Yellowstone Park

Yellowstone Park 8-03-09

Almost everywhere except the Firehole River would be a good choice.  For some like the Madison and Gibbon rivers early and late in the day offers the best times. Terrestrials insect are now a major food item for trout  everywhere.  Concentrate on banks and overhangs not in direct sunlight  On still waters, such as Beula Lake shown below, speckled dun emergences are  bringing  gulpers to the surface. Adult damselfly patterns will also bring top water responses.

Beula Lake

Many small stream are great places to try now.  They remain relatively cool because of the high elevation.  Some of the more convenient, because of roads nearby include the upper Gallatin River, Grayling Creek, Soda Butte Creek, Gardner River, Lava Creek, and Aster Creek.

Yellowstone Park 7-29-09

The Yellowstone River in the Hellroaring and Blacktail areas has been featuring fish responding to the giant stonefly hatch.  Look for terrestrial patterns to be important, and never overlook traditional attractors here.  Some golden stones remain on the Gardner River.  Terrestrial patterns are  becoming most important on such as Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek, Grayling Creek, the upper Gallatin River, and all Fall River Basin streams.   With respect to still waters, Beula Lake is the best with Cascade, Grebe, and Riddle lakes also being a good choices with dry damselfly, midge, and speckled dun adult patterns bringing top-water action.

Yellowstone Park 7-27-09

Slough Creek is fishing very well after a somewhat late start. Brown and gray drakes are pretty much done for the year. Same can be said for Fall River Basin streams.  On both the above waters ant and beetle patterns are almost sure-fire when fished around cover abnd overhangs. Beula and Riddle lakes still offer great fishing for those using damselfly and speckled dun life cycle patterns.  Forget the Firehole until September but look for hoppers and other terrestrials to work on the Madison, Gibbon and Gallatin rivers, and Duck, Cougar and Grayling creeks.

Yellowstone Park 7-23-09

Except for the Firehole River and the Yellowstone River above the falls,  all waters offer great fishing experiences.  Turn to early AMs and evening hours for the best action on the Madison River.   Slough Creek is fishing very well with hopper season not far away.  Same applies for Fall River Basin streams.  Small streams such as the upper Gallatin River, Grayling Creek, Boundary Creek, Mountain Ash Creek, Fan Creek, and the upper Gibbon River  below Virginia Cascades provide great action for those using traditional attractor patterns ( sizes 12-18).   Beula Lake continues to provide the consistently fastest action in Park waters with Riddle Lake not far behind.

Yellowstone Park 7-20-09

All streams have rounded into shape. The Slough Creek-Lamar River-Soda Butte waters are offering action during brown and gray drake activity with good PMD hatches.  Drake hatches are over on Fall River Basin streams, but PMD, ant and beetle patterns will bring action.  So will attractor patterns in medium sizes.  The Firehole River has warmed to levels where larger fish are moving into spring-fed tribs.  Likewise, the Madison River within the Park has warmed to offer best fishing in the mornings and evenings. Caddis, spinner falls, ants and beetle patterns work best.  The Gallatin River and Grayling Creek are good choices for attractors and sally patterns during the day and caddis patterns late afternoons and evenings.

Yellowstone Park 7-16-09

This weekend will be a great time to fish Park waters as entrance fees are waived on both Saturday, 7/18 and Sunday, 7/19.  However, a valid fishing license is required.  A three-day license costs $15, a seven-day license is $20 and a season license costs $35. Children under 15 years of age fish free. Check the Park web site for non-fee permit requirements for children.  It is a great time to fish Park waters as all are in fishable shape now.  Be aware that there are temporary fishing closures along the Gibbon River from a half mile above Gibbon Falls to a mile south of the falls because of road construction.

Yellowstone Park 7-13-09

The Firehole is warming to the point that larger fish are seeking cooler waters in spring fed tribs. These streams are now refuges.  So we leave them alone.  When the river cools later in the season fish return to take advantage of its better living conditions.  Other waters are really shaping up in the Park.  The Madison River drainage is in great shape with PMDs & caddis giving evening action.  PMD spinner falls makes mornings worthy a visit to the river and to tribs such as the Gibbon’s meadow reaches, Duck Creek and Cougar Creek.  The Gallatin River now offers a great chance to try traditional terrestrial patterns such as the Wulff series, goofus bug variations, renegades and adams variations as well as your favorite caddis and sally patterns.  Fall River Basin streams have dropped very quickly to close to base levels.  Big stoneflies are moving through these, and PMDs, green drakes and brown drakes are hatching.  If you have never fished Beula Lake at the head of Fall River Basin, you are missing some of the fastest fishing in the region.  Get in touch with us for details on how to.

Yellowstone Park 7-10-09

Except for some streams in the northeast corner, waters have really shaped up. The Firehole is beginning to warm up, so the days of action there are numbered.  Elsewhere, the Gallatin River in the Park is clearing, and golden stones are making an appearance.  Caddisflies are always there.  Don’t forget dry attractor patterns if you try it.  Fall River Basin streams are a bit high, but clear. They have dropped very quickly, so fishing while good will improve with time.   Major mayfly emergences there are getting started including brown and green drakes and PMDs. The gray drake emergence is about done there.  Beula Lake offers the fastest fishing in the basin and perhaps in the entire Park.  Riddle Lake would also be a good choice with fishing off the northwest shore being a good option.  All you need is waders to get out a bit with a floating or intermediate line and dry damsel patterns or small leech patterns.  Action can still be had around submerged Shoshone Lake and Lewis Lake weed beds.  All you need is a float tube, full sink line and small scud and leach patterns.  If you don’t have insulated waders you will not last long out on those lakes.

Yellowstone Park 7-07-09

Really shaping up here! Streams in the northeast corner have a way to go, though. Slough Creek is high and clearing and offers the best fishing in that corner of the Park. Look for evening brown drakes to offer its best fishing.  The Lewis River drainage still features great fishing on Lewis and Shoshone lakes if you can get out to submerged weed beds and offer small scud and leech patterns. Use a full sink line to do it.  And be sure to have insulated waders or plenty of fleece under those breathables or light weights.  Madison River drainage streams are fishing well with several different mayfly species emerging along with caddisflies, yellow sallys and a remnant of golden stones. Look for damselfly nymphs patterns to bring action on slower reaches of all these streams.  Fall River Basin streams are a week or so away from great dry fly fishing, and Beula Lake still offers some of the fastest fishing in the entire Park.  Pack a float tube into it for the best fishing with damselfly nymph, scud and small leech patterns.  Don’t know how to get there? get in touch with us.

Yellowstone Park 7-04-09

The Firehole River chugs along with good caddis, white miller, and PMD activity providing action during PMs and an AM PMD spinner fall.  Don’t overlook trying dry damselfly patterns.  Expect the river to begin warming up and fishing to slow as we advance into summer. The Madison River in the Park features an evening caddis hatch that brings action. The Gibbon’s brown drake hatch should begin any day now, and the  Gallatin River is clearing & warming.  The Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek are still high and have some discolor. Fall River Basin streams are shaping up, but good dry fly fishing is about a week or so away. When that begins, look for PMDs and sallys to provide the first action.  Beula Lake currently provides some of the best fishing action in the Park.  The fish here are not as big as some other still waters, but 18″-19″  individuals are fairly common.  Only Yellowstone cutts are present.   Want strategy tips for  trying Fall River Basin waters? Get in touch with us.