R & R - For The Fish

PARKS' FLY SHOP HAS IT RIGHT

Hot Weather = Hot Fish

find the cold water

.. The mandatory closures for streams in Yellowstone went into effect last Saturday afternoon: the Firehole River, Madison River, Gibbon River below Gibbon Falls, Gardner River below Osprey Falls, Slough Creek, Lamar River below Cache Creek, Soda Butte Creek below Ice Box Canyon), Yellowstone River below Seven Mile Hole, Lava Creek below Undine Falls, and some of the Bechler waters including Boundary Creek and the Bechler River, are closed from 2:00PM until 5:00AM. (Yellowstone Park Press Release, Closure Map PDF.)

Effective Saturday afternoon, July 21, the following rivers and creeks within the park will be closed to fishing between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.:

Northern Yellowstone: Gardner River below Osprey Falls, Lava Creek below Undine Falls, Lamar River below Cache Creek, all of Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek below Amphitheater Creek, and the Yellowstone River below Seven Mile Hole.

West side of the park: Madison River, Firehole River below Keppler Cascades, and the Gibbon River below Gibbon Falls.

Southern portion of Yellowstone: Bechler River below Ouzel Creek, Falls River below Rainbow Falls, Mountain Ash Creek below Union Falls, Proposition Creek, Boundary Creek below Dunanda Falls, Robinson Creek, and the Snake River below Six Mile Ford.

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.. Check the following reports for details on the fishing results for the last few days: Madison River Outfitters, Parks' Fly Shop, Bud Lilly's, Blue Ribbon Flies. All concur that most of the fish need a rest.
.. Hebgen Lake is fishing very well in the mornings and - for that matter - through the heat of the day. Evening streamer fishing is also picking up. Gulper fishing is exceptional on these dog-day mornings with the lake like glass and the mosquitoes still asleep. Dawn is not too early to arrive, but the gulping hits high gear between 7:30 and 8:30 AM.
.. There is an abundance of flies on the water and the hatches are strong and consistent. Callibaetis & Trico spinners and emergers are the key here - keep it small, about 16 or thereabouts is close. When the wind comes up go to nymphs and keep fishing. The windward shores are producing good fish in the afternoon and evening on small streamers and Montana Dusters.
.. The Madison River below the Hebgen Dam is crowded and fishing well despite the pressure. Some evening caddis are working in this tailwater stretch. Deep drift Prince Nymphs and Montana Dusters between hatches. Be on the lookout for Hoppers and fish 'em if you got 'em.
.. The Gallatin River is fishing very well. Caddis is the strong suite here along with a few hatches of PMD's and some Yellow Stones keep the action in this coldwater going. Hopper action is in full swing and a hopper-dropper combination with an Hare's Ear or Feather Duster will reward you. Watch where you park and be careful with your turns and slowings - the increased fire traffic make the road a bit busier than usual.
.. A gentle walk up the Fan Creek trail to the narrow sections and the meadows is worth it. Small attractors and nymphs will produce some sterling action and occasionally a bragging fish of 10" - 12". Be very sneaky in the open areas.
.. Some of the best advice for fishing the Soda Butte Creek [early and often,] Lamar River [take a walk,] and Slough Creek [good as the terrestrials are - leave it alone,] in the northeast corner of the park comes from Bud Lilly's:

"So get up early and head NE - take a siesta after 2 PM or head to the upper Gardner at Sheepeaters Cliff and catch a mess of Brookies."

.. There are fish to be had in the Yellowstone River. Skill, Stealth, Luck, and Guile will reward you with a large Cutthroat or two. The fishing is hard and there is plenty of water.

