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SPORTS: Attending Missoula Osprey home games packs a guaranteed wallop of good fun!
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| By Shannon Selway |
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Anyone up for a good game of baseball? Then set aside the remote control and head down to Ogren Park and check out the live games at Allegiance Field! It’s summer and that means baseball is here, and there are still oodles of Missoula Osprey home ballgames to catch.
It’s virtually guaranteed that when a fan enters the gates of Ogren Park that the fun has already trickled in. Even in the lines for gate tickets, there is an ambiance in the air of fun that has begun, with more promised to follow.
The aromas of barbequed burgers and dogs permeate the senses along with the whiffs of fresh popcorn. Once inside the gates of the promised fun land, there are numerous concession stands to scope out; no one should have any issues finding the special stand that features their favorite victual – or brew for that matter.
The concession stands do a good job of honoring many local products, including yummy barley pops produced by the Bayern and Kettlehouse Breweries, and tasty wines, such as cherry, from Mission Mountain Winery. Be sure to get your wrist band for alcohol purchases at the information booth located by the front entrance gate.
The information booth can provide fans with a wealth of information as well as facilitate requests. Ask Tom or Laura to have the announcer blast out a happy birthday or anniversary for someone special. The booth serves not only as a general information venue, but it is also where fans can collect their prizes. One of the prizes that might be found there is a broken bat which is awarded to the folk(s) that came the farthest away to see that night’s game. On the night I was there, it was a couple from Baltimore, Maryland, who just happened to come to Missoula via bicycle!
In walking around the facilities, I could not help but be in awe how much our Osprey Home has evolved since 1999. In the 10-year evolution, the Osprey Team went from rickety stands of its Missoula birth location to what is now a first-class stadium (enhancing downtown where it was erected over an old sawmill site). Osprey’s home can accommodate 2,500 fans in stadium seats and another 2,000 in the grassy areas. It’s even situated next to the river with its own active osprey nest by the scoreboard! This, of course, didn’t happen by wishing it into existence; it happened because Western Montana folks made it happen! Because of that, the game experience is truly a mix of devoted and fired up fans and the game itself.
The Osprey now have locker rooms; they have abundant state-of-the-art rest-room facilities; they have numerous concession stands, and the premise offers tented party areas that can be rented to the public for special occasions, any occasion.
There is the tent-covered Blackfoot Party Deck, which can accommodate 60-120 people and serves up gourmet meals such as prime rib with the works, desserts, etc. The fans’ deck seats also serve as their game seat to enjoy the focus of being there. Then there is a more down-to-earth Ollie Osprey Birthday Deck for private parties, also covered with a tent to guard against the intense heat of the sun or rain, which features hotdogs and pregame barbeque fixings. (Anyone interested in hosting a party on the deck can get a hold of Caitlin Currin, Osprey’s hospitality assistant; there are still reservation dates available.)
Youngsters can be occupied with the assorted games, at the northwest side of the park, in the Fun Zone. There they can purchase $1 tokens for the games and win souvenirs. They can play “guaranteed win games” such as Spin the Wheel, where whatever spot it lands on they win the prize. There’s the bean bag toss game, the guess your pitch speed game and a huge bounce house.
But the real convergence of kids has to be where the loveable Osprey mascot is: wherever Ollie Osprey is standing or moving about. That big bird can be found everywhere in the stadium! I did note, however, Ollie has a drawing with the young ladies as well, and photos taken of them occurs just about as often as those with youngsters.
Then the “meat and potatoes” of being there commences: game time!
One really needs to purchase a program for the nominal fee of $2. In it are some game-enhancing items, including the “K” card and bingo game. The “K” card gets a hardy waive in the air when the Osprey Picher throws a strikeout. Throughout the game the announcer runs off some bingo numbers, and there’s a chance you could win a prize! There is also one program where the Player of the Game puts his John Hancock in the program which promises a prize if you’re the lucky program holder. It also has a scorecard, players profiles, game promotions’ calendar and more.
One aspect of the sideshows at the game that was impressed upon me was the “Peanut Inning.” This I was looking forward to, especially since I was told it absolutely drives the guest team nuts. I knew I had to be patient for the “Peanut Inning,” but that wasn’t to be for a while. But, there are so many other “extras” for the fan in every game, and it is a blast to see what will surface next. Each and every inning has some special side attraction going on; some are staples and some are fashioned to that night’s special attraction.
