While it's been hinting at autumn these the last few days the fishing (dry fly fishing in particular) has been excellent on every river and lake in Yellowstone National Park and Montana. Backcountry streams are also in their prime for the angler looking for solitude and easy dry fly fishing. Spruce Moths and Caddis have been the most prevalent hatches, but at this point Caddis are predominately size 16 and smaller. The Hopper fishing is also really starting to pick up and will peak in the next three to four weeks, just about how late summer arrived this year. A size 16 X-Caddis or tan Elk Hair is a good representation for the Spruce Moths that trout continue to gorge on, and doubles nicely for fish keying on caddis. General attractor patterns have also been very effective on the Gardner, Madison and Gallatin with the addition of a beadhead dropper for slightly warier fish. Nymphing will be your best bet in the cool morning hours with plenty of action on top by early afternoon and, as good as the fishing has been these last five weeks, it's only going to improve as terrestrials become more prevalent.

In the last 10 days the infamous Salmonfly hatch finally came to an end with a unusually late and very prolonged emergence this year, making way for a very strong Spruce Moth emergence. The trout on the Madison have certainly noticed. The best patterns have been size 16 X-Caddis and tan Elk Hairs with Iris Caddis and X2 Caddis the most effective Caddis emerger patterns behind the more visible Elk Hair of Parachute Caddis. Nymphing will be the most effective technique in the cool morning hours before bugs become active for the day with caddis and hoppers most effective on 9 foot 4x leaders/tippet in the early afternoon and evening hours, though you will see Spruce Moths active in the mornings. Don't pass up this easy dry fly action.

Caddis Dries: Elk Hair 16 and 18 in tan, brown or olive, Para-Slick Caddis 16 or 18 in Tan or Olive

Caddis Emergers: Iris Caddis and X-Caddis 16 and 18 in tan

Hoppers: Carnage 10-12, Klodhopper 8-10 and Grand Hopper 10

The Gallatin has seen a very heavy Spruce Moth emergence and is a great place to take beginning anglers and those looking to get away from the crowds found at $3 Bridge. General attractor patterns with beadhead droppers are very good for covering water quickly with hoppers and a dropper fished tight to grassy banks. The deeper pools and likely looking runs found below Big Sky are better probed with heavy nymphs for some hot running 'bows and a few bragging sized browns and the mighty whitefish.

Dries: X-Caddis, E.H. Caddis tan or brown in 16, Iris Caddis 16-18 tan or brown, Royal Wulffs 12-16, Stimulators 12-16 and H & L Variants 14

Droppers: Super Pupa 14-16, Primetime Pupa 14-16, Red-headed Stepchild 14-16, Crown Jewel 14-16

Hoppers: Rainy's 10-14, Carnage 12-14

The brookies below Sheep Eater Cliffs are eager and easy with just about any high floating dry fly. This is our top pick for children and beginners. Royal Wulffs, Parachute Adams, H&L Variants and small Stimulators are all equally effective choices. Below the town of Mammoth, the river flows more rapidly making nymphing or small bugger patterns the better choices. Although just above and below the 45th Parallel Bridge a few stretches make hopper/dropper combos a good choice for bows and browns.

General Attractors: as listed above in 14-18's

Bead Head Droppers: Beaverhole 16-20, Flashback P.T.'s 16-20, Red Headed Stepchild 14-16

These rivers are all in fine shape however don't expect to have entire stretches to yourself or well-behaved anglers for that matter. The distinct lack of etiquette is clearly becoming more noticeable. Keep at least one pool between yourself and fellow anglers. The drake hatches on Slough are much more sparse than previous, while PMD's and Flav's are the important hatches on Soda Butte and the Lamar, however Spruce Moth's on upper Soda Butte are also very effective. Terrestrials are now widely distributed on these rivers. Try hopper/ant, or beetle/ant combos.

Drakes: Carnage 14, Wulff 14, Para-Drake 14

PMD's: Tilt-Wing 16-18, Para-Wulff 16-18, Sparkle Dun 16-18

Flavs: Parachute Flav, Nyman's Cripple Flav 14-16

Terrestrials: Carnage Hopper 12, Deer Hair Ant 12-16, Foam Bettle 10-14

Callibaetis mayflies have been hatching on Hebgen in the past two weeks but not in huge numbers. Possibly a result of the low water last summer and a cool summer this year. This does not mean that gulpers aren't gulping. Plenty of fish and some big ones have been caught so far this year. The Madison Arm has been best but the Grayling Arm also has been giving up some nice fish. Keep your leaders long: 12 feet with 18" of 5X tippet, these fish are wary and spook easily.

Dries: Tilt-Wing 16, Callibaetis Sparkle Dun 16, Paracripple 16

Emergers: Almost Dun 16

Spinners: Organza Spinner 16

Early and late are best on Henry's with midday hours slowing down the fishing considerably. A type III Wet Cel has been the line of choice coupled with Bugger patterns, Pheasant Tails or Hare's Ears. We've received some excellent reports from anglers fishing the mouth of Targhee Creek in the past few days, making this a good place to start the day.

Buggers: Christmas Tree, Rickard's Seal Buggers, Peacock Buggers 6-10

Nymphs: Flashback P.T.'s 16-20, Olive Hare's Ears 16-18, Mity Mouse 10, Halfback 8-12