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Fishing Reports

Jimmy's All Seasons Angler / Fishing Reports (Page 27)

Yellowstone Park, May 26th, 2023

The park fishing season begins tomorrow, and the Firehole River will be the best stream to give action with BWO, PMD and caddis emerging and fish responding. Soft hackled patterns representing emergers will be quite effective Top water activity will depend on inflow of snow melt. Best activity will begin in late morning as cooler weather will likely prevail limiting snow melt remaining at higher elevations in the drainage. Some Hebgen Lake rainbows remain in the Madison River and provide a chance for streamer action. Any stream draining higher country will not be in fishing condition. Nearly all lakes in the park remain iced over and some are yet to be approachable.

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Henry’s Lake, May 26th, 2023

General season begins tomorrow, so expect plenty of fishing company and watch for the infamous Henry’s Lake opening weekend weather. The catch and release season, ending today, produced good fishing for some folks and lesser fishing success for others. Fish might soon be moving deeper waters as we warm up. But leach, scud, snail and small streamer patterns presented on intermediate lines and midge pupa and snail patterns under an indicator should remain effective for a while.

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Still Waters, May 26th, 2023

As waters warm fish will move to shallows to forage. This is beginning to taking place at such as Chesterfield, Daniels, and Hawkins Reservoirs. It’s a bit early for damselfly activity but midges emerging in shallower waters can bring activity. Just find the taking depth. Scud and snail patterns can also be effective. We have no information on whether Twenty-Four mile Reservoir can be approached,but you can expect plenty of angling company this weekend at any easily approached still water,

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South Fork, May 26th, 2023

Flow out of Palisades Dam was upped to 12000 cfs (15000 cfs at Heise, 6000 cfs at Lorenzo) yesterday. Water management plans are to keep it at this amount until May 28th when flow will be increased step-wise to 14000 cfs. Whether going into Palisades Reservoir or the river below, all tributaries are bringing in snow melt which impacts water quality. The above photo taken looking down Big Elk Creek Arm gives an example of snow remaining on mountains within the drainage. It also shows that the reservoir has enough room to capture resulting runoff given that flow out of the dam is being increased to satisfy downstream agricultural demands but not having the best impact on fishing success.

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Henry’s Fork, May 26th, 2023

As of yesterday, none of the big stone flies are flying and egg laying around the river between Ashton Dam and Chester. Presenting big stone fly nymph, rubber leg, woolly bugger types, streamer and San Juan worm patterns are likely to bring the best chances of fishing success up and down the river for a while.

In the Island Park area, Buffalo and Riverside campgrounds will be open for the Memorial Day weekend. Some loops within each may be closed in order to dry out.

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Henry’s Fork, May 23rd, 2023

Big stonefly nymphs are migrating in the river from Cardiac Canyon on downstream, but if any are flying and egg laying, their numbers are small enough that trout are not yet attracted. Aquatic insect activity is several days behind across the entire Henry’s Fork drainage. Here is an item from Rob Van Kirk’s SWE report filed yesterday concerning aquatic insect activity in the drainage: “Timing of aquatic insect hatches is running around 2-6 days later than average in the upper watershed and 4-11 days later than average in the lower watershed. Given continued snow melt, increased cloudiness, cooler temperatures, and rain, I do not expect hatch timing to catch up to average any time soon.”

Back country road and campground openings are also behind for this time of the season. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, the Ashton/ Island Park Ranger District office will have the best information on road and campground openings/closures.

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Yellowstone Park, May 23rd, 2023

The Park’s fishing season opens this coming Saturday. The Firehole River, although running somewhat high, will offer the best fishing with white miller and other caddis, BWO, and small stone flies being active. Life cycle and soft hackle patterns for these will be effective. You can obtain a Park fishing license by going on line to its web site or at any open ranger station.

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South Fork, May 23, 2023

Flow out of Palisades Dam remains constant and the same applies to water conditions (cold and discolored) in the river below. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, and higher than normal amounts of snow remaining on surroundings above the reservoir, consider contacting the Palisades District Ranger Office for road conditions and campground status. To date the only reservoir tributary that is approachable by road is the Big Elk Creek Arm where fishing success is possible just outside the discolored water plume coming in from the creek. Woolly bugger and San Juan type patterns presented on intermediate lines are effective.

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