General Information

JULY 8, 2007

As our nuclear summer continues Yellowstone National Park has issued a fishing advisory and is asking for cooperation from anglers requesting that you not fish between noon and 6 p.m. because many rivers have exceeded 73 degrees Farenheit in the last several days. This is very physically stressful to trout and catching them in this state of stress can easily result in their death. Your cooperation is not only needed but is greatly appreciated to protect such a valuable resource. The fishing advisory is for the following rivers and streams: (To read this advisory in it's entirety go to: http://www.nps.gov/yell/parknews/0736.htm)

Northern Yellowstone:

Gardner River below Osprey Falls, Lava Creek below Undine Falls, Lamar River below Cache Creek, all of Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek below Amphitheater Creek, and the Yellowstone River below Seven Mile Hole.

West side of Yellowstone:
Madison River, Firehole River and the Gibbon River below the falls.

Southern portion of Yellowstone:
Bechler River below Ouzel Creek, Falls River below Rainbow Falls, Mountain Ash Creek below Union Falls, Proposition Creek, Boundary Creek below Dunanda Falls, Robinson Creek and the Snake River below Six Mile Ford.
However you still have many options including the Gallatin River and its tributaries, backcountry streams like Hellroaring, Blacktail Deer Creek, Pebble Creek, Glen Creek and Cache Creek while lakes in the park - Yellowstone, Lewis, Grizzly, Grebe are excellent options also. If you need any additional ideas or information call us or stop by and we can direct you towards other nearby lakes - Hebgen, Quake, Cliff and Wade.
The lack of rain and scorching temperatures may have slowed the fishing in Yellowstone rivers noticeably, but lakes may now be where you want to focus your angling efforts. To effectively fish lakes you will have to change your tactics a bit. Floating lines are just not adequate to consistently catch fish because your fly will only be in the fish zone for a very short amount of time. The same is also true of sink tips. Clear Intermediate lines sinking at about 1.5 to 2 inches per second are the most productive, with a type II or type III the next most effective. We have many stillwater lines to choose from in both Scientific Anglers and Rio and cater to lake anglers.

The Firehole

JULY 8, 2007

Water temps. are not warm on the Firehole, they are HOT! Don't risk killing any trout by fishing this rarest of streams, please do the fish a favor and wait until September.

The Gallatin

JULY 8, 2007

Undoubtedly the coldest river in Yellowstone Park and some of the best scenery around is now a primary destination for many anglers with so many rivers much too warm. Expect hatches of PMD's in the morning hours with caddis in the afternoons. However should a thunderstorm start brewing and clouds roll in, PMD's will hatch in sizeable numbers, so having a few Tilt-Wing PMD's, Hackle Wing PMD's, Paracripple PMD's 14-16's in your box is good insurance. You will also see PMD's on in the morning hours, but not always in numbers large enough to use dries.
Green Drakes are always a reliable mayfly on the Gallatin and carrying a few Green Drake patterns in your box like Green Drake Wulffs 10-12, Green Paradrakes 12-14, Green Drake Parachute's 12 or Weamer's TruForm Green Drake in 12 will keep you covered. We've also had reports of ant patterns producing well. Our Parachute Cinnamon Ant 12-14, Sparkle Cinnamon Ant, Foam Flying Ant will prove effective. Caddis are also hatching daily on the Gallatin with X2 Caddis, Elk Hairs and Etha-Wing Caddis in tan or brown 14-18 our most effective patterns.
General attractor patterns - Super Royal Wulffs 10-12, Parachute Yellow Humpies and Royal Humpies 14-16, Lime or Royal Parachute Madam X's 12-14 and Rubber Legged Crystal Stimulators 12-14 are always a safe bet for the Gallatin.
Adding a bead head dropper to your dry or nymph will double your odds of hooking up, with 16 Dress Down Caddis, PMD SuperFlash 14-18, the Fly Known as Prince 14, Lightning Bugs 16-20 and Lite Brite Prince's in 12-14.

