YUM !!

BIT OF A GOURMAND ?

Certainly Not A Gourmet !

pleasure derived from eating

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.. There was a football game: somebody won. There was an ice fishing tournament: somebody won. There was a neighborhood BBQ: we all pigged out.
.. Super Sunday in the neighborhood means a BBQ - weather be damned. It was 15° F and dead still. Last night it got to -11° F. The high pressure has settled in and the snow is afraid of the cold.
.. Depending on the annual host; it's steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, pork chops, or "all-day-brisket." This year it was chicken. Simple fare and plenty of it.
.. It's an easy recipe: drench, (you can think marinade,) the chicken halves in several gallons of "Yellowstone Brown Ale BBQ Sauce," overnight in the refrigerator. Then jab it with a fork and let it sit at room temperature for 3 or 4 hours. Keep it moist and keep turning it. Giant punch bowls serve for the containers. Then just BBQ the chicken over coals for about 45 minutes to one hour per side, (low heat in a covered grill is preferred.)
.. Serve with home-made potato or macaroni salad and freshly sliced tomatoes. Grind some dill seeds and sprinkle to taste over everything. Everybody should get at least 1½ chickens; fingers is O.K.
.. The key ingredient is the sauce. You can cook it up yourself if you can't find it in your local super market. It contains Moose Drool Brown Ale, Garlic, Onions, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Tomatoes. Everything is run through a blender, (or food processor,) and salt and peppered to taste. Simmer for a few hours to thicken. Make it thick and let it sit for a week before using.

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Season's Greetings From The Neighborhood Kids

The Real Santa

Couch Time

Thrummin' Hornbergs

IT'S ANY ONE'S GUESS

Slightly Modified

weighted body

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.. This slightly modified classic is just now making it's appearance beneath the ice on Hebgen Lake. The neighbors call it the "Bearded Hornberg," or the "Rasty Hornberg." It's tied just like the standard pattern with the addition of a large beard.
.. It's attached to the fishing line behind it's ample head with a standard riffling hitch; a small split shot is also suspended from the eye of the hook. Rigged correctly this allows the fly to hang in the water in a nearly horizontal position.

.. Neighbors don't remember a Whitefish being taken on this fly. Speculation allows it to mimic a small fish, thus attractive to the large rainbows and Browns in the lake. Truth be told it's any one's guess about what it really imitates. And like so many attractor flies it is not a major topic of conversation. It works, and that's that.
.. This pattern is almost always fished with a thrumming rod. Infrequently it is dangled beneath a tip-up. The thrumming rod allows the vibrations from the thumb-thrummer to move the fly in subtle ways beneath the water. Additionally, speculation allows that the vibrations attract the fish. Whatever the case, this is a rig that the neighbors favor when looking for the big trout in the reservoir.
.. NB: Maggots are scarce already. Meal worms are disappearing fast. Most night crawlers are dry or growing green stuff. It might be time to give the artificials a heavy workout.
.. More to come

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Merry Christmas

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Yellowstone Beach Weather

IT'S BEACH TIME !!

Don't Fish

enjoy

 

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.. Mom is throwing us a curve. We're loving it. The neighborhood plutocrats have left the area. Guides are towing boats to more southerly climes. Visitors have quit thinking about fishing here. So have we - for a day or two.
.. Even if our temperatures don't climb to the anticipated record highs, it'll be close enough for sunbathing at the beach. It's going to be tough making a decision this weekend: "to fish or gawk not to fish, that is the question."

.. The catching has been spectacular during this bonus week in Yellowstone National Park. The fish have been frisky, the bugs have been prolific, the clouds have shaded the pools, and stories to last a decade have been generated. What to do?
.. If this is a preview of global warming - we'll take it. This time, last year, we were talking about chains for park access, (LINK,) and the park had been closed for about 3 days.
.. We're headed to the park. We'll take the gear, we'll take our trusty point'n'shoot, we'll take a bucket of suds, we'll take some corned beef sandwiches, and we'll take our libido: the scenery should be delightful.
.. Should you find yourself in the neighborhood we suggest that you enjoy this gift. It'll be 3-feet deep before you can say "Thanksgiving."

