Uncategorized Archives - Page 9 of 53

Thanksgiving

Wandering the trails this past Thursday evening in a post-Thanksgiving dinner tryptophan haze, I struggled to come to terms with a new reality. A reality inexorably linked to the passage of time. To the accumulation of years behind me and the dwindling days ahead.

I’m acutely aware of the fact that I have been abundantly blessed with the luxury of introspection, some might even call it navel gazing, which is not something I’m generally a fan of. I recall a not so great moment of parenting some years ago when I challenged my son to rise above his emotional distress, pointing out to him while I read a book about the Granite Mountain/Speculator Mine Disaster which occurred in Butte in 1917, that those young men working in those mines had no time for such introspection. That they just went to work and did what they had to do, and were not afforded such luxuries. It was not one of my prouder parenting moments but not much different than things I likely heard from my dad while encountering my own moments of drama and existential angst growing up.

Regardless, as they always do, times are changing. It’s nothing remarkable or unique. It’s just the way it is.

2020 was always going to be a year of personal milestones though I would never have imagined these milestones taking place during a global pandemic. I turned 50 this year and also celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary. Additionally the nest was emptied this fall as our son set off for the University of Montana, embarking on the next chapter of his life.

The planned birthday festivities were cancelled, yet another Covid casualty. Our 25th Anniversary also came and went without much fanfare, as is appropriate, though I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that I am among the luckiest men in the world to have married up to such an amazing woman who has been my inspiration and my foundation. We’ve come a long way and weathered storms which many haven’t. Our story is a testament to faith in all that is good in this world and beyond.

Back to the tryptophan haze – Thanksgiving 2020 was a different day in a different time and place. Walking our old dog who has had some health issues as of late, and missing the kid, I found myself wanting to tap the brakes on life while knowing full-well I cannot.

Our son doesn’t come home from Missoula much, his work schedule doesn’t really allow for it. He had Thanksgiving Day off so he did come home on Wednesday night but it was all too brief a visit as we struggled through yet another embarrassing Thanksgiving Day performance from our Detroit Lions, hurried through an early dinner and got him back on the road. And while it didn’t really hit me in August when he left, I’m now coming to terms with this new reality.

I worked minimally when I was going to college and I went home a lot. I would spend weeks at a time at home during Christmas break, at least in the beginning. Eventually though, I settled into my own life and visits home became less frequent and much shorter in duration. I held on to home maybe longer than I should have. He has moved on and this is a good thing. We couldn’t be more proud of him.

So once again, I fully acknowledge that all of this is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s nothing people aren’t experiencing all of the time but having the aforementioned luxury of introspection as well as an avenue of expression, I’m simply struggling through coming to terms with it all.

Dogs get old. Kids move out. Life goes on.

And it’s all a tremendous blessing. It’s the sting that makes it real.

We all take too many things for granted but with any luck, with age and perhaps with the time to reflect, things start to take on a greater significance. Or maybe they don’t for everyone, but for me, in spite of the challenging emotional state brought on by such moments, I wouldn’t trade this for the world.

Time will continue to pass, oblivious to the emotions it inflicts, but for this moment I cherish the occasional night when we are all sleeping under the same roof. This was the norm not too long ago. It didn’t used to mean much but time has transformed me and has made what was normal something now to be cherished.

I have much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-11-28T11:17:49-07:00November 28th, 2020|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Thanksgiving, tryptophan haze|1 Comment

Returning from the hunt circa 1975

Here in Montana we are nearly three weeks into the firearm deer and elk season and it’s been over two months since archery season opened on September 5th. This state is a hunter’s paradise with plentiful game, long seasons and an abundance of access to an expanse of productive lands both public and private. As in many parts of the country, the hunting culture runs deep in Montana.

As I’ve discussed here before, I was raised in that culture and I hold it near and dear to my heart. That being said, since moving to this hunter’s paradise my passion for the sport has diminished. I hunted hard for the first several years we lived here and was able to harvest a couple of animals however I felt less and less compelled to hunt each season. I attribute that to a lack of knowledge about and comfort level with the places I was hunting and more importantly to the fact that for whatever reason, I haven’t really cultivated relationships with folks with whom I might have the opportunity to hunt, due in part to the fact that I’m simply not that passionate about it anymore.

