The weather is finally giving signs that spring may just be here.  The pasque flowers are up, the birds are singing and, yes our horses are shedding!!! After the long winter off, most horses have an extra little spring in their step, and maybe a little extra attitude.  Even "old reliable" may have extra energy and a renewed youthful spirit! Here are 5 easy things to help ensure that your first rides this spring are enjoyable and made of great memories! Check all your Tack before Summer Especially high pressure areas on your saddle, girth, bridle and reins.  These areas take the brunt of wear and tear and easily crack or break. Look for any rough or worn spots that may need repair.  The last few cold, blustery days of March and April are always great days to spend cleaning and oiling the tack. Here's a selection of tack and replacemen...

Today a gentleman walked into the fly shop and said, "What’s a good fly for trout?"  It’s a very simple question that we hear time and time again.  We can pick one of several hundred flies we have to sell. They are all good in the right place at the right time.  That’s why we have them.  Rick likes to say they are all guaranteed on the end of his line. The challenge to the fly fisher is to learn the when and where.  The simplest answer to the question is all of them, some of the time.  Summertime Flies: Choosing A Trout Fly We can help narrow the search with some basic information on when and where anglers are fishing.  The more information anglers share with us about their fishing situations, the better we can diagnose their fly needs. As we move into early summer and caddis become prevalent, a good fly for trout is the cadd...

The dearest thing about fishing is watching a child light up the first time the feel the tug of a fish at the end of a line. This epitomizes the truest portion of which all fishermen are in pursuit of, only more innocent without the convolution and baggage many of us older anglers drag to the water.  For the child every fish is the catch of a lifetime, as later recounts of the day’s events describe. After all good fishing stories shouldn’t be limited by age, and the most entertaining of such come with overactive imaginations God Bless the youth. Thus the impetus for the North 40 "#passiton" program taking the youth of our respective communities and finding ways to impart all aspects of fly fishing into their impressionable being, creating a base of working imagination, conservation, wondrous hope, and simple joy. Heck at the end wit...

First Family Activity this Father's Day? Prairie Dog Hunting. Last month I took my daughter, Lauren, out to our friend's ranch to shoot prairie dogs.  The morning started off perfect with a few clouds and very little wind.  She was shooting my new Savage 17 HMR, while I was alternating between my .223 and .22-250; we were racking up the kills between the two of us. Early in the afternoon, the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up, which was creating problems with the light bullets, and also sending the prairie dogs for the cover of their holes.  So we decided to take my chocolate lab, Justice, for a walk up the mountain and look for a few "shed" elk antlers. Want another great activity for Father's Day? We left the truck in the prairie dog town and headed toward the base of the mountains, which is typically a good transit...

The boat landings have filled with trailers. Caddis are starting to show. Hints of summer on the Mo... As always, there are plenty of fish to go around. Fish in the fast, skinny slicks? Yep. Piles of them. Fish in the deep hydraulics? Yeah. And everywhere in between too. That being said, if I had to describe the fishing on the Missouri right now with one word, I would choose TEMPERAMENTAL. My two days on the water this week felt like entirely different seasons. One thing is for certain, they are very gettable. As always, the standbys are getting the job done. Low water baetis, Smiths BWO emerger, Little greens, flashback biots, indigo child, green hornets, and plenty of others too. Baetis, March Browns, Caddis emergers down and across are all potentially deadly. Pay attention the the weather. Not for your comfort on the water, but for in...

At 6:30 am we were out the door in Sandpoint, ID, and after a night of fishing, eating, and shenanigans with the awesome people that live in Noho, #idahome we were in need of... coffee and bacon.  I repeat; we were NOT looking for lettuce wrapped, spinach filled, egg white burritos; coffee and bacon. Only a few breakfast hot spots open up early enough for us in Sandpoint, one being Connie's, and a few others but this morning we were headed to the Hoot Owl. Not that it matters, but the Hoot Owl Cafe's background is a bit fuzzy. The building has been there since 1942 and was previously a drive-in... so I'll say a rough, 30-40 years. You won't find it online, but that's the info I gathered, plus I'd driven by a hundred times--and this morning, we entered "the owl." I'd have been really happy with coffee and bacon BUT good luck slimming you...

The quality of fishing on the Missouri is very high right now.  The water is low, clear, buggy and fishy.  I was guiding on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  Between the days, I covered the river from Wolf Creek to Prewett.  There are lots of bugs all the way through.  BWO’s are the most prolific in #18s and #20s.  The Green Machine is hard to beat, but lots of flies will get it done.  I’m fond of JuJu Baetis, Flashback Biot Nymphs, Split Case BWO’s and occasionally the Rainbow Warrior.  CDC Biot Emergers can get really hot during the peak of the daily hatch. There are plenty of March Browns out there.  This makes fishing a #14 Parachute Adams or Purple Haze / Purple Rooster a good option.  Drop your nymph off the back or fish a Low Water Baetis or CDC Cripple Pattern if you find a pod of risers.  If you’ve got a good...

Lot’s happening in the Great Falls Fly Fishing Community this week. Molly Semenik will be the speaking at the Missouri River Fly Fishers club meeting tonight at the Giant Springs FWP Building starting at 7:30 P.M. Molly has been a popular featured speaker and casting instructor for us in the past. Tomorrow, we’ve got the Montana Fishing Film Festival to kick off the weekend. Prior to the films, the re will be a free Mini Casting Workshop hosted by Magnetic Montana and Montana Fishing Film Festival. Time: 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm at 201 3rd St NW, Great Falls, MT 59404 (Behind Staybridge Suites) The films will be at the Do Bar (1800 3rd St NW, Great Falls, MT 59404) starting at 7:30pm. Doors open at 6:30pm and the tickets are only $10. There will be some gear giveaways. You can get tickets ahead of time at North 40 or buy them at the door. J...