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Our Favorite Stream

YIKES !

Direct To You From:

THE HORSE'S MOUTH

hot damn !

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.. Check out the latests posts from sunny San Francisco.

Gallatin Scenery

GALLATIN EYE CANDY

Flying Fish - and such

VIA "THE HORSE'S MOUTH"

Flyin' High

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The Best Laid Plans

HANDY RESOURCES

Cool Weather May Help

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.. Fishers over the weekend may find these useful:

==> FFYNP Weather,
==> Bullwinkle's Weather.
==> NOAA Weather,
==> Weather Underground,
==> Old Faithful Parking Lot Webcam,
==> Yellowstone News Releases,
==> Yellowstone Road Construction,
==> Yellowstone Interactive Map,
==> Yellowstone Fishing Regulations,
==> Yellowstone Fisheries Page,
==> Current Reports, (see sidebar for fly shops,)
==> Weekend Prognosis, (see post below.)

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OH, the joy of it all

A JOLLY GOOD TIME
WAS HAD BY ALL

Report Soon

it's just like you'd hope

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.. Not much snow and a trifling amount of cold mist and rain greeted the eager and faithful as they entered Yellowstone National Park for this year's opening day.
.. The clouds loomed low and were that perfect shade of dark gray that brings moans to most visitors and smiles to feather flingers who know.
.. Heavy overcast, and light fog greeted the dawn and lasted until 2:30 - 3:30, depending on where you were.
.. Fishers on the Firehole River were greeted by broken clouds and tiny bits of blue sky about noon. The brightness did not last long nor did it significantly interrupt the ample but not overwhelming Baetis hatch. Drizzle and gray clouds made for great conditions over much of the west side of the park.
.. By noon-thirty many successful Firehole fishers had doubled up their rig by floating an emerger followed by a Flash Back Prince Nymph on point. The flies were dinky but not impossible, (16 - 18.)
.. By 6:30 the day had transformed itself into a still, soft, and gentle countenance that had us transfixed and mesmerized as we pulled fish after fish from the Notellum River. Not much more could have been asked.
.. The river discharge rates for the Madison River Basin increased noticeably overnight but the color and visibility are still good. We'd hoped for a full week of clear water in the Madison River and the Gibbon River. We'll probably be lucky to get four days. Then it's everybody on the Firehole River for about a month, (baring a significant cold spell.)
.. The midges were thick on the Madison River around 7-mile Bridge. Fishers were fooled, but not the fish. They were taking Hare's Ear Nymphs and bright green Soft Hackles.
.. We saw some pilgrims far out on the meadows on the Gibbon River but have nothing to report for this area. However, the finger meadows north of Norris Geyser Basin did produce rumors of good catching on streamers.


.. The little meadows around the campground and by the Museum Of The Ranger were full of anglers enjoying both the scenery and the bite. Reports of fish right next to some campsites on Solfaterra Creek drew a lunchtime B-B-Q party for fresh Brook Trout.
.. Several of the neighbors fished around the Barns Holes and the park water near Baker's Hole on the Madison River.
.. These folks have recently imported a secret fly from England and wanted to try it out, far away from the prying eyes of river spies.
.. The controversial fly is called a "flexi-bug" and is of the same family lineage as the San Juan Worm and the Gob O' Worms and the Flexi Girdle Bug.
.. It's mere presence causes some fishers to foam at the mouth, and roll on the ground with either demonic laughter or spastic horror.
.. Initial reports were whispered in the dark corners of local pubs just a few minutes ago: "slayed 'em," "destroyed the drag on my reel," "broke 'em off on 2x," "landed one that left a hole in the water," "don't tell John."
.. We'll have better information on this, 2010, opening day tomorrow or Monday. By then we will have recovered from our arm weary day on the Notellum River.