My son was going into the sixth grade when we moved to Montana, an ideal age to get him interested in the sport despite the fact that my attempts to spark his interest in hunting back in Michigan were mostly unsuccessful. It’s simply never been his thing and that’s ok. Credit to him, he did take hunter safety and he did take an interest in archery and he did hunt with me on occasion but it just never really took. Had he formed a real interest in hunting I’m sure I’d be writing a different story today but as it is, his lack of interest likely contributed to my waning enthusiasm for the hunt. Just to clarify, he’s not a fan of fishing either but that has not curbed my enthusiasm for and obsession with trout fishing in Montana.

I share this with you as background for my thoughts today regarding opening day of firearm season back in Michigan.

November 15th will always hold a place in my heart as opening day and unlike what I shared last week regarding Election Day and not having ever taken a day off of work or school to vote, I took many November 15th’s off of school and work to hunt on opening day.

I know this OPENING DAY thing is a part of the hunting culture shared by all of those who grew up in hunting families and I know this sentiment is alive and well here in Montana but my experience with this is from my past and not so much a part of my present. It’s for this reason that every year around this time I can’t help but think about the past. I can’t help but think about all those opening days spent in the Michigan woods with my dad and later with our circle of hunting friends after my dad was gone.

It makes me happy to think about those days and there’s a part of me that very much misses those experiences but I’m ok with that. It’s a part of my past I wouldn’t trade for anything, a part that I doubt will ever be replicated here in this hunter’s paradise of Montana but again, I’m ok with that.

Last year was the first year I did not hunt. This year was the first year that I didn’t even buy a hunting license. My hunting outings here, especially those last couple of years I hunted, felt forced and my heart was simply not in it.

That being said, if I had the opportunity to go back to Michigan to hunt with my life-long hunting friends as I did a few years back, I’d do it in a heartbeat and the spark would be rekindled. So obviously, as it is in so many cases, it’s not the activity itself but rather the relationships that make the experience.

So to all those arriving at deer camp in the Michigan woods this weekend, to all those all around the country to whom fall hunting is a highlight of the year, and to all those who’ve spent the last two months afield here in Montana and who’ve got a couple of weeks yet to go….best of luck and happy hunting.

We share a passion for traditions I pray we never abandon and while I’m at peace at this point on the outside looking in I will always have respect and reverence for the sport and I’m hopeful that at some point I will return.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-11-13T18:26:08-07:00November 13th, 2020|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Michigan, Montana, Opening Day|2 Comments

Election Day

It’s finally here, Election Day 2020. And while I live for this stuff as an off and on political junkie, I can’t wait to put this one in the rearview.

I’m weary of it all. The flyers that fill my mailbox daily. The non-stop commercials telling me why the other guy sucks. The insults and outrage and hostility and divisiveness fed by our respective echo chamber media consumption. The fact that some people are actually choosing adherence to political alignment over having a broad spectrum of friends representing a diverse assortment of opinions and political ideologies. Everything is STUPID right now.

Campaign spending is expected to exceed $150 million in Montana this year which comes out somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 spent per vote cast, and that figure assumes high voter turnout, exceeding 80 percent which looks to be accurate this election cycle.

Think of the things you could do with $150 million aside from bombarding the electorate with ads to which they’re likely paying little or no attention.

I know in our house those flyers go directly from the mailbox to the trash and the commercials are always a perfect opportunity to change the channel so yeah, money well spent.

Voting is our single best opportunity to participate in our democratic process and to let our voice be heard so yes, by all means, get out and vote.

That being said, I’m not sure everything needs to grind to a halt on Election Day, especially in this age of mail-in ballots and early voting. Considering that by some estimates over 70 percent of registered voters in Montana had already cast their ballots by this morning I feel like we could probably manage to execute our civic duty without the interruption of business as usual on a Tuesday in November.

Maybe it’s just me but at 50 years old I’ve been voting since 1988 and while my voting record may be a hodgepodge ideological evolution of ebbs and flows, there are two things that are constant….one – I’ve never not voted and two – I’ve never taken the day off from work or school or life to cast my vote.

