Well, gang, as we sashay our way to and through the merry month of April, I write to date you down on the still superb snowpack conditions in western Montana.
As has been the case for the last month now, SNOTEL measurements of the snow water equivalent of this year’s upper climes snow continues to be right at 98% of twenty year medians. This is terrific news for us as we schedule each year’s mid-June Extravaganza with just this expectation for it is a healthy runoff/melting of those upper level snow accumulations that (a) flushes out our targeted rivers and (b) as the runoff wanes, results in the rising temperatures in our rivers which triggers the “hatching” of Montana’s extensive and healthy bug life and, resultantly, the increase in fishing interest and activity.
Right now our targeted Headquarters’ Rock Creek is flowing at 439 cubic feet per second and the water temperature is a very chilly 40 degrees. In the coming weeks, as temperatures rise, the upper snow mass will begin its annual melt and the currently modest water flowage in and along Rock Creek (imagine it as a garden hose at present) will increase at least ten-fold into water flowage equivalent to that of a fire hose, ideally abating down to about three times its current flow by the time of E-19’s Opening Day, June 9th.
We are getting close, folks, really close. So much so that, literally, tomorrow I fly to Montana to take residence there for the next 10 days and to do our first fishing with our Double Up Outfitter, John “The Great But Propaneless” Gould (so nicknamed by us for his propensity to forget to bring the propane to heat our shoreside lunches!). The first hatch of the year is of a stonefly called the skwala—a low riding dark bug about 1 ½” in length which emerges anytime of its choosing during the month of April. I will float with Propaneless and my son Tyler “Lefty” Clausen this coming Sunday and, again, next Thursday with our Montana Matters Troubadour Shane Clouse where daytime highs are not expected to exceed the mid-50’s and snow will still be scattered during the early morning and late evening hours.
Simply stated, I can’t wait to get back on the water and to give you an update (with photos) of our first 2019 boats on the water!!
Best to all on the eve of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
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