mobile-logo
Top

July 2011

Fly Fish Food Jimmy's / 2011 / July (Page 2)

Small Streams 7-21-2011

July 21, 2011
0
0
Small Streams

A request we receive many times is: “Where do I take my entry level friend or family member. All they want to do is learn how to catch fish” ?  We always answer this question with suggesting a small stream.  Small streams are less intimidating,  more approachable, safer, and fish tend to concentrate in them.   Afternoons are the best time to be on these as they warm up to levels where fish will be chasing both aquatic and terrestrial insects.  In these smaller waters fish must make the most of opportunities, so they are always ready to feed, and this time of year so much of what they are after is on the surface. We can recommend which small waters at any given time will be worth the experience for an entry level person. Get in touch or come in to get some ideas on where to try.

Share

Still Waters 7-21-2011

July 21, 2011
0
0
Still Water

Some of the best still water fishing in the region opened up on July 15th. You can now fish from a boat or float tube on Sand Creek ponds, and fishing has been excellent.  Damselflies are emerging in big numbers and speckled duns are appearing.  Paul Reservoir is another still water off the beaten path that is fishing well. Exit the Humphrey Exit off Interstate 15 above Spencer. Coming fromthe south, go left back underneath Interstate-15, take a right, and follow the gravel road to the west about twelve miles.  The reservoir is a gentle place to fish, great for families. Eager cutthroat ranging to 15-16 will be taking damselfly nymphs, speckled duns, and small leech patterns. There are other still waters that are lesser known that we could suggest to you for a get-away. Get in touch or come in and discuss these possibilities with us.

Share

Henry’s Fork 7-21-2011

July 21, 2011
0
0
Henry's Fork

Fishing on the lower river continues to slow especially below Ashton Reservoir & Dam where waters warm up before being released to the river below.  Begin thinking terrestrial insects there.  Hoppers are not important yet, so beetle and ant patterns will bring fish up.  Fishing on the upper river has  picked up and the same strategy; presenting  beetles and ants is a good way to get interest from fish now that the big mayfly emergence peak is past.

Share

South Fork 7-19-11

July 18, 2011
0
0
South Fork

The flow below Palisades Dam was reduced to 20,400 cfs from  24,000 over the weekend. The inflow into Palisades is also dropping fast. We floated the canyon yesterday and caught fish on nymphs and san juan worms. There were a lot of yellow sallies and some golden stoneflies in the air. We saw pale morning duns in good numbers too but we saw very little surface action. The water clarity has improved and really isn’t bad at all. With the amount of bugs we saw I expected to see some fish next to shore in the slower current. (We did try dries along several of the better looking banks but had no takers.)We have caught fish on dries with this color of water so my guess is that we need to see the water drop into that 16,000 cfs range.

Share

Henry’s Lake 7-18-2011

July 18, 2011
0
0
Henry's Lake

Creek mouths are the best places to try now.  Intermediate lines may be the best to use in these locations of shallow water.  Olive Crystals, Peacock AH’s, Mity Mites, beadhead peacock leeches, and your favorite damselfly nymphs work well in these locations. If you are successful catching fish, expect to have company!

Share

South Western Montana 7-18-2011

July 18, 2011
0
0
South Western Montana

The Madison River is back to its fabled self for the time of year. The big stoneflies have arrived in the reach between Hebgen and Quake lakes, so fly-fishers are concentrating there. Below Quake Lake a great strategy is to concentrate on presenting nymphs (From rubberlegs to caddis pupa) in the AM, then with early PM warming switch to dry fly fishing where caddis and stoneflies of all sizes are bringing up fish.  Don’t overlook presenting ants and beetles. Hebgen Lake trout seem to be taking midge pupa and some on the surface.  Maybe they are getting in practice for the upcoming gulper season.  Fishing on Clark Canyon Reservoir is improving but spotty. Midging seems the best approach. The Beaverhead River with a bit lower than normal flows offers some of the best fishing around with golden stones, PMD, and caddis bringing trout up.

Share

Yellowstone Park 7-18-2011

July 18, 2011
0
0
Yellowstone Park

Waters are finally beginning to recede. The Madison River drainage remains in the best condition.  Afternoon PMDs and evening caddis activity result in action. The Firehole River is warming to levels where fish can become stressed while being played. Let’s give ’em a break until we cool off in September.  If you are up the Firehole’s way, why not try the Gibbon River. It’s a smaller version, but it holds fish just as large, if not larger.  That’s right: the official largest brown trout caught in Yellowstone Park is from the Gibbon in the meadow reach.  Going north out of West Yellowstone, Duck Creek in the meadow is every bit as challenging as any water around. Right now beetles and ants would bring the best chances for big resident ‘bows and browns, but you had better be a “Henry’s Fork Hunchback”.  Fall River Basin and Lamar River drainage streams remain high, but are dropping and clearing. The Lewis River is high, clear and suitable for fishing.  Pelican Creek is open to fishing, but few fish are present. Right now some of the fastest fishing in the Park is in Beula Lake.  It is all Yellowstone cutts, and they range up to near twenty inches.  Riddle Lake may be a close second, but the cutts are smaller.

Share

Small Streams 7-18-2011

July 18, 2011
0
0
Small Streams

Give streams draining the west slope of the Grand Teton Range another week or so, and they will join our huge variety of small streams offering great fishing.  There is a perception that because a stream is small it will not hold large trout.   Don’t believe it!   Most of the larger creeks in the South Fork-Palisades Reservoir drainage hold cutthroat that would qualify as large in the South Fork and the reservoir.  For sure there are not as many large ones present, but there are much fewer folks fishing these, no boats to intrude on your riffle, and terrific scenery. It’s the same with small streams in the Henry’s Fork drainage and the Salt river drainage.  And there are many more small water that hold large trout.   Want to get away from the crowds and still have a chance at some large trout in moving water?  We can recommend several places where you will have chances. Come in and listen to what we can suggest.

Share

Still Waters 7-18-2011

July 18, 2011
0
0
Still Water

Currently damselfly nymphs are the best way to fish everywhere these days. Pick any reservoir, and that is what’s working.  Keep an eye open for takes on the surface as some adult damsels deposit eggs there and others dive to the bottom to do so. Rises to those on the surface or to those returning to it make for fun fishing with adult patterns. Sand Creek Ponds opened to fishing from boats without motors on July 15th. Damselflies are emerging in big numbers there, but we hear that some speckled duns are beginning to show there just as from such as Chesterfield, Twenty-Four Mile, Daniels and other reservoirs.  With respect to warm water species, its been a slow and strange season so far.

Share
« Previous PageNext Page »