Montana Bed and Breakfast: River's Bend Lodge

River's Bend Lodge

On the Missouri River 406-468-2225

Posts Tagged ‘bald eagles’

Ramblings of an old man along the Missouri River in Montana

January 10th, 2012 by sorendetienne

Bald Eagle in Missouri River near Hardy Creek

Today January 9th, 2012 I made my first New Year’s resolutions, but it’s ok because I’m old (almost 60) and everyone knows old folks are a little slow!

New Year’s resolution

  • To do this blog at least twice a week (I was thinking everyday but an old guy might not be that ambitious).  In each blog I will tell you of my fishing adventures and show you photos of Montana.
  • To walk at least an hour every other day (more ambitious) bad back and leg allowing me to.
  • But most important resolution is to fish as often and as many different rivers and streams as possible this year.  I live on one of the best Blue Ribbon Trout Streams in the United States, the Missouri River at Hardy Creek (about 12 miles downstream from Craig).  I am also within a one or two hour drive of 6 other Blue Ribbon Trout Streams.

Today as I was beginning my walk I observed a Bald Eagle In the river I’m not sure if the eagle had caught a fish and was having lunch or just bathing, whichever, it presented a good photo opportunity.

About 30 minutes into my walk I noticed this man and his best friend fishing the Missouri just upstream from the Interstate 15 bridge crossing the Missouri  River near Hardy.  What a fine outing for a man and his

While fishing on the Missouri River

dog.  It was about 45* F and windy, this year with the warmer temperatures, have also came high winds, today’s 24 MPH WSW. Still a nice day, any day on the river is a good day!  

With my picture taking and sight, seeing this was a 2 hour adventure.  With a little luck maybe I will be able to fish this hole I discovered on the river. 

Fishing hole on the Missouri

Looks good to me what do you think?  Are there any fish here?   The man with the dog caught one while I was watching them, on the other side of the river of course.

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On The Missouri River Today Fishing…Sight Seeing

September 9th, 2011 by sorendetienne

Bald Eagle - Fish PouncingAt 6:30 AM this morning, while cooking a Cowboy Skillet Pancake breakfast for my guests Kelly and Ewald, a couple from Ketchum, Idaho, I heard an eagle screeching and went out on the deck to see what was going on.  On the island just north of the  deck a Mule deer faun was standing, legs braced staring down at an adult Bald Eagle that was standing about 10 feet away… directly over head  a young Bald Eagle was circling and screeching.  As the adult eagle took  flight the young eagle attacked it and struck it several different times while they were in-flight across the river. The adult eagle landed in a tree top on the other side of the river near the irrigation pilings, and the young eagle landed about 20 feet higher up the hill on a dead branch.   It occurred to me that this was not an attack but maybe some kind of a training exercise. This thought  was pretty much confirmed later when I looked for  eagles again they were both sitting on the dead branch!

Ewald is from Austria and wholesales Fly-fishing gear in Europe.  He lives in Sun Valley, Idaho most of the year his wife Kelly and travels back to Austria several times a year for business.  He was excited about fishing the Missouri this morning Kelly and he were putting in at Holter Dam and floating to Craig for the first run this morning.

As they were finishing breakfast this morning a good hatch of Tricos was taking place right off the deck.  Ewald told Kelly “They are doing the wedding dance we have to be on the river by the time it is over and they start to hit the water LET’s GO!”  

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Fly fishing in Montana on the Missouri River

June 14th, 2011 by sorendetienne

Eight Fly-fishermen from Idaho and Guide Mike Agee

Eight Fly-fishermen from Idaho and Guide Mike Agee

Nine Fly-fishermen came to the River’s Bend Lodge at  Hardy Creek / Cascade,  Montana to fish the Missouri River.  Each day two of the Guys fished with Guide Mike Agee and the others floated the Missouri from Holter Dam to Craig The Guided
Fishermen caught an average of 75 to 80 fish a day between two fishermen. They returned to the lodge each evening with tales of many fish and sore arms ….. each saying they had just experienced the best day of fishing in their lives.  While the Fly-fishermen that were on their own didn’t catch as many fish everyone caught some fish, a good time was had by all…..

