Glacier Outdoor Center Blog

It’s been a fun and busy summer for us at Glacier Raft Company/Glacier Outdoor Center.  And there’s still plenty of summer fun to be had up here.  As the tourist crowds start to dwindle, it’s prime time to come join us for whitewater and fishing adventures before sending those kids back to school.

And, it’s a great time to start thinking about late summer and fall fly fishing.  This area sees some pretty impressive trout action in the late season.  We’ll continue to fish the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead into October with success.

In September, we see the biggest transformation of the seasons as summer turns into fall.  The nights get a little colder while the days stay warm and enjoyable.  (For the most part.)  The leaves start getting crazy with colors and at higher elevations snow begins to offer a hint at what we’re in for in the coming months.  Many locals say September in Montana is the best month of the year.

Also, right about now we start having people book our cabins for winter getaways.  We stay busy in the winter with our 15k Nordic ski track, and with our guided snowshoe trips inside Glacier National Park.  We have a full-service gear shop and ski/snowshoe rental shop that is open for winter enthusiasts.  If you are a summertime guest, we’d love to have you back in the wintertime too.  You’ll see that it’s an equally spectacular place with snow on the ground, but a very different experience.  You’ll see a lot of wildlife and stunning views, and the peace and quiet is therapeutic.

Keep in mind, we do have shoulder season and low season rates, as well as many special deals for winter guests.

So, enjoy this home stretch of summer–and we’ll see you back here in glorious September, and in the peaceful wintertime.

Check out the blog post over on Flyfish Magazine about shooting an episode of Trout TV on the the North Fork with us recently.

Funny stuff!

http://flyfishmagazine.blogspot.com/2010/07/confession-bad-day-of-fishingit-happens.html

It’s time once again for Glacier Outdoor Center’s annual Cutthroat Sale. Starting today, July 28th, and going through the beginning of August, we’ll be cutting prices on items throughout the store. You’ll be able to find all kinds of summer essentials at ridiculously low prices. Check out just a sampling of our sale items below and stop by the Glacier Outdoor Center at 12400 HWY 2 E to check them out for yourself! See you soon!

Darn Tough Merino wool Micro Crew Socks

Regular $17.00 Cutthroat Sale Buy 2 pairs get 1 FREE

30% off Drysuits

NRS Inversion Kayak Drysuit

Regular $694.95 Cutthroat Price $486.47

20% off all dry bags and boxes

Witz Sportcase 8 inch by 5 inch

Regular $17.95 Cutthroat Price $14.36

20% off all kayak and canoe paddles

Werner Player Paddle

Regular $305.00 Cutthroat price $244.00

20% off all PFDs

Stohlquist Women’s Kitty PFD

Regular $109 Cutthroat Price $87.20

The river levels are finally starting to drop and the water is clearing.  Its time to go fishing!  Our guides lately have been doing quite well with small bead heads, yellow sally’s, drake patterns and of course big golden stones.  Upper sections of the Middle Fork of the Flathead are doing the best.  Check out these pics:

I’m sure you caught our Holiday Gift Guide over Christmas as it probably saved the day on your last-minute stocking stuffers. Well, we are back with a great shopping list for Spring at the Glacier Outdoor Center. We’re all getting the itch to get outside, dusting off our waders, pumping up the old bike tires and preparing to expose those legs to the sun. But you’re probably going to need a few things to augment your camping expedition or afternoon of fishing. Don’t sweat it–jump in your rig and head up to the Glacier Outdoor Center. We’ve got you covered.

Montana Fly Co River Camo Accessories

1. Montana Fly Company River Camo Accessories–Montana Fly has introduced a new line of fishing accessories, which includes tackle boxes, nippers, reels, phone covers, and scissors to  get you started right this season. At least you’ll look good.

MT Fly Box with Chous Fortun Cookie Fly, Berrys Dirty Bunny, and the True Fly Skwalla

2. Montana Fly … again. Here is a  River Camo Tackle box with Chouse Fortune Cookie Streamer, Berrus Dirty Bunny and the True Fly Skwalla-is a surefire way to nab the big one.

Stohlquist Descent Rescue Pack

3. The Stohlquist Descent Rescue Pack is a must-have for anyone looking for an active paddling PFD. With all the bells and whistles, this innovative vest has been extensively tested and has all features necessary for a River Rescue Pack. A necessity for the ultimate river adventurer.

Chaco Z1 Pro

4. Chaco Z1 Pro Sandal- Without the binding toe piece this open-toe sandal is perfect for water socks or neoprene booties. Also, with this new Vibram Marine Outsole this sandal has a slip-resistant nonmarking outsole created to reduce slipping on the rocks.

Smith Maverick

5. Smith Maverick Polarized Sunglasses- A must to protect your retinas from the water’s glare.

Kleen Kanteen

6. Kleen Kanteen-No Taste Retention- Do you want to drink your coffee in the morning, but don’t feel like tasting the grounds on your hike the next day? I know — Gross! So buy Kleen Kanteen no retention water bottle and…voila! Problem solved.

