There's One Now !

SNEAKYFOOTING
THE MEADOWS

Gallatin Producing Results

fish got wary - quick !Click to view tactics.

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.. It took just a few days for the fish in the Gallatin River to figure it out: the water cleared, the water warmed, the flies erupted, the fisher folk came, and the fish started dodging artificials.
.. The big meadows are still saturated and will telegraph your footfalls from quite a distance.
.. Doing battle with the willows does not enhance your stealth attacks, and a gentle sauntering approach is recommended.
.. From the Bighorn Trail Head to the Fan Creek confluence is a dense jungle. Tread softly and take your time. There are still some excellent catching opportunities.
.. The caddis are profuse and seem to be hatching all day in this warm summer interlude. There are two very small caddis flies that the trout seem to be keying on in the afternoon. One is nearly white, the other is light tan.
.. There are also some terrestrials in the meadows and around the timber. Even though the fish are becoming their reclusive selves, they are not overly selective at this point.

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.. A few years ago Jeff Morgan penned a two-part treatise on the caddis larvae and their imitative patterns. It's an interesting set of observations that apply across the western states. The Westfly series can be found HERE --> (Part One, Part Two.)
.. One very successful caddis larvae pattern is the Koudelka Killer. It is startlingly reminiscent of the pink-bodied Feather Dusters that we use on most of the upper Gallatin River.
.. Down the valley, and as far as Black Butte, even to Snowflake Springs, there is still good subsurface action on small stone fly imitations and the standard assortment of nymphs. Heads of pools with well defined streams that debauch from long riffles are most productive for the remaining stone fly nymphs. You know just where they are too!
.. The caddis are thick here too, and non stop action can be had from about 4:00 PM until dark thirty.
.. The river is just a bit high for this time of year; it is, however, clear as can be and catching is just fine - thank you.
.. There are a few PMD's in the morning for the early risers. And, as the river warms up this hatch will become more widespread, (over the next two weeks or so.)
.. The standard fly box for most of the Gallatin River in Yellowstone National Park will contain: Yellow Stimulator, Elk Hair Caddis, Yellow & Pink Feather Dusters, Prince Nymph, Adams, and a few of your favorite terrestrials, (ants, beetles, and yellow woolly worms.)

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.. You should be advised that there are at least two grizzly bears prowling the meadows. Dead elk seem to be the culprits.
.. Down around Black Butte is a precocious youngster that has not seemed to be afraid of cars, people, or fisher folk.
.. In and around the confluence meadow and up the Fan Creek Draw there is a larger bear that is being very protective of it's lunch.
.. And then - there's the moose. They are enjoying the lush vegetation of the meadows and stream banks. If you concentrate only on the fish - you are liable to get stomped.
.. Bear spray - in hand - is a mandatory behavior. Loud bawdy songs, guffaws at sleazy jokes, and frequent pauses for loud conversation are also useful tactics for access.
.. The successful angler will be adept at a loudly quiet, sneakily obvious, and gently raucous approach. This is a talent that requires years of fishing in bear and moose meadows.

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.. Fan Creek is also coming around nicely. But, and it's a BIG BUT, the bear is prowling, the beavers are active and have flooded the trail, (stock access is denied,) and traversing in muck, mush and mire is required to access the better portions of the lower meadows.
.. Despite the bears, beavers, and moose; the heat of our summer interlude is just now beginning and thankfully, mosquitoes are not the problem that they can be - don't get used to it!

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Lovely Loneliness

GRAYLING CREEK CLIMAX

Just A Few Enjoy It

it's an open secret

fish it nowAll images are enormous - just click on them to view.

