Don’t expect to see big aquatic insect hatches during these windy days. Those bugs get blown away before mating and know it. Cool air temps will also slow down terrestrial insect activity. So think streamers and nymphs. And be sure to have rubber legs in that fly box. That pattern seems to remain effective throughout the season on the South Fork.
Besides offering good fishing, there is now another reason to visit the South Fork: the fall colors are coming out. Advancing up the river, they make for great photographic subjects. So bring that camera!
We have not heard much about fishing success other than moderate sized cutts make up the bulk of catches. We do know that as the weather cools off fishing will improve with larger fish moving around the lake. However, look out for windy weather that can whip the surface in near breakers.
With flow out of Mackay Dam around 260 cfs, wading is possible and safe. BWO, midge and terrestrial insect activity can make for good fishing.
The big Park fishing event is brown trout migration. This is big time in numbers into the Madison River, but even more numerous into the Lewis River between Lewis and Shoshone Lakes and into the river below Lewis Lake. Streamer presentation is the name of the game. Use stout leaders and rods of at least six-weight. Be ready for changes in the weather towards cold and stormy because these conditions seem to make the browns most active. Bring a camera because you have the chance of encountering the fish of the year.
The constant flow out of Palisades Dam, about 7000 cfs ( about 7600 cfs at Heise, about 3300 cfs at Lorenzo ) makes for good fishing and a lot of places for walk-in fishing. BWO, mahogany dun and caddis activity are making the dry fly fisher happy. Even a few mutant golden stones remain, but do not overlook pitching a streamer during the evening hours.
Flow out of Henry’s Lake has been cut in half. This means fish in the Flat Ranch section of the river will be moving downstream into the Henry’s Fork. Until we have a killing frost, terrestrial insect patterns will be most effective along the Last Chance-Harriman section of the river and also along the lower river. BWO life cycle patterns remain effective everywhere as will patterns for PM caddis activity.
Daniels Reservoir currently provides the most consistent fishing. Midge pupa under an indicator and at the taking depth scores best almost anywhere. Small leech patterns presented on intermediate lines around weed beds and drop-offs get results. Paul Reservoir, weedy around it edges, offers small cutthroats responding to leech patterns where you can get past the weeds. Springfield Reservoir is quite weedy making wet fly fishing confined to channels between weed beds. Action at Sand Creek Ponds has been slow because of high water temps, but these soon will be cooling. In fact cooling water temps will result in improved fishing on all still waters.
Same story for the Last Chance-Harriman part of the upper river: AM trico, daytime terrestrial insect activity. Crowds have thinned considerably. Tiny BWOs are out on the lower river along with some mahogany duns. Terrestrial insects everywhere will remain active and thus available to fish until a killing frost.
Crowds are beginning to thin making for faster travel to good fishing locations. The Firehole River is cooling to the point that fishing is improving with BWO emergences and terrestrial insects ( and soft hackled patterns) making patterns for them the best choices. Most large cutthroat in the Yellowstone River above LeHardy Rapids are back in the lake. Browns and ‘bows have begun their upstream migrations from Hebgen Lake. Meadow reaches along so many streams offer fish responding to AM trico and daytime terrestrial insect activity. Stealth is required for successful fishing on all these. Best still water fishing is at Beula Lake (damselfly nymphs, small leech, cinnamon caddis, and speckled dun life cycle patterns) off the Ashton-Flagg Road, presenting streamer patterns along Lewis Lake shoreline, or if you are able, through packing a flotation device into Shoshone Lake to fish scud and leach patterns around submerged weed beds.