Double Dealin' Mother

ICE GONE - RIVERS UP

What's A Fisher To Do?

the worst is just around the corner

THERE'S LAWN CHAIRS ON THE POINT
AND 300' OF ICE AT THE DAM

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.. Mom has been both loving and cruel this Spring. First she gives us a good snow year that promises to have our rivers running cold well into the summer. Then she throws us a warm spike that takes away a goodly amount of the snow pack. Then just as the ice begins to leave the shores Hebgen Lake she presents us with a rare east wind that pushes the thin ice out of the estuaries.
.. Lately she's been toying with us in a new and wonderfully sadistic manner. The diurnal temperatures have been in the high 40's, while the nocturnal degrees have not dipped much past the mid 30's. Afternoon on Saturday reached 50° F. So the rivers continue to flow freely and the clouds keep the sun from encouraging the bugs, (no it's not quite dreary enough for those other bugs either!)
.. The rivers were so high on Saturday that several roads were closed. The most significant was Highway 191 going to Bozeman. Greek Creek expanded to the point that it was not only out of bank, but out of control as well. It flooded the road and caused a road closure for most of the day and well into the evening.
.. The Madison River is running at a high seasonal average. The Firehole River has slowed to seasonal discharge. The Gibbon River, on the other hand, is being frisky and flows are all over the place.

It's not a fly but it's hot right now

.. So is there a place to fish? Certainly not down-canyon where the Gallatin River is hitting 3,000 cfs and growing. How about using a boat on the lake? It's still good near the ice, and just normal where you find the fish. Trolling a small Kastmaster has galled a couple of reported 24" Brown Trout, (cell phone picture verified.)
.. How's the fishing between the lakes? Glad you asked!
.. It's fair right now, (and crowded,) - BUT - Hebgen Reservoir's Flood Control Pool is full. Discharge is a moderate but fishable 1,250 cfs.
.. The "BUT" is that inflow is 2,200 cfs, and there's only 7 feet left to the spillway. Things are looking pretty bleak for the near future.
.. The only good news to be had is that with the rising lake levels the junction of tributary streams and the lake receeds upstream. Technically some places where the neighbors are fishing are illegal. Practically, if you wade the muddy willow bottoms of Grayling Creek, Duck Creek, Cougar Creek, or the South Fork, you deserve the catching - if there is any.

.. The lowland Madison River is fishing good. The catching is fair. The color is O.K. and bugs are available. Nymphs and streamers are still in play and shoreline catching is as good as drift boat catching.
.. Everything will go to hell quickly if they pull the plug at the dam. It could happen. Or, with current repair crews still working on the intake structure they may just let it fill to the spillway. That could happen about the time the Madison River discharge hits it's maximum: this year projected to be near 2,000+ cfs. That's double what it is now.
.. We're headed to a little stretch of the Gallatin River that is way too cold to fish. It's that little bit of water between the Yellowstone park-line and Taylor Fork Creek. It's so cold the fish are having trouble holding on to the flies. It's so cold that they are eating anything that seems eatable: sticks, leaves, flies, bare hooks, etc. It's so cold that everyone that fishes there tells you it's too cold to fish!

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THE VORTEX IN HEBGEN RESERVOIR IS CAUSED WHEN THEY PULL THE PLUG

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The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly - (sorry)

10 DAYS TO GO

Record Flows In Reach

rivers like chocolate syrup

Here's Madison Mud In Your Eye

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.. The Saturday of Memorial Day weekend marks the opening of fishing in Yellowstone National Park. This year that is May 28. That's the good news.
.. All rivers on the west side of the park are very high. Both the Madison River and the Firehole River are within reach of new record flows, (again.) The Gibbon River set an unofficial record on Tuesday. On that same day The Firehole River was within 100 cfs of a record.That's the bad news.
.. The beautiful brown, amber, and occasional mauve colors in the water make for interesting photographic exercises - not good for catching. That's the ugly news.
.. For the moment "Tea-Stained" is an appropriate comparison. Soon the color will turn to one that is best described by referring to a baby's diapers. In-water visibility is up from just a few days ago to about 8", it's bound to go down again with the next increase in discharge rates.
.. This year the park regulations are emphasizing those regulations that protect native fish. They have raised the harvest limits for Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout in areas where they compete with native Cutthroat and Grayling.
.. Many fishers, (and guides and feather merchants,) release all trout. It's an unthinking and destructive dogma of their religion. We suggest that you download the regulations, know the harvest limits for where you fish, and kill the invasive species. If all you want to do is catch fish go to a trout farm.