General Election Day is a holiday for state employees which is not a shock. Election Day is NOT a Federal Holiday. The banks are open. The post office is open and for all intents and purposes it is business as usual. However, many college classes have reportedly been cancelled and some businesses are closed, I guess due to the gravity of the situation on this day. LOL

It’s a beautiful November day. Blue skies and sunshine. Maybe not the best fishing conditions but a great day to cast your vote if you haven’t already and then get out and soak it all in.

It’s good to be alive this day. In spite of Covid. In spite of who is or isn’t in office. In spite of who wins and who loses any of these races. And that’s not to minimize the importance of this moment in history. As previously stated, I am an absolute junkie about this stuff and I’m very well aware of the political and social goings on around me and I have thoughts and opinions about ALL OF IT.
BUT – you know what’s more important to me than this election? About a billion things and counting. Namely my family, my faith, and my friends of any and all political persuasions and the rich tapestry of life I will continue to enjoy no matter what happens out there.

Happy Election Day! I hope it goes the way you want it to and I hope that even if it doesn’t, that you will look around you and remember how little all of that actually matters in the scope of your day to day life, the people you love and who love you back and the things that make up the rich tapestry of your being.

Yes, it’s an election of Critical importance….they all are. Yes, the results of the election will have some effect on all of our lives and the lives of those who come after us but ultimately the sun will set this evening and will rise again tomorrow and we will keep on keeping on.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-11-03T19:01:33-07:00November 3rd, 2020|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: Election Day|0 Comments

Autumn Equinox

Autumn has officially arrived and with it the promise of good things to come on the Missouri and surrounding waters.

Terrestrial season is holding on with decent hopper and ant action, particularly in the lower stretches and we’ve begun to see the occasional October Caddis so now would be a good time to work that into your blind dry fly or dry/dropper rotation.

Aside from the terrestrials action we’re in a bit of a holding pattern right now where dry fly fishing is concerned as we await fall BWO’s. Caddis can fill the gap on any given day and pseudos will satisfy the needs of the true dry fly masochists but look for BWO’s to arrive with cooler weather and darker days, hopefully sometime in early October.

The streamer set has begun to arrive on the scene led by our Michigan friends from Schultz Outfitters returning to fish the MO with us this week. It’s a Michigan invasion all week long at Wolf Creek Angler and we’re thrilled to have a bunch of streamer junkies back in the boats with us. Leave the wooly buggers behind, load up the 7 and 8 weights and take cover…it’s time to do this thing Michigan Style! Weeds be damned, it’s big game hunting season on the MO’.

For the less bobber averse set, nymphing is good, especially in the upper stretch and should continue to pad the daily numbers. #18 Black Zebras will be back in stock tomorrow, still no ETA on Frenchies or Purple Weight Flies but fear not, we’ve got bins and bins filled with bugs that will meet or exceed performance expectations. Green Machines, Tung Darts, Gold Weight Flies, Purple or Olive Zebras, Tailwater Sows, Split Case BWO’s, BWO Magic Flies, Soft Hackle Sows, Olive Micromays, Olive or Brown S & M’s, Juju’s, BWO Redemptions, Radiation Baetis, Rainbow Czechs…and on and on.

It looks like we’ll see a nice cool down into the low 60’s this weekend but right back into the mid 70’s the first part of next week. Even so, chilly nights are keeping water temps on the drop. Temps are currently holding at around 61 degrees with flows at or near 4000 CFS. You really couldn’t ask for better conditions for fall fishing but these are definitely the days you’ll want to layer up in the morning knowing that you may be peeling off layers throughout the day but adding them back as that sun dips down.

We’ve got plenty of lodging availability this week though the guide calendar is pretty well filled through early next week. Take the time now while you’re thinking of it to book an October trip with us.
Whether you wish to be pampered with luxury accommodations and gourmet meals at Hidden Canyon Lodge or you prefer the cozy rustic charm offered at Wolf Creek Angler we’ve got you covered. Same great guides and same price for fishing at both, it’s just a matter of what you’re looking for outside of the fishing experience. Give us a call for details or to book your dates at either location.

