Montana Outdoor Podcast: Recent Episodes
Downrigger Dale, Captain & Shotgun Willie
A weekly podcast covering the topics and people that make Montana’s Outdoors like no other place in the world.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale goes on the hunt to find some alternatives for anglers, especially you flyfishing anglers that have had to cancel your fishing plans due to high river water temperatures that have prompted Hoot Owl Restrictions and in many cases river fishing closures. As Rigger put it; “I started getting emails and texts from folks asking if I knew of any rivers without fishing restrictions, so I got a hold of our buddy Garrett Osler in West Yellowstone. Garrett is one of the most knowledgeable anglers in the Yellowstone area as well as across Southern Montana. We knew that Hebgen Lake down that way often has some excellent flyfishing for awesome trout and sure enough Garrett said that the fish in the lake are doing what they call “the Gulp” right now. He said there is all kinds of hatches happening, calabasas, caddis, mayflies, hoppers etc. So, there is lots of things going on in the lake and there are no fishing restrictions!” So that is great news for flyfishing anglers that want to head that way”. Now, here is where things get even better so make sure you watch or listen to this podcast because Garrett also gave a TON of great ideas that the whole family can take part in! Things like the Mountain Man Rendezvous going on in West Yellowstone which is fascinating. But it gets even better, there is also the West Yellowstone Wild Horse Stampede going on which is an awesome rodeo with PRCA Bull Riding and much more! The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center where you can see up close Grizzly Bears, Wolves, Otters and more. Whereas Garrett told us the Grizzly Bears do product testing. Watch them test the latest “bearproof” containers! So that ought to give you plenty to do right? Well Garrett tells us even MORE great stuff that is going on that you will love and there is a huge added benefit considering how hot it is out there, West Yellowstone is usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the rest of the state! That is why we are saying you really need to watch or listen to this podcast to learn about all the incredible stuff you can do! There is so much going on in a much cooler environment. BUT this podcast delivers even more “cool news”. When you watch or listen Downrigger shares a few secrets you do not want to miss! In fact, he actually SHOWS you how to get to a place on the FWP website most folks don’t know about, not that they don’t want you to know about it, it’s just hard to find but your boy Rigger has got you! He shows you an easy way to find it on both the desktop website and mobile website. So, what is it that we are talking about? Listing after listing after listing of mountain lakes all around the state where it is nice and cool and trout, salmon and more are just hanging out in that nice cool mountain water just waiting for you to throw a cast to them! These listings show you what kind of fish are there, stocking info and the latitude and longitude you can enter into your GPS to take you right to them. See, we told you, you just must watch or listen to this awesome podcast! So, what are you waiting for? Mash that play button right now!!
Links:
- Click hereto head to the website that Garrett talked about called Destination West Yellowstone. That site has all kinds of great info about what is going on, where you can stay and more!
- Click hereto get more info and make reservations at Garrett’s hotel the historic Madison Hotel. Very cool place!
- Get tickets to the Rodeo in West Yellowstone! Click here to learn more!
- Click hereto learn more about the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone.
- Click hereto find ATV rentals in West Yellowstone.
- To see a listing of current Montana river restrictions and closures click here.
- Click here to get info about Mountain Lakes in Montana. Keep in mind though you will have to do some scrolling once you get there. Watch the podcast and Rigger will show you how to get right to it.
- Click here to learn more about Hebgen Lake, such as size, fish species, stocking info, etc.
- Questions for Garrett Ostler? Click here to email him.
- Click Here if you have questions and/or suggestions for Downrigger Dale.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast our friend Ross Tate, The Whitefish Whisperer, is back and you know what that means don’t you? The Whitefish are biting again up on Flathead Lake in Western Montana. These amazing fish are known to be, pound for pound the hardest fighting fish in Montana. And with this heat wave they have showed up just in time for those of you that can’t fish many of Montana’s rivers due to high water temps. So, this would be the time to, first, watch or listen to this podcast and then head up to Flathead Lake and test what you learned from Ross. Ross is one of the best Whitefish anglers in Montana. He has been doin it for a long time and has some great tips even for you experienced Whitefish anglers. Another good reason to go fish for these fish is that they are also one of the best tasting fish that you will ever eat. As your host Rigger put it; “Your odds of catching a bunch of really nice Whitefish are fantastic if you watchthis podcast. That’s cause Ross shows you right there on the podcast what are the best lures to you use, how to use the best jig technique and he even tells you where all the best spots are on Flathead to go find them. What more do you need?!”. Well, nothing probably but there is one more thing and it is an important one. If you watch or listen, you just might feel some wonder and wonder is always the best…because it always will lead you to something you did not know but wanted to learn and that our dear friends works for everyone whether they have or ever will fish. So, what are you waiting for?! Mash that play button!
Links:
- We talked about Zimmer Tackle and Kits Tackle so just click those names and you can learn more about them.
- As promised here are the top websites for Great Lakes whitefish recipes:
- Monahan's Seafood for simple baking.
- Maureen Abood for a classic mayo-parmesan crust.
- Freshwater Feasts for blackened pan-searing.
- Questions for Ross the Whitefish Whisperer? Click here to email him.
- Be sure and let your old buddy Downrigger Dale know what you thought of this week’s episode and let him know what your ideas are for new podcast topics. Just click here to email Rigger.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
Well, would you do this? Would you take a canoe to the headwaters of Missouri River there in Three Forks Montana, get in it and say I think I will paddle this thing to Saint Louis Missouri? Well, that is what this week’s guest on the Montana Outdoor Podcast is doing! So, here is what happened, the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio show is out on Fort Peck Reservoir (big shocker there right) and he comes across a guy in a canoe that has been paddling down the reservoir. His canoe is packed, and the Captain gets curious and strikes up a conversation with this guy whose name is Bryon. Bryon tells the Captain that he started in Three Forks and is on his way to St. Louis. That is like 2,450 miles! That’s gonna take a while! Heck, it took him over 6 days to paddle Fort Peck alone. So, the Captain calls your host Downrigger Dale and says “hey you got to call this guy, here is his cell number”. So, Rigger calls old Bryon and hits “record”. Gang, you have GOT to watch or listen to this podcast! It is fascinating and Bryon, well he is a real character! So why is he doing this? Is he raising money for something? Nope. Is trying to bring awareness to some cause? Nope. Is he trying to break some kind of record? Nope. You need to watch or listen right now cause only Bryon can explain this and make it make sense…sort of. What is Byon’s last name? He didn’t think it was any of Riggers business. We could go on and on here. But it’s just better if you watch or listen for yourself. As Rigger put it; “I don’t know why but I just love this guy! What a character!”. And here is the thing all the fishermen that have come across him from Three Forks to Fort Peck and we are sure where he is now, all say the same thing, AND they all give him water, fish and all kinds of other things and Bryon has yet to ever ask for any of that stuff! Ok, enough just go watch or listen to this podcast you will be glad you did!
Links:
- Sorry, we still don’t even know Bryon’s last name let alone a website link or email!
- If you have any questions or thoughts about this podcast or ideas for future podcasts click here to email your old buddy Downrigger Dale.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcastyour host Downrigger Dale talks with Wendy Weaver Executive Director of Freshwater Partners about a pilot project that her organization is conducting on the Yellowstone River. This was a fascinating discussion because it deals with a problem that has been growing on our rivers since covid. As Rigger put it “I never thought I would see the day that we would see folks not getting along on one of the most fun and beautiful places in Montana, our rivers, what the heck is going on!? And how did we get here?” When you watch or listen to this podcast you learn that Wendy’s group is finding some very interesting things that are likely causing this, for the lack of a better word, unrest. It centers around several things, a slow chipping away of river etiquette, lack of patience and the need to educate new river goers and remind our river vets that we may just need to get back to the basics. The good news is that organizations like Freshwater Partners, Give Back to the Yellowstone and many others are doing something about it. No not by thinking they know more than others or are better than anyone else or anything like that. They are just folks getting us talking about how we can share our rivers, how we can be good to each other and the resource we love to fish, float, play, hunt and just flat enjoy. But it is going to take volunteers, and all of us just getting back to respecting each other, whether it’s picking up after our dogs, listening to our favorite float tunes using our headphones and yes just giving a smile and a wave now and then. Well, that or we are gonna need to hire a bunch of really good MMA referees, ok that last part was not actually a possible solution just Rigger making a poor attempt at humor. No matter if you rarely go to the river or are out there dang near daily, you are going to want to watch or listen to this podcast for sure and maybe even start a program on your favorite stretch of river in Montana. Whatever you decide this podcast is a good place to start so we can all get back sharing our rivers with each other again!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Freshwater Partners.
- You can learn more about Give Back to The Yellowstone when you click here.
- Click here to donate and help Freshwater Partners keep up the great work they are doing!
- Would you like to learn about starting a program on your favorite stretch of river? Or do you have any questions for Wendy Weaver? Click here to contact her!
- Click here to contact your buddy Downrigger Dale, he would love to hear from you! Tell him what you thought of this podcast and or give him ideas for new topics.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with our good friend Tayler Michaels. Tayler is a Videographer for JMO Productions which is famous for their great TV show Jason Mitchell Outdoors which is all about freshwater fishing. Tayler is the guy behind the camera there, but he is also in front of the microphone on his JMO Podcast! In addition to all that Tayler is also an amazing hunting guide for Burke Ranch Outfitters. In other words, this guy does it all and knows his way around the hunting grounds AND the fishing holes. Tayler recently went out fishing with the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show on Fort Peck and, quote: “Had my best day of BIG WALLEYE fishing ever!”. When a guy like Tayler Michaels says that it is HUGE! When he came by the podcast, he had pictures and OH MY you all have got to WATCH THIS PODCAST! Keep in mind we are not far from Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament time, and we feel strongly that this incredible day of fishing that Tayler JUST HAD points to THE BIGGEST GOV CUP EVER! Have you registered to compete yet? You just gotta do that NOW. Once you are done then watch or listen to this podcast and see what you just might experience. And here is the super exciting part of all this. Tayler, though he would love to, does not get to fish Fort Peck much at all, as in rarely. On top of that he told the Captain that he did not want any advice about where to find the Walleye, he just wanted to go out find some structure and give it a shot as if it were the first day of the Gov Cup. So, if he can go out and nail the type of Walleye you will see when you watch this podcast, then the question is WHY CAN’T YOU!!?? This could be anyone’s Gov Cup this year!! So, what are you waiting for?! Watch this podcast now, see and hear about how Tayler got those wonderful huge Walleye and then CLICK HERE NOW AND GET REGISTERED for this year’s Montana Governors Cup!! The tournament is next week July 9th-11th. This is gonna be an AWESOME GOV CUP!!
Links:
- Click here to learn all about the Montana Governor’s Cup!
- Click here to register your team to compete in this year’s Montana Governor’s Cup!
- Click here to learn all about Fort Peck Reservoir.
- Click here to learn about Fort Peck.
- Questions for Tayler Michaels? Click here to send him an email.
- Questions or suggestions for Downrigger Dale? Click here to shoot him an email.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale is joined by one our favorite guests, the Executive Director of the Montana State Parks Foundation, Megan Buecking. Megan always brings a lot of excitement to the show as she always has great news to tell us about Montana’s State Parks. You may recall that the Montana State Parks Foundation is not actually a division of Montana State Parks. The State Parks Foundation is an amazing nonprofit that in essence helps bring the things to our State Parks that the State Parks would love to have but cannot afford to get them. This Foundation then steps in raises the money through donations from lots of awesome folks as well as through grants and things like that. As Rigger puts it: “The Montana FWP makes sure the State Parks’ campsites are there the water is running, etc. and the State Parks Foundation makes the State Parks are fascinating, ya know, the kind of places that make history come to life, make you proud to be a Montanan and make you want to come back again and also discover the next one down the road!”. And of course, this week on the podcast Megan does not disappoint as she goes over some of the incredible things waiting for you right now at several state parks and she even gave us a tease about Montana’s newest State Park and promised she will come back soon with some folks that have some very exciting news for us. Rigger also went through the latest State Park visitation numbers and man oh man wait until you hear those! Can you say, “new visitation record AGAIN?” Do not, repeat, DO NOT miss this podcast be sure and watch or listen right now on MontanaOutdoor.com or your favorite podcast spot to watch or listen. When you do you are going to be very proud of Megan and all the folks at Montana’s State Parks. Oh, and check out the links below and if you can or know someone who can donate to this wonderful organization. They are a huge part of why Montana’s State Parks are the best in all the United States and think about this, they do that all for 55 (and growing) parks and pull it off while still making them the most affordable in the country and do it on a tiny budget for a HUGE State. Yup, you are gonna love this Podcast and yes it WILL make you proud to be a Montanan or want to be one!
Links:
- Click hereto learn more about the Montana State Parks Foundation.
- The Montana State Parks Foundation is a great organization to donate to as they are amazing at what they can make happen with your donation. Click here to donate today!
- Click here to learn more about Montana State Parks. Click the links below to learn more about each of the parks we talked about this time on the podcast.
- First People Buffalo Jump State Park
- Pictograph Cave State Park
- Rosebud Battlefield State Park
- Makoshika State Park
- Lone Pine State Park
- Wild Horse Island State Park
- Travelers Rest State Park
- Bannack State Park
- Bannack Days
- Lewis and Clark Caverns | Yellow Bay State ParkJudith Landing State Park
- Click Hereto send Megan an email. She is happy to answer any of your questions.
- Your buddy Downrigger Dale would love to hear from. Click here to let him know what you thought of this podcast and what all you would like him to cover in an upcoming Podcast.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcastyour host Downrigger Dale talks with a panel of experts to go over the latest fish consumption warnings that were issued by the FWP, Montana DEQ and the Department of Health and Humane services. When that press releaseabout the fish consumption warnings came out back in late April Rigger called his buddy Greg Lemon at the FWP. Greg was able to get a date set when three experts from the Department of Health and Human Services, DEQ and the FWP could all get together and come on the podcast. Rigger and the Captain had received lots of emails from folks that were concerned about consuming the fish that they were catching. After all, the headline of the press release said, “DATA INDICATES FISH CAUGHT IN SOME MONTANA WATERBODIES MAY CONTAIN DETECTABLE LEVELS OF THE MAN-MADE POLLUTANTS KNOWN AS PFAS”. PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. What are those? The experts on podcast will explain it way better than we can, all we know is that they are not good for you if you eat a lot of them. As Rigger put it after he had heard that one of the fish mentioned was Walleye; “The headline alone was enough to scare the P-FAS out of me that is for sure! Especially since my health has not been the best lately and I love to eat Walleye!”. That is why he wanted to get the facts directly from the experts. And that is exactly what you will get when you watch or listen to this podcast, especially if you are one of the folks that had heard about it like Rigger and got pretty darn concerned. So here is what we recommend. First, watch or listen to the podcast as it gives some great information that we are sure will make you feel a lot better when you get the facts from the experts that Rigger has on this week’s podcast. If you want to get even more info there are some links below that will give you some great info as well, however you will probably understand that info better if you watch or listento the podcast first. Also, there are links to take you straight to the emails of the experts on the podcast as well, if you want to ask them questions directly. Bottomline; Montana basically has cleanest fish and water in the country! That said, there are recommendations that you should follow especially for women that are pregnant or for younger kids. So, watch or listento this podcast to get great info and help you find the details you need!
Links:
- Click here to read the press release that came a while back.
- One of the experts on the podcast is Trevor Selch who is a Fisheries Pollution Biologist with the FWP, and he gave us a copy of the Montana Sport Fish Consumption Guidelines which is full of great info. Click here to look that over.
- Click here to email Trevor with you questions.
- Another expert on the podcast is Andy Ulven. He is the Water Quality Planning Bureau Chief with the Montana DEQ. And here are the links to some publications that will also give you lots more info about what is being done about all this.
- Montana’s2020 PFAS Action Plan
- 2024 Action Plan Progress Report
- 2023 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Fish Tissue and Surface Water Report
- If you have questions for Andy, click here to email him.
- Dawn Nelson was another expert on the podcast who was also very helpful. She is a Toxicology & Environmental Public Health Supervisor with the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services. She said you are welcome to click here to email herwith any questions you have.
- Questions for Rigger? He would love to hear from you, just click here to email him!
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
Ever since Forward-Facing Sonar entered the fishing tournament scene there has been a decline in competitors in most of Montana’s fishing tournaments. That’s why the Gallatin Chapter of Montana Walleyes Unlimited decided to add something new to this year’s Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival. That is what your host of the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale is talking about with Tournament Director Eve Parrow. So, what did they add you ask? A choice! That’s right, they created two competition categories that they call the Tournament Class and the new Social Class. As Rigger put it; “This just might solve a problem that many anglers have had with fishing tournaments these days!”. The Tournament Class, which has an entry fee of $420, will be for those who love to use the new high tech Forward-Facing Sonar or just don’t mind competing against those who do, and the Social Class which has a much lower entry fee of just $200 will be exclusively for those who will not use Forward-Facing Sonar, basically for those who want to compete against those who compete with low tech or no tech. Of course, there are a specific details and rules that go with these new competitive categories and that is why you for sure should watch or listen to this week’s podcast. Tourney Director Eve Parrow does a great job of covering what you need to know. Eve also talks about all the ways that the whole family can have a blast at this year’s Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival! In fact, one tidbit we found super interesting is that in the Social Class up to 5 people can be in a competing boat. Course, only the two-person team can fish but the rest can have some fun cheering them on in the boat! And there is even more things that just might surprise you so, for sure watch or listen to this podcast. Then check out the links below and of course let Rigger know what you think!
Links:
- To enter the Tournament Class of the Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival right now click here.
- To download an Entry Form, click here.
- To enter the Social Class of the Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival, click here to email your entry.
- Click here to learn about the Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival from the Townsend Chamber of Commerce.
- Click here to learn more about the Gallatin Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited of Montana.
- Click heresend Eve Parrow a Facebook Message.
- To send Eve Parrow an email click here.
- Course, you can always click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale continues his look at the issue of Corner Crossing in Montana. This time he talks with the President and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), Ryan “Cal” Callaghan. BHA is basically on the opposite side of Corner Crossing compared to Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks or at least as it relates to the court case that the two organizations are involved in. However, as Rigger put it, “When you listen to last week’s podcastand now this week’s podcast in a lot of ways both FWP and BHA are on the same side.” Watch or listen to this weeks and last week’s podcast and tell us what you think. Just like last week’s podcast, this week’s podcast is very interesting and we for sure would love to hear what you think and better yet make sure you get your comments into the Private Land/Public Wildlife (PL/PW) Advisory Committee and the FWP. Ryan at GHA is a VERY smart guy and gave some excellent comments and perspective in this week’s podcast so be sure and watch or listen and then tell Rigger if you think he needs to do another Corner Crossing Podcast down the road. Our hope is that this issue gets worked out so Landowners and Hunters keep a good relationship going that can get even better!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Back Country Hunters & Anglers.
- To watch last week’s podcast, click here or here to just listen.
- If you have any questions or comments for Ryan Callaghan, click here to send him an email.
- Of course, Rigger always loves to hear from you so feel free to email him anytime by clicking here.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with the Director of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Christy Clark about the VERY controversial issue of Corner Crossing. Corner crossing — the act of moving from one parcel of public land diagonally to another parcel, ostensibly without setting foot in bordering private land — has long been a contentious issue in western states where public and private land is often checkerboarded. As Director Clark put it during the podcast; “I think really what we need to remember here, the reason, it is so divisive is because it really reflects two very cornerstone Montana values, right? Private property rights, profoundly important to Montanans. Public access, the cornerstone of Montana. It's our heritage, right? We're known for having fabulous public access. So, when those two issues butt up against each other, it's going to be a challenge. But I think in that challenge and in that middle ground, there's a lot, we can do to mine that. I think we can look at this as an opportunity to talk about what works, maybe what we haven't thought of.” So that in a nutshell is why if you love to hunt, fish and or just get out and discover Montana’s outdoors, this maybe one of the most important things you watchand or listen to in recent history. Another thing that Rigger and Director Clark talked about was the fact that there is a very important opportunity for all of us to state where we stand on this issue. That opportunity will happen during the Private Land/Public Wildlife Committee (PLPW) meeting June 1st from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the 2nd from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. in Glasgow at the FWP Region 6 office. You will also be able to attend the PLPW meeting virtually through Zoom. That is where you will be able to give your input on where you stand and, most importantly, offer your solutions on how we can settle this controversy! Gang, this podcast will be a great way to get important information and get your ideas flowing. So, what do ya say? Let’s solve this and get back to enjoying Montana’s Great Outdoors! Make sure you watch and or listen to this Podcast today!
Links:
- To read the press release about the upcoming PLPW meeting in Glasgow on the 1st and 2nd click here.
- Click hereto join the PLPWmeeting via Zoom on June 1st.
- To join the PLPWmeeting via Zoom on June 2nd click here.
- Click Here to get a copy of the agenda for the PLPW meetings on the 1st and 2nd.
- To learn all about the PLPW advisory committee and to contact the PLPW board click here.
- Questions for FWP Director Christy Clark? Click here to send her an email.
- Questions or suggestions for Rigger? Click here to send him and email.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to the tournament director, Jason Eggebrecht and volunteer, Tom Kobza about the amazing changes that have been made to this year’s upcoming 39th annual Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament. Make sure you watch the podcast on MontanaOutdoor.com or listen and without a doubt do not, repeat, DO NOT miss this year’s Gov Cup. Why? The additions to this year’s tournament are amazing. What are those? Well, for starters how about 1st Place this year will be guaranteed $20,000 (based on minimum field of 175)! Oh, and get this one! Each day, four random total weights will be drawn, and the teams holding those weights win cash EXCLUDING THE TOP 10%. With a full field of 200 teams paying the $200 random-weight entry, that works out to $5,000 per draw, per day for four lucky teams! That's $20,000 on July 10th and another $20,000 on July 11th up for grabs purely on luck of the draw. Think about it even if you are as bad at walleye fishing as say a certain podcast host, we know, you STILL have a shot at being in the money. And the list goes on when you add in all the usual cash and prizes you can win if you add them on to your entry. You have got to watch and or listento this podcast to learn all about it. It is going to blow you away gang! So do not miss this podcast and for goodness sake for sure DO NOT miss out on this year’s 39th annual Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament! Now, it is important to let you know that the tourney is starting to fill up pretty fast so you should register right away!
Links:
- To learn all about the 39th annual Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament click here.
- To get your two-person team entered right now, click here!
- Click here to see the list of sponsors that are making this year’s amazing tournament possible. Maybe shoot them a word of thanks when you can.
- Click here to see the Roster lineup so far!
- To see the rules for the Gov Cup click here.
- Click here for tournament contact info.
- Want info about the amazing Glasgow and Fort Peck, MT area? Click here!
- Questions for Jason? Click here to email him. Questions for Tom? Click here!
- Click here to email your old pal Downrigger Dale!
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale takes a trip to the Montana Knife Company’s new facility just outside of Missoula Montana. Gang, their new home is AWESOME! One of the many cool things about it is if you ever get a chance to go to Missoula you can stop by and take a look at this brand new 51,000 square foot facility, both outside and in. There you can get a delicious cup of Black Rifle Coffee and take a look at and even buy some of their latest knives, hats shirts and more. They even have a mezzanine you can go up on and look down on the buzzy manufacturing floor below. Course you can watch the podcast right now and see some of the facility and listen to the Founder and President of the Montana Knife Company Josh Smith tell his amazing story of how this great American Company came to be. Josh talks about his humble beginnings and his lifelong fascination with making knives. His Little League coach in Lincoln Montana was and still is a bladesmith and gave josh his first lessons on how to make knives from a hunk of steel and, well obviously something clicked with Josh because he has never stopped designing and making knives since he was 11 years old! In fact, Josh became the youngest person in the world to ever pass the bladesmith test! His story truly is amazing. We know that you will absolutely love this podcast, so don’t miss it! Watch it now on MontanaOutdoor.com on YouTube, Spotify or listen on the website, Apple Podcasts or tons of other sites.
Links:
- Click here to learn all about the amazing Montana Knife Company!
- You can contact the Montana Knife Company by clicking here.
- You can also click here to contact your host Downrigger Dale and he can get your questions for Josh answered.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale is giving you a chance to win $100! It is really simple! All you have to do is send Downrigger Dale an email to Downrigger@MontanaOutdoor.com and tell him what place in Montana would you like him to tell you about in an upcoming Podcast. Maybe it is a State Park, a National Park, maybe it is a body of water you have always wanted to know more about, maybe it is particular mountain or spot on the prairie you have heard about that you have always wanted to know more about. Or maybe you want to know more about some new fishing gear or you want to learn about how to catch a particular species of fish. Maybe you have always wanted to learn about hunting with falcons or about how to trap or it is an outdoor person you have always wanted to learn more about? In other words, you may want to email your answer to the question of “What do you want to do in Montana?” that you would like Rigger to do a podcast about. Just email your answers to those questions by midnight on July 4th. Then Rigger and his podcast crew will go through the emails and pick what they feel is the most interesting and or creative answer to the question “Where do you want to go in Montana?”. The person that emailed the answer that they pick will win $100. And the person that emailed the most interesting and or creative answer to the question “What do you want to do in Montana?” will also win $100! That’s right there is 200 bucks on the line here so watch or listen to this podcast and then send your email in before midnight on Saturday July 4th! Winning selections will be announced on MontanaOutdoor.com on August 1st. Good luck Everyone!
Links:
· Remember be sure and email your answers to, “Where in Montana’s outdoors should Rigger use as topic for a podcast?” and “What thing or person that you have always wanted to know more about should rigger use as the topic for a podcast?” Be creative! Click here to email your answers to Rigger!
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with FWP Education Program Assistant Ryan Schmaltz about the Archery in the Schools Program. First, you all are going to love Ryan! He has so much energy and enthusiasm for this program and man what a job he has done! He has been all over Montana getting schools involved in this amazing program and training teachers how to teach it. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks has been championing this program for about 15 years but over the last few years it has really taken off! It is part of the National Archery in the Schools Program or NASP which has, since its inception in 2002, reached over 23.5 million students, primarily in grades 4-12. The program operates in all 50 states, boasting a 50-50% male/female participation rate. But get this, in Montana last year alone about 150 schools included the program in their PE classes with over 14,000 Montana youngsters participating! But this is more than kids shooting arrows at targets and blocks of foam shaped like animals. It is changing most all the kids that participate! That is why you have GOT to watch or listen to this podcast. You can do that on MontanaOutdoor.com, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and many other websites and directories! Here is an example of what we mean by changing the kids. Ryan pointed out that in the recent State Tournament that a whole bunch of schools traveled to Helena to participate in, he looked out over the sea of well over 200 4th through 12th graders and did not see one child looking at a cell phone during the entire tournament. Oh, they had their phones with them, sticking out of their pockets and such but THEY WERE FOCUSED! As Rigger put it, “THAT is unheard of and just flat amazing! When has anyone ever seen that many kids and not one is looking a cell phone?!” Oh, but there are even more positive ways that this ancient sport is affecting our kids so be sure and watch this podcast now to find out more!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about the National Archery in the Schools Program or NASP.
- To learn more about the program in Montana click here.
- Questions for Ryan? Click here to email him.
- Your host Downrigger Dale would love to hear from you, so click here and tell him what part of Montana you want to discover next! Afterall it is your podcast too!
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
You all may recall back in the first week of February Rigger had the CEO of Energy Keepers Brian Lipscomb on The Montana Outdoor Podcast. As Rigger put it, “I will never forget what he said”, Brian said “I’m starting to feel like a broken record, because every time I go talk to somebody, I say, we just dealt with something we have never seen in our lifetimes!” So, this week when Rigger had the Director of Asset Optimization from Energy Keepers, Eve James, on the Podcast to give an update, one of the first things he asked her was if they are still dealing with such unusual conditions? Make sure you listen to the podcast to hear her answer. Eve brought a whole bunch for super interesting info with great water level graphs and other things that we are sure you will find interesting. So, whether you live on the Flathead Lake, have a summer cabin there or just like to get out on that incredible lake or the Flathead River this Podcast will without a doubt give you the update you have been waiting for! You can listen to the podcast right here right now or watch it on YouTube. So, check it out and look through the links below and then let us know what other info you are looking for! See the links below to ask Eve or Rigger any questions you might have!
Links:
- To learn more about Energy Keepers click here.
- Click hereto see info about water levels, run off, etc.
- There is also great info on the Energy Keepers Facebook Page. Click here to go to that page.
- Questions for Eve James with Energy Keepers? Click here to send her an email.
- Your buddy Downrigger Dale would love to hear from you as well. Let him know what part of Montana’s Great Outdoors you would like to explore next. Click here to send him an email about that or anything.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Jeff Darrah Executive Director of the Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife or MTSFW for short. Jeff tells us all about the amazing event that the MTSFW is putting on this year in Missoula, MT! It truly is THE event to go to this year without a doubt and when you listen to the podcast here you are going to find out why. Of course, one prefect reason is that this years Pig Roast Banquet and Fundraiser is going to be a blast with over 30, yes you read that right, over 30 guns to be actioned off or just flat given away plus, a whole bunch of other prizes. And do not forget this is for sure a family event. There will be a fishing pond and all kinds of games for the kids and well, the list goes on and on so make sure you listen to this podcast to learn about it all. And it gets even better because you will also get to mingle with a couple celebrities, nonother than the two main stars of the hit TV series Mountain Men, Tom Oar and Paul Antczak and boy are they a couple characters to have dinner with! When you listen to this podcast right here you will also learn some very, very important information about what all the MTSFW is working on for YOU! Things like extremely important legal issues that they are fighting for, and in some cases against to protect your rights as Montana Sportsmen and women as well as protecting our outdoor heritages that we all hold so dearly. Plus, you will learn about legislative issues they have been working on, and yes, the list goes on and on there as well. See, the MTSFW gives all of us who love Montana’s Outdoors a much-needed voice and the Pig Roast Banquet is THE Fundraiser that keeps this vital organization going for YOU! So go listen now and learn why this is indeed THE event to go to this year. We will see ya there!
Links:
- Click here right now to learn more and to get your tickets to the Pig Roast Banquet and Fundraiser!
- You don’t have to be a member of MTSFW to go to Pig Roast Banquet and Fundraiser, but you are welcome to join if you want to. Click here to join.
- To learn more about Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife click here to head to their website!
- Click here to head to their Facebook Page!
- Check out their Instagram Page here.
- Questions for Executive Director Jeff Darrah? Click here to send him and email.
- What part of Montana’s Great Outdoors do you want Rigger to explore next for you? Click here to let Downrigger Dale know.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a guest on that might surprise you as to why he would be on this Podcast episode to cover this topic. Most of you know Josh Parrow as the go to Fishing Guide for Tiber Reservoir and the Havre area but what you may not know is he is also a VERY impressive Diesel Technician. When you watchor listen to this podcast here you will learn that Josh started at a very young age working on diesels. In fact, now he works on some of the largest diesel engines anywhere as a Diesel Technician working on locomotive engines for BNSF Railway. What is great about this podcast is it will give you all kinds of great information to help you make the right choice for YOU when it comes to deciding if a diesel or gasoline engine in your next rig is the way to go. Josh even takes us back in time to the very beginning of the diesel engine when Rudolf Diesel built the very first diesel engine and how Clessie Cummins built the first diesel engines for cars and trucks. Plus, Josh also gives some fantastic advice on how to avoid some of the most common problems that plague diesel engines today. No matter if you are a current diesel owner or thinking of changing to or getting away from a diesel engine you will without a doubt have some very valuable information that will save you money, avoid problems on the road or help make the right purchase for you. So, if you pull boats, travel trailers, 5th wheels or anything with some real weight to it you are going to definitely want to watch of listen to this podcast right here on the go to website of everything outdoors!
Links and Info:
- Josh mentions several additives that he uses. Josh does not endorse any of these products and urges you to consult your owner’s manual and or a mechanic or dealership that you trust before adding anything to your fuel or engine. Of course, Josh’s opinions, suggestions, implications, etc. are not those of BNSF Railway or related companies as he appears on this podcast not as an employee but as a private citizen expressing solely his own opinions.
- Josh is happy to answer any questions you might have. Simply click here to send him an email.
- Be sure and click here to let Rigger know where under the Big Sky that you would like to discover next. Because after all this is YOUR PODCAST too!
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale caught up with 2 members of the USA Ice Fishing Team just before they left for Piteå Sweden For the World Ice Fishing Championship. Rigger had a fascinating talk with Thane Melton from Big Fork, MT who is the Vice President of the team and Joe Martinez from Utah who is the President of the team. The World Ice Fishing Tournament will take place on March 28th and 29th in Piteå, Sweden. The town of Piteå, Sweden is about the size of Kalispell Montana and is less than 100 miles from the Arctic Circle, so yes they still have ice. About 40 inches of it. You think that is wild just wait until you watch or listen to this podcast and hear the rules for this tournament. Let’s put it this way, they run their tournaments quite a bit different than we do! Oh, by the way, part of those rules include that you can not use any powered augers! Yup all holes in the ice must be drilled with a hand operated auger. That 40 inches of ice does not sound so good now does it? Do not miss this podcast. You are going to be amazed by pretty much everything that Thane and Joe tell you including the fact that Team USA will be competing against 10 other countries! Don’t miss this Podcast Gang!
Links:
- Click here to learn about the USA Ice Fishing Team.
- Click here to see some great pictures and get updates from Team USA in Sweden on their Facebook page.
- You can also follow what Joe is doing in Sweden here on his Facebook page or follow Thane here on his page.
- Check out Team USA’s sponsors Clam Outdoors and Fish Pro.
- Click here to learn about the fish in Sweden!
- Click here to send an email to Joe or here email Thane.
Make sure to tell Rigger what part of Montana you want to explore next here on the Montana Outdoor Podcast. Click here now to email Rigger!
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast you host Downrigger Dale checks in with the two fellas that were on the Mack Days Podcast Last Time. Rigger thought you might find it interesting to see how they have done now that they have a few more Mack Days under their belts. He was shocked to find out what Ryker Bair and Patrick Casey have been up to, as in “WOW WEE that is some big dough those boys are folding!” Remember you can watch this podcast here or on MontanaOutdoor.com or YouTube or download it here to listen on your phone while you head to Flathead Lake to join the fun in this year’s Spring Mack Days. What is great about this podcast is just how open Ryker and Patrick are about sharing their knowledge. Yeah, Mack Days is without a doubt not your typical fishing tournament. And it is not just Ryker and Patrick that are happy to share their knowledge to help folks learn how to get the most out of Mack Days. Pretty much everyone that fishes in Mack Days is happy to help. That’s because the contestants do not really compete against each other as much as they do against the fish. What do we mean by that? Well just watch or listen to this podcast here or on MontanaOutdoor.com or YouTube. And make sure you fish for Lake Trout during Spring Mack Days anytime between now and May 9th!
Links:
- To learn all about Mack Days click here.
- Click here to watch some great videos about how to fish like a pro during Spring Mack Days.
- Remember Mack Days is for only catching Lake Trout and of course not Bull Trout or West Slope Cutthroat Trout. Click here to learn how to identify the right fish!
- Click here to see all the lures at Zimmer Tackle that Patrick and Ryker talk about in Podcast.
- For entry forms, prize amounts, rules and more click here
- Questions for Cindy Benson? Click here to email her.
- What do you want to explore next? After all this is your podcast too. Just click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a truly amazing discussion with business entrepreneur Karl Tyler. Karl had a dream from the time he was in 8th grade, he wanted to own a ranch and raise and sell the best cattle in the world. The problem was he did not have even remotely close to the money needed to buy a ranch let alone cattle. He headed to college to study animal sciences and found out he could not afford to stay in school unless he found a job. He got a job washing cars at a car dealership and with a lot of elbow grease, a can-do spirit and a big dream everything changed. He would later buy that dealership where he washed cars and then another dealership and another and another and, well, you just have to listen. It is an amazing story that will without a doubt inspire you. So, did he ever get that cattle ranch? Oh yeah and wait until you hear about the cattle that are on that ranch. They just might be the best in the world, In fact he is having two huge bull sales coming up on the March 6th at his ranch in Leadore, Idaho and on March 12that the Dillion Livestock Auction. If you are in the cattle business, then these sales are without a doubt a must for you to attend at least one of them either in person or online. And if you are needing some inspiration to make that big break happen for you, listen to this podcast right now!
Links:
- Click here to learn about the Bull Sales on March 6th and March 12th.
- To see the sales catalogs for both bull sales and to learn all about the two bull sales and get all the contact information click here.
- Click here to attend the sale on the sixth online.
- To attend the bull sale on the 12th online click here.
- Click here to learn more about Karl’s ranch in Leadore Idaho.