This Year's Regulations

.. The downloadable regulations (PDF) also contain an expanded section on preventing the spread of other invasive species, (besides the trout.) It's an easy thing to do - be legal and be conservationist.
.. If you have not made reservations for a dwelling space in Gardiner, Jackson, or West Yellowstone, it may be too late. There are still a few places left in the park but they should be fully booked by the end of this week. The rush is on and visitors of the non-fishing variety are already banging the the gates. Last year was another record year for park visitation. This year may be the same.
.. We intend to keep a close watch on the waters of the west side of Yellowstone National Park. There is still plenty of snow around. The extended forecast calls for temperatures in the high 50's to low 70's with daily rain for the next two weeks.
.. As the warm weather continues we anticipate only a few places where the catching will be as good as the fishing. We'll keep you posted.

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The Lost Is Found

Madison River At The Park Line

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Overnight Surprise

ICE OUT - IN A FLASH

This is going to be quick

do it now - right now

Rapid retreat of ice leaves fishers running toward the dam

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.. It was going to be a gentle day probing the open spots along the shore of Hebgen Lake. Instead, it turned into a fishing frenzy until the zephyrs turned into howling banshees.
.. Friday was nice, Saturday was beautiful, Sunday was glorious until about 5:30 PM. By now you should already be packed and headed toward the door. The last four days of sunshine and warm temperatures have brought an instantaneous ice out to Hebgen Lake.

Clear open water in the Madison Arm

..It truly happened over night. Saturday morning there was fog and there was ice clinging to the shores of the Madison Arm.
.. The Madison River is running at about 450 cfs above the seasonal averages and it's plenty warm. It has pushed it's estuary water into the lake proper.
.. By Sunday morning the ice had receded from the shore all the way to the Happy Hour Bar.
.. Fishing guides and neighbors, headed for the lowlands, saved enormous amounts of fuel money and halted their fishing trip at the edge of the lake.

Osprey hovering at edge of ice

.. It was not a total surprise, but the easterly winds pushed all the thin ice ahead of them and cleared the whole Madison Arm in a matter of hours.
.. Catching was as good as the fishers were. The edge of the ice moved constantly under the persistent shove of the winds.
.. The folks with boats had it almost as good as the birds. The ospreys hovered above the fishers, at the edge of the ice, all day.
.. Shore bound fishers found themselves moving rapidly along the shoreline as the ice pulled away from its anchorage.

Moving to stay in touch with the ice

.. There were very few lawn chairs and even fewer ice chests. There was nothing leisurely about this weekend. The ice moved, the fish appeared, the fisher folk followed: fat trout met their demise, or were reprieved - depending on the sentiments of the angler.
.. As many fish are released by gear goofs as by fly flingers in this ritual of Spring. Mom cooperated, water was available, and until late afternoon on Sunday the most perfect fishing in all the world was on the shores of Hebgen Lake.

Some scuds do look like this

.. Although fishing and catching will continue to be spectacular for the next week or two, the easiest catching at the edge of the ice will disappear rapidly over the coming few days. It's already hard to cast to the ice with a fly rod, (unless your name is Steve Rajeff.) The gear and bait fishers are also bemoaning the rapid recession although the lead-carried lures and baits are in the "fishy zone" more often than not.

Pack it up and move on

.. Fly fishers are using Scuds, Woolly Worms, San Juan Worms, Gob-O-Worms, and large double dropped Prince Nymphs.
.. Over at Rainbow Point, (yes it's easily accessable now,) they are using Chamois Leech imitations. About 3" is the size on a #8 or even #6 2xl hook. Banging 'em dead they are!
.. This is the first time in more than ten years that the thaw has hit with such rapidity. And this is the first time that we recommend that you re-cultivate you friendship with a boat owner this early in the season.

All alone? Needs a friend!

.. There will continue to be an ice edge to fish. The fishing and catching will be best at the edge of the ice. It will be farther from the shore than any time in recent memory and fishing in a boat will gather up way more fish than fishing from the shore.
.. If you're mobile and have waited for this announcement - don't tarry. The celebration is on and the fish are glutenous. If you're not out the door by now you just may miss it!
.. There is some good news and some bad news from Yellowstone National Park. Stay tuned and we'll let you know.
.. Right now it's time to put some vinegar on the sunburn. It's also time for some Crêpes folded over Prosciutto, Brie, and thinly sliced Cantaloupe. It's the perfect midnight snack. We may even burn some rum on them and add powdered sugar.

