Small Streams 9-1-2011

Many of these will remain at their peaks for a few weeks to come.  For the smaller ones cooler weather and a drop to base flow will cause trout to migrate downstream to more overhead cover and less temperature extremes. Here’s a small one to consider before we begin cooling off.   Cascade Creek flows  north out of Wyoming  into Fall River in Yellowstone Park.   You cross Cascade Creek on the Ashton-Flagg Road a few miles west of crossing Grassy Lake Dam.  A trailhead  just off the road to Terraced Falls on Fall River is the access point to a  meadow reach through which the creek runs before dropping into Fall River.  It’s less than a mile walk to reach, and I’d be surprised if more than six folks fish this creek in a season.  You will need a Park license to fish here and enjoy the most colorful cutthroat-rainbow anywhere.  Bring a high resolution camera.  The stream has a bit of a gradient here, so caddisflies are the main insects active this time of year.  Terrestrial and attractor patterns in small and medium sizes will work very well.  A two-weight rod with a floating line is the best tackle, and if you catch  one of those hybrids in the lower teens of inches, you have a braggin’ fish.