I've spent the last three days boat camping on Lake Pend Oreille in Northern Idaho with my family.  The weather was perfect and the water was about as warm as I have ever seen it, at 73 degrees, which is unheard of in early June.  Normally the fish are working the surface in the evenings throughout early June and can be caught on dry flies.  I was a bit of a skeptic this time with the water being so warm. Arriving at our campsite, Denver and I started noticing some fish feeding on the surface.  We didn't pay much attention to them since it was pretty sporadic.  After a while there seemed to be more fish rising, so off I went on the paddle board with my four weight in hand.  I paddled slowly towards the fish and saw a nice one right away- but it’s really hard to stop a paddleboard while trying to set the paddle down and grab your...

I'm not sure when exactly the transformation occurred, but at some point in my life socks went from being something that "required a thank you card" to "the must have item of the holidays." The reasons that drove such a transformation are highly debated, but regardless of how it happened, wrapping my feet in soft fluffy products rivals most of the other gifts that make their way down the chimney. If you are in the market for some summer socks, then we've got a wide selection right here.  The Smartwool Hiking Medium Crew Sock My most recent sock purchase was the Smartwool Hiking Medium Crew. I don't think it is necessary for me to divulge my "opening a new sock for the first time routine," just know that 1: I have such a routine, and 2: If you have not developed such a custom, I encourage you to do so. Upon completing said tradition, the...

Growing Blueberries in Montana: Where Passion Meets Brains Growing sweet potatoes, blueberries and kiwi in Great Falls, Montana... seem impossible? Not for Charles Bocock, Great Falls resident and flora manipulator extraordinaire. Looking for a selection of gardening tools and supplies? Look no further. This interview was effectively a cram session on everything from heat units needed to maximize growing season, to the microbiology of reducing germination time (the example Mr. Bocock threw out was corn seeds from 14 days to 4). It was immediately apparent that this man's passion for growing plants in MT was somewhat consuming. "I have a degree in biology and chemistry and my wife is an MD and a PhD in microbiology," enough knowledge to power a university department, and me, Jake and Tracie with only two hours, a few cameras and a yellow ...

I’m generally in a hurry when I have the time to go fishing.  Sometimes the best laid plans are thwarted by a Montana Traffic Jam. I mean I had to wait like 5 minutes. I guess I still love Montana.

As we roll into summer, the river is alive with lots of hungry fish and lots of food choices. Anglers are often confounded by what flies to fish.  The fish are always eating.  What they are eating and how to present our flies, is the endless question.  Lots of caddis are hatching.  PMD’s are coming on.  Yellow Sallies are on the brink.  A random hopper hits the water from time to time. You might be able to feed them an ant or a beetle.  I watched a mouse get destroyed after Terrys’ dog frightened it off the bank.  Hmmm.  A few baetis are still around.  Midges are always present.  Scuds and sow bugs and crayfish are in the mix.  A San Juan Worm can catch a fish here and there. The decision on what to fish is often determined by how you want to fish.  If you are happy to nymph, you can pick a couple good flies and cover lot...

While I don’t always fish for species other than trout, when I do, I’ll try to catch them on the fly.  Sometimes opportunities present.  I was recently fishing with a spey rod, when a chance to cast at some rising trout presented.  As I was walking to the car to do a rod swap, I spotted some carp.  Heading back with my 5 weight, I took a detour from the trout.  I had a small Clouser stuck on the Velcro of my waders, so I clipped off the caddis and tied it onto my dry fly leader. Not the best set up for carp, but it was worth a shot. I must admit that Mr. Carp sure added some fun in my fly fishing day.  I had to thread my rod through several clumps of reeds and follow the fish out to the main river.  I almost filled the big hole in the top of my waders, but managed to crawl out to solid ground with minimal moisture. Fly fishing...

Self Reliance: How Father's Lessons can go a Long Way As Father's Day approaches and I think about everything that my dad has done for me and taught me, the most significant trait that stands out is self-reliance. As a kid I spent most of my childhood growing up in the farm and ranch lands of Montana. In the country, self-reliance is a necessity, if your car or truck broke down you couldn't always run it to a mechanic, you had to buy the parts and figure it out for yourself. While a lot of my classmates parents were farmers and ranchers. My dad drove semis for a living and so he had a vast knowledge of engines and all things automotive. Looking for automotive parts and maintenance supplies? When teaching my brothers and I how to do anything, my father's philosophy was tell us what we needed to do to accomplish the task, show us how to ac...

I have been thinking about how my dad inspires me. The truth is, he hasn't inspired me in just one way. Ever since I was very little he has been my idol. Through his hard work, dedication, and wonderful personality he has inspired me to be like him. Something that really impacted me was my dad's love of softball. In 5th grade, he started coaching my softball team. He was very passionate about the sport and, like anyone who is passionate, was able to impart that excitement into almost everything we did together. When you're dedicated to something, you put your time in, and this was true about softball. My dad coached my teams all the way from 5th grade to Senior Year State Championships in Colton, Washington. The time he invested in me, and actually all of my teammates as well, is something that really sticks out to me. I remember when w...

The Methow River opened May 23.  High and dirty water from run-off has plagued us since the opening.  The big contributor to the run-off has been unseasonable rains combined with the fire damaged tributary drainages.  Put these two conditions together and you get flash flooding and abnormal flows from tributaries dumping into the Methow.  Most of the snow is gone and has been for sometime.  In a normal year, however, we would have water flows in excess of 12,000 cfs., and run-off extending into the first part of July.  This year we have not seen any flows much over 6,000 cfs., and this is highly unusual.  The big concern here on the Methow, as on other rivers throughout the west, how much water will we have come August and September and on into to steelhead season from October through March.  The river is on the drop early, and ...