posted by Rich on Feb 17
This is the time of year that we have dreams of big trout slamming flies on the surface. That is what we love about the Flathead River; great dry fly fishing. This winter has been a mild dry winter, much different than last winter. Glacier National park and the surrounding mountains have much less snowpack than normal so we could start fishing earlier.
posted by Rich on Jul 27
Check out this monster Rainbow that Shane Freehling caught yesterday with guide Drayton Osteen. The Flathead system is finally fishing consistant. We caught good-sized fish on both Nymphs and Dry Flys. Now is time to take advantage of the good fishing 
posted by Rich on Jul 24
We real
ly started seeing alot of insects about wednesdayof last week. Catching several nice sized cutthroats. There is still a ton of snow in the high country – Glacier National Park and the surrounding wilderness. We expect the water to run high all summer, which is fine as long as the fish are biting.
posted by Rich on Jun 15
Bob Asbury and I shot a two day show on a spring creek just outside of Dillon, Montana. The fishing was fabulous. I caught beautiful Browns and Rainbows on dry flies, nymphs and streamers. I will be traveling and fishing lakes and different waters until the Flathead River drops down to fishable levels. The snow in the mountains in and around Glacier National Park is still way above average. Summer will come, we just don’t know when.
posted by Rich on May 3
With the rise of the Flathead River, We decided to take a trip to eastside to fish a few ranch ponds. These ponds hold some hog rainbow trout. My 7 year old son Jackson caught some great fish. One of the ranches where we hunt has a small stream that is a tributary to the Missouri River. The Rainbow Trout were migrating up this stream to spawn and we were able to watch them jump a small waterfall. Very fun and my boy really enjoyed that.
Cold weather has still held on here in the Flathead valley and nearby Glacier Park. The river actually droppoed but is now back on the rise. Floodwaters are a reality in the coming weeks.
posted by Rich on Apr 9
I floated the middle fork of the Flathead River yesterday with Marc Evans and Steve Lund of Glacier Anglers. Steve caught a giant Bull Trout. This fish ate a small Prince Nymph and the fight was on. It was 33 inches long and probably weighed 13 or 14 pounds. What a fish! Marc and I each caught a couple of Cutthroats as we made Steve row the boat. The river is expected to rise rapidly now as the snow is starting to melt in the Mountains in and around Glacier Park.
posted by Rich on Mar 31
I checked the Columbia Falls gauge today and the river is rising at a rapid rate. Even though it means the fishing is over for awhile, it is a good thing. The mountains in and around Glacier National Park have 130 percent of the normal snowpack. What that means is that all that snow will melt and bring the local rivers to near flood stage. I don’t expect to fish the Flathead River again until July. We will however, be taking folks fishing to the Missouri River and other places, based on conditions.
posted by Rich on Mar 30
Gary Rundquist of Moorhead, MN booked his trip through Stumptown Anglers, of Whitefish, Montana. I invited Professional Bull Rider Beau Hill along as Beau intends on guiding part time this summer. Its good for Beau to get as much river time as possible. The weather was cold but the fish were eating. It wasn’t fast and furious but certainly kept our interest all day. We caught 7 fish. We probably hooked another 7 but lost them. Gary did a very good job for having never casted a fly rod. As is often the case in early spring, the fish were big and fat. Beau fished streamers most of the day but finally switched to a nymph rig, resulting in a 19.5 inch cutthroat that was a big around as I have seen on this river. I am sure the fish exceeded 4 lbs. The picture is not great, having taken it from my Blackberry. Can’t wait for summer to arrive! I am excited to start fishing dries.
posted by Rich on Mar 20
The Flathead came up with the warmer weather but has now dropped a little to a great level. This is pre-runoff fishing at its best. Big fish! We all want the warmer weather but with it comes the high water. Glacier Park and the Mountains surrounding it are at 130 percent of normal snowpack. Spring Flooding is likely. Better get out and fish before the snow starts to melt in the high country.
posted by Rich on Mar 13
The Flathead River is producing some big fish, but numbers are low. The big fish are staging in the Main stem of the Flathead. They will make their way to the many tributaries in and around Glacier National Park and the Great Bear Wilderness.
