Opening Day 2021
April 1st is a big day. Lots happening in 2021.
April Fools Day
We have for years thought of spoofing you folks. But we really have not found or come up with anything funny that seems appropriate. So we have not tossed anybody around for our humor purposes. We often are fun of ourselves. Self deprecating humor is always good. You got anything for us?
But if you have anything that would be funny for this coming year send it our way.
Don’t be the Summer Fool that forgets to get their Missouri River trip on the books for this year. That would be foolish!
MLB Opening Day
Today is the day for MLB. Fans in stands, players on the field, fans at home. While this author SOL loves baseball and is on at the house for the nest 6 months, today means more than the beginning of summer.
Actually it does mean the beginning of Summer here in Craig. Over half of the staff is here. The shop staff is settling in. And fishing a ton. The fishing guides have been training on and off the water for weeks now and are swinging the bat well. Getting in rowing shape. Excited for the winter to finally pass us by.
And we are ready. While the entirety of the summer and spring soft goods and hard goods are not all here yet, we are ready mentally! Much more product to come in as we burst through the winter to spring barrier. Pretty excited about the number of new flies in the bins too. Lots of new and fun patterns to fool a few of the fish out there waiting for greatness in the Mighty Mo.
Opening day does signal the beginning of the sun months which means bugs too.
Spring Bugs
Midges are out there. Sort of. Keep looking daily and seize the moment when you encounter a possible target. Remember that just because the fish is rising, does not always make him catchable. So true in the case of the midge riser. No cadence generally. Not repeating of rising behaviors. Random. So be aware to not allocate too much time for failure.
BWO’s later this month. Watch water temps as they creep above the 40F mark. Then as it climbs, so do your BWO chances. BWO’s can start late some years. And then run into mid June, some years.
Skwalas? Fish ’em. And hope.
I love a big Adams with a dropper on it, like a baby Zebra. Toss that around blind for a while too. Or tie on a deadly small BWO pattern like a Two Bit Hooker or Little Green Machine. Or stop in and find that new, unheard of tiny BWO menace in the Best Flies Under the Big Sky selection. We do have a bundle of new flies in stock. Tie that dropper off and run it through likely water. A nice break form the mostly nymphing focus many have in the spring months.
There is a re-birth feeling in 2021. We champion the spring angler and encourage seasonal awakening.
Swingers? Oh yeah. They are enjoying the sunshine too. The Trout Spey anglers have been pushing the shoulder seasons for this technique and fishing well into the beginning of the summer. Ever hook a beautiful brown trout on a PMD soft hackle? Oh boy!
Headhunters Fly Shop
A great feeling in the shop as we welcome longer days and warmer nights. The shop hours will expand as we move into the summer as well. The spring hours are always flexible as anglers stay longer and longer on the water. Izaak’s open Wednesday tru Sunday 4-9pm. We will be doing those late(r) shuttles too as many local Helena and Great Falls anglers work half days, then come out for an afternoon/evening float.
The Boys of Summer
The Boys of Summer by Don Henely. Saw a Deadhead sticker on a Caddilac. Don’t look back baby, you can never look back.
Enjoy your opening day. String up that dry fly rod, get out and cast for a few minutes in your back yard. Watch your favorite fly fishing video. Enjoy the Opening Day game in your local community with a cold beverage.
It’s Opening Day!
5 Comments.
Friendly wager of a craft beer that my Giants beat your Mariners on this greatest of all days?
I thought a Tequila would be good Steve!
Good one, Mark.
Boys of Summer — one of the great “driving” songs of all time.
Amen!!
The myth of “selectivity” – let’s start here for all still fooled or mystified by this absolute B.S. . Trout are stupid and really lazy – do we really think they are suspicious of anglers, minutia details of patterns and put “down” by too much pressure? All good excuses for shitty casting and presentation and we blame the pattern.
Think again. Yes, they are wary critters and wired to survive – including a willingness to hammer many types of patterns – but not intelligent so don’t beat yourself up if that pattern isn’t working. If it’s close on general impression, size and shape then keep working it if you have not already sent your fish to the bomb shelter. Instead, clean up that presentation ie micro drag including moving that tippet. That will put them down – yes for sure. Clean that fly line! Or get closer, or change the angle of delivery…..But please prove to yourself that trout, even when keyed on a specific bug, will eat a variety of patterns if close per above. Selectivity is overblown hype – focus on that cast and drift as too many things go off the rails quickly here when that fly is just fine.