Swingin'

 A LITTLE EARLY

Working Now

pick your poison

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.. Don't wait for the experts to tell you. Grab your streamers and fling them into the dark stream side holes. Follow the shadows and give them a tug. Dance partners are willing.

.. Fish early, (really early,) or late, (where you can.) Extra long casts are not required = but useful. If you are good at sneaking try a down stream strip at the bank beneath your feet.

.. Be on the alert for terrestrials. Ants, beetles, hopper nymphs and hopper juveniles are now available. If you are in or near the trees there are some moths showing up. If you don't mind catching a lot of fish try the gulpers on the reservoir.

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WALLPAPER: DESSERT WAFFLE

Thinking Fall

 BIG SKY PARADISE

Hunt, Fish, Play

it won't last long

ELK RIDGE RANCH

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.. Just a short ride down the road, in Beautiful Wilsall. More than 15,000 thousand acres of private deeded land. Three elk herds. Bears, moose, eagles, streams, fish = all right at home.

.. Room for 800 cattle. Perimeter fence. Close to Bozeman, Livingston, Airports, Yellowstone National Park. Cow camp improvements and barn.

.. Up for sale this week. Price reduced. Act fast. Call your California friends.

Check it out (LINK.)

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WALLPAPER: THE BEST S.O.S.

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

For Your Service

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.. Fishing opens in Yellowstone National Park on May 28, 2021. That's today! The opening day fly box should include a wide assortment of subsurface offerings and a few very small floaters. Fish the seams, the riffles, and undercut banks.

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WALLPAPER:  TAQUITOS FANTASTICO

Take A Break

WORTH A WATCH

You'll Like It

something new = guaranteed

Deep In The Catskill Mountains

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.. Just a bit of down time to enhance your "Covid Sunday." Grab a beverage and a soft spot. This is only up for a short time, so take advantage of it now.

.. The time may come that this may even be useful. Full of fine folks, scenic places, fish catching drama, sage advice, techniques and insight new to most.

CLICK HERE

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WALLPAPER:  BREADED PORK CHOPS & APPLESAUCE

The Bison Chronicles

PLEASE BE CAREFUL

They're Wild Critters

they will hurt you

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

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Woman gored after approaching bison in Yellowstone National Park; Always stay more than 25 yards away from bison

. News Release Date: June 29, 2020

Contact: Morgan Warthin, (307) 344-2015

• After a 72-year-old woman from California approached within 10 feet of a bison multiple times to take its photo, the animal gored her. 
• The incident occurred on the evening of June 25, 2020, at the female’s campsite at Bridge Bay Campground.  
• Rangers provided immediate medical care to the woman who sustained multiple goring wounds. She was then flown via helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.  
• “The series of events that led to the goring suggest the bison was threatened by being repeatedly approached to within 10 feet,” said Yellowstone’s Senior Bison Biologist Chris Geremia. “Bison are wild animals that respond to threats by displaying aggressive behaviors like pawing the ground, snorting, bobbing their head, bellowing, and raising their tail. If that doesn’t make the threat (in this instance it was a person) move away, a threatened bison may charge. To be safe around bison, stay at least 25 yards away, move away if they approach, and run away or find cover if they charge.” 
• This incident is under investigation. There is no additional information to share. 
• Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild. When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals - bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity.  

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FAN WING ROYAL COACHMAN

.. Our cool weather interlude has provided some rain and drizzle. This has kept the Firehole River at a temperature that will be, at least, worth trying in the early morning. Get there at sunup and fish the shadows. unless baetids are in your ears or, PMD's in your nose, stick with Soft Hackles and San Juan Worms.
.. Nez Perce Creek - below the bridge can be good with small nymphs below an attractor fly like a Royal Coachman.
.. The Madison River still has the trout eating large black stuff. Try it you'll like it. The neighbors have braved the beaver ponds with success.

BEAD BELLY WORM

.. Down around the Baker's Hole some large residents are feeding right at the interpretive sign on the Montana side of the river.
.. Bits and pieces of the Gibbon River have been yielding dance partners in the deep riffles and under the deep recesses of the shaded banks. In the small meadows at - and above the campground there is a good crop of healthy and feisty Brook Trout that are waiting for a tussle.
..Park safely and exit your car with caution. The mobile condominiums are more reckless this year than in recent memory.

