How's your runoff
It's that time of year. And runoff makes for some exciting times in this neck of the woods.
With several very warm days, runoff on my home water has really ramped up. Fished it last weekend at 5,000 CFS and yesterday at about 8,500 CFS. This morning it is close to 11,000 CFS and still rising.
The water here ...
... was close to 2' deeper than just a few days ago, and a bit off color.
But it still gave up some fishies, both to a salmonfly dry and a big stonefly nymph.
This spot ...
... didn't have enough water to hold fish just a matter of days ago, and yesterday gave up several good fish to the stonefly nymph.
Here is one of several new pockets ...
... that form up near the bank during runoff. Nothing going on in this stretch until the water comes up quite a bit. Catching was pretty good along this stretch yesterday ...
... with both dries and nymphs - and will be getting better over the next few weeks.
When I checked out one of the tributary creeks in late morning, it was running high, fast, and clear. By late afternoon ...
... higher, faster, and not so clear.
Looks like runoff in Western Montana and Northern Idaho is going to peak earlier than average ( around May 26 ), peak lower than average ( around 21,000 CFS on my home water ), and end earlier than usual. But the day to day changes over the next six to eight weeks will create interesting challenges in finding the places the fishies are holding and can require some creative approaches to presenting flies to them. One of the best times of the year, for sure.
So what are you guys looking at in other parts of the country ??
John
P.S. Runoff also makes for some really dangerous conditions / situations. Take care out there.
NOTE - the CFS figures are taken about 50-60 miles downstream at the closest monitoring station.
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