We welcome fall and hope you join us on the Missouri and Blackfoot Rivers in the coming weeks for the most wonderful time of the year.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-22T21:29:52-06:00September 22nd, 2020|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Autumn Equinox 2020, caddis, dry fly fishing, green machine, Hidden Canyon Lodge, juju baetis, Michigan, Missouri River, Montana, October Caddis, running line, Schultz Outfitters, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

September 11th, 2020

This is a day I usually do a thoughtful post about remembering 9/11/01 and just as importantly, 9/12/01 when we were truly united as a country after collectively suffering through the physical and psychological trauma of the deadliest terrorist attack on US soil in US history.

Each year for the past several, I would highlight the fact that we, as a nation, seem to be forgetting what it was like that day and the weeks and months following. Maybe that changes next year on the 20th anniversary but this year 9/11 almost feels like an afterthought.

The country is as divided and as polarized as it’s been in my lifetime and in the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the current social unrest and the absolute politicization of both, one can’t help but wonder where it ends.

People on all sides are angry and edgy and we, as a nation have drifted so far from what draws us together and unifies us that it’s tough to even recognize America and what she is becoming.

Tribalism driven by sequestering ourselves to echo chambers of like-minded ideology while we utilize our favorite media sources to fuel our outrage at the other side has created an atmosphere unlike anything I’ve seen.

Thankfully, here in Montana we are as far removed from this chaos as I believe it’s possible to be, though it still seeps in.

So this year all I will say is that we are miles from unity and unfortunately, in many cases, miles from civility and in its totality, it ain’t a great place to be.

On this September 11th I’m thankful to live in what is, in spite of all her imperfections, still the greatest country in the world and rather than urge unity all I can do is look inward and take stock of the amazing blessings in my life and I would urge everyone to do the same.

I’m tuning out from media this day, rather than fueling the fires of outrage. Yes, there is an abundance of chaos out there and I have opinions about all of it, just like you do. But in the absence of civility amongst those keyboard warriors so desperate to prove their points, I’m not going to waste my time with it.

Today I’m going turn my attention to the world by which I’m surrounded. I’m going to appreciate the blue sky and the changing colors. I’m going to enjoy the sunlight on my face and I’m going to spend time this day with the people who are the most important thing in my life. I reject outrage this day and I reject being manipulated into divisiveness and hatred.

On this day I look to the heavens and thank God for everything that is good in my life and for the strength to endure what is not and I pray for this nation and for this world.

These are angry, uncertain and exhausting times but there is light. Light not found in political parties or candidates or social movements but in personal relationships, in kindness to our fellow human beings, whatever their stripes, and in love.

Be the light.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-11T18:41:31-06:00September 11th, 2020|Categories: Uncategorized|6 Comments

Autumn is a magical time on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The Dog-Day Slog of August is over. At least that’s what the calendar says. There’s been no drastic change on day one of September but according to our lodging book we’re just a few days out from a return to busier days and it can’t come soon enough!

The river has remained quiet with just a handful of folks around on any given day. I would expect that that’s about to change.

Sure, we’ve seen plenty of cancellations for the fall and yes, the world still seems utterly insane (somehow seeming more so every day) but there’s nothing like the arrival of fall to shut the door on the summer season and collectively move us towards new beginnings.

After all, the lazy days of summer are drawing to a close and it’s time to get back into action. A new school year has begun, election season is in full swing, NFL football is on track to start at its normal time of year and fall fishing is about to heat up. And ultimately while we don’t know how any of this will pan out we are ready for the new beginnings.

Of course we’re continuing to track the Covid numbers and we’re continuing to do everything in our power to keep our guests, customers and employees safe and healthy but as we head into autumn we’re excited to embrace the change of season and while it may in fact just be wishful thinking, I for one feel like it’s time to move on. Mind you I’m not talking about moving on from mandates or from doing all of the things we’ve been doing for SIX MONTHS now to protect ourselves and others from sickness. What I’m talking about is moving on from the mental anguish of letting these things drag us down.

I hope to hell things go smoothly this fall. I hope there are no major outbreaks and that school at all levels remains open and continues to make strides towards business as usual. I hope we get through these next couple of months leading up to the election without continuing to be so entrenched in our respective ideologies that we choose politics over relationships, echo chambers over open discussions and tribalism over tolerance.

