As Suspected

"FIRE" HOLE FOR A REASON

Up The Hot Staircase

closure may be early this year

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.. We're watching the spikes on the Firehole River:

==> JUNE 15 = 75° F,
==> JUNE 16 = 76° F,
==> JUNE 17 = 77° F,
==> JUNE 18 = 76° F.

.. Them's a bit warm for this part of June. The extended forecast is for continued warming. The near term outlook is for moderating temperatures in the mid- to high 60's.
.. Fish now is the consensus.

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The Incubator

COLD AND CLEAR

Nicely Sorted Gravels

a magnificent nursery

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..The well sorted sands and gravels of the Gallatin River above it's confluence with Fan Creek are absolutely perfect.
.. Right now they are dotted with the disappearing evidence of the redds of spawning trout. They are the perfect subtrate for the complacent willow thickets that choke the river's course and both give and get nutrients to the oxygen-rich waters flowing at grade in this outwash meadow.
.. They are perfect for holding the gently riffled stream in moderately stable channels. The distributary channels are braided and with the willow roots provide deeply undercut banks.
.. The rocky soils of the uplands are mostly comprised of large and coarse sediments. Thus the color of the stream in this meadow is seldom too brown or dense to fish. The gravels trap the sands and the fine fraction is nearly absent.

.. There are shallows. There are holes. There are occasional, (but rare,) glacial erratics.
.. In truth; the meadow, the stream, the willows, the gradient, the oxygenation, and the many micro environments are perfect for spawning and raising trout.
.. As long as food is available the large fish from down below hang out in this part of the river. There is sparse insect life available right now.
.. There are, however itty bitty fishes doing their best to make it to bigger stages in their short life. The big fish eat them. Sad, but true.
.. Those of us that bother with this "Too Cold" water enjoy the quietude and the catching. No long, (underwear-ripping,) casts are necessary. No fancy flies from exotic natural or synthetic materials are needed. A bit of stealth goes a long way. A bit of stealth is necessary in the willow thickets.
.. Dapping and stripping the local streamers is a simple and easy to way to gall a fish and satisfy the blood urge of fly fishing. Killing is not necessary.
.. The rain has abated: the clouds remain. They are leaving fast. We're headed back to this unrecommended water in our neighborhood.

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Don't Bother

IT'S TOO DAMN COLD

"It'll Fish Better Later"

muck, mud, bears, and such

BIG FISH AND BEARS GO TOGETHER HERE

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.. Onward to the other fishing opportunities in Yellowstone National Park.
.. The gabfest and elbow convention on the Firehole River is in Full swing. The park and toddle crowd is playing bumper tag along the Madison River. The Gibbon River clique is hooting about soft water and big fish. All good fun for the roadside angler in the park.

.. With buckets of cool water escaping the clouds, and with a dusting of fresh snow in the mountains,  and with ground fog in the morning it's time to visit the places that we're told not to fish.
.. It would be a genuine sacrilege to question the sages that tell us that the water is too cold. It would be downright impertinent to ask the sages if they ever, or even recently, fished where they say, " . . . thou shalt not."
.. It's a funny thing how conventional wisdom is propagated among the mass conformists of the fly fishing world. It doesn't take much for myth to become truth among the listeners to the word.

.. Like most organized religions, orthodox fly fishing has it's saviors, prophets, soothsayers, and holy books. The orthodoxy of the religion is reinforced by repetitive visitations to sacred sites for penance and inspiration.
.. Sheep in the fold of this orthodoxy follow their shepherds advice. They bleat the cant of prophets and soothsayers to the point that it's a solemn mantra of belief.
.. We enjoy this local belief system. It shuns waters with willing fish. The water that is shunned is usually full of fish. Fish that are gullible enough to eat bits of debris nailed to iron or steel hooks.

These Are Here

.. But - someone - at some time - said that those waters were verboten at this time of year. It must be true. They said so.
.. Weird how some things a fisher says are taken as gospel and other things are called exaggerations or even pure prevarication.
.. So, contrarian that we are, we're off to catch the giant fish of the upper Gallatin River.
.. These are fish that are in water that is just "TOO COLD." But not too cold for spawning - eh? Not too cold for swimming, (if you are a fish.)

