Stop! Hopper Time» Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh, We Break it Down Hopper Mania» Big R Fly Shop Presents a Short Film

AUGUST 2012 Farm Store Fly Fishing

BugShot» Killer Closeups of Hoppers in Their Habitat

HOPPERISSUE2 0 1 2

Hopper ManiaHopper ManiaBig R Fly Shop Presents

Watch on Page 8

MorrishHopper

August 2012 • Volume 5, Issue 7

CONTRIBUTORS Keaten Labrel, John Ewald, John Teini, Dustin Bise

To keep current in fly shop happenings and the latest fishing reports, visit us @ www.bigrflyshop.com

Big R Fly Shop Magazine is a free monthly electronic publication bringing the latest perspectives, events, blogs and products related to the sport and art of fly fishing. This magazine is published online @ www.bigrflyshop.com every month. To receive email notifications when new issues are released, enter your email address HERE. All email addresses will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used for purposes connected with Big R Fly Shop.

© Copyright 2012 CSWW Inc., dba Big R Stores. All rights reserved. No portion of this maga-zine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

Sam WikeAlfonso MartinezJohn Ewaldrobg@csww.net/john.ewald@csww.net

EDITORPUBLISHERDESIGN & LAYOUTGENERAL INQUIRIES

Editor’s Angle Fishing is Red Hot in July!

iFish Playlist Music Currently Playing in Our Ears

Rifishulousness Fishing Video of the Month

Stop! Hopper Time. Hopper Season Has Arrived in Full Force

Hopper Mania Cornfed Educates Us On Some Hopped Up Hopper Patterns

Hopper Tips Just a Few Tips to Increase Catch Rates With Hoppers

Hopper Forecast 2012 Outlook: Excellent for Fishing, Grim for Grasslands

Fly Shop Gear Redington, Sanuk, and William Joseph

New Crew Member Introducing Dustin Bise of Big R Fly Shop Ponderay

Bugshot A Closer Look At the Many Different Grasshopper Species

Killer Hopper Candy Meaty Morsels!

The Musselshell River John Teini Relives His Childhood

Creature Feature Vagabond Hopper by Cornfed

Hidden in Plain View We Review Extraordinary Eateries

Gear Showdown Floating Fly Lines - Double Taper vs. Weight Forward

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ON THE COVERJohn Ewald with a Gallatin RiverRainbow TroutBozeman, MTPhoto by Jacob Robidou

A Division of Big R Stores

iFish Click to Listenplaylist

BIG R FLY SHOPPonderay, ID(208) 255-5757477181 N Hwy 95Ponderay, ID 83852

BIG R FLY SHOPOmak, WA(509) 422-98401227 Koala DrOmak, WA 83852

BIG R FLY SHOPGreat Falls, MT(406) 761-79184400 10th Ave. SGreat Falls, MT 59405

Keaten “Cornfed” LabrelJerrin Uecker

Calvin FullerDustin Bise

Stephan AvenaGreg BennettTom McCormack

EDITOR’S ANGLE

-

ThE

Stop! Hopper Time. Not to get you confused with the ever so popular song, U Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer, but when I think of hopper season, the lyric “stop, hammer time” stands out in my mind. Tis’ the season for the time to “hammer” large browns and rainbows on behe-moth, bulky, jumbo, mammoth, monster, whop-per hopper patterns! Similar to the Salmon fly hatch in mid to late June on popular freestone rivers such as the Yellowstone, Madison, and Big Hole Rivers here in Montana, the hopper “hatch” brings heads to the surface on all your favorite ‘stones, tailwaters, creeks and stillwaters. This is your time to shine as a fly angler. If you want a fish to brag about to your friends, chances are you will have a shot to do so after hooking a 24” brown on a size 4 hopper. The hopper outlook across the Northwest, especially here in Mon-tana, is chalking up to be “hazardous”. Farmers see this as a potential threat to their hard earned

time growing crops this year, but fisherman see this as a feeding frenzy and a wonderful opportunity to hook into a trout of a lifetime on a “dry fly”. Numbers as high as 15 hoppers per square yard can equal hundreds, thousands, possibly even millions of grasshoppers along the banks of your favorite fishery! Mark your calendars to be out on the water as much as you can this fall, I believe it will be nothing short of a spectacular hopper fishing season. Not sure what patterns to use? We’ve got you covered with a very educational short film “Hopper Mania” with Keaten “Cornfed” Labrel of Big R Fly Shop Great Falls in this issue. The bins are full in the fly shop with all the best patterns, so hop on in and we’ll help you choose what patterns will work best when and where. But above all, get out on the water and be safe, have fun, and make your friends and fishing buddies envy you as you pose with that whale trout with a whopper hopper hanging from it’s gnarly hook jaw.