Todd with a large Brown Trout he caught below Hauser Dam

Todd with a large Brown Trout he caught below Hauser Dam

The weather was perfect for three of the four days they were at the Lodge, sunny and in the 60′s to 70′s, the last day it rained
hard all day. The Missouri was as high as I have ever seen it in my 17 years at Hardy Creek. While on the river, taking a break (from catching to many fish) the guys took a video of an Osprey attacking a Bald Eagle attempting to steal the fish, that the Eagle had just caught. The Osprey was not successful, however,  and the video file was too large to download for this blog.

So can you catch too many fish or is that like the  song “Too much Fun” ? LOL

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Winter Geese

November 24th, 2010 by sorendetienne

Canadian Geese on Missouri River is Montana

Landing Canadian Geese

It has been in below zero -2* to -20* for the last 3 days the only thing moving much around here are the Canadian Geese.   I guess the water is warmer then the air, for sure as it is not freezing over yet.   The  only thing I have seen them do that indicated they were aware of the coldness is to gather in a considerably large flock  on a sand bar across the river from the Lodge.   Some  of the geese would  fly up river half a mile or so (usually not out of sight of the flock) and let the current carry them back to the sandbar where they would rejoin the rest of the flock. 

Yesterday I watched them returning from feeding in the fields as they came back to the water they landed in groups of 4 or 5  close to the sand bar usually up river but not always.  I remember thinking it resembled a busy airport and I  wondered who was the traffic controler, because he was doing a great job! One group would touch down and the next one would be on final wings in full flap position. 

It was wonderful to watch and listen too.    Even earily in the morning there is just not any sound greater to wake up to than the Canadian Honkers’ trumpet!

The fog and moister from the river did not seem to hinder anything; Iwas wondering how do the geese navigate in the fog and is icing ever a problem?   The visibility must have been down to about 100 feet with a ceiling of about 50 t0 75 feet during most of the day. 

I have seen no Birds of Prey for almost 3 weeks now.  I think they must have given up and went further south for the winter.

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Thanksgiving Lodging & Dining Special

October 28th, 2010 by sorendetienne

Thanksgiving Cornucopia

Thanksgiving Cornucopia

Visit the River’s Bend Lodge on the Missouri River in Montana for Thanksgiving and get it all.  Great company, a Thanksgiving Feast that lasts all day,  scenery  in full fall colors, wild life and bird viewing, and a quiet comfortable sleeping room in the fresh mountain air.

The SLEEPING ROOMS:
Rent one of  The River’s Bend Lodge’s Suites stay 3 or 4 nights and get the room for $115 per night that is a $50.00 per night savings.  Get an all day Thanksgiving Feast for $25.00 per guest, invite your friends to join you for Thanksgiving  Dinner.

The FOOD

Turkey & dressing, honey glazed ham, cranberry sauce,  baked yams, green bean bake, sweet baby carrots, mash potatoes and gravy, scalloped corn casserole, pumpkin  pie, apple pie, coffee cake muffins, crème Brule in  miniature  pumpkins, and homemade  bread!

All you can eat and more.

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BIRDING ON THE MISSOURI RIVER IN MONTANA

May 20th, 2010 by sorendetienne

If you are visiting Montana and wish to do some birding and exploring along the Missouri River, checkout a Montana Bed and Breakfast on the Missouri River at  Hardy Creek (exit  247 off   Interstate 15) half way between Great Falls and Helena .    

River's Bend Lodge

As I am writing this blog looking out the lodge’s dining room window  an osprey is

Osprey fishing on Missouri River at Hardy Creek,MT

devouring the results of its last fishing dive, on a sand bar in the river .

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River's Bend Lodge, 57 Seibold Lane, Cascade MT 59421, Phone: (406) 468-2225, Email: info@riversbendlodge.net | 2011 All Rights Reserved.
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