| Montana has schizophrenic weather that swings wildly between extremes with little or no warning. Because of this, it's advisable to always be prepared for anything.
Spring, Fall and even Summer snow squalls are not that uncommon. Conversely,
we spent one December staining the cedar exterior of the shop in t-shirt weather.
You just never know! Another prime example of this is the February of '91 when
the temperature in Missoula plummeted in the neighborhood of 100 degrees in
1 hour and came to rest at the balmy comfort level of 52 degrees below! You're
WAY better off having stuff you end up not needing than not having stuff you
end up needing.
From a fishing perspective, breathable waders
are always a good idea, even if you just carry them along, year round, in case
the rains set in. You should also bring layers of clothes such as under wader
gear fleece or windstopper fleece and a good rain jacket. Items of this type
will be necessary during the early and late seasons particularly.
Mid summer, you can usually get by wading wet in a good pair of
wading boots and some light, quick dry shorts or pants. Once again,
however, it's always good to carry along warmer clothes just in case.
As experienced guides, we all carry extra fleece, gloves, hats and
matches all year long in the boats. Another thing that's an absolute
necessity is a decent pair of POLARIZED sunglasses. These will not only
help you to see things more clearly, they are great protection from
errant flies zipping past your head.
The most common weight
rods used on the area rivers are 4's, 5's and 6's in a 9' length.
We also suggest a decent quality, machined, disc drag reel with a weight forward
or double taper line.
Especially for the spring and fall fishing, or any outdoor
activity that time of year, we suggest bringing some type of fleece or neoprene
gloves. They can literally make or break the day. In addition to general fishing
gear, you should bring some type of compact binocular for wildlife viewing as
well as your favorite camera and sunscreen. In August especially, the sun can
be brutal! If you have questions or other specific concerns, just drop us an
e-mail!
Kingfisher trips are run through Matt Potter's
BIG BIRD FISHING - MONTANA OUTFITTER NUMBER #4459 |