John Ewald

HOOK POINTContributor’s Corner

Editor’s Angle Fishing is Red Hot in July!

iFish Playlist Music Currently Playing in Our Ears

Rifishulousness Fishing Video of the Month

Stop! Hopper Time. Hopper Season Has Arrived in Full Force

Hopper Mania Cornfed Educates Us On Some Hopped Up Hopper Patterns

Hopper Tips Just a Few Tips to Increase Catch Rates With Hoppers

Hopper Forecast 2012 Outlook: Excellent for Fishing, Grim for Grasslands

Fly Shop Gear Redington, Sanuk, and William Joseph

New Crew Member Introducing Dustin Bise of Big R Fly Shop Ponderay

Bugshot A Closer Look At the Many Different Grasshopper Species

Killer Hopper Candy Meaty Morsels!

The Musselshell River John Teini Relives His Childhood

Creature Feature Vagabond Hopper by Cornfed

Hidden in Plain View We Review Extraordinary Eateries

Gear Showdown Floating Fly Lines - Double Taper vs. Weight Forward

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iFishWhat we currently listen to.

Chappo - Come Home

Yeasayer - Ambling Alp

Keane - Spiralling

Dashboard Confessional - Get Me Right

Ra Ra Riot - Too Too Too Fast

Rogue Wave - Debaser

The Whitest Boy Alive - 1517The Whitest Boy Alive - 1517

Young the Giant - 12 Fingers

The Shins - Simple Song

Chris Whitley - Big Sky Country

Hugo - 99 Problems

The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound

4 Aug 2012

Jimmy Eat World - Disintigration

Spoon - Paper Tiger

Click to Listen

Jeremy Fisher - Scar That Never Heals Jeremy Fisher - Scar That Never Heals

Ben Lee - Catch My Disease

rifishulousness [ri-phish-yuh-luhs-neyhs] ri•fish•u•lous•ness-nounridiculously fishy, causing or worthy of ridicule; absurd; preposterous; laughable, insane, full of awesomeness: That fly fishing video was so sick, it was rifishulousness!

RIFISHULOUSNESS

Aug 2012 5The entirety of this production was created by: Marc Crapo www.nosportsallowed.com

HOPP

ER T

IME

STOP!Hopper Time!

HOPPER TIME

Aug 2012 7

Grasshopper Lifecycle

egg stagewintering6 months

5th Moult

Winged egg-laying adultearly to late fall

nymph stagehatching beginsin early spring

Moulting Stage4-7 weeks1st Moult

2nd Moult 3rd Moultmid summer

4th Moult

approx. 1 full year

As hoppers make their way to the waters here in Montana, it is important to take some time to dis-cuss the life-cycle and different variations of patterns used to imi-tate hoppers and other leggy terres-trials. Hoppers are one of the larg-est out-of-the-water food sources for fish, meaning they do not spend any part of their life-cycle within the water. Where they do spend a large portion of their life-cycle as adults is in streamside grasses and brush. This makes them very susceptible to the water especially during breezy days or harvest.

Adult hoppers vary in size, but the majority range from 2-5” in length. They also vary in color, but generally use mimicry to hide them-selves from predators (transform colors like a gecko to match where they’re living; camouflage if you will) . Therefore, if you’re fishing an area of stream next to a wheat field, more than likely the hoppers will be gold in color. Some hoppers display extremely bright color characteris-tics to illustrate to predators they are poisonous (which they are not). That is why colors like fluorescent yellow and chartreuse work during certain times of the summer.

There are basically two categories hopper patterns fall under; real-istic and attractor. Realistic patterns incorporate more realistic features that hoppers themselves have (profile, legs, color, size), whereas attrac-tor patterns exaggerate certain things that fish might key in on. Each have their own particular situations that work better than the other. If you’re fishing tail waters where fish have the opportunity to inspect the fly a little longer, we would recommend fishing realistic patterns. If you’re fishing freestones (especially if cutties are in them), we would recommend bulkier attractor patterns that draw attention to the fly.

Hopper ManiaHopper ManiaBig R Fly Shop Presents

A short informative film about fishing realistic and attractor hopper patterns

Hopper Fly Fishing Tips by John Ewald

1. Throw hoppers later in the day. Although hoppers can be pro-ductive earlier in the day, the best results will be found as the temperature rises later in the morning and afternoon. Grasshop-pers will not be active in the mornings when dew and frost have covered grassy fields and the streamside vegetation that surrounds the fishery. Be patient and hope for some stronger winds to pick up the hopper fishing. Windy afternoons can be a great indicator that the fish have keyed on to hoppers. Usually within 30 minutes of some strong winds, hoppers have been blown to the water and fishing a hopper at this point should get you the results you are looking for.

