Fish Tomorrow

RAIN, SNOW, OVERCAST

Just A Bit Cooler

good for the soul

WALLPAPER:  AN EASTER BASKET

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.. Kick back today. Celebrate Easter or, rush your equinoctial revels by four days. Gird thy loins for tomorrow.

ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE

.. There will be BWO's on the Gallatin River.
.. Way down low there will be Mother's Day caddis.
.. There will be stoneflies of all sorts in active nymph stages in most of our rivers.
.. Enjoy the soft and warmth of this day. Tomorrow will be better. The neighbors always say: "We get Spring by the day and Summer by the week."

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WALLPAPER:  BROWN LINE PLANNING

Swing Low

DOWN THE CANYON

Below The Snow Line

quick and milky water

WALLPAPER:  A GALLATIN RIVER SEAM

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.. At our age there are some mornings that arrive in the dead of night.
.. Call it a blessing and take advantage of it. So in the light flurries of the not quite morning we had some coffee and a frozen waffle. Then down the road toward some morning fishing. Travel would take a couple of hours. That's a very long drive for us.

YOU KNOW WHERE

.. By the time we had slithered through the early morning bustle of Bozeman/Belgrade we were ready for another cuppa and real food.
.. We met the others at the wayside diner and had a proper breakfast and then hustled to a not so secret lake/pond behind a barbed wire fence.
.. The air was cold enough for a bit of water fog. Good for us. In we splashed and mucked our way to the weed line and fished a spell. Caught some we did.

.. After half a day of rat killing in the grand metropolises we chugged our way back up the Gallatin River to West Yellowstone.
.. There were fisher folk on the river. We looked closely and were a bit surprised at the condition of the water.
.. Although the river is still a smidgen high for this time of year, (about 300cfs above mean norm,) it is surprisingly clear. It's more milky than tea stained, (in favorite angler parlance.)

A BIT HIGH AND MILKY

.. We'd missed the water in the dark trip down canyon. We took our time and tested some spots going back up.
.. There are fish to be had. The clouds covered the sky and there were little bugs on the surface.
.. It's not that we don't float a fly now and again but, it's just not part of our epitome.

BWO - ??

.. We did it anyway. Might have been BWO's of the sort that drive fly floaters wild.
.. We stuck one on above our stonefly nymph and took several both ways. What a wonderful Springtime surprise.
.. All the way up the canyon the same conditions obtained. Some bugs on the top and some bugs, (apparently,) down below.
.. Surprise of surprises hit us in the eyeball as we paused to look at Taylor Fork. More buttermilk than chocolate milk was plashing along the cobbles and into the Gallatin River.

BLACK IS GOOD - GOLD TOO

.. The typical silt plume that we expected was hardly visible and water clarity surprised us.
.. We wet a line. Nothing on top this time. Took a spunky young'un at the mouth of the fork and then a couple 10 inch fish in the river.
.. Snowflake Springs are running at a good clip but there is no colored discharge into the Gallatin River.

THE RUN AT SNOWFLAKE SPRINGS

.. We spent some time along the nice riffled run and found a parked fish or two.
.. Caught a rock or three. As quick as the river is it's not as deep as we anticipated.

WORKS GOOD

.. The dark and light water is an interesting contrast as well as a gradual melding of tones and shades.
.. Milky water is not a phenomenon that we often encounter. Didn't have to get in the water. Didn't have to take the fish out of the water. Won't have to spend $8.00 to vacuum the floor of the car.
.. Out of the canyon and into Yellowstone National Park the snow is about gone from the meadows.
.. The willow buds are about to burst and the grass is showing signs of becoming more green than just yellow. Could be Spring in the high country

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.. Right now it's a more reasonable hour of the morning than yesterday. We have recuperated from the civilized hustle of the lowland busyness.
.. We're going to have a sensible breakfast prepared by a local biscuit virtuoso. We will smother a couple with some sausage gravy. Hash brown potatoes on the side? Sure: why not?

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WALLPAPER:  SPRING WILLOWS AND BLACK BUTTE

Sea To Shining Sea

YELLOWSTONE INVESTIGATED

Not Unique Park

jarvis under fire

CONGRESS: "SO THEN, TELL US ALL ABOUT IT."