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.. There are many branches and trickle-tributaries to Grayling Creek. They probably have official names and descriptions - we don't know them. It's all just "The Creek" to us.
.. From a passing car the water in the park section looks thin and devoid of magic. It peeks trough the trees and reveals little of it's complex nature.
.. Fishers on their way to Yellowstone's storied waters often comment that they should fish it someday: usually someday never comes.
.. This year's prolonged spring has provided the moisture necessary to make Grayling Creek blossom as it did in days of yore.
.. It is in full bloom right now and fishing like it was a destination of some note. As soon as the deep heat of summer makes it's presence felt, (soon we're sure,) wilting will take place. But for now this lush little stream is in it's glory.
.. The last few mild winters have been kind to the bugs, the blossoms, and the fish. The water is still up, a bit chilly, and clear. The bugs are everywhere: in the air, on land and in the water.
.. The fish are happily unmolested and seem a bit larger and more active than in recent memory. The neighbors rejoice.
.. Some sections of the creek are just ankle deep. Some pools are deeper than waist high on Shaquille O'Neal. There are puddles, pools, runs riffles, glides and glories that demand probing - should you get out of the car and look.
.. The river is protected by dense downfall, thick willows, a masking screen of lodgepole pines (Pinus contorta subsp. latifolia), and very few places to park.
.. It takes an effort to explore Grayling Creek. It takes time to make friends with this fine bit of water. It takes a commitment to walk and watch and enjoy one of the best early summer locations in the northwestern part of Yellowstone National Park.


.. Trout food is abundant right now and the fish are eating a smorgasbord of both terrestrial and aquatic protein. There is an abundance of ants, spiders, beetles, hoppers, and flies for the taking. The thick riverside vegetation provides the opportunity for varied delicacies to be available to the trout.
.. For the fisher folk that venture this way there is little need to be selective in their choice of flies. The one thing to keep in mind is that the ants are big and the caddis are small. Attractor flies will do just fine for most of the water. A selection of Wulff's, Humpies, Feather Dusters, Hare's Ears, and Prince Nymphs will go a long way toward ensuring success.
.. This is good water for flinging your fly tying experiments. This is good water to enjoy apart from the technical hatch-matching gyrations of other places. This is good water for family and friends to enjoy without the fishing getting in the way.
.. This can be good water for lonely fishing. It is, (fisher beware,) also good water for moose, cougar, lynx, and bear, as well.
..The dense trees and willows stand in stark contrast to the barren and burned hillsides that flank either side of the stream for most of it's course. It is a refuge for predator and prey alike.
.. There are resident giants in some deep pools that will surprise you. One kind of place that is readily accessible and can produce a 13" monster is the culvert pools on the downstream side of the road.
.. These places, not surprisingly if you think about it, offer deep water that funnels food into well defined channels just made for hungry trout.
.. If you don't mind the roar of buses, mobile condominiums, Harley's and top-down roadsters, you can spend an hour or more tickling the fish in these "choice" locations. There are others, of course, but you'll have to explore a bit to find them.
.. A full day on Grayling Creek will require leap-frogging the car, several miles of walking and both bear spray and your favorite form of DEET. That same day will provide variety in both fishing and catching, solitude if you choose, and pleasure beyond the size and story of the little stream.
.. Afternoon and evening are the most productive of catching times. This is not to say that the rest of the day is useless. These fish are active opportunistic feeders right now and will dance an early morning polka or mid day fox trout if given the opportunity.
.. But, Marlene, it's the late afternoon and early evening when, (after a bit of warming,) most of the terrestrials augment the aquatics and the action heats up - so to speak.

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It's A Push

WORTH THE LOOK

Like A Living Post Card

native jewels abound

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.. We don't get to the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park as often as we'd like. We are also quick with many excuses, but just a couple of good reasons: the price of gasoline, the Norris Road closure, age and senility.
.. Despite the famous glory waters of the region we tend to gravitate toward Pebble Creek, Hellroaring Creek, Blacktail, and of course Soda Butte Creek. Right now Pebble Creek is very attractive and our current choice.
.. Once away from the campground, (either up or down stream,) the waters are sparsely populated with elbows and waving wands. The little fish are bright and bouncy, and seem to find your fly - whatever it may be.
.. There is still just a bit of color in the river, and there usually is. The spawning has passed but there are still a few spent fish in the meadow across the road from the campground. If you tie into one of these fish please land it quickly and release it gently.
.. There is really no reason to walk in the water - other than to traverse the creek. Gently stroll and probe the dark water and the little pockets. The fish are there and happy to oblige you.
.. Surprising as it seems, the little hoppers are making their presence felt. A hopper - dropper rig will work for most of this water: (the hopper can be a Yellow Humpy and the dropper can be a Bead Head Prince or Copper John.) For now, keep the flies on the small side: 12 or 14 for the hopper and 16 + or - for the dropper. A ten inch fish is the place to start bragging.
.. Remember that this is skinny water and that enormous lengths of monofilament are not necessary for your rig. Midcurrent ran a primer on Dry/Dropper rigs a few years ago. It's worth a look.
.. Although the Gallatin River is fishing nicely today, it'll be quite a bit better in a week, and our visitations to the north will probably end early this year.

