Greetings, Fellow E-19ers!!
As we now countdown until just weeks before your arrival(s) in Montana for this year’s Extravaganza, I want to give you this priority list of items to focus on and be aware of as E-19 approaches. Here ya go:
- Camp List. Attached, once again, is your official E-19 Camp List outlining just what you should bring with you. You seasoned veterans know the drill, but each of you budding rookies should double check this list and know that if you use it as your packing guide you will be “covered”. Specifically, layered clothing is the order of the day—temperatures will vary as much as 40 degrees on any Montana day—and, more often than not, I am either peeling off our layering up throughout any day on the water. June afternoon thunderstorms are to be expected and planned for, in the course of which temperatures can fall as much as 30 degrees in as many minutes, an inch or more of rain (and even hail) fall on you only to be followed an half hour later by clear skies and abundant sunshine—bring a full-throated, battle tested 100% waterproof raincoat as Hypothermia is not a Greek City State! The Boy Scouts have it right and I can tell you as a now veteran Eagle Scout, “Be Prepared”.
- Polarized sunglasses. These are an absolute must, for, without them, you will not only suffer from eye strain but never see (a) your dry flies, (b) your indicators floating downstream or (c) fish taking your flies. “No see, no set, no fish!”
- Guide tips. This year the recommended guide tip is $75/day/person. Bring enough cash so that you can tip your guide daily, as he will be using that money to buy your lunch for the next succeeding fishing day. Guides don’t get rich and retire in Montana—they live hand to mouth and never seem to have enough cash on hand to meet daily needs. Our daily tipping keeps a smile on their face and fish on your lines!
- Guide Gag Gift. Among the many traditions that have evolved over the Extravaganza years, is, on fishing Day One as you are introduced to your guide, bestowing on him a Gag Gift of your choosing. The more outrageous the better! Highlight gifts from prior years include expandable measuring tapes, lure-embedded toilet seats, fish-imprinted toilet paper, giant salmon lures, fishing books of any denomination, and, of course, that old stand by of a flask (although we do not permit drinking on our boats—we do that at night après fishing!).
- Hawaiian Shirt Day. Another of our traditions is to wear Hawaiian shirts on our fist day of fishing. This simply sets the standard that, sure we are there to catch fish, but we are also there to have fun. The most outlandish shirt will be so noted on Der Blog.
- Der Blog. Note on your favorites and pass the word to those who want to follow your exploits while you are with us on this our E-19 blogsite. You can follow the now most relevant Missoula weather on our site as well as get an update on this year’s runoff.
- Bussing. As has been off and on the case over the last decade and a half, when our local water levels are flowing at either unsafe or unfishable rates, I charter a bus for us to traverse the Continental Divide to fish the Missouri River just outside of Craig, MT where the Holter Dam provides a consistent, manageable water flow and more than 5,000 fish per mile reside averaging over 18” in length. Bussing is not a preferred alternative, as it means very long days, but, if necessary, it gets us “safely on the fish” and “whether to bus or not to bus” is something your Double Up Outfitter and I will jointly weigh in on with each of our three groups. Right now, even though we started out with normal snow packs, an unusually cool Spring has delayed this year’s runoff (today’s Rock Creek flow is at a higher 2,830 cfs but way short of getting downstream all than needs to thereby pass) and I have placed a reservation for our 25 person standby bus so that it will be available to us if needed—hopefully that is not the case, however, but we shall see what we shall see…news at 11. In seventeen years now, we have never missed one day of fishing due to Mother Nature, and, believe you me, E-19 will carry on that proud tradition.
- Your Arrival. Like virtually every other airport that I have recently been through, Missoula International (MSO) is now mid-way through a multi-year expansion project. With that work, the configuration of the airport has changed such that the airport restaurant we normally frequent upon your arrival is now located inside the security area such that I can’t access it. As such, when you arrive, you will exit directly at the bag carousels and it is there I will meet you. Also, with later arriving flights this year, our traditional arrival day luncheon will be held on and along Rock Creek at the historic (and rustic!) Eckstrom’s Stage Coach, immediately next door to the Rock Creek Mercantile where you will get your fishing licenses and where I will bestow you with the first installment of your E-19 loot.
There you have it, gang! All E-19 goods and provisions are laden in at Headquarters; your hostess “Magnificent Michelle” and black lab mascot “Ma’am” and I drive to MT two weeks from this Saturday (yikes!); and we are fully ready to rock ‘n’ roll come E-19’s Opening Day on June 8th!!
If you have any last minute questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me…new items this year include new, wonderful caretakers; Maria Freeman back in the kitchen; a completely revamped menu; Cold Smoke on tap in our brand new kegerator; daily specialty drinks; and now-traditional potato bar, salad bar, bourbon bar and always-open wine and full bar!!! Does it get any better than that?!?
Bring it on, all!!
Best to all in the final preparation stages of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
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