- Questions for the folks at Karl’s Ranch? Click here to contact the Ranch.
- Your buddy Downrigger Dale would love to know where under the Big Sky you want to explore next. Afterall this is your Podcast too! Click here to email Rigger.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast you host Downrigger Dale talks with the Head of the Communication and Education Division for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Greg Lemon. Greg and Rigger talked all about the big changes that are coming from the FWP on March 1st. What are those changes? Well, the best way to find out all about them is to watch the podcast right here. But here are a few highlights. Rigger and Greg go over a bunch of hunting regulation changes you really need to know about. But probably the biggest change is a new program called the FWP License Ambassador Program. That will replace the very successful program that has been around for a VERY long time which was called the License Provider Program. That was the system whereby local sporting goods stores could sell you a fishing license, hunting license, and conservation license right there in their store. So why change something that has been very successful? Unfortunately, FWP did not have a choice. The technology that was used to interface with FWP’s internal licensing system had gotten so old that most of the stores that had them were not working or barely working and they could not be replaced because the manufacturer stopped making it. In fact, there aren’t even any parts that can be bought to fix existing systems. On top of that there was no way for any new stores to be able to sell licenses. As Greg put it during the podcast, “something had to change”. So, what is a License Ambassador? Ok, we have given enough spoilers for one article you will need to watch the Podcast. Ok, one more little one, the new License Ambassadors at your local sporting goods store will also allow you to get things from the FWP that you were not able to get from the old system. So, listen or watch this podcast right now and find out all about it!
Links:
- To get more info about the License Ambassador Program click here.
- To see a map and a list of where you can find a License Ambassadors simply click here.
- Questions for Greg Lemon? Click here.
- Don’t forget this podcast is indeed YOUR podcast so click here and tell Rigger where under the Big Sky you what to explore next!
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This Week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Racheal Vargas, Owner of and Instructor for Montana K9 Safety and Montana Health & Safety Training. Racheal is incredibly smart and has a great deal of experience teaching groups and individuals how to save their friend's, family and even pet's lives. Racheal and her staff teach several different types of classes like, Basic Wilderness Frist Aid, Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness EMT Challenge Courses, Stop the Bleed and even a Babysitter Bootcamp. On top of that Racheal and her staff offer all kinds of Pet First Aid Courses. In fact, if you have hunting dogs, sled dogs or just a pup that goes everywhere with you like Rigger’s dog does, you really need to listen to this podcast right now. As Racheal likes to put it, “We train heroes!” Gang, you really should listen to this right now and find out a ton of great information and how to have Racheal and her team come to your next community or outdoor group's meeting and turn you and your members into heroes!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Montana K9 Safety and find out when you can attend a class near you.
- To learn more about Montana Health & Safety Training and find out when you can attend a class near you, click here.
- To get all kinds of great information and get all your questions answered about classes and human or pet first aid, click here email Racheal Vargas.
- Rigger wants to know which topic or part of Montana’s Outdoors do you want to explore next? Click here to let him know.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with the CEO of Energy Keepers and Tribal Member, Brian Lipscomb. Energy Keepers, Inc owns and operates the dam and hydroelectric project on Flathead Lake. You'll be very surprised by what you learn when you listen this podcast! Energy Keepers is the first tribally owned company to own and operate a major hydroelectric facility in the United States and list goes on from there. There is ton fascinating information you will learn, including answers to questions that a bunch of you asked when you emailed Rigger. For example, you will learn why Flathead Lake stayed so full much longer this year than it usually does. You'll learn why Brian said, “I’m starting to feel like a broken record, because every time I go talk to somebody, I say, “we just dealt with something we have never seen in our lifetimes!”
Links:
- Click Hereto learn more about Energy Keepers.
- You can get latest data about water level and water flow straight from the Energy Keepers website by clicking here.
- NOAA will even give you Northwest River Forecast Center ESP Water Supply Volumes for dam when you click here.
- Click here to go to the Energy Keepers Facebook Page where you can also get great water flow and level info and more!
- Click here to take a look at the USGS Flathead Lake Elevation Gauge.
- You can also see what the USGS Flathead River Flows below the dam by clicking here.
- Want to see the USDA NRCS Snow Water Equivalent for Flathead Lake? Just click here!
- In case you forgot this one from our recent NOAA Podcast click here to go to their Weather Prediction Center or click here to watch that podcast.
- Still have questions? You can contact Energy Keepers via email by clicking here.
- Don’t forget to contact your old buddy, Rigger! Click here to email him.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has his guests George Bumann and Jenny Golding give you an exclusive preview of the internet sensation known as the Yellowstone Summit! This year the online Summit is set for February 19ththrough the 22nd. Registration for the online event starts this Monday the 2nd. What is the Yellowstone Summit? Well, the best way to find out is to listen to or watch this week’s podcast, but in brief the Yellowstone Summit is like a really cool online convention where some of the most interesting outdoor experts, characters, storytellers, biologists, filmmakers, etc. tell you about and show you things you likely never knew about Yellowstone Park. This is the 5th annual Yellowstone Summit but as far as we know this is the first time anyone has got a preview like this so don’t miss this podcast gang! When listen Jenny and George will tell you about some of the over 30 speakers that will show and tell at this year’s Yellowstone Summit. We are talking some of the most famous outdoor filmmakers and photographers, wildlife experts and the list goes on and on. The best part is George and Jenny will give you an exclusive preview of what it is all about and tell you how you can take part in this year’s online event! Gang you have got to listen to this amazing podcast.
Links:
- To learn more about the Yellowstone Summit click here.
- To learn more about Jenny and George click here.
- Click here to learn more about the speakers and sessions that will be part of this year’s Yellowstone Summit.
- Questions? Click here to send an email to Jenny and George.
- Your old buddy Rigger would love to know what you thought of this week’s Podcast and if you have any ideas for topics. Click here to let him know.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Race Organizer and longtime competitor Jennifer Butler about the world of Skijoring in Montana. These competitions are absolutely wild and when listen the podcast you will without a doubt confirm that! A Skijoring competition is done with teams made up of a person riding a horse that pulls a skier. In Jennifer’s case, she is the rider on the horse and her fearless son David is the on the skis! As Rigger put it; “At first, I was not sure if Jennifer and David and the other competitors were crazy and just lucky they are all still up walkin around or if they are incredible athletes that make crazy look easy. After watching them I’m pretty sure it is the latter”. Yeah, this Mother, Son team is pretty darn amazing. But you have got to listen to this Podcast to see what Rigger is talking about and learn all about this incredible sport and how to get involved or at least go see one of these competitions in Montana this year, especially the Whitefish Skijoring event. A list of links to all the other competitions is below.
Links:
- Click hereto get more info about Whitefish Skijoring.
- To get tickets to the Whitefish Skijoring and find out all the other spectator info click here.
- Click here to become a sponsor of the event.
- To join in the fun as a volunteer at the event click here.
- Click here for vendor info if you want to sell something at the event?
- For info about competing at the event click here.
- Click here to go to the Whitefish Skijoring Facebook page.
- For info about the Skijoring event January 31 and February 1 in Boulder, MT click here.
- Click here for info about the Skijoring event February 28 and March 1 in Wisdom, MT.
- For info about the Skijoring event February 28 and March 1 in Three Forks, MT click here.
- If you want info about the Skijoring even in Red Lodge March 14 and 15 click here.
- Questions for Jennifer? Click here to send her and email.
- Click here to send an email Rigger. He would love to hear your thoughts about this podcast or ideas for new podcasts.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale interviews quite possibly the smartest person you will ever see on the Montana Outdoor Podcast! Dr Johnna Infanti is one of the top weather scientists around. When you listen to the Podcast you will learn that one of her many specialties is researching the climate patterns known as El Niño and La Niña. Those two opposing climate patterns can affect Montana’s weather in major ways. Sometimes with good results and others, well, not so good. One of those has been affecting Montana recently in a rather strange way. Most everyone has noticed it, especially if you are an angler that has been wanting to get out on the ice but unfortunately has not found much to get on as well as those who have been wanting to play in the snow in the valleys. So, what is in store for Montana for the rest of the winter? More of the same or is it true that big changes could be on the way? Dr Infanti has the answers!
Links:
- Dr Infanti gave out a ton of amazing information and she was kind enough to get us some links to get even more info. For example, you click here to go to Climate Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA.
- Click here to get the Monthly Weather Outlook. The next update will be on 1/31/26!
- If you would like to take a look at the Monthly Outlook interactive map to see what it looks like for specific areas you are interested in click here.
- Click here for the direct link to seasonal outlooks.
- For interactive seasonal outlooks click here.
- Click here for all seasonal outlooks.
- To go to the Climate Prediction Center’s El Niño and La Niña page click here.
- Click here to see the El Niño and La Niña forecast they talked about on the Podcast, it’s on slide 23.
- For the Climate Prediction Center’s Hazards Outlook page click here. That’s where you go to see where the snow, much below normal temps, and other wild weather is at!
- Questions for Dr Johnna Infanti? Click here to email Rigger and he will track her down and get you the answers!
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Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with the Director of the 14th annual Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament, Garrett Ostler. With a total prize purse of likely $10,000 or maybe even higher, this tournament is one of the richest and for sure most fun ice fishing tournaments in Montana. Hebgen Lake is a beautiful lake near West Yellowstone Montana. Garrett does a great job of going over all the details about the tournament which takes place on Friday the 16th of this month with pre-fishing and rules meeting and then the tourney takes place on Saturday the 17th. This tournament not only pays out a bunch of money to its contestants it also raises money for an incredible program for all kids who want to learn how to ice fish, ride snowmobiles, cross country ski and much more through the West Yellowstone Kids ‘N’ Snow Program. In fact, if you watch the podcast you'll see a heartwarming video during the podcast that will show a ton of things that kids get to do and learn about FOR FREE. But there is even WAY MORE to this podcast. You will also learn how West Yellowstone has evolved into the capital of wintertime fun in Montana, with seemingly endless snowmobile trails, stunning wintertime tours of Yellowstone National Park, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding, ice skating, sledding, the Grizzley & Wolf Discovery Center and of course ice fishing and the list goes on and on. We are pretty darn sure once you listen to this podcast you will for sure be doing two things next. 1. You will want to register your two-person team to compete in the Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament. 2. You will be packing up the whole family to leave to take part in all that this podcast tells you about this FOR REAL winter wonderland! So, click play now!
Links:
- To learn more about and to register to compete in the Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament click here.
- To learn more about the Kids ‘N’ Snow Programs at West Yellowstone click here.
- Click here to learn more about the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center.
- To learn more about winter activities, and summer ones too, in West Yellowstone click here!
- During the podcast Garrett mentions his video about knifeless fish cleaning that he made after he broke his arm. Click here to see that, if you dare! It is for sure NOT for those of you that have a weak stomach!
- Questions for Garrett? Click here to send him an email.
- Questions or comments for Rigger? Click here to send him an email.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale takes you Dogsledding with the owner of Basecamp Bigfork, Mark Schurke! You have got to see this one gang! Folks are having a blast with this, and it is likely because of the way Mark does it. Yeah, you can sit and ride on the dog sled, which is a ton of fun, but Mark actually lets you become the Musher! That’s the person that, for the lack of a better word, drives the dog sled and that makes it even more fun. In fact, when click here to watch this week’s video of the podcast you will get to watch the dogs and mushers in action. Another incredible thing you will learn is that the dogs that Mark uses are Inuit Dogs, that is the oldest dog breed in the world. They are unbelievable at what they can do and if you want, they can make your trip with them pretty wild. Click here to watch them jump over streams and take the sled flying right over it as well and other cool stuff! You are going to love this Podcast! Not only do folks get to become the musher they also get out into some of the most beautiful places in Northwest Montana. DO NOT miss this podcast. So, click that play button and get to mushing!!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Basecamp Bigfork.
- If you would like to watch even more videos and see more awesome pictures, click hereto see them on Facebook or you can click here to see more on Instagram.
- Questions for Mark? Click here to send him an email.
- As always, your old buddy Rigger would love to hear what you thought of this week’s Podcast. Click here to shoot him an email!
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to a couple fellas that are new to the Podcast from Trout On The Fly, Fly Fishing Outfitters based out of Bozeman. You will meet Nate Sevane the owner of Trout On The Fly and his Lead Ice Fishing Guide Matt Hoff. They tell Rigger about ice fishing on Georgetown and Canyon Ferry lakes plus two other lakes that Rigger has never talked about on the Podcast, Ennis Lake and Harrison Lake. Ennis Lake is of course not far from Ennis Montana and Harrison Lake is just north of Ennis Lake near the town of Harrison, that lake is also known as Willow Creek Reservoir. When you click here to watch or listen right here and find out if any ice has made it to these 4 lakes as well as learn a TON from Matt about the species that can be found in those lakes as well as some great tips on how find and catch them. Yeah, it always seems ole Rigger finds something new to show us and this week for sure does not disappoint. On top of all that the owner of Trout On The Fly, Nate Sevane will tell you about the iconic rivers that his guides take folks fishing on in the summer including some incredible trips that flow through Yellowstone National Park! So, what are you waiting for gang?! Click here now to watch or listen right here, you are going to love this one for sure!
Links:
- Click Here to learn all about Trout On The Fly, Fly Fishing Outfitters and book a trip with them. They do still have some openings for this winter.
- To learn more about Ennis Lake and see fish stocking data there click here.
- Click Here to learn more about and see fish stocking data for the very unique Harrison Lake.
- To check out the latest fish stocking data and learn about Canyon Ferry click here.
- Click here to learn about Georgetown Lake and see the stocking data there as well.
- Questions for Nate Sevane or Matt Hoff? Just click here to send them an email and they will get right back to you.
- Be sure and tell Rigger what you thought of this Podcast be clicking here to send him an email.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us Fan Mail
Downrigger Dale talks with Don Wilkins one of the most in demand fishing guides in America! You will learn all kinds of ice fishing tips and tricks. Don also gives some awesome safety tips and you will hear about how Don sets up his tip ups, the kind of rods and reels he recommends as well as jigs that can catch monster lakers and King Salmon through the ice! There is much more as well!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Don Wilkins.
- To learn more about Fort Peck Reservoir including fish species and stocking info, click here.
- To get more information about all the gear that Don talks about, click these links. HT EnterprisesTip-Up | Blackhole | Eskimo | Pflueger | Lakeridge Lodging and Bait Shop | Line Dancer Rods | Okuma Baitfeeder Reel | D&G Sports & Western | Power Pro Super Slick Line Spiderwire Fishing Line | Humminbird Helix 9 | Garmin LiveScopeIce Fishing Bundle | Frabill Tip-Ups | ThermaSeat Ice Hole Covers | Jaw Jacker | Finicky Fooler | Brew City Sonar Pole
- Questions? To email Don Wilkins just click here. Or Click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Support the show
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger went behind the scenes of the Fort Peck Hatchery to find out how a King Salmon can go from a tiny egg to one of the most sought after and hardest fighting fish in Montana’s largest body of water. This Podcastis destined to be a classic so we thought we would call this one “Rigger and the Salmon Factory”! Yes, we are talking about the mighty King Salmon or more accurately known as the Chinook Salmon, which is the Everlasting Gobstopper of the salmon species, but it is far from being a native fish of Montana. So how does the Chinook Salmon continue to maintain it’s population? They won’t spawn in Fort Peck Reservoir. There is no way Montana FWP could go out buy fingerlings to stock into the reservoir every year. They have to get them from the Chinooks that are in Fort Peck Reservoir now, but as we said they don’t spawn so then how…. That is where Fisheries Biologist Heath Headley and Fort Peck Hatchery Manager Wade Geraets come in. They take the eggs from the dying females and milt from the dying males and turn all that into a brand-new King Salmon every year! How do they do that? Just listen right now. Rigger does a deep dive into all of that and we are positive that you are going to be amazed and entertained by what this podcast for reveals. For example, Heath and his crew collected 895,000 Salmon eggs this year. How do they know that? Those tiny, tiny eggs were counted, no not by Wade’s Oompa Loompas, he does not have any of those. So how then? That is just one of the many questions you will get answered when you listen. Rigger even got his buddy The Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show involved. Captain was able to record amazing video of the process while Rigger did a fascinating interview with the Salomon wizards Heath and Wade there at the hatchery. So DO NOT miss the amazing adventure and incredible tale of “Rigger and the Salmon Factory”!
Links:
- To learn more about the Fort Peck Fish Hatchery click here.
- To ask Heath Headley questions click here.
- To ask Wade Geraets questions click here.
- Got a question or comment for Rigger? Click here.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger start a new series that will preview the most popular ice fishing areas in Montana with top ice fishing professionals. To kick it all off Rigger brings on the top fishing guide in Northwest Montana as well as one of the top guides in the State if not the Country. Captain Matt McComb with Fish On Charters. Matt puts on a masterclass about ice fishing. Matt covers all the best lakes for ice fishing and tells you what species are best to target in those lakes. He even tells you what to use to catch them! If that were not enough, he shows you his ice fishing gear, gives great info on why he uses certain types of gear and explains that using it will help catch a lot more fish. No matter if you are new to ice fishing or are an experienced angler, you are going to learn a TON and love this podcast!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Captain Matt McComb and Fish On Charters.
- To Learn more about the lakes Matt talks about click these links. Lake Mary Ronan Little Bitterroot Lake Thompson Chain Echo LakeRogers Lake Swan Lake Flathead River Slews
- For Montana Outdoor Approved Sporting Goods Stores click here.
- Click for more on Vexilar flashers Eyoyo camera Otter sled Hali lure Clam Jacket and Bibs throw rope Ice Picks
- What to do if you fall through the ice? click here .
- Questions? Click here to email Captain Matt McComb. Click here to email you old buddy Downrigger Dale
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Downrigger Dale turned over the reins to his buddy Roger Fishwell to do the hosting duties. Ol’ Rigger needed to take a little time off. If you listen or watch the podcast on a regular basis you will recognize Roger he is the one you hear or see introduce Rigger on the podcast every week. Rog also works in our research department as well as many other things. But Don’t worry good ol’ Rigger will be back next week unless he gets lost out there. So, this week Roger got information from hunting check stations all across Montana in all 7 hunting regions of the State! So, when you listen here you will find out how many harvested deer, elk, antelope and a few other critters were counted at those check stations. The info in this Podcast will give you a great idea of where hunters are finding game in every hunting region in the State! Roger will also give you some great stats on the success rates for hunters in all those areas plus a whole lot more! So, give this one a listen and happy hunting!
Links:
- Click here to for the latest news and information about hunting and fishing on our website for hunters and anglers. We will post more results right there from check stations as they come in.
- You can also go to our Facebook Page by clicking here. That page has great info as well.
- Questions? Just click here to email Downrigger or Roger. They will get back to you as fast as they can!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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You know it’s true! If you love to fish for Walleye, you just have to pass that 30 plus inch benchmark and until you do things just never feel complete, right? This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Ken Ault and his girlfriend and fishing partner Amy McComas about Ken’s seemingly never ending quest to get his 30 plus incher! This podcast is A LOT of fun to watch or listen to. You will hear how Ken and Amy decided to switch from bottom bouncing to jigging. And how they researched the latest technology all to become better at one of their favorite things to do together, fishing for Walleye. Which brings us to another really good reason to click here to watch or to listen to this podcast and that is you will learn a lot about trying new ways to fish for walleye and probably find out that fishing can be an amazing thing to with the one you love. On top of that you will also learn about Nelson Reservoir which is a great place to fish for Walleye. Rigger was able to pull some good info out of Ken and Amy as far as the best place to put in this time a year and a few other great tips. But don’t worry Nelson anglers, Rigger was not able to get them to give up any a major Walleye secrets about that great waterway and after all isn’t half the fun getting on the water and starting your own quest? So, did Ken ever get that 30 plus inch Walleye? Well, you will have to click here to watch or stay here and listen to find out. We will tell you a little secret though, Amy got Her’s!
Links:
- To learn more about Nelson Reservoir, the fish you find in there and stocking reports click here.
- If you have any questions for Ken or Amy, just click here to email Downrigger Dale and he will track them down and get your questions answered.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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Get ready everyone! This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale got a hold of the Executive Director of the Montana State Parks Foundation Megan Buecking and asked her if she knew anything about the rumors that some of Montana’s Ghost Towns are actually haunted. Not only did she know about that, but she is a bit of an expert on the topic and took poor ole Rigger on a podcast tour that he will not soon forget. In fact, we are pretty sure that everyone around the podcast offices that heard Megan and Rigger’s stories will not sleep for quite some time! As Rigger put it; “I thought this was going to fun little change of pace kind of Podcast where I would hear a few quirky stories and that would be it. Boy was I wrong! I hate to admit it but hosting this podcast scared the crap out of me! In fact, I am now pretty darn sure that ghosts are real!” Yeah, don’t say we didn’t warn you but when you listen, its gonna get real fricking spooky! And in some cases, heartbreaking. Wait until you hear about the one town where almost every child in the town died in one year! In another of the ghost towns that Rigger did a little research on he found out that several paranormal studies have been done and out of those the experts have concluded that no less than sixty buildings in and around the ghost town are indeed considered hunted! So, if you dare listen now and…. sweet dreams!!!
Links:
- Click here to get more information about the Montana State Parks Foundation.
- To learn more about Judith Landing State Park click here.
- Click here to learn more about Bannack Ghost Town State Park.
- To learn more about Granite Ghost Town State Park click here.
- You can click here to learn more about Elkhorn Ghost Town State Park.
- For more info about Albright Ghost Town Sluice Boxes State Park click here.
- Megan is super interesting and knows a ton so if you have questions just click here to email her.
- You can also click here to email Downrigger Dale
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week your host Downrigger Dale talks with Wildlife Manager Brett Dorak from Region 7 in Southeast Montana. Did you know that Region 7 is the largest hunting Region in Montana? So literally there is lots to cover in this Podcast. Rigger had a great conversation with Brett and in fact, Brett also threw out a few surprises that you just must hear. Here is a little hint; wait and until you hear what happened to the Antelope population there in just one year! As Brett put it, “We were shocked! It is a real head scratcher!”. And that is just one of the surprises. DO NOT miss this podcast. If you would like to watch this podcast instead of just listening you can click here to watchit. Yeah, the surprises and super valuable information just kept flowing during this podcast so again, DO NOT miss this one! Even if you don’t plan to hunt region 7 you will for sure still find it fascinating. From all of us here at the Montana Outdoor Podcast and the Montana Outdoor Radio Show have a safe, fun and above all productive hunting season!
Links:
- To learn more about Region 7 click here.
- Be sure and click here for Region 7’s Hunting Forecast. Also click here for the Statewide Upland Game Bird Hunting Forecast.
- Make sure you visit the Block Management page for any hunting region you hunt in, in Montana. To go to Region 7’s click here.
- You can click here to get to Region 7’s Facebook Page.
- Click here to access the MT FWP Hunt Planner.
- Click here for more info about the “It’s Up to Us” program and to take the quiz to automatically entered to win all kinds of prizes! And thank a landowner there as well.
- Click here to get a digital copy of any hunting regulations for any species in Montana!
- Questions? Click here to email to Brett Dorak in Region 7.
- Click here to email your buddy Downrigger Dale!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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Oh boy this is a "good un" as Rigger likes to say! This week your host Downrigger Dale talks with Wildlife Manager Cory Loecker from Region 4 in north central Montana. In this podcast Rigger and Cory will give you all kinds of great info on where to find the game you are looking in Region 4. Some of you may not know this but Region 4 has all 10 of the big game species you can hunt in Montana, so there was lots for Rigger to cover with Cory and yes there were some surprises. So listen close and you will get some nuggets of info that should help you have success when hunting in Region 4. If you want watch the podcast you can do that when you click here to watch. From all of us here at the Montana Outdoor Podcast and the Montana Outdoor Radio Show have a safe, fun and above all productive hunting season!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Region 4.
- Click here to get a copy of Region 4’s FWP 2025 Hunting Forecast. Also click here for the Statewide Upland Game Bird Hunting Forecast.
- To go to the Block Management page for Region 4 click here.
- Head on over to Region 4’s Facebook Page by clicking here.
- Click here to access the FWP Hunt Planner.
- Click here for more info about the “It’s Up to Us” program and to take the quiz to automatically entered to win all kinds of prizes! And thank a landowner there as well.
- Click here to get a digital copy of any hunting regulations for any species in Montana! Always handy if you download it to your phone that way you have whether you have cell service or not!
- Questions? Click here to email Cory Loecker in Region 4.
- Click here to email your buddy Downrigger Dale!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale continues his annual Montana Regional Hunt Preview Series to bring you the latest on how the hunting will be in each of the 7 hunting regions across Montana. This week Rigger talks with Wildlife Manager Matt Ladd in Region 5 located in south central Montana. Rigger and Matt take a deep dive into everything south central Montana has to offer in the way of hunting, and boy is it A LOT! They talk about all kinds of wildlife from Mountain Goats, Bighorn Sheep, huge Elk, Mule & Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, even...well, you name it, and just wait until you hear about the over-the-counter Bighorn Sheep tags that Matt talks about! It’s just crazy! However, this region does have some challenging terrain and other things that take some planning and expertise and that is where this podcast comes in. Yeah, you will get exclusive information that will turn you into a well-oiled hunting machine and that even includes you folks that are not even planning on hunting in Region 5!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Region 5.
- You can click here to go to the Region 5 Facebook Page.
- Be sure and click here for the Region 5 Hunting Forecast. Also click here for the Statewide Upland Game Bird Hunting Forecast.
- Click here to access the FWP Hunt Planner.
- When you Click here you will find the Block Management info and maps for Region 5.
- Click here for more info about the “It’s Up to Us” program and to take the quiz to automatically entered to to win all kinds of prizes!
- Click here to get a digital copy of any hunting regulations for any species!
- Questions? Click here to email Wildlife Manager Matt Ladd in Region 5.
- Click here to email Downrigger Dale!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Your host Downrigger Dale continues his annual Montana Regional Hunt Preview Series to bring you the latest on how the hunting will be in each of the 7 hunting regions across Montana. This week your Rigger talks to Region 3 Wildlife Manager, Warren Hansen and Communication and Education Manager, Morgan Jacobsen and boy did they have lots to say about all the different species you can hunt there in region 3. For starters Warren talked about the strong Elk population that lives throughout the region however he did give some great info about where some of the better hunting districts are that you will be able to find elk. Morgan told Rigger about the the strong hunting access that exists in Region 3 due to the growth of the "Its Up to Us" Program that hunters have been Participating in Region 3 for the last few seasons. Both Warren and Morgan had a great conversation with Rigger about Bison hunting in the region that was very interesting plus they covered health of Bear, Mountain Lion, Mule and Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, Upland Game Birds, Waterfowl and more that are populating the Region. If you want to give hunting a try in Region 3 in southwest Montana this podcast is a must and even if you are not going to hunt there you will with out a doubt find it interesting!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Region 3.
- You can click here to go to the Region 3 Facebook Page.
- Click here for the Region 3 Hunting Forecast or click here for the Statewide Upland Game Bird Hunting Forecast.
- Click here to access the FWP Hunt Planner.
- For Block Management info and maps click here for Region 3.
- Click here for more info about the “It’s Up to Us” program and to take the quiz to automatically entered to to win all kinds of prizes!
- Click here to get a digital copy of any hunting regulations for any species!
- Questions? Click here to email Region 3 Wildlife Game Manager Warren Hansen or herefor Communication and Education Manager Morgan Jacobsen.
- Click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast we are doing something for the first time ever! We are doing a Montana Outdoor Podcast Double Feature! That’s right, you will be able to watch and or listen to two different podcasts this week. This half of of our Double Feature is all about Region 2, located in the central part of Western Montana. Rigger heads to Missoula to talk to MT FWP Regional Access Manager, Trenton Heisel. Trenton gives some awesome advice about gaining hunting access in the region and outlined all the different hunting access programs there. On top of all that Trenton gave all kinds of inside info about where you can find Elk, including where you might find some nice bulls, Muleys, Whitetail, Black Bear, and the list goes on and on. All and all Trenton will get you dialed in for hunting success in FWP Region 2. The other half of our double feature has your host Downrigger Dale talking to FWP Wildlife Manager for Region 1, Neil Anderson in Kalispell. He will tell you what the hunting will be like in Montana FWP Region 1 located in Northwest Montana. Be sure and listen to both of these podcasts and become a Region 1 and 2 hunting genius!
Links:
- Click here for more about Region two.
- Click here to access the FWP Hunt Planner to plan you hunts in any region.
- Click here to get all the block management info and BMA maps for both Region 1 & 2!
- Click here to learn about winning those Griz Football tickets that Trenton talked about. Plus, other prizes in the "Its Up to Us" promo.
- Click here for Deer, Elk and Antelope regulations. Click here for Upland Game Bird regs and here for Waterfowl regs.
- Click here to get the Wolf Hunting regulations for Montana.
- You can click here to get the Region 2 Hunting Forecast.
- Click here for the Upland Game Bird Season Outlook for Montana.
- Questions, click here to email Trenton Heisel in Region 2.
- You can email Downrigger Dale when you click here.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast we are doing something for the first time ever! We are doing a Montana Outdoor Podcast Double Feature! That’s right, you will be able to watch two different podcasts this week. This half of our double feature (the one you are looking at now) has your host Downrigger Dale talking to FWP Region 1 Wildlife Manager Neil Anderson about what the hunting will be like in Montana FWP Region 1 located in Northwest Montana. This podcast is all about what Region 1 is like, it's terrain, size, how much public access there is and how much private access is there through block management and other access programs and more. Plus, you will learn all about what you can hunt in region 1 and where you can find those critters, from Black Bear, Mule and Whitetail Deer, Elk, Mountain Lion, Upland Game Birds, Waterfowl and Wolf. Region 1 has some great opportunities including one species that you can harvest 30 of if you do it right! The other half of our podcast Double Feature is all about Region 2, located in the central part of Western Montana. Rigger heads to Missoula to talk to MT FWP Regional Access Manager, Trenton Heisel. Be sure and watch that as well. You can find it right here on this site. Watching both of these great podcasts will for sure make you a Region 1 and 2 hunting genius!
Links:
- Click here for more info about Region 1.
- Click here to access the FWP Hunt Planner to plan you hunts in any region.
- Click here to get all the block management info and BMA maps for both Region 1 & 2!
- Click here for Deer, Elk and Antelope regulations.
- Click here for Upland Game Bird regs and here for Waterfowl regs.
- Click here to get the Wolf Hunting regulations for Montana.
- Click here to get the Region 1 Hunting Forecast.
- Click here for the Upland Game Bird Season Outlook for Montana.
- Questions? Click here to email Neil Anderson in Region 1.
- Course, you can always email your old buddy Downrigger Dale when you click here.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale starts his annual series of Hunt Preview Podcasts. That’s when he talks to Wildlife Managers and other folks with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks to find out what the hunting will be like in each of the 7 hunting Regions across Montana. In this first podcast in the series Rigger talks with Scott Thompson, Wildlife Manager for Region 6 located in northeast Montana. When you listen to this podcast you will be able to find out not only what the hunting opportunities are in Region 6, you’ll get a whole lot more, from how the populations of Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetails, and more are doing, in fact, wait until you here about the Pronghorn, aka Antelope population numbers. We think that might shock you! Well, actually there are likely several things that may surprise you in this one! Rigger’s guest Scott will also give you some ideas of which hunting districts might be the best to find those critters as well as some great information about Upland Gamebirds and Waterfowl! On top of all that you will also get great information about the terrain, the amount of private land and public land hunting opportunities and the list goes on and on. So, if you are planning on hunting in Region 6 this year or just ever wondered if that part of Montana might be a good place for you to try for the first time or heck, maybe you are just curious, this is the absolute perfect Podcast for you! So go ahead and mash that play button to become the most informed hunter in Region 6!
Links:
- To learn more about Hunting Region 6 click here. Be sure a scroll all the way to down for info on all species in the region.
- Click here for some hunt planning tools!
- Click here for the 2025 Hunting Forecast for Region 6.
- How about a Hunt forecast for Upland Game Birds and Waterfowl? Click here for that!
- Click here to send an email to Region 6 Wildlife Manager Scott Thompson.
- As always good old Rigger is standing by to answer your questions and he would love to find out what you thought of this podcast, click here to do that.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your Host Downrigger Dale had a great discussion with Greg Lemon, the Head of Communication and Education for the FWP. The main topic they covered was hunting land access. Most all the research on this topic has centered around two main areas, how do we get more land access and how do we keep the access we currently have. The number one reason we don’t get access or lose access boils down to one thing, hunter and landowner relations. The sad fact is it only takes one bad hunter to lose access for all the good hunters. When you listen you'll learn all about the growth of and the current plans for a program called, It’s Up to Us. Respect Access. Protect the Hunt. This podcast will give you some great information on that program and will give you some ideas on how you can help weed out the bad actors and how you can get even more access for your future hunts. When you listen you will also learn about some incredible incentives that Greg and his crew have come up with to entice us all to learn more ways to protect the access we have and how to get more. In fact, you can get a free three-month onX Elite membership (some restrictions apply) just for watching a video and taking a short test! Plus, you will be entered to win some great prizes! If that weren’t enough there are a bunch of companies and individuals that are investing a TON into this including Montana State, University of Montana, onX, Maven, and VIAM Outdoors and the result is you will have a chance to win all kinds of prizes just for simply taking a little time to learn all about the “It’s Up to Us” program. So give it a listen!
Links:
- Click Here to lean more about the program.
- Click the links below to get even more info about all different hunting access programs:
- Black Management Program
- Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program
- Other Public Land Hunting Opportunities
- Montana Cadastral Maps
- Montana Hunt Planner
- Click here to take a quick test and get automatically entered for prizes!
- Questions for Greg Lemon? Click here to send him an email.
- Let Downrigger know what you thought of this Podcast or to ask him any questions, click here.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale was on a quest to answer a question that not only he has been pondering but so have several other podcast viewers and listeners. Can someone who has never fished in any Mack Days Lake Trout Fishing Tournaments on Flathead Lake, make a decent amount of money fishing their first Mack Days tournament? Rigger got a hold of Tournament Director Cindy Benson and posed that question to her and asked her to find some first timers and ask them to come on the Podcast. So, Cindy introduced Rigger to Ryker Bair and Patrick Casey, two different fishermen who’s first time giving Mack Days a try was last year during Fall Mack Days. And well, you just need to click here to watch or listen here! Yes, Rigger got the answer to his question, but he also got a lot more than that. He got two different approaches to competing in Fall Mack Days for the first time. This Podcast is perfect for anyone that wants to learn a ton about making some money fishing in the Mack Days Tournament that started September 4th and runs through Sunday November 2nd. And yes, you can join in the tournament anytime you want between the 4th and November 2nd. Find out all the different ways you can make money and how to do it whether you have never fished the tournament before or maybe you haven’t tried it in a while and you will learn you don’t have fish everyday to make some dang good money. Plus, this tournament is without a doubt the most fun you will ever have fishing in a tournament! In fact, you will find out the word “fun” gets mentioned a whole lot in this Podcast! So, click here to watch or listen here and then go make some money while having a blast fishing!
Links:
- Click here to learn all the details about Fall Mack Days on their website.
- If you want a quick look at the basics of when and where and such click here.
- Patrick recommended you stop in a chat with Dick Zimmer, The Mackman, at his tackle shop. Click here for more info.
- Click here to learn about campgrounds around the lake.
- Cindy Benson is an incredible Tournament Director, and she is happy to answer your Questions. Click here to email her or give her a call at (406) 270-3386.
- Downrigger Dale is happy to help find info for you as well! Click here to email him.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to angler Audie Stein about is frightening brush with death in one of the fiercest windstorms Fort Peck Montana has seen in a very long time. It was the evening of August 7th and Billings resident Audie Stein was camping on his lot that he had purchased near Fort Peck. He had towed his 40-foot travel trailer on the lot that soon he would be building his new home on. In fact, he was a bit excited as it would not be long, and the foundation would be poured, and construction would begin. Audie noticed a huge ominous looking cloud (see photo above) on the horizon and pulled out his phone and snapped a picture before going into his travel trailer for the evening. There was no wind blowing however so Audie did not have any reason to be alarmed at the time and said to himself “I’ll just keep an eye on it”. Little did he know that in just ten short minutes from that time his evening of hell on earth would begin. You need to click here to watch this podcast right now gang or listen right here. Pardon the pun but this Podcast will blow you away! If you can watch this on YouTube as you will get to see several pictures. We are positive that you will wonder the same thing we did when we saw the pictures. How did Audie survive?! Well, click here to watch now and you will find out!
Links:
· What did you think of this podcast? Click here to email Downrigger Dale and give him your thoughts or ideas for future podcast topics!