Cold Water Wonder

.. It is water that is guarded by signs warning us about the bears. It is water guarded by muddy trails and quagmire stream crossings.
.. It is water that requires parking in a muddy gravel lot, (not the ideal place for your BMW, Mercedes, Touareg, or Escalade.)
.. It is water where some local fishing guru got a nick in their paint and mud above the ankles of their $400 waders.
.. We suggest that the orthodox fishers stay with the glory waters where elbows and inspiration combine to reinforce the notion that there is only a couple of places to catch fish this time of year.
.. Mud is the friend of the fisher that likes to catch.

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FISHY PLACES JUST FULL OF COLD WATER

On Time - & - On Target

MOTHER'S CAPRICIOUSNESS

Pick A Place - Pick A Stick

it's better late than never

CONTEMPLATE THE CHOICES

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.. June, our historically wettest month, has arrived late this year. It's here now and bits of wetness and coolness are showing up. Both are appreciated by fish and fishers. Of course they bring a scowl to the faces of visitors in Hawaiian shirts, shorts, and sandals with black socks.
.. It would seem that there will be no chocolate runoff this year, (barring a deluge of biblical proportions.) That being the case, it's time to get serious about the place and manner for catching on the rivers of the west side of Yellowstone National Park.

.. We're going to fish them all with a single fly: the Big-Wing Sparkle Caddis. Small, Medium, Large, and VERY BIG. Drown it or float it: it's the simple road to catching success.
..The rivers are cooperating. The fish are cooperating. We hope that mom will show some understanding and cooperate as well.

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 Here's the current situation:
Madison River - still about 300 cfs below the seasonal mean. Cool, clear enough, bank full, fish with your normal early summer fly assortment.
Gibbon River - about 150 cfs below the seasonal mean. Warmer than usual and fishing very well in all river sections. Streamers in the big meadows. Soft hackles in the canyon, Anything small in the pretty stretches above the cascades and all the way to Grebe Lake.
Gallatin River - about normal for this time of year. Cold: clear in the park. Fan Creek is low and the willows are full of bears and moose. Swing a small streamer under the banks of the big bends in the slow sections. Soft hackles in the riffles. A few noses in the afternoon.
.. Firehole River - about 100 cfs below the seasonal norm. Rising a little toward the norm. The 76 degree spikes have abated for the moment. Cooling to perfection in temperature and flow characteristics. Bugs on the rise. Rubber legs in the canyon above the falls. Soft hackles in all riffles. Flies that float in the gentility of elbow central.
.. According to the mom watchers this coming weekend should be perfect for catching on all of the west side waters. Don't bother with Nez Perce Creek, it's full of bears and bear spray is more than useful. The big fish that have run up from the Firehole River are rested from their sexual shenanigans, rambunctious, hungry, and willing to dance. It's hardly sporting to take advantage of their compliance - even if we will

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Busman's Holiday

THE RIVER CALLS TO SOME

Park It, Talk It, Fish It,

the fish speak:

the fisher answers

MORNING AT THE LAUNCH RAMP: RIG IT - TALK IT.

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.. We've been blessed with the friendship of several neighbors that guide and fish for a living. They are usually found plying their trade on the big and famous stretches of the lowland Madison River. We usually haunt the nearby little trickles of water in our neighborhood.

The Madison Fishing Bus - Launch It - Quick

.. On rare occasions we are gifted with a visit to the fabled 100 mile riffle. For us, it's a different sort of fishing.
.. Vast open spaces are hinted at from the incised river course. When floating the river it's possible to see the snowy mountains peeking from behind the massive terraces of the river's long and varied history.
.. This river speaks to some of our neighbors like no other. It calls. They respond. Even on their rare day off they return to visit the water and the fish.
.. Most of the local guides have lived here for over 20 years: some for over three decades. They love the winters. They love the summers. They love the rivers. They love the fish.
.. When the phone rings and the voice says: "I'm going fishing, want to come along?" We immediately accept and rearrange our schedule to comply. For the voice it's a busman's holiday. For us it's a rare treat.