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Da 'Stone Opens

IT'S HIGH AND
IT'S DANGEROUS

It Is Fishable

yellowstone river opener

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.. There's not much to say. The Yellowstone River opened to fishing in the park yesterday. There were fish caught. There were a few foolish fishers up to their armpits in the river.


.. The place called Buffalo Ford has it's name for a good reason - even in the high water. We'll have more to report after the weekend.

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Bits & Pieces

BLOGS APLENTY

Wild Trout Symposium

brief fishing report-------

.. Just up the road: Joshua Bergan, Writer - Editor - Photographer - Fly Fisher.
.. Fish, write, fish, take pictures, fish, write, get paid! Tough job but someone has to do it. Busy is as busy does:
-- Troutbugs And Other Digressions [Blog],
-- Stock Photography [Bugs, Fishers, Fish, etc.],
-- Biography [Short History, Credentials],
-- Wilderness Adventures Press [Web Site],
-- Wilderness Adventures Press [General Store],
-- Wilderness Adventures Press [River Guides],
-- Fly Fishing Community [Maps of 1,600+ waters].

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.. Across the pond: The Wild Trout Trust Directors Blog. Infrequent but significant posts. The recently appointed director has not weighed in yet.

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.. The Trout Unlimited website continues to expand and grow. Member postings on the TU Blog include recent notes about: TU's Tom Reed, the disappearing and in peril Roan Plateau Cutthroat trout, and the Colorado Cutthroat Trout Conservation Tour.

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.. Pete McDonald over at Fishing Jones gives us a bit of insight into the history of his upbringing. Words like Zebco and River Runt ring true for those of us without the recent infatuation with fishing. He even shows us "HIS PLACE."

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.. The Invasive Species Weblog points us toward Climate Shifts and the Lionfish in the Caribbean. Should the fisher folk of the world chose to try to eliminate this invasive pest there are recipes for cooking the poisonous invader over at The Nassau Guardian.

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.. The folks over at Big Hole River Journal continue to taunt us with posts about Grayling and where they are being caught, (#1, #2.) We've gone for over a year now with out an adfluvial Grayling in Yellowstone Park. Perhaps we'll walk to Grebe Lake.

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.. The Dates for WILD TROUT X, (The International Wild Trout Symposium,) have been announced. This event now has a blooming website and an unmonitored and wilting forum with very little going on, (it's so full of spam that you could eat it.)
.. Come to West Yellowstone, Montana September 28-30, 2010 for the symposium.
.. That's over a year away - why mention it now? Because, in the past the town has had a hard time accommodating the participants of the symposium, and the fall vacationers, and the fisher folks. There are only 4,200 rooms in the motels and they promise to be full.
.. The symposium has been held about every three years since 1974. It was initially held in Yellowstone National Park. The park has been the most frequent host during the symposia series. Other venues include MSU, Bozeman, and West Yellowstone.
.. This is a significant event and attracts the top professionals in several disciplines. From fisher folks to biologists, and from managers to policy makers, this event is a gathering place for those in the know and those on the go.
.. From Lee Wulff To Bud Lilly, and from Bob Behnke to Suzanne Lewis the attendees have been the famous, infamous, celebrated and defiled movers and shakers of the trout world.
.. The new web site has summaries, photo galleries and proceedings, (in PDF format,) for all meetings. We'll keep you posted as things progress. The call for papers is about to be put forth. The response should be interesting as Yellowstone National Park continues to prefer protection of "wild" trout to the preservation of native trout.