2. Don’t stick to the banks. Bank fishing hoppers will get results more often than not, but when it comes to hopper season, strong winds will blow them to all reaches, from bank to bank. As water flows begin to recede late into the summer, undercuts against the banks become exposed and shallow, no longer able to hold trout. Trout must move from these banks into new habitat. They will seek refuge near boulders, riffles, and long deep glides. Another reason for fishing away from the banks and focusing your attention on these other areas is that if you are fishing a moderate to high pressure angling fishery, most likely the fisher-man before you and the fisherman before him has already pounded the bank and the trout has seen its fair share of hopper patterns. Trout that have taken residency in the other areas of the river have not seen many patterns overhead and are far more likely to fall victim to your hopper you have presented to it.

3. Twitch your hoppers with some action and be patient on slow takes. By giving your hopper some action of the surface, you increase your chances of getting that trout’s attention. Many fish actually look up, waiting for a large splat on the surface and then the immediate twitch. A live grasshopper on the water will

immediately kick for its life to the banks or any debris floating down the stream. Many trout know this and will instinctually realize that an easy meal awaits. Watch for two types of takes, the aggressive charge and the subtle inspection sip. When the trout charges hard at your fly, most likely you will see a wake followed by a watery explosion on the surface. In this instance, you will want to set your hook very quickly as trout feeding in this manner means they want to get in and get out. Other trout will casually swim up to a hopper, pause for a moment to inspect their meal, then slowly open their mouth and sip in the hopper. When this happens, give at least 1-2 full seconds longer when setting the hook. You will have a higher percentage of hook-ups by waiting longer. This extra second or two may be agonizing, but patience will pay off and the reward is well worth it.

4. Try using a variety of patterns and sizes. Try using a variety of patterns and sizes. Depending on the climate and environment you are fishing in, grasshoppers will be different colors and sizes. Smaller freestone creeks and streams tend to have smaller streamside grasshoppers. Larger spring creeks and tailwaters see a larger population of grasshoppers and they are most likely larger in size. When fishing hoppers in different places, try fishing two hoppers at once. Try fishing a larger attractor type hopper in size 4 or 6 as your lead fly and trail a smaller more realistic size hopper in size 10 or 12 about a foot to a foot and a half behind it. More often than not, the larger the trout, the bigger meal it will take. So be ready to see the larger attractor hopper get smashed, but be sure to keep an eye on both patterns.

HOPPER TIPS

Aug 2012 9

Sam Wike’s Rooster from the beach

HOPP

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OREC

AST

2012 Grasshopper ForecastKevin Wannder and Ruth O’NeillMontana State UniversityGrasshoppers are common across Montana, especially in the eastern prairie counties where they often damage rangeland and cropland.

But since 2009, the grasshopper forecasts have been especially grim, with about 17 million Montana acres under serious threat.

These annual predictions are based on late-summer counts of rangeland grasshopper surveys conducted by the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) in Helena.

According to the USDA, over the past three years, the western U.S. has been on the brink of an epic outbreak of a severity we haven’t seen since 1985.

That was when hyper-abundant grasshoppers demolished huge swaths of Montana’s rangeland, farmland, and prairie, leaving crops in ruins and sparing little forage for livestock and wild game.

By August of 1985, masses of starving grasshoppers had moved into windbreaks and residential areas, in places as thick as 400 adult grasshoppers per square yard. The famished grasshoppers devoured the foliage, and sometimes the bark, of garden plants and shrubs, and clipped every blade of grass down to the soil. They ate holes in clothes hung out to dry, chewed the insulation off wiring, and bit people hard enough to break the skin.

But insects are affected by weather, and the last two cool and wet spring seasons suppressed the grasshopper outbreak in two ways. The cool weather increased grasshopper mortality and the extra moisture allowed grasses to recover better from feeding damage.

Will Montana dodge the grasshopper “bullet” again in 2012?

The answer to this question likely depends again on the weather and on the number of egg pods over-wintering in the soil. The last two cold, wet springs suppressed, but did not collapse, the out-break.

Unfortunately, grasshopper-friendly conditions later in the summer of 2011 saw 16 million acres of rangeland in Montana with 15 or more grasshoppers per square yard, similar to the 2009 numbers, and many egg-laying females were observed in the field.

With so many nymphs hatching out in 2012, a hot and dry spring may mean the grasshopper outlook will again be severe, and damage to Montana’s rangeland and cropland could be more severe compared to the last two seasons.

Grasshopper populations increased dramatically, from one million acres with high numbers in 2007 to 17 million acres in 2010 (areas colored red had 15 or more per square yard). However, damage was not as severe as expected due to the last two cold and wet spring seasons. But the populations have maintained their 2010 levels with 16 million acres heavily infested in 2012.

Source: http://www.theprairiestar.com April 12, 2012

Read More10 Aug 2012

HOPPER FORECAST

Adult hoppers vary in size, but the majority range from 2-5” in length. They also vary in color, but generally use mimicry to hide them-selves from predators (transform colors like a gecko to match where they’re living; camouflage if you will) . Therefore, if you’re fishing an area of stream next to a wheat field, more than likely the hoppers will be gold in color. Some hoppers display extremely bright color characteris-tics to illustrate to predators they are poisonous (which they are not). That is why colors like fluorescent yellow and chartreuse work during certain times of the summer.