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WALLPAPER:  MADISON RIVER EXPLORER

Fishing Weather

STARTS TODAY

Don't Miss Out

parking and open water

WALLPAPER:  READY AND WAITING

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.. Yellowstone National Park has many lonely fish. It's time to make friends with a few of them. This is an unusual time in national and Yellowstone history.
.. Visitation through the west entrance is is very low and may set modern records for sparse figures. Check out the west entrance webcam HERE. 

TIME FOR THESE

.. Tonight the rain starts and temperatures will be in the 30's. Tomorrow will see some 20's and, drizzle throughout the early morning and heavy cloud cover until evening.
.. Monday will bring us light snow with nitrogen for the garden and, hatches to die for. Tuesday will be gray and low and damp. Perfect fishing weather - Y'all come!
. Of course the neighbors have made some rapid forays to the rivers and streams, They are eager for the upcoming weather. Starting tonight we will recover from yesterday's unseasonably high of 83F.

Here's a few observations from the neighbors:

THE 'GO TO' FLY

>> Firehole River a bit high and fishing good,
>> Big bugs in the Firehole Canyon,
>> Yellow bugs on the muddy Gibbon River, 
>> Madison River is clearing - rain may slow it's progress,
>> Gibbon River in the highest meadows has light color,
>> Gallatin River cold and clear - wait on this one.
>> Madison River around the west boundary has some outrun snakes. 

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.. Daily fishing reports can be found in the webpages of the feather merchants in the left sidebar.
.. Ask the simple questions when seeking information: "Have you fished where you are suggesting that I go?," "When ?" Ask guides and counter help if they support the 'keep 'em wet' philosophy.

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WALLPAPER:  NICELY MARBLED

OPEN TODAY !!

BE COVID AWARE

Don't Kiss Strangers

keep 'em wet

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RESOURCES

>> YELLOWSTONE WEBPAGE
>> WEST ENTRANCE WEBCAM
>> CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
>> OLD FAITHFUL WEBCAM

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WALLPAPER:  MADISON CADDIS FACTORY

More Road Work

MDT PROJECT

Gardiner - Yellowstone

bridge surface repair

A MOST BUSY BRIDGE

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.. In 'normal' years more than 60,000 vehicles cross this bridge during 'high season.' Fortuitously Yellowstone National Park is currently closed - AND - minimal traffic disruption is expected.
.. The project is occurring in two phases and the Montana Department of Transportation has timed construction to minimize impacts on the traveling public.
.. Phase 1 entailed rehabilitation of one lane of the bridge and its approaches in early September 2019, through November 2019.
..  Phase 2 construction on the opposite lane and approaches starts today and, is scheduled to end June 2020. You can follow progress of the project with the following resources:
PROJECT OVERVIEW,
OVERVIEW PDF,
PROJECT UPDATES,
TRAVEL CONDITIONS,

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.. Business continues to propagate slowly through our village: more kids on bicycles and skateboards, fewer parking places at the hardware store, a proliferation of masked faces at the P.O. and grocery store, long distance conversations on street corners.

BIG BUGS ON THE HORIZON

.. We're still scared shitless as we gear up to visit the normal places of our daily round. We have some advice: don't get old or, let your guard down.
.. Our kindest neighbors have snelled some flies and offered to truck us down to the current catching spots. They'll even let us ride in the bed of the truck.
.. We may just take them up on it. Passing the early morning coffee through a crack in the back door does put a high nuisance on a simple task.  AND, our porch only has room for three 'distanced' folks.

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WALLPAPER:  ARMED AND DANGEROUS

Real Fishing

TAKES MUSCLES 

Lacks Finesse

an intimate experience

..

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.. Unlike the finesse laden mystic of fly fishing, (where we do things as remote as possible,) this fisher is intimate with her quarry. We don't recommend it but, it is fun to watch.

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WALLPAPER:  SURPRISE AT THE GROCERY STORE

60's Upcoming ?

EMERGENCY STATE CONTINUES

Weather For Gardens

we're waiting 

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USE THESE SORTS

.. The lowland Madison River is providing good catching and, the boats look good on the river. No "Stay At Home" for the intrepid fishers.
.. Our state-wide emergency declaration is in force until the end of the month.
.. Gallatin county is the most Covid-19 affected county in Montana.
.. The neighbors are taking long walks. Kids on skateboards are visible. Yellowstone National Park is still closed. There are still holes in the grocery stocks at the store. Milk is scarce, toilet paper is scarce, ice cream is getting low.

