For all the irrigation reservoir to the southeast ( Chesterfield, Daniels, Hawkins,Springfield, Treasureton, 24-Mile), damselfly activity is the big happening for interesting fish. Not many speckled duns yet. Now is the time to be on these reservoirs. The low run-off we have had this year means these reservoirs will likely be drawn down by mid summer because of irrigation demands. That will bring on warming waters making for tougher fishing.
Fishing remains spotty. We went by the south side of lake three days ago and noticed the heaviest concentration of boats was in front of the cliffs. A time-tested Henry’s Lake strategy to find good fishing is to glass the lake with binoculars to see where fish are being caught, then rush over to where action is happening. Could we have viewed this strategy at work?
Flow out of Palisades Dam has been stepped down the last few days from over 16000 cfs to a bit over 14000 cfs. Some green drakes are appearing on middle sections of the river and a few golden stone have emerged from the lower river. The same patterns we have recommended in the recent reports continue to be the best choices, but with the river warming (currently in the low 50s in Deg. F.) changes are coming.
Green drakes are beginning to fade out on the lower river. Not many gray drakes have made an appearance to date. Hopefully that is changing. PMD and caddis life cycle patterns are working just fine.
On the upper river green drakes are coming on but not yet peaked. PMD activity is good and attracting fish. Flow out of Island Park Dam was raised on Thursday from 1000 cfs to 1160 cfs and is holding there. There are likely as many fly-fishers as fish in the Last Chance-Harriman State Park stretch of river with fewer visits in the Harriman East, Riverside and Coffee Pot stretches.
Teton River drainage is beginning to round into fishing shape. In the river’s canyon reach and below look for golden stoneflies and caddislies to bring some action. Consider that the canyon reach is difficult and dangerous water best fished accompanied by a guide or a person knowing the river “like the back of their hand.”
Looking for places to take that enthusiastic youngster? Put the Birch Creek Family Area above Lone Pine, McCoy Creek, and Little Warm River around Pole Bridge Campground at the top of your list. Sawmill Creek in the Little Lost River drainage is another great choice except for a much longer drive than the others. All these offer very good dry fly-fishing right now with any small pattern working and each is not only easily approached, but relatively safe.
Streams in the northeast part of the Park, (the Lamar River drainage) remain high and discolored in contrast to streams in the southwest corner (Madison and Fall River drainages). Trout Lake is your best bet for fishing success in northeast area for the next several days. Walk the shoreline or pack a floatation device to get out on the lake to present damselfly nymph patterns or midge pupa patterns under an indicator. The Firehole River continues to offer good fishing with PMD, BWO, caddis life cycle, and soft hackled patterns bringing best reactions. As we move into July look for fishing to slow there with warming weather. Caddis and PMD life cycle patterns are working well on the Madison River during PM hours. Duck Creek is tough fishing, but in a few weeks evening brown drake activity will bring fish up. Flows in Fall River Basin streams are dropping to levels where dry fly fishing will be excellent soon. Beula Lake has been a relative hot spot with damselfly nymphs and small leech patterns producing. Those tasty lake trout are still in Yellowstone Lake shallows. Anywhere you can find weed beds on Shoshone Lake you will catch juvenile lake trout and have a chance at a trophy brown trout. All you need is a boat or floatation device to get out to the weeds, then present small olive or black leech patterns.
PMDs, Green Drakes and flavs are bringing fish up on the lower river. We have not heard much to date about gray drakes emerging in significant numbers. Flow out of Island Park Dam was raised to 1000 cfs last Friday. It has been stable since then meaning better conditions for good green drake activity, and we have had a few reports saying fishing success has improved around Last Chance as a result. The river in Harriman State Park opened to fishing yesterday. We have not heard much of success yet, but we will soon.
Flow out of Henry’s Lake, which lately features slow fishing, is up to 80 cfs. This means some reasonable fishing could be had in the Flat Ranch portion of the river. Green drakes, PMDs, and caddis activity will bring fish up. Much better fishing would have resulted had a flush of around a couple hundred cfs happened earlier this spring.
Damselfly mating and egg laying activities are making for good fishing on all our reservoirs. After a relatively slow spring we here action on Springfield Reservoir has really picked up because of damselflies. Try your dry patterns there to help avoid the growing weeds.
Now that weather is warming significantly, here’s some thoughts on planning a trip to fish Yellowstone Park streams. Things are happening early this season because of relatively meager run-off. Flows on some Park streams, such as those in Fall River Basin, are at amounts usually expected around the first and even middle of July. This suggests that barring big rainfalls, streams by mid-July could be lower than normal and with higher than normal water temperatures. Such conditions slow fishing. Thus the earlier you fish Park streams this season, the better are your chances for fishing success. And remember that in the past the Park has limited fishing when water temps get to levels that are dangerous for trout survival.
Trout Lake in the northeast corner of the Park opened to fishing yesterday. This lake hosts some of the largest cutthroat-rainbow hybrid trout in Park waters. However it warms and mosses up quickly. If you plan to visit there do so within the next few weeks in this year of low water. Be sure to have your damselfly life cycle and leech patterns. You can wade much of the lake shoreline, or you can pack a flotation device the six-tenths of a mile to the lake. It’s a uphill walk, but the reward could be the best fish of the year.
Flow out of Palisades Dam is dropping again, but in a slow manner that should not impact fishing. Reason for reduction is the drop in flow from tributaries to the reservoir and into the river above while Palisades Reservoir is at 100% of capacity. Keeping this capacity is needed for the continuing irrigation season. Reduced flows is a good thing for fly-fishing in the near future. Having lower flows will help bring on aquatic insect activity. Every fly-fisher wants to see those PMDs, few green drakes, and stoneflies that bring trout up to feed on the surface! For now, continue presenting your favorite streamer, stonefly nymph, and rubber leg patterns. As soon as we learn that hatches are coming on and significant, we will post info on them here.