Fishing in many of our irrigation reservoirs is slowing because of draw down making fish run deep to remaining cooler waters. So natural lakes, especially at higher elevations, make better destinations until we cool off in the fall months. Candidates to try now are Horseshoe Lake with its put and take grayling population, Aldous Lake with its cutts in a gulper mood because of mid day speckled duns, and Paul Reservoir with its put and take cutthroat population.
Terrestrial insects are making for good action all around. In particular, the spruce moth population is up and makes for great dry fly action on the Madison and Gallatin river drainages. The Beaverhead River features good PMD and caddis activity, which along with terrestrial insects are bringing big fish to the surface. Hebgen Lake gulpers seem to have active and inactive days according to report reaching us.
It’s terrestrial season on most of Park streams. Want to see how good your skills are with terrestrial patterns? Here’s a few ” graduate school for fly fishers” waters this time of year: Duck Creek, meadow reaches of Bechler River, meadow reaches of Fall River, Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek, Lewis River below Lewis Falls and between Lewis & Shoshone lakes, and the meadow reaches of the Gibbon River. Want to try some small Park streams with good chances of action and the same with respect to solitude? Try Polecat Creek just west of the South Entrance, Cascade Creek, a tributary to Fall River off the Ashton-Flagg Road, or Winter Creek in the upper Gardner River Drainage. If you prefer still waters, we have been saying it all along: Beula Lake offers some of the fastest fishing in the Park. Speckled dun and midge activities make for gulper action. Any time now flying ants will be around, and every fish in the lake will be near the surface looking for them making for even better gulper action. You can find action almost as fast on Riddle Lake, too.
With flows out of Mackay Dam dropping near 300 cfs, the river below is in good wading condition. Right now caddis and terrestrial patterns presented in the afternoon are working well, and the trico hatch is just around the corner.
This is a great time to try the South Fork and Salt River tribs. The flav hatch seems to be erratic on these so far but terrestrial patterns, particularly foam beetle and hopper patterns, work on all of these. On all of these best fishing is afternoon when waters have warmed to allow aquatic insect activity. Start with the terrestrial patterns presented around overhead cover, then watch for rises to afternoon caddis activity. And the chance for solitude is great on all of these, especially if you get away from roads and habitation. Some others away from the South Fork and Salt River are Bitch Creek, Teton River, Warm River, and the upper Blackfoot River. Get in touch with us to get information on which of these streams are best at any given time.
The best time to fish the river is approaching. For sure float fishing is the best method, but with dropping flows walk-in locations abound. Caddis are active in evenings. Terrestrial insect are abundant and because of increased agricultural activities will be on the move. Fishing streamers at twilight makes for a great chance at large fish. So consider putting the river on your “must try” list. We can help you choose a location.
This is the slow time of season on the lower river, but that does not mean you cannot get into the fish of the season when you pitch streamer patterns at twilight. Be sure to have light colored and dark colored streamers, fish parts of the stream on the sunset side of the river, and have a stout (1X) tippet. So much of successful streamer fishing is being able to recognize where the big trout hold. Next comes being on the water when there is ample overhead cover. After that pattern choice is a somewhat distant third.
Still slow, and don’t expect an overall pick-up until we begin cooling off. For sure there are some spots, like in front of Howard Creek that offer action, but rest assured that they will be crowded when word gets out.
Riffle fishing is slowing as we move past the peak of the PMD emergence. Riffles still offer action especially towards late afternoon when caddis become active. With flows out of Palisades Dam just above 9000 cfs and heading lower, there is now an excellent choice of walk-in locations (contact us for some great walk-in candidates). The plus side of all this is that with fishing being great during evenings, most boat traffic is gone from the river, so you have a better chance of solitude at walk-in riffles. If you prefer float fishing, pitching hopper, chernobyl types and other terrestrial patterns against well vegetated banks is productive. A great strategy is to trail a cinnamon ant pattern behind your hopper or chernobyl pattern. If you are floating the river during the evening, your competition will be next to nil, and this will be the time to try streamers along banks and other features out of direct sunshine. As twilight approached big trout will come into the shallows to chase baitfish, another reason for carrying streamers if you are a late in the day fly-fisher. This piece of info will become more useful as we move into the upcoming autumn months.
Terrestrial patterns are the way to go on all streams. Choose one you are sure to see on swifter streams, and delicate ones for slower waters. Horseflies and deer flies are rampart throughout. No better pattern exists for simulating them than a standard humpy! Another terrestrial pattern that is sure to work along wooded reaches are ones for spruce moths. This is the peak of their season, and trout know it.