The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 22

8B Sunday, May 24, 1992 OUTDOORS The Billings Gazette t. THE DEFINITIVE MONTANA FLY-FISHING UPDATE hot 1 yi sh mw aw 1 iiSim Xfl irfiviA 5 CXIUM- MCW COMB WU NCWOOYlMOtl MISSOULA, MONTANA, 59807 PHONE (800) 654-1136 OR (406) 523-5240 FAX (406)523-5221 Fish Fax starts second year OUTDOOR EDITOR Daily MatinMS Nightly TOM CRUISE E4R AD AWW IS A SENSATIONAL piece of Entertainment!" Mark I Henckel Gazette i staff radio I "Tar and Away' has astounding COMEDY, ACTION AND KCAL-TV NICOLE KIDMAN explained. "And we're planning to cover more this year than we did last year." Hurd will continue to oversee the operation for both Fly Line and Fish Fax. Herman will do the writing. Kathy Harestad will do the map work.

Roberta Leno is handling the subscriptions, faxing and mailing. "We just started sending out mailers last week and have 50 subscribers already," Leno said. 'This year, we even have a subscriber in Kenya in east Africa." The subscription price to Fish Fax is $19.95 for its June 3 to Sept 16 seasoa The subscription includes a 64-page Fly Line this year. To purchase the Fly Line alone, the cost is $4 which includes shipping and handling. Leno said you could subscribe or order the booklet by calling 1-800-654-1136 or 523-5240 or write to P.O.

Box 8029, Missoula, Mont 59807. With the first Fish Fax due out on June 3, Herman said he has already been contacting many of his sources around the state. What he's heard so far has him concerned over the summer in store for fishermen in Montana. "We've been tracking stream flows already and it's frightening," he said. "The Smith is basically done.

Other streams have peaked and begun to fall already. The salmon fly hatch is already done on Rock Creek. "I see it as being really grim this year," Herman said. "I'm concerned that we might lose the fish in some of the smaller streams, just because of the drought" As to the fate of the larger rivers, youll have to keep your eye on the fax machine and wait for the weekly updates. Planning a trout fishing trip this summer is going to be a little like rolling dice.

Until you get to the stream, you're not even going to know whether there's a stream there or not Drought years like this one is shaping up to be are like that Some rivers will be dreadfully low all on their own. Others will be dewatered by irrigation demands. Insect hatches will be badly disrupted. Trout habits will be altered by high water temperatures. All those tilings have Jeff Herman more than a little concerned.

And they're going to both put some heavy demands on his "Fish Fax" news service and make it a more valuable tool for anyone who fishes the big rivers in Montana. Fish Fax got its start last year as a weekly update on a dozen of the major trout rivers in the state. "It was Phil Blake's idea he's the publisher of the Missoulian (the daily newspaper in Missoula)," Herman explained. "That's where the seed germinated and then Brad Hurd, the editor, and I got together and decided we'd give it a shot." The end result was a 40-page booklet called "Fly Line" that gave a rundown on the major waters of the state along with the weekly "Fish Fax," a one-page update sent by fax or first-class mail each week to the news service's subscriber list "We had 142 clients who paid to subscribe to it last year. Most of the subscribers were from out-of-state," he said.

"What I tried to do was emphasize the insect hatches and the flow. Then I'd write a narrative about a lesser-known river in the state. "I set up a network of guides and outfitters that provided me with the updates. I tried to get people who spent a lot of time on the rivers. And I tried to pick up a primary source and a backup source for each river.

"Then we'd fax out the single sheet each Wednesday. For people who didnt have fax machines, we'd mail them out first class so they'd hopefully get them by Friday so they could plan a weekend trip." Last year, Fish Fax provided information on the Bighorn, Yellowstone, Madison, Missouri, Gallatin, Jefferson, Big Hole, Beaverhead, Smith, Clark Fork and Bitterroot rivers and Rock Creek in western Montana. This year, Fish Fax is adding the Kootenai River in Montana, the waters of Yellowstone National Park and the Henry's Fork, Kelly Creek and St Joe River in Idaho with some updates on fishing available on the Flathead and Blackfeet Indian reservations. "It's a four-person operation," Herman 4t A' FARandAWAY mm Daily MatinMf NighHy 7K)0-10K0 Dailv MatiiwM Niahtlw A-Afl-O-Ofl No Posies or Discounts-No Tuesday Boryiin sir tin I I 1 Bargain Matinees Sat. Sun.

