Just A Bit Cooler

QUICK COLOR - QUICK CLEAR

Catching Picking Up

Inventive Russian Rafting
invasives in spotlight
better late than never
(not inches - but pounds!)

.. A bit more rain; the pre-enrollment exodus; some cloudy days; and, bingo fish are on the bite! It looks like a break in the intense heat and the prolonged dry spell has finally blessed Yellowstone country. Of course there are still too many cars on the roads in the park, and there are still quite a few fishers in the usual spots - BUT - things are looking up. All restrictions have been lifted by the NPS.
.. The Madison River below 7-mile bridge is fishing well all day long. It colored up quick and cleared quick. Tricos are still the morning hatch. The 10:00 hour is about good for the leisurely anglers. Afternoon and evening can be productive with Caddis and terrestrials, (hoppers, ants, beetles - in that order are working just fine.)
.. The Firehole River is open but hardly worth the effort. The fish are still lethargic, the temperatures are still too high, and hatches have been sporadic. Give it a rest.
.. The Gallatin River is in prime shape and both fishing and catching are excellent. The mud filled the river for a couple of days but, right now, it is the prime destination on the west side of the park. A hopper-dropper rig is the all day favorite. Nymphs in the morning and spinners in the evening are the ticket for single fish stalking. If you're lucky enough to bump into an evening caddis hatch the action can be fast and furious. There seems to be a "jungle telegraph" this time of year for the caddis. Find one fish - you'll find many.
.. The Gibbon River has finally come to life in the big meadows on either side of the picnic area. It's a bit of a walk to some of the best bends and runs but well worth it. This is spot and stalk fishing at it's best. Be sure to wear your waders with double knees: these fish are very skittish with the low flows and clear water.
.. Above Solfaterra Creek the Gibbon River is fishing very well. There are a good many one and two year old fish. The deeper holes and dark undercut bends hold fish to 16" and they can be taken on terrestrials. This is an excellent place to float your favorite nymphs - we use very light Hare's Ear types in sizes 12 - 18.
.. Slough Creek is approaching perfect form. There are still a few hoppers around, and there are ants, beetles, and twigs that will take fish. The fish don't seem as skittish as usual this year and the numbers are good. This is an excellent place to fish early and often. PMD's are still worth a try. The upper meadows are almost without pressure and the campers have it their way in the mornings, (or most of the day for that matter.)
.. Soda Butte Creek is full of some very good fish, and when it's not full of sediment it's fishing excellent - considering the pressure. Terrestrials are always the ticket here. Keep them on the smallish side and use attractors for prospecting.
.. Boundry Creek and the Bechler River are enjoying a relatively mosquito-free late summer. The water is quite clear and low. There are still good numbers of hoppers and ants in this area. Take bear spray as this is one of the few parts of the park that has shown a good berry crop.
.. Hebgen Lake is low, low, low, and the fishing is good, good, good. Except for the slime and weeds and mud and wind in the afternoon there is no better gulper fishing than right now. The callabaetis are still prolific and there are some terrestrials in the backwaters near the points. Drop a very small, (18 - 20,) Feather duster or Hare's Ear nymph below your favorite spinner pattern - let it sit for a bit. Polarized glasses are a must. The Madison Arm is a very busy place right now, and the South Fork Estuary is abandoned - except for the neighbors that know!
.. If you can stand the mud and the walk, the extended bit of Grayling Creek is holding some nice fish - to 18" and they can be taken on a rig with a pair of floating flying ants.
.. As we've previously noted, Rock Snot is proliferating at a rapid pace. The Associated Press has an article that is being widely published and should make fishers aware of the problem, (Vindy.com, Azstarnet.com, Phillyburbs.com.)
.. The fish kill on the Fall River in the Deschutes National forest is finally getting the play that it deserves. As we noted in Fish or Forests?, The USFS has been dragging their feet on addressing the incident. Marshall Cutchin over at MidCurrent has cited a piece in the Bend Bulletin that points out the current response of the USFS.
.. We eagerly await the results, (due today,) of the SIX WORDS contest at Fishing Jones. Read the entrants' submissions HERE.
.. The Get Outdoors Blog informs us of a new form of entertainment with inflatable human dolls. We're not sure if it's legal or even fishing related but it's attractive to that small bit of humor that still inhabits these bones. (See the original article HERE. It's called "The Bubba Bubble Challenge.")

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.. Last July we noted the big fish that Bob Jacklin caught on his size 14 Rock Worm. Finally the video is available for all to see. It's on You Tube and shown below for your enjoyment.