There was the Missoula International Airport’s contest where kids are in elaborate airplane costumes and “buzz” around flapping their arms and doing their hardest to imitate an airplane. It was pretty cute. The “winner” gets a prize. That night, both kids won…
Another inning featured the infield Ollie Osprey race with a kid. Somehow, the kid always gets the upper hand and wins that one. Then there is the sumo wrestler dueling it out, attempting to shoot balls into a tire. Lucky folks wear an enormous sumo wrestler costume that is so big they can barely move; it’s hilarious!
Dotted along the bottom of each seating section are stadium “cheerleaders,” who stand with signs to get the crowd fired up. They lead the crowd in the proverbial “YMCA” song, Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” “If You’re Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands…”
Blasting throughout the game were such clips from standard songs and tunes like the Rocky theme song, “Put Me In Coach,” and the Cavalry Charge (to which the fans always respond with “CHARGE!”).
Then, in the 6th inning, PEANUTS! The announcer yells “PEANUTS,” to which the fans yell back– at the top of their voices – PEANUTS! This exchange goes on and on, and gets louder and louder because if the Osprey scores in the inning, the section that was deemed the loudest gets showered with bags of peanuts! When I say it goes on and on, I’m not kidding. By the time it was done, I could totally see why the guest team hates that crowd pleaser!
Then there’s the 7th inning stretch, one of every fan’s highlights of the game. This is when everyone who knows the game – with a good voice or not – sings “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” (Jack Norworth’s 1927 famous version.)
There are plenty of home games scheduled in August and September, with five more special promotion games: August 14th – Play Ball Missoula Night/Singles Night; August 15th – Boy Scout Sleepover; September 4 – Fireworks Extravaganza; September 5 – Baseball Card Giveaway; and September 9th – Fan Appreciation Night/Team Photo Night.
The weekly promotions are: Monday – Family Night (discounted food and admission with a canned goods donation for the Poverello Center); Tuesday – Kraft Singles Tuesday Ticket Offer (bring a wrapper and get a buy one/get one admission); Senior Wednesdays – 2 for 1 tickets; $10,000 Thursday (one contestant can win $10,000 if specific game situations occurs – it happened twice this summer so far); Fly Away Friday (where Allegiant Air and Mountain Broadcasting give away airfare for two for the lucky fan); Saturday – Pregame Concert Series; and Sunday – Kid’s Day/Kid’s Club Membership (centering on kid’s experience).
Fans can get tickets and deck/party reservations by calling the Missoula Osprey at (406) 543-3300, the Osprey Team Store: 412 West Alder (Missoula), or by ordering online at www.missoulaosprey.com.
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BUSINESS: Continuing to Cast
| State-of-the-art clinic aids enduring anglers |
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| By Rod Daniel |
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No pain, no gain. The adage is meant to inspire athletes to work harder, to push themselves beyond comfort to achieve a higher level of performance.
But in the case of a Missoula doctor, the pain brought on by three solid days of fly fishing led to ground-breaking work in the field of sports medicine, and ultimately to an institute devoted specifically to understanding and preventing fly-casting injuries.
Dr. Tim McCue, an avid angler and head team physician for the University of Montana, became interested in fly-fishing injuries eight years ago after developing a sore elbow while casting for steelhead in Lake Michigan. After surveying other anglers, McCue found that half of them experienced pain in their shoulders and a third had aching wrists and elbows. Five percent had constant pain in their casting arms.
Armed with this information, the young sports doctor teamed with world-renowned fly-casting instructor Jason Borger as well as students and faculty of Montana State University’s Biomechanics Lab to comprehensively study the biomechanics of fly casting and eventually apply the information in state-of-the-art fly-casting clinics.
The Fly Casting Institute clinics offer personalized and detailed analysis of the motion and efficiency of fly casting, as well as advice and recommendations leading to more enjoyable, injury-free fly fishing. To date, the clinics have drawn a diverse clientele, but one thing all the participants share is a love of fly fishing.
“Our clinics generally draw two different kinds of clients,” Borger said. “One is the fly fisher with an existing injury, either from fly fishing or some other sport, who wants to be able to fish without limitations, and, two, the hardcore fly fisher who wants to be able to fish longer, harder and better.”
Borger, whose fly-fishing form landed him a spot in the movie “A River Runs Through It” as a double for Brad Pitt, said the goal of the clinic, ultimately, is to help people catch more fish.
