Simple Pleasures

FOUR SEASONS PER DAY

Well -- Three anyway

the sun appeared briefly

FISHERS AND BISON SHARE THE SAME MEADOWS

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.. As opening days go, it was fairly typical. It snowed some, it rained some, the sun peeked out some and fish were caught - some.
.. The faithful who worshiped at the holy waters were rewarded with blustery weather, crowded waters, wildlife, and a few bugs. Most who came sought the simple pleasures of whipping the water to a froth while waiting for some surface action.
.. It's a simple bit of fun. Get your new waders wet in the deep spots where you just kicked out the fish, then cast to a rising fish 50' away.

THE F3 SPEY FLY

.. The cool weather and the falling snow of the last few days have slowed the runoff to a fishable torrent and the water is clear enough to fish.
.. A few sneaky fishers with the wherewithal to find the big fish tucked under the banks used nymphs, streamers, wet flies, and other assorted fluff below the surface. We used a small Spey fly. Fish were caught by most fishers.

PMD Fun

.. Worshiping and genuflecting was persistent for the whole day. Brief sunny spells punctuated the blustery day while it rained and snowed more than anything else.
.. The PMD's showed up about 2:30 PM and the congregation was rewarded for their patience with the howling wind and blinding snow flurries.
.. Sunshine seemed to be the enemy. With it came the screaming kids, nosy visitors, news photographers, and the family dog, (or dogs,) it was like unto a party. The bison near Ojo Caliente, on the Firehole River drew crowds to watch the wildlife, (hominid and bovine alike.)

THE SUN BRINGS FORTH A PARTY ATMOSPHERE

.. Sunday was a repeat of Saturday with more and heavier snowfalls. The bugs appeared again, right after lunch, and drew the magnetized hoards to the water. The Firehole River was the main attraction on the west side of the park.
.. Some less-than-social fisher folk noticed that the bear closure signs had been removed from Nez Perce Creek: up they went. Reports of clear water and eager fish rolled down the Mary Mountain trail like ball bearings on a playground slide. There was more snow in the Nez Perce Valley but there seemed to be easier fishing and catching, (for those that care.) It's a pleasure reserved for those who will walk a little farther.

NEWSREEL PHOTOGRAPHER FORCED TO
CHOOSE BETWEEN BISON & FLY FISHER

.. Rumors of enormous fish, (about the size of oil drums,) have filtered to our ears from the small party of mud fishers that walked the bank of Duck Creek in it's last 1/2 mile before the impoundment and the park line. A fuzzy cell phone image went a long way toward convincing us that even heretics catch fish away from the holy water.
.. The discharge rates have already started to rise after the cool weather. Color will probably return to the holy water. Fishers will still traipse the banks and dogs and children will frolic along the shore. This brief pause in the high water phase is soon to end, (given the improbable veracity of the near term weather forecast.)
.. The Madison River drew few fishers and even fewer catchers. Those that knew where the water slowed and the banks were deeply undercut had a field day. The rest just wet their waders.
.. As always we'll keep you posted about the fishing and catching. The neighbors will be pissed, the feather merchants will be irked, the rangers will be peevish, (as usual,) & a good time will be had by all while Fly Fishing in Yellowstone National Park.

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