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ICE BE GONE

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Fish In The Mud

IT'S NOT EASY WORK

Pick Your Spot

go east young man

Pinhole image of Madison River in National Park Meadows

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.. Should you, like so many of our demented neighbors, demand some "water time" during the muddy season, you will need some local knowledge, a smidgen of luck, and good rain gear.
.. There are fish to be caught. After all, fish got'ta eat! They are forced to the banks and undercuts in swollen rivers. They are even in the grass when the rivers get out of bank.

Yellowstone Coachman [drowned and mangled]

.. They are alert, hungry, and just a skosh indiscriminate in their feeding habits. This doesn't mean it's easy.
.. They will respond to offerings just a bit larger and noisier than they normally would. They will not chase stuff too far. If you hit them in the nose they will grab your fly. The take can be violent or gentle. Of course you need to know where the fish are in order to pull this off.
..Slow water is the key. Back eddy's, snag swirls, boulder pockets & pillows, and grassy banks with undercuts are the main hunting areas.

Quick 'n' Easy

.. The neighbors prowl the banks very softly and slowly. The gelatinous nature of the river bank will transmit vibrations better than when dry.
.. A long rod and a short heavy leader are terminal necessities. A fly that can be seen is important too. White or orange, (or both,) are the preferred colors of the neighborhood crazies.
.. Casts are short and numerous. The action is akin to strolling along behind a recalcitrant sheep in the Pyrenees. Fishing is usually of the upstream variety although, a couple of the neighbors swear by the downstream drift with a fast sink tip. Seldom is more than 3 or 4 feet of line in the water.
.. Recipes for flies on this page are given HERE. There's no guarantees but the neighbors are using these along with Woolly Buggers and San Juan Worms, (white and orange of course.)
.. As the rivers fill and gather sediment they move in new and different courses from the ones during the summer. Often times the big meanders will show cavitation eddy's as they enter the bend. these places are usually dry most of the year. The water here is shallow and slow and often surprisingly clear.
.. The lakes nearby are the recipients of the suspended load of the rivers, (in some deltaic areas the bed load is also carried to the lake.)
.. As the sediment moves into the lake the fish gather and feed on the edges of the debris. This is going on right now in both Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake as Cabin Creek cranks up it's gritty mud. Presentation to edge of the sediment plume will bring results with very little effort.
.. We, on rare occasion, are allowed to traipse along with the mud fishers of West Yellowstone. They smoke sodden cigars, wear wool, whisper in the rain, and pause frequently to warm their innards with amber liquids. It's not as grim as it may sound.
..  They are out there now. This is their kind of fun. You will see their rigs parked in some of the most unusual places. You may or may not see them. The fish don't.

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Return to my youth

.. Should you chose to forgo the pleasures of mud fishing you may want to click on over to THE NEW HEATHENS site. (LINK)
.. There you will find that you can take the boy out of Montana but not Montana out of the boy.
.. Nate Schweber has taken his skills and Smurfette to the Delaware River with results to make you jealous. There is also an enlightening post about river etiquette. from last May. Read about that; HERE.
.. Take a moment to click on a song or two. Even from New York there's a Montana soul in the vibe.

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Fog and rain and snow on the Madison River in Yellowstone Park

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" It's Sprung "

IT'S BROKEN LOSE

Tlaloc Speaks
Gene Dances

throw your children into a spring

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. . By now the Aztecs would be flinging their children into spring holes. They would be rejoicing for the rain and killing each other in praise of the deities that had guaranteed the success of their crops. For fly fishers it's a bit different.
.. The weather forecast is not much cause for concern unless you live in the valley. The snow pack here is melting at a rapid clip: and, more rain for the foreseeable future, (mixed with some heavy wet snow, puntuated with brief periods of scorching 60° temperatures.)

Click on forecast for larger and more soggy view

.. The river flow-charts tell the story, and although the Madison River is not quite to the chocolate milk stage; it is, however, "out-of-bank" at 7-mile bridge, (and rising rapidly.) The culprits contributing to this situation, (Firehole and Gibbon,) are turning color rapidly as they top their banks as well.

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.. The bison and elk are seeking firm footing in the meadows, and there is finally a bit of green grass for them to munch on. Visitors to Yellowstone wonder why the pretty yellow flowers back home are not in evidence here. Well . . . Spring is just a little different in our neighborhood than it is down low where most folks live.
.. So then, it's late, there are fish to be had. We'll tell you about it in the near future. Right now there's just time for a chocolate malt and some key lime pie before beddy bye.

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Less than 2" visibility in the Madison River

Green grass will put some meat on these bones [click image to see ribs]

The Madison River is sneaking out of it's banks

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Lowlands Alert

THE QUICK & THE WARM

It Happens Rapidly

firehole river spike !