The next clinic will take place in Hamilton at the new Marcus Daly Rehabilitation Center August 21-23 and will include instruction and help by physical therapists and occupational therapists from the center. According to Amy James-Linton, marketing director at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, the three day clinic is limited to eight participants and costs $995.
“This really is a one-of-a-kind clinic that allows us to serve the interests of our clients,” James-Linton said. “For some people it will take the form of rehabilitation and for others it’s more preventive – we call it ‘pre-habilitation.’”
Casting clinic
The first day of the three-day clinic includes a casting analyzer session in which each participant’s casting stroke is measured. Sensors attached to the reel set measure rod speed and a palm pilot records the “casting signature” and breaks it down to its major parts.
The second day begins with a 3-D motion capture and casting analysis. The most advanced casting analysis of its kind, this system assesses motion in three dimensions and records up to 200 frames per second. The information is used to evaluate rod dynamics, joint velocities, and upper extremity function during the fly cast.
The afternoon session features a videolyzer -- stereoscopic goggles and wireless cameras which enable each participant to watch him or herself cast in real time. The instructors then help the casters make modifications to their cast to improve their efficiency.
The third day features an upper extremity exam done by the instructors, doctor, physical therapists and occupational therapists, each of whom give individualized analysis, instruction and exercises.
At the end of the clinic, participants receive a CD containing the results of their motion capture session, including a day-by-day video analysis on DVD, clinic-related data and digital photographs.
Praise from participants
Chris Spiker and her husband Wes participated in the clinic and both say it made them better fly fishers.
“It made me more aware of my body as far as how to get my line out further,” Chris Spiker said.
The clinic, she said, helped her modify her cast from a less-efficient side-arm motion to a faster, more smooth overhand movement.
“Wes and I typically fish big rivers like the Yellowstone where it’s almost always windy,” she said. “Having a more efficient casting motion has allowed us to cast farther and fish longer in those conditions.”
Hospitable Hamilton Hospital
The folks at Marcus Daly Rehabilitation Center are excited to host the latest fly-casting clinic, according to MDRC department head Jen Dunn.
“Besides showing off our new facility, it’s very exciting for our team to be able to participate in the instruction,” Dunn said. “It’s exciting for our staff who all learned about bio-mechanics in school. It allows them to apply what they learned to a real situation.”
Dunn’s husband Pete, one of three physical therapists helping with the clinic, said the participants will surely benefit by the diversity of expertise of its instructors.
“We can visit with Jason about technique, and Dr. McCue is so familiar with the equipment,” he said. “As physical therapists we can help provide exercises specifically for fly casting and specifically for the individual. It’s a live opportunity to analyze a person from multiple aspects.”
Marcus Daly Hospital CEO John Bartos said the clinic marks a new direction for the hospital and rehabilitation center – one that actively provides for the Bitterroot Valley community.
“The demographics of Ravalli County show that we’re a retirement community, but an active one,” he said. “Our rehab center does a wonderful job dealing with injuries, but we need to be looking more at prevention.”
When Bartos first learned of the Fly Casting Institute he was struck by how the clinics addressess the prevention of injury.
“I see FCI as a prototype,” Bartos said. “We have people in this community who bicycle, play tennis and hike. I’d like to take the technology of FCI and expand it to other sports based on the needs of the community.”
For more information on the Fly Casting Institute clinic at Marcus Daly Rehabilitation Center, call 375-4500 or go to www.mdmh.org.
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Art Beat of Missoula: Barbara Schwarz Karst
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| Projects the splendor, degeneration of Montana Rust |
| By Brian D'Ambrosio |
Most of the fine art attempting to capture the lore of Big Sky Country ordin
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NON-PROFITS: Missoula’s Big Brothers Big Sisters
Where Big Meets Little
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| By Shannon Selway |
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If, by chance, you happen to drive by the rather busy intersection of Russell and Mount, there’s a number on a sign that likely grabs your attention. That number is posted on the sign outside of the Big Brothers Big Sisters building that corners the intersection. As of this writing, the number is 64. That number reflects 64 kids awaiting a caring adult mentor: someone to call a friend, someone to bring magic into their lives.
Big Brothers Big Sisters staff have a twist on how they address those they serve. There is the “Little,” that being the child and the “Big,” the adult volunteer. It is the Big that are in demand, but there is much faith that that can be turned around.