· Catch up on all the Montana Outdoor Podcasts on YouTube by clicking here.
· What to download the Montana Outdoor Podcast so you can listen while you are driving to your next adventure. Click here to listen all past Montana Outdoor Podcasts!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale had a great conversation with Ross Tate who is also known by anglers on Flathead Lake as the Whitefish Whisperer. Click here to watch or listen here and you will understand that Ross is called that for a good reason. There are very few folks out there that know more about how to catch the Lake Whitefish in Flathead Lake. This is a great opportunity for anyone who has ever wanted to learn how to catch the Lake Whitefish also referred to by many on Flathead as the Lake Superior Whitefish. If you have never caught one of these fish, you might be wondering what is the big deal about catching Lake Whitefish? There are two main reasons. 1. They are quite possibly the best eating freshwater fish anywhere on the planet! And 2. Pound for pound they are one of the hardest fighting fish you will ever catch! There are only a few times of the year that the lake whitefish can be found and caught. Now is the time they come up to feed on the freshly hatched perch fry, but it takes a special technique to find and catch the HUGE ones and you guessed it, Ross is one that truly knows how to do it! If you can try to watch this one on YouTube by clicking here. That’s because Ross shows all the lures he uses, and he shows the rod and reel that delivers the perfect action to get the job done. Plus, Ross even describes the perfect way to clean Lake Whitefish so you and have perfect boneless filets. If you can’t watch you can listen here and you will likely get the just of it and you can also click the link below and Rigger will email you some videos and pictures. Don’t miss this one gang, it is fantastic info that will get you (pardon the pun) hooked on catching Lake Whitefish!
Links:
- To learn more about Flathead Lake and its Campgrounds click here.
- Click here to find the tackle Ross talks about from Dick Zimmer.
- Ross & Rigger also talked about having info handy if you are stranded on Flathead Lake. Click here for one of the companies that can help.
- Rigger also mentioned that you can contact the Coast Guard Auxiliary for a free boat safety inspection. Click here for that.
- Do you have a question for Ross Tate? Click hereto email him.
- Click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has another great conversation with FWP, Game Management Bureau Chief, Brian Wakeling, this time about Montana's Elk Shoulder Seasons. These seasons are already underway in several hunting districts and will go on and off through February 15th, 2026. Just that statement right there is confusing. Thus, there are a whole lot of hunters that pass on giving these elk harvest opportunities a try. Rigger has received a whole lot of emails from many podcast listeners and viewers complaining about that. Folks have said things like "I have a helluva time figuring out what tag I even need in Shoulder Seasons near me" or "Antlerless elk!? Does that mean a cow or calf or what" or "just when I thought I had it figured out, I head out and the landowner said, "hey you can't do that here now that was for last week!" And the list goes on and on. That's why your host Downrigger Dale said "not this year, all that confusion needs to be cleared up and Brian Wakeling is the perfect guy for the job. Brian is excellent at explaining everything you need to know about Elk Shoulder Seasons. During the podcast Brian even opened the 2025 hunting regulations and showed some examples of where to look for Shoulder Season info and more importantly what all that info means. Once you listen or watchthis podcast you will be walking around with a big beautiful light bulb above your head! True you won't be bringing home a trophy mount, but you will be able to fill your freezer with delicious elk meat! That is way better than sipping on a mug of tag soup! So what are ya waiting for ya brilliant meat eater? Go mash that play button and listen or better yet watch and learn all about it!
Links:
- Click here for a web page were you can learn even more, and it has some great hunt planning tools!
- Click here to look at last year's Shoulder Season performance data that Brian gave us.
- For a copy of Montana's Deer, Elk and Pronghorn hunting regulations click here.
- To send Brian Wakeling a question click here.
- Click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a fascinating discussion with Katie Vivian, FWP Region 4 Fisheries Manager. Katie is very intelligent, especially when it comes to the fish in Tiber Reservoir, which is also her personal favorite place to fish. Tiber can be challenging to get it to give up its HUGE Walleye and other species. When you watch this podcast on YouTube or listen to it here, Katie will explain why and will help you get around that. One of the main reasons that Rigger contacted Katie in the first place was so many of you had emailed him and asked what was the reason for those incredible record breaking weights that were turned in during the Walleyes Unlimited Walleye Tournament just last June. In fact, those weights were so incredible that they became national news. It is VERY unusual to see the size of so many huge walleyes being caught over a two-day period and not just by the winning team but by many of the other teams. That's a huge change from past tournaments at Tiber. So yeah, it's not surprising that national publications picked up that story. One question came out of all those news stories, "why", why all the sudden such dramatic change in the size of Walleye caught in Tiber. Sure, one team can just have an amazing two days, but to have so many teams do it, well that lead everyone to feel that something BIG had changed at Tiber Reservoir but no one knew why, that is until now. Wait until you hear what Katie Vivian says on this podcast. When you do be prepared to have a "mystery solved" moment. All of us here at the Montana Outdoor Podcast can't wait for you to hear this!! Plus, Katie gives a great overview of what else is swimming around in Tiber Reservior. We predict there will likely be a whole lot of you heading for Tiber Reservior there in North Central Montana! So what are you waiting for? Get to listening or better yet watch it on YouTube cause Katie also shares some awesome pictures of some monsters that have shown up in her netting surveys at Tiber!
Links:
- To learn more about Tiber Reservoir click here.
- Click here to learn more about Barotrauma in fish, a term Katie talks about in the podcast.
- Click here to check out the Montana Fish Management Plan.
- Questions for Katie Vivian? Click here.
- Click here to contact Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor podcast your host Downrigger Dale has an amazing conversation with two of the preeminent wildlife biology researchers in the Country! They are located right here in Montana ln the University of Montana Wildlife Biology program. This is one of the highest ranked wildlife biology schools in the Country, if not the world. Rigger talked with Dr. Chad Bishop who is the Director of the program at the U of M and Dr. Andrew Whiteley who is a faculty member there at the U of M Wildlife Biology program and leads a lab focusing on conservation genetics of fish throughout Western North America! Rigger, Chad and Andrew covered some unreal topics. For example, Andrew is doing some amazing research he is, in essence, finding ways the problems caused by inbreeding in trout populations. An age old-problem that began as fish got isolated into certain areas. His work could change the future of endangered fish. His and Chad's research could go way beyond that to maybe even stop the spread of diseases in many other animals like Deer, Elk and Antelope! Chad, Andrew, other faculty and the students are working on much more as well at University of Montana. Of course, as always good old Downrigger had to push the edge of the envelope at, one point he steered the discussion into how AI is being used to help speed up research, of course thinking surely AI has not made its way into working with wildlife yet. Ooooh yes it has! Dr Bishop gave a perfect example of how he is using AI in his ungulate studies (deer, elk, antelope, etc.). You have to hear about this! They even got into the idea of possibly using gene of gene editing to help species survive things like CWD in deer and elk or Whirling disease in fish. Course Rigger had to ask if it was possible for them to get Walleye to start growing to 30 pounds! Wait a minute, can they? Watch on YouTube or listen here to find out. Heck they talked about the Flathead Lake Monster and Bigfoot! Could those really be out among us here in Montana? Find out what Dr Bishop and Dr Whiteley had to say about that! So mash that play button and watch or listen now!
Links:
- To learn more about the U of M Wildlife Biology program click here.
- Click here to watch a short video about the Wildlife Biology program.
- To learn more about Dr. Chad Bishop click here.
- Click here to learn more about Dr. Andrew Whiteley.
- Questions? Click here to email Dr. Bishop. Click here to email Dr. Whiteley.
- Click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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In this week's Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale continues his no holds barred discussion with Tom Opre the Director of the amazing new documentary film called The Real Yellowstone. In Part Two of the Podcast about the film Tom gives more previews into of this truly groundbreaking film. Again, this is not about Kevin Costner's character in the popular TV series called Yellowstone. Instead, the film tells the REAL-LIFE story of what farmers and ranchers all across Montana are up against and how their challenges continue to increase and now those challenges have spread to hunters and fishermen. As Rigger put it after he finished recording this podcast; "Tom Opre is a great journalist who really tried to be fair and let all sides tell their story, so the viewers really see all sides of this. That must have been very hard because once I saw this entire film I sure felt strongly that the incredibly wealthy radical environmental lobby is making a major push to take over the farmland and prime hunting and fishing areas of Montana. This is a big eye opener as this is not like what those groups used to try. They are really going for it all, in my opinion farmers, ranchers and outdoorsmen and women are in the crosshairs big time. In fact, during this second episode I could really see Tom's impartiality starting to crack a bit especially when he passionately said about hunting "If we can't do this, then I don't see much hope for humanity because this is the most essence of who we are as humans. It's in our DNA." After recording this Podcast Rigger also said, "I flat challenge you to watch this podcast and this film and tell me with a straight face that you think what these out of state groups are trying to do is fair... to anyone!" There you have it folks you have been challenged so get to it. Watch or listen here and check out the links below and tell us what you think!
Links:
- Learn more about The Real Yellowstone click here.
- Learn more about Tom's organization Shepards of Wildlife Society by clicking here. Make sure you join and donate if you can.
- Watch that trailer of the film again. Click here.
- To learn more about director Tom Opre click here.
- Click here to find a premier to attend near you! Don't forget if you can't make a premier in person you can go to Shepards of Wildlife Society and get a ticket to the online premier on August 15th!
- Send Tom Opre an email by clicking here!
- Send an email to Downrigger. Click here!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a fascinating conversation with award winning documentary director Tom Opre. Tom has created amazing films like Killing the Shepard and The Last Keeper. Now he focuses his camera on Montana's farmers, ranchers, wildlife and hunters with his latest film called The Real Yellowstone. Of course, most everyone is familiar with the incredibly popular television series Yellowstone starring Kevin Costner, but those episodes are not real. The Real Yellowstone delves into the real lives of ranching families who find themselves at the heart of a complex struggle. As stewards of both livestock and wildlife, these ranchers, whose families have worked the land for generations, face a web of rising real estate prices, predator attacks, and a powerful conservation movement that seeks to reshape the landscape they call home. When you listen to the Podcast you will learn that not only are the livelihoods of these families threatened but so are the rights of hunters and anglers. As Downrigger put it, "This discussion was one of the biggest eyeopeners I have ever had! Our heritage and the ability to hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors of Montana is being threatened. EVERYONE needs to watch or listen to this Podcast and see Tom's film without a doubt!" Yeah, ole Rigger was a bit hot under the collar and was so happy that he got to do this podcast with Tom. In fact, in this podcast he had so much to cover with Tom about his film and its topic that this Podcast will be a two-parter. So, make sure you listen to or watch it on YouTube as you will get to see some scenes for the The Real Yellowstone. Also check out the links below so you can get info on where you can attend a premier of the movie! So, mash that play button now listen to this podcast or click here to watch it on YouTube!
Links:
- Learn more about The Real Yellowstone click here.
- Learn more about Tom's organization Shepards of Wildlife Society by clicking here. Make sure you join and donate if you can.
- Watch that trailer of the film again. Click here.
- To learn more about director Tom Opre click here.
- Click here to find a premier to attend near you!
- Send Tom Opre an email by clicking here!
- Send an email to Downrigger. Click here!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks about something that has been patrolling much of Montana's Waterways for many years but many of you may not even know about it. No, it is not part of the Montana FWP but works with them quite often. It is actually part of the Department of Homeland Security and more specifically part of the United States Coast Guard. Yes, this week Downrigger has a fascinating discussion with Captain Dave Hansen of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Yeah, that's right the Coast Guard Auxiliary has a strong presence on Montana's waterways, and it is all done by a bunch of dedicated volunteers. No, they are not part of law enforcement or out checking for fishing licenses or things like that. Their main focus is safety on the water, whether you are in a boat, on a jet ski, on a sailboat or on a paddle board. They are just there to help everyone be safe or assist those that need help whether it lending you a life jacket for you or your child or actually saving your life when something goes wrong. No violations or fines just sincere help from experts in the field of safety. And it even goes further than that! With the a motto of “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready, or Always Prepared) it says a lot about these guys and gals in blue! For those of you that watch this podcast you will see some of the boats they use and what the signs look like on their boats, as well as what their uniforms look like. That way you can give them a wave or stop and say hi and thank them for all they do, though these humble Auxiliarists never expect that, they just love what they do. Don't miss this podcast everyone we are positive that you will say, at least three or four times while listening or watching, "Wow! I had no idea they did that!"
Links:
- To learn more about the Coast Guard Auxiliary all across America, click here.
- Click here to learn more about the Coast Guard Auxiliary here in Montana.
- To learn more about having them perform a free boat safety inspection for your or members of an organization that you belong to click here.
- Click here to learn about all their boating safety classes.
- Do you have questions for Captain Dave Hansen? Click here to send him an email.
- Email your old buddy Downrigger Dale by simply clicking here!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale takes over the podcast studios and gets us all caught up on the latest outdoor news, Statewide fishing reports and peek at the future topics he will be covering on upcoming podcasts. He thought it would be nice to let the rest of the podcast staff take the 4th of July weekend off, but we are thinking that maybe he just didn't get invited to any 4th of July parties. However, that is probably not that case as we all have never seen him wait to be invited when he smells food or beer. But seriously be sure and join Dowrigger on this weeks podcast so you can get caught up on the latest news concerning the Makoshika State Park fire, news of a bit of a brouhaha between the BLM and the Montana FWP, a report that indicates the water is flowing on the Milk River Project but how far, and the list goes on. Plus, Rigger has some great fishing reports for rivers, lakes and reservoirs across the state! So, sit back, crack open a cold one and let your old buddy Downrigger Dale keep you up to date on everything outdoors in Montana. In fact, rumor has it that Rigger is planning on something to do with the Flathead Monster and Bigfoot!! Actually, you may want to pop some corn for this one!! So, mash that play button and see what it's all about here on the Montana Outdoor Podcast!
Links:
- Click here to take a survey on hunting regulation changes.
- Region 1 has new Fish and Wildlife Commissioner, click hereto learn all about him.
- Click here to lean about Hunter Education. Also click here to find an in-person class near you!
- Rigger gave a fishing report for Fort Peck Reservoir from fishing guide Don Wilkins. Book a fishing trip on Fort Peck with Don by clicking here.
- Click here to listen to the latest fishing reports from all across the state.
- You can see all the results of that unbelievable Walleye Tournament on Tiber Reservoir that Rigger talked about by clicking here.
- You can watch the video version of this a other Montana Outdoor Podcasts by clicking here!
- Send an email to Downrigger Dale by clicking here!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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Yes, you read the title of the is Podcast correctly and yes, we meant to say that! All we should say about this one is YOU HAVE GOT TO LISTEN THIS PODCAST. As Rigger put it, "when one of our audience members told me I should really consider doing a podcast about the North American Trap Collectors Association I yawned right after I read the words Trap Collectors. But I promised when I started hosting this Podcast that I would consider ALL suggestions. So, I looked into it. The next thing I knew it was 4:00 AM and I was still online looking at traps, yes, traps! I am without a doubt totally addicted, enthralled, fascinated, I could go on. An no not because my guest Brad Davis is a charismatic guy, he's not. It is the subject of this that got me! It is INCREDIBLE. " So, there you have it gang Downrigger Dale is, shall we say "trapped" in this topic. But seriously this truly is fascinating. The members of the North American Trap Collectors Association or NATCA collect the rare, strange, and even the typical traps and many of those date back hundreds and hundreds of years. On July 10th they will be holding a great event showing, buying, selling and best of all telling their amazing stories about their traps. You'll hear about Mouse traps, fly traps, bird traps, fish traps and get this, even Man Traps. There will be one at the event at the Larry Creek Campground outside of Florence Montana. But first listen to this podcast you are going to get "trapped" into this subject just like Rigger did. Make sure you watch this one on YouTube you will see some really cool stuff and yes you will see the Man Trap as well. Why were they trapping people in Europe hundreds of years ago? Listen to this week's podcast and find out. Go ahead hit the play button, don't worry just push riiiiight there...SNAP!!
Links:
- To learn more about the North American Trap Collectors Association click here.
- To find out more about the event on July 9th, 10th and 11th as well as other NATCA events, click here.
- To learn about the Larry Creek Campground click here.
- Click here to get directions to the Larry Creek Camp Ground.
- To see the battlefields that Brad Davis also talked about click here. This site will take to all kinds of places in Montana.
- Want to ask Brad Davis a question? Just click here to email him.
- Give Downrigger some more great podcast ideas by clicking here!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with the Executive Director of the Montana State Parks Foundation, Megan Buecking. No doubt many of you may be asking, "is that the formal name for the branch of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks that runs all Montana's State Parks?". We thought the same thing but when you listen to this Podcast you will learn that is a completely different organization. The Montana State Parks Foundation is a nonprofit organization that in essence raises funds for the things that the State Parks need or would like to provide but can't afford. So, does Montana's State Parks just not get enough tax dollars? Well, State parks don't receive any of your tax dollars. So, how do they get by? Listen to this week's Podcast to find out! Megan and all the folks involved with the Foundation not only help raise money for many of the special projects and services that our State Parks provide but also helps come up with some of the great ideas that you come across when you visit Montana's State Parks. For example, the Montana State Parks Foundation provides those amazing all terrain Track Chairs that allow disabled park goers to go just about anywhere anyone else can go around the parks. Going for a hike was basically impossible for our disabled veterans and other disabled park goers before those came along. And best of all those wonderful pieces of technology are available at no cost to use! There is whole lot of other incredible things that Megan's organization provides that will blow you away, plus you will also get to hear about Montana's newest State Park that will be bringing some incredible history to life soon. So hit that play button now and prepare to be amazed!
Links:
- To learn more about the Montana State Parks Foundation click here.
- To learn about some of the latest project they have going on right now click here.
- Interested in taking a shot at winning some amazing prizes? Click here to learn more.
- To watch this Podcast on YouTube, click here.
- To learn more about all of Montana's State Parks, find a State Park, make a campsite reservation and more, click here.
- Would you like to help the Montana State Parks Foundation accomplish even more? Click here and get involved!
- Questions for Megan Buecking? Click here to send her and email.
- Click here to let Downrigger know what you thought of this Podcast and to let him know your ideas for other Podcast topics.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Fisheries Biologist, Cody Nagel. Rigger and many of you that sent him emails felt it was super important to check in with Cody about how Fresno and Nelson Reservoirs were doing after what we heard Bureau of Reclamation Project Manager Steve Darlinton said on last week’s Podcast. Steve showed us a very large whirlpool that had formed out in Fresno Reservoir caused by the huge amount of water that was being let out of it to get the farmers in the area much needed water for crops and livestock. If you would like to watch last week’s Podcast with guest Steve Darlinton, just click here. With drought conditions already happening and those being made worse because of the St Mary's Siphon being out of operation, there is a serious lack of water in the area and that everyone very concerned. So, with very low water now in Fresno and more water coming out of Nelson, will the fish survive? And what about the rest of the Milk River Basin? Listen to this podcast and get the answers to those and many other important questions about the present and future of these two wonderful fisheries. Plus, Cody also took some time to give a great update on how the Paddlefish season is going and he even gave some tips on how to not get skunked if you are lucky enough to have a tag for his area! Course, his great advice will work no matter where you are going to fish for those big nosed wonders of the deep. There is a TON if great information here so make sure you and mash that play button! If you want to watch the podcast you can do that on YouTube. Click here to do that! We would also love you even more than we already do if you would please share this Podcast on social media and with your friends and family!
Links:
- To learn more about Fresno Reservoir click here.
- Click here to learn more about Nelson Reservoir.
- To learn more about all the new Paddlefish regulation changes that Rigger and Cody talked about click here.
- Click here to watch Cody’s video titled "How to Snag and Release Paddlefish". It has some fantastic information!
- To watch another great video from Cody about how to catch a Paddlefish, and it is perfect to watch on your phone, click here.
- Do you have questions for Fisheries Biologist Cody Nagel? Just Click here to send him an email.
- Be sure and let Rigger know what you thought of this podcast and what your ideas are for future podcast topics!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Steve Darlinton Project Manager for the Bureau of Reclamation. Rigger and Steve have a fascinating discussion about the state of Freson Dam. You may recall back in December of 2023 Rigger talked with Steve about the precarious state that Fresno Dam was in. It was sinking! In fact, it had sunk ten feet since it had been constructed back in the 1930s. NOT something you want a dam to do! So, Steve and his crew set out to go about the tricky task of trying to save the dam. How is that going? Interesting (and possibly a bit concerning) have you seen the whirlpool that has been getting bigger and bigger out there in Nelson Reservoir?! First and foremost, DO NOT go near that at all. Yes, it is dangerous! What is causing that, besides the obvious answer of “there is a lot of water draining out of the reservoir”, Steve does a great job of explaining all that, and needless to say, it is VERY interesting. Heck, the whole Podcast is flat fascinating. Be sure and listen to find out all the details. Rigger and Steve also talk about if the St Mary’s Siphon failure and repairs are affecting both Fresno and Nelson Reservoirs and a whole lot more. No matter if you fish, recreate or live near Fresno or Nelson reservoirs, you will be fascinated by the amazing podcast so hit that play button and listen!
Links:
- Heads up, Hi-Line travelers! The Bureau of Reclamation will temporarily close Fresno Reservoir Road across Fresno Dam from Wednesday, June 25 through Wednesday, July 2. Click here for more info.
- For lots of information and updates about the Fresno Dam project click here.
- Questions for Steve Darlinton? Click here to email him.
- Your buddy Downrigger Dale is happy to track down information for you as well. Click here to send him an email. While you are at it also let him know what other topics you would like him to tackle!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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There was once a law many years ago in Montana that basically said women were not allowed to fish alone! Well, move over guys because women in Montana are becoming Outdoors Women. This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Kylie Kembel, Coordinator of the BOW or Becoming an Outdoors Women program at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Kylie talks about all the different skills that women can learn in the different BOW events that she and her staff put on throughout the year. Ladies can learn how to icefish, flyfish, backpack, snowshoe, gain backcountry survival skills and list goes on and on, even how to make soap out of parts of the wild game that they learn how to harvest! How do they do that? Click the play button above and listen and find out. In fact, one of Rigger’s daughters attended one of the programs and she loved it! There is just a tremendous number of things that women can learn that will put them on the way to discovering Montana’s Outdoors in a way that they may have never thought possible. And for all you guys out there this podcast is for you as well! Do you possess an outdoor skill that you would like to share with others? BOW is always looking for those that can teach outdoor skills to the BOW participants. Listen to find how you can get involved. So, ladies what are you waiting for? Listen to this podcast and learn how to get involved! Don’t forget, the Montana Outdoor Podcast is now on video! You can watch any time on YouTube by clicking here! This is the second video podcast but most all of them will be on video from now on. You of course can still listen to the audio version from any podcast site or by returning to this site every week.
Links:
- Click here to learn more about BOW and find out when the next program is starting! You can attend whichever classes interest you!
- You can click here to sign up to get emails or texts with updates on upcoming BOW events and classes.
- Questions for Kylie? Simply click here to send her and email and ask her whatever you want.
- Rigger would love to hear from you as well. Click here to email him and let him know your thoughts about this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast and give him your ideas for topics for future Podcasts.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a very interesting discussion with Brian Wakeling, Game Management Bureau Chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Rigger received emails from a whole lot of you wanting more information about the new Mule Deer Management Plan that Brian and his staff are working on right now. Mule Deer are a VERY popular species to hunt here in Montana and a great deal of hunters and outdoor folks in general have been concerned about the decline in Mule Deer populations in many hunting districts across the state. Thus, one of the main reasons for the FWP developing a new management plan. So, what is a management plan anyway? Who decides what goes into the plan? What are the main issues facing Montana's Mule Deer? Is it just Chronic Wasting Disease or are there other issues that are causing population declines? Recently Brian and his staff conducted a series of public workshops across Montana to get input from folks across the state. Mainly they wanted to hear ideas and what folks would like to see in the New Management plan. So how did the workshops go? Those and many other questions will be answered when you listen to this fascinating podcast. So, what are you waiting for click that play button and give this week's podcast a listen! By the way thanks to all of you that listen and share this podcast! It has grown by leaps and bounds, in fact we just found out that it is now in the top one percent of the most downloaded podcasts in the Nation! Thanks to all of you and to our incredible sponsors, Rocky Mountain Truck and Trailer and Superior Hardwoods of Montana!
Links:
- To look at the latest Mule Deer Population Report click here.
- To learn more about Chronic Wasting Disease, see maps of where CWD has occurred in Montana and other CWD related information, click here.
- Click here to learn the basics about Mule Deer in Montana.
- To look up harvest estimates for Mule Deer or any other game animals in Montana click here.
- Do you have questions for Montana Game Management Bureau Chief Brian Wakeling? Click here to send him an email.
- Your buddy Downrigger Dale would love to hear from you with thoughts about this episode, and your ideas for future podcast topics! Click here to send Rigger an email.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has an incredible discussion with Jennifer Patrick, Project Manager of The Milk River Joint Board of Control for the Milk River Project. This project is beyond remarkable. With over a century of successful operation, this engineering feat diverts water from the St. Mary River on the Blackfeet Reservation, flowing through northern Montana and Glacier National Park, and across southern Alberta, Canada. The project is a testament to the intricate canals, siphons, and diversions designed for a seamless flow of water. The Milk River Project is essential to fulfill Montana’s water demands, catering to eight irrigation districts, Reclamation pump contracts, private contracts, the Blackfeet and Fort Belknap Indian Reservations, and other living communities along the Milk River. The project has created numerous recreational opportunities for the surrounding inhabitants, contributing to the ecosystem’s prosperity and wildlife habitats. All that came to a catastrophic stop at 3:00 PM on June 17th, 2024, when the St. Mary Siphon failed blowing a massive 50-foot-deep hole in the earth and everyone along the cherished Hi-Line across the northern top of the State held their breath as they saw the water stop flowing. When you listen to this podcast you will hear the story of an amazing group of incredible Montanans that rolled up their sleeves and went to work. They have stayed on it night and day rain or shine and in freezing cold with a can do spirt that will warm your heart! When will the water flow through the Milk River Project again? Will Montana's second longest river, the Milk, go dry? Will our farmers ever see consistent water for irrigation again? Will Fresno and Nelson Reservoirs have a future that farmers and anglers can depend on? If you ask Jennifer, the amazing work crews, the Corporate, State, Federal and Tribal Partners, you will likely hear them all say with a resounding and confident tone, "WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP UNTIL IT IS DONE"! Learn about their progress and timelines for completion now by clicking the play button!
Links:
- Click here to watch a documentary film about the project.
- To learn more about the Milk River Project and it's Partners click here.
- Click here to see amazing pictures of the disaster and the ongoing progress on Milk River Facebook Page.
- To learn about the partners working on this amazing project click here.
- Click here to ask Jennifer Patrick any questions you have.
- Click here to let Downrigger Dale what you thought of this podcast.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show, one of Fort Peck’s top fishing guides, Don Wilkins and none other than the Salmon Slayer himself Bill Zahradka! The episode title kind of says what this podcast is all about. When you listen to this podcast you will hear some great ideas that will keep you organized and keep your next fishing trip hassle and tangle free! Plus, the Captain, Don and Bill share some very cool organizational gear ideas on the Podcast and you can check out what some of them look like by going to our website MontanaOutdoor.com. Just look for the article about this podcast. If you have questions for any of Downrigger's guests there are links below to contact them directly and you can ask them your questions. If you would like more info on some of the gear that they talked about just click the link below to get ahold of Downrigger Dale and he will get back to you with the info you are looking for. Now go ahead and mash that play button and start your journey to an organized boat that will catch you more fish! Also Bill the Salmon Slayer also gives a little preview of the upcoming King Salmon season on Fort Peck Reservior so don't miss that!
Links:
- To see the pictures of the gear that the Captain, Don Wilkins and Bill talked about click here.
- If you have questions for the Captain just click here to email him.
- You can click here to email Don Wilkins. If you want to book a fishing trip with Don simply click here.
- To reach Bill (the Salmon Slayer) Zahradka just click the link below and let Rigger know and he will set that up since Bill will is traveling now.
- To email you old buddy Downrigger just click here and he will get back to ya. Rigger gets a ton of emails so some times it takes a couple days.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week you host Downrigger Dale talks with Fort Peck Fisheries Biologist Heath Headley and Fort Peck Hatchery Manager Wade Geraets about how the annual Walleye egg collection effort went, which wrapped up not long ago. Rigger was also joined by a special guest that has not been on the Podcast for a while. Yeah, The Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show came by and like usual when he and Rigger get together things tend to get "western" as they say. Yes indeed everyone had a great time, but they also got into some very interesting discussions full of a lot of fascinating questions that we are guessing you may not know the answers too but once you hear them you are going to be amazed, surprised and maybe even a bit shocked. This amazing discussion covered of course the usual topics, like how many Walleye eggs were collected but they also covered things like how the entire Walleye egg collection process works, of the eggs collected how many will actually produce Walleye and of those how many actually will end up in a lake near you and hopefully on your dinner plate? Rigger even got into some Jurassic Parkish type subject matter when he asked Heath and Wade if they think they will someday be able to alter those eggs to dictate the sex of the walleye in the egg and maybe even go as far as those scientists in Canada who recently created wolf pups with ancient Dire Wolf DNA and create a Mega Walleye! Yeah we told you it got "western"! Bottomline, this is an AMAZING Podcast! So what are you waiting for? Mash that play button and get to listening!
Links:
- To learn even more about Walleye egg collection click here to watch an interesting video that features Heath, Wade and their amazing staff and volunteers collecting walleye eggs.
- You can learn more about the Fort Peck Hatchery by clicking here.
- Click here to learn more about the Fort Peck Reservoir.
- Questions? Click here to send an email to Heath Headley.
- Click here to email Hatchery Manager Wade Geraets.
- Got a question for the Captain? Click here to email him.
- Your buddy Downrigger would love to hear your ideas for future podcasts. Click here to email him!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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Do you remember about this time last year when we had Kit and Trevor Johnson here on the Montana Outdoor Podcast? Your host Downrigger Dale and his fishing buddy the Captain talked to them about the great big Kokanee Salmon that they had been catching on Holter and Hauser Reservoir. Many of you wanted to know how they were finding and catching those great big, beautiful Kokanee Salmon so we thought we would run that podcast again for those of you that did not get a chance to hear it or who did hear it but wanted to get a refresher course on how to find and catch those. Cause after all, starting now and continuing through June is a perfect time to get out and fish for those. You might also recall when Rigger talked to FWP Fisheries Biologist Adam Strainer on the Podcast (click here if you want to hear that podcast ) about the mysterious disappearance and eventual return of Kokanee Salmon to Holter and Hauser, but we had no idea that they were so huge! Talk about a comeback! It is doubtful anyone else knew either, but Kit and Trevor spent hours and hours out on those reservoirs targeting Kokanee and found out just where to find them and how to catch them and now when you listen to this week’s podcast you will know too! As Trevor said on the podcast, “these are true world class Kokanee!”. This truly is one of the most exciting and informative podcasts we have ever done so DO NOT MISS OUT! One of the main things we learned is it is all about finesse when going after these incredible fish so listen carefully or better yet book a fishing trip with Kit or Trevor and learn firsthand from these pros. You will have a blast and learn a TON! If you would like to see an example of the dropper ball setup that Trevor talks about on the podcast to target the big Kokanee and to see some pictures of Kokanee that he and his clients have caught, just click here.
Links:
- If you would like to book a trip with Kit’s Tackle Outfitters, be sure and click here today. They will fill up fast, so this is not one you want to put off.
- If you would like to ask Kit or Trevor any questions you can click here to send them and email or call them at (406) 459-2841.
- Kit and Trevor are also famous for the incredible fishing tackle they make. Be sure and click here to look at all their tackle. As they like to say, you will be “Jiggin the Dream” in no time when you get their handmade tackle.
- You can also take a look at their Facebook Page by clicking here.
- Also, be sure and click here to send Downrigger Dale an email and let him know what you thought of this podcast and what ideas you
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to outdoor reporter, writer and Hunting and Conservation Editor for Outdoor Life, Andrew McKean. Andrew wrote a wonderful article for the 2025 March/April edition of Montana Outdoors Magazine. The title of the article is Double Bacon Cheeseburger with Fins. This fascinating article covers the history and the effect of the introduction of the Cisco into Fort Peck Reservoir over 40 years ago and the effects this amazing forge fish continues to have on the sport fish that live in the Reservoir. Of course, most avid Fort Peck Anglers are aware of the Cisco, but they may not be aware of how the Cisco continues to grow the population of world class sport fish in the reservoir and how they are changing the behavior of the larger of the Walleye, Pike, Lake Trout, of course the Chinook or King Salmon and maybe even the larger Catfish. Now, many of you reading this may be asking what do you mean? Well when you listen to this Podcast you will hear Andrew talk about why more and more anglers are catching for example large Walleye and Pike suspended in deep water, often when they are fishing for the King Salmon! In fact, during the podcast Andrew even gives a stunning prediction that one of these days soon there will a new record Pike caught deep that will exceed...wait until you hear that weight! He also talks about other positive things about this amazing forge fish that you will for sure find VERY interesting. Yeah, you will learn that the story of the Cisco is a rare success story for a nonnative forge fish. So, mash that play button and listen to this fascinating podcast about the Double Bacon Cheeseburger with Fins.
Links:
- For more information about the Cisco click here.
- To learn about all the articles you can find in the March/April edition of Montana Outdoors Magazine click here.
- Click here to read the article Double Bacon Cheeseburger with Fins.
- Questions for Andrew McKean? Click here to email him.
- Your host Downrigger Dale would love to hear what you thought of this Podcast and what your ideas are for future ones! Click here to email Rigger.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a blast talking with Kathy and Jody Goodman. Think about it, how many husband and wives do you see out fishing together? Sure, a lot of couples fish together now and then but you really don't see many that go fishing together a lot. But this couple sure does, and they are living proof that in their case a couple that fishes together stays together. When you listen to this podcast you will have a great time hearing about their first date out fishing. Jody had fished since he was a little boy but Kathy had never really fished. Wait until you hear this story. Let's just say that not warning your date that when they pull a Ling (also known as a Burbot) out of the water they will wrap around their arm, that could just end the date pretty fast! So what happened? Listen to the podcast and find out! Even though that happened their relationship, obviously, continued and it has turned into a wonderful story you will have a blast listening to. Kathy and Jody also talk to Rigger about how they learned together how to fish for the mighty King Salmon in Fort Peck Reservoir and how they now have become really good at it. Kathy also talks about the business she started that makes some great outerwear that fishermen and women love to wear while out fishing or just having fun in Montana's outdoors. Yup this is for sure the feel-good podcast of the year that you will have fun listening to and you might just learn a thing or two from this dynamic fishing duo. So mash that play button and go fishing with Kathy and Jody Goodman!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Silver Threads Outerwear!
- To learn more about Fort Peck Reservoir and the fish you can catch in that huge lake click here.
- If you would like to ask Kathy or Jody any questions about fishing or about Silver Threads Outerwear, just click here to send them an email.
- Questions for Downrigger Dale? He would also love to hear your thoughts about this podcast or ideas for future podcasts too, just click here to email him.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Shaun Jeszenka owner of Frontier Anglers. Shaun and his incredible group of guides cover some of the most famous trout waterways in the world! Rivers like the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Jefferson and more across Southwest Montana. These are rivers and streams that people from all over the world, who love to fly fish, dream of coming to for a once in a lifetime fly fishing experience. In addition to the rivers and streams in Southwest Montana Shaun and his crew also cover the amazing Clark Canyon Reservior. Why is Southwest Montana such a special place? When you listen to this podcast Shaun will tell you about a few stretches of river where it is entirely possible to catch a Whitefish, a Grayling, a Brook Trout, a Rainbow, a Cutthroat and a Brown Trout all in the same day? Have you ever done that before? Well, you are about to learn how. This Podcast is going to have you chomping at the bit to get to Southwest Montana to meet up with Shaun and his staff at his tackle shop in Dillon Montana. Shaun is an incredible source of knowledge. He has fished and indeed guided all around the world so get ready to learn a ton and plan out your once in a lifetime fishing experience! So click that play button and get to listening, your gonna love this one!
Links:
- To learn more about Shaun, his guides and Frontier Anglers and click here.
- To learn more about the Beaverhead River click here.
- Click here to learn more about the Big Hole River.
- To learn more about the Jefferson River click here.
- Click here to learn more about Clark Canyon Reservoir.
- To review the Montana Fishing Regulations click here.
- Questions for Shaun? Click here to email him.
