Interested In Native Fish ??

YELLOWSTONE SCIENCE

Native Fish Conservation

download vol. 25, #1

DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE !

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.. Starting in 2010 a focused and concerted effort was implemented to conserve the native fish of Yellowstone National Park.
.. Although, in the past, there have been smaller programs to the same end, this is a park wide and species wide effort.
.. This report from Yellowstone Science is the first significant release of the program scope and results to date. Public meetings and listening sessions have taken place over the last seven years. This report ties together the dribs and drabs of information that have trickled out over the last seven years.
.. The body of the report is 50 pages, including the bibliography and references.

Appended to the report are:

>> Note from the Yellowstone Lake Working group,
>> Note about suppressing non-native Lake Trout,
>> Note about fish population responses to suppression,
>> Women in science,
>> Movement patterns and areas for spawning Lake Trout,
>> Lake Trout supression [sic] alternatives to gillnetting,
>> Protection from aquatic invasive species,
>> Trout facts,
>> Volunteer activities,
>> Schweber note on catching locations.
>> Birds and mammals that eat cutthroat,
.. Download it HERE-1 or HERE-2.

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SIERRA BRIGHT DOT - WORKS!

.. The bright grayness has arrived with a warm mixed drizzle of snow and rain. Perfect fishing weather. The mush will keep the fair weather fishers off of the trails  whoot, whoot!
.. We'll don the gear and brave the warm and wet. Right after breakfast and a nap.

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THE NEIGHBORS GROW GOOD WHEAT

Sharing

YNP NATIVE FISH CONSERVATION

Park Wide PDF Available

for those that really care

JUST LOOK AT HER

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.. Thanks to an alert neighbor we can point you to the "YELLOWSTONE FISHERIES & AQUATIC SCIENCES 2012-2014" PDF.
.. The 56 page document, (YCR-2015-01,) from  the National Park Service, Yellowstone Center for Resources, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming is at THIS LINK.
.. The status report is fairly comprehensive, (finally,) and outlines the program mechanics including: a comprehensive summary of the program, explanation  of the current conservation actions, and a large section on the efforts in Yellowstone Lake. Maps of collection and removal sites are documented as well as the brood stock development in Goose Lake.
.. It will take several readings to digest the report. There's food for thought and fodder for discussion.

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Three items

MISPERCEPTION

GALLATIN BOUND
Some Breaking And Recent News

WALLPAPER: HIDDEN GALLATIN

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.. #1: Because of storage requirements, traffic counts, longevity of web presence, and content; this little family and friends blog was recently defined as a commercial enterprise. It's not.
.. There is not now, and never has been a paid or unpaid advertisement on our post pages. There never will be.
.. Apparently blogs come and go, and hosting at free Internet Service Providers and hosting services is based on this perception. Our wallpapers and persistent web presence - along with a bit of verbosity removes us from the ephemeral norm of bloggerdom.
.. The proposition was put forth, to us,  that demands upon the free service  were such that some recompense, (in the form of filthy lucre,) should flow toward the service provider. Not from us!
.. We have resolved the conflict and feel that a free, non commercial website deserves to be hosted for free for as long as free hosting is offered. So be it.
-- Many of our images will be, henceforth, hosted at a free service and "hot linked" to these pages. You will not notice a difference. Radio silence has ended.
.. #2: It's time to fish the Gallatin River. The elbows are sparse. Afternoon rains keep many visiting fishers at the pubs, in trinket shops, and roaming the musty aisles of feather merchants.

PICK A FUZZY FLOATER

.. Parking is abundant and safe, (mostly,) fish are exuberant, bugs are plentiful, grasshoppers are in their final molt, (a bit early,) and pretty thick right now.
.. Take your favorite caddis imitation for a pleasant walk along one of the least appreciated streams in Yellowstone National Park.
.. The quiet water is still providing rising fish that seem to want to eat anything. Ants and beetles are just making their presence known and all manner of flotsam is fair game for catching right now.
.. There are a couple of bears around the upper end of the stream and even a cranky moose at Fawn Pass. Hike with other folks and be well armed and alert. Bear spray is your friend.
.. #3: Some important happenings have taken place during our involuntary hiatus.
.. Over 150,000 Grayling eggs have been planted in Grayling Creek. About 35,000 Cutthroat eggs have been planted in the same water. Some fry are present in the expected nursery waters. Perhaps a healthy population will ensue.
.. The, occasionally heated, conversation about sending rotenone, (an odorless, colorless, crystalline ketonic chemical compound used as a piscicide,) down Soda Butte Creek, is in it's final stages.
.. We've been kept abreast of the developments by several readers, most notably "J.B." Thanks ever so much.
.. For those not familiar with the interagency action to remove the willing Brook Trout from the upper reaches of Soda Butte Creek, here are some resources to help you evaluate the action. We're sorry we could not post it during the last few weeks:
-- -- A) Draft E.A. for Soda Butte Creek,
-- -- B) NPS amended conservation plan statement,
-- -- C) Discussion and commentary from Chi Wulf,
-- -- D) Straight news from Billings Gazette,
-- -- E) Straight news from Jackson Hole News & Guide,
-- -- F) Recent News From Bozeman Chronicle.
.. Recent developments revealed by correspondence between the officialdom and our source "J.B." shows us the best approximation of a timetable for the action and the augmented plan to save some of the native cutthroats in the stream.
.. August 24, 2015 is the projected date for the start of the poison phase.
.. Native Cutthroats will try to be saved.
.. If you filed a comment you have the right to appeal the decision on this action. 
.. Back in the saddle.

