Going to France as a family for the first time was a great adventure. Leading to our departure we were all very excited about the trip. Kris and I had gone to France 20 years ago and spent an entire winter there. The flights on the way there and back were uneventful but long. Kris and Remy experienced their first security frisk in Amsterdam. I was glad to have a reservation for a Citroen C5 {great French car} so we had more freedom to go to the Loire and central France when needed. We stayed in beautiful place near Disneyland Paris but left Mickey waiting. AH! La Capitale. Even though the trees were bare and only budding, we found flowers and beautiful grounds everywhere we went. Chloe and Remy experienced their first train/metro {RER} ride to Paris. We used it every time we had to go to and from our hotel. With 45 minutes ride we had plenty of time to organize ourselves and plan our day. We did a ton of sight-seeing and walking. Our favorite palces were the Orsay museum, Ste Chapelle cathedral, Eiffel tower, even though we opted not to go up because of the lines and too windy of a day {60 to 80 miles an hour}, the Marais district, the left bank etc... . We also took public transportation at all hours and found ourselves in rush hour commute stacked like sardines in the metro. Also the #69 bus near Eiffel tower was a great way to see Paris all the way to the Pere Lachaise cemetery {closed also to high wind}. We ate as much street food and pastries as we liked. On to Versailles and Chartres. La France and all of its glory. Extravagance is an understatement when it comes to describing the rooms at Versailles. Silver and gold, tapestries and sculptures. We also enjoy the drive and the town of Chartres and the famous cathedral. The same day we pushed on to Blois and the next day visited some of the Loire alley and its gorgeous castles Amboise, Blois and Chambord, but Chenonceaux won our hearts with an easy self guided tour and beautiful gardens. Kris has always been a history reader and loved the fact that she found herself in one of Catherine de Medici's parlor and bedroom. We went back for a few more days to Paris and walked many of the Parisien arondissements. For the last part of our trip we drove to Vichy , the town were I was born and where my two sisters still live. Vichy is a well maintained middle size town with the Allier River passing through. The spas are open year round but tourist season is usually from May until October. Chloe and Remy spent a good amount of time with their cousins and got along so well with them. My family had a big dinner for my birthday {charcuterie, farm chicken braised in cream and a lot of cheeses to finish it up}. Overall, it was a wonderful trip for all of us {thanks to many of you } with a lot of great memories for the rest of our lives. Bruno

Winter returned with a vengeance this past week, covering the state with 4-24 inches of new snow depending on altitude and location. But this is April in Montana, and there is fishing to be done. We had a wonderful day slugging it out in this snowstorm. Temp-hovering at about 28 degrees. Wind-somewhere between 10 to 15 mph. Fingers-Frozen. Fish catching-Oh yea! Despite the weather the fishing can be quite fantastic under these conditions. Now Alice, Josh and I are attending the Orvis Rendezvous in Bozeman and experiencing another fresh batch of snow. Rowan

Hitting the rivers of southwest Montana pretty hard this past week. We actually did have very warm weather and it was great to be wading the rivers again, with the sun bearing down, birds singing, and a few trout dancing. This beautiful rainbow ate a #10 skwala dry, inhaling with gusto, and jumping out of the water at least 5 times before he came to the net. With all this warm weather, several of Montana's rivers started early run-off, but there is still plenty of fishing, at least for the next couple of weeks. The weather is changing once again, and we are predicted for a big snowstorm this weekend. Look for great Baetis everywhere that there are good water conditions. I still cannot believe how much snow we still have on the level here in West. It is going to be a big water year!

I cannot believe it but we are forecasted for the 70's this weekend, well not West Yellowstone, but the rest of the state. In fact it is supposed to hit 81 on Monday on the Bighorn. I am sure this will be short lived, and we will get back to cooler temps, but rest assured we are all going to enjoy it. The summer season is really starting to shape up, look for some exciting stuff for '08. Skwala's, baetis, Midges, and others are out in force on local rivers, look out!

The snowpack continues to build. We received over 24 inches of snow in the mountains surrounding Yellowstone in the past week, and with temps barely making into the 30's lately, the snow has not yet begun to melt. However, the weather might not know it is spring, but the fish in the rivers sure do. Pretty much all the rivers in Montana that are open this time of year (which is most of them)are in the full spring fishing mode. Low and clear, rivers like the lower Madison, Ruby, and Yellowstone are kicking out some good  midge activity. It is fishing season, and it is time to get your lines wet. A few bears have also begun to emerge from their dens this past week, watch it if you are out doing some spring crust skiing. Another sure sign of spring, the return of Sandhill Cranes, Ospreys and Meadowlarks, all of which I saw this past week in a trip to Missoula. The symphony of bird songs is increasing everyday as our migratory birds begin their return. Give us a call about this upcoming summer, I am sure this is going to be one that you do not want to miss!!!!

Spring is here. I always consider the first of April to be the official spring fishing season "opener". With warmer weather settling in throughout the state many of the local rivers that were choked with ice just 2 weeks ago are running free and loaded with midges, and the beginnings of Baetis. More and more anglers are discovering the great spring fishing that can be had in the next 5 to 6 weeks. Look for midges to be the main table fare until we get a small blast of warmer weather. A couple of consecutive days in the 50's ought to do it. Nymphing will also be extremely good on all the local rivers. As the month eases in to the second and third weeks, look for strong Baetis, March Brown Mayflies, Skwala's, Neumora's, Capnia, and midges. Some excellent dry fly fishing can be had when the weather cooperates. A warmish but cloudy day with little to no wind can be just what the doctor ordered. As the month winds down, Baetis continue to pump along, a smattering of March Browns and the Mother's Day Caddis begins to show. This large #14 caddis is quite a treat to post spawn Rainbows looking to replenish lost energy. The beginning of May right before run-off and even a day or two into run-off, can bring on blizzard hatches of this legendary caddis. You can bet that George, Alice, Josh, Zach, and I will be on the water in force over the next 5 to 6 weeks. Looking forward to the summer as the Ranch is beginning to fill with old and new friends-tight lines, Rowan