Get Yourself A Drone

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Clear Today . . . BUT

COOLNESS AND DAMPNESS

Springs Running Clear & Cold

enjoy it for itself

WALLPAPER: COLD SPRING BANK ON NOTELLUM CREEK

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.. Recent arrivals to our village have been heard to comment that persistent evening drizzle with gray days does not constitute Summer.
.. Memories are short. Perceptions are colored by expectations. We're on the edge of the high country and just about anything can happen: even snow.

Green Thing - A Caddis Look Alike

.. Today is clear and warming. Tomorrow will be warmer. Then back to the damp, cool, and gray days that visitors decry and short term memories have forgotten are not atypical.
.. Water temperature of the west side rivers has not ameliorated by much but the stream side spring discharge has increased and locally cold cooler pockets have been expanding. The fish are concentrated, the fishers are dispersed.
.. We suggest that you continue to avoid the Firehole River, (Temps in the high 70's,) and the Madison River, (Temps in the mid 70's.) Fish, instead, the Gallatin River. Fish Hebgen Reservoir. Fish Between The Lakes.
.. Stroll the banks of Fan Creek or penetrate the willows of Bacon Rind Creek meadows. Enjoy the scenery with bear spray at the ready. Catch a few fish in the afternoon drizzle and call it good.

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WALLPAPER: SUMMER BEEF PADDY DONE RIGHT

Briefs

DEATH IN YELLOWSTONE

Spruce Moths Working

hoppers have wings and legs

THESE ARE NOT JUST FOR DECORATION

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.. The partially eaten body of a seasonal employee of Medcore was discovered near Elephant Back Loop Trail. The body was found about noon on Friday, (LINK-1.) The involvement of Grizzly Bears was announced yesterday, (LINK-2.)
.. We've said it before and we say it again: walk, stroll, hike, or meander with your bear spray in hand and sing loudly to the bears. Two or three companions is usually a good number for bear fishing. 
.. The man was described as "an experienced hiker," and was known to frequent the area where his body was found.

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ADULT MOTH

.. Spruce moths have been reported along the wooded sections of the Gallatin River near the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park. They now add their flavor to the miscellaneous smorgasbord available for the eager trout.
.. It might be worth mentioning that the neotanous form is also edible and does, in fact, fall from trees into the awater.
.. Ants, beetles, caddis, hoppers, and sporadic mayflies provide a balanced diet for our scaly friends. Certainly you have something that will work.

BABY MOTH

.. The best advice for now is to take the whole box, (or two or three,) and fish with a friend to share information with. Covering a lot of water is always a good idea. Trigger finger on the bear spray and take time to look around at the scenery above the water.

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.. It's not known as a streamer fishery but, there have been some genuine hogs jerked from the Madison River Between The Lakes. The last few deep meander bends before Quake Lake have been, of late, persistently haunted by a couple of the neighbors.

GOOD OL' OLIVE MATUKA

.. Once a gigantic fish takes a streamer it's hard to fish elsewhere for awhile. Nothing fancy going on here: no two handed rods, no 10' nine weights, no exotic flies with endangered fluff. Matuka is the name of the game. Fling, mend, strip, wait, strip again, hang on.

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.. A steady stream of the young neighbors are traveling to far reaches of the northeast corner of the park on a regular basis. They get up early and arrive in time to see long shadows across the confluence of Slough Creek with the Lamar River.

TROUT CANDY

.. These sage rats ignore the lush meadows of the famous creek. They don't fish where trees obscure the view and snag a cast or where the grass is so deep that it tickles their nether regions. They are allergic to guide books and famous fisheries.
.. Right now they are using unfashionable San Juan Worms, Black Deer Hair Beetles, monster Woolly Buggers, Hoppers, and the occasional small stone fly nymph or ant imitations. The cell phone pictures are convincing.

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.. Whispers abound in the least used tables in the pubs. Winter Creek, Gibbon River between the cascades and Greebe Lake, Firehole River on the trail to Lone Star Geyser, and weed beds with leeches on Hebgen Lake.
.. We'd be remiss if we failed to mention the whispers. We'd be garroted if told you more.

