It’s like being “a kid in the candy store”! They are all in good shape: Henry’s Fork drainage, Teton River Drainage, South Fork tribs, Fall River drainage,Salt River tribs, Sinks drainages, Blackfoot River drainage, Portneuf River drainage and on & on. There is so much available water it would take pages to describe the how’s, where’s and with what’s. So get in touch with us for recommendations.
With flows dropping this great river is shaping up nicely. Streamers remain very effective, especially in low light conditions, but now fish will take caddis life cycle patterns. BWOs are also present, and soon PMDs will emerge from some gravel bars along the river.
Best fishing appears to be on east side creek mouths with Targhee Creek outlet leading the pack. Just look for concentration of boats. Mity mite, Henry’s Lake renegade and California leech are good candidate patterns. Damselfly hatch is ongoing, but a bit spotty. Try west side as well as east side, and look for channels between weed beds.
Fall River Basin streams have dropped dramatically in the last week. This means they are in prime dry fly fishing condition. Green drakes & PMDs emerge in the mid afternoon, and brown drakes emerge during evenings. With drying and warming beetles and ants are out and are a significant part of trout’s diet. So are adult damselflies. The next few weeks should be great dry fly fishing on such as Bechler River and Boundary Creek and on Fall River, Mountain Ash and Proposition creeks. After that time frame hoppers will make for great fun, but as waters drop take all you skills. Mosquitoes and deer flies make DEET a necessity. Want to see the fastest fishing in all of Yellowstone Park? Try Beula Lake at the head of Fall River. The inlet and the north shore make for the best wading, but packing a float tube opens the whole lake. Get in touch with us for more information on this great fishery and others that the Park offers.
Only real change since our last report is that the Firehole River is warming to levels where fish are having trouble getting enough dissolved oxygen to live comfortably. So let’s give ’em a break until we cool off during the Fall season. Other than that, looks like the Lamar River is the last of Park streams to clear up to join most other Park streams being in great fishing shape. Through the season Beula Lake will offer some of the fastest fishing in the Park. Some easily approached and great smaller streams in the Park are now in good shape. These include Cascade, Polecat, Cougar, Crawfish, Fan, Spirea, Indian, Obsidian, Tower, and Lava creeks. Get in touch with us or stop by the shop to get information on where and how to fish these great Park waters.
Beaverhead PMD hatch is ongoing with resulting great action. Madison River stonefly hatch is moving up the river from the Ennis area. Best fishing on the Gallatin River is above the Taylor Fork.
None are spectacular yet, but best is yet to come as damselflies are beginning to move just about everywhere. Springfield seems to be the slowest of the bunch.
Flow out of Mackay Dam is about normal (650cfs) for time of year. But this flow is still high for good wading conditions.
They are all in top shape! The Teton River is now dropping, and big stoneflies are out in the canyon. Ar you looking for less turbulent waters this time of year? You can find very interesting fishing on Robinson Creek with brookies, browns, cutts, and ‘bows present. This time of year a 14-15″ one of these is a braggin’ fish, but in the fast water, they are pure fun. Afternoons & evenings are best. Then you have a choice of what patterns to fish: the caddis life cycle, beetles & ants, lingering green drakes & golden stones, or PMDs. Traditional attractors work very well on this riffle and run treasure. On most other streams PMDs, beetles & ants, lingering sallys & golden stoneflies, and caddisflies are attracting fish: Warm River, Buffalo River, Upper Portneuf River; Birch, Beaver, Medicine Lodge, Stump, Jackknife creeks. Now that all South Fork and Palisades Reservoir tribs, and the upper Blackfoot River drainage are open the choice of smaller waters increases. Get in touch with us or come in to learn more about this wonderful choice of waters and how to fish them.
The cool, wet spring has slowed activity, but damselfly nymphs are beginning to move. That means big time action somewhere on the lake soon. As we suggested in our last report on the lake, the west side should soon be a good choice to find action from fish taking damselfly nymph patterns. For now creek mouths, especially around Targhee Creek, is the best place for action.