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..The Interior Department on Thursday ordered additional harassment prevention training for managers and supervisors after an internal report found that men in a maintenance unit at Yellowstone National Park “created a work environment that included unwelcome and inappropriate comments and actions toward women.” [LINK-Y, LINK-B]
.. The report from the investigation cites sexual harassment in parks across our nation. Congress is apparently fed up with the culture of male dominated harassment.
.. From the beginning the National Park Service was constituted of market hunters, trappers, cowboys, muleskinners, and male military personnel from Fort Yellowstone.
.. By the time Theodore Roosevelt arrived in Yellowstone National Park the "ROUGH RIDER MENTALITY" had already taken hold.

FOUNDATIONS

.. The martial mentality of the frontier has persisted and been encouraged by both the National Park Service and the Interior Department since their inception.
.. The book HOW THE U.S. CAVALRY SAVED OUR NATIONAL PARKS details the underpinnings of the early social and martial milieu that established the male dominated traditions. [LINK-C]
.. Apparently, from the investigation, the most readily apparent dysfunctional National Park is Canaveral National Seashore in Florida. [LINK-F]
.. We'll be watching how Secretary Zinke addresses this situation at the Department level [LINK-ZZ] We know what Yellowstone's Superintendent says, [LINK-YP,] we'll be watching this too.

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MORNING MIDGES

.. Took a lowland road trip. Fished some. Caught some.
.. Enjoyed the humor of the lowland cultural morass. There is a distinct love of elbows, knees, feet, and mayhem down there. Report in the morning.

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WALLPAPER:  LOWLAND LAKE - MORNING

The Smug Factor

"HEY, LOOK AT ME"

"Shame On You"

"just doin' my part"

..

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.. Not counting battery manufacturing and disposal. Yup, just saving the planet.

Notes From The Far Side

SELDOM VISITED

Should Do It More

oh to fish it now !!

FLY OVER

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..On a lark, (it happens about this time each year,) we buzzed over to the far reaches of Yellowstone National Park.
.. The Springtime bluster followed us for two days. It was typically "Springtime in the Rockies."

BLUSTER ON THE LAMAR RIVER

.. The bears are out in force and the Lamar River is at perfect fishing flow - a bit cold but beautiful. Runoff is just starting but the water is still clear and twinkly. It will be far different on May 27, 2017.
.. The road from Gardiner to Silver Gate is open all year. In our youth we would visit in Winter and sled off into the wilderness. No such beans now. But, a Springtime jaunt is equally rewarding.

SPRING AT BUFFALO RANCH

.. We get to see the Lamar River Valley, look at the river and see the exuberance of the wildlife. It's not as fine as the Fall but it gets us off the mountain.
.. We also take this opportunity to visit the premier fly shop at the north entrance to the park.
.. This year Parks' Fly Shop has outdone themselves with their seasonal prognostication. Their blog is notable for timely and accurate reporting throughout the season.
.. If you plan to visit Yellowstone National Park for a fishing soiree this coming summer check out the current, (and of course future,) reports.
.. PARKS' FLY SHOP GENERAL FISHING REPORT is well worth a click. Do it now.

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.. Up late today after the journey. Still buzzing and thinking. Coffee for sure. Breakfast maybe.

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WALLPAPER:  BEANS AND FRIED MUSH

Slight Of Hand

WINDOW DRESSING

The Parks Ploy

you do the math

RYAN ZINKE: NEVER ONE TO MISS A GOOD PHOTO OP

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..We're thankful for the crumbs. The check for $78,333 presented to The National Park Service is Donald Trump's first quarterly pay as President of the United States.
.. This will go a long way toward offsetting the anticipated  12% ($1.5bn) cut in funding to the Interior Department. The gesture is not lost on us, the small folk from Montana.

THE LORD GIVETH

.. Of course Donald Trump could not take the time away from tweeting to present the check in person.
.. Being the master of spin and spoof Trump allowed the press secretary to do it at the national press conference.
.. This is in keeping with his Old Testament Christian values.
.. As is said in Job 1:21, "Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord giveth, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
.. Job, on the other hand, did not have the advantage of a million dollar loan from his father.
.. Ryan Zinke seems to have lost his cowboyan attire and is sporting the D.C noob uniform: an off color azure suit. He's well on his way to fixing the Interior Department.

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.. The Madison River inside Yellowstone National Park has settled into it's seasonal pattern.
.. It is periodically bank full as it goes through it's nocturnal / diurnal swings in response to daytime temperatures. The river is just a mite above seasonal averages and closing fast on a runoff regime that will not disturb the redds that have been filled.
.. The Gallatin River is just a skoosh more rambunctious for this time of year. It is running at more than 200cfs above seasonal norms and the discharge is pretty steady due to the near continuous mid level snowpack melt.

