The Fat Lady Is Done Singing

ADIOS BWO's

Another One Down
mark your calendar

.. Next year Memorial Day, (Decoration Day to some of us,) falls on a Wednesday. The 3-day weekend precedes it and we assume that this means fishing opens on Saturday, May 24, 2008. There is no message on the park website yet - we'll keep you informed.
.. Save for a roaring wind that increased as the day wore on, closing day in Yellowstone was as warm as most days in June, and warmer than some. The neighbors crowded the Barns Holes early and took a few monsters on Woolly Buggers and Zug Bugs. The park had just a few fishers early but there were more by evening - and yes, the BWO's waved goodbye with a flourish on both the Madison River and the Firehole River.
.. The calm at sundown saw a very few caddis in the Biscuit Basin meadows, and the midges at mid day brought a few fish to hand. We're not too accomplished at precision casting a size 22 fly in a 35 mph wind - even at 15 feet.
.. This is the last Yellowstone Park post for this year. There is still good fishing in the neighborhood for another 20-odd days.
.. We'll now revert to our winter mode and post weekly, (or thereabouts,) including our trip to the Gualala, Damn Duzen, Matole, and Babine.
.. The winter will see some expansion and organization of the Yellowstone Flies Page. This is just a page of flies that the neighbors use and are generally not available in the fly shops. They provide a pleasant diversion form standard patterns - they are neither better or worse than the commercial offerings.
.. The Fishing Maps Page will also get an update including bugs and fishes along with tactics and trails. These are generally places with smaller fish and fewer people. They are also easy to get to for old legs - some have nice logs and boulders for resting.
.. Catching on the South Fork of the Madison River is picking up. The narrow channel and low water make the willow sections a real challenge. Long upstream casts from in the water and quick stripping downstream will produce fish. There are just a few fish above the bridge. These are mostly the precocious males and a few small hens. These fish are moving around and you'll do well to cover some water and distance - as difficult as that is. Gold Ribbed Hare's Ears and small Yellowstone Spruce flies will attract fish in the heads of pools below the riffled runs. If we get some cold nights the run should pick up considerably.
.. The Hebgen Tailwater on the Madison River is fishing well. The neighbors continue to use Sparkle Renegades to good advantage in this section of river. The Campfire Run and Awkward Bend are holding some dark monsters, and they are responding to both small caddis nymphs and feather dusters.
.. Between Beaver Creek and Choice Hole is a mix of fish. Some are still cruising in pods and will come to a very slowly stripped olive Woolly Bugger or a very slowly sinking yellow Woolly Worm.
.. Our very hard working and vigilant public servants over at Protect Your Waters have some recent posts that should raise our awareness about Rock Snot. These folks have rounded up four articles about the devastation that could happen in New Zealand's trout fishery on North Island. Closer to home they report on an impending crises on Utah's Virgin River.