So Soon ?

"THE" WEEKEND

Y'all Get In Line

some come to fish

WORTHY OF A PORTRAIT

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.. We've been lax about reporting the stupendous visitation that is happening in Yellowstone National Park.
.. We've been mostly avoiding the fishing opportunities inside the gates of that hallowed arena. Just too many elbows.
.. While the fishing and catching have been O.K. "in there:" the catching has been somewhat closer to glorious in other places.
.. So suddenly it's the Fourth of July. We're caught off guard. This is the time when even a ground squirrel can cause a monumental traffic jam.
.. This is the time when most bears and buffalo have moved out of the river valleys and all of the 500mm lenses are trained on talus slopes in search of the wily pica. Raw nature at it's most wild.

LOOK MA - NO HANDS

.. Even mayflies cause a ruckus and draw huge crowds at this time of year.
.. The sun is at it's hottest. The park is hitting peak humidity and afternoon thundershowers are a blessing to those of us acclimated to the high country.
..  Record traffic is anticipated this weekend, (along with other records,) through Tuesday of next week.
.. Personal vehicles have remained at a steady high point while tour buses and motor homes have increased their presence over the last few years.
.. Pedestrian polo, bison boffing, and ground squirrel popping are popular vehicular pastimes - along with fender benders and center line parking.

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.. The Firehole River is approaching all time low discharge rates, (within 6 cfs today,) and is holding at a steady 73° F temperature.

COACHMAN - NOT YET FORGOTTEN

.. Afternoon thundershowers have ameliorated the big temperature spikes over the last few days.
.. Many visitors have this little stream on their bucket list. They'll fish it hard during their visit.
.. Morning is best. Get off the water by 10:30 or 11:00 AM, (or earlier.)
.. Use a PMD, BWO, Coachman, or Royal Coachman on the surface. Swing a soft hackle for guaranteed success. There are better places to catch fish but the neighbors back home won't be as impressed. Grasshopper nymphs are beginning their final molt.
.. The Madison River is running at 75° F, (and more some days.) It's flow is up a little bit thanks to the discharge from the Gibbon River but, it's still about 300 cfs below it's median discharge for the day. It's over 1,000 cfs below it's record high.

CAN YOU MANAGE A 6' CAST ??

.. Successful catching on the Madison River benefits from intimate knowledge of the deep holes and in-river cold water springs.
.. Ask the counter help at your favorite feather merchant about these places. Better yet hire a guide if you must fish the river.

YELLOWSTONE SALLY

.. There are places, right now, indeed, on the Madison River where a 6' cast from the bank will take fish.
.. Some of these places will yield a dozen fish of various sizes every hour. Look for noses in the darkest water and the spring holes adjacent to river banks with sandy/gravel from old surface springs. 

RUBBER BAND CADDIS

.. Caddis is king right now, (though there are still some stoneflies of various sorts to be found.)
.. Little yellow stoneflies can bring up the noses with a gentle cast, perfect drift, and patience of a saint.
.. Grasshopper nymphs are thick around 7-mile bridge and the Barns Holes. There is, sadly, very little deep and dark water in these places. Try the sinuous meanders over at Baker's Hole for better opportunities, (yes you will have to walk out of sight of the car.)
.. Watch the birds. Swallows and osprey are abundant this year. Even the eagles are fishing the Madison River with ease, (low flows and concentrated pods of fish - dontchaknow.)

FURNACE AND GREEN CUL de CANARD

.. We've been on the Gallatin River quite a bit lately. The grasshopper nymphs are in their final molt. A few ants are scurrying about, beetles are apparent, and caddis is king.
.. Little yellow stoneflies are crawling along the shoreline, zinging in the air, and invading ears of fishers. There are other stoneflies as well. Pick your favorite stonefly nymph pattern and have a good time, (on top or down below.)

CHAMOIS WORM

.. The mayfly hatches seem to be a bit better than in recent years and you can fish to the hatch if you find it.
.. Riffle breaks and both ends of pools are concentrating fish right now. There are a few in-stream cold springs in a few deep meander bends. Ask your local source.
.. There are some outsize fish to be had on the Gallatin River in Yellowstone National Park: you just have to find them and coax them. We've been using the simplest of lures: a chamois worm. Sink it deep and slow drift it in the dark of a deep meander bend.

