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Great Falls, MT

MRF Meeting: February 2, 2012
January 30, 2012
Big R Fly Shop
February 2nd, 2012 General Meeting Info

The Missouri River Fly Fishers' monthly meeting on Thursday February 2, 2012 at the Giant Springs FWP office will host Guest Speaker Don Thomas from Lewistown, Montana. Don will be speaking on fly fishing "The Flats Around The World". The meeting is open to the public and begins at 7:30 pm.

Don Thomas has spent his entire life outdoors. Although he worked for years as a physician, he has also been a commercial fisherman, bush pilot, and guide. He now writes for Traditional Bowhunter, Ducks Unlimited, Retriever Journal, Bowhunter, Gray's Sporting Journal, Fish Alaska, and Big Sky Journal.   He freelances regularly for most national magazines that cover fly-fishing, wing-shooting, and bow hunting and has authored 16 books on these subjects with several widely respected publishers. Although most familiar with outdoor opportunities in Montana and Alaska where he has lived all his adult life, he has traveled extensively in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Siberia, and South Pacific. Above all, he enjoys spending time in the outdoors and working with his wife Lori, herself an accomplished outdoors woman and photographer.

 
The Splash by Denny Hanson

Have you ever been fishing and had the unexpected moment where your foot slips on a rock and in the water you go?  Well, I remember as a kid, the first time I fell in.  My dad was taking me with him hunting when I was about 8 years old.  We went to cross the creek behind the house, and I got my boots stuck in the mud.  Struggling to get out of the mud and up the bank where my dad stood waiting with the dog and shotgun, I somehow came out of my boots and fell backwards into the creek.  Of course dad was laughing until the grouse come out of the brush pile and he missed it.  Yes, that was the beginning of many splashes. 

As I grew into my teens, I began to fish with my friends, and started to score the falls into the water from 0 to 10.  I can remember several splashes by friends that scored a 4 or 5 with some good laughs, but I also remember fishing the Loyalhanna River with my father in the spring in Pennsylvania, and doing a Jerry Lewis on the edge of the river, and falling in backwards with only my head dry, and wedged between two boulders.  I laid there for 5 minutes while dad sat on the rock laughing.  I guess he would have scored it an 8 or 9.    By the time I reached my late teens, I became aware how athletic I was, but also have found some of the most grease creeks in Pa.  One trick dad taught me, was always have a change of clothes in the pick-up.  By my 20's, I had become highly skills at changing cloths behind the door of the pick-up along many rural roads. 

Over the last few years, I have found ways to catch myself with my arms and only get my sleeves wet.  I would score these type of splashes around 2-3.  However, two of the best splashes in my fishing history occurred when I was with a former coworker and another time with my wife. 

My coworker, Steve, and I went to Dillon, Montana to fish Pointerdexter.  Steve was fishing about 15 yards downstream from me, when I heard the splash.  There were a lot of willows between us, and I could not see him, however, I was quite familiar with the sound.  I immediately started to chuckle.  When I walked around the willows, I saw Steve completely soaked from head to toes.  After laughing for about 5 minutes, he explained how he went into the cold spring creek, and went completely under water.  I scored him an 8 until we started walking to the truck, and I walked behind him and observed him walking like he just got off a horse and water still in his waders.  Then I changed the splash score to  a 9.9

Then lastly, there was this time, my wife Carol and I went fishing on Belt Creek.  Before leaving I explained to her that the rocks in the creek were extremely greasy.  It was a warm summer day, and she insisted that her Teva sandals were fine.  Well, you know the story.  The splash occurred and I knew better about laughing .  I scored that splash a 4, but if I was not so scared to laugh, it would have been an 8.

 
ABOUT US

The Missouri River Fly Fishers is a non-profit organization based in Great Falls, Montana who work to further the sport of fly fishing in our community by promoting the education, trout, and conservation of the sport of fly fishing.

The MRF donates to many causes supported by Trout Unlimited and the Federation of Fly fishers.
 