- Questions for your old buddy Downrigger Dale? Click here.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Fishing Guide Josh Parrow about fishing for Walleye on Tiber Reservoir this Spring. Tiber is located about an hour or so north of Great Falls Montana. As far as we know Josh is the only one that guides on this legendary Walleye hot spot. In fact, Tiber is the former home of Montana's State Record Walleye and Josh is ready to take you out to find the next State Record which is no doubt out swimming around in Tiber Reservoir somewhere right now. When you listen to this Podcast Josh will tell you where you can find the Walleye in Tiber this Spring and some great ideas of what you can use to catch them! Josh and Rigger also talk about how Josh can help you a great deal if you have never tried walleye fishing before at all or have just never tried it on Tiber Reservoir. The ice will be off Tiber soon so now is the time to listen to this Podcast, so you are ready to get out there and catch some Walleye and just maybe find the next State Record!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Tiber Reservoir.
- Check out Josh's Facebook page, just click here!
- Josh talked about Lawrance electronics that he likes to use. Click here to learn more about the different models.
- Click here to take a look at the live cameras on Tiber Reservoir!
- To learn more about Montana Walleyes Unlimited and a chapter near you, click here.
- Questions for Josh or do you want to book a fishing trip with him? Click here to email him or text him at (406) 491-6851.
- Your buddy Downrigger would love to hear what you thought of this podcast or let him know your ideas for future podcast topics. Click here to email him.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with the founder of the now 31st Annual Jerry Johnston Memorial Tough Guy Walleye Tournament, Joe Herbold. For those of you that fish the Walleye Tournament Circuit in Montana you'll likely recognize that name. In addition to starting the Tough Guy Tournament, for many years Joe was also the MC of the Super Bowl of Montana Walleye Tournaments, The Montana Governor's Cup. Of course, the Jerry Johnston Memorial Tough Guy Tournament is still very special to Joe and you will hear that when you listen to this Podcast. You'll also hear Joe talk about the history of the tournament like, how it got its name, what the first one was like all those years ago, where some of the "go to" hot spots are to find fish during the tournament, ideas on what to use and how to use it to catch Walleyes this early in the season and oh so much more! Joe also talks a bit about the history of the Hell Creek Campground and Marina, where the Jerry Johnston Memorial Tough Guy Tournament is based out of and also about the wonderful town of Jordan where Joe still lives today which is not far from the Hell Creek area and is the the town that most everyone goes through to get to Hell Creek and is also where the Jordan Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited holds their annual banquet which takes place on April 25th the night before the Tournament on the 26th. Don't miss that banquet folks! It's a blast, and you will dine on some of the best prime rib around and you can buy one of just 600 tickets to try to win the, get this, $10,000 cash prize! Click here for more info on that. But of course, first you are going to want to mash that play button and listen to all the other great info that Rigger and Joe give you during this fun podcast!
Links:
- Click here to go to the Jordan Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited Facebook page to get updates on the Jerry Johnston Memorial Tough Guy Walleye Tournament.
- Click here to get info on this and other Walleye Tournaments around Montana.
- To get more info about the Hell Creek Campground and to reserve a campsite click here.
- Click here to get more info about the Hell Creek Marina.
- You can get more info about Jordan Montana by clicking here.
- Click here go to our Montana Outdoor webpage to get all kinds of fishing reports, outdoor news, weather forecasts and of course updates about the Jerry Johnston Memorial Tough Guy Walleye Tournament.
- Questions? Click here to email Downrigger and he will get you answers!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week your Host Downrigger Dale talks with Mack Days Tournament Manager Cindy Benson and her husband Mike Benson who has fished the Mack Days tourneys for many years! Cindy will give you all the details about this incredible Tournament which gets underway on March 13th and goes through May 10th on Flathead Lake in Northwest Montana. Downrigger referrs to the Mack Days Tournaments as the most unique fishing tournaments you will ever fish in and are the richest Tournaments in Montana and for Lake Trout tournaments, likely the richest in the world! Just wait until you hear Mike talk about how much money he won in Spring Mack Days just a few years ago. It is in the 5-digit range and the winner of last year's Spring Mack Days won quite a bit more than that! How much? Click that play button above and find out. Mike will also give you great advice about how to fish for the Lake Trout, also known as Mackinaw or Macks. It's all explained in the Podcast from what lures to use, where to go on the lake and much more. So, click that play button and get to listening!
Links:
- Click here to go to the Spring Mack Days website!
- Know how to identify the fish in Flathead Lake. The website above has that info or use the Fishes of Montana App. Click here to get that on Google Play. Or click here to get it for Apple.
- Lures that Mike talked about:
- Leadagator
- Rattle-d-Zastor
- Glowing Jigs
- Paul's Jigs - Call 309-678-6160 to order.
- PlugIt Tackle
- Or talk to local tackle shops in area.
- Campgrounds Cindy talked about.
- Blue Bay
- Wayfarers
- Big Arm
- Flathead Lake Map
- Montana Fishing Regulations
- Flathead Indian Reservation Fishing Regulations(South Half of Flathead Lake)
- To email Cindy and Mike click here.
- To email Downrigger click here
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale takes you way up to the Mountains of Northwest Montana to a lake that stretches for 94 miles all the way across the Canadian border into the Province of British Columbia. The lake was created when the dam was put across the Kootenay River north of Libby Montana. As manmade lakes go Koocanusa is not that old. It was created in 1972 but boy is it ever a special place. Downrigger caught up with Randy Burch the owner of the Koocanusa Resort & Marina. When you listen to this podcast likely one of the first things you will notice is Randy is an amazing wealth of information. Rigger of course asked him all about the amazing fishing that Lake Koocanusa has to offer like huge rainbow Trout, Bull Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Burbot and list goes on and on. In fact, you will find the Gerrard Rainbow Trout also known as the Kamloops Rainbow in the lake as well. These are BIG fish! Another great thing about this podcast is that Randy tells you all about where to find and how to catch all the popular fish in Lake Koocanusa. Plus, you will learn a TON about the area as well. Rigger also asked Randy about his wonderful resort and marina and wow does that place sound awesome. In fact, Rigger is making plans to head up there this summer. So what are you waiting for? Mash that Play Button and get to listening, you are gonna love all the great info!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Lake Koocanusa, including fish stocking information, list of fish species and much more!
- To learn more about the Randy Burch's Koocanusa Resort & Marina, click here!
- Rigger and Randy also talked about the Koocanusa Resort & Marina Fishing Derby. Click here to get all the info!
- Click here to download the Montana fishing Regs.
- It is important to be able to identify the fish you catch in Koocanusa there is a handy app that will help with that called the Fishes of Montana. Click here to get it for android on Google Play. Or click here to get it for Apple.
- Questions for Randy Burch? Click here to email him.
- Questions for your host Downrigger Dale? Click here to email him!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Dave Chichester of Plugit Tackle. Dave talks about how he got into the tackle business when he started making lures for himself when the quality of his favorite lures that he used to buy started going downhill. Course little did he know that would turn into a thriving specialty lure company called Plugit Tackle. Why "Plugit"? Well, when you listen to this Podcast you will learn that Plugit makes wooden plug lures using a bit of s high tech lathe. Another thing that surprised Rigger and will likely you as well is the type of wood that Dave uses. So give this podcast a listen to find out what kind of wood that is and why Dave uses it. What kind of fish go after Plugit Tackle? Dave loved to go after the Gerrard Rainbow Trout also known as the Kamloops Rainbow Trout. These are the biggest Rainbows you will ever find. Dave often fishes for them sometimes in Lake Pend Oreille in the panhandle of Idaho but most of the time you can find Dave trolling his Plugit Tackle Plugs after those monsters in Northwest Montana. Now where would that be? Give the podcast a listen and you will not only find that out, but you’ll also learn how fast to troll, how to use planer boards and a few other techniques that are amazing. But Plugit Tackle is not just a giant Rainbow catcher, Dave talks about the other species of fish in Montana that can't seem to resist going after his plugs, like Walleye, Pike, Salmon and the list goes on. This is a super interesting podcast full of great techniques and much more. So click the play button and get to listening so you can start to put some Montana Monsters of your own in the boat!
Links:
- Click here to go to the Plugit Tackle website to learn more about Plugit Tackle.
- If you would like to see all the different sizes, colors and designs of the plugs that Rigger and Dave talk about click here. Make sure you click on each style so you can see all the different colors. BTW Dave hand paints each one!
- Dave talked about how he sets up his planer boards and how he can put out multiple lines while trolling. Click here to see the diagram he talked about and other pictures in the podcast article on our website!
- Questions for Dave Chichester of Plugit Tackle? Click here to send him an email.
- Tell Downrigger what you thought of this Podcast and also let him know your ideas for future Podcasts. Click here to send him an email.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Brian Olsen about Region 6's incredible ponds located in Northeast Montana. All across Montana's Hi-Line there is an unbelievable number of ponds that can be found if you know where to look. The amazing thing is they are full of huge fish! And even more amazing is the fact that very few folks fish these wonderful waterbodies! Brian goes through the different species that can be found in these ponds ranging from huge, beautiful Trout, monster Walleye, jumbo Perch, and even Tiger Muskie to name a few. Brian even talks about the lures, jigs and baits that work best! So how did he find this treasure trove of finned wonders? Well, all that info had been sitting there online all organized by pond, location species and even stocking data in a book Brian ran across called the Region 6 Pond Fishing Guide! Now, there are some important facts that you need to know about getting into this little-known waterbodies and Brian has learned those things from fishing those ponds for the last 20 years! So, this is important info that you likely are only going to learn by listening to this Podcast. So, whether you want to go now and catch these lunkers through the ice or head out this spring. So, what are you waiting for? Get to listening to this Podcast now!
Links:
- Click here to get a copy of the Region 6 Pond Fishing Guide!
- You can click here to look up even more info from current stocking info and more.
- Click here for a online version of the Montana Fishing Regulations. Some of these ponds are in areas that may have different Regs so best to look them up just in case.
- Do you have questions for Brian Olsen. He travels a lot, but your old buddy Downrigger Dale knows how to track him down so click here to send your questions to Rigger and he will make sure you get the answers your looking for!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your Host Downrigger Dale sits down with the head football coach of the Montana Grizzlies, Bobby Hauck for an exclusive interview about a side of the Big Sky Conference's most winningest head coach that you have likely never seen or heard from before. Coach Hauck talks about how fishing is therapy to him and can relive the incredible stresses of being a head coach and all that comes with that responsibility. So do you know what kind of fishing Bobby prefers? Does he like river or lake fishing? You will also learn how fishing can get him centered for another ultra competitive season of pre, regular and post season football. Who do you suppose first taught Coach Hauck how to fish? He also sets the same goal for fishing every year. That is to catch at least one fish in every month of the year. Has he every pulled that off, especially given his demanding schedule. You will learn the answers to all those questions and a whole lot more. So, what are you waiting for? Click that play button and get to listening. You are going absolutely love this podcast. And you will learn not only learn about a side of Coach Hauck that you have never seen before but you may just learn a little more about yourself along the way.
Do you have questions for Coach Bobby Hauck about this podcast? Click here to send him an email.
Questions for your old buddy Downrigger Dale? Click here to send Rigger your email.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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By Popular Demand! Held Over for Another Week!
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with outdoorsman Scott Arnold about ice fishing on 3 incredible reservoirs near Helena. Plus, Scott also covers ice fishing out on Georgetown Lake located 48 miles west of Butte near the historic little town of Philipsburg. Scott has ice fished these waterbodies for over 40 years so he knows them better than most folks you will ever meet! Scott gives you a TON of info about where to find and how to catch the Kokanee, Walleye, Trout, Ling (aka, Burbot) and Perch that are in these incredible waterbodies! As Rigger put it; "It is no surprise that this Podcast has been so popular. It is full of AWESOME info. I can't wait get out on these lakes and try all I leaned from him. I know that folks are not only going to love this podcast, but they’re also going to catch A LOT of fish!". After you listen not only will you know how to fish these lakes, but you will also have a ton of knowledge about what lures, baits and other tackle to use, where to find each of the different species of fish that Scott talks about in each lake and the best techniques to use to catch them! So hit that play button, sit back and soak all that knowledge in!
Links:
- To learn about the size, location, fishing access sites, regulations and much for each of these waterbodies just:
- Click here for Canyon Ferry Reservoir.
- Click here for Holter Reservoir.
- Click here for Helen Regulating Reservoir.
- Click Here for Georgetown Lake.
- Click here for info about the Humminbird Flashers that Scott talked about.
- Click here to see pictures of some of the lures that Scott Uses.
- Questions for Scott Arnold? Click here to email him.
- Click here to email Downrigger
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with outdoorsman Scott Arnold about ice fishing on 3 incredible reservoirs near Helena. Plus, Scott also covers ice fishing out on Georgetown Lake located 48 miles west of Butte near the historic little town of Philipsburg. Scott has ice fished these waterbodies for over 40 years so he knows them better than most folks you will ever meet! Scott will give you a TON of information about where to find and how to catch the Kokanee, Walleye, Trout, Ling (aka, Burbot) and Perch that are in these incredible waterbodies! As Rigger put it; "Scott's attention to detail and his ability to explain in a way that is so easy to follow is amazing. By the time we were done talking I felt like I had been ice fishing on them my entire life! I can't thank Scott enough for sharing all this information with us and I can't wait get out on these lakes and try all I leaned from him. I know that folks are not only going to love this podcast, but they’re also going to catch A LOT of fish!". After you listen not only will you know how to fish these lakes, but you will also have a ton of knowledge about what lures, baits and other tackle to use, where to find each of the different species of fish that Scott talks about in each lake and the best techniques to use to catch them! So hit that play button, sit back and soak all that knowledge in!
Links:
- To learn about the size, location, fishing access sites, regulations and much for each of these waterbodies just:
- Click here for Canyon Ferry Reservoir.
- Click here for Holter Reservoir.
- Click here for Helen Regulating Reservoir.
- Click Here for Georgetown Lake.
- Click here for info about the Humminbird Flashers that Scott talked about.
- Click here to see pictures of some of the lures that Scott Uses.
- Questions for Scott Arnold? Click here to email him.
- Click here to email Downrigger
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with another of the top fishing guides in Montana, Captain Matt McComb. This topic is all about ice fishing in NorthWest Montana. Matt literally puts on a Master Class about how you can have great success ice fishing on the 30 plus incredible lakes up in Northwest Montana that are great for ice fishing. Matt gives a list of the best gear to use, including some of his top lures, bait, electronics and...well, the information is just flat amazing. He and Rigger also talk about some of the top techniques to use to catch a whole bunch of all the different species you can catch trough the ice in that part of Montana, from Salmon to trout to pike, perch and the list goes on and on! One of many things that are super interesting in this podcast is how Matt uses underwater cameras to help him locate where the fish are, what bait to use and even what technique to use! He goes over other electronics that work great from him as well. Gang, after you listen to this podcast you are definitely going to have all kinds of information that will for sure make you a better ice fisherman or woman! So what are ya waiting for? Hit that play button now and head out on the ice with Captain Matt in Northwest Montana. Oh, and don't forget he if you want to learn even more from him book a trip this winter or summer with him, he is an incredible teacher and guide!
Links:
- To learn more about Captain Matt, click here and scroll down to Captain Matt McComb.
- Questions for Matt? Click here to email him or call (406) 261-6980.
- Click here to listen to Matt's latest fishing reports as well as other reports from around Montana.
- Click here to see pictures of the Hali lure that Matt talks about as well as other pictures of Matt and the gear that he uses.
- Downrigger Dale is of course always happy to find the answers to any of your questions and he would love to see your suggestions for future podcast topics. Click here to shoot him an email.
Gear List With Links From Captain Matt:
- Ice augers: manual / electric/ propane or gas. (Talk to your local Sporting Goods Store)
- A sled to haul your gear. Matt says Otter Sleds are the best.
- Rod and reel combos, 32-36 in length med-med light rods, inline reels to stop line twisting vs spinning reels. (Talk to your local Sporting Goods Store)
- Electronics: Vexilar and Marcum flashers for deeper fish.
- Underwater cameras for shallow fish. Aqua-vu is a
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Bill the Producer of one of the most anticipated sports shows of the year, The Great Rockies Sportshow! For the last 25 years this show has been bringing outdoor folks together to learn about the latest fishing, hunting, hiking and camping gear. Plus, the show always has the top experts in the world who teach the latest fishing and hunting techniques. Listen now and find out which experts are coming this year to teach the seminars! Not only that but Bill tells Rigger all about the fun things he has planned for the kids. Man! Your kids are going to love it! This podcast takes you behind the scenes with Bill filling you in on all the incredible folks from all over the world that will have booths at the show! Yeah, you will learn about taking hunting trips to Africa or fishing for monster Walleye in Canada and the list goes on and on. On top of all that you hear about a whole bunch of the latest RVs, Fifth Wheels, ATVs and more that will be at the show. Bill also has a very special guest that will be making an appearance every day of the show which will be happening in Billings Montana next week January 17th through the 19th at the MetraPark ExpoCenter. Who is this special guest you ask? Well, you have to listen to the podcast but we will give you a little hint, he is a movie star and he is also known as the King of Beasts! So get to listening and learn all about the Great Rockies Sportshow and then make plans to come to this incredible show!
Links:
- To learn even more about the Great Rockies Sportshow click here.
- Click here for times and an interactive map of how to get to the ExpoCenter in Billings.
- If you would like to ask Bill any questions just click here to send him an email!
- What did you think of this podcast? Send your old buddy Downrigger Dale an email by clicking here.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast we wanted to take some time to celebrate the New Year with a special Sneak Peek into some new things coming soon just for you! Your host Downrigger Dale talks to the Webmaster for MontanaOutdoor.com. Our very own Website Wonder, Hookem Harry, aka Harry Ward. Harry tells us all about the new changes to our website that are active online right now, plus he reveals a few other surprises that will be coming soon. Spoiler Alert! Yes, there is an app for that! When you listen to this podcast you will learn about some very exciting things that are going to keep you even more informed about what is going on in Montana's Great Outdoors! So, grab a glass of your favorite beverage, pop some corn and sit back and listen to what new is coming just for you in 2025!
Links:
- Well, this time it is pretty simple as far as links go. Just click here and take a look at the new Montana Outdoor Website! And don't forget to keep checking back to see all the new changes that will be added in the weeks and months to come.
- Here is a super important link. Webmaster, Hookem Harry really wants to know what you think of the changes on the website so far and what else you would like to see. So, click here to email him and tell him what you think and what you want!
- Of course, your old buddy Downrigger Dale would love to know what topics you would like to hear about for new podcasts in this new year. Click here now to email him your ideas!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale is joined by Ice Fishing Pro Eric Magnuson. Eric is an incredible ice fisherman and even does testing for many companies that produce ice fishing gear, like Vexilar, Clam Outdoors, Mack's Lure and others. Eric and Rigger have a great discussion that we are positive you will find very interesting and helpful, whether you are an experienced ice fisher person or just starting out. One thing Rigger found interesting was how Eric uses his Vexilar Fish Finder and how accurate Eric says it can be. Vexilar is not something a lot of Montana ice fishermen use these days as they tend to gravitate to the new Garmin, Lowrance or Humminbird units. However, wait until you hear just how sensitive he can operate the new Vexilar, like being able to drop one maggot into the ice hole and fallow it all the way to the bottom of the lake! What?! Being that Eric typically fishes outside of Montana in the lakes of Idaho and Eastern Washington he brings possible new ideas for those of us who spend most of our time on Montana ice. However, no matter what ice you will be fishing on this winter you will indeed get some ideas that will improve your skills form this podcast. So, hit the play button and get to listening and then check out the links below for more info about the things Rigger and his guest Eric Magnuson talk about this week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast!
Links:
- To follow Eric Magnuson on his ice fishing adventures, click here to go to his Facebook Page.
- To read Eric's latest article about fishing for Burbot click here.
- Click here to read Eric's latest article about using fish finders.
- To learn more about the Vexilar fish finder that Eric uses click here.
- Eric talked about gear from Automatic Fisherman, click hereto learn more.
- To learn more about the Toothpick Hook Remover click here.
- Here is Eric's list of "must have" gear to go out on the ice with.
- Ice Picks
- Spud bar
- Throw Rope
- Proper clothing
- 5gal bucket to carry gear and use as a seat.
- Rod and Tackle
- T2 Toothpick hook remover
- Proper Boots
- Auger
- Sonar/Maps
- Fishing Partner
- Small Jet Sled to tow gear behind
- Questions for Eric? Click here to send him an email.
- Comments for Rigger? Click here to email him.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Bob Loomis from Mack's Lure, inventors of the world-famous Wedding Ring fishing lure. Bob has been on the podcast before and if you listened before then you know if there is one thing Bob knows it is fishing! Bob got his start 43 years ago at the legendary fishing rod manufacturer G. Loomis Fishing Rods working with family there. Years down the road he moved over to Mack's Lure which is another company that has been a legend in the tackle business since 1969. Their famous product the Wedding Ring has been a staple among Kokanee fishermen for it seems forever. But believe it or not the tackle business is not his true passion, that would be of course the act of fishing itself. This guy lives and breathes it! So as a result, when you listen to this podcast you are going to get a TON of ideas of how to catch fish through the ice and most of all some fantastic suggestions of what to use to do that! You will hear Bob and Rigger talk about all kinds of different lures that will be great to catch fish and Bob goes over lots of great techniques of how to use them for the different species you may be going after. If you want to get a look at the different lures they talk about, there are links below. Then just head to any of the Montana Outdoor Approved stores and pick up what you want to use. Click here to get info on all of our Montana Outdoor Approved Stores! Course right now you need to get to listening!
Links:
- To learn more about Mack's Lure just click here.
- To subscribe to the Mack Attack online Magazine and learn from the Mack's Lure Pros, click here.
- To look at the ice fishing lures from Mack's Lure that Bob Loomis and Rigger talked about just click here.
- In addition, Bob also mentioned these lures. Just lick on each of their names to look at them. Promise Keeper® and Wedding Ring® Classic Original.
- He also mentions some scents that work well. Click here for gels and click here for oils.
- Questions for Bob Loomis? Click here to send him an email!
- Don't forget your old buddy Downrigger Dale! He would love to hear your thoughts about this podcast and your ideas for future topics. Click here to email him now
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast you host Downrigger Dale talks to Racheal Vargas of Montana K9 Safety. If you own a dog and take it with you in the Outdoors or along with you anywhere this winter especially if you could not get to the Vet in minutes, you really need to listen to this podcast. It indeed could save your dog's life and save you from a whole lot of heartache. Racheal is a nurse that has turned into the Florence Nightingale for our four-legged best friends. Years ago, she decided to use her medical and safety training knowledge to train people how to save their pets should an emergency happen where lifesaving care was up to them. Think about it, do you know how to perform CPR on your dog? The Furbearer Trapping Season just started, what if you were out hiking with your pup and it stepped in a trap, would you know how to safely free him or her from the trap? Let's say you and Rover were out bird hunting and he suddenly dropped into a seizure, would you know what to do? How about if you're out ice fishing and your dog falls through the ice and goes into hyperthermia and their heart stops, would you know how to save them? This Podcast will tell you all about how you can get on your way from just being a pet owner to becoming a life saver. Oh, but there is more to it than just that. Racheal will can teach your kids too! She can even train them how to start their own dog care and walking business! Sounds a bit more fun and lucrative than a lemonade stand, doesn't it? This truly is such an important Podcast because we know so many of you that listen take your dogs all over with you. Let's face they are family, they are our hunting partners, our best friends. So, let's all learn about it by listening right now!
Links:
- To learn all about Montana K9 Safety and all the classes like the Free Trap Release class as well as other classes like, K9 Wilderness Emergency Care, Pet First Aid/CPR and Disaster Response, K9 First Aid Workshop, Pet CPR, the Kids Classes and more just click here.
- Keep scrolling down in the above link to learn also about the pet first aid kit that Rigger and Racheal talked about or to see some pictures and more!
- If you have questions for Racheal, you can email her by clicking here.
- Good old Rigger would love to hear from you too, especially if you have ideas for future podcast topics just click here!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Matt Rosencrans, Climate Testbed Director with the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center. Matt used all the National Weather Service's incredible technology and put together a special winter weather forecast just for all our podcast listeners. So what did he come up with? What is the winter weather forecast for each region of Montana? Well, you are gonna have to listen to the podcast to find out. Now depending on what you like to do in Montana's outdoors I think you might like what he says here. Again, that is depending on what you like to do in Montana's Outdoors. What we do know that all of you will for sure like about this podcast is just how thorough Matt is. This is one very smart guy that lives and breathes the weather for not just Montana, but for all across the United States. Now, in addition to giving you his winter weather prediction for Montana he also used all his incredible high-tech gear and knowledge to give a prediction of what the weather will be like across the State for this Spring and Summer! Yeah, we are gonna take you way into the future of Montana's weather. What is also VERY cool is that Matt explains a lot of just how he can put together these predictions. So, are you gonna get to go ice fishing sooner than you thought this year? How is the skiing going to be in the State? This Podcast will answer those and your other Montana weather questions. Yeah, you are gonna find this one super interesting for sure. So, what are you waiting for, hop in our weather time machine, push play and get to listening!
Links:
- To learn more about the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center and its history, click here. By the way, pretty interesting to learn that Thomas Jefferson was one of the nation's first climatologists!
- For links to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center's different national weather predictions and maps click here.
- For northwestern Montana click here or call (406) 329-4840.
- For northern and central Montana click here or call (406) 453-2081.
- For northeastern Montana click here or call (406)228-4042.
- For southeastern Montana click here or call (406) 652-0851.
- Questions for Matt Rosencrans? Click here to send him an email.
- Click here to tell Rigger what you thought of this episode or to give him your ideas for future podcasts!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to fishing guide Garrett Ostler of Madison Adventures in West Yellowstone Montana! Often the greater West Yellowstone area is home to the first lakes to freeze and the last to thaw in Montana! In fact, when you listen to this podcast you'll hear Garrett tell the story of the year he started ice fishing right around Halloween and was able to fish on the ice all the way until....you are not going be believe how late into the year he was able to catch trout through the ice. You'll also learn about the type of trout you can catch around West Yellowstone and what and where are the best lakes to find them. And you'll learn HOW to catch these incredible trout swimming around right under your feet. Plus, you will learn about some great ice fishing events just for the kids called the Kids N Snow & Kids Ice Fishing Camp! However, it is not just fishing that Rigger and Garrett talk about on this Podcast. Garrett talks about all the other great winter activities around West Yellowstone like snowmobiling, sleigh rides, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and even some unbelievable snowmobiling and Snow Coach rides into Yellowstone Park! Hear about a trip you can take from West Yellowstone all the way into the park to Old Faithful to see that world famous geyser in way that is just unbelievable! That and more is waiting for you right now so get to listening!
Links:
- For Garrett's fishing guide service click here. Or check out his Facebook Page by clicking here!
- To see the ice fishing gear that Garrett talks about click here.
- Click here to see some awesome pictures of Garrett's clients and the trout they catch.
- Click here to learn about the Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament.
- To lean about LOTS for fun winter activities in and around West Yellowstone, click here.
- Learn more about the Kid N Snow & Kids Ice Fishing Camp by clicking here.
- To learn more about the sleigh rides at Parade Rest Ranch that Garrett talked about click here.
- For fishing licenses in and to learn about the fishing regulations for Montana click here, for Wyoming click here and for Idaho click here.
- Questions for Garrett Ostler? Click here to send an email.
- Click here to email to Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Ed Hebbe from the Montana Trappers Association to get the truth about trapping in Montana. In this Podcast some VERY important information is delivered that will likely surprise you about trapping. Is trapping really necessary? Some say that trapping is actually important to the survival of wildlife in Montana and other states, is that really true? Is trapping really used for wildlife management and research? Did you know that trappers come from all walks of life and are a huge help to farmers and ranchers? Did you know that trapping is used to help control disease? Really? Why are environmental organizations and others always suing to try to stop trapping? This Podcast will tell you the answers to those questions and the answers just might shock you! After you are done listening you just might change your mind about trapping and hopefully you will get involved to protect the REAL protectors. If you don't agree we want to hear from you too! It's time to talk about this!
Links:
- To learn more about the Montana Trappers Association click here.
- Click here to learn more about Montana's Furbearers.
- For the latest news about Trapping click here.
- Checkout the MTA Facebook page by clicking here!
- Questions for our guest on the podcast Ed Hebbe? Click here to email him.
- Tell Downrigger Dale your thoughts about this podcast and let him know what other topics you would like us to cover. Click here to email him, or click the text button above.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale had a great talk with one of Montana's top fishing guides, Don Wilkins. Rigger found out that Don is still out guiding folks on Fort Peck Reservoir, which you don't find many guides that do that this late in the season. So, Rigger figured that he obviously must be catching something out there. Spoiler Alert: yes, he is catching a lot! What he is catching, what is he using to do that and where is he finding them? Well, if you want to know all that then this podcast is for you! Another thing that Don Wilkins was kind enough to share was some fantastic advice about the upcoming ice fishing season. Including the main things, you should be checking for with your ice fishing gear? Don also shared what his favorite gear is to use which is extremely valuable advice since he knows a TON about all that gear. That way your favorite locally owned sporting goods store can get it all ordered for you so it will be here in time for when the lakes of Montana freeze over. Don also does guided ice fishing trips as well as what he calls "Tag a Long Trips". What are those? If you want to learn how to become a safe, incredible ice fishing expert then you FOR SURE NEED TO LISTEN NOW!
Links:
- See what Don and his clients have been catching lately? Click here and browse his 56 Fishing Guide Service Facebook Page and take a look at all those great pictures!
- There are lots of ways you can book a trip with Don Wilkins! Just Click here to see links and click any of those listed.
- You can also just give Don a call at (406) 407-6648.
- Click here to email Don Wilkins with any questions you have.
- If you want a list of all of Don's recommended ice fishing gear, click here and tell Rigger you want the list of Don's recommended gear, and he will email it to you right away!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Heath Headley, FWP Fisheries Biologist for Fort Peck Reservoir in Northeast Montana. When you listen to this podcast you will hear Rigger and Heath cover the Chinook, or King Salmon, egg collection effort that recently was completed as well as several other things about the mighty Kings of Fort Peck. In fact, one of the questions that Rigger was dying to get an answer to was why were the King Salmon that were caught in the reservoir this year so much bigger than they usually are? In fact, the State Record was broken this year and several other Kings that were caught were darn close to breaking the record as well. Do you think you know the answer to that question? Be sure and listen to this podcast right now to find out. Another major question that gets answered in this podcast is how many King Salmon eggs did Heath, and his crew collect and take to the hatchery in Fort Peck recently? Did they collect more or less that last year? How does that number compare to the largest number of eggs they have ever collected? Yeah you just have to listen to this one as not only did those questions get answered but many, many more did as well. All the secrets of what makes the King Salmon tick in Fort Peck Reservoir are revealed in this fascinating podcast!
Links:
- To learn more about the Chinook or King Salmon in Fort Peck Reservoir, click here.
- To see a picture of and learn more about the new State Record King Salmon, click here! To what this monster get caught, click here!
- If you would like to learn more about the Fort Peck Hatchery, Click here .
- For additional information about this year's King Salmon egg collection along with some pictures, click here.
- To learn about the Fort Peck Reservoir Fisheries Management Plan click here.
- Click here to read the entire undated version of the "FORT PECK RESERVOIR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PLAN" covering 2024 through 2033!
- Still have more questions about the King Salmon or anything else swimming around in Fort Peck Reservoir? Click here to email Heath Headley.
- What did you think of this Podcast? Click here to email Downrigger Dale!
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale spent an information packed hour with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Wildlife Manager for Region 2, Liz Bradley. Liz and Rigger covered it all from where to find the Elk, Mulies and Whitetail Deer to the best spots to bag some Grouse, Waterfowl and yes even, though rare for the area, the elusive Pronghorn. Liz even covered some great ideas on where to find Black Bears, Mountain Lions and more! Rigger got all the questions he could think of answered, including things like what type of hunting the region is most noted for, what the private land hunting accessibility is like, what the biggest challenges the region is currently facing and what the biggest accomplishments Liz and her crew have made recently! West-Central Montana can be an extremely successful place to hunt IF you know all the current information about the area and this Podcast is THE place to get all of that, so get to listening and then go have a successful hunt!
Links:
- Click here to look through the FWP Big Game Hunting Forecast for Region 2.
- If you would like to learn more about Region 2, click here.
- Wildlife Manager Liz Bradley also mentioned a great report for you Region 2 Elk Hunters called the 2024 State of the Elk for Region 2. Click here to read the latest version of that report!
- You can also find more great ongoing updates on the Region 2 Facebook Page by clicking here! Or why not signup to get regular updates by clicking here!
- Click here to use the FWP Hunt Planner Map.
- To learn more about the FWP Region 2 Block Management Program as well as to get property maps and more for Region 2 click here.
- Click here to get up to date on all Montana hunting regulations.
- To learn how to collect a CWD sample from your harvested animal click here.
- Do you have questions or comments for Region 2 Wildlife Manager Liz Bradley? Click here to send her an email.
- Click here to send Downrigger Dale an email.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale got together with Brett Dorak, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Wildlife Manager for Region 7 in Southeast Montana. Rigger and Brett had a great conversation about ALL the hunting opportunities you can find there in Southeast Montana, and boy are there a lot of them. They went through all the usual big game favorites like Elk, Mule and Whitetail Deer and Antelope or more appropriately known as Pronghorn but they also covered several other things you may not know are in Region 7 as well as some things that have gone on that we are pretty sure you have no idea about. For example did you know that they found out that Bobcats have been going after a certain animal there that you probably would never think they would ever be able to kill? Oh you got to hear about this! You will also learn about some recent amazing accomplishments in FWP Region 7. We will give you a hint; one of those accomplishments has to do with you having more access to land you can now hunt on! Of course one of the most important things you will learn when you listen to this podcast is where the best places are to find all the Elk, Deer, Pronghorn, Bear, Lions, Pheasants and the list goes on. If you love to hunt in Southeast Montana or have ever thought about hunting there or just wondered what all the wildlife is doing and where you can find them, then this podcast is for your!
Links:
- Click here to look through the FWP Big Game Hunting Forecast for Region 7.
- If you would like to learn more about Region 7, click here.
- You can also find more great ongoing updates on the Region 7 Facebook Page by clicking here! Or why not signup to get regular updates by clicking here!
- Click here to use the FWP Hunt Planner Map.
- To learn about the Region 7 Block Management Program and get property maps and more click here.
- Click here to get up to date on all Montana hunting regulations.
- To learn how to collect a CWD sample from your harvested animal click here.
- Do you have questions or comments for Region 7 Wildlife Manager Brett Dorak? Click here to send him an email.
- Questions for Downrigger Dale click here to send him an email.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale continues our series on where to find the game you are looking for this 2024 hunting season. This time he had an incredible conversation with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Wildlife Manager, Neil Anderson. Neil spilled the beans on where to find the Elk, Deer, Black Bear, Wolf, Upland Game Bird, Waterfowl and everything else you can hunt in FWP Region 1! If you hunt in Region 1 in Northwest Montana, have ever even thought of hunting there or maybe just wondered what all kind of wildlife you can find up there, then you should listen to this podcast right now! Neil talked about how the region is laid out, how to get around, what things to watch out for (both good and bad) and well, you get the idea. This is yet another podcast in this series that truly will fill you in on where to go, what to look out for and even how to plan your hunt for maximum success! Plus there are even some fun stories! For example do you know that the town of Libby Montana has a problem with with a certain animal that has kind of invaded the town? What kind of critter do you suppose has gone urban there in Libby? No it is not Deer, Elk or bear, listen now to find out! It is for sure something you don't hear about very often! All this awesome info is just awaiting for you so get to listening and be ready to out hunt every one in Region 1 in Northwest Montana!
Links:
- Click here to look through the FWP Big Game Hunting Forecast for Region 1.
- If you would like to learn more about Region 1, click here.
- You can also find more great ongoing updates on the Region 1 Facebook Page by clicking here! Or why not signup to get regular updates by clicking here!
- Click here to use the FWP Hunt Planner Map.
- Learn more about the Region 1 Block Management Program and get property maps and more for Region 1 click here.
- Click here to get up to date on all Montana hunting regulations.
- To learn how to collect a CWD sample click here.
- Questions or comments for Wildlife Manager, Neil Anderson? Click here to send him an email.