MONEY QUOTE

"Our mission is to provide a forum for professional wild trout biologists and fishery conservationists to interact, to get to know each other in an informal setting, and to be exposed to the latest wild trout status, science, technology and philosophy. These conferences equip participants to better preserve and restore this magnificent but declining resource."

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.. Avoid the crowds! Rumors to the contrary, the Gallatin River is fishing well. The catching is apace with the fishing and very few folks have figured it out - to date.
.. All the bugs in your box will work right now. Two bugs is better than just one bug. From the Arch to Fan Creek there are little yellow stoneflies. There are also some PMD's and the evening caddis are beginning to make an appearance. The cool rains have slowed the caddis but we expect an eruption in the next 5-8 days.
.. The heavy willows on Fan Creek are full of Moose and Bears - use caution if you should venture out of the confluence meadow. For that matter, use caution in the confluence meadow too!
.. The area around the north boundary of the park and down to the Taylor Fork is seeing some good fish as the bigger fins are moving upstream with the receding cold water.
.. Sweet little Reddish-Brown Parachute Flies should be in your box. So to should a pile of Feather Dusters, Prince Nymphs, and Humpies. Catching will only get better for the next week or so; crowding too!

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In Between

A VERY PLEASANT
INTERLUDE

Even The Fish Are Friendly

and it's right next door

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(All images are humongous - just click on 'em.)

.. Just about half way between National Park Meadows and the confluence of Fan Creek with the Gallatin River is a group of small, (and not so small,) streams that hold very friendly fish and very angry willows.
.. These waters allow us to make the early summer transition from the heated and lethargic Firehole River to the vivacious and energetic Gallatin River. The transition teaches our trusty steed to head north, rather than east, for fishing entertainment.
.. Cougar Creek, Duck Creek, Grayling Creek, all are names missing from the whispered lore of glory waters in Yellowstone National Park.
.. The neighbors love it. These are waters that have no lengthy books or treatises written about them. These are waters so intimate and secret that it takes more than a visiting sport's week to enjoy them.
.. These are waters that serve the neighbors' need to pause and refresh, and then return to the fray of elbows, intruders, gawkers, and dilettantes.
.. Even the Madison River below Baker's Hole Campground is bypassed by eager visitors scurrying to the sacred waters of fame and fable within the boundaries of Yellowstone . . . "Oh, there's the Madison; can't wait to get on it." Hell, just stop and fish!
.. All of these waters transect the park boundary. This means that both a Montana fishing license and a Yellowstone fishing permit are required to enjoy them. Probably it's just too complex an issue for the gadfly on a western romp. "Just one ticket, please. Don't confuse me. Is the guide from around here?"
.. When asked about these waters the feather merchants get swollen tongues. They spit out epithets like "Swamp," "Mosquitoes," "Little Fish," "Nasty Willows," "Long Walk," "Sweaty Places," - etc. "Besides that, we haven't been there in three years!"
.. Not the fodder for noble prose and best seller's. Not the glamor of a ride in a corky drift boat. And, you certainly can't fully utilize that fancy new rod and reel combination. Hell, the rod is longer than the creeks are wide. What kind of spectacular Yellowstone Experience is that?
.. Golly Gee, Mable, you don't even need a double haul and 50-foot cast! What will become of the $40.00 worth of 15' leaders? A Humpy you say? What about these 25 fancy proprietary flies that cost $4.00/each?
.. We admit to helping keep the myths alive. We didn't complain too loudly about the bear closure - just didn't see it for two weeks. We didn't crow when it was lifted - just didn't know.
.. The last three days on these lousy little creeks allowed us to catch quite a few fish; about three per cast.
.. It was so hot and sweaty and mosquito ridden that we had to wear a wind breaker, got chilled, and only got bitten once. We had to walk all of 150 feet from the road to catch a dozen Yellowstone Park fish on Grayling Creek.
.. Later, and lower down, the willows gobbled our leaders and tippets to the point that a five foot piece of Maxima was what we used to catch the biggest fish of the weekend. Just how big?
.. It was about four hundred feet from the car and ate a yellow Humpy, (or what was left of it.) It was a Brown Trout that stretched from reel to stripping guide on our old Fenwick with a short tip section.
.. That was a fish in the willow delta. It is marshy. It is a swamp. There were mosquitoes. And, there were little fish. But that's fishing.
.. It stormed pretty good yesterday. The lightning chased us back to the car, and as the storm blew overhead we watched a dozen, (or more,) drift boats speed past us; rushing their sports to an early dinner and a bit of Chablis.
.. It was only 6:30 PM. We fished for a few more hours. Caught more fish. Didn't sweat and got only one mosquito bite. The moose didn't mind. The osprey took a fish just about 50' away. The ducks did squawk a little but moved on and left us alone. The snowshoe hare was waiting under the car for us when we gave it up for the evening. Just not the stuff of stories!