There are basically two categories hopper patterns fall under; real-istic and attractor. Realistic patterns incorporate more realistic features that hoppers themselves have (profile, legs, color, size), whereas attrac-tor patterns exaggerate certain things that fish might key in on. Each have their own particular situations that work better than the other. If you’re fishing tail waters where fish have the opportunity to inspect the fly a little longer, we would recommend fishing realistic patterns. If you’re fishing freestones (especially if cutties are in them), we would recommend bulkier attractor patterns that draw attention to the fly.

12 Aug 2012

GEAR

UP

$4999 Womens Long SleeveDamselfly Shirt

This versatile and flattering button-up will become your ultimate go-to top for both the outdoors and everyday wear.

• 100% Nylon

• VersiWick™ fabric Advanced wicking properties offer supreme control in moisture management by quickly moving moisture from the skin to the fabric.

• UPF 30+ VersiSun™ fabric By blocking harmful UVA and UVB rays helps prevent sun burn and skin damage, so you can stay outside longer.

• Pintuck design down both chest panels & back vent

• Button up front

But insects are affected by weather, and the last two cool and wet spring seasons suppressed the grasshopper outbreak in two ways. The cool weather increased grasshopper mortality and the extra moisture allowed grasses to recover better from feeding damage.

Will Montana dodge the grasshopper “bullet” again in 2012?

The answer to this question likely depends again on the weather and on the number of egg pods over-wintering in the soil. The last two cold, wet springs suppressed, but did not collapse, the out-break.

Unfortunately, grasshopper-friendly conditions later in the summer of 2011 saw 16 million acres of rangeland in Montana with 15 or more grasshoppers per square yard, similar to the 2009 numbers, and many egg-laying females were observed in the field.

With so many nymphs hatching out in 2012, a hot and dry spring may mean the grasshopper outlook will again be severe, and damage to Montana’s rangeland and cropland could be more severe compared to the last two seasons.

Grasshopper populations increased dramatically, from one million acres with high numbers in 2007 to 17 million acres in 2010 (areas colored red had 15 or more per square yard). However, damage was not as severe as expected due to the last two cold and wet spring seasons. But the populations have maintained their 2010 levels with 16 million acres heavily infested in 2012.

Source: http://www.theprairiestar.com April 12, 2012

Read More

Great Falls and Ponderay and Omak stores only.We reserve the right to limit quantities and correct printing errors. Prices are subject to change without notice. Some items limited to stock on hand. Prices quoted in US currency.

GEAR UP

$12999

Womens Willow River Wader

Aug 2012 13

The Willow wader offers women the comfort, fit and durability every fisher-women craves with feminine details to boot.

• Waterproof Fabric has been treated to resist penetration by water and wetting.• Breathable Blocks out water but allows vapor from sweat to pass though.• 100% nylon, 3-layer DWR coated wader fabric Contains an added coating to make this fabric water-resistant.

• Opposing buckles for easy conversion to waist high• High density neoprene bootie• Chest pocket with drain holes• Flip-out pocket with YKK zipper• Belt loops with wading belt included• Integrated gravel-guards• Double layer-knee• Fleece lined handwarmer pocket

12 Aug 201214 Aug 2012

Sanuk, a division of Deckers Outdoor Corporation, is a footwear brand based in Southern California. Sanuk, the Thai word for fun, was founded by Southern California native Jeff Kelley when he started making sandals out of indoor-outdoor carpet. The first product cre-ated was green carpeted and entitled the "Fur Real" after one shop owner asked if the nov-elty sandal was "For Real." The Fur Real first became a runaway hit through boutique stores

and not the intended surf shops. The novelty act was followed up by a sandal wrapped in wire mesh, a leopard print ver-sion, and styles made out of a poncho material in a variety of colors. Sanuk has grown to include style options for men, women and youth and is distributed across the United States and in over 50 countries throughout Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. Sanuk centers itself around a positive lifestyle advocating the slogan, "Smile, Pass it on!".See stores for different styles and pricing

Great Falls and Ponderay and Omak stores only.We reserve the right to limit quantities and correct printing errors. Prices are subject to change without notice. Some items limited to stock on hand. Prices quoted in US currency.

GEAR

UP

Aug 2012 15

GEAR UP

$16999

So maybe you are not leading millions of people to the promised land. However, with this vest combo you would sure look cool doing it. The William Joseph® Exodus is the best way possible to combine the storage and load carry-ing capabilities of a back pack with the organization possi-bilities of a vest. And when one or the other is not needed you can play home physicist and split the two with the click of a few buckles. You can now be self contained, or-ganized, and oh so comfortable.

• Zip-No™ Closure SystemThe Zip-No system utilizes rare earth magnets,

which we have converted into rope like strands that are actually sewn into place. The result is a water-tight seal which closes exactly and perfectly under any condition every time.