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WALLPAPER:   SODA BUTTE

Visit A Foreign Country

FISH OF THE SPUDLANDS

A Nympher's Delight

check flows -- catch fish

WALLPAPER: AT WATERFALL RIFFLES

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BEWARE OF IDAHO

.. A few miles, of delightful tailwater riffles and runs, await anglers willing to eschew the dry fly religion du jour.
.. We visited the Box Canyon of the Henry's Fork and it exercised our memory mechanisms. Hadn't fished there since 1968 or '69. Our error.
.. Back then we recognized two parts of the Snake River: 'The North Fork,' and 'The South Fork.' Folks today still understand when we say 'The South Fork.'

FLOAT BIG'UNS EARLY

.. "The Box" is an intimate stretch of water with a lot of willing fish.
.. We had believed, (in the 60's,) that it held 20,000 fish per mile. Today, the estimate is about 7,000 fish per mile. That's still a goodly number since the best holding water concentrates the fish.
.. There is nothing to prevent folks from floating a fly: some do, especially when the salmonflies are popping. The rumored truth of the matter is that the sub surface biota is so dense that the the fish just have to park themselves in a gentle spot and open their maw and let the river sweep food into it.

GET DOWN QUICK

.. This is both good and bad. You need to find the fish. You need to poke 'em in the nose.
.. History and geology conspire to make the simple task of catching a trout more difficult than it would seem to be.
.. The porosity of the jointed and segmented basalts of the Island Park Caldera provide many nooks and crannies for the resident biota and for the wayward nymph hook.
.. This is one place where the old axiom holds true: "If you ain't hookin' rocks - you ain't catchin' fish."

SHORT AND SWEET RIDE

.. The little canyon was carved by the combined forces of the Buffalo River and the Henry's Fork.
.. The scouring force of these two rivers was curtailed in 1939 when the Island Park Dam was completed.
.. The dam created the Island Park Reservoir and drowned some of the best fishing on the Trude Ranch, (yes . . . that Trude! President Herbert Hoover loved it.)
.. This dam and the check dam at the mouth of the Buffalo River just above it's confluence with the Henry's Fork River have slowed flows, (most of the time,) to produce ideal water for catching fish.
.. The dams have tamed the roiling, canyon carving discharge of the two rivers into a pleasant stretch of river for floating in a drift boat  -- or canoe, or tube, or kayak.
.. Should you not be a "nympher;" and should you fish with a guide, you will probably 'cherry pick' the riffles and fish in a most conservative manner. This will stab you some fish and lose you very few flies.

VERY SMALL WORKS TOO

.. If you're after the giants, and if you have flies to lose, you should probe the dark crevasses near large boulders. The giants are there. The crevasses hold deep dark secrets and enormous fish, as well as a full assortment flies - a veritable gold mine of history.
.. Look for flows in the 800 to 900 cfs for a gentle day. Fish deep and fish slow. Lose flies and call it good. Go big when the big bugs are around. Go as small as size 18 when they are not there.
.. You can even drown your favorite surface imitations - (after mashing them into nondescript wads,) and enjoy this little segment of the Snake River.
.. We'll be back.

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WALLPAPER:   BUREAU OF RECLAMATION WATER HOUSE - 1939

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

The Other Park

THE RIVERS ARE DIFFERENT

There's Different Scenery

the fish are similar

WALLPAPER:  LAMAR POCKET

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.. Expect the Lamar River to be smaller than you remember it. It's still plenty big but, the sparse snow pack, capricious rainfall patterns and warm, (except for the last two weeks,) weather have conspired to keep the flows down low.
..  In fact all the famous waters of the great northeast of Yellowstone National Park are down just a bit. The fishing ranges from good to very good. And as usual, in this corner of Yellowstone National Park, the fishing is every bit as good as the fisher.
.. The ground-dwelling bugs are further along than in the west side river valleys. Hoppers are a skosh larger and have wings. Ants are on your feet and little black beetles are easy to see in the dust.

Clearing Lamar waters demand probing the structure and covering lots of water.