One thing I do know for certain is that there are places you can go to escape. Places that are a long ways from the chaos. Many of these places are not solely physical locations but are the fusion of beautiful and remote places combined with a renewed and refreshed and relaxed state of mind one can only attain by removing oneself from the daily and immersing oneself in the moment. That moment might consist of wandering in the mountains, wading in a stream or floating down a river. It might consist of simply sitting in silence, unplugging from everything and appreciating the moment for what it is.

Needless to say, there are many places you could go to chase this elusive state of enlightenment (satori) and one of those places is right here, floating down the Missouri River on an early autumn day. Covid disappears, social unrest disappears, politics disappears but only if you allow them to do so. Out here it’s sun and sky, moving water, gentle (and at times not so gentle) breezes and your focus on your cast, your drift and with any luck your proficiency at fighting and landing fish, all the while taking in the amazing scenery around you.

Fly fishing is the ultimate escape from the chaos.

Let us facilitate your escape and deliver this experience to you this fall at Wolf Creek Angler.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-01T20:30:44-06:00September 1st, 2020|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|4 Comments

Montana – The Treasure State (AKA The Social Distance State)

With our doors closed now at least through April 24th, it would be a gross understatement to say that life during a global pandemic has taken some getting used to.

Like most small business owners, I have been immersed in the seemingly ever-evolving provisions and procedures of seeking assistance through what will undoubtedly be the biggest financial and economic challenge of my lifetime.

Like all of those who have had their lives and livelihoods put on hold by Covid-19, I spend my days contemplating what the future might hold while ingesting a steady diet of webinars, zoom meetings and phone calls…what our life has become during the pandemic.

I’ve spent some time at the shop but there hasn’t been much to do there that can’t be done from home so why burn the gas to get there? There’s plenty of yard work to be done both at the shop and at home but spring snows have interrupted those endeavors and while it definitely feels and looks like spring today we will be under a winter storm warning starting tomorrow night and will likely see several inches of new snow and the return of single-digit temps on Saturday night.

I’ve spent plenty of time on the couch. Too much television, too much beer, too much junk food. And while I have done some hiking near my home, I’ve not been nearly active enough for my liking.

It was considering these circumstances that I decided Sunday night that I would spend as much time as possible on the water this week. Mind you drift boat fishing is out (unless you are with members of your household), so I decided it was a good time to go solo and visit a few of my favorite walk-wade spots, some close to home, some not so much.

My routine this week has been to spend the mornings answering emails and doing whatever business can be done followed by late morning drives to unspecified locations and afternoons spent standing in moving water doing what brought me here in the first place. It didn’t take long for me to conclude that there is no place in the world I would rather be during these times of social distancing than in the wide-open spaces and secret corners of Montana.

Spring streamer fishing is among my favorites and these last few days did not disappoint. Plenty of fish to hand, none of which were record breakers, but all of which were the perfect dose of euphoria, making even better these great escapes.

Empty roads, sprawling landscapes of mountains and valleys and forests and miles of magical water with nary a soul in sight. Four rivers over three days and I encountered no one which kind of surprised me seeing that everyone is trapped at home these days with nothing to do. But what a blessing. What a blessing to live in a place where we can always go out and do our thing and maintain social distance, sometimes to the extreme if we choose. I can not imagine what it’s like to live in a heavily populated area with nowhere to escape to and just to address the issue, I have heard plenty of people making the point that this isn’t a vacation, that you’re supposed to stay home but in Montana I would disagree.

Here we can cover miles of uninhabited space in a day, visiting the places we love, doing the things we want to do while not exposing ourselves or being exposed to anyone.

So, take that Coronavirus. You can disrupt our world. You can destroy our economy, but you cannot take this from me! Amid the scariest, most unprecedented thing I’ve seen in my lifetime I will continue to do what I love in the places that stir my soul.

That being said, as much as I love it, spending my days fishing does not pay the bills. So while I feel blessed beyond measure to live in this place and to be able to social distance in this way, like everyone else, I am ready to go back to work.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-04-10T14:21:36-06:00April 10th, 2020|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: COVID-19, Montana, running line, social distancing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

The Shape of Water 2020

It’s that time of year again when we take a closer look at current snowpack, long-term weather and precipitation forecasts, current flow conditions and current reservoir data at Canyon Ferry to come up with some kind of prediction of what you might expect to see for water conditions on the Missouri this spring and summer.