- Click here to send an email to Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Montana FWP Wildlife Manager Cory Loecker to find out what the hunting will be like in North Central Montana Region 4. Cory and Rigger covered that region inside and out and Cory gave information on how healthy the Elk, Deer and Antelope herds are as well as where the best places are to find them. Spoiler Alert: Things are looking pretty darn good for those! But Cory dished out even more! He went over the outlook for success if you want to hunt Black Bear, Mountain Lions, Waterfowl, Pheasants and all kinds of other Upland Game Birds. Heck he even covered what the hunting outlook was for Turkeys and yes even Wolves and more! In other words if it runs, flys, creeps, crawls, stocks, sneaks or anything else in North Central Montana, he covered it! This podcast is basically a treasure trove of information for any hunter that wants the most up to date information to increase their hunting success no matter what they want to hunt in North Central Montana! This Podcast FOR SURE needs to be on your playlist if you want to be ahead of all the rest of the hunters in that region. So could this Podcast get any better? YES and it is! Rigger and Cory also talked about hunting access, what the main challenges are for the region and even what the top successes Cory and his crew have had in improving the wildlife management in Region 4! In fact Downrigger got a little personal with Wildlife Manager Loecker and even got him to spill the beans on what his favorite game is to hunt. So what are you waiting for? Get to listening!!
Links:
- Click here to look through the FWP Big Game Hunting Forecast for Region 4.
- If you would like to learn more about Region 4, click here.
- You can also find more great ongoing updates on the Region 4 Facebook Page by clicking here!
- Click here to use the FWP Hunt Planner Map.
- To learn more about the FWP Region 4 Block Management Program as well as to get property maps and more for Region 4 click here.
- Click here to get up to date on all Montana hunting regulations.
- To learn how to collect a CWD sample from your harvested animal click here.
- Do you have questions or comments for Region 4 Wildlife Manager Cory Loecker? Click here to send him an email!
- Questions for Downrigger Dale?
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale traveled to the FWP Region 3 Headquarters in Bozeman and sat down with Wildlife Manager Warren Hansen and Information & Education Manager Morgan Jacobsen. They went through all the hunting opportunities in Southwest Montana. As Rigger put it; “Wow! I did not realize just how amazing Montana Region 3 really is! There is A LOT of game out there to hunt and Warren and Morgan really know their stuff!”. When you listen you will learn about how healthy the Elk, Deer and Antelope herds are and best of all where you can find them but that is not all! The boys of Region 3 went on to talk about Waterfowl, Upland Game Birds, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Wolves and more! They talked numbers, locations, future game forecasts, hunt planning, hunting access and list goes on and on. Oh, and guess what the percentage is of all Elk harvested in Montana that are taken from Region 3! Listen and find out! This really is the definitive deep dive into everything Region 3 has to offer and when you listen you will have a great advantage over all the other hunters who didn’t. This is yet another great podcast for anyone who wants to increase their knowledge about hunting and getting outdoors under the Big Sky!
Links:
- Click here to look through the FWP Big Game Hunting Forecast for Region 3.
- To learn more about Region 3 click here.
- Get ongoing updates on the Region 3 Facebook Page by clicking here.
- Click here to use the FWP Hunt Planner Map.
- Learn more about FWP Region 3 Block Management and get maps and more click here.
- Click here to get all Montana hunting regulations.
- To learn how to collect a CWD sample from your harvested animal click here.
- To see pictures of the Region 3 library that Rigger talked about, click here.
- Questions or comments for Region 3 Wildlife Manager Warren Hansen? Click here to send him an email. Or to contact Information & Education Manager Morgan Jacobsen, just click here!
- Questions for Downrigger Dale? Just click here to send him an email
Remember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale continues his series about all the hunting opportunities across Montana. This week he talks with Region 6 Wildlife Manager Scott Thompson to find out where the best places are to find Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetails, Antelope, Turkeys, Pheasants, Waterfowl and more! Scott gives all kinds of detailed information about all those things and more. In fact, Rigger and Scott got into a great conversation about landowner participation in the block management program in Region 6 and boy you have to listen to the podcast and hear what Scott had to say about that! Wow!!! Another very interesting question that Rigger asked Scott what his favorite thing was to hunt in Region 6. What do you suppose his answer was? You guessed it, you will need to listen to the podcast to find out. We think the answer may surprise you! Another interesting thing that surprised Rigger was just how big this hunting region is. Especially when Scott told him how long it takes to drive across the region from East to West. Listen now to find out the answer to that question! This podcast is absolutely LOADED with fantastic information for anyone that loves to hunt in Region 6, has ever thought of hunting in Region 6 or is just curious about what is running, jumping, creeping or flying around in Region 6.
Links:
- Click here to look through the FWP Hunting Forecast for Region 6.
- If you would like to learn more about Region 6 click here.
- You can also find more great ongoing updates on the Region 6 Facebook Page by clicking here!
- Click here to use the FWP Hunt Planner map.
- To learn more about the FWP Region 6 Block Management Program as well as to get property maps and more for Region 6 click here.
- Click here to get up to date on all Montana's hunting regulations.
- Do you have questions or comments for Region 6 Wildlife Manager Scott Thompson? Click here to send him an email.
- Don’t forget your old buddy Downrigger Dale! He would love to hear your comments about this Podcast and any of your ideas for topics for future Podcasts. Just click here to send him an email.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with FWP Region 5 Wildlife Manager Matt Ladd about what the hunting opportunities will look like this year in his region. Matt and Rigger take a deep dive into Region 5 to discover which hunting districts in the region have the best hunting opportunities for Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Antelope, Waterfowl, Upland Game Birds including Pheasants and Turkeys and more! When you listen to the podcast you will find out all kinds of super useful information about animal population sizes throughout the region, how much of Region 5 has public hunting opportunities, how much of it has private land that is open to hunters through the Block Management Program and the list goes on and on. If you love to hunt in Region 5, have ever thought about hunting there or are just looking to explore other areas of the Big Sky Country to hunt in then you need to listen to this Podcast! If you do you will be WAY ahead of all the other hunters with the excellent information Matt Ladd delivers just for you! And don’t miss next week’s Podcast when Rigger brings you all that info for Region 6! There will be more regions to discover in the weeks that follow as well so keep checking back right here on the Montana Outdoor Podcast! Yeah, this year all you Podcast Listeners will be the best prepared hunters in the State!
Links:
- Click here to look through the FWP Hunting Forecast for Region 5.
- If you would like to learn more about Region 5 click here.
- You can also find more great ongoing updates on the Region 5 Facebook Page by clicking here!
- Click here to use the FWP Hunt Planner map.
- To learn more about the FWP Region 5 Block Management Program as well as to get property maps and more for Region 5 click here.
- Click here to get up to date on all Montana hunting regulations.
- Do you have questions or comments for Region 5 Wildlife Manager Matt Ladd? Click here to send him an email.
- Don’t forget your old buddy Downrigger Dale! He would love to hear your comments about this Podcast and any of your ideas for topics for future Podcasts. Just click here to send him an email.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Tom Kobza owner of TKI CNC. Ever since poor old Downrigger has talked with Tom he has been wondering around with his mouth open in a constant state of amazement. Once we got him to snap out of it for a moment his first words were “Holy sh.. that guy is amazing. Each of the things he told me about that he has invented just made me slap my head and say why couldn’t have I thought of that? I know, because I am not magician…. I got to sit down, I am….” And then he went back to staring into space with his mouth open again. What Rigger is referring to are all the amazing things that Tom Kobza and his crew at TCI CNC have made for boats, snowmobiles, motorcycles and all kinds of other things we use outdoors. When you listen to the Podcast you will learn about the things he has designed and made like his unbelievable rod holders. We know you are probably saying “Rod holders! Those have been around forever how would anyone improve those?” That is what we said and then we saw the video and it blew our mind! So simple yet it has never been done or at least we have never seen anything like it. You really need to listen to this podcast. Oh, and there is much more that Tom and TKI CNC has come up with to make your outdoor gear become magical. How about this one…a heated brake lever for your snow machine! Again, so simple, so incredibly practical, yet, it has never been done until now. Your wife’s fingers (and truth be told yours too) will never be cold again. And the cool things just keep coming when you listen to the podcast. Where does he think of all this? Often out fishing with his wife on Fort Peck Reservoir or at home in Billings, MT. Ok, one more and then you must just stop reading and go listen. Tired of your game trail cameras getting stolen or broken? Well, they won’t be anymore! He will make them Big Foot proof! No really, he actually made some for a guy who goes out and looks for Big Foot! Is Big Foot real? Tom didn't ask, but that guy will never lose another trail camera. Enough, just go listen to this podcast! We are positive you will hear about something that will amaze you. Ok one more. He has also made some great stuff for ice fishermen be sure and listen for that too!
Links:
- Click here to learn more about Tom and TKI CNC and look at all the incredible things that will make your stuff work even better!
- Click here to watch that video about the Rod Holder we were telling you about!
- Click here to watch even more videos about all kinds of cool things!
- Do have a question or comment for Tom Kobza? Click hereto send him an email.
- Please let Rigger know what you thought of this podcast! Just click here to email him!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Ken Schultz, President of the Montana Bowhunters Association or MBA. Ken and Rigger cover a TON of ground all about bowhunting in the Big Sky Country. Things like, what all does the MBA do for Montana’s bowhunters, the advantages of being a member and what issues the sport is facing now and in the future. Another area that they cover is the incredible popularity of bowhunting in the State and why. For example, do you know how many bowhunters there are now in Montana? Take a guess and then listen to the podcast and see if you are right. We are guessing that most of you will miss that question. Another question that Rigger and Ken discuss is why some states have abandoned an exclusive archery season and why that continues to be proposed in Montana and how likely that may happen. The good news for archery hunters is they also talk about what the Montana Bowhunters Association is doing to try to make sure that does not happen. Here’s another question, do you think crossbow hunting should be considered archery hunting? Listen to see what most bowhunters in Montana think about that. Another really interesting topic that Ken and Rigger covered is what the MBA is doing for Disabled Veterans and others with disabilities so that they can still hunt with a bow. This Podcast really does have something for everyone who loves bowhunting or is interested in learning more about the sport and the Montana Bowhunters Association. Give it a listen!
Links:
- To learn more about the MBA click here.
- Click Hereto learn why you should become a member of the MBA today!
- To watch the video about the Founding Fathers of the MBA, click here.
- Ken mentioned an article titled Keep Elk Public. Click here to read that article.
- For information about getting your bowhunting certification from the FWP click here.
- Interested in becoming a Bowhunters Education Instructor? Click here.
- Click here to see some incredible hunting photos from MBA members!
- Questions or comments for Ken Schultz, President of the MBA? Click here to send him an email.
- Hey shoot your old buddy Downrigger Dale an email and let him know your thoughts and suggestions! Just click here to email him.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale sits down with former hunting guide and all-around amazing archery hunter and elk caller Shawn Plakke. Some of you may recall when Shawn was on the Podcast with Rigger last year. This year he gives us even more incredible advice and instruction on archery elk hunting. Things like when to use cow calls and bull calls, how to understand what the different calls you hear mean and so much more. When you listen to the Podcast you will also hear Shawn actually do several different cow and bull calls and go in depth about what situation is the best to use them and more importantly when not to use them. When you listen to the Podcast you will also hear A great deal of Shawn’s advice and theories that are explained by his VERY popular analogy of how guys and gals used to act back in the heights of the Singles Bar popularity back in the 1970s. As Downrigger Dale put it; “I remember last year when Shawn first said to me, that during the rut bulls and cow elk act a lot like folks used to act in singles bars. I thought, what the hell is he talking about. But when he explained it I was amazed at just how right he is. Early in the season is like 5:00 in the evening in a singles bar. Everyone is getting settled in, having a drink and looking around at the guys and the gals. As the season goes on it is similar to it being 7 or 8:00 in the bar, guys are getting their courage up to ask the gals to dance a little and maybe even try to strike up a little conversation. As the season goes on it is a lot like it was in a singles bar at around 10 or 11 at night. The liquid courage really starts kick in, caution starts to get tossed to the wind and now and then a fight might even break out!”. You just have to listen to this Podcast to hear how Shawn explains the best way to deal with all the different scenarios that hunting elk can throw at you. By the time this podcast is over you will for sure have a TON of knowledge to become a more successful hunter!
Links:
- Click Here to listen to Shawn on last years podcast and get caught up!
- During the Podcast Shawn mentioned a video he made of him calling a bull in. To watch it click here.
- If you would like to ask Shawn about the calls he does or if you have any other questions or comments click here to email him.
- Click here to look over calls and other items from Born and Raised Call Company, recommended by Shawn.
- Give Rigger a suggestion for a topic for a future podcast? Click here to send him an email.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to the owners of two different Montana fishing tackle manufacturers, Gary Rueb of Blackjaw Flies and Dr Don Sawdey of 406 Tackle Company and boy did they give some awesome information! If there was ever a time to go after those huge King Salmon in Fort Peck Reservoir now is the time to do it. According to the reports we have been hearing on the Montana Outdoor Radio Showand MontanaOutdoor.com the big ones are biting. Of course, the big Kings are unpredictable and elusive so if you want to improve your odds of catching one of those beauties this Podcast is a perfect one to listen to! When you do you will learn a great deal about what are the best things to use to catch them like which flashers, lures and flies to use and how to use them. Yeah, as Downrigger Dale’s Grandpa use to tell him, “Listen and learn”! Yes, this podcast really will help you learn more about how to fish for these exciting Chinook Salmon that inhabit Fort Peck. There are so many variables that can come into play that can help or hurt your chances of hauling in a 25+ pounder. Things like colors to use, size of flies, length leader, how far off of your downrigger ball should your flasher be, and the list goes on and on and the good news is when you listen to this Podcast you will learn about those things and a whole lot more!
Links:
- If you have any questions about Blackjaw Flies you can click here to send an email to Gary Rueb. He is a wealth of information. Also a great place to see and buy Blackjaw Flies is at the Fort Peck Marina Tackle Shop!
- If you would like to learn more about 406Tackle Company, you can email Don Sawdey by clicking here. You can also learn more by clicking here to go to the 406Tackle Company Facebook page.
- You can also see and buy 406Tackle Company tackle at Lakeridge Lodging and Bait Shop in Fort Peck, D&G Sports and Western in Glasgow and the Fort Peck MarinaTackle Shop in Fort Peck.
- Do you have thoughts about this podcast that you would like to share? Just click here to email Downrigger Dale! While you’re at it be sure and let him know if you have any topics you would like him to talk about on an upcoming Podcast!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale takes a unique approach to learning all about the Fall Mack Days fishing tournament that will take place on Flathead Lake in Northwest Montana, starting September 5th and going through November 3rd. Rigger talked to 4 different competitors and Tournament Director Cindy Benson. When you listen to the Podcast one of the things that will likely standout to you BIG TIME is the amounts of money that all these competitors have made in the past. Not only did they talk about how much they have made, they went into detail on how they did it! Everything from what kind of rods, line, lures and bait they use, to how deep and where to troll or jig for those Mighty Mackinaw Lake Trout in Flathead Lake. Julie Perkins and Terry Krogstad are boyfriend and girlfriend fish together. Julie has won the women’s division several times and Terry has done the same in the men’s division. They also were lucky enough to catch a $10,000 tagged fish in 2021! There is another $10,000 fish that will be swimming around this year, plus (3) $5,000 & (5) $1000 plus over (9,000) $500 to $100 tagged Lake Trout! David McDaniel and Joe Minnehan also talk to Rigger. David fishes solo and talks about his unique double jigging technique and much more. Joe fishes with a partner and talks about a very interesting vertical jigging and casting technique, plus a whole lot more. They have all made 4 to 5 figure incomes fishing Mack Days and when you listen to the podcast you will learn a ton of things that will help you to maybe do the same!
Links:
- Click here to get all the details about this year’s Fall Mack Days.
- You can fish just one of the days of the tournament or every day! It is super easy to enter and the link above has all those details. However, if you have questions you can email Tournament Director Cindy Benson by clicking here. Or call you can call her at 406-270-3386.
- Click here to see a map of Flathead Lake. You can enter things like, Blue Bay Campground, (which Rigger and Cindy talk about on the podcast) in the search bar.
- Get the free Fishes of Montana App so you can identify the right fish. You don’t want to accidently keep an endangered fish! Click here for the android version. Click here for the Apple version.
- Click here to go to the Montana State Parks website for info on campgrounds in the area.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Dr. Christopher Guy, Assistant Leader of the Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit and Affiliate Professor at Montana State University. Chris is one of the creators of the Fishes of Montana App. This is a great App that everyone who loves to fish or just wants to learn more about the fish we have in Montana should have on their phone. It truly is a wealth of information, and the best part is it is super user friendly and describes the fish in normal language and not science speak. No this isn’t your daddy’s Field Guide by any stretch! Don’t get us wrong if you want to get into the technical jargon the app has that too but for most anglers, we just want to have up to date info that can quickly help us out when we reel in something and wonder “what the heck did I just catch?”. Yeah, when you listen to the Podcast you will hear Dr Guy give a step-by-step example of how to quickly identify any fish in Montana. Another cool thing is it can help you find where a species of fish that you are looking for can be found in all the lakes and rivers it swims in Montana! Once you start using it you will have it at the top of your Apps list on your phone. The app is totally free to anyone that wants to download it. Now how the heck did Chris and his fellow App developers pull that off? Listen to learn all about that and who else was part of the App development team. Rigger also asked Chris about his 30+ years of research on the fish in our great State! Another question that Rigger asked Chis was what his favorite fish is to catch. We thought it would be one of Montana’s famous trout but that was not even close! Another super interesting thing is, of all the fish that Dr. Guy has come across in Montana during his 30+ years of research is the fish that he has found to be the most interesting. What do think it is? You guessed it…you'll need to listen to find out!
Links
- Click here to learn more about Dr. Christopher Guy.
- Click hereto download the Fishes of Montana App for your iPhone or other IOS device.
- Click here to download the Fishes of Montana App for your Android device.
- If you have any questions for Chris, feel free to click here to email him. He would love to hear from you!
- The Montana FWP has an interesting video about the App as well which also features Chris in it along with others that were involved with developing the App. Click here to watch that.
- Do you have any comments about this Podcast or ideas for future topics? Click here to email them to Downrigger Dale or click the link at the top of
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Ross Tate one of the best Lake Whitefish, aka, Lake Superior Whitefish, fisherman on Flathead Lake located in Northwest Montana. If you want to learn how to find and catch one of the hardest fighting fish in Montana, you HAVE TO listen to this week’s podcast. Ross was a wealth of information giving great advice on where to go on the lake, what to look for on your fish finder and even what rod, reel, line and lures work the best for these incredible eating fish. Yes, you heard right these fish are not just sought after because they are an exciting sportfish to catch, they taste incredible! In fact, when you listen to the podcast you will even learn from Ross how best to handle and clean the Lake Superior Whitefish so that you get the most flavorful fish that you may ever catch! One of the interesting things you will also learn is that these fish are the most abundant of all fish in flathead lake BUT for some reason there are only a few times in the year that you can find them and catch them. Why? Well, listen and Ross will give you one of his theories on that subject. There is so much you will learn here so get to listenin now!
Links:
- If you want to learn more about the Lake Whitefish, click here to learnwhat the Montana Field Guide has to say about them.
- Click here to look at a map of Flathead Lake so you can find some of the places Ross is talking about.
- Ross talks about some of his favorite lures he uses to catch these fish. Click here and click here to check them out at Zimmer Tackle.
- If you have any questions for Ross, you can click here to email him.
- Downrigger would like to hear from you too. Click here to email him and tell him about your thoughts on this podcast or give your ideas for future topics you would like him to explore on upcoming podcasts.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with FWP Fisheries Biologist Brian Stephens about an incredible chain of lakes in Northwest Montana. These lakes are stunning in appearance and cover approximately 3,000 acres and stretch over 20 miles along Highway 2, halfway between Kalispell and Libby. This includes an extensive State Park that includes shoreline access to 18 lakes including McGregor Lake, Little McGregor Lake, Lower Thompson Lake, Middle Thompson Lake, Upper Thompson Lake, Horseshoe Lake and Loon Lake. Depending on which lake you fish you will find all kinds of different fish, such as Kokanee Salmon, several different species of Trout, Large Mouth and Small Mouth Bass, Northern Pike, Perch, Pumpkinseeds, and even a species of fish that you rarely find in Montana, the elusive Tiger Muskie! And get this we have not even named all the different species. Brian Stephens is extremely knowledgeable and when you listen to the podcast, he will take you on a podcast tour of several of the lakes and talks about what you can find in them. Rigger and Brian spent some time talking about the Tiger Muskie in Horseshoe Lake since that is a fish you just don’t find often in Montana. Brian talked about why they were put into Horseshoe Lake which is VERY interesting. Basically, they are used, in a way, like a biological Rumba to keep populations of non-sportfish down so that the lake can support fish that are more popular to fishermen. Wait until you hear how tricky these fish are! There are several campgrounds throughout the area so plan on staying a while and explore these lakes. They truly are fascinating and will get you addicted to the area since you can catch so many different species of fish in these lakes. It is likely that you will want to listen to this podcast more than once as there is a TON of information waiting for you.
Links:
- Click here to learn more and see activities, services and what’s nearby. You can also learn more about the Thompson Chain of Lakes and the State Park that covers almost the entire area click here. And Click here to see a map of campgrounds, boat ramps, day use areas, etc. on the Thompson Chain of Lakes.
- Click here to look up the regulations for these lakes. Since there are so many different species with different limits it is a good idea to get familiar with the regs. Regulations for Western District start on page 23.
- If you have any questions for FWP Fisheries Biologist Brian Stephens, click here to send him an email or call him at (406) 293-4161.
- Let Downrigger know your thoughts. Click Here to Email him.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale caught up with Owen Willcox to talk about how he and his teammate Ziek Gordon pulled off a fantastic come from behind victory! Owen called in from the banks of Lake Oahe outside of Pierre, South Dakota where he and Ziek had just finished doing some pre-fishing for the 50th South Dakota Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament. This is a fascinating podcast as Owen goes into great detail about how he and Ziek overcame one of the toughest Walleye Bites that the Gov Cup has seen in a very long time! You will learn how Owen and Ziek were able to somehow get into seventh place with just three fish at the end of Day One of the tournament. Then you will hear about the discussion that Own and Ziek had that night. They decided to throw caution and their original plan to the wind and head to…. Well, you will have to listen to the podcast to find out where they went and how they went from being in 7th place and almost 18 pounds behind the leaders to winning the whole thing! What were they using on the end of their lines to pull that off? How many fish did they have to catch to get to get that magic 5? What was their final winning weight? When you listenyou will learn the answers to those questions and many others. Plus, you will also learn about Owen’s career as young professional fisherman on the National Walleye Tour! This was a VERY interesting part of the podcast as well since we rarely get to learn about tournaments outside of Montana. The National Walleye Tour takes Owen all across the country including the Great Lakes and even as far east as New York. Owen even gave some advice for other young men and women that might want to give the National Walleye Tour a try! Owen is only 20 years old but he is wise way beyond his years when it comes to fishing. Whether you fish tournaments a lot or never have you will for sure learn something from this podcast!
Links:
- If you would like to learn more about the Montana Governor’s Cup, click here.
- If you would like to see the standings of the Gov Cup after Day One, click here.
- If you would like to see the final results of where everyone finished the Gov Cup, click here.
- If you would like to learn more about Owen Wilcox, click here.
- If you would like to learn more about the National Walleye Tour, click here.
- If you have any questions for Owen Wilcox, click the link below and Rigger will get your questions answered for you.
- Of course, your old buddy Rigger would love to hear from you too so just click here to send him an email with your questions, comments or suggestions for future podcast topics!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale sits down with the Chief Marketing & Communication Officer of the Montana Department of Commerce, Mitch Staley, to talk about the VisitMT.com website and all the amazing things it can do for Montanans and those outside of Montana that want to discover our great state. And believe us when we say they aren’t just talking about the typical trip to Glacier or Yellowstone Parks. Rigger and Mitch get goin down Montana roads that for sure qualify as the “roads less traveled”! When you listen you will learn how to find a Montana adventure that is perfect for you! Have you ever had this discussion with your spouse, kids, partner or traveling buddy; “Where do you want to go?” “I don’t know, where do you want to go?” “Well, what do you want to do?” “I don’t know what do you want to do?”? VisitMT.com is the ultimate cure for that discussion! Mitch Staley explains how that website can even suggest a travel itinerary for you. For example, you can click on an area of the site labeled “Trip Ideas”. When you click on that it will give you ideas to click on like “5 Days in Eastern Montana” or “4 Days in Northwest Montana” or… Well, you just need to listen and learn about all the ways you can plan a trip on VisitMT.com. How about taking your kids on a Dinosaur Discovery Tour?! As Mitch explained there are all kinds of ways "To Montana" whether you love to fish, hike or…just listen to this podcast and find out “How You Can Montana”. If you are a business owner, you can promote your business on VisitMT.com for free! See the link below to get started!
There are a few links in the article above to get you to some of the areas that Rigger and Mitch talk about in the Podcast. Below are a few other links you will also find helpful.
Links:
- Again, here is the main link to get you started on VisitMT.com.
- Questions? You can call Visit MT at 1-800-847-4868 or click here for a live chat with the folks at Visit MT.
- Click here to learn more about promoting your business on VisitMT.com.
- Click here for many other related links that the Montana Department of Commerce and the Montana Office
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Fisheries Biologist for Region 1, Travis Rehm. They cover pretty much everything there is to know about Noxon Rapids Reservoir and the fish that call it home. Did you know just how diverse the fish population is in Noxon Rapids Reservoir and the fact that it is one of the only places west of the Continental Divide in Montana that you can catch Walleye? Not only that but you can catch as many of them as you want! What do we mean by that? Well, listen to the Podcast to find out. There has also been a lot of rumors, misconceptions and just plain mystery as to why certain things are done and mandated on the reservoir and by whom. Downrigger and Travis cover a lot of topics in this Podcast in an attempt to clear all that up. How did they do? Listen to the podcast to see if they were able to answer all your questions. Remember, if they didn’t you can find a link below to Travis’s email so you can ask him your questions! Beyond the attempt to clear up any controversy and confusion this Podcast also just delivers a TON of fascinating facts about this mysterious body of water. For example, do you know how big Noxon Reservoir is? How did the Walleye get into the reservoir in the first place? What other nonnative fish are in there? Who controls the damn on Noxon Reservoir? Bottomline, is the fish population healthy in the reservoir? Those are just a small number of the many questions and facts that get answered and given to you in this fascinating and informative Podcast.
Links:
- To find out more about Noxon Rapids Reservoir click here.
- Rigger and Travis talk about the latest Fisheries Monitoring report that Travis and others recently prepared about Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Rapids Reservoir. Click here to download that report.
- For a copy of the 2024 Montana Fishing Regulations click here. Be sure and go to page 31 and read the Exceptions to Standard Regulations for Thompson Falls Dam to the Idaho Border (includes Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge Reservoirs).If you would like to send Fisheries Biologist Travis Rehm an email to ask him any questions or give him your thoughts simply click here.
- Of course, Rigger would love to hear your thoughts about this podcast and/or any ideas you have for topics for future podcasts. Click here to email him!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
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This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast FWP Fisheries Biologist Nathan Jaksha talks with your host Downrigger Dale about Canyon Ferry Reservoir and the fish that we all love to chase after in it. Nathan is new to the Montana FWP and Canyon Ferry Reservoir. What did steps did he take to learn all about the reservoir, and will he be making big changes to how the fish are managed there? How does he feel about how healthy the fish are in Canyon Ferry Reservoir? When Downrigger asked him why the Walleye in Canyon Ferry seem smaller than in other reservoirs what did Nathan say about that? Did he think the Walleye fishing regulations would help with that? Any changes ahead for the trout in the reservoir? When he takes off his FWP hat what are the fish he likes to target? Listen to Nathan’s answers to those and many other questions on the Montana Outdoor Podcast. All and all Rigger and Nathan had a VERY detailed and fascinating conversation that you really should listen to. All you need to do is to listen, there is no doubt you are going to find Rigger and Nathan’s conversation extremely interesting. As Downrigger put it, “Nathan really knows his stuff and it was fascinating to find out how he set out to learn everything he possibly could about this great body of water. One thing that really surprised me was when I asked Nathan where Canyon Ferry ranked on the list of water bodies that see the most fishing pressure in Montana!”. Whether you have been fishing Canyon Ferry your whole life or have never fished it before we are positive that you will learn a lot when you listen to this podcast!
Links:
- If you would like to learn more about Canyon Ferry Reservoir here are a few links for you: Canyon Ferry info from VistMT, or Canyon Ferry info from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, or Info about the Canyon Ferry Dam from the Bureau of Reclamation.
- One of the things that Downrigger brought up was an article he read about Walleye in Montana. In that article it mentions how many pounds of perch that walleye consume per year in Canyon Ferry Reservoir, but he could not remember that amount click here to read that article. The total amount is a staggering 750,000 pounds!
- If you would like to ask Nathan Jaksha any questions just click here to send him an email.
- Why not send your old buddy Downrigger Dale an email and tell him what you thought of this podcast and give him your ideas for future topics? Click here to send him an email.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us a Text Message.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale has a great conversation with Ryan Medlinger owner of Reliable Steel Erectors. Ryan and his amazing team of builders construct steel buildings that are taking Montana by storm! These buildings are without a doubt the hottest trend in the way to live the outdoor life in a budget friendly and incredibly comfortable way and uses your land in the most efficient way you have ever seen, and is, well, really, really cool! You may have heard of the new construction style known as a Barndominium or Shouse. Both of those terms mean the same thing and basically mean that you combine a living space and shop, barn or outbuilding into one building. Ryan and his company, Reliable Steel Erectors, has taken that idea to a whole other level. What they do is turn the idea of a shop with living quarters into an incredible home that allows you to also store your boat, trucks, tools, RVs, etc. all together. What makes it so incredible is he can make them look and feel pretty much like any kind of style that you want. For example, when you listen to the podcast you will hear Ryan talk about one example where he covers the steel beams and such with wood to give the place a lodge look and feel and the options go on and on from there. What you end up with is a home and shop that is stronger, and way better insulated then any home you will ever find. You also may save money in a lot of ways from traditional construction. For example, you are not running wiring, plumbing and putting in separate foundations for two separate structures and the advantages go on from there. For those of you that also run a business on your property, the advantages increase even more! Not to mention you are using the space on your lot WAY more efficiently. Oh, and the inside is…well, you just need to listen to the podcast. So interesting!! Of course, Ryan also builds traditional shops, outbuildings, etc. as well using his unique steel construction process and you will learn about that too when you listen!
Note: Rigger mentioned in the podcast that there maybe some additional cost savings in property taxes and insurance which that might be the case, but it depends on location and other factors so don’t forget to investigate that as well!
Links:
- To learn more about Reliable Steel Erectors and Ryan click here.
- If you want to see some pictures of Ryan’s latest projects, click here.
- If you have questions for Ryan, click here to send him an email or simply give him a call at (406) 529-0191.
- And don’t forget to click hereto email your buddy Downrigger Dale to let him know your thoughts about this podcast and to give him your ideas for topics for future podcasts!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us a Text Message.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast we continued our series about learning waterways and species of fish that are new to you by hiring a fishing guide. Your host Downrigger Dale sat down with fishing guide Don Wilkins of 56 Fishing Guide Service for an amazing discussion about learning fishing techniques with fishing technology and oh so much more. Don guides on Fort Peck Reservoir and though he is fairly new to guiding he is hardly new to fishing; he’s been doing it his whole life. Rigger got to know Don through the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show. It seemed like every time Rigger and the Captain would see Don out on the water he was reeling in a huge Salmon, Lake Trout or Walleye. In fact, Don was the first person that Rigger had met that could catch the big salmon through the ice on Fort Peck. You will also learn about how Don uses his Garmin Livescope to help teach his clients jigging and other techniques. It really is amazing how it shows the jig and the fish approaching it and how his clients can see how the fish reacts to their technique. When you listen you will also hear Don go into detail about the gear, lures, bait and more that for he uses to catch the different species of fish in Fort Peck, and of course the techniques he uses to catch the King of the Fort Peck fish, the mighty King Salmon. WARNING: once you listen to all the things he tells Rigger about catching the incredible King Salmon you might just catch a nasty case of Black Jaw Fever! That is name for the addiction you will have once you catch on of those incredibly powerful fish. Just know that currently there is no cure for Black Jaw Fever. Don Wilkins can ease your symptoms by teaching you how to catch them but that just leaves you wanting more once the thrill wears off. Gang, DO NOT miss this Podcast!! You will learn a TON from Don not just about catching Kings but about catching other species as well!
If you want to learn more about Don Wilkins click here to view the 56 Fishing Guide Service, LLC Facebook page. Be sure and check out the incredible pictures on the Facebook Page by clicking here and watch those Livescope videos by clicking here. You can also learn more about Don by clicking here. Don also works through Eddie and the Gang at Lakeridge Lodging and Bait Shop and Big Sky Fishing Charters so click those links. If you have questions for Don, click here to send him and email. As always be sure and email your old buddy Downrigger Dale and let him know what you thought of this Podcast and what your ideas are for topics for future podcasts.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us a Text Message.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale and the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show sat down with Fort Peck Fishing Guide, Scott Collinsworth. Scott and his wife Jess are also the owners of Fort Peck Marina on the incredible Fort Peck Reservoir. One of the many topics that Rigger and the Captain talked with Scott about is the idea of someone that is not familiar with such a massive lake like Fort Peck, using a Fishing Guide like Scott to learn where to find amd catch all the different species of fish that the lake has to offer. They talked all about how to find the “Big Uns” like, well, none other than the King of Fort Peck Reservoir the Mighty Chinook Salmon! Catching 20 plus pounders is not unusual but as Scott explained it can be a real grind for even the most experienced fishermen that has been fishing Fort Peck for years. Thus, Rigger’s idea of hiring a guide like Scott if you are a newcomer to the 134 mile long lake. The Big Blackjaws were not all the boys discussed, however. Scott also gave out all kinds of great advice and described some of his most successful techniques for finding and catching HUGE Walleyes, some VERY FEISTY Smallmouth Bass, big Pike and Massive Lake Trout! When you listen to this Podcast it will be like getting a personal seminar from one of the top guides in all of Montana. Better yet why not go out fishing with Scott one of these days? Another thing you will learn about when you listen to the Podcast is a TON about Fort Peck Marina, the campground, tackle shop and the wonderful restaurant and bar. **Make sure you listen to the entire podcast because there is fantastic advice that you will get from jigging techniques, tackle suggestions, when to go after the big Salmon, and much, much more. As Rigger put it; “Scott is an incredible teacher, he explains things so dang well and his ideas and overall approach to becoming a better fishermen are fascinating. I can’t wait to get out on the water and try what I have learned!! Lookout Blackjaws I’m coming for ya!!”
Links:**
- For more information about Fort Peck Marina, the Campground, Restaurant, Tackle Shop and the Guide Service just click here.
- If you have questions for Scott, just call and leave a message for him at (406) 526-3442 and he will call you back after he gets done guiding some lucky folks through another great day out on Fort Peck Reservoir.
- Make sure you shoot your old buddy Downrigger Dale an email too and let him know what you thought of this podcast and give him your ideas for future podcast topics! Click here to send Rigger an email. You can also just click the Text Link above.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us a Text Message.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Neal Cote’ of PikeWhisper.com and Bite Me Flies. Neal is an amazing Fly Fishermen, Custom Fly Tyer and a great teacher of fishermen. Believe us, if he can teach ole Downrigger a bunch, he can teach anyone. Neal really went all out in sharing his knowledge in this podcast, from covering the rivers and streams to the hidden lakes that few go to all around Western Montana. And fly fishing is not his only area of expertise he also shared some great knowledge about bait fishing, jigging and well, just listen to the podcast. If you have ever wanted to know about all the great places to catch Rainbows, Browns, Brookies, Kokanee, Bass and of course one of his specialties, HUGE PIKE, you just got to listen to this week’s podcast! As Rigger put it; “After talking with Neal, I can’t wait to hit the waterways of Western Montana! This is going to be the best spring and summer of fishing ever!” Neal even shared some great ideas on how to fish the rivers and streams when the runoff is going hard. He also talked about some really cool techniques to trigger fish to bite when they get the lockjaw on those hot summer days! Class is in session gang, and you are going to learn a TON listening to this week’s Podcast!
Links:
- If you would like to learn more about Neal Cote’ and see all his amazing flies just click hereand why not do a little shopping while you are there!
- If you would like to get some ideas from the websites that Neal and Rigger talked about, click here.
- Or here.
- Of course, one of the best outdoor sites you can find is here!
- After you listen to the podcast. If you would like to ask Neal any questions, click here to send him an email.