• AirTrack™ Suspension• Removable Vest • Hydration Compatible

Exodus Pack II

I was born in Spokane Washington which has been my primary residence for most of my life. I spent my summers on an island near Port Townsend overlooking Puget Sound. I developed a passion for rivers though whitewater kayaking and rafting, studying under my family and the Olympic athletes at Cascade Raft and Kayak School on Idaho’s Payette River. Kayaking was always a little too scary though, and I learned later on that I could experience the rivers in a very unique way through fly fishing. It combined my love of the outdoors, water reading skills, and the adrenaline of kayaking, with a much lower risk and slower pace. My first trout on the fly was a Sea Run Cutthroat out on Puget Sound, and I fine-tuned my skills by spending as much time as I could, exploring and fishing the St. Joe and Spokane River. As my angling progressed, I discovered steelhead and spey rods. There has been no turning back since I started, and my passion for the sport only grows deeper every day I am on the river. After graduating high school in Spokane I spent two years studying photography, followed by graduating from the National Out-door Leadership School, where I spent three months in the wilderness developing skills such as wilderness first aid, backpacking, navigation, risk management and leadership. We backpacked, rock climbed, and backcountry skied our way through an accredited semester. I have also served two terms with AmeriCorps doing volunteer work. My first year was with the Washington Conservation Corp. My crew of five young adult’s primary duty was building cattle exclusion fence along headwaters of the Columbia to protect and restore steam habitat and water quality. In addition, we were involved with emer-gency disaster response, aiding in the 2008 floods of the Chehalis River for a month, then heading to Louisiana in the wake of hurricane Katrina. My second term was spent on a wilderness trail crew, main-taining and repairing the Pacific Crest Trail in the area around Mt. Adams. I love to spend my free time in the outdoors, hiking, fishing, climbing, and snowboarding in the winter. Sandpoint is a perfect loca-tion for all of these activities and I couldn’t be happier with where I have ended up. Our crew here at Big R is great!

Dustin Bise

PONDERAY’sBig r Fly Shop

16 Aug 2012

CREW

BIO

Greg shows off another nice cutt

BUGSHOT

Aug 2012 17

Orthoptera Caelifera: GrasshopperWith over 11,000 known species of grasshoppers wordwide, eager and willing trout feast smorgasbord style to an endless conveyor belt all summer long.

BugshotRomalea Guttata:

Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

BUGS

HOT

Miramella Alpina: Green Mountain Grasshopper

18 Aug 2012

BUGSHOT

Aug 2012 19

20 Aug 2012

BUGS

HOT

Coryphistes Ruricola: Bark Mimicking Grasshopper Oedipoda Caerulescens: Blue-Winged Grasshopper

Aug 2012 21

BUGSHOT

Oedipoda Caerulescens: Blue-Winged Grasshopper

Melanoplus Femurrubrum: Redlegged Grasshopper

22 Aug 2012

BUGS

HOT

Caryanda Spuria: Indonesian Grasshopper

COLLEGE FISHING

Jul 2012 19

BUGSHOT

Aug 2012 23

Macrotona Australis: Spur-Throated Grasshopper

BUGS

HOT

Pseudoxya Diminuta: Small Rice Grasshopper (nymph)

24 Aug 2012

BUGSHOT

Aug 2012 25

BUGS

HOT

Chorthippus Biguttulus: Bow-Winged Grasshopper (nymph)

26 Aug 2012

BUGSHOTGlyptobothrus Brunneus: Common Field Grasshopper

Aug 2012 27

BUGS

HOT

Chorthippus Parallelus: Meadow Grasshopper

Xanthippus Corallipes: Red-Shanked Grasshopper

28 Aug 2012

BUGSHOT

Melanoplus Differentialis: Differential Grasshopper

Aug 2012 29

30 Aug 2012

HOPP

ER C

ANDY

Para Triple Decker Para Triple Decker

Red Legged HopperRed Legged Hopper

donkey kongdonkey kong

Foam HopperFoam Hopper

Parachute HopperParachute Hopper

Morrish HopperMorrish Hopper

Idyls

Hopperkiller Candy

Aug 2012 31

HOPPER CANDY

Foam HopperFoam Hopper

Parachute HopperParachute Hopper

Shelia HopperShelia Hopper

Foam PmxFoam pmx

Morrish HopperMorrish Hopper

Swishers

Tan Chubby ChernobylTan Chubby Chernobyl

Growing up on the Musselshell River, I learned to fish for what some people would consider junk fish; Channel Cat’s, Mud Cat’s, Carp, Red Fin Sucker’s, Goldeye’s and Small Mouth Bass. During my younger years, I used the typical conventional tackle… a spin rod, hook and worm with a large weight to hold it down. This was a simple and a very suc-cessful method of fishing. I would say my brother and I caught a fair amount of fish using this method for several years in between irrigation sets, hay stacking, or just a day of relaxation. Back then, fishing was a lot about relaxing after a hard day’s work, spending time with family, and cooling off in the heat of the day.