 
In This Issue
The Splash
ABOUT US
General Meeting Info
Upcoming Events
  • February 25th MRF Banquet
  • March 30th F3T Film Festival
Quick Links
 
 
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F3T: The Arctic
January 27, 2012
John Ewald

"THE ARCTIC" trailer - by Beattie Outdoor Productions | Fly Fishing Movie from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

The F3T website has released yet another film for the upcoming tour this year.  The film, The Arctic is the newest adventure brought to us by Beattie Outdoor Productions.  As with all of RA's films, the areas fished are captured well on film and always tend to excite the viewer.  Be sure you don't miss this one the night of the tour in which you attend!

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Geofish: A Mayan Prophecy
January 20, 2012
John Ewald

"Geofish: A Mayan Prophecy" trailer - by MOTIV Fishing | Fly Fishing Movie from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.


 The Fly Fishing Film Tour website just released a new teaser today by Motiv Fishing, formerly known as AEG Media - the creators of the Trout Bum Diaries series.  This film, Geofish: A Mayan Prophecy documents a trip deep into the jungles of Belize.  The mission:  to find undisclosed fishing areas on the other side of the deepest and most rugged jungles.  It is the second film in the series, the first was Geofish: Mexico.  If you liked this film or any of the Trout Bum Diaries series, I'm sure this film will not fall short in great film, adventure and fly fishing.
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2012 Smith River Float Season
January 19, 2012
John Ewald
FWP is taking applications for the 2012 Smith River float season.  To help moderate fishing pressure along this gorgeous setting and excellent fishery, a permit must be acquired to float this Montana gem. A limited amount of permits are allowed each year for floating the Smith River.  Each permit allows up to 15 people to launch per day in each group.  A maximum of 9 groups are allowed to launch per day.  The "typical" float season runs from mid April through mid July with occasional floating in September and October. Each application fee costs $10, which is non-refundable.  Along with the regular permit lottery, the 2nd annual Super Permit lottery will also be in effect as well.  For $5 each, any individual may be purchase an unlimited amount of Super Permit tickets for a chance to win a permit that will allow them to launch on any date within the float season.  It’s the ultimate way to get your chance to float on the Smith River.  The Super Permit drawing will occur after the regular private lottery, which means unsuccessful applicants will have an additional opportunity to draw a coveted
Smith River permit!  Below are important dates to keep an eye on throughout the permitting process.
 
January 3, 2012: The application period begins for Smith River permits and the Smith River Super Permit
 
February 15, 2012: Deadline to apply for Smith River permit, post-marked on or before this date (application period for Super Permit remains open)
 
February 28, 2012: Permit lottery results available online (successful applicants will also be notified through the mail)
 
March 15, 2012: Deadline to purchase Super Permit chance
 
March 19, 2012: Super Permit Drawing
 
For more info, or to get your application, visit the FWP Smith River Float page or Permit page. 


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From Rat Holes to Rivers
January 19, 2012
John Ewald


One of the films being shown at this year’s Fly Fishing Film Tour is one that many may find to be an interesting and unlikely juxtaposition in the fly fishing world.  Did you ever think you would hear the words punk rock and fly fishing in the same sentence?  Reverb: A Punk Rock Love Story is a documentary about three musicians who were a part of the Chicago punk rock scene in the late 80s, early 90s, who find a passion for fly fishing along the way.  These punk rockers take us from the punk rock music scene to the crystal clear creeks of the Driftless Area, where they “let go of everything and get into a different state of mind… without taking a fistful of pills.” 
 
