We have finally incorporated our BLOG within our website. This BLOG-Website will soon be non-existant. Please visit us at CrossCurrents to keep up-to-date on Fly Fishing Reports and the latest happenings on the Missouri River in Craig, the Smith River in Montana, the Blackfoot River and other waters. Thank you…Happy Fishing!
Fly Tying Schools
YUP! It’s that time of the year. We anglers that “lose-em in the summer” & “tie-em” in the winter have begun. We have started to replace the flies, gone to fish, stream side shrubbery and friends. For some of us it is a passion and a pleasure to seduce trout with our own creation. To others, guides in particular, it becomes a labor of love / hate. LOTS TO TIE for the upcoming season. It’s miniature art with a purpose.
Tying flies is quite enjoyable not to mention the $$$ savings. A natural progression within the fascinating sport / art of fly fishing is becoming familiar with the insects. The entomology of the waters we fish and love. Knowing a bit about the anatomy & structure of a particular insect we are attempting to imitate can really help.
THAT is what I can help you with. Not only do I show you how to set up your vice, become familiar with the operation of all the tools, and how to attach feathers, fur and fluff to a hook, I will also explain how, when, & where to use the streamers, dry flies & nymphs we will tie in my schools. The schools are filling up quickly so please call the shop at 406-449-2292 to reserve a spot.
One school consists of 5 consecutive Tuesday evenings from 6PM till 8PM here at the shop. One January school. One February. One March school. I supply all materials used during the school evening. Weekly hand-outs are given so you can do your homework before the next class. You will learn at least 12 – 15 patterns throughout the school. By Spring you should have a pretty good supply of all the patterns necessary to fool those wily trout. This is also an opportunity to meet new angler & fly tying friends. I look forward to meeting all of you and sharing more about this wonderful sport.
Jim Stein, Director Of Schools
One school consists of 5 consecutive Tuesday evenings from 6PM till 8PM here at the shop. One January school. One February. One March school. I supply all materials used during the school evening. Weekly hand-outs are given so you can do your homework before the next class. You will learn at least 12 – 15 patterns throughout the school. By Spring you should have a pretty good supply of all the patterns necessary to fool those wily trout. This is also an opportunity to meet new angler & fly tying friends. I look forward to meeting all of you and sharing more about this wonderful sport.
Jim Stein, Director Of Schools
12 Days of FISHmas
For the holiday gift giving season we will be featuring one of our specials counting down the 12 days to Christmas! We’re calling it the 12 Days of FISHmas! We have LOTS of great deals throughout our shop all month long but these are some of our fun deals you don’t want to miss! (You can still take advantage of the deals from the earlier days if we still have those items in stock.)
You can still take advantage of these specials even if you don’t live in our area. Like Santa, we can deliver your goodies right to your door. You’re tight for time so it will have to be expedited shipping which will cost a little bit but your loved one or fishing buddy is worth it!
Day 1- Classes and Schools!
Day 2- 20% Off Tenkara Rod Outfits!
Missouri River Fishing Report 11/12/15
Everyone loves admiring big Rainbows in Autumn!
Late Autumn is here with an exclamation point! The mornings are at or below freezing, it “warms” up to the 40’s and 50’s in the afternoon and the wind blows steady. Sounds like steelhead weather to me! (More on that in a future post!) Why would you fish to the MO in mid-November? It’s not because of the awesome weather -it’s because of the awesome fishing and solitude. With the Missouri being a tailwater fishery (below a dam), the water temps are buffered from big swings -both daily and seasonally. When other rivers in Montana succumb to frigid temperatures (30’s) and the trout in those waters slow down and go into their more mellow winter mode, the Missouri it still going strong with water temps in the upper 40’s and low 50’s. As a result, the poikilothermic bugs and trout have a grand time in November. We will have heavy hatches of Baetis and Midges everyday and the trout will move to eat them. They will also chase streamers for that big bite of calories. While trout on the Blackfoot are chillin, the MO trout are chuggin. All the homeothermic angler needs to do is stay warm and they will be rewarded with a scrappy trout on the end of their leader!
Another advantage to getting out on the MO this month is the solitude that it can provide. With every hunting season open and football in full swing, hockey, basketball, schools in session and couch potatoes are doing their thing – that leaves the rivers like the Missouri to us more dedicated anglers. (Yes, some people call us stupid or crazy, but that’s okay. A 20″ trout on BWO or a Bugger makes up for any dent in my self esteem by name callers!)
On The Road Report: Streamer Session Edition
It’s that time of year again; hunters have taken to the hills, the ambitiously lethargic have returned to their recliners for the remainder of the year and the Salmo trutta are getting feisty. Arguably one of the more voracious fresh water salmonids the fall Brown Trout feeding frenzy is kicking off. The frenzy comes from the necessity of packing on girth in preparation for their annual fall spawn, the inevitability of a fast approaching winter and straight up pissing off these predators protecting their eggs once they have spawned. Like a fat man at a buffet table these fish feed aggressively and opportunistically and with an endless supply of food rolling past their faces, they can pick out the most prime of morsels. With a few days reprieve from the shop I spent some time on a few stretches of semi-local freestone exploiting this genetic weakness.
The Current Seam 