Since graduation from high school, I have gained some skills in my fly fishing techniques, but I never found a use for this skill while living on the Musselshell River. Since pick-ing up the sport of fly fishing, I have looked at the water many times over the past 10-15 years and have won-dered; can I catch a fish in this river using a fly rod? Until this year, I thought it would be almost impos-sible to catch a fish using a fly in such muddy and murky water.

This June, I decided to take some time to venture home and spend some time with my parents and my wife’s parents with my wife and two kids. I had a fishing trip

planned to Fort Peck reservoir for two days with my father and brother. In the mean time, I wanted to test my fishing skills on the Musselshell River with a fly rod. My father-in-law had mentioned a hole to me that was producing some great fish. So, I decided to work my way to the fishing hole after getting the boat ready for the fishing trip to Fort Peck. I was able to get to the hole with some stealth and I noticed schools of carp below an irrigation dam. Some appeared to be 24” - 30” in length and I started to get a little excited to see such a great opportunity to hook in to my first carp on the Musselshell. Without delay, I took aim and cast my line into the middle of the school. A few moved as if they felt the light touch of the line hit the water, but they seemed to move back into place. I waited a few seconds as my fly settled to the bottom. I gave it a twitch, followed by another, and another, and another. My line went tight and for a second I thought it had hooked the bottom. Then it did what every fly fisherman wants.The line took off through my finger. As some of you know, Carp are a hard fighting fish and the fight went on for several minutes before I finally landed my first Carp from the Musselshell River on my fly rod.

The Musselshell:An Old Fishing Spot Renewed

written by Great Falls store manager John Teini

MUS

SELS

HELL

32 Aug 2012

planned to Fort Peck reservoir for two days with my father and brother. In the mean time, I wanted to test my fishing skills on the Musselshell River with a fly rod. My father-in-law had mentioned a hole to me that was producing some great fish. So, I decided to work my way to the fishing hole after getting the boat ready for the fishing trip to Fort Peck. I was able to get to the hole with some stealth and I noticed schools of carp below an irrigation dam. Some appeared to be 24” - 30” in length and I started to get a little excited to see such a great opportunity to hook in to my first carp on the Musselshell. Without delay, I took aim and cast my line into the middle of the school. A few moved as if they felt the light touch of the line hit the water, but they seemed to move back into place. I waited a few seconds as my fly settled to the bottom. I gave it a twitch, followed by another, and another, and another. My line went tight and for a second I thought it had hooked the bottom. Then it did what every fly fisherman wants.The line took off through my finger. As some of you know, Carp are a hard fighting fish and the fight went on for several minutes before I finally landed my first Carp from the Musselshell River on my fly rod.

MONO VS FLUORO

Aug 2012 33

MUSSELSHELL

Growing up on the Musselshell River, I learned to fish for what some people would consider junk fish; Channel Cat’s, Mud Cat’s, Carp, Red Fin Sucker’s, Goldeye’s and Small Mouth Bass. During my younger years, I used the typical conventional tackle… a spin rod, hook and worm with a large weight to hold it down. This was a simple and a very suc-cessful method of fishing. I would say my brother and I caught a fair amount of fish using this method for several years in between irrigation sets, hay stacking, or just a day of relaxation. Back then, fishing was a lot about relaxing after a hard day’s work, spending time with family, and cooling off in the heat of the day.

Since graduation from high school, I have gained some skills in my fly fishing techniques, but I never found a use for this skill while living on the Musselshell River. Since pick-ing up the sport of fly fishing, I have looked at the water many times over the past 10-15 years and have won-dered; can I catch a fish in this river using a fly rod? Until this year, I thought it would be almost impos-sible to catch a fish using a fly in such muddy and murky water.

This June, I decided to take some time to venture home and spend some time with my parents and my wife’s parents with my wife and two kids. I had a fishing trip

planned to Fort Peck reservoir for two days with my father and brother. In the mean time, I wanted to test my fishing skills on the Musselshell River with a fly rod. My father-in-law had mentioned a hole to me that was producing some great fish. So, I decided to work my way to the fishing hole after getting the boat ready for the fishing trip to Fort Peck. I was able to get to the hole with some stealth and I noticed schools of carp below an irrigation dam. Some appeared to be 24” - 30” in length and I started to get a little excited to see such a great opportunity to hook in to my first carp on the Musselshell. Without delay, I took aim and cast my line into the middle of the school. A few moved as if they felt the light touch of the line hit the water, but they seemed to move back into place. I waited a few seconds as my fly settled to the bottom. I gave it a twitch, followed by another, and another, and another. My line went tight and for a second I thought it had hooked the bottom. Then it did what every fly fisherman wants.The line took off through my finger. As some of you know, Carp are a hard fighting fish and the fight went on for several minutes before I finally landed my first Carp from the Musselshell River on my fly rod.

