LOOKING THE OTHER WAY
Mother's Day What ?
they're here & they're small
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.. As the neighbors are streaming toward Hebgen Lake for their chance at some early Spring tugs, we took the opportunity to cruise in Yellowstone National Park... Our gentle weather has been truncated by a return to typical Spring weather -- 6" - 12" of snow, a bit of sleet, high wind gusts, and intermittent sun between the storm cells. We take this kind of opportunity to enjoy the chance to be a tourist.
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Very few visitors darken the portals of the park at this time of year, especially in the rain and snow... All visitors were shooed out of the park yesterday because of the snow. Visitation is limited to administrative travel today, (or until the roads are deemed safe for touring folks in family sedans.)
.. This is an opportunity that the neighbors relish. The moisture is a blessing, and the spotty sun dapples the critters and landscape alike. We're loving it. {Administrative travel includes visitation to park employees living in Yellowstone.}
.. The rivers in the park are beautifully benign at the moment, (especially the Madison River,) just a hint of color, (if you can call it that,) bank full and bubbling, fish rising, and the girls hanging out in the rapidly greening meadows. The melt of warm snow coupled with rain should turn the west side rivers into chocolate soup within the week.
.. With our temperatures sliding back down toward seasonally low numbers, and the bluster back in the forecast we felt that tourism was justified.
.. In a month or so it will be different; always is, [[ opening day is May 29, 2010.]]
.. When we got home there were a few caddis smashed on the windshield. There were some small mayflies too. Oh well.
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.. The fabled Mother's Day caddis hatch is seldom evident in this part of the world. There are caddis, for sure, but they are scattered, sporadic, and not too monstrous... We fish as if they were here anyway and gather up a few dances. Wet weather and overcast skies are not the preferred caddis emergent weather. But then, (on the other hand,) there is the pupating imperative. We've seen them in both the rain and the snow; (and who knows what sort of gluttony takes place under water with the delay in the hatching?)
.. We're fond of using little green nymphs for the caddis. Usually we rig up with a two fly rig.
A drowned caddis on the top and a bead-head something on the bottom... Jacklin's Rock Worm is currently in vogue around here, along with Soft Hackles, Stiff Hackles, and even Prince Nymphs and Yellow Feather Dusters.
.. There are always rumors of a good caddis hatch on the East Gallatin River and this might be the year to investigate.
.. We usually fish the Gallatin River between the park line and the Taylor Fork this time of year. The local fishing guru's feel that the Gallatin River is too cold this time of year, (probably for the fishers.)
.. Then, again, they are trapped in the surface rut and spit the words 'bobber' and 'indicator' out of their mouths... We use a giant drowned caddis as a bobber and it catches it's fair share of the fish.
.. One particularly useful fly for this purpose is Doug's Drowned Caddis from Parks' Fly Shop, (see it HERE.) We tie it a bit larger, (12-14,) but it works fine. The more beat up it gets the better it works.
.. Speaking of Parks' Fly Shop, It looks like the video fly tying lessons are done for now. A total of 17 instructional videos are available for viewing, HERE.
.. Breakfast time: S.O.S, quart of coffee, OJ, and a Twinkie. Good for both the waistline and the cholesterol!
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