There are many reasons why Big volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Some help out because they “have a calling,” or the desire to share their gifts and assist; others volunteer as a mean of community involvement, or a way to give back to the community. When the University of Montana comes back into life, some of those voids are filled. There are college professors who call out to their students for such action; they fill their student’s minds with such marvelous ideas of community volunteerism. At the U of M, there is even a chemistry professor that offers extra credits for such volunteerism! That certainly could motivate a tad of charity work.
Whatever the reason, when the Big come to the Little, an incredible and often life-changing occurrence happens. What happens to the Big is every bit as special as what happens to the Little.
Take, for example, what happened to a kid that I’ll call Jacob. Jacob was living in a pretty easy plane in life, and then – out of the blue- his father abandons him and his mother. Jacob had ample father/son time, so when his father abruptly left, and went out of the state, Jacob was left devastated. Jacob was so crushed, it created mental health issues. Out of desperation to do anything to help her son, his mother turned to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
“He [the father] was here today, and gone tomorrow,” Said Program Manager, Loriane Bond. “Then came in this Big - a little older than typical - and the match with the boy took place. He had to confer with this wife – especially since there were mental fragilities involved with the Little, but the wife said to ‘go for it.’”
Jacob was at the Big Brothers Big Sisters office waiting to meet his new Big Brother, and was extremely hyper. The day was not only special for Jacob since he was to meet his new Big Brother, but it was also his birthday, adding to his hyper demeanor. With every car that went by, Jacob would ask if THAT was the car. After a bit, Loraine Bond had to respond that he drove a red car. And that was all Jacob looked for. Eventually, that special red car appeared, and a special man not only appeared in Jacob’s life, but was about to become one of his most amazing and influencing friendships of his life.
Upon Jacob’s Big entering the building, Jacob did a 180 and simmered down. Suddenly he sat down and got very quiet. When they met, Big looked down at his soon-to-be-buddy, and asked him if he “thought he looked okay,” to which Jacob said, “Do I look okay to you?”
The match, in its third year, has produced many fine adventures like snowboarding, kayaking, and predominately skateboarding. Together, they fixed up a bike for Jacob and go riding.
Bond said, “Jacob’s Big stated that ‘it wasn’t what he expected.’ That put up a red flag for me, but then he went on to say that he’d didn’t know he’d care so much; he wanted to make sure Jacob’s life in the future is secure.”
Like the story with Jacob, many Littles get to experience activities with their Big that they might never have done. Big Brothers Big Sisters serve predominately single parent households where the parent might have two and even three jobs to support their child(ren). This definitely leaves a strain in time for the parent/child relationship. The role a Big can play in a child’s life is amazing. One thing is for sure: the Bigs get every bit out of the relationship as the Littles!
“For a relationship-starved child, a Bigs role is so important,” Bond stated. “We are asking a once-a-week 2 - 3 hour commitment [from a Big], but many times a Big will spend more.”
Missoula’s Big Brothers Big Sisters program is looking forward to its 40th year this coming spring, and has served approximately 3,000 “Littles” – or, if you will look at it another way – 3,000 “Bigs.” The ripple effect could be deemed infinite as so many lives have been touched and transformed.
“There are so many levels of success. Littles do better in school, and learn relationship skills with adults as well as their peers. In many cases, behaviors change like night and day,” Bond said.
Providing such services all depend on fundraising efforts. BBBS does not receive funding from the national chapter, and every dime comes from the community. One such fundraiser is coming up August 21st, the Big Brother Big Sister Southgate Mall Golf Classic at Larchmount. It starts out with breakfast and goes on to drinks, snacks, a loot bag for participants and a hearty barbeque lunch. The tournament’s tee off is at 8 a.m. and typically runs through 3 p.m.
“People have a really good time, and we see many of the same teams every year. They come up with silly names for their teams, and even sometimes wear funny costumes,” Claire Olivier, Development Assistant/Events Coordinator said. “Many business people participate, and spots fill up quickly, but we still have some available.”
“I’ve heard folks say it’s the best tournament in the area,” Bond added.
Team fees are $500, which is $100 a player, but you don’t have to be on a team to participate. The fees cover green fees, breakfast, lunch, and other goodies. There are raffles after lunch, featuring tickets to Las Vegas, and more. There are hole-in-one prizes with winner(s) taking home a Vesper S150 Scooter (courtesy of Scooterville Montana), and a 1.5 carat diamond solitaire ring (courtesy of Riddle Jewelry); and there are many more hole and team prizes. Naturally, BBBS welcomes sponsorships of holes and prize donations.