- Don’t forget to tell Downrigger Dale what you thought of this week’s podcast or give him your ideas for topics for future podcasts by clicking here to email him.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us a Text Message.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talked to Bob Loomis of Mack’s Lure Company about ideas on how catch HUGE Kokanee and he hit the jackpot when it comes to information. Bob has been in the fishing business for 42 years, first manufacturing fishing rods and now at the legendary Mack’s Lure Company. They have been making incredible Kokanee, Chinook, Trout and Walleye Lures for 55 years! In fact, one of the lures, they created is likely one of THE most popular and effective lures ever made, the Wedding Ring! When your Click Here to listen you will learn about the history of Mack’s Lure, the legendary Wedding Ring as well as info about a whole bunch more of their products that can help you go chase Kokanee on Holter and Hauser or wherever you want to go! Bob Loomis not only talks about their products, he also goes in-depth talking about techniques, choosing the right lure for the fishing conditions and even tells us how to target the BIG ONES! This is not just a podcast this week, it’s dadgum fishing clinic taught by a true Salmon catching pro! As Downrigger put it, “This was a flat amazing conversation and not just about Kokanee, though we did spend a lot a time on that topic, we also talked about Trout and Walleye techniques too. Bob really knows his stuff!”. When you Click Here to listen you will gain a TON of knowledge AND be entertained. Wait until you hear Bob Loomis tell the story about fishing for Kokanee and seeing a guy in a boat just 60 feet away from his catch the WORLD RECORD KOKANEE! What a day, especially since Bob was catching Kokanee that day ranging from 4 to 7 pounds! If you want to catch big Salmon, Trout and Walleye this year, this Podcast is a MUST LISTEN!
Links:
- If you would like to learn more about Mack’s Lure and their amazing products Click Here.
- In fact, if you want to see their Kokanee lures first just Click Here.
- You can click here to look at lures by species.
- If you would like to ask Bob Loomis any questions, he said to just give him a call at (509) 667-9202 or you can email him by Clicking Here.
- The Mack’s Lure website also has some great videos, with Mack’s Lure Pro Staff, and yes Bob too on some of the videos giving some excellent advice. Click Here to browse their Video Library.
- Mack’s Lure also has an excellent publication called “Mack Attack”. Click here to read their articles and scroll down to the bottom of that webpage to subscribe.
- Don’t forget to let Rigger know your thoughts about this podcast and tell him about your ideas for future podcasts. Just
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Send us a Text Message.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Chris Mischke of Big Sky Fishing Charters about learning from his fishing guides who are located all across Montana. And when we say all across Montana, we mean it! When you listen you will learn about about where and how to fish in northwest Montana in lakes like Flathead, the Thompson Chain of Lakes, the Flathead River, and list goes on and on. It does not stop in Northwest Montana though; Big Sky Fishing Charters has guides in West Yellowstone and even up in Northeast Montana on the mighty Missouri River, Fort Peck Reservoir and beyond! The idea behind this podcast is to get out of your comfort zone now and then and learn some new waterways and fish for species you may not get a chance to fish for very often. Well, like HUGE Lake Superior Whitefish, giant Mackinaw, big ole Smallmouth Bass, Monster Northern Pike, and yes even Kokanee and King Salmon, to name a few. Now you may be thinking wait a minute who has time to figure out new waterways and find the fish in them? Glad you asked. That’s where Chris and his guides come in. They will show you all the basics, so you are ready if you want to head out on your own. Whenyoulisten you will hear about how they find those huge Lake Superior Whitefish, what to use and the fact that they fight like hell. Oh, and they taste even better than they fight. You will also learn about targeting giant Mackinaw and some awesome Smallies on Flathead Lake. The beauty is when you listen to this podcast you will learn that Montana has so much more to see and to catch then you may have known even if you have lived here your entire life!
Links:
- To learn all about Big Sky Fishing Charters click here and be sure and scroll down to the see more videos on that page!
- To learn about their fishing guides and boats click here.
- To see more pictures click here.
- To learn about their different fishing charters and rates click here.
- Questions for Chris? Click here to email Chris.
- Don’t forget to tell good ole Rigger what you thought of this podcast and give him your topics for future podcasts! Click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale had a great conversation with Montana FWP Fisheries Biologist Heath Headley about Walleye in Fort Peck Reservoir and beyond. If you love to fish for Walleye, want to learn about them or have just been curious about how in the heck the FWP can collect 83 million eggs from Walleye in Fort Peck then this Podcast is for you! Heath explains all kinds of things in this fascinating podcast, like what they do with all those eggs, and where all those Walleye go once, they are hatched. No, they don’t all go back into Fort Peck. So where do they go? Out of the 83 million eggs how many fish actually hatch? Out of all those that hatch how many will live once they are stocked in a waterbody? When you listen to this podcast you will learn the answer to those and many other questions that Rigger asked Heath Headley. Downrigger even asked Heath this question, “Heath how can I catch more Walleye?”! We think you will get a kick out of the answer Heath gave Downrigger. Another interesting topic that Rigger and Heath got into was the incredible size of the Walleye that are being caught in Fort Peck Reservoir lately. Rigger wanted to know if Heath had any thoughts on that and he told Heath about some suggestions he has received from listeners like, should there be a slot limit of some kind for Walleye on Fort Peck to preserve those big fish? For example, one suggestion a listener had is to maybe have a slot limit during tournaments. Listen and see what Heath’s thoughts were on that and many other things. This podcast really covered a TON of stuff all about Walleyes. Of course, it would not be a Montana Outdoor Podcast with Heath Headley if Rigger didn’t ask him about what the King Salmon season was going to be like on Fort Peck. What did Heath say? Well, you will need listen to the podcast to find out!
LINKS:
One question that Rigger asked Heath had to do with what water bodies in Montana get stocked with Walleye and how many get put in each one? The answer to that can be found by clicking here**. That takes you to the FWP fish stocking page where you can look up stocking plans for Walleye and other fish as well as stocking data and info about Montana’s fish hatcheries!It’s great info!
If you would like to read more about this year’s Walleye egg collection on Fort Peck Reservoir, just click here****.
After you listen to this podcast if you have any questions for Heath Headley, you can email him by clicking here****.
As always Downrigger would love to hear your ideas for topics for future podcasts and get your thoughts on this podcast as well. To do that just click here to email Downrigger**.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Well, this is a new one for us! Listeners have blown up The Montana Outdoor Podcast site, so we have held last week’s podcast over for yet another week! Thanks to all of you that shared this podcast so much that we just had to keep it going so everyone can keep listening and learning from the incredible discussion that your host Downrigger Dale and the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show had with Kit and Trevor Johnson of Kit’s Tackle Outfitters. Things that we kept hearing from folks that listened to this Podcast were, “Holy Smokes! I have never seen Kokanee that big!”, “I have never heard of the Dropper Ball Method for catching Kokanee!”, “They caught those in Holter and Hauser Reservoirs!?”, “This was such great information! Thank you!” and the comments have not stopped rolling in! Again, thank you all for listening and sharing this great information. As Downrigger put it, “That was such an incredible job of explaining that Kit and Trevor did. I felt like I was in the boat catching those huge Kokanee with them!” If you have not listened to this podcast yet, you just have to and listen right now! If you would like to see those other pictures or if you want to see that Dropper Ball setup, just click here.
If you would like to book a trip with Kit’s Tackle Outfitters, be sure and click here today. They will fill up fast, so this is not one you want to put off. If you would like to ask Kit or Trevor any questions you can click here to send them and email or call them at (406) 459-2841. Kit and Trevor are also famous for the incredible fishing tackle they make. Be sure and click here to look at all their tackle. As they like to say, you will be “Jiggin the Dream” in no time when you get their handmade tackle. You can also take a look at their Facebook Page by clicking here. Also, be sure and click here to send Downrigger Dale an email and let him know what you thought of this podcast and what ideas you have for future podcast topics!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale and the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show talk to Kit and Trevor Johnson about finding AND catching huge Kokanee Salmon in Holter and Hauser Reservoirs. You might recall when Rigger talked to FWP Fisheries Biologist Adam Strainer on the Podcast (click here if you want to hear that podcast from a year ago) about the mysterious disappearance and eventual return of Kokanee Salmon to Holter and Hauser, but we had no idea that they were so huge! Talk about a comeback! It is doubtful anyone else knew either, but Kit and Trevor spent hours and hours out on those reservoirs targeting Kokanee and found out just where to find them and how to catch them and now when you listen to this week’s podcast you will know too! As Trevor said on the podcast, “these are true world class Kokanee!”. This truly is one of the most exciting and informative podcasts we have ever done so DO NOT MISS OUT! One of the main things we learned is it is all about finesse when going after these incredible fish so listen carefully or better yet book a fishing trip with Kit or Trevor and learn firsthand from these pros. You will have a blast and learn a TON! If you would like to see an example of the dropper ball setup that Trevor talks about on the podcast to target the big Kokanee and to see some pictures of Kokanee that he and his clients have caught, just click here.
If you would like to book a trip with Kit’s Tackle Outfitters, be sure and click here today. They will fill up fast, so this is not one you want to put off. If you would like to ask Kit or Trevor any questions you can click here to send them and email or call them at (406) 459-2841. Kit and Trevor are also famous for the incredible fishing tackle they make. Be sure and click here to look at all their tackle. As they like to say, you will be “Jiggin the Dream” in no time when you get their handmade tackle. You can also take a look at their Facebook Page by clicking here. Also, be sure and click here to send Downrigger Dale an email and let him know what you thought of this podcast and what ideas you have for future podcast topics.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to none other than the Wizard of the Waterways, Matt Cowen, from Mon-Dak Marine. This time the Wizard is back with all new Tech for your boat. There is so much incredibly cool electronics out right now you just HAVE to listen to this Podcast! Matt covers so many fascinating ideas for boat electronics it will blow your mind. For example, have you ever struggled to follow a set contour on the bottom of the lake while watching your rods, downriggers, and everything else? What if your boat could do all that for you? Yeah, that’s right you tell your boat to follow a certain contour and it just does it by itself all the while raising and lowering your downriggers all on it’s own as well, oh and the whole time showing you right where the fish are! And that is just one type of scenario that Matt talks about. He also talks about the new types of batteries that will keep all that tech working and doing so weighing less and working better than you can ever dream of! How much does all that cost? Matt even covers that too. But what about figuring out how to work all this new technology? Yeah he can help you find all the sonar, fish finding, imaging gear you can dream of and show you how to work it all like a pro! Yup he talks about an incredible service he offers that will train you on all that as well. Matt even covers how to plan a technology layout in your boat so you can add technology as your budget allows and as new tech comes out! Here is the best part, all this cool stuff can truly make you a better fisherman and enjoy fishing more than you ever have! Listen and learn about all the new technology that is available right now. **As Downrigger Dale put it, “after talking to Matt Cowen about all this new technology I am more excited about this season than I ever have been before!”.
To learn more about Matt Cowen and Mon-Dak Marine, click here*. If you would like to learn more about the* on-the-water training that Matt offers, just click here*. To learn more about electric trolling motors, fish finders and lots of other* tech for your boat, click here*. You probably will have questions for Matt after you listen to this podcast so just* click here to send him an email*. Of course, your old buddy Downrigger would love to hear from you as well!* Click here to email Downrigger Dale**.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Collin Griffiths with Bretz RV & Marine joined your host Downrigger Dale for a great discussion as we continued our series “How to Find the Right Boat for You”. Rigger and Collin covered a tremendous amount of ground, or should we say water covering all kinds of ideas and tips that will help you in your quest to find that boat you have always wanted. Collin from Bretz pointed out that this is a very important decision, not just because boats can be a very expensive investment, but also the right boat can keep you safe, help you find and catch the fish you are looking for and just makes things even more comfortable out on the water. One thing that will no doubt surprise you when you listen, is just how many different brands and types of boats that Bretz carries. Rigger was shocked at the way the Bretz selection is set up so that you can really zero in on the specifics of what you want your new boat to be able to do for you. For example, Collin talked about how more and more hunters are using their boats to get them to their favorite places to hunt and how the right boat can make packing out even a big bull elk a whole lot easier. The whole “using your boat for hunting”, discussion that the boys got into was VERY interesting. Collin also had some very interesting thoughts about the question of jet propulsion or prop propulsion that will for sure give you some things to think about. Speaking of Collin, his story of how he came to be one of the most knowledgeable boat guys at Bretz will really surprise you. As Rigger said after talking with Collin on the podcast, “in all my 60 plus years I have never heard of a career change like that!”. You have got to listen to hear that story! I bet you will never guess what Collin used to do before he joined Bretz over twenty years ago. Of course, that is just one of many things you will learn about when you listen to this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast!
If you would like to learn more about Bretz RV & Marine just click here. If you would like to take a look at all the boats that are available at Bretz across all their locations in Montana, Idaho and Washington click here. If you would like to ask Collin Griffiths a question, please click here to send him an email. Also, if you get a chance Downrigger Dale would love it if you clicked here to email him your thoughts about this podcast and your ideas for future podcasts.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale had a great conversation with Chris McFadden, Owner of Townsend Marine. Chris is another perfect person to help Rigger continue his series on “How to Find the Right Boat for You”. When you listen to this podcast, you will hear Chris give all kinds of great advice like, make sure you learn about the people that work at the dealership before you go in. Have they been in the boating business for while? Do people you know, and trust recommend them? And list goes on from there. Just solid stuff that all to often we forget to check into. One of the many impressive things that Chris talked about was making sure the dealership you are talking to has a very strong knowledge base in the marine industry. For example, Townsend Marine’s top employees have all been there for well over twenty years. That is huge and it shows you that the folks that you will deal with or who will be working on your boat really know what they are doing. Chris also mentioned that this is Townsend Marine’s 30th anniversary! That in itself is amazing. However, what is maybe even more amazing is that customers and their families that did business with them in the beginning are still doing business with them to this day and have been sending the folks that they have met over the years to Townsend Marine. No wonder they are one of the Top Lund Boat dealers IN THE NATION! You really do need to listen to this podcast. You will be very happy that you did!
Be sure and click here to learn more about Townsend Marine. To view all the amazing Lund Boats, click here. To see some of the Pontoon Boats that Chris talked about click here. To view the entire inventory at Townsend Marine, click here. If you have a question for Chris McFadden, just click here to send him an email. Good old Downrigger would love to know what you thought of this podcast or if you have any ideas for future podcast topics, click here to send an email to Rigger.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale sat down with the owner of Mon-Dak Marine, Mat Cowen. You might recall last year when Matt participated in out series about “How to Find the Right Boat for You” Matt gave some incredible information that was, well, wizard like! Which is how he got the nickname, the Wizard of the Waterways. Not sure if he likes that name Rigger gave him but it kinda stuck. This year on this installment of, “How to Find the Right Boat for You”, Matt opened up with even more of that knowledge from his wizard like mind and gave us some fantastic information about things you for sure should consider when buying our next watercraft. For example, a major topic that Downrigger and Matt covered was the question of what is the right horsepower to choose for the boat that you are leaning towards. Matt has an interesting thought on this topic and is something that you for sure should consider, so be sure and listen carefully. Here’s another great question that the boys talked about, should we buy an aluminum boat or a fiberglass boat? Matt gives some real interesting questions you should ask yourself to help you find your answer to that question. Yet another big question that often comes up when we are looking for a boat is, what brand of motor should be on the back of your new boat. Matt talked about some of the top brands like Yamaha, Mercury, and Suzuki, so which brand does Matt prefer? You’ll have to listen find that out! What about the benefits of owning a jet boat versus a prop boat? Well, there’s lots to consider there too and Matt brought up some that you may have never considered. Speaking of things to consider, a big one that a lot of folks forget about when choosing the right boat for them is what are you going to do with the boat in the future, for example with all the new technology that continues to come out every year, are you planning for that? Will there be enough spaces on your new boat to add batteries to power all that new technology? Yup that’s the Wizard of the Waterways for ya, he is even helping you with things that will come up in the future that will save you a ton of money! All in all, when you listen to this podcast you just might find that you will want to make Matt Cowen YOUR Wizard of the Waterways to help you find the boat that is right for you now AND in the future!
IMPORTANT: Don’t miss Matt here on the Montana Outdoor Podcast coming soon when he goes through the latest boat tech.
If you would like to learn more about Matt Cowen and Mon-Dak Marine click here. If you would like to learn more about the boats that are in stock right now at Mon-Dak Marine just click here! If you would like to ask Matt any questions about Caymas, Crestliner, or Warrior boats or want him to help you find a used boat that is right for you just click here to email Matt Cowen.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale starts our annual series on “How to Find the Right Boat for You!”. Last year this series was a huge hit and if this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast is any indication it looks like this year’s series is going to be even better! Downrigger kicked off the first instalment of the series with Kent Andersen of Warrior Boats. Warrior is a boat manufacturer located 97 miles northwest of Minneapolis in Melrose, Minnesota. Warrior makes some of the finest fishing boats in the world which is probably why you see many of the fishing guides on Fort Peck Reservoir and other areas using them. Of course, Kent talked a lot about why you may want to consider buying a Warrior if you are thinking about getting a new boat this year, but he also gave some fantastic advice on what to consider in general when trying to decide which boat is best for you. If you are even remotely considering a new boat purchase, you FOR SURE need to listen to this podcast and all the other podcasts in the series that Downrigger will have for you in the coming weeks. After all, buying a new fishing boat is a major purchase so you want to make sure you learn about all the boats out there but more importantly you really want to make sure you Find the Right Boat for You! **When you listen to this week’s podcast you will learn all about Warrior Boats and all the models they are offering this year, and boy to they have some cool new boats, but as I said Kent really gave some great advice about what to ask yourself to help you zero in on what kind of boat is right for you!
To learn more about Warrior Boats and to see all the boats they have to offer this year just click here. If you have any questions for Downrigger’s guest Kent Andersen of Warrior Boats, be sure and click here to email him. If you would like to go see what Warrior Boats are in stock near you or you would like to talk more about Warrior Boats with a local dealer there are two dealers in Montana, click here to check out the Warriors at Mon-Dak Marine in Glasgow or simply click here to reach Wallace Marine in Great Falls. As always, your host Downrigger Dale would love to hear what you thought of this podcast or any of your ideas for future podcasts, just click here to email Downrigger**.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale sat down with the President of Bretz RV & Marine, Brandon Bretz. Bretz RV & Marine is truly an incredible outdoor company and a legend in the RV and boat business. Brandon shared some touching and at times funny stories about how this legendary company got its start, and how it almost never became what it is today. Spoiler Alert: Brandon’s story of how the business survived Covid is an unreal roller coaster ride! Bretz RV & Marine is and has always been a family business. Yes, there are for sure all kinds of horror stories about families getting into business but this, fortunately, is not one of them. The Bretz family has always been a close-knit family that for four generations has stuck together through the good times and the bad, and for well over a half a century has been bringing other families closer by getting them out into the great outdoors. When you listen to this podcast you will learn how it all started when his grandfather Frank and his grandmother Vi took over Vi’s parent’s gas station in Missoula. A rather humble beginning for what later was to become one of the most successful RV and Boat dealerships in the Country! What is even more amazing is how they got into the RV business. It all started when a stranger came into their gas station and asked a question. You will have to listen to, as Paul Harvey used to say, “hear the rest of the story”. You will also get a little peek into the future of what is next for Bretz but rest assured one thing will stay the same as it always has, it will remain a family business and when you walk into the door of any of the Bretz dealerships you will be greeted by a helpful person that absolutely loves the outdoors and can’t wait to show you all things they have that can help you and your family and friends become a whole lot closer and for sure a heck of a lot happier. This Podcast will warm your heart and inspire you to get out and explore everything the outdoors has waiting just for you! Just like Frank and Vi found out all those years ago, you never know what might happen when you listen to an idea from a friendly stranger.
When you listen to the podcast you will hear a bit of a recording of Brandon’s grandfather Frank. It is from a video that he made a few years before he passed. You really need to see whole thing, just click here to watch it. For more information about Bretz RV & Marine, click here! To learn more about their incredible story, click here. If you would like to learn about the incredible team of people at each of the six locations in Montana, Idaho, and Washington, simply click here. If you want to see all the RVs Bretz has waiting for you to look at, click here! If you want to see all the boats, they have just click here! Questions? Click here to contact Bretz RV & Marine.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to CSKT Fisheries Specialist, Cindy Benson and one of the top anglers in past Spring Mack Days Tournaments, Jason Mahlen. Jason has won the tournament many times! You will be blown away by how much cash Jason Mahlen as made fishing in the Mack Days tournaments. Spoiler Alert: the total amount is in the SIX FIGURES! Yeah, this tournament, which starts on March 14th and runs through May 11th, has something for everyone, from the beginner angler to the pro. When you listen to the podcast you will learn that there are all kinds of ways to earn money fishing in this tournament, from just catching a lot of fish to maybe just catching one that is worth $1,000.00! And those are just two of the ways to win. The Tournament takes place on Flathead Lake in Northwest Montana and is one of the richest tournaments you will ever fish in. What maybe even more surprising than all the ways to win cash is the way this incredible tournament is run. For example, you can join in the fun anytime you want between March 14th and May 11th, and it only takes catching one fish to get the winnings going. Now, in addition to learning all about the ins and outs of the tournament you will also hear some great tips on how best to fish this tournament from award winning angler Jason Mahlen. Jason will give you tips on jigging for the lake trout and where he likes to go on Flathead Lake to catch them! Jason even talks about the type of jigs he uses and what kind of bait has worked well for him. Best of all you will learn just how much fun this tournament is for the whole family to take part in.
Want even more info? After you listen to the podcast be sure and come back to this article and click here to send Cindy Benson an email so you can get signed up to take part in the tournament and to get all your questions answered. Cindy has access to all the top anglers that have fished this tournament so she can even get any questions you have about how best to fish the tournament directly from them! If you would like to ask Jason Mahlen a question, just click here. You can also watch lots of different videos about how best to catch the HUGE lake trout on Flathead Lake by clicking here to watch videos about trolling or fishing off the docks for the Monster Macks. If you want to watch videos that will teach you about jigging for Macks click here. You can even read more about what all those videos show you by clicking here! As always, your old buddy and host of the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale is always available via email by clicking here. Have fun out there fishing for Lake Trout at Spring Mack Days March 14th through May 11th!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
One of the most popular fishing reports on the Montana Outdoor Radio Show every Saturday morning is the Brian Olson Report. Brian always has great information about fishing on Fresno and Nelson Reservoirs as well as the Milk and the Missouri Rivers. This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale caught up with Brian Olson and talked to him about ice fishing on those reservoirs, how to approach going after the fish in them as well as in the Milk and Missouri Rivers once the ice is off and even how to effectively fish the Walleye Spawn. And boy did Brian bring is “A Game”! Brian shared all kinds of fantastic advice from what baits to use in all kinds of different conditions, colors of lures to use, jigging techniques and the list goes on and on. If you want to be able to catch fish in just about all conditions that Mother Nature can throw at you, you really need to listen to this podcast. Brian even gave some great advice on how to get your gear ready for hitting the water once the ice is off and you are ready to get after some spring fishing. On top of that, Brian decoded the mysteries of fishing the Walleye Spawn! Even if you think you have that all figured out you must listen to this podcast! Once you do even the most experienced fisherman is going to have even more success. **This Podcast truly is a masterclass on how to get the most out of these great bodies of water, whether you are going after, Walleye, Pike, Catfish, or anything else you will find in Nelson, Fresno, the Milk or the mighty Missouri!
After you listen to the Podcast, if you still have questions Downrigger is collecting questions now for Brian and will sit down with him and get them all answered for you. So just click here to email your questions for Brian and he will get the answers right back to you! Also be sure and let Downrigger know what you thought of this podcast and or give him some ideas for topics for future podcasts. Thanks for listening to the Montana Outdoor Podcast!**
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Yeah, it is almost the start of a new license year for the Montana Outdoors. In less than a week it will be time to get a new fishing license and conservation license and then just like that the clock starts to ticking! Yeah, the deadline season is about to begin. The time of the year when you have start thinking about applying for special permits and licenses. It’s that time when parents must start planning on when their kids that have not taken hunter education will get enrolled to take it. What age can take the online test? Did you hear there was a change in requirements? Which State Park where you going to make sure you had reservations for? Did you hear that the reservation process had changed? RELAX!! Good old Downrigger has got you! This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Downrigger Dale talks to Greg Lemon, Head of the Communication and Education Division of the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and Emily Cooper the License Bureau Chief of the FWP! Downrigger hit them with a TON of questions about everything from when are all the deadlines for applying for all your permits and special licenses, to what all the changes are in Hunters Education, to how to understand how the bonus points system works and list goes on and on. Greg and Emily completely loaded this podcast with EXTREMELY valuable information. In fact, make sure you download the podcast or at least for sure save this link as you will likely want to listen to it several times. Once you are done listening to the podcast you just might be the most organized and ready for fishing, hunting and more than you ever have been before! In fact, you will learn about a real cool new feature for buying all your licenses online. Here is a big hint: it allows grab any or all the things you bought last year again this year in a few clicks! It is very cool!
If you want to get more information about all the things you need to know about the new license year, click here for a great article that, will give you tips, reminders, deadlines and lots of links to most all the info you are going to need. Read it carefully and you will have everything from the number to the FWP Licensing Call Center, which is (406) 444-2950, to links to the Online Licensing System and much more! For more information on Montana hunting licenses and permits, click here. If you would like to email a question or comment to the Licensing Division of the FWP, click here. For great information about Hunter Education, click here. For info about Bowhunter Education, click here. To email a question to the Communication and Education Division, click here.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Andy Mansoor, CEO of Brixtel Defense along with two other key executives of the Company Jimmy Slaughter and James McCoy. Those gentlemen represent Brixtel Defense an ammunition company that is spending 125 million dollars to build an ammunition manufacturing plant in Glendive Montana! You may recall if you listened a few weeks back to the Montana Outdoor Podcast when Rigger talked to Governor Greg Gianforte about Montana’s outdoor economy, he brought up Brixtel Defense and talked about them setting up a plant in Glendive. So, Downrigger decided to investigate that and boy did he find out a ton of exciting information! Make sure you listen to this podcast! When you do you will learn things like, which state is home to the highest number, per capita, of innovative firearms and ammunitions businesses in the United States. Spoiler Alert: That state is nicked named The Big Sky Country! What is even more amazing is how many people Brixtel Defense is planning on hiring when they get the new plant up to full capacity. You will also learn why this Virginia based company choose Glendive Montana as the place they wanted to expend their business in such a major way. Another thing the boys from Brixtel told Rigger about was the type of ammunition they will be manufacturing in Glendive. There is much more than that waiting for you to learn when you listen. It truly is amazing! **In fact, some of you might just want to go to work for Brixtel and yes when you listen to the podcast you will find out what jobs they are looking to fill and how you can apply! In addition to all that you will learn that Brixtel Defenses’ expansion will have a positive affect on other businesses all across Montana as well!
If you would like to learn more about Brixtel Defense, you can click here to head to their website*. If you would like to* email them your resume, click here*. If would like to get their contact info for their headquarters in Virginia or for the new branch office in Glendive* just click here*. As always Downrigger Dale would love to hear from you with your thoughts about this episode or with your ideas for future podcasts.* Click here to email him**!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Cory Medlinger of Superior Hardwoods of Montana to find out about one of the most unique wood products companies in the world! If you are a fan of the podcast or the Montana Outdoor Radio Show you have no doubt heard Cory talk about Superior Hardwoods of Montana a company that his dad started back in 1977. Now you will learn the whole story of how this incredible company started and how it has evolved into providing folks all over the United States and beyond with the most unique wood flooring, beams, siding and more that are beyond your imagination. Cory and his dad, John Medlinger, both have an eye for wood like no one else and we are not talking about just plain old wood. When you listen to the podcastyou will hear about exotic woods, like Italian Olive Wood, or Redwood that was once a flume from an old mining operation and even wood that had once been at the bottom of the ocean before Superior Hardwoods turned it into beams that are more like art than something that holds up a ceiling. As Downrigger put it after he was done talking to Cory, “Superior Hardwoods of Montana is so unique that it almost seems like the company was the brainchild of Paul Bunyan and Willie Wonka!”. Yes, this podcast is for sure a “must listen” especially if you are thinking about remodeling, building, or wanting to create something incredible out of wood. **Oh, and they are hiring right now too. So, if you love working with wood. Listen and learn how you can join the team at Superior Hardwoods of Montana!
If you would like to learn more about Superior Hardwoods of Montana, just click here*. If you would like to see some photos of some of the things that have been created from the unique woods they sell,* click here*. If you would like to* contact them, click here*. If you would like to send Cory and email,* click here*. You are of course welcome to call them at (406) 235-7452 or just stop in and see them at 5120 Highway 93 South in Missoula, Montana and let them guide you through the woods! Of course, your host Downrigger Dale would love to hear what you thought of this podcast or hear your ideas for topics for future podcasts,* click here to send him an email**!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale had an awesome conversation with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks’ BOW Coordinator, Kylie Kembel. Kylie told Rigger all about the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program. Of course, with Downrigger being a father of 9 daughters this is a program that is near and dear to his heart! If you have never heard of this program or maybe you have but have never heard about the Montana FWP’s version of it, you for sure need to listen to this podcast! And guys, if you are thinking this is a podcast just for the ladies you are wrong! You can get involved too! Kylie is always looking for volunteer instructors and/or guys who know gals that might be interested in getting involved either as a participant, an instructor and/or someone that just wants to learn a new outdoor skill. So, what all do they do in the BOW program? Well, for starters they have a whole bunch of fun! Specifically, they learn about and go out ice fishing, snowshoeing, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, hunting for all kinds of things, and so much more! Basically pretty much anything a person can do in Montana’s outdoors! The best thing you can do is listen to this podcast. **You will learn that you have for sure been missing out on a whole lot, and more importantly you will learn how you can get involved!
If you would like to learn even more about the BOW program after you listen to the Podcast, just click here*. If you have a question for Kylie Kembel and/or if you would like to become a volunteer instructor,* simply click here to send her an email or just give her and call at 406-444-5280. If you want to sign up for the ice fishing work shop this 16th and 17th in Kalispell, click here to get more information*! If you would like to* get emails about future events, click here*. You can also check out the* BOW Facebook Page by clicking here*. To learn about where it all started and find out where BOW programs are at all across North America* click here**.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale caught up with a guy who has been VERY busy. We are talking about Josh Parrow of Havre Montana. You probably have heard Josh a time or two on the Montana Outdoor Radio Show give a report from Montana’s Hi-Line or you may have seen him out on the Walleye Circuit or maybe even out on a stretch of railroad track repairing a train engine. Yeah, the guy stays busy for sure. In fact, he and his wonderful wife Kari just welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Aniyah! If that were not enough Josh just became the Region Four Director of Walleyes Unlimited and Kari is the new Treasurer! Oh, but he is not stopping there he also just became a guide under Kits Tackle Outfitters, “Jiggin’ the Dream”! Oh, and wait until you hear about where Josh is going to be guiding! It is long overdue that this great body of water got a guide to help you unlock its incredible secrets! Needless to say, he had a lot to talk about with Downrigger. Listen to the Montana Outdoor Podcast now and hear all about what is going on up on the Hi-Line. Josh gave out all kinds of great news about things going on in Montana’s Walleye Circuit, some awesome projects that Walleyes Unlimited Chapters are doing, great news about youth competing in tournaments and how the Fresno Chapter just helped the Fresno Ice Fishing Tournament hosted by the Fresno Tavern. They gave them a great donation and folks from the chapter will be helping out there Saturday 1/27/24 as well. If you want more information about the Fresno Ice Fishing Tournament you can also click here and read the Article that Angela Montana posted last week. Josh also talked about all the great reasons for joining your local Walleyes Unlimited Chapter. It sounds like you will be VERY happy you did! And those are just a few of the things that Rigger and Josh talked about. We just want to know where does this guy get all his energy anyway!?
If you would like to learn more about Montana Walleyes Unlimited and find a chapter near you click here. If you want to get to know the Fresno Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited click here. For information about Josh Parrow’s guiding service click here. To book a trip with Josh and to learn more about Kits Tackle Outfitters, “Jiggin’ the Dream” be sure and click here. If you have a question for Josh, click here to send him and email. As always your old buddy Downrigger would love to hear your ideas for podcast topics, click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Matthew Rosencrans in the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center. Matthew is the Climate Testbed Director in the Climate Prediction Center and knows a great deal about predicting the weather. In fact, he used to be one of the weather forecasters for the United States Airforce! Over the last few years, the National Weather Services Prediction Team has increased their average accuracy a great deal. So, on average how accurate are they? Listen now and find out! Downrigger talked to Matthew about what the weather outlook is for the rest of this winter here in Montana. Rigger and Matthew even went way beyond that and talked about what the weather looks like for the State this spring, summer, and fall. Is it good news or is it not looking so good as far as moisture and drought conditions? Are we in a El Niño or a La Niña? Do you know what those things are? Who named them that? How is the National Weather Service and their team of scientists like Matthew able to predict the weather that far out? No, it is not a crystal ball! How do storms like hurricanes get their names. Rigger and Mr. Rosencrans get into some incredible topics and most all those topics are all about things that will directly affect you! So, listen now to this week's Montana Outdoor Podcast!If you would like to learn more about the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, click here. If you would like to learn more about the weather in your area:
For northwestern Montana click here or call (406) 329-4840.
For northern and central Montana click here or call (406) 453-2081.
For northeastern Montana click here or call (406)228-4042.
For southeastern Montana click here or call (406) 652-0851.
As always if you have any suggestions for podcasts topics just click here to send an email to Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale has a conversation with Montana Governor, Greg Gianforte. Rigger and the Governor get into all kinds of topics about Montana’s great outdoors. Things like: What is the overall outlook for Montana’s Outdoors for 2024? What About Montana’s outdoor economy, which is a huge part of our overall economy, will it keep growing? Can Montana’s population continue to grow without ruining the things that has made it the best place in the world to live? You can get the Governor’s answers to those and many other questions by listening to this week’s Podcast! A few other very interesting tidbits about Montana’s outdoor economy that Governor Gianforte brought up during his conversation with Rigger; Do you know how fast Montana’s Outdoor Economy grew in one year? How many people are employed in jobs directly connected to Montana’s outdoor economy? Spoiler Alert! If all those folks lived in the same town, they would become the 7th largest city in the State! There is a TON of important information in this podcast for sure and even a great recipe for duck from the Governor! So, listen now!If you would like to learn more about Montana’s outdoor economy, click here for an interesting report from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. You can also click here to get another interesting report about Montana’s outdoor economy from the University of Montana. Rigger and the Governor also talked about the Black Butte Copper Mine and the gold mine near Emigrant Montana that was opposed by the community. Click here to get more information about Black Butte Copper Mine and the Community support. To read an article about the ban on mining near Emigrant click here. If you have a question for Governor Gianforte, click here to send him an email. Downrigger Dale would love to hear your thoughts about this podcast or your ideas for future podcast topics! Click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Manny Clark sits in for Downrigger Dale and counts down the top five podcasts for 2023. There were 51 podcasts dropped in 2023 all of which had tons and tons of listeners. But as always, there were some that of course had more listeners than others. So which ones were the top five podcasts for all of 2023? Which one do you think was the most listened to podcast of all? Was it when Downrigger and the Captain did the podcast out on the Slayer’s boat fishing for King Salmon? Was it when Downrigger interviewed the Energy Keepers CEO about the low water levels on Flathead Lake? What about the Podcast about the Kokanee making a comeback in Holter Reservoir? Well you are going to have to listen to find out! Make sure you listen next week too when Downrigger will interview Montana Governor Greg Gianforte about what’s next for Montana’s Outdoors in 2024!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Bureau of Reclamation Project Manager Steve Darlinton about the huge projects he is managing that will, among many things, fix the Fresno Dam located just about 15 miles Northwest of Havre, Montana. Fresno Dam was built in the mid 1930’s and since then it has been slowly sinking! Not something you want a dam to do! Especially when you have the towns of Havre and Chinook just downstream from the Dam. How far has it sunk and how dangerous is this situation with the dam? There is so much information packed into this podcast that you may want to listen to it a few times. Rigger and Steve not only talk about fixing the Fresno dam but get into the details of how that will happen and how the work, that will be starting this summer, will affect water levels in Fresno Reservoir. How far will the reservoir water levels be dropping and when will that happen? Listen and find out. Steve Darlinton does a great job explaining everything about this major project! Steve also talks about the other water ways that the Montana Bureau of Reclamation oversees including Canyon Ferry Reservoir, the St. Mary Diversion Dam and Canal and many others. Speaking of the St Mary Diversion Dam and Canal did you know that canal was constructed in the early 1900s and stretches over the great divide to carry water to the Milk River? Steve talks about how that incredible project was constructed all those years ago, of course using tools that would be considered rather primitive by today’s standards, but some incredible hard-working Montanans pulled it off. Course fast forward to today and you can imagine there is a lot of work ahead of Steve and his team to modernize that! Do you know why that project was built in the first place all those years ago? We are guessing you are going to be pretty darned surprised to learn the answer to that question. Listen and find out all about it. Like we said, this podcast is packed full of incredible information, covering the stories of how many of the waterways along Montana’s Highline came to be and what the future holds for them!
