Very low water makes it tough to launch anything bigger than a pontoon boat by the hatchery. But wading works as well there as float tubing or pontoon boating because a good number of fish are in shallow water. They will take leech patterns with black being as effective as peacock. Gold, olive, and purple crystal are also effective. Expect more cutts than brookies or hybrids responding. Beware of the wind!
Flow out of Island Park Dam is reduced to 84 cfs. This is very tough on boating but great for walk-in wade fishing. Small bead head nymphs are a best bet, but do not overlook streamers during low light conditions. Elsewhere on the river cool cloudy weather will bring out BWOs big time and resulting interest from trout, but hinder mahogany duns.
The Park remains closed to fishing, and trespass citations are being issued to persons entering it anywhere. Currently there is no action by the Wyoming (and Montana ) governor to open the Park as has been done in Colorado and Utah. We will announce any re-opening of Yellowstone Park here.
You can get into good fishing just about anywhere on the lake. Creek mouths will be the most crowded, especially at Targhee and Howard Creeks. With the lake at only 75% of capacity some silt is exposed and in shallows subjected to being stirred up. So a good strategy when the wind blows is to present large leech patterns in the discolored water. Don’t worry; the fish can see them. This adds another strategy to those we have suggested in earlier reports.
Browns are migrating up and down the river. With flows dropping there are many locations for walk-in wading, but floating gets you to more of the best places. Either way streamer fishing will be the name of the game. Be sure to have them in colorful and somber shades, and have a stout rod to present them as we have plenty of windy days coming up. Come in the shop for a visit to pick up tips on wading locations and for the same for float trips.
The lower river is fishing very well with BWO and mahogany dun hatches providing good top water fishing with emerger, dun, and spinner patterns. Don’t overlook the numerous midges on the water. Look for some very good fishing action coming up as we expect some stormy weather from now to the rest of the week. Under low light conditions streamers will be effective earl and late in the day.
Daniels Reservoir remains the “star of the show” here. If you do not enjoy presenting midge pupa at the taking depth under an indicator, try your favorite small leech pattern or anything that looks like a damselfly nymph. The upper end and the east shoreline are good locations to begin fishing.
Flow out of Palisades Dam is now at 3000 cfs. That makes for terrific wading conditions in the river below, and we can help pinpoint candidate locations when you get in touch or visit the shop. Lately the South Fork offers some of the best fishing of the year. Another round of stormy weather is expected the end of next week, so get ready for some good BWO and mahogany dun activity then. Be sure to have streamer patterns handy. As a matter of inconvenience, Kelly Island Campground is closed because of the government shutdown.
Flow out of Palisades Dam dropped to 11000 yesterday. Water temperature just below the dam is 65 deg. F. That’s getting a bit high for the best fishing, especially because we can expect further decreases in flow. Palisades Reservoir is down to 28% capacity. Early in the day fish chernobyl types because mutant stoneflies are coming on. By late morning go to rubber legs trailed by your favorite small nymph pattern. During evenings a good caddis hatch is on-going, making for the best dry fly fishing these days.
Streamer fishing has been holding up (fish early, fish late) fairly well even with some increase in flow. Fishing from a boat is better than wading for now. When waters drop later in the summer more wading opportunities will come around.