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Back To The Chains

IT'S STILL SPRING HERE

Countdown To Ice Out

WORMS IN SHORT SUPPLY

Maggot & Meal Worm Supplies Exhausted

lawn chairs at a premium
the current rain & sleet & snow are just a bonus

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.. The drool level in town is palpable and escalating. Both the gear group and the fly fraternity speak the same language this time of year.
.. Moms, dads, wives, husbands, boy & girl friends, and the kids had better fish or cut bait.
.. The day could be today. It could be tomorrow. It might even wait a week, (but we doubt it.) There is open water on Hebgen Lake right now. More is appearing by the hour. It's beautiful.
.. The Madison Arm Estuary is open all the way to Grayling Creek.
.. Sunrise Cove is currently fishing like there's no ice at all. The ice shanties have been abandoned. It's Ice Out Time in the neighborhood.
.. We're not sure whether "ice out" is a noun or a verb or adjective. If it's a verb, it's 'icing-out' now! If it's an adjective, the lake will be 'iced-out' in about 3 more weeks. If it's a noun, it's 'ice out'.
.. The neighbors are already planning for next weekend, (since it's snowing again.) Portable grills, ice chests cleaned with baking soda, lawn chairs cleaned and rust removed, spare rods and reels, and of course extra beer for celebrations are on the 'to-do' lists.
.. And, there will be plenty of celebrating to do. This is the time of year when the big fish of the lake are most accessible, and most easily caught.
.. For the next couple of weeks there will be little parties of jubilation along the lake shore on every beach where the ice is within casting range. If we get a genuine cold spell the ice will recede slowly, and the gaiety could last for a month.
.. Short strong leaders are the drill for most of the fly fishers. Nothing over 6' is necessary, (nor is it desirable.) Any thing in the box will do. Presentation and position are the keys for catching success.
.. We continue to mention that the trout will eat anything that looks like food to them. How do we know this? The folks that eat these fish look at the stomach contents. What a varied and capricious bunch of crap-ola the trout do eat.
.. Twigs, (some of gargantuan size,) constantly amaze us. Bits of leaves, grass, and moss, (or something similar???) are also cataloged. There's always sand and gravel, (a size distinction that is lost on us.) And of course the normally anticipated bugs and some others, not so apparently available.
.. Last year at this time a big Brown Trout was gutted and the entrails dissected. Among the above mentioned debris was a nearly complete grasshopper, (minus one leg.) Use your imagination! The damn thing was nearly an inch long.
.. In lakes and turbid streams epibenthic feeding is the norm. There is all manner of goop on the bottom of streams and lakes. Gobble it now and digest it later seems to be the strategy when drift feeding is not available.
.. All the neighbors have their favorite and 'secret' weapons. We use Feather Dusters, Prince Nymphs, Gob-O-Worms, (HERE & HERE,) San Juan Worms, Yellowstone Badger and an occasional Shop Vac. They all seem to work or fail with equal aplomb.
.. Presentation is usually with a slow sink-tip line; cast to the ice, and then pulled gently into the water. This is the most successful method for most of the neighbors.
.. The contrarian method is just about the complete opposite. A high floating line with an extremely long, (12' is where they start,) leader is used. Scuff the leader so it sinks and place a double fly rig on it, (flies about 2' apart.) Cast this rig parallel to the ice and smoke a cigar until the take.

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Big Bugs

THE
MYTHOLOGICAL SKWALA

You Heard It Here Second

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.. The neighborhood is rife with anxiety and anticipation. We were surprised to hear that a photograph of the mythological SKWALA has been posted by Josh over at the TROUTBUG.
.. Not only is it a BIG BUG, but it's close to home. Who'd 'a' thunk it? Should we move to Ennis, Montana? Should we notify National Geographic? What to do?
.. Of course it was last week and they probably have flown the coop. Such is life.
.. There is a suggestion that they are expanding their range and habitat. Hmmmmm!
.. The last ones we saw were in California. See THE ECOLOGICAL ANGLER for that bit of fun.

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