Learn more about the Fresno Reservoir Dam project by clicking here. Learn about Canyon Ferry Reservoir by clicking here. Learn about the St. Mary Diversion Dam and Canal projects by clinking here. Learn about other Bureau of Reclamation projects going on in Montana by clicking here. Learn all about Bureau of Reclamation projects across the country by clicking here. If you would like to ask Steve Darlinton Bureau of Reclamation Project Manager a question, click here to send him an email. As always be sure and give your thoughts about this podcast and or ideas for topics for future podcasts to Downrigger Dale, click here to email him now.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with celebrity and Montana native Shane Clouse about his involvement with the Montana Wild Sheep Foundation. Shane is a past President of the foundation which partners with the Montana FWP to help with Big Horn Sheep to make sure we will always be able to hunt them. When Shane is not entertaining or working in is businesses, you can find him out in Montana’s Outdoors, bow hunting, fishing or working on his ranch with his beautiful wife Kelly. Shane covers some great information about the health and population of Montana’s Big Horn Sheep. He also talks about how lucky we are in Montana to be the only state that has a certain type of a Big Horn Sheep Hunting season.
Shane also talks about his entertainment career, like singing and song writing. Some of you may not know that Shane is also an actor. He starred in a movie called Eye for Eye and has another movie coming out this May called Mr. Pettigrew, both are Westerns. You can find Eye for Eye on Amazon right now. Click here to watch it now. In Eye for Eye, Shane stars with Actor John Savage who has starred in many major films, most notably the Academy Award winning film, The Deer Hunter, alongside Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken. In addition to acting in the movie Eye for Eye, Shane also wrote and performed music for the film’s soundtrack. You are going to LOVE this interview as Rigger covers a TON of ground with Shane including his very successful company Pink Grizzly which sells the monstrously popular Montana Wreaths which are sold during the holidays all over the world. One thing you will notice about Shane Clouse as you listen to this Podcast is he truly loves his home state of Montana! Which we would like to think has caused him to be unlike any actor or entertainer in general that you will ever get to know.
After you are done listening come back here and Click Here to learn all about the Montana Wild Sheep Foundation. To learn more about Shane Click Here. Or visit his Facebook Page by Clicking Here. You can email him by Clicking Here. Lean all about Montana Wreaths by Clicking Here! To learn more about the movie Eye for Eye Click Here. To learn more about Shane’s next movie, Mr. Pettigrew coming out this May Click Here. You can find Shane’s music on Apple Music by Clicking Here, or on Spotify by Clicking Here.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Brian Wakeling the Game Management Bureau Chief for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Brian knows everything there is to know about Montana’s Elk Shoulder Seasons. He and Rigger had a VERY interesting discussion about these sometimes confusing and controversial Elk Hunting Seasons. Once you listen to this you may never look at Elk Shoulders Seasons the same. In fact, there is a much better way of understanding them once you stop looking at them as an extension to the regular season. They are basically separate mini seasons all unto themselves. They are designed and structured for different reasons. So, what does that mean? Listen now and find out. There are also lots of rumors and misconceptions surrounding these seasons. Downrigger asks the questions and gets the answers that should clear all those and more up. Things like; How many elk are available for harvest? What dictates why a season will be put in somewhere? Is it true that not all shoulder seasons are on private land? What is the best way to plan a shoulder season hunt? What do all those charts with the rules and regs inside of them mean? Are outfitters allowed to guide in shoulder season areas? How much discretion on who hunts and where, do landowners have? And the list goes on. This podcast will open your eyes and should show you how these seasons, that are going on now, can become huge opportunities for you!
If you want to learn more about Elk Shoulder Seasons click here. Once you click there keep scrolling and clicking on links in that page there is TONS of info there! This Block Management webpage has some good info for planning hunts, click here to take a look! If you have questions for Downrigger’s guest Brian Wakeling, click here to send him an email. Do you have ideas for topics for future podcasts? Click here to send an email to Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast you host Downrigger Dale talks to the Regional Director of the Montana Mule Deer Foundation, Chris Fortune. Rigger and Chris got into a fascinating and at times alarming discussion about the decline of the Mule Deer population in Montana. They cover all kinds of reasons that are contributing to this decline like; the loss of key Mule Deer habitat, the number of CWD cases that have been hitting the population, and the growing population of the Mule Deer’s predators. Now many of you may be thinking it’s the wolf and yes wolves do prey on Mule Deer no doubt, however they tend to focus more on other prey. Director Fortune explains that it is really a couple of other predators that have been doing more damage than the wolf. Which ones are those? Listen now to find out. In fact, Rigger found it interesting that one predator has been kind of flying under the radar since the wolf has been in the spotlight. Rigger also asked Chris about possible solutions to the issues affecting our Mule Deer and what the Mule Deer Foundation is trying to do about all this. This podcast will likely surprise you a great deal as it clears up a lot of misconceptions about the problems facing the Mule Deer. Spoiler Alert: CWD is not the biggest problem! Also, there are ways you can help solve the problems facing the Mule Deer population in Montana. Listen now to find out more!
If you would like to find out more about the Montana Mule Deer Foundation, click here. If you would like to find a Mule Deer Foundation chapter near you click here. To learn about recent CWD cases in Montana click here. To ask Chris Fortune, Regional Director of the Mule Foundation a question click here. Do you have comments about this podcast or ideas for topics for future podcasts? Click here to email your host Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Ed Hebbe, Communications Director of the Montana Trappers Association about Federal Judge Donald Molloy’s order to shorten Montana’s wolf trapping season. One of the main reasons for his decision was because wolf trapping could harm or kill grizzly bears. Do wolf traps really present a danger to grizzly bears? Be sure to listen and find out! Rigger asked that question and many others to Mr. Hebbe and his answers may just surprise you! One very interesting thing that Ed talks about is, just how many traps have caught grizzly bears in the last ten years. You really have to listen to his answers. Another thing Rigger asked Ed was aren’t grizzly bears hibernating right now anyway? Or how about this question; could this decision cause other seasons to be changed or maybe even eliminated? If you hunt, fish or even hike in Montana you really need to hear the answer to that question. In fact, if you use certain roads or float certain rivers you better listen as well! Did someone just open a box that has a name that starts with P?
There are quite a few folks, organizations and even Montana’s Governor that are deeply concerned and yes, even a bit hot under the collar! After listen to this podcast you can get more information about this controversial ruling by clicking here and reading Governor Gianforte’s press release about the ruling. You can also click here to see links to other news stories about Judge Molloy’s order. You can get more information about the Montana Trappers Association by clicking here. If you would like to ask Ed Hebbe questions about this, you canclick here to email him. Do you have thoughts or questions about this podcast, or do you have an idea for a podcast topic? Just click here to email Downrigger Dale.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to the Season 6 winner of the History Channel’s popular TV reality series, “Alone”. You must hear Jordan Jonas’s story of how he not only survived but won the incredible challenge. You will hear how Jordan fought off starvation, loneliness, wild animals, and the brutal weather conditions of Canada’s Northwest Territories to claim his spot in outdoor survival history. How did he do it? Well, the amazing life he lived prior to being selected to compete against 9 other incredible individuals on the History Channel’s extremely popular reality series, for sure had something to do with it. Spoiler alert! He left home as a teenager and jumped from railcar to railcar to travel the country! Thus, Jordan likely became one of the only known teenage hobos in America. So yeah, that might have helped prepare him for that unbelievable challenge. Oh, but he was just getting warmed up! After spending his teen years as a hobo riding the rails all alone, he went to Russia to help build an orphanage! That led him to take things to an extreme again and head deep into the Siberian wilderness and believe it or not, it just gets crazier from there!! One of the stories Jordan tells Rigger is about the fact that while competing in the Alone series he was able to kill a rabbit to eat on his first day out in the arctic wilderness. He talks about how rabbits were all over the place. Rigger replied, “Oh so you had a pretty reliable food source then.” Jordan explains that you must have fat to survive in those conditions and arctic rabbits barely have any. So, though he could eat lots of rabbits they in no way could stop him from starving to death. There is even a term for it, rabbit starvation! So, where did Jordan find that all important source of fat? You will have to listen to this week’s Montana Outdoor podcast to find out and hopefully you won’t have a weak stomach when you do listen. What does Jordan do now? He lives in Darby Montana, but you will have to listen to find out the rest. The answer to that question is really cool and when you listen you can even learn how you can go hunt with and learn survival techniques from Jordan!
After you listen, if you want to find out more about Jordan Jonas click here. If you want to learn more about the History Channel’s Alone TV Series click here. Want to take one of Jordan’s Wilderness Courses? Click here to find out more and book it! If you would like to ask Jordan any questions you can click here to send him an email. As always Downrigger Dale would love to hear what you thought of this week’s podcast and if you have any suggestions for future podcasts. Click here to email Downrigger.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast it is all about Montana’s Upland Game Birds. Your podcast host Downrigger Dale talks to Upland Gamebird Specialist Ken Plourde. Ken is based in FWP Region 6 and there is, for sure, a reason the word, “Specialist”, is in his job title. Ken is one of THE most knowledgeable people in the State of Montana when it comes to Upland Gamebirds. When you click here to listen to this week’s podcast you will learn all kinds of things that will for sure come in handy when hunting in these later months of Montana’s Upland Gamebird season. For example, Rigger asks Ken what the Upland Gamebird populations were looking like, and Ken not only answered, but he also talked a bit about how, specifically, most of each species were doing. Another topic that Downrigger and Ken Plourde got into was what he thinks is the most popular gamebird with most hunters in Montana. You may recall from last week’s podcast with Hunter VanDonsel from Pheasants Forever that he answered it was for sure the Pheasant. So, what is Montana’s FWP Game Specialist’s answer to that question? Well, you will have to listen to this week’s podcast to find out! You will also get some great advice from Ken about how to use the FWP’s online hunt planning tools, especially with his tips on using the Hunt Planner Map. We are confident that after you hear that you will find the that map to be more useful than you ever have. Another great topic that Rigger brought up was about what Ken thought might be one of the more misunderstood gamebird species and why many gamebird hunters are missing out because of it. Spoiler Alert…it is about an untrue rumor regarding the taste of the bird. Ken went on to even share one of his favorite dishes for this bird. Rigger got very hungry after hearing about that! That bird is also Ken’s favorite bird to hunt and no we are not talking about the pheasant. Those are just a few of the many topics you will learn about on this fascinating podcast, so click here now and give it a listen.
Once you are done listening, you will likely want to learn even more so feel free to discover the tons of info on this link to the Upland Game Bird Species Guide on the FWP site. That page contains links to everything from regulations, to season dates, hunter access and all kinds of other helpful information, so just click here. If you just want the shortcut to info on hunter access, click here. If you want to go the Hunt Planner Map that Rigger and Ken talked about, click here. Questions for Ken Plourde? Click here to send Ken an email.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale talks with the Montana Pheasants Forever, State Coordinator, Hunter VanDonsel about Montana’s Pheasants. Besides being the State Coordinator for Pheasants Forever, Hunter is also a biologist and knows a great deal about these amazing birds. When you click here to listen to this week’s podcast you will learn about how well the Pheasant population numbers are doing and what Montana Pheasants Forever is doing to stop their habitat from shrinking and get it back growing again. Why is their habitat shrinking? You might be surprised by the answer! You will also learn about some of the other programs that Pheasants Forever is working on in the State and how those might benefit more than just Pheasants. In addition to that you will hear Hunter give some interesting hunting tips for hunters that are just starting out and for those that have been hunting Pheasants for a long time. In fact, Hunter even talks about a course you can take online that will teach you how to hunt, not just Pheasants but all Upland Game Birds! Click here if you would like to take this course now, it’s free! Yeah, these birds have a lot more to them than just good looks and tasty meat. So be sure and give this podcast a listen especially if you are a parent and would like to get your kids outside and learning about conservation and how to hunt. You are going to be surprised with all your local and statewide Pheasants Forever is up to these days! And best of all just how much money they are putting back into Montana!
If you want to learn more about Pheasants Forever in Montana, just click here. If you would like to learn about what they are doing nationally, click here. If you have any questions for Hunter VanDonsel, click here to send him an email. And again, if you would like to take that course on how to hunt Upland Game Birds, click here. As always your old buddy Downrigger Dale would love to know what you thought of this podcast and what topics you want him to cover in future podcasts, so click here to send Rigger and email.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks to Nancy Schlepp, VP of Communications & Government Relations and Jerry Zieg, Senior Vice President of Black Butte Copper. Rigger had heard all kinds of rumors about this proposed copper mining project near White Sulphur Springs for years, some good and some bad, and then he got emails from listeners asking that he investigate it by going straight to the source with his podcast microphone. So that is just what he did, and boy was he surprised, so much so that he already has plans to do a part 2 to this podcast, right at the mine site!
When you click here to listen to this week’s podcast you will learn a TON about the Black Butte Copper project. Things like; how far along is this project? Is there a pending decision coming from the Montana Supreme Court? Are the nearby waterways of Sheep Creek and the all-important Smith River going to be at risk? What kind of effect, if any, will it have on the wildlife in the area? How many people does Black Butte Copper currently employ? When it is up and running how many people will it employ and how much will the average miner make? What about infrastructure for the town of White Sulphur Springs, who will help pay to increase the size of things like schools, hospitals, etc.? And those are just some of the questions that Downrigger asked Nancy and Jerry. This just might be one of the most important podcasts you will listen to this year so DO NOT PASS THIS ONE UP and for sure, SHARE THIS PODCAST WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW!
How about you, do you have questions about all this? Well, first listen to the podcast and then click here to get a snapshot of the Black Butte Copper project. To learn more about this week’s guests on the podcast, click here to learn more about Senior VP Jerry Zieg. If you have questions for Jerry, click here to send him an email. To learn more about Nancy Schlepp click here. If you have questions for Nancy just click here to email her. If you would like to browse through the Black Butte Copper website, which is very informative, click here. As always, your old buddy Downrigger would love to know what you think of this podcast and he is always looking for suggestions for topics for future podcasts, so click here and send him an email!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week the host of The Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talks to Ed Beall Owner of Capital Sports and Western and member of the Montana Private Land and Public Wildlife Advisory Committee (PLPW). Rigger and Ed cover a TON of topics about hunter and landowner relations. Ed has been working hard for years now to help get outdoor sportsmen and women more access to private lands across Montana and when you click here to listen to this week’s podcast you will learn that all the work Ed and the other folks on the PLPW has done as well as of course the incredible work the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has done, is starting to pay off. In fact, at this point it now is up to all of us to take the next step to make it happen. This is the most asked about topic in Downriggers listener emails. Ed and so many others have been dedicated to building relationships between landowners and those that love hunt, fish, and just get out in Montana’s great outdoors for a long time now and finally you will learn some of the most important things you can do to gain access to private lands by building your own personal relationships with landowners. BUT there is a right way and yes, a wrong way to do that. Listen to the podcast and learn what the steps are to get the access you have always wanted. There is an interesting side effect to doing this. That is, you will likely make some lifelong friendships and learn things you likely never thought you would learn. To learn about the right way to approach landowners click here to take the Hunter-Landowner Stewardship Test! You will learn a ton of valuable info when you take this test which is part of the Hunter-Landowner Stewardship Program!
Another topic that Rigger covered with Ed is VERY cool. They uncovered a source of hunting and fishing information for every region in Montana. It is all about, that often sought after and rarely found, local knowledge of where the fish and big game is and what you need to know to harvest what you are hunting and fishing for. You may have heard a little about this when you have heard The Captain talk about “Montana Approved” stores. Listen to the podcast to learn more and click here to get a list of links to get you started on finding what you are hunting and fishing for! If you have questions for Ed or other members of the PLPW, click here to email Downrigger your questions and he will get them answered for you. You can also click here to learn all about the It’s Up to Us campaign. There is lots and lots of great info on that web page!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, your host, Downrigger Dale talks to FWP Wildlife Manger from Region 6, Scott Thompson. Scott knows a great deal about the wily Speed Goat and Rigger squeezed every bit of that knowledge out of him during this podcast, just for you hunters! So why do you suppose the Antelope populations are down across most of the state? Did you know that there is a bird that regularly hunts Antelope? What is the Antelope’s closest relative? Spoiler alert: It does not even live in North America and no it is not even close to what you are thinking! Why won’t Antelope jump over fences? When you listen to this week’s podcast you will learn the answers to those and many other questions about Montana’s Antelope! In fact, you will even learn a few hunting tips and lots more! So, what are you waiting for, click here and listen now.
After you listen if you have more questions about the Antelope be sure and click here to send Scott Thompson an email. If you want to get an idea of which areas of Montana should be good for Antelope hunting or for hunting any of the other Big Game Montana has to offer, just click here to see the 2023 Montana Big Game Hunting Forecast. How about some information about the FWP’s Block Management Program or other tools to help you plan your hunt, click here for all that! If you want to completely OD on info about the Antelope (or more appropriately known as the Pronghorn), Rigger found tons of publications and research articles from the top Pronghorn researcher in world, Dr John A. Byers just click here for a list of links to his research articles and publications. As always be sure and click here to email Downrigger Daleif you have any questions or suggestions for future topics for The Montana Outdoor Podcast! Lastly, a big THANK YOU to Feed Spot for naming the Montana Outdoor Podcast as one of the top podcasts! Check it out! https://blog.feedspot.com/montana_podcasts/
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Host Downrigger Dale talks with Sarah Tilt, Executive Director of One Montana. One Montana is the nonprofit organization that created probably one of the most unique hunter education courses in the world. When you listen to this podcast you will see what we meant by that last statement in just the first few minutes of listening. Downrigger has talked a lot on about hunting access on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, but he has never really found a guest that has cracked the code that unlocks the ultimate secret to better and ongoing hunter and landowner relations, that is, until now. That is why this may be one of the most important podcasts for the hunter who truly desires to become a better hunter AND who wants to give back to the incredible sport of hunting and all those who do their part every day to provide access to the game they love to hunt.
There is a TON of great “take aways” in this podcast but one of the most important is how you can apply to get into the Master Hunter Program, so listen carefully for that as there is a deadline approaching to apply. You will also hear Rigger’s guest, Sarah Tilt explain how the Master Hunter Program was launched to help the State of Montana and private landowners improve wildlife management efforts by restoring the cooperation between hunters, private landowners, and game managers. The program provides advanced hunter education that hones the participant’s overall aptitude and includes training in conservation and stewardship, natural history, ethics, and specialized ballistics and marksmanship skills, among other topics.
Ok no more spoilers gang, just click here and listen to the podcast. This one is going to blow you away and it is going to give hunters that follow through and apply to get in the Master Hunter Program a HUGE opportunity. If you would like to learn more about the Master Hunter Program, click here. Also click here to watch a video about the program. If you would like to look at the application and get started on that click here. If you would like to see who the instructors are click here. You can look at an example curriculum by clicking here. You can see who the past graduates of the Master Hunter Program are by clicking here. If you would like to ask Downrigger’s guest Sarah Tilt a question about the program or about One Montana, click here to send her an email. Last but certainly not least, if you would like to help One Montana to be able to provide more opportunities to Montanans click here to learn how you can donate to them.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Downrigger Dale talks to Audiologist Dr Nora Martin and Hearing Instrument Specialist Alyssa Keith, from Vibrant Hearing, about hearing protection for hunters! This is an important podcast that EVERY hunter should listen to…while you still can that is!
If you want to be an effective hunter, you need to keep all your senses sharp, and one of the most important of those is your hearing. Good hearing allows you to locate game and is often one of the first senses that alerts us to where that game is and what direction it is traveling. In fact, one of the things you will learn when you listen to this week’s podcast is there are now several different types of hearing protection available now days. One of them is the Hunter Passive, these very cool ear plugs that allows for awareness of game and tracking dog sounds, however when you fire a shot, they will instantly block the sound that is harmful to your ears! If you want to see those and learn more just click here. Another VERY important topic they covered is how to protect your kids hearing. Dr Martin and Alyssa Keith talked about some great hearing protection options for young hunters. They also talked about how pick a hearing specialist. Rigger also talked about how Vibrant Hearing changed the Captain’s life by taking him from not being able to hear most conversations to now being able to hear better than he ever could before! You may have heard the Captain talk about how great he feels about that, well, except for the fact that he can now hear every word of Downriggers BS! You will also learn how you can improve your hearing if you are currently suffering from hearing loss and or tinnitus. In fact, Downrigger got so excited about it, since he suffers from tinnitus, that he scheduled an appointment with Nora and Alyssa right during the podcast! You are going to learn a ton when you click here and listen to this week’s podcast and if you do have problems with your hearing, no doubt you will end up, knowing that you still have a whole lot left to hear out there and you will realize that you can get back that all-important sense that makes you a better hunter and an all-around happier person!If you have questions after you listen to this podcast you can click here to send the folks at Vibrant Hearing an email. You can also click here to go their website which is loaded with great information. Want to see where all their locations are and/or give them a call? Just click here to do that. Click here to learn more about Dr Martin and click here to learn more about Hearing Instrument Specialist Alyssa Keith.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale has a fascinating discussion with Montana Game Warden Sargent Aaron Berg. It is hard to believe but there are only about 80 game wardens out patrolling the mountains, meadows, waterways, and prairies of Montana and they have over 147,000 square miles to cover! That is A LOT of ground to cover for those few officers in the field. And they do it with no backup and often very limited communication. All the while knowing that almost everyone they encounter is armed. So, you can imagine there is a lot that goes on out there and this week’s podcast will give you a peek behind the scenes so you can learn what that is like and why being a game warden is one of the most dangerous and challenging of all law enforcement jobs. Just click here to listen now! Aaron also talks about what is required to become a game warden and why you might want to join him out there as a warden yourself. Afterall there is a bit of a shortage of game wardens in Montana right now. You will also hear the story of the first citation Aaron ever wrote, and you will likely be as shocked as Downrigger was when you find out what he had to write the citation for! Yeah, some folks do some REALLY STRANGE stuff out there. You will also learn what the most common mistakes hunters and fishermen make while out in the wilds of Montana. Including one that Downrigger has made several times. Oh, and did you know that game wardens use animal and human DNA to solve crimes? Yup in fact Aaron tells how Montana game wardens were able to use DNA to figure out who started a wildfire!! You have got to hear that story! Downrigger covers a whole lot with Sargent Berg, and we are positive you will have a great time listening to all of it!
After you listen to this podcast you may have some questions for Aaron. To ask Aaron any questions about rules and regulations or anything else just click here to send Downrigger an email. He will pass your questions on to Aaron and get his answers right back to you. If you want to learn more about Montana game wardens and what they do just click here. If you or someone you know would like to learn about becoming a game warden, click here to find out all about that! In fact, Downrigger had a lot of questions he still wants to cover with Aaron and that’s why he will have him back soon for another visit so be sure and stay tuned for that!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Oh, the Montana Outdoor Podcast does not disappoint! This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, your host, Downrigger Dale talks to Mike Benson and Scott Bombard about Falls Mack Days going on now through November 12h on Flathead Lake. Mike and Scott shared an unbelievable amount of information with Rigger all about how to fish Fall Mack Days to get the maximum benefit. They covered it all from trolling to jigging to casting and even fly fishing for these Flathead Monsters! And they did not stop there! They even shared what types of line, lures and baits to use. Why is this all important? Well, Scott and Mike have hauled a lot of money over the years fishing Mack Days! How much? You need to click here to listen and find out. Spoiler alert! When Rigger press Mike on how much he makes, let’s just say it added up to HALF OF HIS ANNUAL INCOME!! Yes, you heard me right, HALF OF HIS ANNUAL INCOME!! There is so much information on this podcast that will help you to catch LOTS of Lake Trout on Flathead Lake that you will likely start heading for Flathead Lake while you are listening to it. No, you don’t have to wait for the next Mack Days Tournament. The beauty of this tournament is you fish the tournament when you want. You don’t have to sign up and start fishing the tournament on day one. Another thing you will learn from listening to the podcast is that you will realize that this tournament is a lot of fun.
If you have questions for Scott or Mike after you listen to the Podcast, just click here to email Downrigger. Mike and Scott are out on the water fishing, but old Rigger knows how to get your questions to them right away. Scott also has a YouTube channel that you can go to by clicking here. There you can learn even more from Scott Bombard, just like tens of thousands of other people have! Also, click here to go to the Mack Days Website. There you can get lots more info about the tournament and about the other drawings and prize giveaways this, the most unique fishing tournament in world does. Lots of folks that fish the tournament like to camp at some of the State Campgrounds all around Flathead Lake. Fall is an awesome time of the year to camp there so click here to find a campground just right for you! We can’t wait for you to listen to this podcast and then see you up on Flathead Lake for the Fall Mack Days Tournament going on now through November 12th!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talks with hunting expert and guide Tayler Michels. Rigger covered a TON of great topics with Tayler that will, without a doubt get you a whole lot closer to sticking the Bull of your dreams. Tayler gives some awesome advice on planning every aspect of your next hunt, from what to pack in with you, to hunt mapping apps, to research tools, to…well you name it! Tayler has helped a lot of hunters find the right spot for that perfect animal they have been always wanting to find. In fact, when listen, you will hear what Tayler says is the number one thing you MUST have to be successful, and no, it is not something you can buy, put in you pack or even beg, borrow, or steal, yet it is the number one thing that will make or break your hunt. Listen now to find out what it is!
If you have any questions for Tayler after you listen to this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast,click here to send Downrigger Dale an email. Tayler is out guiding right now but he will be checking in with Rigger to see what all he can help you with. If you would like to learn more about elk hunting in the Missouri Breaks, where Tayler guides for Burke Ranch Outfitters,just click here to find out all about it. After all, if Tayler and Burke Ranch Outfitters can help the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show get a bull like this (click here to see that picture!), you know they are pros for sure!
If you would like to see this year’s Big Game Hunting Forecast for this year from the Montana FWP, click here. You can also click here to review more planning tools from the FWP or click here to go straight to the FWP’s Hunt Planner Map, just one of the tools that Rigger and Tayler talked about.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Are You Bear Aware? Bears are Getting Ready for Hibernation Right Now! Be Ready!! What Should You do if You Surprise a Bear? What Should You do if You Are in a Physical Confrontation with a Bear?This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale talks with Danielle Oyler, Wildlife Stewardship Outreach Specialist from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. One of Danielle’s many specialties is teaching the public all about living with wildlife, and particularly with bears. She knows a TON about bears and how they behave. Grizzly Bear populations have grown A LOT across Montana. In fact, Grizzly Bears can now be found from across Western Montana to as far east as Billings.It is perfect timing having Danielle on the Montana Outdoor Podcast as Governor Gianforte recently announced that September is Bear Aware Month in Montana. To Celebrate the FWP is holding events across Montana. Be sure and attend an event near you and bring the whole family. Y**ou will have a great time and you will learn a lot of things that could just save your life if you have an encounter with a bear.
Listen now and you will learn about where the events are being held, prizes you can win, like free bear spray, as well as all kinds of life saving information. You will also learn how to make your home and property less attractive to bears, plus a whole lot more. You can click here to learn all about Bear Aware Month and when and where the events are happening around Montana! That link also has a link to lots of videos about bears in Montana. You can also click here to watch a video of this week’s podcast guest, Danielle Oyler talking about how to identify signs of bear activity. If you have any questions for Danielle about bears and Bear Aware Month, just click here to send her an email**.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Host Downrigger Dale interviews archery hunting guide and elk hunting expert Shawn Plakke. Shawn explains how hunting the elk rut can be incredibly similar to guys and gals trying to pick each other up at the popular local nightclub. Yeah, it sounds a bit far fetched until you hear what Shawn has to say and then the similarities will jump out at ya and ask you to dance! Listen to this one and you will for sure see what we mean!
Seriously though, Shawn’s theory makes incredible sense, and you will learn some amazing techniques that will get you calling in the BIG BULLS on a regular basis. He will explain how it is all in how and what you answer back to what the Bulls you hear out there are saying. Yes, there is a language they are speaking out there and you will learn how to speak it after you listen to this week’s Podcast. Shawn also gives many other great hunting tips for all of you that want to score big with your bow! For example, you will learn what many of the most common mistakes are that bowhunters make and how to avoid them. You will also learn about a device that you can get at most any place that carries archery equipment and only costs you a few dollars but can prevent you from making a very common mistake that can ruin your hunting trip. Plus, a whole bunch of other great information. Bottomline is you will flat learn a ton when you listen to this one!
If you would like to ask Shawn Plakke any questions just click here to email him, and he will get back to you. Also, if you would like to have Downrigger look up any info for you or if you have comments about this week’s podcast or even suggestions for topics for future podcasts just click here to email him!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Downrigger Dale and Deadeye Denny, aka, the Director of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show, headed to Flathead Lake in Northwest Montana! They met up with the new owner of Howe’s Fishing and Mo Fisch Charters, and current owner of Big Sky Fishing Charters, Chris Mischke as well as an old friend of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show, Matt McComb of Mo, Mo, Mo Fisch Charters. Chris and Matt took Rigger and The Director out on Chris’s 34-foot fishing boat for a day on the lake that they won’t soon forget! The podcast was recorded LIVE right there on the boat and both Matt and Chris really spilled the beans about how to find and catch Lake Trout (on Flathead they are also known as Mackinaw or Macks) and the Lake Whitefish (also known as Lake Superior Whitefish).
You are going to love this podcast! You will learn the secrets to catching Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish, from where to find them, to what to use to catch them, and a whole bunch more that will for sure surprise you. Like, did you know there is a way to target just the big Lake Trout? How about the secret to jigging the right way to catch more Lake Whitefish? And Chris and Matt didn’t stop there! Chriss and Matt will give you so many great pointers and advice you will want to listen with a pen and thick pad of paper! Here are just a few of the questions you will learn the answers to; Do you know what the 5 biggest mistakes are that many fishermen make when targeting these popular fish? How hard do Lake Whitefish really fight? What fishing gear, bait and other tackle will you need to give you the most success in catching these wonderful fish? Fish on! Did the Director land that Mackinaw? Hear the answers to those and many other questions that will unlock the secret to making you a better fisherman and women! DON’T MISS THIS PODCAST!!
If you would like to email Chris or Matt with any questions just click here and they will get back you. Of course, you can always click here and Downrigger can also track down answers to any questions you may have. If you would like to book a trip with either Chris or Matt or any of the other guides that work with them. You can click here and do it onlineor call (406) 257-5214. Want to get lots more info? Want to see some more awesome fish and the incredible boats they use to go after them? You can click here for Howe’s fishingor Click here for Big Sky Fishing Charters or Click here for the Mo Fisch Facebook Page.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talked to Jeff “The Dog Man” Smith and got some great tips for you and your hunting dog. Jeff has 40 VERY successful years of training hunting dogs under his belt and in this podcast, and he let it all come out! If you hunt with a dog, have ever thought about it or just plain love dogs, you really need to listen to this podcast!
In this Podcast the Dog Man tells us how to get your “best friend” ready for hunting season. He also tells how to recognize serious health complications your dog might have while out hunting, or just training, that could save his or her life! He gives some great advice on how to even train your dog to let you save their life should that happen, instead of panicking. He even gave some great tips on how to find the right dog trainer if you need one, and a whole lot more! All and all you and your dog will hunt better and have more fun together if you listen to this podcast and follow the advice that Jeff “The Dog Man” Smith delivers in this podcast.If you would like to ask Jeff any questions you can call him at (406) 360-3311 or click here to email him. Oh, and be sure and share this article and the podcast link with all your friends that love to hunt with their dog! Suggestions for future podcast topics? Just click here to email Downrigger Dale with those.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger and The Captain recorded the podcast live on Bill the Salmon Slayer Zahradka’s boat! Finally, the boys were able to not only have Bill tell all of his secrets to catching King Salmon on Fort Peck Reservoir, but he also showed them by catching some Kings while they were recording the podcast! You must listen to this podcast! It will reveal lots of great advice that will put those big kings in your boat. It doesn’t matter if you have never caught a king salmon or if you have lots of experience, you will FOR SURE love this podcast. We guarantee it will get your heart pumping when you hear that line zinging out of The Slayer’s reel!
If you have questions for Bill, the Salmon Slayer Zahradka just click here to email Downriggerand he will get your questions answered by him right away. If you would like to ask The Captain any questions just click here to email him. Another way to learn about catching King Salmon is to hire a guide to take you out fishing for them on Fort Peck Reservoir. Click here to email Downrigger Dale and ask him to send you a list of guides and their contact info.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale sits down for a frank discussion with Brian Lipscomb the CEO of Energy Keepers, the company that owns the dam on Flathead Lake. This was a VERY enlightening discussion that provided a whole lot of answers to many of our listeners questions. This is one of those Podcasts that you DO NOT WANT TO MISS!
The podcast will also give you a VERY interesting history of the dam on Flathead Lake and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, who are the owners of Energy Keepers Inc. For example, did you know that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes were the first tribes in the nation to own and operate a major hydropower facility? There are many other fascinating facts that you will find out about when you listen to this podcast!
To learn more about the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes click here. If you would like to find out more about Energy Keepers, Inc. click hereto view their website or click here to view their Facebook page. For another interesting article about the Dam and Brian Lipscomb, click here. For more interesting information about the tribes click here. If you would like to ask Brian Lipscomb a question you can either click here or you can click here to email Downriggerand he will contact Brian for you!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Those and many more questions about the hardest fighting fish in Montana get answered in this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast! Be sure and listen to Downrigger Dale and the Captain ask Fisheries Biologist, Heath Headley and Fish Hatchery Manager, Wade Geraets, all kinds of questions! There is a TON of information that is revealed about these mysterious monsters of the deep in Fort Peck Reservoir. If you have been looking through MontanaOutdoor.com recently no doubt you have been seeing some great pictures of Kings that have been caught recently on Fort Peck. So, is that just the beginning of a great year for King Salmon there? How many of these big fish might be swimming around down there? Here is a hint; 249,000 King Salmon were stocked in Fort Peck this year! Here is how that breaks down as far as where in the reservoir they were stocked, 61,000 at Duck Creek, 97,000 at Fort Peck Marina and 91,000 at the Flat Lake/Spillway Boat Ramp. How the heck does the small staff of 4 at the Fort Peck Hatchery get hundreds of thousands of salmon eggs to the hatchery and later take ALL THOSE that are now fish back to the Reservoir? Like we mentioned above there so many fascinating questions that you will get the answers to while listening to this podcast, and it is very likely all that knowledge you gained from listening to the podcast will result in you becoming a much more successful salmon fisherman!
If you would like to learn more about the Fort Peck Hatchery and even learn how you can take a tour of the facility just click here! If you would like to ask Fisheries Biologist Heath Headley a question, click here to send him an email. If you would like to ask Fish Hatchery Manager Wade Geraets a question, click here to send an email to him.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger and The Captain have FWP Fisheries Biologist for Region 4, Adam Strainer back to talk all about the fish in Holter Reservoir located not far from Helena, MT. As usual Adam did not disappoint. He delivered all kinds of great information. The fellas started their discussion about a picture that Adam had recently sent to The Captain and Downrigger. It was a picture of Adam and his son holding a great looking Kokanee Salmon that they had just caught in Holter Reservoir. The Captain and Downrigger were surprised since normally you just don’t see many Kokanees being caught out of Holter anymore. Oh, but that has changed, and Adam tells all about it, including where and when you can find them and even gives some info on what you might want to use to catch them! So did the FWP just stock a bunch of Kokanee in there? Nope! So why the increase in great looking Kokanee in Holter? Give the podcast a listen now to hear all about it.
Be sure and keep listening all the way through this fascinating podcast cause Adam also talks all about the health of the trout, perch, and walleye in Holter. In addition to Holter, Adam and the boys talk a bit about the fish in near by Hauser Reservoir as well! Adam also explains a whole lot about the Land of the Giants at Holter. What makes the fish so big there? How do ya find those big ones? Like we just said, listen and find out all about it!
