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Fishing Reports

Fly Fish Food Jimmy's / Fishing Reports (Page 127)

Small Streams 7-28-18

Bear Creek reduced

Your choice of small waters to fish is almost endless. The Palisades Reservoir and South Fork tributaries are all good choices to visit. Terrestrial insect patterns, soft hackled patterns, traditional attractors ( renegade, humpy, wulff series, purple haze), caddis, and yellow sally life cycle patterns will get responses from resident trout.   Try the same patterns on Warm River. Be aware that several sheep herds are grazing on allotments on upper McCoy Creek. The best times to fish Teton River in the Basin are early AM and after dinner time because of  mid-day recreational boaters.  Such as rusty spinners will be effective there in the early AM.  Caddis and PMD life cycle, and terrestrial insect patterns will attract fish during evening hours.

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Yellowstone Park 7-28-18

Boundary Creek

Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek, and Lamar River are shaping up with green & gray drake and PMD emergences. Terrestrial insects populations are growing to numbers that will attract fish. Fish are looking for these insects, and fly-fishers are looking for fish. Expect company when you fish these beautiful waters, so courtesy may be needed.  These waters are physically similar to Fall River Basin waters in the southwest corner of the park. A major difference is that much of the best water in Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek is roadside, whereas the best waters in Fall River Basin streams are remote.  That’s enough to show why Fall River Basin streams, of at least the same fishing quality, are much less visited.

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Still Waters 7-28-18

 

Paul Res (2)

Our lengthy hot dry (excluding hit or miss thundershowers) weather has been a main reason for many of our still waters heating up or having an algae bloom.  We had a report of water temperature in Sand Creek Pond #4 being in the mid 70s in degrees F.   Shallower places in Daniels Reservoir have water temperatures around this level. Water temperatures this high will slow down fishing anywhere, and playing fish at these water temperatures can be a death sentence. Might be best in such a situation to wait out these water temps until they reach a level not so tough on fish.

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South Fork 7-28-18

151

Flow out of Palisades Dam was dropped to 9750 cfs earlier today and dry fly fishing in the riffles (it’s about time!) has improved much. Presenting PMD life cycle patterns will be effective for riffle fishing. Here are a few we can suggest: Thorax dun, Williams CDC PMD, PMD captive dun, all in size 16, any emerger pattern in size 16, CDC or rusty spinner both in size 16. Also try a #14-16  partridge and olive soft hackle as an emerger.  For sallys try stimulators and CFO-X, both in sizes 14-16.  Elk Hair or X caddis, both in sizes 14 & 16 will work well for fish responding to the afternoon caddis activity.  Grasshoppers, beetles and ants are becoming numerous, so fishing well vegetated banks is also becoming productive.

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Yellowstone Park 7-21-18

 

upper slough (2)

We hear that Slough Creek and the Lamar River, although both flowing a bit high, are fishing  quite well. Daytime PMD, gray drakes, some green drakes, and PM caddis actions are attracting fish. Terrestrial insect populations are beginning to increase but are not yet to their peak.   As fishing improves on these top notch streams, look for the easiest access locations to become crowded.  That suggests trying these waters as soon as possible to beat the sure to come crowds.

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Henry’s Lake 7-21-18

Fishing is still slow.  Best chance for any action would be creek mouths including Targhee, Howard, and Duck or any submerged springs. The lake is warming up, and that is a big part of the problem.  Looks like best strategy is to wait until September-October when fishing action will likely pick up.

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Yellowstone Park 7-17-18

 

 

Bechler Meadows

Warm weather means giving Firehole River resident salmonids a break from the rigors of being hooked and played in warming waters.  Try the nearby Madison or Gibbon Rivers where PMDs, yellow sallies, and afternoon caddis activity are interesting trout.  Big salmonflies have pretty much left the Gallatin River within the park, but terrestrial insect populations are building and caddis are always active during PMs.  Slough Creek and the Lamar River are shaping up with PMD, evening brown drake, and caddis activity interesting trout.  Fall River Basin streams are reducing to base level flows, terrestrial insect populations are building but mosquitoes are still the most numerous insect.

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Small Streams 7-17-18

Lower Teton River

Many stories are going around about crowding along our icon waters ( South Fork, Henry’s Fork, Madison, etc). Fortunately we have ways to escape this condition with the regional presence of many smaller quality waters.  Most of these will get you away from those fishing from boats and the increasing crowds of recreationists. If you enjoy fishing from a boat but want to experience less crowding the Teton River offers two locations for doing so (do not consider drift boat fishing in the canyon. There are two unfloatable rapids in the canyon for a drift or hardsided of type boat. It should only be floated in an inflatable and rowed by someone with expert whitewater experience.)  One location for boat fishing is the river in Teton Basin. Expect crowds of recreationists  during daytime hours, so an evening or early AM float will allow you fewer interruptions.  Caddis life cycle, yellow sally, rusty spinner, and terrestrial insect patterns should be in your fly box. Another location is the river from Spring Hollow downstream to either the dam site or the Hog Hollow Road.   Recreational floaters are minimal here. PMD, caddis, yellow sally, grey drake life cycle, and terrestrial insect patterns should populate your fly box.  If you prefer walk-in fishing your choices this time of year are numerous. We can feature some from time to time in this report, but a best way to find the best at a given time is to get in touch or visit the shop.

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South Fork 7-17-18

At 12500 cfs

Those  small changes in flow out of Palisades Dam made recently have no impact on fishing.  But the water coming out of the reservoir remains a bit colder than normal for the time of year.  That could be part of the reason for nymph fishing in the riffles  currently being more successful that dry fly fishing. The warmest weeks of summer are here and will be present until mid August, so look for dry fly fishing in the riffles to improve soon.    This is also the time of year when courtesy is important.  Certainly the river is crowded.  Embarking and disembarking boats can require courtesy and patience to minimize problems.  There are plenty of riffles and gravel bars to visit (see the above pic taken when flow at Lorenzo is about 5500 cfs) , so if one of these you like is occupied you surely can find a vacant one downstream.

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