Dermatone Sunscreen

7. Dermotone Sunscreen-Do we really need to remind you the importance of sunscreen? No, but you always need some and we’ve got it here at GOC.

Simms Bug Blocker

8. Simms Bug Blocker Shirt- Prevent unsightly sunburn and massive mosquito welts by wrapping yourself in this innovative shirt. The folks at Simms have thought of everything. You don’t even need to remember to apply deodorant because with the anti-odor management built into the shirt to avoid musky-ness. Hmm…this shirt might be a standard issued uniform for raft guides…

NRS Rogue Gloves

9. NRS Waterproof Rouge gloves-  This glove is designed for the early-season paddler looking for warmth and a grippy pattern on the palm to give a sturdy hold in any watersport. This flexible glove is a must for spring in Montana — no numb fingers here.

Simms Freestone Boot

10. The Simms Freestone Boot-Streamtread offers an affordable price and all the comfort and dependability you need in a boot. Don’t slip around on the rocks or get caught with cold feet.

Lately our guides have been testing the spring waters in search of large cutthroat.  Fishing has been good!  It is day to day guessing when the river will get muddy, but right now is a great time to be fishing.  If you have the time, book a trip!   Check out these pics

Courtesy: Columbia Country

Turn on the tube! I know we rarely suggest people do that, but it is a FISHING show. Last summer Glacier Anglers shot a segment with Columbia Country TV, and it’s set to air this coming Sunday March 28th on KAJ/KPAX-TV. (That’s locally here in Western MT–but check your local listings since it’s a syndicated show that’s broadcast on about 35 stations across the West.)  Sunday’s episode is about fly fishing on the Middle Fork of the Flathead, and is hosted by former Glacier Anglers guide Rich Birdsell, who now owns Northern Rockies Outfitters. Rich and Darwon Stoneman, one the owners of Glacier Anglers,  fished from Bear Creek to West Glacier using primarily dry fly patterns to dial up our beautiful Westslope Cutthroat Trout.

The video production team and Darwon had a great day on the river with crystal clear water and sunny skies.  Exceptional cutties were caught all day!  You’ll have to tune in to get tips from the pros and to find out what fly patterns Darwon and Rich used.  The Columbia Country episode featuring Glacier Anglers will be on  KAJ-Kalispell and KPAX-Missoula at 5:00 pm on Sunday, March28th.  (And actually, if you’re a night owl, it also airs before that at 1:00am Sunday morning.)

To book your own Middle Fork fly fishing adventure, click on the BOOK NOW button on the Glacier Angler’s page of our website.

Courtesy: Columbia Country

Thanks so much to Bob Asbury and Rich Birdsell for a wonderful experience with Columbia Country Television.

COLUMBIA COUNTRY is a syndicated show airing weekly on about 35 broadcast stations throughout the West. The show is produced and distributed by Bob Asbury, SUN WEST PRODUCTIONS, Liberty Lake, Washington.  http://www.welikefishing.com

Courtesy: Columbia Country

Some say Glacier Raft Co/Glacier Anglers co-owner Darwon Stoneman is way too dang lucky.  Whether it’s hunting season or fishing season, he always bags the big one.  The thing is, he’s lucky so often that there’s a chance that there could be a bit of skill involved as well.

March came in like a fluffy, warm little lamb on Monday, so Darwon and guide Marc Evans hit the river with a few good friends.  Former guide Bryan Anderson rowed Darwon into a honey hole that delivered big time.  Yep, that’s another monster.  Check out the great pictures taken by Marc.

Bryan wrote about the day in this blog post featured in Flyfish Magazine.

Here’s an excerpt from the Flyfish Magazine blog post:

The morning started out with heavy valley fog that burned away by noon to reveal bright skies and the snow-capped Rockies. Throughout the day, layers came off as the sun became hot on our backs. In equal intervals the layers went back on and a good winter coat came in handy as the sun eventually left and kept us wishing for July and a pair of flip flops.

The cutthroats here in the Flathead River are developing spawning colors and getting ready to make their annual trip to the tributary streams that surround Glacier National Park. The idea is to intercept those fish before the pilgrimage begins. When the timing is right, you’ll see sizable average fish in decent numbers.

Although we did see two fish rise to something on the surface, a dry fly never hit the water. In the end, MFC’s streamers and nymphs worked well and brought nice fish to the boat. We pulled the Flathead Trifecta–cutthroat, rainbow and bull trout. With the run in its infancy, there are most certainly better days to come.

You can read the rest of the post and see more of Marc’s pics by clicking here.

We’re lucky to live where we live, but we’re excited to share it…so start planning your fishing adventures with us!  Also, we’ve got great deals on fishing gear including rods, reels, flies, fly boxes and more in the fly shop at Glacier Outdoor Center.  And we’ll see if we can talk Darwon into letting some of his luck rub off on you!

Dylan Freed having a poor day of skiing in the Wasatch.  Photo by Jay Beyer.