The Bitterroot River in the fall

Reflections of the sky and fall leaves. Photo: Merle Ann Loman

Click Fall colors, fall fishing and more on the Bitterroot River in Montana for the article on Examiner.com

 

Fall is a great time to fish the Bitterroot River with the pleasant daytime temperatures cooling from hot summer days of August to the pleasant 70 degree range. The nights drop to 30 or 40 degrees and bring on the gorgeous colors of fall.

Seasonal changes from summer to fall also bring explosions of mayfly hatches such as trico, blue-winged olive, fall drake, and mahogany dun as well as the October caddis.You can expect to see surface feeding fish that will test the resolve of even the most accomplished anglers.

Erosion from spring run-off, or high water events, is a process where new habitat is created or perhaps eliminated. Logs that have been eroded from the banks and deposited somewhere along the channel form the classic Bitterroot holding water. They provide the necessary cover for daily survival and the shade to stay hidden in the heat of a summer day. The Bitterroot is home to a thriving beaver population which can aid in the creation of more new log buckets for the fish. In September, the leaves are on the trees and dropping on the water providing cover but the colors are changing from green to yellows, coppers, reds, and more.

 

A beautiful brown trout from the Bitterroot River. Photo: Merle Ann Loman

 

Many tributaries of the Bitterroot River headwaters originate in wilderness areas giving the main river a supply of pristine water up until late July. The West Fork, its main tributary has a dam which releases cold, clean water during the critical times of summer and early fall. The fisheries are a beneficiary of these enhanced flows as is the rancher who can grow his hay crop. Finding a balance between the needs of a fishery and human activities has been an ongoing contentious issue as demands for these cold water releases are increasing. Fortunately, the Bitterroot River fish have an in-stream flow reservation of water. The trout have been given a little consideration.

Deer crossing the Bitterroot. Photo: Merle Ann Loman

Despite increased recreational pressure which not only includes fishing but also boating, tubing, and swimming, the Bitterroot River seems to be thriving and still produces good numbers of westslope cutthroat, some brown and rainbow trout as well as the cuttbow, a hybrid between cutthroat and rainbow trout. Catch and release sections have been a big help as is the in-stream flow reservations. The Bitterroot River in Montana is a favorite fall fishing choice for beauty and a variety of fishing.

For more info:

Wapiti Waters Fly Fishing Montana – Bitterroot webpage

Wapiti Waters Fly Fishing Montana – Seasonal hatch information

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks – Bitterroot webpage

West Fly Entomology

 

Related Articles:

Fall colors are coming to the Bitterroot Valley in Montana

More photos:

Merle’s SmugMug photo site: Bitterroot River in the fall

As fall comes to the Bitterroot, see colors in plant and animals – Sept 2009

September 21 is the first day of fall and though this month has been warmer than usual, the nights are cooling off. As a result, Mother Nature begins to paint her fall canvas. The angle of the sun and the clouds make the light dance across the valley, often creating rainbows.

The yellows, rusts and tans are seen in the fields, grasses, cottonwoods and aspen; the green is still there in evergreen trees and foliage near streams and wetter draws; and the reds are beginning to show in the ninebark, currants, and chokecherry leaves and fruit. There is even blue in the elderberry fruit.

Color is displayed in plants and in animals as you will see in the slideshow below. See the lush green ferns that provide cover for the white-tailed deer. Later the ferns will turn a copper color and do an even better job of hiding the deer. Various dragonflies perch on golden grasses and vibrant pine trees. Deciduous trees show a variety of colors as the leaves change and fruits ripen in presentation as food for critters such as Ruffed Grouse and bear looking to fatten up for hibernation.

Exotic species – not native to Montana – contribute, too. The pheasant hen’s feathers match the color of the drying fields. A turkey hen’s throat glows as a beam of sunlight lights it up.

This is September 2009 and its own unique year and weather pattern. Visits again as more photos and descriptions throughout this Montana fall are posted.

Take a virtual walk through the Bitterroot Valley through these slideshows and watch the colors change even more in October and November.

To see all the photos in a new window click Merle’s SmugMug photos – Bitterroot Fall Sept 2009

References:
Montana Field Guide by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Montana Plant Life.org

Hike up Sweathouse in late July

It was a hot day. The creeks and river waterflows are diminishing. It rained heavily the day before and even though the seasonal streams are drying up, there were a few new “puddles” in some of the draws where everyone and everything took advantage of the water.

To see all the photos in a new window, click Merle’s SmugMug Hike up Sweathouse in late July.

May Wildflower Favorites

These photos were taken yesterday in the Bitterroot Mountains. They are some of my May wildflower favorites. My SmugMug site will have folders featuring each particular flower shown here and more.

See the slideshow below. To see all the wildflower photos, click Merle’s SmugMug Wildflowers. I will be posting more later today.

Is this Erigeron compactus (Fern-leaf Fleabane)

I photographed this flower on a dry ridge south of Sweathouse Creek at mid-elevation. I haven’t been able to find a good photo of Erigeron compactus (Fern-leaf Fleabane) but the description sounds like this flower. Anyone out there know?

Click here for a slideshow of more photos of Erigeron compactus – Fern-leaf Fleabane.

A Few More Wildflowers

I saw this Yellowbell on April 8th. There are more, now, you will see them with the Shooting Stars in the photo below. To quote the Montana Plant Life.org site,

“…usually solitary, occasionally 2, and rarely 3, nodding, rather narrowly
bell-shaped, yellow, often purplish-or brownish-streaked near the base, fading
to red or purple.”

The next two photos were taken on April 20.

Shooting Stars are so pretty! I found these next to a second order stream on the south side of Sweathouse Creek.

To the left is one of the most popular spring flowers, the Glacier Lily, or some people call them the Dogtooth Violet. They come into bloom in our area in April just after the Buttercups, Yellowbells, and Shooting Stars. These were in a shaded montane forest also south of Sweathouse Creek.

Spring has sprung Flowers

I have been busy editing a large amount of photos so I haven’t posted recently. I am putting a Pasque Flower on for now and will come back with a slideshow soon of all the wildflowers I am seeing. They are beautiful and certainly lift one’s spirits.

I see these Pasque Flowers on lower elevation shady slopes that have good drainage. Montana Plant Life.org has an interesting write-up on medicinal uses for this plant.

Click here for Montana Plant Life.org’s Pasqueflower page or Yahoo search for Pasque Flower.

View Album – click here to see in a new window

Seattle Area in March 2009

We were in the Seattle area this weekend. Of course I couldn’t help but take outdoor photos. See the slideshow below.

View Album – click here to view in new, larger window.
Choose Slideshow to view in full screen mode.

Buttercups, an early sign of spring

Today’s hike was inbetween rain showers. We didn’t see any game, but did see new life “springing” up. Buttercups are one of the firsts signs of spring!
The palmated leaves to the right of the yellow flowers are lupine.

On the way home, we passed Amy Sage, Bill LaCroix and their daughter, Anna. They were out for an afternoon bike ride. Anna is one of my favorite photo subjects. I am sure you can see why.

Is it Winter or Spring or Inbetween?

Yesterday we hiked and it was about 48 degrees and blue sky. Today, we are in a snow storm, warm, but huge wet flakes falling down.

These photos show moss greening up on the slopes we hike. The warmer weather is releasing water from the high mountains, too. This stream bed is dry most of the year.