RED WORM

.. The neighbors have been splashing around in the short stretch of cold water between the north boundary of Yellowstone National Park and Taylor Fork.
.. The challenge in this stretch is finding a fish with the energy to open it's mouth. Large nymphs, wet flies, and small streamers have been having some success.
.. They must be fished low and slow. Hitting a fish in the nose is most effective!

RED REBEL  -  old fashioned wet

.. Neither the occasionally bright day, nor the thirty and forty degree temperatures seem to have been sufficient for a steady or prolific midge hatch.
.. The snow flies have been reluctant to maintain their usually steady hatch that we have seen in the last few years, (except near Quake Lake on the Madison River.)

THIN WING STREAMER

.. Quake Lake is producing some nice fish at the boat ramp where the Madison River debauches into the ice filled lake.
.. Breakup is under way and for those willing to reach the shore near Beaver Creek the rewards should be significant.
..  Well greased streamers on short, heavy leaders, that are occasionally twitched near the surface on the retrieve have been wildly fairly successful.

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.. We awoke early after a night filled with digestive dreams. That is not an all bad thing. Yesterday's dusting of snow has melted and the temperature is on the rise. We'll finish the coffee and stroll down to the best biscuits and gravy in town. It's nice to have someone else do the dishes for a change.

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WALLPAPER:  CLAM CHOWDER

Destination Archipelagos

EASY TO FISH

Fresh & Salt Water

inexpensive destination

WALLPAPER: IDEAL DESTINATION

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.. Shortly after WWII the biological research division of the United States Geological Survey was asked by the Army Corps Of Engineers to collaborate in a project for island survival in the Pacific Ocean.
.. In order to accomplish this goal three sparsely occupied archipelagos were selected and survival constraints were studied and detailed.

PROTEIN

.. To make a very long story very short the major discovery was that most isolated islands are not habitable because of a lack of viable protein in the diets of the putative survivors.
.. In a series of clandestine survival experiments over a period of thirty years several isolated islands had their fauna augmented.
.. Pigs, parrots, goats, fish, reptiles, dogs, and cats were used to explore the possibilities of protein sources for the isolated islands.

INSHORE MACKEREL

.. Just recently the experiments were terminated and the results published, (LINK-1, LINK-2.) Not surprisingly it was fish that proved to be most viable in augmenting available protein sources.
.. The EPA has supervised the cleanup of the islands and approved the final restoration of the indigenous fauna. The single bit of the experiment that was not removed was the aquatic species.

HYBRID SHAD

.. There are four species of fish and several invertebrates that were not practical to remove.
.. Happily these fish readily come to the fly and, (at the moment,) are not easily spooked.
.. One species is strictly an ocean dweller. It hangs out close to shore, schools, eats a wide variety of food and, is easily taken in the shallows. The Inshore Mackerel, (up to 15 pounds,) is similar to it's other relatives and demands an educated palate should you choose to eat it. On the other hand it is a strong fish and will satisfactorily bend your rod for longer than is enjoyable.

.. Two species are anadromous. The Hybrid Shad, (up to 8 pounds,) and the Tropical Cutthroat Trout, (up to 7 pounds.) Both of these species are the result of breeding programs based on fish from California, (LINK-3,) and Oregon, (LINK-4.) and Washington.

BRACKISH WATER BASS

.. The single freshwater fish is the Largemouth Bass that was introduced from the coastal counties of Texas, (LINK-5.)
.. These bass occupy the fresh water springs and rivers. Some of the larger bass, (up to 11 pounds,) are found in brackish water along the rocky coasts. These are the second most populous fish on those islands where there are large brackish lagoons inside the reef.

EXPERIMENTAL LOCATIONS

.. There are some small occasional surges of pelagic fish that are seasonally available. There is also a resident population of Bonefish on the very small flats on a couple of the islands.
..  The surprising thing about these destinations is that transportation, (although rather complex,) is in the free to very little range.

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RESOURCES:

>> China Fishing Destinations,
>> Spratly Islands Sport Fishing,
>> American Travel Associates,
>> Exotic Fish & Fisheries Guide Service.

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RED WORM

.. Our local rivers have slowed overnight and rumors have it that Taylor Fork has a full three feet of visibility. Perhaps now is the time.
.. However, in an alternate universe, there will be fish at the discharge fan of Snowflake Springs. We'll see.
.. Happy April 01, 2017 

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WALLPAPER:   SOPA DE FRIJOLES [Mayocoba Beans]