$3 tfor p.m. 'K GIBSONjGLOVER The magic is back again. WATNTf WOCU ro-is Hii MmM FAR AWAY pais or hi loo-4-QOt M'i oo-'oQ P-y LETHAL Lift ticket sales may decide ski fees DENVER (AP) Lift-ticket sales, and not arbitrary factors, would determine the fees ski areas pay for use of federal lands under a bill proposed by Sens. Tim Wirth, and Hank Brown, R-Colo. The measure calls for ski resorts to pay a flat fee based on gross revenues ranging from 1.5 percent for small areas to 4 percent for large areas.

In 1990, Colorado ski areas paid $6.5 million in federal fees. In 1989, ski areas nationwide paid an average of 2.8 percent of gross revenues to the Forest Service. Wirth said the new system would cut costs without cutting revenue to the government The current system, involving 40 pages of regulations, has been interpreted differently by the Forest Service and ski areas. 4nmm Jmnmnmwf wwti mat CANT JUMP TW BAM re rUNCUUT A (CHARD DOWJERFita UT1IAlWIAONS WARNER BROS, ewe MEL GIBSON DANNY GLOVER JOE PESO 1ETHAL WEAPON 3T RENE RUSSO SUM WILSON itenMCHAaKAMEN. ERC CLAPTON wDAVESANBORN MtM.

Co1otSMJENNIELEWTIJGEND SabJrJFREYBCAMrtJEFrTBCAMira Sbyi JEFFREY BOAM ftodxrtimSILVEfliRCHAPDDONfR DnctedHf RICHARD DONNER 9 Laurel HTovie Ijaus "STRAIGHT TALK" PG Frl. 22nd Sal. 23rd: 7X pm 9:15 pm Sun 24th -Thur. 2tth: 7-00 pm Dally Mottrw 1 Nightly Daily MotinM Nightly No Posses or Dist ounts-No Tuesdnv brym 13 Lmjrti For Mo. Call: 6284393 C.N.

ChevaHer photo A kayaker enjoys some prime water on the Gallatin River. Kayakers, rafters eye tough summer THUKDEBKEABT iha. 1 utm im haikai. fmn Sunday, May 24 BLciriw IPI po fat In. I Jfr7flO-Ot ha.4ka.

rM Schedule Subject To Change Without Notice CITY OF JOY po-it tUEPWALXERS 1. 1 111 ar4S-70Oi 7-00 KULR-8 3SSS3SS8Smi MADAME BOVARY a la Mia. IM Tw-IW. 600 Surxtey Today 7 30 MM Proa 00 ForVtaRacord SISTER ACT po ha.lia 00 30 )lnmn IOOO Scnda Laganda 10 30 FaM)MMI 1100 OtympcSXnacaaa Tfcl Screcring Pccm THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VtBMIIMII 1.30 NOA Playtrfta. Waatam Conttnjnca) "A HILARIOUSLY DIVINE COMEDY OF HEAVENLY Fatal I i ftavmifvi FDOna Wondartut Mfoftd of Oayiaw 1 tn 400 4 30 $00 00 30 700 00 1000 10 30 11 00 AoaMMOoda Mom "Uffd on A 9hnf PROPORTIONS! Whoopi Goldbers's funniest role yet." To get updates on river depths, you can call 657-6988.

How is this going to affect the rafters, canoeist, and kayakers who want to get out there and enjoy the waves and the water? It will mean that as water levels on the streams get lower, the physical aspects of the stream beds will change. You will encounter a lot more obstacles including rocks and debris. Youll have to be more careful and be sure you can maneuver and control your boat and avoid these objects. Because they're great de-vourers of paddles, boats and other crunchables, youll have to be sure to carry extra equipment including spare paddles, ropes and repair kits for your particular craft More than ever, youU have to remember never to journey down a stream alone. The recommended minim urns are three kayakers, two for rafts and canoes.

