Yellowstone Park 6-29-13

I promised a report on fishing Bechler Meadows, so here goes. We walked in as planned last Wednesday. There had been about an inch of rain in the area in the last few days, so the Cave Falls road was dust free.  Too bad the mosquitoes (bad!) had not been drowned by that rain! We arrived at the river about mid morning to see that it was still low for the time of year, but had gained water (a long term blessing this year!)because of the recent rain. Not much happened on top until around 3PM when water temp warmed enough to begin the PMD emergence.   With that, those big hybrids began reacting, but not with usual gusto because of earthworms, etc. washed into stream by rain-induced flow increase.  We caught some fish up to around four pounds, then left to find a “grizzly bear calling card” smack in mid-trail on the way out.  Considering trying the river or Boundary Creek this low water year? Better hurry!  Elsewhere the Madison River inside the Park features great afternoon action from fish responding to PMD and caddisfly hatches. Lewis River streamer fishing is holding up, and northeast corner streams are losing run-off . Shoshone Lake remains good fishing for those anglers using boats or ‘tubes to get out to submerged weed beds where black leech and scud patterns are producing.  Heart Lake Basin opens to fishing Monday, July 1st. Likely because of low, warm water best fishing by wading will be the river just below the lake where those big cutts will be looking for giant stoneflies flying  from the canyon below.