The Week Ahead & Fishing Report
Pretty damn cold here in central Montana. Shop is open. Counting flies, products, and such for the year end wrap up. The only non-staff to stop in the shop today were looking for a bathroom.
Question for you out there today. How often do you stop in a retail store, use the bathroom, and then leave? Without buying anything. Is that OK?
Curious on your thoughts.
Fishing Report 12.26.21
Updating for those who need a weekly fishing report. And we agree. Updated is good. Not updated websites equals lazy. And nobody likes a lazy fly shop…
Too cold. Below ZERO. Not 32F. 0F. Nobody fishes when it is this cold. And you shouldn’t. Too cold. Too cold to pull the fish from the water to release etc. Stay home. Too cold.
Flows 3950cfs. Moving higher as the cold sets in. Water temps 36.5F.
No bugs. In couple months maybe. Midges next on tap.
Swingers. Mostly swingers. Catching fish. Deep. Skagit tips. 5×5 IMOW or deeper. 2.5/7.5 or 10′ T-8? All on the horizon.
Nymphers? Go to the dam and tie on pink, and split shot, and toss it in the slowest moving water you can find. Strike when the bobber moves 1mm.
The daily air temp do not crack the 32F mark for the next ten days. Not a great time to fish the Mo.
Tasks to keep your fly fishing mind busy include…
- Tying Flies
- Organizing Flies. Tossing crappy old flies and re-org’ing existing fly boxes.
- Buying Flies. Call today and we will get the best in the mail for you. 406-235-3447 is the Fly Hotline.
- Cleaning fly lines. Always important. If you do it today you can claim you cleaned them, once, this year.
- Cleaning fly rods. Wipe them down with water. Clean those grips too. Careful you do not go overboard on cork grips as the filler can disappear if you are too aggressive.
- Send in broken fly rods. Manufacturers will get to your rod if you send it in today. When they receive the rod in June, the time period expands into the fall, or next winter. Get them in the mail today. Look online on the Manu’s site and follow the simple instructions for getting them worked on.
- Book your 2022 trip(s). Why not get your name in the books. Seure your lodging and guide trips today. Rental boats? Yeah, we got those too.
- Watch football.
- Fantasize about the summer forthcoming.
- Shovel the driveway. That’s what we are doing here in Craig Montana. And counting flies…
- I’m sorting through my storage areas and cleaning up the roll-arounds. A bit of a mess. Not really, but I like to keep things pretty tight as I move through my 50’s. It may get worse. The organization tendencies…
- None of the above.
6 Comments.
If it’s a big chain retail store then I pee away. If I have shopped at your store before then I flush guilt free.
If I’m just passing through with no connection to Headhunters and really have to go. I ask politely and after relief, I wash my hands come in the store, thank you and offer homemade cookies. Tis the season.
Damned if you do damned if you dont.. better then having them go in your fishing hole, but they better not tell their non-payin friends
You forgot to mention they tracked snow in and threw a bunch garbage in your shop can. Probably asked for directions too…
New bumper sticker-Enter a fly shop for any reason, buy something, it’s the law! Support your local fly shops 100%.
I’m excited about my new tippet and leader, and my sister was excited to not hold it for another 40 minutes. We appreciate you!
I understand your frustration but take the high road. Let them use the rest room and hold your head high knowing you are the better person for it. If people are abusing the facilities, then that is different. If abuse is taking place, I would have to reconsider my stance. Kind of like the farmer or rancher letting you have access to the river across their property.