Get Out Of The Boat - Explore Fresh Water

.. Right now the Madison River is in great shape for the early season. The bottom is full of little critters moving around and getting dislodged.
.. Some of the little critters are headed to the shore. Some of the little critters are bobbing to the surface. Some are just hanging out and getting eaten. They are all getting eaten by the fish, (and each other,) Early Summer is the time of eating beneath the surface of the river.
.. We arrive to join in the eating frenzy by providing phony food. Great sport. The fish comply. White fish, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, etc. are eating. We are feeding. Yum!
..The bus bobs along the river. The bus driver is exploring a river that is as familiar as his own self. Yet it's different from day to day and month to month and year to year and decade to decade. We're along for the ride.

Put This One Up High - For The Moment

.. Fish a little, catch a little, talk and laugh a lot. This is not a guided trip. It's not a float to the familiar slots where the fish are stacked like cord wood.
.. This is exploration. This is pure pleasure on a river that sees too much targeted fishing. This is a conversation with water and fish and flies and those things that flash by unnoticed in the heat of catching.
..The bus driver gets to fish. The passenger gets to fish. Fish from the boat. Fish from the shore. Fish in the water. What's over there? This run is deeper this year. That boulder has fallen over.

Surgery: Removal Of The Weapon From Above

.. The swallows aren't very active. There's a raptor diving on a duck. Enjoy the day. Enjoy the river. No pressure to catch a dozen or more, (though we do.)
.. Our bus gets passed by many other buses. They rush to the "good runs." They have hard-fishing clients. They are pressed to catch fish. Catch big fish. Catch many fish. Malign the White Fish. Pray for big Browns. Scream with glee at the aerobatic Rainbows. Take the stories back home to Iowa, or Georgia, or Vermont, or Mexico.
.. We eat lunch in phases at several places. We sit in the boat. We sit on the bank. We nibble this and we gobble that. Picnic on the Madison River. Not a bad work if you can get it. Wet a line here. Surprise us and a fish there. Relax and continue the conversation with the river.
.. The clouds finally come and decorate the sky. The shadows creep toward the river. The other buses are long gone. We arrive at the take out ramp. The angels of the river have shuttled the truck and trailer to the parking spot. We glide to the shore and drop 40 pounds of drag anchor to the bottom and climb out.
.. The bus gets parked on it's trailer. The bus driver smiles and pats the gunwale and hull affectionately. Trusty steed. Work horse. Friend and tool. Good bus. Many thousands of miles logged on this and other rivers. But this is the one river that sticks. Got to get up tomorrow and go to work.

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Headed To The Barn - Workday Tomorrow.

Phood 4 Phish

THE SUPERMARKET

A Broad Array Of Bugs

they trap 'em, we fling 'em

EVER SEE ONE OF THESE? 
FISH HERE.

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.. Hard as it is to believe, there are some folks as much, (or more,) interested in fish food as the fish. They capture insects and study the little critters. They trap them. They select places where they know the bugs to be in numbers sufficient for a good sample. Might that be a good place to fish - and catch? We think so.
.. Try it: you'll like it.

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.. Our neighborhood preferred fishery is in full bloom. It is seldom mentioned in the guide books: certainly not frequented by most of the seasonal counter help at the local feather merchants. It is scorned by those seeking to tell stories about the glory waters, and is absolutely full of bears and fish.

BEAR SPRAY IS MANDATORY

.. Most of the road to the parking area is not paved, (aw shucks.)..
.. Half of the road has potholes that will break a BMW's spring pack, (golly gee.)
.. Several small vans have been lost in those potholes, (salvage opportunity?)
 .. OOPS! [komputer krash - now using 6-year-old laptop and an antique server with Ubuntu with Samba - things will be rough and intermittent  for a short time.]
.. The water on this little creek is the only water in the neighborhood running at seasonal discharge norms. It is cold, clear and full of eager fish.
.. Fishing in this water requires both a Yellowstone National Park fishing permit and a Montana fishing license. A small price to pay for the catching that's involved.
.. We like it because it's quiet, usually elbow-free, and there are leviathans of untold dimensions and a bunch of eager smaller fish that keep us entertained.
.. Hope not to see you there.

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THE VIEW TO NOTELLUM RIVER. A FRIENDLY BIT OF WATER.

Upland Float Trip

SOMETIMES THESE KIDS FISH

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