BBBS expects to raise approximately $20,000 from the fundraiser. Other fundraisers to look forward to are the bowling tournament in November at Westside, Christmas for Kids, and the Spring Gala.
To inquire about becoming a Big Brother or Sister or making a donation, stop by at the office at: 1520 S. Russell or call Claire Olivier at (406) 721-2380. For more information, check out the website of BBBS at: www.bbbsmissoula.org.
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HISTORY: The Life and Times of E. S. Paxson
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By Wm. W. Whitfield
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If there ever was an artist that captured the west as well as Charlie Russell, it would have to be his good friend and fellow frontiersman, Edgar S. Paxson. He happened to enter the country just a few years before Russell did, but both men started out by riding the lonely, wide-open ranges stretching out in boundless splendor under the Big Sky. While Russell went on to make his home in Great Falls, Paxson eventually settled down in Missoula, and some of his most accomplished works are found locally in the wonderful murals that grace the walls and rotunda of the original courthouse downtown. A half a dozen murals are also featured at the State Capitol building in Helena, including two scenes representing the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which in my mind, have to be considered as some of his greatest works.
A few years ago, during the bi-centennial of the Corps of Discovery, I had an opportunity to view a large Paxson work at the Missoula Art Museum, and I was instantly impressed with all the intricate details incorporated in the oil painting. The mural had been temporarily taken off of the walls of the Missoula County Courthouse, and depicts a panoramic view of Captain Lewis’s party crossing the Clark Fork River on log rafts. Unfortunately, the exhibitors had erroneously pointed out a large buck lying in the fore ground, which seemed to have his antlers on backwards. Upon closer inspection it was apparent to me that there were both a doe and a buck piled together in the scene, and that the horns of the male deer were perfectly and properly positioned, just as they should be. The mistake obviously was not on Paxson’s part!
You see, just like his contemporary Charlie Russell, Edgar S. Paxson was a stickler for detail. Not only had Paxson been an avid hunter since an early age, but like most outdoorsmen of the era, he actually had a great reverence for Mother Nature. He also genuinely envied the independent, nomadic lifestyle of Native Americans, and is probably best known for his realistic portrayals of Indians on the hunt. Eventually he filled his studio with a large collection of Indian artifacts and curios that he had gathered up through the years, including bows and arrows, moccasins, belts, necklaces, headdresses, baskets, and beaded buckskin coats. One visitor stated, “The beadwork alone is fit for a museum.” It’s no wonder that his knowledge of native habits and costume was amazingly accurate down to the finest detail, and because of his admiration for the indigenous people, he invariably portrayed them in a worthy manner befitting their proud heritage.
Though Paxson displayed a certain knack for drawing at an early age, his only formal training was as an apprentice for a backdrop painter at the age of ten. The job didn’t last too long, but Paxson learned quick and eventually relied upon backdrop painting as a steady income in his early days in Butte City. Some of these backdrops can still be seen in theatres today in Philipsburg and Anaconda. He also had a thriving business painting signs and billboards for storefronts in Deer Lodge and Butte, and other neighboring boomtowns throughout western Montana. According to one report he had learned to do lettering and pin striping from his father, who painted logos and fancy scrollwork on stagecoaches and carriages back east.
Born in East Hamburg, New York in 1852, Paxson wandered into this part of the country in the spring of 1877, and immediately found employment as a range rider in Ryan’s Canyon on the southern end of the Jefferson, or Beaverhead River, near what is known today as the Beaverhead Gateway. At that time a number of “non-treaty” Nez Perce Indians were at war with the United States government. As a result of the hostilities, the cattle ranchers in southwestern Montana suddenly realized they needed a dependable man to keep an eye on their wandering livestock and to carry any information of Indian movement between the isolated ranches. This position suited the twenty-five year old adventurer perfectly, and he fell into the routine of bringing in game and carrying mail for the settlers, while camping out alone in the middle of the sparsely populated rangeland.
In an interview many years later Paxson described an incident that occurred during one of his lonely patrols in the Beaverhead district. Though he was always handy with a gun, he never claimed to be an Indian fighter, and in this particular case he used a “quick-draw” of another sort to wiggle his way out of a difficult situation. One day while he was riding alone on his way to town to pick up the newspapers and mail for the ranchers, he was taken captive by a band of about thirty warriors. It’s unclear whether the natives were non-treaty Nez Perce, or a band of Bannock or Shoshoni Indians, who were also having treaty problems at the time. As the Indians deliberated his fate, he hastily pulled out his pencil and paper and began drawing the chief brave who seemed to be in charge of the expedition. It wasn’t long before the Indians noticed what he was up to, and soon they were all gathered around him as he sketched a perfect likeness of the chief. The portrait apparently garnered the critical approval of the Indians because Paxson was eventually released unharmed.