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.. "Turns Out You Really Can Get Crabs From A Toilet Seat."
.. Tired of tame fishing and wily trout? Tired of elbows and egregious fishers? Tired of cars and diesel buses and the other accouterments of our advanced civilization? Walk into the Bob Marshall Wilderness and catch willing fish on a string - from the Bozeman Chronicle.
.. Want to see some exquisite photos of the molting process of the Black Quill? Go to Troutnut.com - spectacular! There's a lesson here for fly tiers.

photo Courtesy Jason Neuswanger - Troutnut.com

Back For More

FRIED MOTHERBOARD

Repairs Underway

old tech to the rescue

.. This is "Kiss-A-Fish Weekend" in West Yellowstone. Those fish that have survived the heat, low flows, and algal growth deserve a kiss.
.. Now that posting is possible with an ancient PC there will be a full report tomorrow -- and things are looking up, (including the fish and the catching!)

A Few Evening Showers

GO TO THE NORTH

Go To The South

Go To The Yellowstone

.. With mother nature bringing some afternoon showers the fishing has picked up some.
.. Computer still glitchy. Fish the Yellowstone. Fish the Gallatin. Fish the Madison.

Where It's At

THIS IS A BRIEF PRECIS

Avoid The Firehole

.. We'll be necessarily brief. The computer connection is intermittent and the the problem is compounded by a rapidly failing hard drive. We will be more regular within a week.
.. The park has asked fishermen to avoid the Firehole during the heat on a voluntary basis. Sadly there are still people fishing.
.. The Gallatin is the place to fish on the West Side of the park. Soda Butte, Cache Creek, Slough Creek and the Lamar River are the place to be on the east side.
.. Computer gone . . . .

"HOLY THERMOMETER," Batman . . .

NUMBERS NOT OFTEN SEEN IN THESE PARTS

LEAVE THE FISH ALONE

Fishermen Should Close The Firehole If The Park Won't

.. Don't fish the Firehole River. Fish the Gibbon River if you must - but only in the morning or evening. The Madison River works but is fair to poor, (unless evening caddis is your game - then it's spectacular!).Slough Creek is where it's at, for now, - and warming quickly, (can you say early hoppers?) Even Soda Butte Creek is spiking into the high 80's, and becoming the most crowded river in the park - and that's saying something.
.. If you want consistent action and active fish in cold water there are few easily accessible waters. The Gallatin River is popping at what is probably it's seasonal best. Fan Creek is too low and too hot; the same for Grayling Creek, Duck Creek, Iron Spring Creek, and the Little Firehole. Leave the poor fish to their own devices - enough are dying already.
.. As people anticipate the opener on the Yellowstone River, (July 15,) they should keep in mind that the current flow from the lake outlet is more than 1,500 cfs below the anticipated seasonal average. The river should fish well for a week or two, depending on weather and pressure.
.. It's a fine thing when the feather merchants fish. It's a better thing when they tell us about it. Visit Bud Lilly's for a comprehensive area report. Check out Madison River Outfitters for a bit of local insight into the Yellowstone scene, (and a very pretty cutthroat from Slough Creek.) Bob Jacklin has revamped his web page and expanded the Yellowstone Waters section, (look for the new stuff at the fishing report tab.) Bob continues to hold his free casting clinic every Sunday in West Yellowstone. The good folks at Parks' Fly Shop are right on with this week's tip, click on over to see for yourself.
.. The Horse's Mouth has put to shame the nay, (neigh?) sayers by bringing forth a plethora of posts ranging from a complete text of the Declaration Of Independence to some of the finest wahines yet honored. Check out the photo of the surfing whale.
.. From Protect Your Waters comes a note about the spread of Eurasian Milfoil into the waters of Montana. The original article is in The Missoulian. The plant is only known from one body of water, (Noxon Reservoir,) at the current time and herbicide and drawing down the reservoir in the winter are being considered by Montana FWP officials.
.. The Monterey County Herald lets us know about the Extinction Stops Here roadshow. The show features a 25-foot long, (two ton,) replica of a Pacific King Salmon. It's currently playing at the Monterey Aquarium. The roadshow is part of a public education campaign by Save Our Wild Salmon.