Author: Bruce_Staples

Henry’s Fork 7-14-18

If you intend to fish Box Canyon, be aware that daytime waterborn recreationists are almost as numerous as those at Mack’s Inn. So for fewer interruptions consider visits scheduled early and late in the day.  Do the same with the lower river (Warm River to Chester)  but for different reasons. Those reasons are the lower flows and warmer weather bringing on rising water temperatures that make fish less active during mid-day. If you want to fish with company, try the Harriman east part of the river where flavs and brown drakes are making for many visiting fly fishers.

Big Lost River 7-7-18

With 560 cfs coming out of Mackay Dam the river below remains somewhat dangerous to wade. But flows out of the dam are dropping.

Still Waters 7-7-18

Daniels Reservoir is producing as well as any still water, but Chesterfield Reservoir is coming on with a few very large fish being caught.  For Daniels fish midge pupa deep with an indicator, or watch for fish taking damselflies on the surface.  Speckled dun life cycle patterns are also effective, and these should become more so in the upcoming days.  And remember that a most effective strategy on Daniels Reservoir (see the above pic?) is to fish the mud lines during our ever present windy days.  Use you favorite pattern that simulates a worm.   For Chesterfield leech patterns presented  deep or trolled seem to attract fish, but damsel fly life cycle patterns are effective in bays and such protected from the wind.  24-Mile is fishing OK with speckled dun and damselfly life cycle patterns producing.  Next year its trout will be larger.

Yellowstone Park 7-7-18

Fall River Basin streams are all in good fishing shape. About the only real hazard is the copious amount of mosquitoes hiding out in the timbered areas.  A good  soaking of DEET on exposed skin helps, but it is a bit distracting to breath in some of these pests. With respect to dry fly activity, remnant gray drakes, sallies, PMDs, and wind blown giant and golden stone flies provide great action on Bechler and Fall Rivers and Boundary, Mountain Ash and Proposition Creeks.  Green drakes, and a bit later brown drakes, will come on soon.  Elsewhere in the park , the Firehole River is warming up to the point that it will be soon tough on resident trout to be caught and played. Caddis and PMDs make for action on the Madison River, brown drakes are appearing during evenings in the meadows of the upper Gibbon River and if you are game enough to carry a flotation device into Shoshone Lake, you will find great action around submerged weed beds if you present leech and small streamer patterns using a full sink line.  Give streams (lower Yellowstone, Lamar, Slough, Soda Butte) in the northeast corner of the park some more time to get into good fishing shape.  The best days to fish Trout Lake this time of year are behind us, but consider coming back in October. Give the Snake River a bit more time to round into best fishing shape.  Some green drakes remain in the meadow reach of Lewis River below the lake and the meadows between Lewis and Shoshone Lakes.

river

Small Streams 7-7-18

Almost every small stream in our region now offers good to great fishing.  Exceptions are the lower Blackfoot River, a few streams in the headwaters of the Teton River drainage, and the Teton River in the basin where recreational boating could dominate mid-day hours.  Robinson Creek has to be a favorite this time of year.  With five different salmonid species present ( browns, brookies, cutts, rainbows, and whitefish), the fun of not knowing which will respond to life cycle imitations of caddis, golden stones, PMDs, western green drakes, sallies, and to those of terrestrial insects is hard to beat. True most of these fish are in small to medium sizes, but a few residents of large sizes are present.  There is a lot of activity going on and current interest in our larger waters.  So such as Bear, McCoy, Palisades, Beaver, Crow, Jackknife, Medicine Lodge, Stump, Tincup Creeks and upper Blackfoot, Little Lost, and Warm Rivers  will offer much more serenity.

Henry’s Fork 7-7-18

Big attraction here is the evening brown drake hatch, and it has consequences. Harriman East will see as many fly-fishers as brown drakes emerging.  This will be true especially during evenings, and the river above in Harriman Park and Last Chance will not be far behind.  Flavs, PMDs, caddis and a growing terrestrial insect population will make for good fishing during daytime hours.  With all these emergences going on along this fabled stretch of river, the lower river will see less pressure. Flavs, PMDs, caddis, and a remnant of golden stones will provide action with a building terrestrial insect population and promising to do the same from the lower Mesa Falls access on down.  Another factor in the game of “where to fish” is that the South Fork is coming on big time in offering good fishing.  That long awaited happening and the brown drake hatch, make the lower Henry’s Fork is a good candidate for experiencing less crowding.