• PARTNER: PROTECT YOUR WATERS
  • Go To: THE FLIES OF YELLOWSTONE
  • Go To: YELLOWSTONE FISHING WEATHER
  • Go To: YELLOWSTONE FLY FISHING MAPS
  • Visit: Moldy Chum
  • Visit: The Horse's Mouth
  • Visit: Chi Wulff
  • Visit: Parks' Fly Shop
  • Monday, September 30, 2019

    Finally Happened

    THE FRUIT OF STUPID
    Alcohol Involved ?
    blood on boardwalk
    DON'T DO IT
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    .. Late Sunday night a visitor to Yellowstone National Park suffered severe burns to a significant portion of his body after falling into thermal water near the cone of Old Faithful Geyser.
    ..  We've noted the recent trend of ignoring safety concerns and people leaving the boardwalk in thermal areas [LINK]. There are no fish in the thermal springs of the park.
    .. Read about it:
    NPS News Release,
    FOX News Report,
    CNN News Report.
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    .. The dusting of snow has melted and there may be a bit of warm in the forecast. May even see 60° by Monday next. Standard Fall mix of rain, snow, sleet, graupel, until then.
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    WALLPAPER:   SESAME WHITE BREAD

    Sunday, September 29, 2019

    Got Some

    AND SO IT GOES
    Dusting Arrives
    a large elk down
    WALLPAPER:  MUSH OF THE MOMENT
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    .. It seems a bit early: not for the snow but, for a trophy elk. We have an elk tradition in our village that is most interesting.
    .. The hunter's pickup truck, with the elk draped all over the bed and, hanging over the sides and out the open tailgate, is treated to a bit of gasoline at three or four of our gas stations - this takes several hours of lies and secrets.
    THAT'S A GOOD FISH
    .. Some tongue pulling, rack wiggling, wound inspection and other conversation starters are the stuff of social lubricity. The news is spread around our village - rapidly indeed! Comparisons with monsters past are brought forth. Critiques of the coat, antlers, hooves, etc. are voiced.
    .. Talk of bears and gut piles filter through the village and, into the dusty aisles of the feather merchants. Unfortunately the hardware store is closed or, word would spread faster. Yet, there is still the post office, grocery store, pizza store, coffee roaster and, such.
    .. The traditional ritual ends in a tin quonset hut with a winch, spreaders, hose, and clean trimming. Decapitation plus cape removal is required and, a glance at the check book - big head mounts are expensive. At least it's early and the wait should not be too long.
    SOME GALLATIN SNOW
    .. It will be a month or two before the ritual ends. At that time sharing of meat will follow. Depending on neighborhood hierarchy and social connections some get ground elk, some get sausage or a roast and, a few will get a steak. We can hardly wait!
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    .. Runners are being stabbed and tormented both inside and outside of Yellowstone National Park.
    .. On the Madison River join the crowds at 7-mile Bridgenine mile hole, barns holes and, Baker's Hole.
    THE ROYAL PURPLE
    .. On the Firehole River hike up to the big pools on the Little Firehole or Iron Spring Creek.
    .. The Gallatin River is way too cold to fish: ignore the reports of large fish in the braided channels among the willows at the confluence with Fan Creek.
    .. You should also ignore the reports of "good fish" on Bacon Rind Creek. Those reports are just compensatory bravado from the local wags.
    .. A couple of better than good fish were taken at the mouth of the Taylor Fork, HAH! - more silly talk from the neighbors.
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    WALLPAPER:  SIMPLE SEARED SALMON

    Friday, September 27, 2019

    The Turning Worm

    SEASON OF SWEETNESS
    A Double Delight
    submarines sighted
    SWEET STUFF FOR THE NEW YEAR
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    .. We have, in our village, only one Jewish family. There is a fly fisher among them. This is a signal moment in time for these neighbors. Rosh Hashanah, sometimes called the Jewish New Year, coincides with the dawning of "Runner Fever."
    .. Pods of large fish have been sighted in the estuary where the Madison River debauches into Hebgen Reservoir. This is the pre-spawn ritual for sex charged trout.
    WORKS IN ALL WATERS
    .. This is a season of sweetness for both the Jewish family and, fly fisher folk.
    .. Sweet food is the theme of Rosh Hashanah meals. Sweet fishing is theme for fly fishers. Indeed; the worm has turned.
    .. Flies that are hawked by the feather merchants are often called "sweet." There are many "best flies" in the various vocabularies of counter help in our fly shops. For some inexplicable reason the best flies and, those not best all work to take fish.
    BAKER'S HOLE BUGGER
    .. In the dark corners of our pubs, secrets are shared. Secret flies, secret waters, secret techniques, are shared in muted tones.
    .. The truth of the matter is that the underpinnings of all these secrets is that; "JUST HIT 'EM IN THE NOSE."
    .. A combination of fly, leader, line and, depth in the water column will succeed if the fish is bonked in the nose. The key, despite the hyperbole of the counter help, is finding the fish and presenting the fly.
    PHEASANT AND BLUE
    .. Fly selection is always a combination of personal choice and marketing hype. We've enumerate the most popular flies used in the neighborhood HERE.
    .. One perennial favorite of the counter help and, our visitors, is the Baker's Hole Bugger. It is a representative of the class of big gaudy streamers used around here. These flies and patterns are ubiquitous and highly variable. Use any of them. They are all the best.
    BRINDLE AND HEN
    .. We would suggest that the coming snow and heavy overcast weather will bring forth elbows aplenty along the hides and dark water of the Madison River.
    .. Cover all the water! Get down! Move, move, move! Arrive early and stay late! The fish are moving based on shadows, water depth, fishing pressure and, pure caprice.
    .. There are really no secrets. There are, however, less fished places that regularly hold fish. These places are just not mentioned frequently.
    .. If you should choose to indulge in 'runner fever' and, choose ask for advice from the local counter help -- be sure to ask them when they last fished where they are sending you. It may be a bit dicey, BUT, ask how they know what they know.
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    COMING ATTRACTION
    .. The neighbors are busy with patching waders, wringing out wet woollies, building gourmet bologna sandwiches and, deciding where the fewest elbows are likely to be. It's tough work but someone has to do it.
    .. A few young'uns are headed to the spawning canyon of the Firehole River. For those in the know, it's the steep little canyon just beyond the bridge above Old Faithful. It's an easy 300 yard walk in and, it feels like five miles coming out. Big fish aplenty and little to no fishing pressure.
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    WALLPAPER:  SOME LIKE IT RED

    Friday, September 20, 2019

    N.P.P.D.

    ONCE EACH YEAR
    Pig Out Time
    eat some pepperoni
    A FEW OLIVES ARE FINE
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    .. Almost the harbinger of Fall is NATIONAL PEPPERONI PIZZA DAY.
    LOTSA CHEESE
    .. It's here. Today is the day! Discard all thoughts of heart healthy diets. Send caution to the wind. Smile and indulge your inner glutton.
    .. It's pizza time: breakfast, lunch and, dinner.
    .. It's been said that you only live once. If so, make it a gorger for a change.
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    SMOTHER THE CRUST

    Friday, September 06, 2019

    Keep 'Em Wet

    SQUEEZE IT
    Hero Shots
    perfect examples
    ..
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    .. How to fonz your fish!
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    WALLPAPER:  ROTISSERIE ROASTED PORK LOIN


    Sunday, September 01, 2019

    Upper Gibbon Closure

    FISHY WORK
    Killing Non Natives
    sept. 2-13, 2019

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    .. News release [LINK]
    .. E.A. Plan [LINK]
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    WALLPAPER: BONELESS PORK LOIN ON ROTISSERIE