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.. It only took a couple of days to drive the snow from our streets and to raise the flows in the local rivers. The Firehole River has flows on the way to the moon, and the Madison River is not far behind. Hebgen Lake is only 10' from being full. The inflowing water from the Madison River will hasten the coming of "ICE OUT."

.. We've had a few warm days of 50° F. Bingo, the optimists are calling it Spring. But there's not a blade of green grass, nor blooming flower to confirm the sentiment.
.. The recent warmth was punctuated with cold rain. Precipitation of several kinds visited us during the last few days. Thundershowers, a bit of hail, soakers for hours on end, and busy drizzles were evident in the neighborhood.
.. We take this opportunity to warn our lowland brethern that the color is coming, the flows are increasing, and big water fishing is in for a rough time of it for the next few days, (or weeks if this weather continues.) There's still, on the level ground, between one and three feet of snow. It has to go some where: sooner or later.
.. So, how's the fishing and catching? The reports from intrepid fishers on snow machines continue in a glowing fashion.
.. The estuaries of Hebgen Lake are full of hungry fish. They are in the deep water next to the ice and in the shallow water next to the ice.
.. They are taking small flies that sink slowly. No pattern predominates right now. The neighbors are using slow sink tip lines with an even slower finger retrieve.
.. The Madison Tailwater, between the lakes, has better access this week than last. Of course it's getting a bit crowded too. Prince Nymphs and Pink Eggs are the ticket to catching in this easily reached river segment.
.. For those with more adventure in their hearts than their legs the outlet of Quake Lake is a good destination. Barked shins are a distinct probability in the snow covered boulder field. But it's not too far to the water's edge, and there's usually some bait or gear guys there to help you with fly selection.
.. It's early and still drizzling. We're off to the park for a quick look-see; then down canyon to catch the edge of the silt plume at Taylor Fork. It should be distinct for about 12 more hours. Then the chocolate sauce will cover the width of the Gallatin River.
.. It's just three weeks until Yellowstone National Park opens for fishing. Should this weather continue unabated it will take some real river skills to find places where the willing fish will eat your fly.

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Fishing Weather

A LITTLE SNOW

A LITTLE RAIN

just what the doctor ordered

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.. It was snowing early this morning. It's raining now. There are bits of white & frozen water in the rain. It must be time to go fishing.
.. The Madison River in Yellowstone National Park, (and down to Hebgen Lake,) is crystal clear and bank-full. The flows are a couple of hundred feet below the seasonal average. This reflects the cool spring we've been having. It looks to continue this way for a week or two.

.. The weather guru's say that there will be a warm-up over the next week. We love the forecasts for this time of year. Predictions for the next week show both snow on a daily basis as well as temperatures climbing to the 40's °F. Visitors call it a mess. We call it "FISHING WEATHER."

.. If only we could fish in the park. The Gibbon River is as clear as the Madison River and fish are splashing water all over the basking bison and the bits of snow remaining in National Park Meadows.
.. The soft precipitation and warmer weather will begin to bring a bit of green to the meadows. It must be time to fish, (just not in Yellowstone Park.)
.. The young Turks of the neighborhood are still on snowmobiles and ravaging the South Fork Estuary.

.. Reports of fish, (so many and so large that we have trouble imagining,) are floating through the dark corners of the local pubs.
.. Giggles from grown men are accompanied by wild gesticulations and beer spouting from flared nostrils as the stories of Spring fishing are elaborated and honed into epic tales.
.. It's a neighborhood thing. There are no guides, visitors from exotic lands, or feather merchants in the pubs; just Bill, Curt, Danny, Bobby, Slick, and Muggs.
.. Pizza gets gobbled and suds get quaffed in splendiferousness without the intervention of pretense or posing. Soon it will be time to regale visitors with the stories. They have to be polished.
.. The snow is becoming rivulets in the street. Riffles and runs are nibbling at the edges of the winter's work and they remind us that there are better, (and fishable,) waters just down the road.
.. Yes, it's fishing weather. Between The Lakes is a destination for the folks with snowshoes and determination. The neighbors at Campfire Lodge have kept the road passable for a couple of hundred yards and it is appreciated by those of us with legs of rubber.
.. The midges have slowed down but the rambunctious migrating fish are cavorting with gay abandon in their sex-charged frenzy. Right now there are fish that are eating sticks, moss, and pebbles. What more can you want?
.. Yellowstone Park is a looming shadow in our psyche. Soon we will fish there. Soon we will battle the gawkers for parking spots. Soon we will seek out bits of water that the swollen rivers have neglected and that hold fish. But for now, It's fishing weather in the neighborhood: a rain and snow mixture - overcast - dreary - heavy - and glorious FISHING WEATHER.

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