Sierra Bright Dot

.. Deeper into the interior of Yellowstone National Park the catching is very good.
.. Just as close to us as the canyon sections of the Gibbon River there are still a few stoneflies working. This is good water for your favorite ugly attractor flies.
.. You can float large nymphs, soft hackles, or pretty flies and be duly rewarded in the shallow riffles.
.. Fish the edge of the tree shadows, tall banks, and those few giant boulders that we know and love so well.

HORNBERG

.. There are still morning possibilities in the big meadows. They are mostly dry now and intrepid anglers that know the meanders are doing well with small streamers.
.. The undercut banks have large fish that suspend near  the surface and sip detritus as it goes by. Close observation, (especially in the late afternoon and early evening,) can provide a fish to brag about.
.. Flatten out and squish together the wings of a Hornberg Fly and drift it slowly just beneath the surface, (use a bobber if you must.)
.. Both Obsidian Creek and the upper Gibbon River are rife with eager fish. Anything thrown at them will catch them. BUT, - stroll gently and low! Short leaders and short, precision casts are the ticket here.
.. Far and away, (toward the north and east,) it seems that gangbusters is the word. We've had a few reports from the glory waters and famous places but haven't gotten up there yet.
.. Click on over to PARKS' FLY SHOP for the up to the minute reports and tips for the waters over that way.
.. It's dark out. The thermos is full of hot water and there's enough coffee to fill it. We're headed to Notellum Riffle. See you on the other side of the traffic jam.

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WALLPAPER:  DARK HOLES ON THE MADISON RIVER

The Scenic Route

ROAD CLOSURE ADVENTURES

Arrive Early - Leave Early

only the solitary need apply

WALLPAPER:  ENJOY THE SCENERY

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.. The ongoing road improvements in Yellowstone National Park have become so commonplace during the last decade that park habitues have come to use them as screening devices.
.. There are some fine catching opportunities in, or near, construction zones. Most park visitors try to avoid delays and construction zones. Fishers can use them.
..The neighbors have the closure and delay schedules memorized. For the rest of us the information is listed HERE.
.. Not to give away too much -- but, Obsidian Creek is more abandoned than usual. There are others as well.

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WALLPAPER: FRIENDLY FISHING DESTINATION

Go East Young Man

SORRY HORACE

It's All Good

depending on rain and mud plugs

YES VIRGINIA THOSE ARE TROUT

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.. The greatest variety of fishing topography in Yellowstone National Park is now ready to go. Opportunities abound.
.. The Yellowstone River is open. The Lamar River is settling down. Slough Creek is pumping out bugs and fish. Indian Creek and Obsidian Creek already have armies of elbows. Virginia Creek is alive with fish and fishers. Trout Lake has willing trout, (a bit more selective than usual.) There are still cruisers along the shore of Yellowstone Lake. Grebe Lake is fully accessible and the grayling are more cooperative than usual, (not quite as easy at Wolf Lake.)

.. Check in with the feather merchants up that way for complete up-2-da-minute reports.
.. For most of these waters the evening is providing spectacular catching on caddis imitations. The hatches have clouded the water and the shoreline grasses. Ovapositing caddis can hide the water from view as little clouds of the critters dance along the water. The trout seem to understand this. Go figure.
.. In the mornings there is a choice for fishers: chucking streamers for the submarines, or floating trico fluffies for the majority of the residents.
.. Pick your favorite baetid imitation and fish the BWO hatch, or for that matter any of the hatches where the mayflies are popping. Right now the fish are doing their best to fill their dance cards.
.. The cutthroat action has been very good on the Yellowstone River. The water is still very high and dangerous. It is running at about 1,000 cfs above seasonal norms - but it's nicely clear and catching, (like last year,) seems to have improved over the desertic conditions of the previous 5 or 6 years.

