You can click here [ Cecelia ] for a printable version of her or clip her picture out of our ad running July 9: 19. Keep cool and create lasting summer memori...

Gathering 11 close friends and heading North to chase pike and walleye seemed like a dream two months ago. Days were spent in the shop tying flies, preparing gear, and dreaming of 20 pound pike smashing top water flies. Daily conversations happened with customers who constantly wanted to know when we were leaving. Finally, the day came. Everything was packed in my truck and all I had to do was get in and drive. Joining me on the five hour drive that night to Great Falls was Denver from the CDA Fly Shop. We left just at that magic hour when every deer, elk, and bear in the area seemed to be crossing the road between the Idaho border and Plains, Montana. Arriving in Great Falls just after midnight, we crashed at our buddy Keaton’s house for the night with a 6 am departure for Flin Flon scheduled the next day. The conversations were along...

The following is a press release from Zoetis. With the earlier, warmer summer here in the Northwest--it's never been more relevant and time sensitive. Please take care of your horses out there. -N40 Horse Owners Can Still Take Action Against West Nile Threat Vaccination, good management helps offer protection during peak mosquito season FLORHAM PARK, N.J., June 25, 2015 Peak mosquito activity in the United States occurs July through October, which places horses at the highest risk of contracting West Nile virus (WNV).1 Much of the United States has experienced increased rainfall this spring, and the first cases of West Nile have already been documented this year.With the right vaccine and preventive measures, it's not too late for owners to help protect their horses against this life-threatening disease. West Nile is transmitted by mos...

Danner Lindstrand likes to stop by the fly shop on a daily basis.  We missed him for a couple days.  Then he showed up with a swollen hand and a tale.  He’s planning some revenge on the rattle snake, but I imagine his parents would prefer he just stay away from them in general.  It’s not like he was looking for trouble when he got bit though. Danner was climbing up a bank adjacent to the Smith River near Truly Bridge.  He slipped and put his hand down for balance and it ended up in a bad place.  It turned out to be a big snake.  You can see the punctures. He got swift medical attention and after two nights in the hospital, he’s out fishing once again.  A little more cautious now and with a bit of a chip on his shoulder about rattle snakes, but at least he’s alright. Be watchful out there.

One could argue that the Zebra midge is one of the best trout flies of all time. This is especially true on western tailwaters. As a fly tiers, we always tinker with the best patterns and try to make them better.  When midges and BWO’s are hatching, this version with a wing and tail tuft of CDC has proven quite effective. Materials: Hook: TMC 2488H #16-#20 Bead: Plummeting Tung 5/64" Thread: UTC 70 Wing/Tail: CDC White Wire: Small Chartreuse Ultra Wire or X-Small Silver   Color Options

We jumped at the chance to fly fish the state’s most diverse lake for Father’s Day this year. Who knows: Troll a bugger and you could get an 18 lb. Tiger Trout that was in fact the record breaking fish pulled from this 151 acre lake this spring! When we pulled up to the Bonaparte Lake Resort and Restaurant, we were surprised at the beauty of the area. Our camping spots were lakeside and launching in and out of crystal clear waters was a cinch. For Father’s Day, and being at over 3,500 feet, the water was bathtub warm and great for kayaking, canoeing and swimming all of which the kids did! But the question was: was it too warm to fish? The answer turned out to be Yes and No-. The multi-species lake did not exactly disappoint-..from the dock itself the kids caught Tiger Trout, Rainbow Trout, Kokanee and Smallmouth Bass. The trout wer...

Tons of bugs out there.  Great dry fly opportunities.  Solid nymphing. Caddis, caddis, caddis-. Lots of Brown Drakes.  Sometimes.  In the right places. The weather is going to heat up for the next week.  Go fishing early and then stop by the shop.  We are air conditioned!