Down Low

A FEW BIG BUGS

A Few Little Bugs

quite a few deer flies too

MADISON RIVER RAINBOW 

(big enough for wallpaper if you like.)

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.. We just took one of our infrequent visitations to the lowland Madison River. As usual, fish were eager and larger than we are normally familiar with. We suffered through it all in soldierly fashion.

YELLOWSTONE SALLY

.. Because of the repairs at Hebgen Dam and the tailwaters coming from the top of Hebgen Lake, the water on the lowland river is a bit warmer than usual for this time of year. And, yes, the bite slowed during mid-day - probably down to a single fish every 10 minutes or so.

SILLI STIMI

.. Bugs were plentiful and the fish were gobbling in a wonderfully indiscriminate manner.
.. Giant Salmonflies, (Pteronarcys californica,) and our Least Salmonfly, (Pteronarcella badia,) are still being eaten with gay abandon by the fish, (bless their little pea brains.)
.. They were so willing that we have been forced to deliver some fish porn just to maintain our veracity.

JUST YAK YAKING ALONG

.. Herds of caddis and several sorts of big and small mayflies were also present throughout the day. The pudgy fish were eating them all.
.. As a matter of course, we eschewed our normal nymphitis, (a malady common to fisher folk of a certain mature age grade,) and fished mostly big bugs on the top. Various local varieties of the common stimulator pattern were used.
.. The fish whacked them all. We even foul hooked a few that were pounding the flies with their tails - steelhead or salmon genes?

A VERY OLD AND GOOD FRIEND

.. There really isn't much that is novel to report. The Madison River usually delivers spectacular fishing - even for novice anglers or curmudgeons with old Fenwick sticks.
.. The fish were willing to come up to eat the big flies on the top. They even ate the little flies on top. They even ate the little flies under the water. They were in an eating mood and we took full advantage of it.
.. The river is a playground for all manner of folks during these warm months. There were bathers, tubers, kayakers, and fishers all enjoying the 80° weather.

STICK 'EM OR STOMP 'EM

.. We also, (busy weekend,) visited Indian Creek Campground. It's becoming very popular right now. Obsidian Creek and Indian Creek are providing good catching opportunities.
.. The rambunctious Brook Trout of these waters don't even care if you try to trample them to death - they will still inhale anything that could be food.
.. A few of the neighbors are brave enough to get up before dawn and visit the Firehole River for the "morning bite." On the water before the sun can be seen, they follow the shadows as the sun climbs upward. When there are no shadows - fishing is done.
.. This is fishing with very little catching and reserved for the faithful that must worship at the river. Spinners, floating nymphs, drowned caddis, and midge clusters are dropped along the edges of the shadow lines. A few fish even get caught.
.. We've been blessed with afternoon cloud cover and even a few cooling thunder showers. Obvious as it is there are a couple of things that need mentioning:
1) Bear spray is a very important fishing accoutrement,
2) Graphite is a good lightening rod, as is any fishing rod,
3) Be kind and gentle to fish hooked in warm water.

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STURDY, COMPETENT, RELIABLE, FRIENDLY, FRIEND. 

(big enough for wallpaper if you choose.)