Flow Gently Sweet Madison (sorry Mr. Burns)

TOPSY TURVY COLORS

Mixed Weather Bag

sorta near normal

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.. 'Twas gray yesterday - 'tis bright today. Must be Spring in Yellowstone National Park.
.. With snow and rain and fog and graupel surrounding visitors from the west entrance to Old Faithful the park greeted us with a typically soft day.
.. The precipitations were not a hindrance because the ground level temperatures were in the 40's.

.. The Madison River is bank full and discharge is just slightly above seasonal norm, (575 vs 541 cfs.)

MADISON RIVER COLORS

.. It is surprisingly clear with in-water visibility of six feet or more.
.. Foam lines are persistent and clear and noses are in the air.
.. Water temperature is hanging around 50°F with small incursions above and below during the day and night.
.. There is a lot of fishy surface activity with splashing and jumping. Could not see any bugs so it must be seasonal exuberance on the part of the fish.

FIREHOLE RIVER COLORS

.. Most interestingly, the Firehole River is milky and the color is reminiscent of the hues dripping from a freshly rinsed dirty diaper.
.. Discharge is at or below seasonal norms, (≈ 300 cfs,) and temperatures have already spiked to 66°F.
.. There are some noses in the air and bugs of the eensy variety were flitting at the far edge of our identification range.

MADISON RIVER

.. Our warm up has been gradual and the mid level snows have had time to percolate into the recently thawed ground.
..  Amongst the major river basins around this corner of the states we have about the lowest of the good in both depth and snow water content.
.. It's better than the last few years and the slow warm up is encouraging for early season fishing.

FIREHOLE RIVER

.. As quick as the Firehole River is heating up we hope that there is not an early closure and that we can grab some catching time for more than just a few weeks.
.. Nothing peculiar seems to be in the offing for the near and long term weather forecast.

EXPERIMENTAL

.. We are of good cheer and busy cleaning the fly lines and tinkering with the gear.
.. The neighbors have been exceedingly generous with their experimental winter collection of flies: there will be lots of good excuses.

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.. Entrance to Yellowstone National Park is free today. We'll pass. The garden needs some spading and we need to get the weeds away from the dandelions.

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WALLPAPER:  BISCUIT BASIN, OPENING DAY