Just like the last time he was on the Montana Outdoor Podcast; Fisheries Biologist Adam Strainer shared a ton of fascinating and very useful information. He not only talked about the health and possible future of Holter Reservoir’s fishery, but he also gave a little update on the fishing regulations for Holter. If you would like to look through those in more detail, or just learn more about the reservoir just click here. Bottomline, if you love to fish Holter Reservoir or even if you never have but think you might want to fish there, this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast is yet again a MUST LISTEN!! If you have questions for Adam, you can email him by clicking here. You can also give him a call at (406) 495-3263.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger and The Captain interview five VERY interesting people involved in Montana’s legendary fishing tournament, the 2023 Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament. Be sure to listen and you will get five very unique perspectives on one of the richest Walleye tournaments in the United States. Lisa Koski Co-Director of the tournament and Executive Director of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, who co-sponsors and puts on the event, talks about what it takes to put on this major tournament. From coordinating the main event and all the other events surrounding it, to getting over 400 fishermen out fishing and back on time! Learn about how the National Guard helps get all those boats in and out of the water THAT FAST! Co-Director Todd Young who has been the co-MC and this year will be handling the MC duties solo, talks about some of his favorite memories as well as talking about what sets this Tournament apart from the many other tournaments around the Country. Joe Herbold who is retiring as MC after many, many years of doing it, will share some great memories and he also talks about how this incredible event has influenced many young folks and inspired them to dream big. Jason Eggebrecht has won this tournament more times than anyone who has ever competed, shares some of his strategies and memories of how he and his past partners were able to bring home the top prize of TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS! And of course, what would the Gov Cup be without the Gov himself? Montana Governor Greg Gianforte made a surprise visit to the Podcast and talked about what this huge event means to him and the Great State of Montana! It is truly a behind the scenes look that you will not get anywhere else! Make sure you listen to this one gang!!
You can also click here to go to the Official Gov Cup website for lots more info and great pictures from past Gov Cup tournaments and see a list of the 200 teams that are competing in this year’s event or click here to go to the Gov Cup Facebook Page to see what’s happening there. And make sure you click here to check out the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce website you will learn lots about the incredible community of Glasgow, MT and lots of other things you can do and get involved in! There are also many other things you can see and do all around Northeast Montana. Click here to visit the Missouri River Country website, it is a GREAT resource with links to info about so many things to do and see! In fact, here is one of those links, click here to learn about Fort Peck, MT, the home of Fort Peck Reservoir! But before you do ANYTHING listen to this incredible Podcast, you will learn things about this legendary event that YOU WILL NEVER FORGET!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, fishing guide and three-time Montana Walleye Angler of the Year, Jason Mundel from Ripp’n Lipps Guide Service joins Downrigger and The Captain on the podcast to talk about using fishing electronics to catch, not just more fish, but bigger fish! Having all the right electronics is of course something most every fisherman has or is working on having but knowing how to use them and how to get the most out of them rarely happen for many of us. That is why Captain and Downrigger called Jason. He truly has turned the use of fish finders, electronic maps, and imaging into an artform. The good news is he was more than happy to share his knowledge on the Montana Outdoor Podcast! If getting the most out of your electronics, finding the fish you are looking for and then catching them, interests you then you should listen this fascinating podcast!
There really is something for every lake, reservoir, and large river fishermen in this podcast. Jason starts by explaining how to find fish without having any electronics and then goes trough how to use very basic electronics all the way to how to use the latest gear that can show you not only where the fish are but what the heck they are doing down there! In fact, did you know that some electronics can help you not only find the fish but find the size you are looking for? Oh, but it gets even better! Jason talks about how to use some of the more advanced gear to even help you target the species you are looking for! Yeah, it is a whole new world out there when you know how to really make your electronics work the way you have always dreamed, they could.
Of course, Jason’s main business is guiding, and he has a whole bunch of repeat customers that rave about the days they have spent with Jason out on the water. In fact, not only is hiring Jason a great way to go catch fish but it is a great way to learn even more about how to fish using electronics. If you would like to book a trip with Jason, you can click here to call him at (406) 253-3028. You can also email him by clicking here. If you would like to learn more about Jason and Ripp'n Lipps Guide Service you can click here to visit his Facebook page or you can click here to visit his website.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Host Downrigger Dale was surprised at how big the top weight results were coming out of the recent Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival (click here to view those). So, Downrigger decided to get ahold of FWP Fisheries Biologist for Region 4, Adam Strainer and have him come on this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast. Boy, did they have a fascinating discussion! One of the first things Rigger asked Adam was if he was also surprised by the top weights of the Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival Fishing Tournament. Downrigger got quite a surprise from Adam’s response! What did he say? Well, click here and listen to the Montana Outdoor Podcast to find out!
Downrigger and Adam Strainer talked about much more than just what is going on with the Walleye population and what might be in store for them in Canyon Ferry. They also talked about the state of the Trout, Perch, and Bass populations and what might be in the cards for those species as well. Downrigger even asked Adam about the new director of the FWP, Dustin Temple.
All and all the information Fisheries Biologist Adam Strainer shared in this podcast was flat FASCINATING. He not only talked about the health and possible future of Canyon Ferry Reservoir’s fish species, he also even gave a little insight as to where all those fish might be found and how you might catch them!! If you love to fish Canyon Ferry or even think you might want to fish there, this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast is a MUST LISTEN!! In fact, Adam even invited all of you to go out with him when he goes out on the reservoir and does his netting surveys! Do you want to go!? If you would like to go you can email Adam by clicking here and let him know you are interested in going out on Canyon Ferry Reservoir with him. Be sure and leave your phone number so he can schedule a time with you! You can also give him a call at (406) 495-3263.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talks to Jeri Delys of the Drummond Rodeo. Give it a listen and see if our host Downrigger Dale can Cowboy Up! Seriously though this is a great podcast that will fill you in on the longest running rodeo in Montana! This event is so historic that the event itself was inducted into the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Do you know how many years this incredible rodeo has been going on? Listen to the Podcast to find out. In addition to that you will learn a whole lot more about the Drummond Rodeo and why you will for sure want to head to Drummond on Sunday July 9th and see all the PRCA action. Professional Cowboys come from all over the Country to compete and earn their way to the National Finals Rodeo! This event is so big that it increases the population of Drummond by….well you will have to listen to the Podcast to find that one out.
Downrigger and his guest also talk about the festivities that go on the evening before the rodeo on the 8th with live music, food and tons of fun! If you want to learn even more after you listen to this podcastyou can click here and learn more at the Drummond Kiwanis Facebook Page. CHS Mountain West Co-Op is a proud sponsor of the Drummond Rodeo and helped bring you this special podcast. Click here to find a CHS Mountain West Co-Op near you! If you have questions about the Drummond Rodeo you can click here to email your question or call (406) 880-4080!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Brett French Talks to The Captain and Downrigger about his over 30 years of reporting on Montana’s Great Outdoors. Over the years Brett has written some incredible articles for the Billings Gazette and MontanaOutdoor.com. He talks about some of his favorite stories and the ones he felt made the biggest impact on our outdoors, both good and bad.
Brett also talks about some of the things he feels will be making the news in the future. Will bowhunters have GPS on their arrows? When and where will regulators draw the line on too much fishing technology? Brett and the boys talk a bit about that and a whole lot more. You will also find out about one of the funniest things that has ever happened to Brett when out working on a story. Oh, and Downrigger tells a story about he and The Captain way back in their early days in Radio over 30 some years ago. Spoiler Alert: It was a bit embarrassing for The Captain. Rigger also asked Brett an interesting question, “Brett if you could interview anyone, even someone in the past, who would it be?”. Brett gave a VERY interesting answer! What do you suppose he said? Listen to the podcast and find out that and a whole lot more!
With all those years of reporting on some of the most important news that has ever happened in Montana’s Outdoors Brett French truly has a unique perspective when it comes to what goes on out there under the Big Sky. DO NOT MISS THIS PODCAST!
Remember to always checkout Brett’s articles every Saturday on MontanaOutdoor.com and in the Billings Gazette. Click here to read some of Brett’s past articles about Montana’s Outdoors. If you have a news tip, questions for Brett or would like to suggest a topic for him to look into and possibly report on you can email him by clicking here.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast. Downrigger Dale and The Captain had a chance to talk to Montana fishing legend Dick Zimmer, aka, The Mackman of Zimmer Tackle. Dick has been fishing Montana’s waters for 70 years! His lures and other tackle for Lake Trout, Whitefish, Kokanee Salmon and many other species of fish are known by Montana Fishermen as some of the most effective ever made. In fact, most everything that Dick makes sells as fast as he can make them. So HOW DOES HE DO IT? Listen now to find out!
On this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast Dick Zimmer also tells his fascinating story of how he became a tackle Manufacturer. SPOILER ALERT: He was working for a dental instrument manufacturer when an idea hit him. He took some left-over dental instrument materials and…well you just need to hear Dick tell the story! He also gave his lures some very strange names like; Rattle D Zastors, Leadagators and more. How did they get those names? Give this podcast a listen and find out!
After you listen to the Podcast you can click here to take a look at all the Zimmer Tackle! You can also get the latest Fishing Report for Flathead Lake, Lake Mary Ronan and other waterways in Northwest Montana by clicking here. Read that report over carefully, and head where Dick tells you to go and you will be well on your way to catching some great fish. If you have some questions for Dick Zimmer, just give him a call at 406-675-0068 or you can click here to email Dick!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
In this week’s edition of the Montana Outdoor Podcast, Downrigger Dale talks with Montana FWP Bear Specialist Jamie Jonkel about problem bears and how to deal with them. Jonkel talks about how Bears can cause some serious problems if they start looking for, and find, easy food sources in Western Montana neighborhoods, like garbage, bird feeders, pet food and, well, you name it. As you can imagine this can get very dangerous. The number of reports of problem bears have been growing in Missoula, Kalispell, Whitefish and other cities. Rigger and Jamie even talk bears that enter homeless camps along the rivers and even entering tents! This has become a VERY big problem in several cities.
When you listen to this podcast you will hear some of the usual things like: Are you Bear Aware? Do you know how to Bear-Proof your property? What are the main things that attract bears? BUT you will also hear some things that are, well, weird, like: Bears can become addicted to bird seed?! Did you know that fresh cut grass can attract bears? Bears view chickens as garbage cans with wings! Oh, and what about the story of the couple that was moving into their new house and found that a bear had already moved in?! Did a bear really come into a home and help himself to the homeowner’s lunch that they had just set out?! You have got to listen to this one folks!!After you listen to the podcast. If you want more information on, how to deal with bears on your property, how to keep your livestock safe, guidelines for landowners and much more, you can find helpful links including email addresses for Bear Specialists in your area by clicking here. Do you even know how to use bear spray? Click here to watch a great video! Did you know that the right electric fence can be a great tool to deter bears? Click here to learn how to set one up to protect your property. This takes you to a great guide and on the last page even has info on how to get financial help for fencing. Here is another link for assistance with bear fencing.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Matt Fischer and Ty Hinderager have been fishing in tournaments together for 15 years and have done pretty well competing together but they never had a tournament weekend like they did last week! These two entered the Crooked Creek Walleye Fishing Tournament on Fort Peck Lake in Montana and set a new record for the most weight ever caught in a two day Walleye Tournament in Montana! You aren't gonna believe what the total weight of the 10 Walleye they caught. Give the podcast and listen and find out what it was!
Matt and Ty took home well over $17,000 when it was all said and done last weekend and Downrigger Dale and the Captain caught up with them and had a great conversation with them. The two champs talked about their strategies for pre fishing the tournament as well as for day one and day two of the tournament. VERY interesting stuff! They also talked about electronics and the role they play in their success as well as how the work together no matter who is having a great day and who is having a rough one. Whether you want to learn how to do better fishing in tournaments or just how not only catch more fish but also bigger fish, then this podcast is for you! Plus you just might be surprised with some of Ty and Matt's answers to some of The Captain's and Downrigger's questions!
If you have any questions for Matt or Ty just click here to email Downrigger Dale and he will get your answers from Matt and Ty. For a listing of upcoming fishing tournaments in Montana just click here.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
So, who is Montana’s secret admirer? This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Downrigger Dale decided to find out. I guess you could say he was “shocked” when he found out just who it was. As Rigger put it, “I really was shocked, pardon the pun, to find out that such a big company would do something like that! Not because they had to but just because they wanted to. Mainly they just see it as the right thing to do.
I suppose you are still scratching your head and wondering, who the heck are we talking about? Well odds are that many of you in Montana do business with them every month. Downrigger spent time with Kim McMahon and Andy Welch on the podcast and they talked about the Missouri-Madison River Fund, which is officially described as a “grant program that is implemented through the Missouri-Madison Comprehensive Recreation Plan. It addresses the ongoing needs for public recreation in the Missouri-Madison Project Area”. Created as a public-private partnership among local government, state and federal agencies, Project 2188 Hydroelectric Project, River Fund grants and our secret admirer’s matching funds are awarded annually for qualifying projects. Now, when we say “secret” we are stretching the truth a bit, as actually it is not a secret. It is just that we, and likely most everyone else has no idea that this corporation has been doing all this wonderful stuff!
Still not sure who we are talking about? Well, listen to this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast! This Podcast is packed full of all kinds of great information. In fact, in addition to talking about all the great things this wonderful company is doing that benefits areas all along the Missouri and Madison Rivers from West Yellowstone to Fort Benton and even beyond, Downrigger and his guests also talk about the company’s involvement high up into the Beartooth Mountains and even down the Clark Fork River in Thompson Falls!
Ok now, no cheating! AFTER you listen to the podcast then you can do the following: If you would like to Learn more about the Missouri-Madison Project, click here. To send questions or comments to our guests; click here to send an email to Kim McMahon and click here to send an email to Andy Welch. If you would like to see a listing of all the projects that they and the company have been working on since 2007 click here. This is a VERY impressive list! How many of those places listed there have you been to? Remember NO SPOILER ALERTS by telling your friends who the secret admirer is! Just share this link on your social media pages and send it to your pals!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
On this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast, we talk to a guy that is known for thinking outside of the box when it comes to fishing. No, he doesn’t do it to be different. He does it because it works!
Neal Cote is a true fishing innovator, researcher, and teacher. Downrigger and the Captain had a fascinating discussion with Neal about all kinds of fishing techniques and ideas that really opened their eyes on how to break that catching slump that we all can get into. They also learned about a new term that may sound strange here but once you listen to the Podcast you will get it and you will never forget it either. So simple, yet one of those things you probably have never thought of. It goes like this “be careful that you don’t get stuck fishing your memories”. Puzzled as to what that means? Listen to the Podcast and get ready to have your mind blown! After talking with Neal on the Podcast Downrigger said, “I feel like I have just been to therapy, and I am looking at fishing a lot differently now”. Does that mean he and his fishing buddy the Captain will get along better on the boat this summer? Ah…Neal is an innovator not a miracle worker, but it is safe to say they are likely going to catch a lot more fish!
On this week’s Podcast Neal Cote does not just talk about innovative fishing techniques. He also shares all kinds of great advice on updating your tackle box, rods, and line without breaking the bank and he even gave some great ideas about how to strike up a conversation with other folks out there that will help you collect information to help you find and catch more fish, without annoying the crap out of everyone on the water and the fish cleaning station!
Neal is also a very accomplished fly fishermen and fly tier. He shared some great ideas, like how to land huge pike with your fly rod…consistently and much more! This podcast is packed fuller than Downrigger’s lunchbox! After you listen if you have questions for Neal, you can click here to email him. You can learn more about Neal Cote, read his blog, get fishing reports, and buy his incredible flies from his company called Bite Me Flies, just click here **to do all that!
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website*. You can also listen to recordings of past shows,* get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page**. You can also watch our radio show there as well
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast Downrigger and The Captain sit down with fishing guide and outfitter John Perry, aka, The Mountain Man. John is one of the few Montana guides that is internationally known and is likely one of the most in demand guides in the United States. People come from all over the world to fish with John on Montana’s Blue Ribbon trout streams, Rock Creek, and the Clark Fork, Blackfoot, Bitterroot and Missouri, Rivers. John is just as famous for his flies that have become internationally known as well.
This is one of those podcasts that you will want to listen to a few times. Each time you do you will pick up something new. Whether it’s the story of John learning Latin so he could better understand the science of Entomology (the study of insects) which ultimately helped him tie better flies or his mix of humor, spirituality and dedication to hard work that has made him an incredible mentor to the guides that currently work with him today or have learned from him in the past. As Downrigger put it, “After recording this podcast I walked away not knowing if I had just spent close to an hour with a man that is insane, brilliant or both. All I know is somehow I just became a better fisherman, and my stomach still hurts from laughing! I can’t wait to listen to this podcast again!”. Mixed in throughout this podcast is information about all kinds of things from when and where to find the fish to how to read a river so you know what to use to catch them.
If you would like to learn more about John Perry or to book a trip with him click here. There you will also have access to info about fishing with John or his other guides on Rock Creek as well as the Clark Fork, Blackfoot, Bitterroot and Missouri, Rivers. If you would like to book a night at John’s unbelievable lodge on the Clark Fork River click here.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
The Missouri is the longest river in the United States, flowing more than 2,500 miles from its source on the eastern slope of the Rockies near Three Forks, Montana, to its confluence with the Mississippi River at St. Louis, Missouri. What controls all that water is a series of dams and the most important of those are located in Montana. This episode of the the Montana Outdoor Podcast explores how those dams in Montana are managed, especially the granddaddy of them all, the Fort Peck Dam!
When the Fort Peck Dam was completed in 1940 it was the largest Dam in the World! The dam is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. On this podcast your hosts Downrigger Dale and The Captain are joined by the Operations Project Manager of the Fort Peck Dam Darin McMurry. Darin is one fascinating guy and gave all kinds of information about how this incredibly important dam is managed and how the decisions that are made there not only affect Montana but everything that happens downstream all the way to the Gulf of Mexico!
When you listen to this Podcast you will learn how the dams along the Missouri River in Montana help manage the risk of flooding, how they help keep the barges moving in the Mississippi River, they help keep Americas Farmlands irrigated and much more! Downrigger also asked Darin about some the myths and mysteries of the Dam and it's huge reservoir. Things like is it true that divers that clean the drain screens have seen creatures that defy the imagination? Is there really one button that if pushed could send all that water pouring across America? Who really makes the decisions on how much water is sent down the Missouri River? You will learn the answers to those questions and so much more!
If you would like to get more questions answered by Darin McMurry just click here to email Downrigger and he will get in touch with Darin and get your questions answered. You can also visit the Army Corps of Engineers Facebook page for Fort Peck Dam and Reservoir by clicking here. You can get information about the Fort Peck Interpretive Center, which is an incredible place to visit if you are near Fort Peck Montana, by clinking here.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
In this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast, you will learn all about Montana's Walleye fishery! Maybe we should have called this podcast "Walleye 101" or if we wanted to get a little cheeky, "Mommy Where Do Walleye Come From". But seriously this week we had Fisheries Biologist Heath Headley from FWP Region 6 in Glasgow, Montana on the show and we were able to learn all about Walleye in Fort Peck Reservoir and how Walleye are reared at the Hatcheries in Fort Peck and Miles City and placed into lakes all around Montana. The conversation with Heath went even deeper than that, however. Downrigger Dale and The Captain asked Heath all kinds of questions, like:
How do you collect Walleye eggs for the hatcheries during the spawning season when the lake is still covered with ice like it is this year?
How do they usually collect Walleye eggs and how many do they usually collect? (Spoiler Alert! You are not going to believe that number!!! WOW!!)
If they can’t collect many eggs this year due to the ice cover will the walleye populations around Montana be, ok?
Do big Walleye produce offspring that will also become big Walleye?
Does a Walleye return to the same spawning grounds it went to during the last spawning season?
Wait a minute! How far did you say that tagged Walleye traveled!?
Can interested people actually participate in the Walleye egg collection effort?
And those are just a few of the questions that were answered in this fascinating podcast.
So, give it a listen now! After you listen, if you still have questions about Walleye in Montana you can email FWP Fisheries Biologist Heath Headley by clicking here. To learn more about the Fish Hatchery in Fort Peck click here. To learn more about the Fish Hatchery in Miles City click here. To get fish stocking plans and data in Montana or to learn about other fish hatcheries in Montana click here. Questions or comments about this podcast? Email host Downrigger Dale by clicking here.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well
Matt Cowen of Mon-Dak Marine is back for this week’s Montana Outdoor Podcast, and he brought a HUGE AMOUNT of KNOWLEDGE and a MASIVE NUMBER of IDEAS and PROBLEM SOLVING KNOW HOW! This podcast is sure to help you find your way into the NEW AGE OF BOATING.
If you listened to Matt on last week's podcast, you know that he is the owner of Mon-Dak Marine in Glasgow, MT. What you may not know about Matt is he has run his Go Fish Installations on-the-water training business for over 10 years and has helped over a hundred fishermen learn how to operate their sonar and become more efficient in the water. He works with industry experts to keep updated on the ever-changing electronics world. Over the past 5 years he has also offered sonar workshops for Mon-Dak and other regional businesses.
Why is Matt Cowen so dedicated to knowing all the latest boating technology inside and out and to helping other boaters understand how to work all of it? He saw that over the last several years the boating industry has embraced technology big time, from new navigation and sonar devices to new tech to monitor and operate your boat, to new innovations in finding and understanding how to catch more fish and the list goes on and on.More importantly though, he saw that there is, however, a major problem with all that, many boat dealers, associated industry professionals and boaters themselves have no idea how to operate all that new that new technology.What good is all that new technology if you only know a little bit about it? What we learned from this podcast was that the only thing Matt knows more about than boating tech is how to teach others how to use it! He really helped us sort through all the techno noise and pointed us in the right direction. He covered so many important topics that the over 45-minute podcast just flew by and left us wanting more! If you love being out on the water, boating, fishing and just learning how to be a better skipper you will LOVE THIS PODCAST!!
Just some of the topics we covered were things like; batteries, when is it time to switch to a "house battery" for easier AND safer operations? What kind of battery is the best for me? What about the latest electric trolling motors, does that new self-deploying thing even work? How can I get all my tech to talk to each other? And the knowledge just kept flowing! This is great info you need to know, not to mention it is just flat fascinating stuff! Listen to this Podcast and you might just find a way to make your boat work better, find more fish and make you a bit of a wizard yourself!
After listening to this Podcast, you might just have some questions for Matt. You can contact him and even schedule some one on one time out on the water with Matt by clicking here. To learn more about Matt Cowen and Mon-Dak Marine just click here. Also be sure and let Downrigger Dale know what you thought of this podcast by clicking here to email him.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This is our last installment in our series "How to Find the Right Boat For You"! We have had a great time meeting a whole bunch of incredible experts who have given us great advice especially this last guest, Matt Cowen of Mon-Dak Marine in Glasgow, Montana. After doing this Podcast we decided to nickname Mattt The Wizard of The Waterways! Man oh man is he smart!! Matt covered a ton of stuff with us, from great advice on what to look for and check if you are going to buy a used boat to telling us some amazing facts about the new boats that Mon-Dak Marine sells which are Yar-Craft, Warrior and Crestliner, all of which are some of the most iconic fishing boats in the world!
Matt is also one of the most knowledgeable people in the world when it comes to the accessories you can add to your boat. He truly is a Wizard when it comes to knowing how to get sonars, fish finders, navigation equipment and other electronics to work the way you want them too! So many fishermen spend thousands of dollars on electronics for their boat and then sadly never know how to actually work them. In fact Matt's Wizarding ways were so impressive that we are going to have him come back and do an entire podcast just on electronics for your boat next week!
All and all this podcast is one that you should not put off listening to! After you finish listening to it you will feel like you have graduated from the Hogwarts College of Boating! (For those of you that are wondering what the heck is Hogwarts, that was the name of the wizard school that Harry Potter went to. Sorry for nerding out there but we couldn't help it. Matt Cowen of Mon-Dak Marine is just amazing. We just can't say enough great things about what we learned from Mat in this Podcast.
If you want to ask Matt any questions after you listen you can contact him by clicking here. If you want to take a look at the new and used boats at Mon-Dak Marine click here. To learn more about Matt Cowen and Mon-Dak Marine just click here. Also be sure and let Downrigger Dale know what you thought of this podcast by clicking here to email him**.
Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website*.* You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page**. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
There is a small town in Central Montana that is home to an amazing business that for years has been one of THE leaders in the boating industry and no we don't mean just in Montana but in the entire United States!!
In this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast, we continue our quest to find the knowledge you need to find the right boat for you. We had the opportunity to spend some time with Dave Juvik of Townsend Marine. Dave is a fascinating guy with a tremendous amount of knowledge. He is one of those rare guys who started his career in the back of a boat dealership in the service department and worked his way up to the front of the dealership. He is one of the most knowledgeable people in the entire county when it comes to Lund Boats as well as other brands. Lund Boats are one of the most popular and iconic brands of fishing boats in the world and believe it or not Townsend Marine, located in the small town of Townsend Montana, sells more Lund boats then almost any other dealership in America! So, if folks across the country can buy a Lund most anywhere in America why do they come to Townsend Marine? After you listen to this podcast you will know and completely understand the answer to that question. Hint: between Dave and the wonderful owners of Townsend Marine, Chris and Desiree McFadden, the only people that likely know more about boats are the manufactures themselves!
Just click here to send an email and or call Dave Juvik and the gang at Townsend Marine. Also be sure and click here to take a look at their new and used boats. They have a great website at townsendmarine.com so be sure and see all they offer from fishing boats to pontoon boats to sterndrive wakeboard boats and more!
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
In this episode we continue our series on How to Find The Right Boat For You. This time we talk to Jake Monroe and Ron Boggs at High Country Boats. Wow! Did they have great ideas! When you add up all the years of experience between these two it ads up to over 90 YEARS of experience of incredible boat knowledge!
We went over ideas about how to find the right used boat and how get one that is reliable. We also talked about new boats and man do they carry some of the best you will ever find. Have you heard about the new Ranger and Crestliner Boats? Again, just WOW!! Do you know what is the right horsepower you need so your new boat will do what you want it to? What are the other things you need consider to get a boat that will perform the way you need it to? Should you get an aluminum boat or a fiberglass boat? And the list of the other things we talked about go on and on.
YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS PODCAST!!
Just click here to send an email to Jake Monroe or click here to send an email to Ron Boggs. Either one will be happy to answer any questions you might have. Also be sure and click here to take a look at their new and used boats. They have a great website and they list the prices of their boats right there on the website!
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
This is a bonus Montana Outdoor Podcast. The Montana State Legislature only meets every other year for 90 days. During that time many laws can get created, updated or completely changed in the opposite way they were originally written. Since this legislative session has now passed the halfway mark we thought it would be a good idea to check in with some legislators and see if your rights to hunt, fish and enjoy Montana's Outdoors are being protected or eroded! What are the proposed bills that will affect how we explore and use our great outdoors? DO NOT SKIP OVER THIS SHOW! As an outdoor sportsperson this is your opportunity to find out how to let your State Representative and Senator for your area of Montana know what you expect them to do.
Outdoor recreation makes up a substantial component of Montana's economy, generating $2.5 billion of annual gross domestic product (GDP) and accounting for 4.4% of total GDP in 2021. Of all the other 49 states in America only Hawaii has a greater concentration of outdoor recreation. THAT is how important this is. **So are your rights being protected or eroded. LISTEN NOW TO FIND OUT!
Spoiler alert! An actual change to our State Constitution is being proposed RIGHT NOW! AGAIN, DO NOT MISS THIS PODCAST!! Downrigger interviews Lyn Hellegaard of House District 97 and Paul Fielder of House District 13. Both are on outdoor committees. Just click here to send an email to Downrigger Dale*.* You can also click here to email State Representative Lynn Hellegarrd. In the podcast Lyn asks for your opinion of a VERY important proposed law! Or click here to email State Representative Paul Fielder. Paul is the one proposing the constitutional amendment and would like to know your thoughts on it. If you would like to lookup the legislator from your area, so you can contact them, you can do that by clicking here**!
In this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast, we continue our series on “How to Find the Right Boat For You” but this time we go straight to an incredible manufacturer that almost never came to be, but fought through adversity and grew to become one of the most coveted fishing boats among fishing guides and others who love to fish in Montana! If you have never heard the story of Warrior Boats or you just love a great “escape from the jaws of defeat “ story you just must listen to this week’s show. We interview Kent Andersen of Warrior Boats. Kent joined Downrigger and The Captain from his office at the Warrior Boats headquarters in Melrose Minnesota. Kent’s Dad was one of the men that rescued Warrior boats from almost certain failure. It truly is a fascinating story. So, what happened you ask? You will have to listen to find out!
In addition to learning about the unbelievable history of Warrior Boats, Kent Andersen also takes you behind the scenes and shares a few secrets on how they are made and gives some fantastic advice for anyone trying to find the perfect fishing boat for them! We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts.
Just click her to send an email to Downrigger Dale. You can also use that email address to ask this week’s guest, Kent Andersen ANYTHING you want! Also be sure and CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WARRIOR BOATS AND TO SEE THE BOATS THE PODCAST TALKS ABOUT!
In addition to learning about the unbelievable history of Warrior Boats, Kent Andersen also takes you behind the scenes and shares a few secretes on how they are made and also gives some fantastic advice for anyone trying to find the perfect fishing boat for them! We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just send an email to Downrigger Dale. You can also use that email address to ask this week's guest, Kent Andersen ANYTHING you want! Also be sure and CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WARRIOR BOATS AND TO SEE THE BOATS THE PODCAST TALKS ABOUT**!
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website*.* You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page**. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
In this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast we take you behind the scenes of likely the most unique fishing tournament in the world! The Captain and Downrigger spent some fascinating time with Cindy Benson and Barry Hansen of Mack Days and boy did they learn a lot! They learned about a very special and rare fish to the Salish Kootenai Tribe that, thanks to the tournament and those that compete in it, is making comeback! You will also hear about a few fish that are lurking in the depths of Flathead Lake that are worth up to $10,000 if you catch them!! Yeah we told you this was unique. How is it that a fishing tournament could restore a legendary fish to an even more legendary lake? How could a fish pay you that kind of money? Well, you will have to listen to this fascinating podcast to find out!
We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just send an email to Downrigger Dale. You can also use that email address to ask this week's guests, Cindy Benson and Barry Hansen any questions you may have. Also be sure and click here to learn more about this incredible fishing tournament **and how you can get involved!
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website*.* You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page**. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Buying a new boat is a big decision and one you want to get right. You never want to be that person who ends up saying “the two best days of my life as a boat owner was when I bought it and then when I sold it!” It does not have to be that way! In this episode we begin our series on how to find the right boat for you. Whether it is about getting a boat just for fishing or one that the whole family is going to use. We will try to answer all the questions you might have. Should you get a prop or a jet boat? What about horsepower? How much is too much or not enough? What are other things you should consider? We talk to Richie Winters from Bretz RV and Marine to get the answers to those questions and many more we didn't even think of, but we were so glad Richie brought them up. Whether you are an experienced boater or a first timer you WILL learn a lot listening to this Montana Outdoor Podcast!
We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just send an email to Downrigger Dale. You can also use that email address to ask this week's guest, Richie Winters from Bretz RV and Marine any questions you may have. Also be sure and click here to go to the Bretz RV and Marine website!
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Have you noticed that there are less younger people that hunt and fish? It isn't your imagination it is indeed a trend that has been going on for a while now. But why is that? In this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast we try to answer that question by talking to a couple of younger guys about that. Do we find the REAL answer? You will have to listen to find that out.
We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just click here to email Downrigger Dale. Downrigger will be happy to get your questions answered.
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to turn your favorite hobby into a career? Would that be a dream come true or would it turn the thing you love to do for fun into a nightmare? In this episode we will show you what that just might look like.
For Scott Collinsworth, owner of Fort Peck Marina and one of the top guides in Montana it turned out to be a dream come true! But it was not without it's challenges and it took more than just him, for sure, to make it happen. Scott will give you a very rare look into what it is REALLY like to be fishing guide! Scott shares how there was no way he could have done it or keep doing it without his incredible partner and wife Jessica. Scott also shares with us what some of the day to day challenges are and he shows us the funnier side of being a fishing guide on Fort Peck Reservoir. Spoiler Alert! He is a bit of a prankster. You have to hear about the prank he played on the Captain of the Montana Outdoor Radio Show, it's pretty damn funny! You will also learn what are the best species of fish to target and when to do that for every season of the year on Fort Peck. All that and that and so much more is waiting for you in this week's episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast!
You can also learn more about Scott and Jessica Collinsworth's guide service, Fort Peck Marina, their wonderful bar and restaurant and their incredible campground by clicking here. If you want a campsite go there now!!! Seriously it fills up fast! You can also book a fishing trip with Scott there or just get all your questions answered.
We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just send an email to Downrigger.
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
On this episode of The Montana Outdoor Podcast, we get into the spirit of Valentine’s Week by meeting up with Beckie and Don Wilkins, a couple that truly loves each other and Montana's Outdoors. What a fun time we had with these two. They are based out of Glasgow, MT and both drive for UPS in Northeast Montana. When you don't see them out on their routes delivering packages, chances are you will see them out fishing or hunting together.
Beckie and Don were kind enough to share some advice about fishing on Fort Peck for Lake Trout and King Salmon as well as well as how to use the love of Montana's Outdoors to keep a marriage happy and full of life. They also shared a great story about their first date together over 9 years ago out on a riverbank fishing for Catfish. Are you wondering which one is the better fisherman? Well, you will have to listen to find that one out. You will also learn the valuable secret to a successful marriage! Spoiler Alert: A couple that plays together, in the outdoors, stays together! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just click here to email Downrigger Dale. You can also use that email address to ask this week's guests, Beckie and Don Wilkins, any questions you may have. Downrigger will be happy to get your questions answered by Beckie & Don.
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
On this Episode of the The Montana Outdoor Podcast you will learn about ice fishing on two of Montana's best Walleye fishing reservoirs, Nelson Reservoir and Fresno Reservoir. These two Reservoirs are located in Northern Montana on what most Montanans call the Hi-Line. They call it Montana's Hi-Line since it's the northernmost route traversing the state from east to west. Your hosts Downrigger Dale and The Captain will talk to Brian Olson, one of the most knowledgeable Walleye fishermen in all of Montana. In fact Brian has won one of the most prestigious Walleye fishing tournaments in the world, The Montana Governor's Cup! Brian will give you information on where the best ice fishing spots are on these reservoirs as well as what bait to use and many other valuable Walleye fishing techniques. Plus he will talk about how to fish Nelson and Fresno Reservoir when the ice thaws off the water in early spring.
We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just send an email to Downrigger@MontanaOutdoor.com. You can also use that email address to ask this week's guest, Brian Olson any questions you may have. Downrigger will be happy to get your questions answered by Brian.
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
In this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast we interview Captain Matt McComb of Mo Fisch Charters which is part of Howe’s Fishing, located in Montana’s Flathead Valley, near Glacier National Park. Matt is one of the most knowledgeable fishing guides in all of Montana. In this episode he tells us all about where and how to catch all kinds of incredible fish through the ice in beautiful Northwest Montana. Matt covers it all from kokanee salmon, to huge lake trout, to some of the best perch and crappie fishing in all of Montana and the list does not stop there. This Podcast is just packed with amazing information that will inform and entertain you whether you have never been ice fishing or are a pro yourself.
We would love to hear what you think of this podcast, as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just send an email to Downrigger@MontanaOutdoor.com. Also if you would like to talk to this weeks guest on the podcast, Matt McComb about booking a guided fishing trip this winter or summer, or if you just have general questions about fishing any of the many lakes, rivers or streams in North West Montana just give Matt a call at (406) 755-4414 or email him at fishing@mofischcharters.com. Also visit the Mo Fisch website it is jammed with all kinds of great info at mofisch.com.
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website https://www.montanaoutdoor.com/. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/montanaoutdoor. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
In this episode of the Montana Outdoor Podcast we interview Eddie Mindt owner of the Lakeridge Lodging & Bait Shop on Fort Peck Lake in North East Montana. Eddie is also a professional guide and one of the few that does guide trips in the winter out on the ice on Fort Peck Lake. Eddie has an incredible knowledge of this huge lake that is over 135 miles long! On the show show you will learn about catching gigantic Lake Trout, King Salmon, Walleye, Northern Pike and other species through the ice in Fort Peck Lake. If you have never ice fished or are a professional you will learn a great deal listening to this podcast.
We would love to hear what you think of this podcast as well as any suggestions you may have for topics for future podcasts. Just send an email to Downrigger@MontanaOutdoor.com. Also if you would like to talk to this weeks guest on the podcast Eddie Mindt about booking a guided fishing trip this winter or summer or if you would like book a room at the Lakeridge Lodge or if you just have general questions about Fort Peck Lake, feel free to give him a call at.(406) 526-3597 or email him at lakeridgefortpeck@gmail.com.
Also be sure and tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website https://www.montanaoutdoor.com/. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/montanaoutdoor. You can also watch our radio show there as well.