Within a year of his arrival in Montana, Paxson had settled in at Deer Lodge, and soon sent word for his wife Laura to join him there. His young bride and their three-year-old son boarded a Union Pacific train bound for Salt Lake City, and then booked passage on a stagecoach to Deer Lodge. The couple readily adapted to frontier life at Deer Lodge, where their backdoor opened out directly onto the rolling grasslands lying between the Upper Clark Fork and the foothills of the Flint Creek Range. After working the range as a scout, Edgar Paxson found employment for a while with the Gilmer & Salisbury Stage Line, and he later claimed that some of his earliest commissioned paintings were done on leftover canvas from some derelict relic of a stagecoach that was no longer in use!
The couple eventually moved from Deer Lodge to Butte where Paxson continued to paint business signs and scenic backdrops. In fact, one theater owner furnished him with a fully equipped studio in one of his playhouses in Butte, and people often came from miles around to see his intricately detailed backdrops just as much as they came to see the plays! Paxson liked to work with natural light and he often complained that the ore smelters in and around Butte spewed out a constant stream of sooty smog, darkening the skies almost daily, sometimes leaving him with just a few hours of good light to work by. In 1906 the Paxsons left the somber skies of Butte City far behind and moved to Missoula.
Most of Edgar Paxson’s better-known works depict historical events common in Montana lore and legend. All of these are done on an epic scale, and sometimes took years of research to gather the kind of specific information he was looking for. Paxson obviously had a great sense of pioneer history as it unfolded around him, and yet he knew that the times were changing rapidly. With his art, he helped to preserve a vanishing view of the west. He was justifiably lauded for his depiction of “Custer’s Last Stand” in 1899, and spent untold hours interviewing the Indians who played a key part in the battle, while the horrifying battle scene was vividly described by the cavalry men who had arrived to witness the gruesome aftermath.
After moving to Missoula, Paxson was hired to do a selection of paintings to decorate the walls of the State Capitol. At about the same time Charlie Russell was commissioned to add his talents to the gallery, and both men produced some of their finest work for the enterprise. When Paxson was selected to do all the murals for the Missoula County Courthouse shortly afterwards, a delegation of curious Indians came down from the Flathead reservation to view his progress. The year was 1913, and though the actual works were incomplete at the time, according to an article in the Missoulian, the natives “were delighted with the work” and openly applauded the effort. Paxson was working on a painting called “The Arrival of Father Ravalli at Fort Owen” at the time, and was extremely gratified when the Indians saw the picture and immediately recognized the likeness of Father Ravalli.
The courthouse had been erected just a few years earlier, and was originally furnished with a series of canvases that apparently revealed little or nothing in the way of local history. These first murals were met with scant approval by area art enthusiasts and the citizenry in general, but the beautiful mix of vibrant colors and well-known subject matter incorporated in the Paxson murals were instantly appreciated as a vast improvement over their predecessors. In 1914 Paxson’s old friend Buffalo Bill Cody brought his famous Wild West Show to Missoula, and during his visit he went to the courthouse with Paxson to view the murals. Paxson proudly reported in his journal that Cody had remarked “there was no building of the kind in all the country that can boast of anything so good.”
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| Hopper Time!! |
| By Robert Gary |
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Is it Hopper Time already? By the looks of it in my back yard there are record numbers of those little rascals and as soon as the first summer winds blow a few of these fellows into the local rivers, we start thinking in a different mind set on how we fill our fly box and how we change our techniques. Even though there are still plenty of Bitterroot Stones out there, numbers of hoppers are increasing. Hmmm, I think tossing a hopper around could be a good play now and here are a couple of tips that may help catch a few more fish with this tobacco spittin’ dude!
The beginning of “Hopper” season usually means fishing a big leggy bug that begins to entice even some of the smartest of big trout. After seeing the same smaller bugs over and over in the early summer, the big guys just start to go into hiding and the trout nursery school begins to show up. As the hoppers start to blow into the favorite runs, it’s like a parade of T-bones to the larger fish that have been laid up in their haunts for a couple of weeks and hoppers start to really wet their appetites again. Now we get to go back to 3X tippet and tie on something we can really see well (especially for us slightly older fisherman) and have a better chance for our fish of the summer.