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WALLPAPER:  GRAYLING SUMMER

Yellowstone River Report, ('13)

PLEASANT SURPRISES

Arise Earliest - Get Gone

the new recruits are eager

STANDING IN LAST YEAR'S DEEP HOLE - FISHING THE MIDDLE

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.. Now then: the reports of the death of the Yellowstone River's catching are true - for last year. This year seems to be a different story.
.. The river is extremely low and warm for this time of year and the fish are where they ought to be,  just not where they used to be.

WE LIKE THIS ONE

.. If you fish here often you will recognize the new opportunities; certainly the fish have. Many undercut banks are exposed and some are dry. Many holes and hides that were normally available for the opener are now a good place to stand and fish.
.. Mid stream fishing, (and catching,) is accessible - if you are a strong wader. This is a rare treat for the adventurous fisher folk.

WE REALLY DO !

.. Please be advised that the river is still a strong bit of water and that deep wading is still a dangerous proposition.
{{Note the tragic death of a Montana Angler in the river: HERE & HERE.}}
.. There are bugs aplenty. There are noses in the air. Mid day fishing is grand but the catching sucks.
.. Get on the river early and enjoy the quietude and slashing action of the big fish that the river is famous for.
.. There is also a large class of fresh recruits being caught this year. Small fish in the one foot class are abundant. This may be due to the combination of eradication of Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake, and the last few mild winters. Whatever the reason you will catch more than a few of these youngsters in your day on the water.
.. Stalking is highly recommended. A small pair of binoculars is an excellent tool. Cover the water. Walk the banks. Pick your quarry. Stick 'em in the lip.

THIS ONE TOO

.. Right now the fish are highly selective. They are keyed on any properly presented fly: surface or submerged!
.. We watched one giant Cutthroat zig-zagging to bits of food in the water column and rising to sticks, spinners, and Drakes - all in a period of about 20 minutes. They are hungry and they are eating. Baby binoculars are a wonderful thing, indeed.

EVEN A HORNBERG

.. The experts will tell you exactly when bugs are available and exactly what fly to use. We can't afford that many of those flies.
.. We grab our old standby flies. Chuck them in the right place and hold on.
.. Catching "LIKE IT USED TO BE," ain’t quite like it is now but it has improved greatly for the moment.

THE KING PRINCE

.. The King Prince is a winner at this point in time. It should be the fly for all occasions for another week or ten days. Get or tie some big ones.
.. Size two, size four, size six, should do the trick. Check out StevenOjai's page for California Dreamin'.
.. The Prince Nymph page is full of very good stuff. You will need to tie them yourself. Seldom do you see this fly tied in the "GRANDE FASHION."

THE FUZZY ADAMS

.. For those of you that must see the fly floating along on the surface there are many choices.
.. We mostly use Fuzzy Adams flies for generalized surface action. They are gobbled and slammed, and sipped.
.. We have taken to omitting the niceties of perfectly paired baby hackle points. Maybe it's not an Adams. It certainly is fuzzy though.
.. The days have been bright and hot. The caddis were everywhere: they were not too dense. We did leave before 8:00 PM and may have missed the bulk of them.

SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE

.. We remember the rising popularity of the Goddard Caddis from our days in Pocatello, Idaho: better than a half century ago.
.. The fly was new and exciting, and the buzz coincided with one of our trips to the Yellowstone River.
.. We took a handful of poorly tied examples to the park. We caught buckets of fish all day with just that one pattern.
.. We take them every year at this time. Nostalgia demands it. Haven't caught a bucket of fish on it since that first time.
.. See you on the Gallatin River.

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WAY BACK WHEN . . .

Elsewhere

DENALI LIGHTS - WOW

Glacier Gets It Together

just a bit of a pause

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.. Just think of the electrons involved in that video. Do we really need lead-lined underwear?