.. Right now is the perfect opportunity for big fish on big streamers or ugly rubber legs - if you can resist the noses.
.. Hatches, even in the high water are pretty strong. There really is no need, (for the moment,) to get in the water. Cruise the banks in your best stealth fashion and use your pocket binoculars to find the noses. As the water drops the fish will seek holding water on the subsurface gravel bars. For now they are finding plenty of cover and food along the bank. Have at it.
.. Should you have the legs for it, a stroll down the hill at Tower Falls will provide exceptional catching opportunities both in Tower Creek and the Yellowstone River. This is an excellent place for the late evening fisher to sail a streamer into the haunts of giant fish. Do not go down the hill with a 4 weight and 6x tippet.

.. As the thunderstorms in the Lamar Valley subside and the shimmering heat of full Summer spreads out, there will be plenty of biting flies to bother your fishing. Puddled water is pretty widespread right now and the mosquitoes are having great feasts of flesh in the Slough Creek campground and the Pebble Creek campground. Keep this in mind.
.. There is still a bear, (or 3,) above the campground at Pebble Creek. We've some second hand reports that the fishing is worth the walk. Be loud and raucous once you hit the trees above the little canyon. Carry the bear spray in your gun hand.
.. Soda Butte Creek is still a bit raucous but not too dirty. Right now is a good time to fish the confluence waters of this fine little stream. Either the confluence with Amphitheater Creek, Rose Creek, or with Pebble Creek will provide good catching in the current conditions. Fish in the windows and the seams. Hold on tight.

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All's Well

THE GOOD NEWS POST

The Fish Are Ravenous

catch 'em all day on the gallatin

IF IT BINDS  -  PULL IT

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.. Better late than never is what the neighbors are chanting. The high and cold water is a memory. The bank-hugging fish have moved into mid-stream feeding lanes. It's now possible to wet your waders with a reason. Catching is good on all west side rivers, (even the hot one.)

THE BIGHORN RUN

.. Flows persist above seasonal averages and temperatures of the waters are very cool in the mornings and evenings. The "perfect" weather includes a few afternoon thundershowers that punctuate the mid-day warming and the little freshets from the tributaries are keeping good grits flowing into the main streams.
.. The neighbors have noted that the first signs of Fall include winged grasshoppers, enormous berry crops, wrinkled willow leaves, curled aspen leaves, and the reduction in numbers of the hoards of school children splashing in the streams. It's all good.
.. The Gallatin River is the local magnet for catching oriented fishers. Generalized surface offerings of the "slightly too big" variety are dragging them in. Hopper / Dropper rigs are much in use, and even small streamers in the the dark water are galling some big fish between Snowflake Springs and Black Butte.
.. Experts have abandoned the Firehole River because "it's too hot." Just six weeks ago they were praising the 64° F water as perfect. Well now Ethel, it's 64° for a few hours in the morning and evenings. Caddis are busting out all over.
.. The same story holds true on the Madison River. If you must catch a fish on the surface take a size 10 Adams and aim at the noses in the foam lines. Should your purist tendencies be lagging a double nymph rig will suffice. Try a size 10 or 12 Prince Nymph followed by a size 16 Shop Vac.
.. Nez Perce Creek, Iron Spring Creek, and the Little Firehole are all full of fish just begging to be caught with such mundane flies as Scarlet Humpy, Royal Coachman, Adams, and Hendrickson. Fish the local exotics if you choose, but the neighbors are fishing the old stand-by's.

GOOD GAWD - A BEAR

.. A pleasant surprise in this high water year is the population of catchable fish in the waters of Solfaterra Creek above the Norris Campground. The moose and the bears are not too much of a problem right now but well-armed anglers have a canister of bear spray in their hand anyway!
.. We should point out that the upper Gibbon River meadows (both big and little,) are finally fishing just fine. Catching is the reward for stealth anglers in the big meadows. Numbers is the name of the game in the small meadows and the tangle along the way to Grebe Lake. We usually take the long way in and the short way out.
.. We finally made it to Obsidian Creek. The residents were so glad to see us that they ate anything we offered - up to a size 8 Renegade, on the surface. Small San Juan Worms along with sparsely tied Pheasant Tail Nymphs were dyn-o-mite in the water column,
.. Well, the mid-day warm is about over and it's back to the water for us. The gulpers of Hebgen Lake are finally about everywhere. It's taken an extra week or so this year. The faithful have been chasing the bugs and fish from weed bed to weed bed. Now just about all weeds are giving up the bug feast we've been waiting for.

