Greetings E-12ers:
Well, if you are anywhere here near the Bay Area you know that, quixotely, rain, rain, rain (and a lot of it) has been, is and will continue to be in our forecast. More steady and more consistent is the weather pattern in Western Montana (which will directly impact our fishing conditions come the commencement of Extravaganza 2012 exactly three months from today!!) where snowpack in the Bitterroot River Basis remains at 104 percent of 20 year norm and its equally critical snow water equivalent is at 95% of historical average, and this is wonderfully good news for each and every one of us.
As I mentioned in a prior email to “y’all”, it is the winter snowpack in the upper climes that is the preparatory base for the spring runoffs that begins in late April and during the month of May, and it is the remaining residual of that melt off that provides the water flow consistency and water temperature that drives our fishing fortunes. A late runoff with high water flow (like we saw in legendary proportions during E-12) will yield murky waters with colder temperatures that (a) greatly reduces visibility for the feeding fish and (b) delays the seasonal hatch of bug life, whose triggering event is the stability of the water climate in which they live and thrive. High waters and cold temperatures translate into a delayed “hatch” (the metamorphosis process through which winter river bottom dwelling crawling insects morph themselves into flying insects [the same process by which a caterpillar morphs into a butterfly—more on that later] and reduced fishing prospects, so what we are looking for is that illusive “normal year” which, by all current counts, might just be headed our way for E-12. Goodness knows that we are certainly overdue in that regard!
Looking ahead weather-wise in Montana, the seasonal pattern of overhead grey cloud cover combined with freezing rain at the lower climes and snow at the upper levels is the forecast for the balance of this March. Typically, March weather in western Montana “comes in like a lion and stays like one” and that is what appears to be ahead for Montanans in the upcoming weeks. By the end of the process, locals are known to cry out “is it June yet?!?”, with full time occupants knowledgeable that Montana is often seasonally referred to as “nine months of winter and three months of guests?. Well, we are right on the opening cusp of “guest season” and, for the moment at least, we are right on track for a bang up year. That being said, the only accurate weather forecast in Montana is for that which occurred twenty minutes prior, so hang onto your fishing rods and daily face east to Montana (that would be northwest, however, to Group Three’s Martin “Madman” & Cynthia O’Malley from their Houston home!) in silent prayer that all continues along its current path of “normalcy” (thank you, Calvin Coolidge, for that nonsequitur!).
Meanwhile, back at E-12’s Bay Area headquarters, all is progressing nicely for the advent of E-12 now in just 90 short days. We have a lot in store for you this coming year, so much so that earlier in the week I received a plaintiff call from our land purveyor the Rock Creek Mercantile asking if I could please have someone come by and relieve them of some (if not all) of the 85 [count ’em] boxes of materials and supplies that were literally “in store” and preoccupying all of their store—something that Eric The Landscaper was kind enough to accomplish for us (and them).
Hmmm….I wonder just what was in those boxes such as to occupy ALL of the Merc……hmmm, indeed!!
Best to all in full preparation for it all,
Rock Creek Ron
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