Five days into April we’re still looking at snow on the ground in Wolf Creek, left over from last week’s spring snow storm but heading into this week it looks like we’ll be seeing some more spring-like weather with temps in the 50’s through the middle of the week and possibly climbing into the mid 60’s on Thursday before another cold front moves through next weekend. I would bet we haven’t seen the last snowfall of the year but hopefully we’re on our way to those warm, sunny spring days on the MO.

The snow water equivalent is looking good with everything in the region in the 100 to 140 percent of normal range and the majority or locations at right around 120 percent of normal. This is right where we like to see things at this point in the season though snowpack fails to tell the whole story. It looks good now but a sudden warm up could rapidly deplete that snowpack and leave us well below average and similarly we could still see plenty of high country precipitation accumulating and setting us up for the possibility of higher flows depending on what we see in the way of spring rains.

Missouri River flows below Holter Dam are currently at 5180 CFS and have remained relatively steady all winter in the 4500 CFS – 5000 CFS range. I would expect to see that pattern remain over these next couple of weeks and then tick up in late April as the spring flows begin to take shape.

Canyon Ferry is currently 73% full with inflows at 3395 CFS and outflows of 5283 CFS. March weather resulted in near normal precipitation, while cooler temperatures occurred throughout the Missouri River Headwaters.
The one-month outlook forecast, dated March 31st, is an equal chance for normal, above, or below normal precipitation and a 50 percent chance that below normal temperatures will occur during April in the Missouri Headwaters.

Based on these factors the current model for April is predicting most probable flows holding right about where they’re currently at with the minimum probable at around 4500 CFS and the max probable at right around 6K. Not a lot of variation in April which will make for ideal fishing conditions.

The show starts in May as run-off begins and while we’re always hoping for at least a few days of flushing flows (over 15K) it looks like the most probable model has us bumping up to just 8000 CFS with the minimum being right around 4,000 and the maximum at just over 10,000 CFS which we would gladly take.

Looking beyond May this far out isn’t all that practical but at this point the best guess is for most probable flows holding at that same 8K before leveling out in the 5,000 cfs range while the max probable peaks around 14K and the minimum probable holds steady at around 4,000 CFS. At this point it’s really anyone’s guess so we try to steer clear of making any bold predictions about June this far out.

It’s all dependent on spring precipitation which we’re assuming at this point will be at or slightly below normal but again, it’s a bit like trying to predict what will happen with the Coronavirus, the models are only as good as the data that goes into them. The more data, the more accurate the model so we’re content to just sit and wait and see and hold off on any prime-time predictions until we have more data. (For both the Coronavirus and the water conditions).

All that being said, I will make the same bold prediction I make every year. There will be water (how much or how little we don’t know) and there will be fish (plenty) and we will be fishing.

Stay tuned for up to date reports and conditions from Wolf Creek Angler.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-04-05T19:47:55-06:00April 6th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Tags: Holter Dam, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Stay At Home

Late last week Montana Governor Steve Bullock issued a Stay at Home Directive which went into effect on Saturday and which is set to run at least through April 10th. The directive requires Montanans to stay home and temporarily closes all non-essential businesses, of which we of course are one.

We appreciate and understand the intent of the directive and we encourage everyone to abide by the order and by so doing, hopefully get things back to some sense of normalcy soon. We had shut down guiding operations early last week as well as closed access to the shop in an effort to comply with social distancing standards. Our lodging had remained open and though hotels/motels do fall under essential businesses in the directive we have decided to close everything down for the duration of the order in keeping with the spirit and intent of the directive which is that people should be staying home as much as possible for the duration. We understand that outdoor activity (close to home) is allowed and encouraged and fishing certainly meets the standard however in our view driving somewhere far away enough from home that overnight lodging is required is not really in keeping with the intent of the order.

For this reason all operations are shut down until further notice.