As the season goes on into the summer, some courses will become impassable or at least floating will become difficult Try to go on the waterways that have ample fluid to make the trip enjoyable for your group. Finally, youU have to remember to think safety, as water has no conscience when it comes to ho is hurt or killed. By GARY WOOOARD For The Gazette Where's the water? It looks as though Montana and Wyoming are going to suffer through another drought summer and that isnt good news for those who like to run rivers. With streams and rivers running at below normal flow levels, we will be looking at a smaller and smaller number waters where we can enjoy our favorite summer pastime. Montana State Hydrologist Charlotte Camp of the National Weather Service out of Great Falls stated that the river basins are running well below average.

The Missouri which peaked about four weeks ago is flowing at 55 percent of normal with the Musselshell at a low 45 percent Western Montana rivers that reached their high a week ago are only running at 60 percent The Yellowstone drainage, which is reaching its crest now, is only going to hit about 70 percent To show bow tough it is, all you have to do is compare water depth from 1991 to 1992 at some key check stations: Smith River at Fort Logan feet to 13; Clarks Fork at Belfry 11 to 5.0; Stillwater at Absaro-kee 18 to 3.4; Boulder at Big Umber 11 to 41; and Yellowstone ata Billings 10.8 to kulp. Lata Sunday Mowx "Back 12 M8C Miua.11 i til DitH AK lADtO NETWOWC lMJM'1iJ ha Jba 7 ItaKll lWlat KTVQ-2 BASIC INSTINCT hi tm faiJhj tmm IMtH laW "ON A SCALE OF 1 T0 10, 'SISTER ACT IS AN OUTRAGEOUSLY FUNNY 11!" Sim Granger, WKC AMOKAH OV CLASSICS ALL SHOWS f1Ta.aM 7 CBS awd Manna 3 InhWa rm fnMSaa MB iMuaa 17 Raonjtaaaaj 1fl 6a 1 PG Gat Ta Cava 0m Im San CHCvaa)Kaa a aiM im Utauai- tmm ttB I II 1 mfwmmf 11 Llni lagiaairi HI US Mill itiam SI. 50 ALL SEATS $1.50 ANY TIME PRINCE OF TIDES a amam I I a tt 1, LADY BUCS po in i a tm fc ha 4a rmn Dangers await boaters at East Bridge KOUS-4 rfafcdlaaaaPaTBaaJpaP a. Mm fl1 ill STOP! IT SSI VU SBOCT eia iia mm tmmm ATMZX Of TKI ESTDf tat lai tmm. lV-74VMis WaJM tmM HOOK 3 IW 7 00 fyaii'a) farca 719 i 1 wait.

i Waoatfi 11 if OS mtmj aa-apaH jog 1 3S LGGo SMbM a 90 Car Ca smmm AflC aMra) ttjaaa taMaf 9 emxmtmmjt Uk Coaa Cm fa II Jau 730 mm Haa 08C -Qmiii SojTfa 114 OwMaTEM Mm taaaiTfaa pilings of the work bridge and when you get a big log in there, it's a death trap," Darling said. "A boater who isn't paying attention and gets swept into the debris could be caught there and swept under and trapped. Tm sure the nver is going to peak in the next coupie of weeks. Even though the construction folks are cleaning them out any night a new tree being carried downstream could lodge in there and could kill DarLng The Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks has issued a warning to boaters on the Yellowstone River at Billings to be careful at the work bridge over the river at the East Bridge. With the river running higher with runoff, the work bridge could be dangerous because of logs caught between its pilings, according to Jim Darling, regional fisheries manazer with the Department of Fish, Wildlife arid Parks.

They have debris lodging on the Ho Sex. No Booze. No Men. No Woy. Lues nur toas ajicu PG yr Mtfrtj mt covsm mKT TONIGHT ONLY 7:00.