.. Fires continue to burn around and in Yellowstone National Park. Use the links below to plan your fishing travel.-- Yellowstone Wildland Fires
-- NRCG
-- USDA Large Incidents
-- MODIS Rapid Response System
HORSE LOGGING
Little River Fixing
Rain & Overcast
river reports
blogs of note
a what?
.. The South Fork Of The Madison River is being "adjusted" in an effort to improve fish production. The South Fork of the Madison River is characterized as a classic, low gradient, pool/riffle meandering stream.
..However, this tributary was severely canalized over 80 years ago by the Union Pacific Railroad when they brought the Oregon Shortline to Yellowstone National Park.
.. The long straight stretches of the canalized river are confined by the railroad bed and the forest road, thus relegating the water to primarily a nursery fishery. In late Fall, Brown Trout to twelve pounds - that's 12#, (from Hebgen Lake,) spawn along it's course where suitable gravels exist. Local fisherfolk know the deep holes where resident fish grow to 20", or more.
.. Trout Unlimited and the U.S. Forest service have combined efforts to add obstructions and diversions in an effort to induce meandering and gravel deposition. Draft horses skidded logs into the river to produce the "in-stream" structures. The West Yellowstone News carried the article.
.. This stream is not in Yellowstone Park, but it is just 2 miles from downtown West Yellowstone. The Gallatin National Forest web site has some good information about native fish, small streams, and the Madison River.
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.. The weather is giving us a break from the sweltering record heat. A gentle rain - not much thunder or lightning - yesterday improved fishing conditions over much of the Yellowstone Plateau. Those rivers subject to runoff-clouding are behaving as expected. The weather forecast is for continued overcast for the next 3 - 4 days. Temperature should peak by Friday, (low 80's,) than drop again for the week end. Time to go fishing.
.. The Madison River in National Park Meadow is slightly colored but the evening caddis hatch is very prolific. Use a Big Wing Sparkle Caddis, (size 12 -14,) if it's not raining. Use a Prince Nymph in the surface film if it is.
.. The Boundary River right at the confluence with the Bechler River is producing 14" - 16" Cutts, Rainbows, and Cuttbows on yellow Wooly Worms, (size 10 - 14.) Float them around the edges of rocks and in the deep undercut banks.
.. Slough Creek was clear right through the rain yesterday. The hoppers are still working in the first meadow. In the section below the parking area a mix of spinners in the morning, (size 12 - 16,) and caddis in the late afternoon, (size 10 -12,) will take good fish.
.. Up on the Gallatin River we can expect the Taylor Fork to be muddy for a couple of days or more. The meadows around Black Butte are fishing good to both caddis and hoppers. The confluence at Bacon Rind Creek will produce a nice silt plume that can be fished with large Prince or Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear Nymphs, (size 8 -12.) Use your best dead-drift technique and keep the fly right at the plume's edge. Use the packer's parking lot to access the Gallatin River where the mountain discharge drops it's silt load. Most of the larger fish from the Fawn Pass Meadows will migrate upstream for the feast. Use large, (size 8 - 12,) beetles, ants, hoppers, and Prince or Casual Dress nymphs.
.. Iron Spring Creek is running almost as warm as the Firehole River. The pods of fish that seek refuge are now mostly in the Little Firehole River. Fish the water about 300 yards up from the confluence with a small Hornberg, (size 10-12.) Grease it up good and let it float around the visible rocks - it should bring up the feeding fish. This is tough terrain so be careful and wade as little as possible.
.. TRUSTED RUMORS & SECOND HAND REPORTS: Cutthroats to 18" are podded up around the mouth of Sedge Creek. The best fishing on the Yellowstone River, right now, may be the first 1/4 mile downstream from Otter Creek. Ignore the cars and fish the Lewis River along the south entrance road, (big nymphs to size 6, and good caddis hatch in the evening.)
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Check out the FAQ's Page at Protect Your Waters for insight into the kinds of impacts that invasive species have. On fishing & YOUR PROPERTY VALUES.
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.. Moldy Chum found the Almost Official Mayfly Page. We've added it to the side bar links for bug identification.
.. MidCurrent has a note about Mark Littleton's flies. Link. There's hope for the rest of us.
.. The Native Fish Society finally has their web site going. It's worth a visit to see what they are all about.
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AND THEN . . . . . See what a French Canadian found in his pasture. This is obviously under investigation. A front-page headline in the newspaper La Presse quipped: "Is Bambi a hoose or a morse."
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