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JUST WHAT IS THE ATTRACTION FOR ALL THESE FISH ??

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Brookie Heaven

GRAY DAYS = DANCING FISH

Forget It.  It's Just For Kids!

we're an aging kid

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.. It's known as a simple place to catch fish. It's right along the road. It's too easy to get to. It's not in the lore of glory waters for Yellowstone National Park. It's not worth the time of "serious" fly fishers. There are surprisingly few elbows. It's just our cup of tea.

.. Indian Creek is currently providing tons of fun for fans of the colorful Brook Trout. The colors of the fish and the meadows are as bright as can be. The delights of catching are punctuated by both beautiful scenery and the occasional diesel tour bus.
.. Sunday started with a thunderstorm and intermittent showers continued all day. There were holes in the clouds on occasion, and the bright sun was dazzling compared to the general gray of the day. The fish didn't seem to notice the difference.

.. The flies used were a wonderfully eclectic assortment of attractors, cripples, nymphs, hoppers, and famous designs. We changed them periodically and whimsically: all were happily banged by the little, (and not so little,) fish in the river.
.. Most fish that accepted our invitation to dance were in the 6" - 8" range. The biggest fish brought to hand was maybe 11". And we tangled with something a bit larger but must have stepped on it's toes during the ballet as it did a beautiful aerial 360° and flung the hook into the shoreline grasses.
.. We also visited Obsidian Creek and found the fish there just as willing as their relatives in Indian Creek. They were of the "visit and slurp" clan unlike the "slam-it-now" behavior exhibited by the others.

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.. The little grasshoppers are now in their final molt and creating quite a disturbance. There are about 10-12 per square meter from Roaring Mountain to Sheepeater Cliff. There are fewer in the trees.
.. These small hoppers are the fly tiers prototype and their shades of yellow, amber, and brown are very spectacular.
.. Another few days and the colors will fade as the exoskeletons harden. Right now these little dickens' are just about 3/4" long and stand out in the just beginning to dry grasses of the meadows.
.. The colors are perfect camouflage for the meadows and provide a perfect target for the fish. Many a 3" Brookie slammed our small hoppers. Some even got them in their mouth.

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.. The bridge over the Gibbon River is all but done. Paving on the road is proceeding at a fair clip. There are still delays. The length of time for the wait to use the single lane depends on the traffic.
.. Going north from West Yellowstone before 10:00 AM the delay is about 15 minutes. Coming south at about 3:00 PM the wait can be 30 minutes. At dusk the traffic thins out and the wait can be as little as 10 minutes. The dancing fish are worth it all.
.. We're habituated to the river stretches around Sheepeater Cliff Campground. The other river sections in the big willow meadows and around the Loop Road Bridge are also full of fish.
.. We didn't stop at those places because the elbow count was fairly high. There seems, however, to be something about the numerous cars in the campground parking lot that keeps fisher folk from parking & walking the 45 feet to the water's edge. We don't mind if they stay away.

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A Touch Of Warm

MOM BRINGS ON THE HEAT

Hoppers, Ants, Moths, Beetles

dig out the "T" box

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.. After some gray and wonderfully cool August days Mom has complied with the seasonal imperative and cranked some therms into the daytime temperatures.
.. This coming week will see the thermometer climb toward 80 degrees and will have the hoppers hopping.
.. Spruce moths have finally made their appearance in numbers sufficient to be noticed by the savvy trout. These along with a very large crop of beetles and ants are driving fisher folk nuts with the quandary of which terrestrial to use. After all it's hopper time!
.. We've no sage advice or ultimate truth in this regard. There are literally hundreds of truth-tellers in West Yellowstone this time of year. They will give you the absolute, divinely inspired, inside scoop about the correct fly. Some of them fish on occasion.

