Big Hole River 2380 cfs and dropping—-Maidenrock
Conditions yesterday were pretty tough with visibility down to about a foot. With the river dropping it will be improving daily until it warms up enough to start the main runoff. Some people mistakenly think this is the start of the main runoff but it’s not. Most of the creeks coming out of the high country like La Marche, Fishtrap etc, are still running low and clear meaning none of that high snow is coming off yet.
I disagree with Adam who commented that snow pack reading of 102 percent didn’t mean nothing. All one has to do is look at the high peaks of the East Pioneer range, Pintlars, Highlands and even Fleecer Mountain and they are solid white which they were not in April. That foot of snow that was in my yard just over a week ago dumped 3 feet of new snow on Black Lion Mountain in the East Pioneers according to people who trekked that area.
There have been reports of people vandalizing the poster boards at access sites regarding tagged fish. Also of people cutting off the tags of fish they catch . Don’t know who these radical idiots are but they don’t belong in this country. This is a research program in cooperation with the FWP, Big Hole River Foundation and Big Hole Watershed Committee. Mike Bias is president of BHRF and I hope he will comment on that operation.
Caddis flies are still on the way. I look for them toward the end of the week as it warms up a bit.