With every third or fourth cast, I was reeling in a Carp, so I decided to try in another area of the same section of water. I sent my next cast into some ripples of water behind a piece of sand-stone that is used for erosion control from years past. The cast landed and I let it settle to the bottom as my line floated downstream. Several seconds after letting my fly fall to the bottom I gave it a tug. After my second or third tug the fly once again went tight, but this time there was no mistaking the feel I had on the other end. It was a fish on, but it felt different than my past few Carp. This tug was strong and more consis-tent in pull and this fish on the other end did not want to come up from the bottom. After sev-eral minutes, I finally got to see what was on the other end of the fly line. It was a Catfish (Mud Cat). I couldn’t believe I could catch a mud cat on a fly. Usually you think of this kind of fish going after some stink bait, or live bait. But, there on the other end of my fly was a 12-pound Catfish. This fish took about all I had and everything my 6 wt. rod could handle to get this monster onto the muddy banks of the Musselshell River. He was no record breaker, but he was about as much fun as I have had on a fly rod in a long time. After admiring him for a few minutes I put him back in to the murky waters from which he had come from just a moment ago.

That afternoon, I cast my line out many times and I caught all of the variations of fish I had once caught with my old conventional method, but this time on the fly. It was a thrill to see this old fishing spot, I once knew as a kid, still producing the thrills I can now enjoy as an adult.

34 Aug 2012

MUS

SELS

HELL

planned to Fort Peck reservoir for two days with my father and brother. In the mean time, I wanted to test my fishing skills on the Musselshell River with a fly rod. My father-in-law had mentioned a hole to me that was producing some great fish. So, I decided to work my way to the fishing hole after getting the boat ready for the fishing trip to Fort Peck. I was able to get to the hole with some stealth and I noticed schools of carp below an irrigation dam. Some appeared to be 24” - 30” in length and I started to get a little excited to see such a great opportunity to hook in to my first carp on the Musselshell. Without delay, I took aim and cast my line into the middle of the school. A few moved as if they felt the light touch of the line hit the water, but they seemed to move back into place. I waited a few seconds as my fly settled to the bottom. I gave it a twitch, followed by another, and another, and another. My line went tight and for a second I thought it had hooked the bottom. Then it did what every fly fisherman wants.The line took off through my finger. As some of you know, Carp are a hard fighting fish and the fight went on for several minutes before I finally landed my first Carp from the Musselshell River on my fly rod.

GEAR NIGHTGot an issue!?We have back issues!

Not those kinda back issues, previous issues you can read if you missed one!

FEBRUARY 2012

SATURDAY MORNING FLY OR DIE-HARDS» Find out what goes on Saturday mornings in the Big R Fly Shop

FARM BOY TO FARM STORE » Brief Bio: Who is Big R Store Manager John Teini?

NEW WINTER FLY PATTERNS» The bins are full of the newest winter tailwater fly patterns

LAKE PEND OREILLE

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Farm Store Fly FishingFLY FISHING OPPORTUNITIES:

CREATURE FEATURE

MARCH 2012

A New Take on an Old Standard » New Gear Review: Hardy Reels

Chasing Skwalla» At the End of winter, in Hot Pursuit

Killer Trout Candy» Devistating Early Spring Flies

Farm Store Fly Fishing

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We Mean Business in Omak» Meet the Crew, The Third Big R Fly Shop is Now Open! Freshwater Wolves» Spring Pike Fishing is in Full Moon

Rod Sense» Our Rod Inventory Makes Sense

MAY 2012 Farm Store Fly Fishing

CREATURE FEATURE

next month

CREATURE FEATUREKeaten Labrel ties up his Vagabond Hopper

CREA

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Fly Recipe:Thread: 8/0 tan Hook: Size 8 CaddisBody: Tan FoamThorax: Thin Brown Foam/UV Tan Ice DubWings: Thin Brown Foam/White AntronLegs: MFC Red Hopper Legs/Tan Barred Rubber Legs

36 Aug 2012

Have you ever wondered how that Royal Wulffor Parachute Adams you use so much was tied or how to tie it? EMAIL US. We would be more than happy to tie up the pattern as close to the original as possible for your viewing pleasure. Describe the fly as best as possible or better yet, send along a pic of the fly and the name of it.

Don’t forget to check out the fly tying section up on the Big R Fly Shop website HERE. We upload a new fly tying video weekly as our featured Fly of the Week, and the fly tying section continues to grow with some of our most popular fly patterns.

This hopper is designed to mimick realistic features of an adult hopper while incorporating triggering charac-teristics that predatory fish can't resist. Hoppers are some of the largest insects that find their way to the water, therefore it makes perfect sense to tie them big. The vagabond is a foam hopper, so fish it high and let it ride. This hopper fishes great solo, but also fishes well as the everso popular hopper/dropper setup. Tie it in a bunch of sizes and colors to match the hoppers in your area.

