Friday, June 16, 2017

The Swarm Continues

305 AND COUNTING
Even Fishers  Felt It
gray days blossom
THE CAMPANULA CREEK SWARM
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.. For those of us living on the flanks of an active volcano the temblors are commonplace. Most go unfelt. Those that are felt seem routine.
..Yesterday there was a "FEELER" [what the neighbor kids call an earthquake that they feel.] It registered about 4.5 on the Richter Scale and had it's epicenter along Campanula Creek in Yellowstone National Park.
.. The quake was the latest in an earthquake swarm that started on May 31, 2017 and has produced 305 measurable temblors. Most are below the 'feeler' threshold of 2,5 on the Richter Scale.
DUCK CREEK MEADOWS
.. A few pictures in West Yellowstone fell from the walls.
.. Some dogs went into apoplectic barking fits.
.. The visitors in local shops had jangled nerves and a new topic of conversation to share with their neighbors back home.
.. Some fishers around Taylor Fork noted the temblor but, (sadly,) reported that the catching did not improve. The Duck Creek meadows, (at the edge of the swarm,) are currently closed for bear management.
.. We occasionally fish Campanula Creek, [LINK-CC.] It's a trek we make less often now. This friendly little creek drains the uplands at the southern toe of the Gallatin Mountain Range north of West Yellowstone.
.. It joins Richard's Creek in the lush Duck Creek Meadows to form Duck Creek. You can bet that we'll chug up there this coming fall when the bottom lands open to the mosquito squadrons and fishers.
.. Yesterday presented us with a perfect afternoon for catching.
.. With a minor miracle in the making the clouds rolled in about 2 o'clock and by 4 PM the air was hardly moving.
.. By 5 o'clock it was fully overcast, near dead-still, earthquake weather, (for those of you in California.)
.. Temperatures dropped slightly and an eruption of bugs flooded the atmosphere near the ground along the Firehole River and the Madison River.
GREEN ONES WORK
.. For a good three hours just about anything in the box worked - it happens.
.. The fly floaters were happily matching what they thought was the hatch. The fly sinkers were using all the discards from the winter's experimentation's.
.. A grand time was had by all. Fish were even dragged out of the Gibbon River near the Grand Loop Bridge = slow seemingly sterile deep runs. My oh my!
.. Sadly we arrived about 8 o'clock and only caught a few dozen fish - so be it. Today may be just as good if the snow stays away.
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.. Forecast for mid 50's and drizzle. Perfect weather for the fisher folks. Perfect weather for the retail establishment in town. We'll have a second pot of coffee and pack three lunches. It promises to be a grand extravaganza.
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WALLPAPER:  HOMEMADE ARTISAN PIZZA