Soda Butte, Lamar and Slough

JULY 8, 2007

All of these rivers are in fine shape now, easily wadeable and lots of dependable PMD and caddis hatches. But, with the current restrictions in place in order to fish these rivers before noon, leave early!!! No later than 7:00 a.m. - it's a two hour drive. Fishing on the Lamar and Soda Butte is still possible after 12 noon but you'll have to fish above Ice Box Canyon on Soda Butte or below Cache Creek on the Lamar. Matching the hatch is always the most effective way to fish for trout but these gorgeous cutts are not selective...yet. Tilt-Wing PMD's, Hackle Wing PMD's, Paracripple PMD's will have you covered for this hatch while Headlight Caddis, Elk Hair's and X-Caddis cover your caddis just fine. General attractor patterns are producing very well right now.

The Upper Yellowstone

JULY 8, 2007

Opens on July 15th.

The Madison (below Quake)

JULY 8, 2007

In the past week the flows have increased substantially (now > 1000 c.f.s. at the dam) quickly noticed by wading anglers, and when current speed and depth takes such a big jump, wading isn't always needed. Fish tight to the banks and the boulders close to the bank to find some of the largest fish in the river, especially big browns. However even with the increased water, the Madison still continues to fish very well. PMD's and Caddis are hatching in sizeable numbers, with the Salmonfly hatch is finally complete. These long hot days have slowed the fishing a bit, so mornings and evenings are the best times to be on the river. The evening caddis hatch is dependable enough to always save the day. Etha-Wing Caddis, Paraslick Caddis, Spotlight Caddis, X-Caddis and Elk Hair's in size 14-16 tan, brown and olive are the best choices. PMD Parachutes, Tilt-Wing PMD's and Hackle Wing PMD's - all size 16 are your best PMD patterns as they are easy to see. Nymphing with a size 6-8 B.H. Prince or 4-8 Rubberlegs as your point fly and most any small flashy bead head nymph during the brightest hours of the day is a productive method of prospecting likely water.

Hebgen Lake

JULY 8, 2007

Callibaetis mayflies are now hatching in great enough numbers for trout to look upward. You will still have to move around a bit to find concentrations of hatching callibaetis but once you find them expect to see some gulpers. The most effective Callibaetis patterns we carry: Almost Dun Callibaetis, Tilt-Wing Callibaetis, Callibaetis Parachute - all in size 16, with Callibaetis CDC Spinner for spinner falls.

Quake Lake

JULY 8, 2007

Eerie looking Quake Lake never receives the attention that Hebgen does yet it produces plenty of bragging size rainbows and browns. Hatches of midges, Callibaetis and caddis are heavy at times so throwing dries is always an option. But to effectively fish Quake you really need type II and type III lines and a float tube or boat, fishing Quake from shore is difficult. Bring plenty Seal Buggers, Crystal Buggers and larger streamers to search out the largest browns in their deep haunts. The same callibaetis dry patterns that work on Hebgen will also work here as well.

Henry's Lake

JULY 8, 2007

While we've been hearing of slow fishing on Henry's, we've also had some anglers stopping by the shop reporting big Cutbows on size 12 halfbacks and size 6 Purple Showgirls. Fish very deep - Type VI lines early and late for the best results. But don't expect the fishing to pick up noticeably until cooler weather arrives. Sinking lines are absolutely essential to effectively fish any stillwaters, but Henry's Lake in particular.

Henry's Fork

JULY 8, 2007

The Box Canyon has produced several fish 20 inches or better in the last week while the Ranch has been slow due to high winds in the afternoon. Better patterns in the Box are Olive Flash Fry, Zonkers, Rubber Legs in coffee, black and orange/brown with olive serendipities and pheasant tails and zebra midges as the most effective droppers. PMD's, caddis and flavs have been hatching on the Ranch.