Follow Stoneflies On The Madison?
VISIT THE GIBBON AND SEEK GRAYLING?
MAYBE THE GALLATIN?
<--nps photo
-- It had to happen. The wide open bite, (party boat term,) on the Firehole River has slowed to just very good and the hatches have settled into the June pattern.
-- Believe it or don't - the fish seem to have gotten a bit shy. The Salmonfly hatch this year seems a bit sparse - but more widely dispersed. Fish are still taking submerged forms, and floaters as well. Skittering the fly across the surface will sometimes bring spectacular refusals --- and then again; George caught a 14" rainbow that took the fly on the way up! Sky rocket takes are not the norm, but it sure was fun to see. This was in the narrow lower canyon just below Firehole Falls. The water in the pool he was probing was only about 2-1/2 feet deep.
-- The Madison River in National Park Meadows, (at Madison Junction,) is as pretty as it gets. The fish are hiding under the bank, and very happy to accept Wooly Buggers in pink and yellow. They are also being indiscriminate about surface flies. A size 14 - 16 Elk Hair Caddis will suffice for anything but the early PMD fishing. From National Park meadow to "Big Bend" the water is still a bit off color but fishing fairly well.
-- The fish in the riffle and run sections below Big Bend are starting to see the big nymphs of two kinds of Stoneflies: Pteronarcys californica (the salmonfly), and Calineura california (yellow stonefly). Both of these flies are present in abundance and the recent warm days may bring both to the surface at the same time. I've seen this happen a couple of times in the last 10 years - what a festival! We'll know in the next few days if this happens; and we'll let you know.
-- The Gibbon has cleared and reports suggest that the upper meadows are fishable now. At this time it is really enjoyable to fish the thin water above the upper meadows and take dozens of eager Brook Trout, (some to 10",) and hope that a grayling will be found as well. The Grayling demand the cold clear water that is found in this upper stretch. A few can be found in the riffle pools in the narrow part of the river just above National Park Meadows. This bit of water requires some walking and is not fished as heavily as others.
-- The Gallatin River in Yellowstone National Park has warmed quicker than usual this year. The flows are still a bit high, and The Taylor Fork is still dumping quite a load into the Gallatin. The Park section at the Fawn Pass parking area has produced some small fish. The sections below Baconrind Creek might just be ready by the weekend.
-- These decisions are tough. Maybe we'll just sleep in on Saturday and watch T.V. Probably not!