Dry spring means good fishing, for now

Well, since everyone's talking about it, maybe it's time for Fishfull to weigh in.

Unbelievable spring weather, right?

As we approach the official start of summer, here's a few unofficial observations:

* This year started off, way back in February, with some of the best open water fishing I've seen in many years.

Matter of fact, I rapidly lost interest in ice fishing when the trout started hitting nymphs and streamers in the Flathead River, the Mo, the Kootenai and Rock Creek.

Early runoff in March and sporadic water level rises throughout the spring really made for good fishing.

But, as we all know, early runoff of a low snowpack means the threat of low water levels in summer, higher than normal water temperatures, and increased forest fire activity.

In May, a fisheries biologist with the Forest Service told me on the day he checked the water flow histories on the Flathead Middle Fork at West Glacier, the water level was the lowest flow on record for that date.

Not a good sign.

* The Thompson River and Rock Creek (and no doubt other rivers), had phenomenal salmonfly hatches this spring, but those hatches happened weeks before their historical averages.

* Photo period and water temps are known factors in their timing. Maybe lower water caused higher temps and unseasonally sunny days jacked the photoperiod a bit.

* Trout fishing in area lakes was good two months ago but has slowed as water temps rise. One lake I fish regularly is showing surface temps conducive to normal the second week of July!

* The lake trout catching in Flathead Lake was good through April and May and hung on at the mouth of the Flathead River a few extra weeks as the Flathead River didn't form the usual mud-line.

* Last year, at this time, I was mowing my lawn twice a week. This year I've mowed twice total!

* Don't wait any longer to go fishing. I've probably gone fishing more this year than in many years and I'm finding the fishing is starting to slow down. Hopefully, some insect hatches will fire up the fish.

But, again, we all know we need rain.