.. Will Yellowstone National Park ever ignore commercial interests in favor of the preservation of native fish? Glacier National Park is!

LINK

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Just For The Neighbors

AUTUMN READING LIST

Beer + Fly Fishing

bedtime stories

FIND OUT HOW TO CATCH FISH LIKE THIS

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.. Fly fishing blogs are full of it: Beer & Fishing.
.. Coming soon to a fly shop or book merchant near us is an expert on both.
.. Montana author, acclaimed fly fisher, beer quaffer extraordinaire, journalist for the New York Times and Village Voice, and lead singer for The New Heathens will be skulking around the neighborhood soon.

PRACTICING THE "REACH CAST"

.. Nate Schweber, world renowned contortionist and author of "FLY FISHING YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: An Insider's Guide To The Fifty Best Places" as well as "INDIANA BREWERIES" will be interrupting his field research and pub crawling to appear at a few book signings, readings and mini-concerts.

Brew Guide

.. This is our chance to pick the brains of a fly fisher that has the tough job of spending months at a time in Yellowstone - and calling it research.
.. Mark your calendars for the dates and times listed below:

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**Reno, NV -- Friday, Aug. 17 at 1 p.m. at the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show (Signing)

REACHING THE PRACTICE CAST

 **Missoula, MT -- Saturday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. at Shakespeare & Co. (Reading plus little mini-concert at the end featuring Mr. Chip Whitson on guitar)
 **Jackson Hole, WY -- Tuesday, Aug. 28 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Valley Bookstore. (Signing)
**Bozeman, MT -- Tuesday, Sept. 4 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Country Bookshelf. (Signing)
**Livingston, MT -- Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. at Elk River Books (Reading)
.. There may be a few other dates and places, depending on the author's tough schedule of fishing and imbibing. You can keep up to date on the latest schedule HERE.
.. See what OUTSIDE BOZEMAN has to say HERE.
.. Order on-line HERE or HERE.

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DISCOVER BIG FISH SECRETS

Native Fish Get Boost

$1,000,000 = $2,000,000

Grant Matched By NPS

just a start

SEE THE LAKE TROUT?  SEE THE CUTTHROAT?  YUM, YUM !!

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..The Yellowstone Park NATIVE FISH CONSERVATION PROGRAM has been given a boost by the finalization of the $1,000,000 grant from the Yellowstone Park Foundation.

.. Last December we noted that Yellowstone Park was embarking on a comprehensive program to protect and preserve native fish stocks. That program is now underway with the infusion of funds and the implementation of the plan.
.. The recognition that the native fish and their abundance and distribution and behavior constitute a vital link in the ecology of the park has led to this action. As a food source for grizzly bears, birds, coyotes, otters, and other animals the native species are vital to the health of the ecosystem.
.. This effort is designed to address all aspects of the concerns about the dwindling populations of native fish and will guide management for the next two decades and beyond.
.. A major concern, of course, is the impact of Lake Trout on the native cutthroat population. Efforts to ameliorate this impact will include stepped-up gill netting efforts, research, and plans to create a resiliency in the native fish population.
.. It will probably take six years to accomplish the major goals of the project. During this time future strategies and management plans will also be developed to insure that the native fish population can be successfully managed in the face of:
** Predation by non-native fish such as Lake Trout and Brown Trout,
** Hybridization with non native Rainbow Trout,
** Drought, climate change and fishing pressure.
.. The top priority of this action is to decrease the number of Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake.
.. Additionally the project aims to:
+ Restore Yellowstone cutthroat trout to waters within the northern portion of the park;
+ Develop a westslope cutthroat trout brood source;
+ Continue long-term restoration efforts of westslope cutthroat trout; and
+ Begin to restore Arctic grayling within the Gallatin and Madison drainages.
.. Information Resources:
-- Yellowstone Park Foundation Announcement,
-- Yellowstone Park Information Document (PDF),
-- FONSI Native Fish Conservation Plan (PDF),
-- Native Fish Conservation Plan EA (PDF),
-- Native Fish Conservation Plan EA;  Chapters 1-5 (PDF),
-- Native Fish Conservation Plan EA; Appendices A-F (PDF),
-- Native Fish Conservation Plan EA; Appendix G (PDF).

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Of Lake Trout & Grizzly Bears

WORLD HERITAGE REPORT

Highlighting Fish & Bears

the state of the park

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.. We note, (from the BILLINGS GAZETTE,) that there are some things that need attending to in Yellowstone National Park.
.. The park is asking for it's funding partners to come up with an additional $1,000,000 each year for the next 6 years to enhance the Lake Trout Eradication efforts in Yellowstone Lake.
.. The Grizzly population in Yellowstone National Park is so genetically isolated that the park may have to import bears to increase the genetic diversity.
.. Bison management inside of and outside of the park remains a concern. And so it goes.

