A Midsummer Night's Report

EGAD - IS JULY ENDING ?

All Open Park Waters Now Open

all fish now targets
(monster map at end of post)

-------

.. In the blink of an eye we've gone from anticipating opening day to the summer doldrums. Fishing and catching, however, are anything but dull or depressed.
.. We've gathered up the best information, juiciest rumors, and most rampant speculation about the fishing in Yellowstone National Park.
.. We even went out of our way to fish several of the best places to examine the information for this fishing report, to wit:
==> Arnica Creek: Getting low, still cold, avoid the fire, attractors and small ants.
==> Bacon Rind Creek: In prime shape, beetles, ants, caddis, stalk the banks and cover a lot of territory, carry bear spray.
==> Beaver Creek: Long walk - small fish, bears, but great camping and exploring, anything in the box will work, only fish it if you're young and adventurous, two reports, (cell phone photos,) show fish to 14" taken on a "WHITE ROYAL COACHMAN" - never heard of such a thing!
==> Bechler River: The mosquitoes are not too bad yet, drakes as big as bombers are coming off in the meadows, anything will take the smaller fish on top, the large fish are there but you need all the stealth of a B2 to get within range, perfect skills will gather up some of the largest stream fish in Yellowstone.
==> Blacktail Deer Creek: Golden stoneflies right now, big soft hackles and bead head caddis underwater, caddis on top, sallies if you're lucky, as soon as the hoppers mature this will be very crowded.
==> Boundary Creek: Seems to be clearing early, without rain this creek and the Bechler River will be as good as it gets for the next 3 weeks, (or more,) use your full arsenal of 'ground bugs' here, beetles are especially good right now.
==> Cache Creek: Fishing better than the Lamar River or Soda Butte Creek right now, if you've got the legs this is the place to be for the next week, PMD's and Drakes are working now, reports of hoppers seem a bit suspicious, we believe the beetle and ant stories.
==> Cottonwood Creek: Long walk, good fishing, worth a day to go in and out, terrestrials soon, carry bear spray for all streams in the canyon, Royal Wullf, yellow Humpies, and Adams will do on top, Prince Nymphs and Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear down below.
==> Cougar Creek: Low again this year, fish outside the park near the confluence with Duck Creek, or right at the park line in the thick willows.
==> Duck Creek: There are some small winged hoppers here, first of the season, soft hackles and attractors too, please obey the bear closure.
==> Falls River: No good current information, however it should be just great with PMD's and small stoneflies.
==> Fan Creek: In perfect shape, carry bear spray and fish with a friend, some flavs and drakes, subsurface with soft hackles all day.
==> Firehole River: Fish the upper with attractors and soft hackles, dance with beautiful Brook Trout, go way up, camp, fish in pristine water, take bear spray.
==> Gallatin River: Water of choice for a couple of weeks, spruce moths starting, caddis clouds in evening, nymphs and soft hackles all day, a winged hopper was seen yesterday, see ya there - armed with bear spray.
==> Gardiner River: Fishing well with heavy pressure, caddis on top and Prince Nymphs below are the staple fish-getters.
==> Gibbon River: Canyon has slowed, use soft hackles and attractor flies, below the falls is marginal - walk and prospect, above Norris Campground still fishing good, (eager Brook Trout in the shadows and undercut banks.)
==> Iron Spring Creek: Surprising number of fish in this still cold water, attractor dries, caddis, Prince and Hare's Ear, best hurry this water will warm up too.
==> Lamar River: clearing and fishable, streamers in the canyon, soft hackles in the riffles, match the hatch if it happens, small stonefly nymphs will serve in most places, PMD's and other surface activity getting good.
==> Little Firehole River: Not as many fish as expected, try Iron Spring Creek, in the late evening a mouse is a good bet near all the sweepers and downfall.
==> Madison River: Excellent evening caddis, terrestrials, (without hoppers - yet,) for the day, sparse mayflies about 10:00 AM, warming rapidly.
==> Nez Perce Creek: The water about a quarter mile above the Loop Road is teeming with fish just run up from the Firehole River, cover a lot of territory and swing soft hackles, make noise and carry bear spray.
==> Obsidian Creek: Just a delight, cars or no cars your choice, walk a bit and find Brookies so colorful you'll two pair of sun glasses to appreciate them, often scorned as a "kids fishery" this is one of the prettiest creeks in Yellowstone, and - DAMN if the catching aint as good as the fishing.
==> Pebble Creek: Often ignored, sadly, try the long glides right by the picnic tables, use large soft hackles and beetles.
==> Slough Creek: The drakes are starting, the water is clear, the evening has some caddis and folks are beginning to arrive by the busload.
==> Snake River: Caddis is king with the drakes scattered, if you bump into them hold on.
==> Soda Butte Creek: Clear cold and beautiful, meadow section has caddis and PMD's, lots of ants this year - big too.
==> Straight Creek: The green drakes are still hanging around, fish near the confluence with Winter Creek for the most eager of the Brookies, enjoy the heavy cover, lose some flies.
==> Tower Creek: Worth the walk to the bottom right now, small stones, caddis, soft hackles, and mice in the evening.
==> Trout Creek: Just too good to leave to the worm fishers and kids.
==> Winter Creek: What a glorious tangle! the fish are here and larger than they have any right to be, attractors of the most bizarre sort work here, so does everything else.
==> Yellowstone River: Still on the high side, clear, cruise the banks looking for noses, Stimulators may infuriate large fish.

-------

==> Grebe Lake: Crowded, fishing well, grayling on the small side.
==> Hebgen Lake: Gulpers-ho, callibaetis, drowned Adams, furious action.
==> Joffe Lake: Great place to meet new friends, have a picnic, let the kids fish, and catch a few yourself, evening is best if the mosquitoes don't suck you dry.
==> Lewis Lake: Camp here, explore in the day, drag a leech near the outlet for some real excitement.
==> Shoshone Lake: Same as above, the mosquitoes are larger and hungrier this year than in recent memory, pretty place.
==> Quake Lake: Streamers near inlet and Beaver Creek, some gulper activity near trees and outlet.
==> Yellowstone Lake: Shore fishing still productive in the West Thumb area. Float a soft hackle well ahead of cruisers.

-------