This feature really strikes a note within myself and I find it to be a really great way to bring together two such opposite lifestyles.  In my early college years back at the turn of the millennium, I was introduced to the sound of punk rock music, and out the large percentage of people who listen to it for the first time find out they don't actually like it, I found it to be very gravitating.  The whole history, culture and music scene intrigued and captivated me.  Bands such as the Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash, Misfits and Dead Kennedys were among the best in the 70s and 80s and all contributed to the new wave of punk music that would hit in the 90s, 00s and today with bands like, Anti-flag, NOFX, AFI, Rancid, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys and Rise Against.  Just like punk rock, once introduced to the art of fly fishing, it swept over me like wildfire and I haven’t turned back since.  The form of fishing with a fly gives me peace from chaos in life, and fine-tunes my soul; much like I assume it does for these three punk rockers themselves.  I’m excited to see the full feature at this year’s film tour as I think many others will as well, as it’s not everyday you get to experience a documentary that delivers both mediums of madness and tranquility all in one punch.  
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Alaska's Land of Giants
January 17, 2012
John Ewald
This trailer/teaser is from the upcoming Fly Fishing Film Tour. The Kodiak Project: Fly Fishing in the Land of Giants by LDR Media is an intense look into the Karluk River, which has been deemed as a river that is a bit like a unicorn.  It is a river that everyone has heard about, but nobody has had a chance to see or fish, which has finally recovered from 10 canneries who devastated and dramatically reduced the salmon population by commercial fishing in the late 1800s.  It used to be considered the best salmon run in the world.  After years and years and steady recovery, the Karluk has come full circle and produces the second largest steelhead run in Alaska at over 11,000 per year along with a healthy run of 5 species of Salmon.  Do the math and this makes up for extremely good chances of catching double digit steelhead and multiples species of salmon all in a days work.

 

"The Kodiak Project" trailer - by LDR Media | Fly Fishing Movie from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

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Slay Day 2012 - It's a New Year
December 31, 2011
Sam Wike
There aren’t a lot of days during the year that we all get off work to fish together, and then the chances of us being able to all go fishing on those days is even less with families and significant others these days. However, New Year’s Day has become tradition since the first year we started the fly shop (Photos from 2011 aqui). Of course, this is the day after New Year’s Eve parties and it has never been an early start, and usually the weather is near intolerable. This year the weather looks like it is going to cooperate, so as long as we can shake everyone out of bed; Slay Day 2012 should be a good start to the New Year. 
We want to invite everyone to come and fish tomorrow. Drive up river from Wolf Creek Bridge and we will be there somewhere. Neilsen will have his jet boat, and few will have drift boats, fire, hot dogs, Mr. Heater, switch rods, shot guns, and the crew. 
Every fishing report coming in from the MIGHTY has been solid the past few weeks. The Bloch and Alfonso are on the water now on the lower river. Rainbows are starting their mating rituals and becoming keyed in on The Good, The Pink, and the Firebead. Paul Considine walked one of the tribs yesterday and spotted some rainbows stacking up. Cornfed’s choice right now is the Dead Gray Soft Hackle Ray or frozen smelt (not a fly). Hot Head Ray’s are also popular right now among plenty of other cold weather favorites. It hasn’t been too cold for streamers and white/tan/gray colors have been the favorite colors coming from the streamer bins. 

Party Responsibly Tonight.  Happy New Year.  See you on the river tomorrow?

Welp... Get Your Party Started... Thanks for a Great Year Everyone!

 via Reel Grease 
 
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It's Cold - Come Watch Connect in GF
November 2, 2011
Sam Wike
Just got the "Connect" screening materials yesterday, the venue is set at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, and everything is set to go.  Entrance to the movie is FREE.  Doors open November 3rd @ 7 pm with the movie starting at about 7:30 pm.  Any donations taken during the evening will go directly in to a community project the Missouri River Fly fishers are working on which will be a fly casting course at West Bank Park.  Information about the park will be outlined during the intermission by Dr. Mark Ozog and Mr. Scotty McNeil.  We will see you there!

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Fred Telleen in the House of Big R Fly Shop
November 1, 2011
Sam Wike
Mr. Fred Telleen has just entered the house of Big R Fly Shop starting now until May since he is back from his annual guide routine on the Kenai River in Alaska and back with his family here in Great Falls.  Fred is a great resource for all things fly fishing, and we are excited to have him on the team this winter.  Come in and pick his brain on some of his trout tactics.  He is also knowledgable on fishing the Missouri in the winter months (since that is his only opportunity to be fishing it).  Fred is the owner and outfitter of Mystic Waters Guide Service in Alaska.  Check out his blog at mysticwaters.com.  Below is a bio of Fred from his website.  (Above:  Fred on the right and partner Stacey on the left with a double on the Naknek River, Alaska.)