.. Hoppers of course are present in significant numbers as well. The high country has not yet seen the anticipated overwhelming numbers predicted for the rest of the western states. However there are reports of the invasion from not too far away LINK.
.. There are at least 4 species, locally, that occur in numbers sufficient to garner the attention of fly fishers. Not a one of them is known by it's Latin name in the dusty corners of the feather merchants. Asemoplus montanus is our own species and has been studied the least.
.. Adult grasshoppers in the neighborhood can be as large as two inches. Fisher folk seldom throw an imitation that large, (some of our more eccentric neighbors insist that trout won't eat anything that big on the surface.)
.. On the Madison River, the Gallatin River, Duck Creek, Nez Perce Creek, Fan Creek, Bacon Rind Creek, Taylor Fork Creek, west fork Gallatin River, Slough Creek, Lamar River, Obsidian Creek, and even Specimen Creek, there are hoppers approaching the two inch mark. The poor dumb fish are missing a bet - or the fishers are.

.. Ants, (including the flying variety,) are very apparent and very busy right now. They are a staple of the fishy diet in the slow moving foam lines near the shore. These critters are a necessary item in the current terrestrial box. None of them are reported to be as large as 2".
.. Beetles are mostly black dots in the fly box. There are over 40 species of common beetles in Montana. The Mountain Pine Beetle, (Dendroctonus ponderosae,) is a black dot in real life and the usual prototype for fly patterns. They are just 5mm long as an adult and attractive for the fly fisher.

.. However, the Blister Beetle (Meloidae sp.,) can be copper colored or even an oxidized copper-green. They can reach a length of over an inch. Locally they occur in numbers sufficient to fall in the water frequently. What patterns are used for these? Have you got one in your box?
.. Tiger Beetles come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors: green, blue, red, yellow, orange & brown, etc. Seldom are they all black. They are not as common as the Pine Beetle but are more common than the Blister Beetle. The most prevalent one in the neighborhood is Cicindela nebraskana, a beautiful shiny reddish copper colored beetle that loves the open stream-side meadows in the woodlands of our high country. Not a one of them ever falls into the water and the trout ignore them in favor of black dots.
.. All this by way of saying: if your favorite hopper imitation won't get the job done try a beetle pattern of your own creation. The fish will not have seen a unique imitation, and it should be better that the little black dots sold by the feather merchants.

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A Midsummer Night's Report

EGAD - IS JULY ENDING ?

All Open Park Waters Now Open

all fish now targets
(monster map at end of post)