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WALLPAPER: SALISBURY STEAK - AN 1888 CURE ALL

Updates

FLIGHT AND ARREST

Timber Concerns

warm week ahead

CRITICAL ELK HABITAT  .. courtesy Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

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.. Madison Sasser, 18, is jailed in Conroe Texas, being held on an out-of-state fugitive warrant. Sasser is the aunt of James Alex Hurley, 12, who was found dead in the family home in West Yellowstone in early February. [Link To Story.]

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.. A federal judge sided with environmentalists in a lawsuit over a timber project on the north side of Hebgen Lake. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen ruled that the U.S. Forest Service needs to take another look at the 'North Hebgen Multiple Resource Project’s'  potential impacts on habitat for wolverines and elk [Full Story Here.]

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Sneaky Devils

.. Must be Spring. 60's in the bullseye. 50's happening now. Rain, (in drizzly amounts,) keeping streets damp. Snowpack holding. Discharge rates climbing. All face masks in place. Lots of parking places. Summer folk arriving in droves = refuge from crowded cities. Food quantities stable = limit one item and no more than 5# hamburger.
.. Neighbors cautiously breaking the law and fishing near - AND - in the Notellum Creek willow forest.
.. Catching is reported as spectacular.

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WALLPAPER:  SUNDAY ROAST BEEF

Local Celebration

WHAT A PLACE

Friends & More 

quick - - imbibe

WALLPAPER:  EARLY START - 18 MORE TO GO

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.. This is an interesting little village. It has often been described as a drinking town with a fishing problem. That could be true.

YOUR CHOICE

.. We have more Chinese restaurants than Pubs. We have more Pubs than Fly Shops. We have more Fly Shops than Churches. And, so it goes.
.. This is "NATIONAL BEER DAY." Just another commercial hook to bring a product or service or celebration to the fore and add a 'hook.'

NOT MUCH OF A CHOICE

.. We're hooked. The beer distributors have curried great favor with the pubs and grocery stores and convenience stores.
.. Visitors from afar can request their favorites from back home.
.. Our neighbors enjoy the day. There is no need to pretend a thirst. There is no need to seek out dim corners for sharing fish tales or consummating a tryst.
.. Today is a day to celebrate suds. From Guinness® on tap to Bud in a can this is a day of no excuses. Chug it down and swim in the soft glow for a day, (or more?)

CHOOSE A BAR

.. We even have a couple of real bars. Not the favorite pubs of the Western United States but real - genuine - bars.
.. They feel like bars. They make no pretense to being a pub. They are a bar. They have quite a few local habitues. But of course, they do serve beer as well.
.. We even have a pub in a barn that serves food with your beer if you should so choose. It's quite popular with visitors because it is filled with cute western bits of decor and features an outside drinking area.

CHOOSE A NOISY BARN

.. It's a place to pretend you are in the old west - if you can ignore the traffic noise from the state highway just 10 feet from the front door and outdoor patio.
..  It's comforting to know that there are choices in cuisine, religion, tap rooms and, roadhouses.

SORT OF IRISH PIZZA

.. We're too far north for a cantina but, despite the distance, there is an Irish flavored dive. Founded, long ago, by real Irish folks - though long since sold and re-sold.
.. There are places that cater to our Hispanic population, our fishing population, our working Anglo population, our casual drinking population and, our hard core drinkers and fighters.

PICK A FISHY PLACE

.. There are even a couple of pubs that aim their ambiance at the wayward traveler that happen to alite here for a cold one.
.. On occasion we visit a few of these retreats. We pretend that we're in the place for the usual.
.. We fool ourself into the belief that it's the neighborly thing to do. It just might be.

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.. Some Springtime news is beginning to filter out of that mysterious park which forms the eastern boundary of our little village.
1) Free Springtime bicycling, walking and such is available over 49 miles of park roads. From the West Entrance to Mammoth is currently plowed and open. Going to Old Faithful will soon be plowed completely dry.
2) The bears are out early and very widespread. Sightings at: Canyon Village, Fishing Bridge, Mammoth Hot Springs, Swan Lake Flats, Norris Junction. Tracks at Old Faithful and Fountain Flat.
3) Yellowstone Park Fisheries 'PUBLIC MEETINGS' have been scheduled: 
-- the Bozeman meeting is 7pm April 29,
-- the West Yellowstone meeting is 7pm April 30.
-- Location and topics will be announced soon.
>> Keep up to date with Yellowstone National Park news releases HERE.

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WALLPAPER: MR. GERMAN'S ORIGINAL CHOCOLATE CAKE