Saturday, July 10, 2021

Long Days

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND

Still Water Or Fast Water

deep water too

WALLPAPER: OFF ROAD GALLATIN POOL

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.. The crowds are still here and cranky. It may be a post lock-down exuberance. Even fly fishers are grumpy. We avoid them like a swarm of mosquitoes.

SOMETHING YELLOW

.. On the Gallatin River there is gentility not seen in the rest of the neighborhood. Good catching and good parking seems to be the order of the day - we're surprised. The usual suspects are galling fish and entertaining fishers. It's a simple formula: a few Stoneflies, some Yellow Sallies, the Spruce Moths are starting, and even Ants or Caddis Flies will work. Be a gentleman about your work Get up at the crack of late. Enjoy a lazy breakfast and then cruise the river for a chance at a good parking spot. The bugs start around noon - or so.

THESE

.. Hebgen Reservoir offers all day catching opportunities. On those rare still morning the Callabaetis are popping = gulpers galore for the sharp of eye and casting precision. Should the wind show up early, please remember that the bugs are still emerging and the fish are still rising, ( just hard to see and cast with precision.) Move close to the weed beds and fish with a dry and dropper = high rate of success.

GETS DOWN

.. The edges of the weeds, or holes in the weed beds will gather up fish below the surface. Leeches, Dark Streamers or Double Nymph rigs with a big and little one will surprise both fish and fisher. Your favorite dark and light nymphs will pair nicely in this situation. The dark on top and the light about 18" below it. Kind of like Crappie or White Bass fishing.

SOFT HACKLE

.. Both the Firehole River and the Madison River have been warming up and slowing down. The most successful catchers have gone below with the tried and true Soft Hackles or Stiff Hackles. There are a few deep spots that provide classical rises to emergent  bugs and floatsome. Try to find one early and in the shade. Dodge elbows and be polite. Should you choose to fish for an extended period of time it might be useful to take a flask and a sandwich. Small pocket binoculars are useful for probing the shadows if you are serious. The noses are of the stealth variety.

.. There are certainly other places that the neighbors are fishing -- but we will hold those for a day or two.
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WALLPAPER: STEAK 'N' TATER