Did you Know?!The Big R Fly Shop Website Provides Up-to-Date Info on :Area Waters, Fishing Reports and Stream Flows.

You Can Also Find Other Fun and Informative Info :Photo & Video Galleries, Fly Fishing Destinations,

Quick Tip Videos, Fly Tying Videos, Fly of the Week,Bug Blog and Upcoming News and Events!

Photo & Video Galleries, Fly Fishing Destinations,Quick Tip Videos, Fly Tying Videos, Fly of the Week,

Bug Blog and Upcoming News and Events!

Photo & Video Galleries, Fly Fishing Destinations,Quick Tip Videos, Fly Tying Videos, Fly of the Week,

Bug Blog and Upcoming News and Events!

UPDATE YOUR

MIND NOW!

MT

SUB

SHOP

Montana Sub Shop, located in Great Falls, MT offers customers fresh homemade style deli sandwiches. Unique to this sub shop is that each sub on the menu is named after a popular city in Montana. Some local favorites include the Lew-istown, which is roast beef, pastrami, and smoked turkey with Swiss and Provolone cheeses. The Butte has cotto salami, Italian salami, and pepperoni. With more than 20 variations of subs, the list of the most popular Montana cities is covered pretty quickly. Aside from the many cold subs offered which can be also be served hot off the grill, a small list of hot specialty subs round out the menu. An absolute must try is the Ribeye Steak and Cheese or the Hot Pastrami and Swiss. The combination of the hot grilled meat and melty cheese with the optional shredded pepperoncini’s is the perfect, delicious combination of flavors. One thing I must not forget is the bread! The bread is baked fresh daily and is probably the moistest, chewiest bread I have ever had. Lightly dusted in flour, white and wheat are your choices. Once you taste this bread, you will keep coming back for more! These subs are offered in half and whole sizes, half being about 12 inches! Half is all you need to be filled, but you are a true Montanan if you can put down a whole in one sitting. Other menu items include “seasonal soup” which means winter only when snow is on the ground and garden and chef’s salads.

Also unique to the shop is an array of custom chainsaw art by a local artist. Customers can purchase various items around the eatery if they wish, or even contact the artist to have piece custom made. This final touch on this sub shop gives it that homey atmosphere and real Montana feel. Next time you are in Great Falls and want to eat at the best deli in town, be sure to stop in at the Montana Sub Shop, your belly will thank you!

38 Aug 2012

Montana Sub Shopby John Ewald

Aug 2012 39

MT SUB SHOP

Montana Sub Shop

DT V

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40 Aug 2012

DT vs. WF Double Taper vs. Weight Forward

Having trouble determining what floating line is the best for you? Here is a short tutorial that explains the differences between two

popular tapers: double taper and weight forward linesSo what is a tapered line? Unlike spin fishing which uses the weight of a lure or sinker to propel the cast, fly fishing uses the weight of the line to cast. Tapered lines are basically modifications within the line that add weight in specific areas to propel the cast forward. Not only do these modifications enhance the casting motion, they also enhance line control in the air and on the water (i.e. reach casting and mending). Now that there is an understanding of what a taper is and what it does, let’s talk a little about the differences between DT and WF lines. Double tapered lines are balanced lines that have a thicker mid-section (belly) that tapers down in the front and rear portions of the line. The line goes as follows: skinny, thick, skinny. Double tapered lines are used in situations that require great accuracy and delicate presentation. They are also used in situations that require a lot of mending because the energy transfer is consistent throughout the line. Double taper lines are nice because when the used portion of line wears out you can take the line off the spool, flip it around, and start over with essentially a new line. Currently we have two different types of DT lines from Scientific Anglers in stock; Aircel and Mastery Series XPS.

written by Keaten “Cornfed” Labrel

DT VS. WF

Aug 2012 41

DT vs. WF Weight forward lines are not balanced lines. Instead, the line goes from a skinny runny line in the rear and tapers to a larger weighted (thicker diameter) belly in the front. This design is used in situations where greater line speed is in demand (casting larger flies, turning over indicators, wind, beginners, etc). You can think of it as a sling-shot propel-ling the line through the air. Over the past several years weight forward lines have become the most popular tapered lines within the West. Weight forward lines create much more power but give up some accuracy. You can think of them being built for speed, not comfort. The types of taper can also vary in weight forward lines. For example, one line may have 30’ of weighted taper whereas another may have 20’. Again, this is designed for specific usages. We have large stock of Scientific Anglers and Rio weight forward floating lines that are tailored to any situation.

Classic Weight Forward Fly Line

Running Line Body TipRearTaper

FrontTaper

Classic Double Taper Fly Line

Tip TipTaper TaperBody

4(406) 761.7441

D4

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(406) 761.7441

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