Fly Fishing In Yellowstone National Park: And So It Begins

Thursday, May 08, 2014

And So It Begins

YESTERDAY'S SNOW IS GONE

Sun And Visitors Blossom

roads filled, rivers too

WALLPAPER: GENTLE SPRING DAY - YELLOWSTONE

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.. This may be it! The tipping point is close. Our standard Spring Mix of weather is providing more sun and less snow as the days pass. The air is warming. The bluebirds have arrived. Robbins are on the ground. Bison calves are being eaten by grizzly bears.

Use Me

.. Neighbors are cleaning BBQ grills. Winter grime is being washed from vehicles. Shopkeepers in our village are stocking their shelves. Itinerant guides from near and far are bumbling into the pubs. It looks like Summer is in sight.
.. It looks like Spring has hit it's stride: that just means that there's another week of rain and snow in the forecast. HOWEVER the temperatures will be in the 40's, and then some.
.. Not to put too fine of a point on it - BUT - the west side rivers are in good condition. The Madison River is a tad above seasonal discharge but not too much color in the water. The Firehole River is dead on the numbers. The Gallatin River is at seasonal average, The Gibbon River is above average and running strong. All rivers seem healthy and the fish are making surface appearances to bits of flotsam and bugs as well.

AND ???

.. Most of the local feather merchants are in attendance and doing some business. The neighbors are haunting the shores of Hebgan Reservoir seeking those bits of open water where the trout seek the surface. There is even open water at the end of the Horse Butte peninsula and the gear flingers are taking 20" trout with regularity.
.. For the first time in several years the grizzly bears have begun their calf chomping out on the butte and fishers have to keep the bear spray handy and their backs covered.
.. The National Park Service made a brief appearance in town and provided some information about the progress of the long-term Native Fish Conservation Program, (Story #1, Story #2,) and, for a change, the meeting was well attended by the neighbors.
.. The neighbors can be found at the outlet of Quake Lake, the Madison Arm of Hebgen Reservoir, the South Fork Estuary, and in the shadowed corners of pubs.
.. Mother's Day looms and fathers are feeling constrained by the thought of giving up a fine day of catching - ah, such is life.
.. There's even some stirring among the feather merchant blogs and websites: give 'em a click and see the Spring activity at your favorite bit of dust and fluff.

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