The best bet is to start out now (mid July) with a size #10 or # 12 hopper and increase the size through the summer until they start to dwindle in late September. Also, try to start out with a golden bodied hopper at this time because fish are still keyed on eating some Golden Stone flies and will eat this brighter colored hopper while mistaking it for a stone fly in many cases. As summer progresses, so does the size of hoppers and fish will be willing to whack a size #8 or #6. During slower parts of the day when the top water action is slower a foam hopper is a great fly to fish a bead head dropper off of the back to keep more fish on the line. A small, dry ant pattern dropped off the back can also be a deadly combination through the late summer.
What is the best hopper pattern? Well, there are a million of them with a lot of the foam bodied patterns leading the pack for catching fish. The “Grand”, “Moorish”, “Chubaka” and the “Carnage” hoppers are all productive. Not into the foam? The old standards such as the “Schroeder’s” parachute hopper, “Joe’s” and “Dave’s” hoppers have been catching clever trout for many decades.
Don’t let the summer’s endless chore list keep you down for too long. There’s a really big trout in the river with your name on it just waiting to see the leggy guy go over his head. One other thing – don’t forget to “TWTCH IT”!!
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HEALTH
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By Elena Furrow, MD, Lolo Family Practice
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I have frequent questions from parents regarding what Autism is and how to tell if their child may have this condition. Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of developmental disorders that can cause difficulty with communication, socializing and behavior. Some people have very mild symptoms while others have severe disabling symptoms. ASDs affect 2 to 6.7 children per 1000, and more boys than girls. The risk is 2-8% higher for siblings of children with ASDs.
There are many theories as to why autism develops. There definitely seems to be a genetic component that affects brain development and therefore impairs speech and communication skills. Unfortunately there is no genetic testing available yet to determine if your child is at risk. It is possible that environmental factors may play a part in the development of ASDs, such as toxic exposures or infections before or after birth.
It has become a political debate in recent years, regarding a concern that there may be a link between vaccine exposure during early childhood and development of Autism. A few early studies suggested that the MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) vaccine and thimerosal (a mercury preservative used in some vaccines) may increase the risk of Autism. Unfortunately, these studies were not well designed and did not involve enough patients to have accurate data. There have been multiple other scientific studies that have not supported any association between immunizations and ASDs. So please discuss any concerns you may have about vaccines with your child’s medical provider so that you can make an informed decision. Not immunizing or delaying your child’s immunizations may increase their risk of infectious diseases.
For most children with ASDs the first sign is a lack of communication skills by two years of age. There may be a delay in speech or limited vocabulary. Children may also have difficulty interacting with others, play more by themselves and not participate in sharing activities. They may avoid eye contact and resist cuddling. Children with ASDs may also have unusual behaviors such as a preoccupation with sensory objects or numbers. They may also have repetitive body movements such as hand flapping, rocking, swaying, or walking on tiptoe.
You should have your child evaluated by your medical provider if he or she is:
• not babbling by 12 months of age
• doesn’t point or make gestures by 12 months
• doesn’t use single words by 16 months
• doesn’t use two-word sentences by 24 months
• seems to have lost a skill he or she had previously
There are several screening tests for ASDs. If your child’s medical provider is concerned they will likely refer your child for further evaluation by a team of developmental specialists. Before this evaluation your child should have a complete hearing test, as hearing problems can also cause speech delay and other signs of ASD. There are several organizations locally who offer help with making this diagnosis, including Early Intervention programs and the Child Development Center.
Once the diagnosis of ASD is made it is important to know that there is no cure for Autism. However, your medical provider can work with you to develop a treatment plan. Treatment plans include providing structure, direction, and organization for the child. They may include highly specialized education programs, speech therapy, social skill development, sensory integration, dietary changes and medications. Studies have shown that if implemented early, these treatment plans can help these children reach their full potential and be more functional in society as adults.
There are several therapy programs that can teach parents how to provide play therapy and treatment intervention at home. The Child Development Center, The Play Project, and In-Home Early Intervention Program are local programs that offer services to help parents who have children with ASDs. Below are some reputable web sites which may be helpful: www.nichd.nih.gov, www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety, www.autisim.about.com, www.aafp.org, www.childdevelopmentcenter.org
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