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.. In the blink of an eye we've gone from anticipating opening day to the summer doldrums. Fishing and catching, however, are anything but dull or depressed.
.. We've gathered up the best information, juiciest rumors, and most rampant speculation about the fishing in Yellowstone National Park.
.. We even went out of our way to fish several of the best places to examine the information for this fishing report, to wit:
==> Arnica Creek: Getting low, still cold, avoid the fire, attractors and small ants.
==> Bacon Rind Creek: In prime shape, beetles, ants, caddis, stalk the banks and cover a lot of territory, carry bear spray.
==> Beaver Creek: Long walk - small fish, bears, but great camping and exploring, anything in the box will work, only fish it if you're young and adventurous, two reports, (cell phone photos,) show fish to 14" taken on a "WHITE ROYAL COACHMAN" - never heard of such a thing!
==> Bechler River: The mosquitoes are not too bad yet, drakes as big as bombers are coming off in the meadows, anything will take the smaller fish on top, the large fish are there but you need all the stealth of a B2 to get within range, perfect skills will gather up some of the largest stream fish in Yellowstone.
==> Blacktail Deer Creek: Golden stoneflies right now, big soft hackles and bead head caddis underwater, caddis on top, sallies if you're lucky, as soon as the hoppers mature this will be very crowded.
==> Boundary Creek: Seems to be clearing early, without rain this creek and the Bechler River will be as good as it gets for the next 3 weeks, (or more,) use your full arsenal of 'ground bugs' here, beetles are especially good right now.
==> Cache Creek: Fishing better than the Lamar River or Soda Butte Creek right now, if you've got the legs this is the place to be for the next week, PMD's and Drakes are working now, reports of hoppers seem a bit suspicious, we believe the beetle and ant stories.
==> Cottonwood Creek: Long walk, good fishing, worth a day to go in and out, terrestrials soon, carry bear spray for all streams in the canyon, Royal Wullf, yellow Humpies, and Adams will do on top, Prince Nymphs and Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear down below.
==> Cougar Creek: Low again this year, fish outside the park near the confluence with Duck Creek, or right at the park line in the thick willows.
==> Duck Creek: There are some small winged hoppers here, first of the season, soft hackles and attractors too, please obey the bear closure.
==> Falls River: No good current information, however it should be just great with PMD's and small stoneflies.
==> Fan Creek: In perfect shape, carry bear spray and fish with a friend, some flavs and drakes, subsurface with soft hackles all day.
==> Firehole River: Fish the upper with attractors and soft hackles, dance with beautiful Brook Trout, go way up, camp, fish in pristine water, take bear spray.
==> Gallatin River: Water of choice for a couple of weeks, spruce moths starting, caddis clouds in evening, nymphs and soft hackles all day, a winged hopper was seen yesterday, see ya there - armed with bear spray.
==> Gardiner River: Fishing well with heavy pressure, caddis on top and Prince Nymphs below are the staple fish-getters.
==> Gibbon River: Canyon has slowed, use soft hackles and attractor flies, below the falls is marginal - walk and prospect, above Norris Campground still fishing good, (eager Brook Trout in the shadows and undercut banks.)
==> Iron Spring Creek: Surprising number of fish in this still cold water, attractor dries, caddis, Prince and Hare's Ear, best hurry this water will warm up too.
==> Lamar River: clearing and fishable, streamers in the canyon, soft hackles in the riffles, match the hatch if it happens, small stonefly nymphs will serve in most places, PMD's and other surface activity getting good.
==> Little Firehole River: Not as many fish as expected, try Iron Spring Creek, in the late evening a mouse is a good bet near all the sweepers and downfall.
==> Madison River: Excellent evening caddis, terrestrials, (without hoppers - yet,) for the day, sparse mayflies about 10:00 AM, warming rapidly.
==> Nez Perce Creek: The water about a quarter mile above the Loop Road is teeming with fish just run up from the Firehole River, cover a lot of territory and swing soft hackles, make noise and carry bear spray.
==> Obsidian Creek: Just a delight, cars or no cars your choice, walk a bit and find Brookies so colorful you'll two pair of sun glasses to appreciate them, often scorned as a "kids fishery" this is one of the prettiest creeks in Yellowstone, and - DAMN if the catching aint as good as the fishing.
==> Pebble Creek: Often ignored, sadly, try the long glides right by the picnic tables, use large soft hackles and beetles.
==> Slough Creek: The drakes are starting, the water is clear, the evening has some caddis and folks are beginning to arrive by the busload.
==> Snake River: Caddis is king with the drakes scattered, if you bump into them hold on.
==> Soda Butte Creek: Clear cold and beautiful, meadow section has caddis and PMD's, lots of ants this year - big too.
==> Straight Creek: The green drakes are still hanging around, fish near the confluence with Winter Creek for the most eager of the Brookies, enjoy the heavy cover, lose some flies.
==> Tower Creek: Worth the walk to the bottom right now, small stones, caddis, soft hackles, and mice in the evening.
==> Trout Creek: Just too good to leave to the worm fishers and kids.
==> Winter Creek: What a glorious tangle! the fish are here and larger than they have any right to be, attractors of the most bizarre sort work here, so does everything else.
==> Yellowstone River: Still on the high side, clear, cruise the banks looking for noses, Stimulators may infuriate large fish.

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==> Grebe Lake: Crowded, fishing well, grayling on the small side.
==> Hebgen Lake: Gulpers-ho, callibaetis, drowned Adams, furious action.
==> Joffe Lake: Great place to meet new friends, have a picnic, let the kids fish, and catch a few yourself, evening is best if the mosquitoes don't suck you dry.
==> Lewis Lake: Camp here, explore in the day, drag a leech near the outlet for some real excitement.
==> Shoshone Lake: Same as above, the mosquitoes are larger and hungrier this year than in recent memory, pretty place.
==> Quake Lake: Streamers near inlet and Beaver Creek, some gulper activity near trees and outlet.
==> Yellowstone Lake: Shore fishing still productive in the West Thumb area. Float a soft hackle well ahead of cruisers.

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