This winter treat that special someone to our Winter getaway package. Chef served dinner, luxury room, full breakfast all for just $275.00 per couple. That’s $100.00 off our regular price! The snow has fallen so bring out the cross-country skis and enjoy the 5,200 extremely private acres. Relax in the hot tub after a gourmet dinner. Add in a couples pottery lesson at our on site artist- Licia’s Shady Grove Pottery studio. Chef Mike is also offering cooking lessons focusing on wild game.
Wow, the typical spring weather is here. 60 and sunny one day snowstorm the next. Got out to do a little fishing Tuesday. It was a perfect day with no wind and temps in the 60’s. We even had a few fish cooperate. The afternoon hatch was heavy with skwalla, and another smaller stonefly, and baetis, unfortunately we saw nothing being taken on the surface.
Well, it’s the first day of spring and we finally got a decent snowfall at the ranch. About 50 elk came across the driveway last night. The snow should be gone by tomorrow with the 50’s and 60’s forecasted. The snowpack in the mountains has somehow reached its yearly average so we should have a normal run off with good flows through the summer months.
We ordered a new 14 foot Aire raft with a fishing frame. It should be here in a few weeks. We’re excited about the new waters that can be reached with this new tool. It will be nice to float some of the smaller waters unreachable with the drift boat.
February brown on the Lower Madison
So, people are starting to call in for their fly fishing vacations to Grey Cliffs Ranch this year and we get a lot of the “so what’s the best time for fly fishing” questions. Well, of course it depends year to year, but there are generalizations that seem to always happen each year. The first thing we are looking for in the year is for the air/water temps to start rising. Anytime the air temp goes over 40 degrees in the winter and the ice chunks stop floating down the river there is a good chance of enticing a trout. Fishing really starts to pick up when there are multiple consistent days of 40+ weather and above freezing nights. April is when this usually starts to happen. Then we are fishing until the rivers blow out with run off.
Run off is the second most asked question. When is run-off going to happen? Well, again “generally” it starts mid May and goes until mid June. However, this is most dependent on mountain snowfall and spring weather. As last year proved with a huge mountain snow pack, and a very cold, wet spring, run-off can come pretty late. It was mid-July before the Yellowstone came down last year. This year we have had an incredibly mild winter so far, so who knows unless the winter gets really bad from here on we may not have much of a run off at all this year. The Madison River by the ranch is a dam controlled river so there isn’t a big unfishable run-off like the Yellowstone and Gallatin Rivers experience. It just gets pretty muddy for a couple of weeks.
The salmon fly hatch occurs during or just after run off. It’s a hard hatch to chase but if the timing works out it can be the best dry fly fishing of your life. From when the rivers start to clear from run off (late June typically) through the summer is consistantly thought of as the best fly fishing. Early season caddis and batis hatches are heavy, then stoneflies and into hopper fishing late summer. Weather is usually consistant with 70s-80s highs and typically dry except for the occasional late afternoon thunderstorm. This goes until about mid September and into early October. Then November we’re back to looking for those over 40 degree days.
The other factor for the summer is if we do have a small run off that makes for shallower/warmer water for the mid to late summer which can make the fishing really tough on the angler and the trout.
All things to consider for planning that fly fishing trip to South West Montana. Keep checking in and hopefully we’ll see you at Grey Cliffs Ranch.
February Fly Fishing
Hey Grey Cliffs Lodge just got a Belgian Waffle iron! We can’t wait to serve them up for breakfast with fresh fruit and whipped cream!
The Travel Almanac second edition featured Grey Cliffs Ranch as one of their 12 luxury hotels. With a bit of a poetic write-up and a few pictures of our outfitter’s horses in the back pasture, we are in the company of interviews with Will Oldham, Juliette Lewis and Helmut Lang. We are just honored beyond belief that we’ve been included in this book. Paul Kominek, a writer for The Travel Almanac, came to visit us this past Spring. On page 100, he wrote:
“Though the webpage of the Grey Cliffs Ranch would seem to auger professional hunters and other rifle aficionados, nothing could be further from the truth.
This intimate get-away lives up to any pacifist’s dream, even if the public areas of the main building are carpeted in animal pelts. Still, the calm atmosphere of the hotel is somewhat like a stay at a Buddhist temple. The nothing-less-than-spectacular landscape fends off any twinge of stress with a meditative spell (one which also, apparently, has a strong grip on the manager of the hotel, Chris Pfadt). With Zen-like equipoise he prepares breakfast, leads tours around the spacious property, and introduces you to the wild horses, deer and pheasants: though these are true delectations in their own right, his patience and balance alone are worth the trip.
The main building of the Grey Cliffs Ranch consists of just five guest suites, each with a view of the stunning landscape. Equipped with kitchens for guests’ use, these suites only add to the intimate feel of the ranch. After a peaceful day on the grounds you may just find yourself dancing on the animals’ skins in the moonlit foyer.”
Hey everyone, the Grey Cliffs Ranch has a new addition, Hunter the bird dog has arrived. Hunter is an 8 week old German Shorthair Pointer. She is loving it so far and will start training very soon. Hopefully she’ll be pointing her first birds this fall. My other GSP Katie isn’t very fond of her yet, but I’m sure she’ll appreciate the relief in the field. She has already learned her name and has pointed a couple times in the yard.
On the other hand, spring run off in Montana is in full force. The rivers are all maxed out and are starting to come back down. In the next couple weeks things should start calming down on the rivers and the fishing should be good.
I am a bird dog
Summer is here with predicted highs in the 90’s today then 70’s & 80’s the rest of the week. Run off should start peaking so watch out for those rising streams. We will hopefully be seeing the rivers slowing down some so we can get back to fly fishing the Yellowstone.
Spanish Peaks Mountains6,000 acres
Trail ride
Grey Cliffs Ranch 