That being said, we are taking orders over the phone as well as by email and we’re happy to ship you anything you need. We’ve also seen a trend on social media encouraging folks to buy gift cards from the businesses they want to support as this immediately puts much needed money in the hands of these businesses. We applaud the trend and would be thrilled to sell gift cards in any amount. Our gift cards are good for everything we sell from lodging to guide trips to merchandise and they never expire. Please call the shop if you would like to purchase a gift card or any other item we can ship to you.

Like all of you, we are hopeful that the future will become increasingly clear as the uncertainty is crippling us all.

In spite of the darkness there is light and I am humbled by the support we’ve received from all of you. The emails and phone calls from our regular customers just checking in to see how we’re doing mean the world to me and the willingness of many to leave deposits in place for future trips has been overwhelming. We’ve also had a steady trickle of folks calling for flies and fly lines and leaders etc which I would bet in many cases have not been needed and I simply can’t express how grateful we are for all of this support through these uncertain times.

Every day draws us closer to the time this will all be a memory. As the weather warms and the grass starts to green and the songbirds return we are hopeful.

Stay Safe, Stay Sane, Stay Home!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-30T20:13:30-06:00March 30th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Shop Life, Uncategorized|0 Comments

UPDATE

How the world has changed in the four days since I posted our initial thoughts about Covid-19/coronavirus. And while everything prescriptive which I wrote in that post still applies (WASH YOUR HANDS) there have been some developments nationally as well as locally which need to be addressed as they relate to your 2020 Missouri River fishing plans.

At the time of posting last Thursday Montana had zero reported cases of Covid-19, we now have six. At the time of that posting school was in session and while social distancing was being talked about, people were still going out to eat. That day we saw a state of emergency declared by Governor Bullock followed by a National State of Emergency declared by POTUS on Friday and since then we’ve seen all schools in Montana ordered closed for at least the next two weeks and as of today many counties in the state have ordered that all restaurants and bars be closed mirroring what is happening nationwide. It’s as surreal as it gets but we are hopeful that instituting these measures now will “flatten the curve” and slow the spread and hopefully put us in a better position collectively to move past all of this as soon as possible.

Montana is not currently a Covid-19 hot zone and we don’t expect it to become one, but we will of course keep everyone updated on any changes. It is thought that the big, spread-out nature of Montana can be of benefit when it comes to the social distancing recommended by the CDC.

Following the lead of others, we are instituting immediate changes to our Cancellation Policy for all guide trips and lodging scheduled between now and May 31st, including new bookings.

We will now allow you to make changes to your reservation inside of 30 days without forfeiting your deposit provided you use the deposit to book another trip in 2020. This policy allows you to keep your reservations in place and if illness or travel restrictions prevent you from coming at the last minute you will not be out your deposit. We feel this policy adequately addresses the current issues and we will keep the policy in place for as long as circumstances dictate, meaning if all of this stretches into the summer or fall then we would look at pushing bookings into 2021. All this being said, we do still HIGHLY RECOMMEND Trip Insurance!

Additionally, we want to stress once again that we take extremely seriously the guidelines, advice and directives administered by the World Health Organization, the CDC, Montana DPHHS, Lewis and Clark County Department of Public Health and other involved agencies. We are doing everything in our power to provide for the health and safety of our employees and our customers and will continue to adapt as the situation unfolds.

For the time being know that we are meticulously cleaning and disinfecting the shop regularly and we are taking extra steps to ensure all our rooms are clean, disinfected and germ free. We are currently operating essentially with a staff of one, so I’ve got a pretty good idea of the health of the staff. As business picks up and we start to build up our seasonal crew, monitoring the health of our employees and guides will be of paramount importance and we will not allow any employee or guide to work if they are sick.

As an ode to social distancing for the time being we encourage our customers to call in their shuttles and purchase fishing licenses online and while we’re by no means closing our doors to the public at this point, if you’d like to phone in your bug/leader/tippet etc order, we’ll be happy to meet you curbside. Rest assured, the shop is clean but it’s difficult to maintain the recommended 6 feet distance within our cozy confines.

Thank you for continuing to support us through these uncertain times. We’re looking forward to hosting your social distancing for as long as we need to and really looking forward to coming out on the other side of this hopefully much sooner than later.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-16T23:37:02-06:00March 16th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|0 Comments

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