.. Temperatures in the high 70's through the mid 80's will persist through the middle of next week and the waters should be clear and cool. This is an open  secret. The fishers are as thick as the buffalo and it's strange to have to plan for alternate parking spots.
.. There are some "No Stopping" zones and the bison are active in the morning and evening - they usually take a mid-day nap. Watch for them.

No Room At The Inn.

.. The campgrounds are fully booked and this has caused additional crowding, both on the road and on the rivers.
.. The mayfly hatches have been adequate and sporadic. Be prepared with the surface box but exercise the terrestrial box if the little fliers are not readily visible. A hopper dropper combination is what those in-the-know fishers start with. Use small hoppers, (or even a stimulator as the top fly.) The point fly can be an ant or beetle or even a bead head something - keep it on the small side too.

Fish where the fish are - just find them.

.. The braided stream channels at the confluence of the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek look like gravel pits. There are, (indeed,) fishy nooks and crannies in this low water wasteland. There are even fish here.
.. Look for little streams of quick water dumping into - or - skirting around dark mini-pools, The shadows are friends of fishes in this section of the valley. Mid day is tough but, still crowded. Carry and use sun block.
.. Soda Butte Creek is both on fire and a popular elbow watching venue. The famous water, (from Trout Lake to the confluence meadows,) is a display of gear and license plates from near and far. This is for good reason. The creek has moved away from it's banks and is providing novel catching opportunities.

Welcome to Slough Creek.

.. Use your best small hoppers with beetles or ants. The caddis have been kind of shy but, a small caddis imitation will bring noses to the hook - if you see the noses first.
.. If you have the right fishing license you can gather up some dance partners in beautiful downtown Silver Gate. There are even occasionally available rooms to let in both Silver Gate and Cooke City.
.. The welcome sign is out on the road to Slough Creek. The celebrity  and spooky trout are beginning to be closed mouth when it comes to artificial flies. Catching, from the sagebrush through the second meadow, requires hunting skills as well as fishing skills.

Damsel

.. Gentle strolling along the bank and keen observation are keys to galling a fish. This is one place where it is most important to fish the fish rather than the water. The trout don't have lock jaw yet but it's getting to be that time of year. Fish wise and fish slow.

Grunt in - Slide out.

.. Even little  Trout Lake, (with trout the size of watermelons,) is crowded. This little destination requires a small grunt to get to.
.. Coming out, down the hill, should be a breeze - unless you are exhausted from catching all those willing, yet shy fish.
.. There is an abundance of damsel flies on the water right now. Don't forget the weeds - use your best larval imitation.

Pebble Creek classroom.

.. Pebble Creek, from the camp ground to the Soda Butte Creek confluence has some fish of the willing variety. Practice your stalking skills in the brambles that the other fishers avoid and walk around.
.. There are some gently undercut banks that hold large and lazy fish. These critters can feel you coming. They are just hangin' out and waiting for some groceries. Don't telegraph your presence and you will fill your dance card. Try a pair of nymphs with a bobber. You shouldn't have to cast far.
.. If you are brave enough to negotiate the campground at Pebble Creek, (avoiding the educational seminars, creative parking, and family fun,) you will find some excellent catching opportunities in the willow meadows.
.. This is one of those places that has few fishers: lots of hikers, photographers, and families, but few fishers.
.. What's happening on the Gardner River? How about Obsidian Creek or Winter Creek? Could there be fish in the Yellowstone River?
.. What a place !!

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WALLPAPER: THE SODA SIGN

Are You Ready ?

ABOUT 95% PROBABILITY

Long Or Short Term Results ?

weather affects most of us

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.. El Niño is upon us. With just a little kick in the pants from the jet stream and some help from the Pacific Trade Winds the event could become giant. We'll let you know come next May.

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.. There's a Blue Moon tomorrow night. It may or may not be consequential for most folks but keep in mind that it is in Aquarius with Venus in retrograde.

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.. Weekend fishing report first thing tomorrow morning.

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WALLPAPER:  BUTTERED BEEF EGG NOODLES + HEAT