Brrr
Old man winter is on the move with cold and snow predicted each day throughout the week. Daytime temps will hover in the teens and low 20′s and snow accumulation could be several inches a day. None of this is to say you can’t catch a few fish. But be prepared. Keep in mind what your mom said all those years ago, be sure to dress for the weather and tuck an extra pair of mittens in your pack.
Winds are calm, temps are chilly but the sun is shining again and discharge from Libby Dam is 4000cfs. Flows are presently being mananged on the low end of the scale so for the next few days there is definitely some fishing to be had here on the mighty Kootenai. Daytime temps should arrive somewhere in the middle twenties. Skies are clear and the winds are calm. Get out the streamer rods and sink tips and fire away. This is the time of year where big fish can be had. Try big bunny patterns in black and white and pulse the tip of the rod in a classic erratic, herky-jerky manner. Vary the speed of retrieval but generally keep it slow. Get it down, keep it down and hang on if you get a hit.
Big Kootenai Brown Trout
Discharge from Libby Dam continues to fluctuate between 14,000 and 25,000cfs. Presently discharge schedules are being managed to provide storage capacity for Koocanusa Reservior. Flows are very high during daylight hours making the river pretty difficult to fish. However, when flows decrease in the evening, nightime fishing is certainly possible and folks have been on the water. Pulling big streamers in the dark offers a new and sometimes terrific experience! If you feel something solid at night, hang on and make sure the drag is set.
Linehan Outfitting Company
By all acounts the rut has been a little late this year but once it started, things really kicked off. With one day left in the season things are winding down here at Linehan Outfitting Company. It’s been a great season and we’re finishing strong with a couple big bucks down!
John and Suzi C. with two trophy whitetails
A foot of snow and some colder temperatures have certainly increased deer movement in general and rut activity is has increased significantly as well! Each day this week the LOC guides saw bucks chasing does, knocking heads, and on their feet throughout the entire day. The last week of the season is upon us and it looks like the rut is entering the peak stage at last! Expect the daytime temps to warm a bit as the week progresses with highs in the low thirties and chance of snow showers each day. Perfect conditions!
Tim and David C. get it done at last light on last day of David's hunt.
Deer activity is definitely increasing as the season progresses. Today LOC guides saw several nice bucks and lots of deer on their feet. With three inches of new snow and daytime temps in the low 30′s it was one of the best days of the season so far to hunt. Scrapes are showing up with more frequency, does are being chased, and rut behavior is more evident. Things are heating up in the whitetail hunting world here at LOC!
John and Pete D. with John's trophy buck
The first three weeks of the full big game season have seen the LOC guides hitting it hard from dark to dark. Lately mild weather and a full moon seem to have deer hanging tight. But good things happen to those who hunt hard and LOC guests have indeed knocked down some very respectable bucks to date. Presently the weather has changed and it’s snowing with a couple inches predicted in the valleys through Tuesday. Expect at least six inches in higher elevations. Rut activity is increasing as well and we’re expecting a great week!
Gerry B. with nice 4x6 whitetail buck
It’s kind of chilly out there these days with morning temps in the high teens. But by afternoon and under some sunshine of late, it’s been warming up into the low forties. Dry fly fishing is definitely slowing down as hatches start to wane. This time of year get the streamer rods out and stick with big bunny patterns or big nymphs scratching the bottom. Flows from Libby Dam have been increased to 6000cfs. STill plenty of wading up and down the river and still plenty of fishing for those of you who aren’t hunters.
Joanne Linehan/big rainbow trout
It’s the second week of the general season. Conditions are still pretty mild with gray skies and showers predicted for the week. It’s still a bit early for full rut action but the last couple days we’ve seen some smaller bucks trailing does and many more rubs. LOC guide Sean McAfee also found a good scrape yesterday as well. That means rut activity is soon to increase. This time of year it’s still basically pre-rut. But with scrapes showing up, rattleing will become increasingly effective and should be worth a try throughout this week. The deer are still pretty content to hold tight and right now due to all the available food sources, they don’t need to travel very far. To that end, if you find good sign, slow down and stick with it.
Lenny B. with nice buck
It’s Halloween and since the Hellboy Hopper reigned supreme this fall we thought we’d dress him up for the occassion. Expect mostly cloudy skies, chance of showers and daytime temps in the low forties.
Happy Halloween from Linehan Outfitting Company
Discharge from Libby Dam is currently 4000cfs and the water temperature below the dam is fifty degrees. That means there’s still some dy fly fishing to be had for those of you willing to go long, light and small. Fish are still rising from time to time on midge and baetis. But the water is like glass and the fish are pretty wary this time of year. Long leaders and perfect drifts are the name of the game in the upper river. Nymphing in faster water and deeper runs will move fish. Don’t be afraid to fish big stuff this time of year. Pat’s stonefly, prince nymphs, bitch creek nymphs, and thing of that nature have been moving some big fish over the last couple weeks. And then there’s the streamer fishing this time of year. Stick with big bunny patterns and deceivers, vary the retrieve and don’t be afraid to essentially dead drift them either. Stick with streamer for a few hours in a deep hole or run and you will move a big fish. Lots of fishing left so get out there and send us your late season photos.