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About Done

CADDIS DELIGHT
ON FIREHOLE
Big Beautiful Slicks
full of veggies and bugs
it's now or october

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.. As usually happens this time of year, the late emerging caddis flies, (of several varieties,) are erupting.
.. This is the finale of the early season on the Firehole River. Early morning, (through about 9:30 AM is just O.K.) - evening, (starting about 7:30 PM is good but fading fast.)
.. We've been fortunate this year, (as have the fish,) given the cool days and occasional cool showers. It reminds us of the days of yore - but they are gone.
.. Fish the Firehole River today and tomorrow, maybe even as late as Friday, (it may hit 85 on Thursday,) - but there are much better choices.
.. Nez Perce Creek is in prime shape. It's the choice of most of the neighbors until we head toward the Gallatin River.
.. The Upper Firehole River is spectacular. The Little Firehole River and Iron Spring Creek are very good but will become more problematic as the weeks pass.
.. The Madison River has held up very well this year, and a two fly rig of your choice will delight those who like to dance in the morning and evening.
.. As your friendly neighborhood Realtor is fond of saying: 'location, Location, LOCATION. Just where are those pesky fish?
.. The fish are in the shade, the cool springs, and deep holes. If you are the sort of fisher that believes you only get your money's worth from your waders when water is lapping at your armpits - you will chase away more fish than you catch.
.. We seldom hear folks talking about stealth wading; probably because the mindset of wading fishers is to use all of their waders. The deeper the better!?
.. Right now it's time to be sneaky both on the shore and in the water. Skirt the holes and undercut banks; then fish them gently. Pounding holes and prancing through runs will freeze the fish. They know it's warm! You should too.
.. Most surface flies for this encore should be sparse and gently presented. The hopper nymphs are too few, right now, to cause much of a dent in the piscene psyche.
.. The majority of large fish have either gone to cooler pastures, or have become nocturnal. A very few hang out in places that are cool and tough to get to.
.. Beetles, ants, damsel flies, & damsel fly nymphs, can be sent over deeply undercut banks in the hopes of raising large fish.
.. Stealth and low light are the key to presenting these imitations, (watch your shadow, tread lightly, cast gently, and move on.)
.. There are many log jams, sweepers, and deeply undercut banks on the Firehole River and, on the Madison River. These are places that provide nearly perpetual shade, and cool water for the diurnal feeding monsters. Cast to them. The worst that can happen is you lose a fly - whine!


.. This is also a good time to exercise your option to fish until 10:00 PM, as the park regulations allow. We've said it before and we'll say it now: a mouse or great giant hopper ripped through likely spots will work at night from now through the end of the season, (but it's not very rewarding on the Firehole River for another three months.)
.. We're fond of using beat-up flies this time of year. A shredded Goddard Caddis is a wonderfully sparse fly that can pass for many stages of caddis, (nymph, emerger, spent.)
.. If used in tandem with a 'fancy emerger pattern' or soft hackle it will be about all that's needed for the next few days on the Firehole River.
.. The same combination will get you through to the 'Hopper Time' on the Madison River. And, that's just around the corner. My how time flies.

-------USE DEM WADERS !!