Fred Telleen
Owner / Guide  
At the age of two, I captured my first Bluegill in Southern Michigan. Since then, I have never stopped looking into waters for fish. I spent my early years fishing in Wisconsin and Canada for both warm and coldwater species. It was a toss up between trout and salmon or the mighty muskie, until I graduated from college. Then I was drawn north to wild native fish in the largely pristine ecosystems of Alaska.

Guiding anglers and spending the fishing season outdoors in Alaska has been my passion since 1989. Years of guiding have taught me the techniques necessary to make your fishing trip experience educational and productive. I can honestly say that I am one of the first dedicated fly fishing drift boat guides to work the Kenai River. In 2006, I was honored with induction into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Guide. You can expect top-notch service and 100% effort on every trip. I love sharing the Kenai River and surrounding waters with my guests. Having fun and making your angling dreams come true is my goal.

Mystic Waters welcomes both experienced and novice anglers. I leaned to fish with conventional tackle, but soon developed into a passionate fly-fisherman. I can customize your fishing trip whether your experience is with fly-fishing or not. If you are interested in learning to fly-fish, do not be intimidated. It is fun and you can learn to catch fish in a very short time. Teaching anglers something new and sharing in their success is one of a guide’s great rewards.

My wife Erin, daughter Keeli, and son Kyle join me. They are supportive of my choice of profession and manage to get on the water with me occasionally. Erin likes to fly-fish for trout and wrestle powerful salmon. Keeli landed a 20# King Salmon at the age of four and is now learning to row and put her dad on fish. Our son Kyle loves to go fishing and collecting aquatic life. He is learning to manage a fly rod and has put salmon on the table and trout to the hand. His favorite part of fishing is releasing the catch.
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Connect Premier in Great Falls, MT
October 25, 2011
Sam Wike
The Missouri River Fly Fishers will be sponsoring a fly fishing film coming up on November 3rd at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center starting at 7:30 PM. The show is FREE to the public but only about 100 seats are available in the theatre so come early to get your seat and visit. We will be opening the doors at about 7PM. 
About the Film: “Connect” A Confluence Films Production
 
FROM THE MAKERS OF “DRIFT” AND “RISE”
From Chris Patterson and Jim Klug – the filmmakers who created the highly acclaimed movies DRIFT and RISE – comes CONNECT, the most ambitious, large-scale fly fishing film ever made. Continuing in the tradition of the multi-segment, multi-story format that Confluence Films has become known for, CONNECT introduces a number of new locations, exotic species, and compelling characters that epitomize and exemplify the sport of fly fishing.
Shot on location in Japan, Yellowstone National Park, the Yukon Drainage of Alaska, the flats of Cuba, the coast of Maine, and in the wilds of Tanzania, Africa, this feature-length movie will once again transport viewers around the world in search of new waters and exhilarating travel experiences. CONNECT features well-known anglers Greg Vincent, Jeff Currier, Jimmy Bartschi, Craig Mathews, Masa Katsumata, Brian Porter, and Captain Eric Wallace, and more than a dozen different fish species, both freshwater and saltwater. As with DRIFT and RISE before, the cinematography, sound, and feel of CONNECT come together in a visual masterpiece that promises to re-set the bar for fly fishing films.
-Confluence Films
During the intermission, Mark Ozog will be presenting a new project that the MRF members are working on bringing to the Great Falls community at West Bank Park. The project is a casting park, or actually a fly casting course modeled after golf. The MRF is working with the city to start with a “6 hole” fly casting course. The course is modeled after the Orvis endorsed casting course in Bend, Oregon (more info here). Any donations received during or after the film will go directly towards this project and much appreciated. The MRF has been working with the city to create a fun feature to add to our city parks, as well as develop a Great Falls fly fishing community. 

Connect Movie Trailer:



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