Counterattack!!

JUDAS FISH REPORT

Underwater Receivers

plus Transmitters on Fish

National Park Service biologist Brian Ertel and Student Conservation Association volunteer Jessica Dugan surgically implant a sonic transmitter into a lake trout in this photo. Increased efforts to capture invasive lake trout in Yellowstone Lake are paying off. This summer the catch rate increased substantially. Photo: National Park Service

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.. The counterattack on Lake Trout in Yellowstone lake continues. Read about it HERE. And HERE.

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Comings And Goings

LIFE OF THE IDLE RICH

Mimicked By Itinerant Reporter

such a glorious odyssey - we're jealous

"DAMSEL IN DISTRESS"  courtesy NATE SCHWEBER -- LINK

(All images deserve a click to see in grand scale !!)

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.. Lets see now: how 'bout we take a few months and fish all the good spots in Yellowstone National Park? Lets gather up the local experts from all the feather merchants and guides and outfitters and local characters and research biologists and have them show us the way to fish their rivers.

YELLOWSTONE CUTTHROAT - Tower Creek

.. Maybe we could interview the experts and find out the various ways to catch the wiley fish of Yellowstone.
.. I'll bet that they will take us to some of the lesser known places and give us some insight into fishing trout water with the most unusual and spectacular scenery in the world.
.. We could go to the Thorofare, back country lakes in the Gallatin Mountains, the full length of Slough Creek, 7-mile Hole, and streams with names that are only whispered.

GRIZ - Soda Butte Creek Meadow

.. We could catch all the species in the park under the most diverse conditions and in the most popular and the least known areas. That would be just alright with us.
.. It's being done right now as you read this. Montana native son, Nate Schweber is doing it and making it seem easy.
.. When not performing as the lead singer of the NEW HEATHENS he's a New York Times Reporter. When not doing those things he's in the Rocky Mountains fishing, (unless he's writing a book about beer and breweries!)
.. He's been to: Pelican Creek, Duck Creek, Firehole River, Lamar River, Gallatin River, Tower Creek, Trout Lake, Yellowstone River, High Lake, Fan Lake, Fan Creek, Grebe Lake, Yellowstone Lake, Solfaterra Creek, Snake River, Madison River, Gibbon River, Slough Creek, Gardner River, and all the others that you've read and dreamed about. Tough work, but somebody has to do it.

SPLASH DANCE - Trout Lake

.. He's caught monster fish and baby fish. He's seen Yellowstone National Park like very few ever will. He's doing it now and we've followed the adventures on his blog - LINK.
.. We suggest that you click on over and scan the posts for the last few months - if you can stand fish porn, travelogue, and some "Roots Rock" news. You can check his daily progress HERE.
.. He's been kind enough to let us post some images from his odyssey - thanks Nate.
P.S. the big rainbow on the Gallatin River was taken on a Caddis with prince dropper. You'll need to check his blog for the gory details.

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FINE SPOTS ?  -- The Yellowstone SLAM ??

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Pelican Creek Odysey

ROCK STAR AIDS RESEARCH

Read All About It

CLICK HERE

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WHERE'S NATE ??

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Worth The Walk ??

THERE'S STILL BIG CUTTS

You Need Young Legs

camp with the grizzly

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.. The secret is out. There are big Yellowstone Cutthroat to be caught. You can walk to this fishing hole.
.. You can cast from shore. And, you will release them swiftly. We won't tell, but you can read about it HERE.

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Nifty Technology

THE ELECTRONIC VOYEUR

Better Than "Where's Waldo ?"

jealously makes us droll

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.. There's a Montana born fly fisher wandering around Yellowstone National Park and fishing all the "good" places. He's taking two months and letting the devil take the hindmost.
.. Attached to his person, (we did not ask where,) is a device called THE SPOT.  This nifty gizmo allows any smart phone to become a satellite transmitter. Use it for safety reasons, use it for social networking, use it for custom emails, use it for an S.O.S. signal, or use it to track progress of trekking and adventuring, (or even fly fishing.)
.. You can track the progress of this famous intrepid fly fisher, (he's in the Thorofare Region right now,) by going to the map site with his latest location - HERE.
.. We want one. It only costs $169.00. This is more than just a spiffy trinket; it's an honest-to-goodness safety device. More, we want the legs to get there and fish for the wonderful eager and willing trout that are off the beaten path. Lucky fellow, great technology.

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