Fly Fishing Yellowstone

Current Report

admin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:21:15 +0000

Now that Yellowstone National Park is closed to fishing, anglers in this area should focus their attention on the Madison between the lakes, the Madison downstream of Quake Lake and on the Gallatin River, especially the stretch north of Big Sky. Baetis and midges continue to make for some good dry fly fishing, but most of the fish in the area are being caught on nymphs and streamers. Remember that Hebgen Lake tribs are open until the end of November and can be good for late running browns. Fly fishers can expect a lot of solitude and some great late season action this time of year.

Fishing report for 10-28-2008

admin — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:39:08 +0000

Madison River

Hebgen Lake-Quake Lake 10/28/08

Action between the lakes has been good. As the river goes into shade so early in the day, sunny weather has little impact on the fishing. Low water makes it easy to get around and cover water that is often difficult to approach. Nymphing remains the best way to find fish and we haven’t had great luck with streamers lately. A simple Bead Head Prince Nymph has been just as good as any other fly, though smaller Black Tailwater Tiny’s have been working great early in the day when the sun is on the water.

Quake Lake-Lyon Bridge: 10/28/08

Below Quake the best fishing has been with nymphs lately. When cloudy weather returns, expect to see good midge activity in the mornings and Baetis later in the afternoons. Until then, focus on fishing mid river pockets and deeper riffles with small nymphs. Zebra Midges, the Red Headed Step Child, Bead Head BWO Soft Hackles and Bead Head Pheasant Tails are all good flies in small sizes.

Lyon Bridge -Ennis: 10/28/08

There aren’t many boats floating the Madison right now, but the fishing is still very good. We’re finding trout that are willing to chase streamers and the nymph fishing has continued to be quite good. A few nice fish have been chomping on dead drifted Silli Leg Stoneflies, though smaller nymphs like #16-18 Flash Back Pheasant Tails, Black Crystal Dips and Micro Mayflies are finding greater numbers of willing takers.

Fishing Report for 10-28-2008

admin — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:25:41 +0000

Madison River (Yellowstone National Park) 10/28/08

This is the last weekend to fish in Yellowstone. There are plenty of lake run browns and rainbows in the Park on the Madison, yet our warm bright days have made the fishing tough. Mornings and evenings have been pretty good. Clouds appear to be on the way for the weekend, so fishing should improve through the mid day hours. We’ve had good fishing either swinging soft hackles or nymphing with a San Juan Worm and a Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle or Prince Nymph dropper. Streamer fishing has been pretty tough except late in the day, or earlier than I am willing to get out of bed. It seems that anglers think the Madison Junction is the only place to fish right now, as it has been crawling with fisherman. There’s fourteen miles of great water in the Park!

Firehole River 10/28/08

This weekend is the last chance to enjoy the wonderful fall fishing on the Firehole. We’re still seeing Baetis, some Midges and enough Caddis to bring some fish up in the afternoons. When nothing is going on, there are still plenty of trout willing to eat a #16 or #18 Bead Head Olive Hare’s Ear Soft Hackle swung in the riffles. Black Better Foam Caddis in #20, Baetis Stacker Cripples, BWO CDC Biot Comparaduns in #22 and Midge Emergers in #22 are all effective flies for their respective hatches. Bring some 6 X and expect to make tight accurate casts to fool fish.

Gibbon River 10/28/08

Any of the deeper pockets and pools in the Gibbon below Gibbon Falls will have some larger Hebgen Lake fish in them this time of year. Anglers have the best success chasing these large fish with nymph rigs, though streamers can work wondered if the fish aren’t in direct sunlight and haven’t been pressured. When the sun is bright, small nymphs like #14-16 Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails and Ram Caddis can work wonders.

Fishing Report for 10-19-2008

admin — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:28:54 +0000

Madison River (Yellowstone National Park) 10/19/08

There are now quite a few lake runs in the Madison in the Park. Fishing for these big Rainbows and Browns is always a challenge as the fish can just seem to turn on and off without notice. Persistence is the key to success. Keep hucking streamers, nymphs or soft hackles in the deeper runs in the park and you will be rewarded. There are quite a few anglers on the water, so don’t be a total A$$ hat and show respect for your fellow man. Give folks their space, fish through runs from the head to the tail in a timely manner and be polite when you encounter others.

Firehole River 10/19/08

The Firehole has been a nice warm place to dip some frozen feet. Baetis hatches are still the calling card of the Firehole and cloudy afternoons have been spectacular. Hit the hatch and and fisherman’s day can be filled with rising fish. Caddis and some Baetis have been coming off when the sun is on the water, but cloudy days have offered better fishing. The Firehole’s trout are much tougher to approach than they were back in June, so expect to do some sneaking around to position yourself to make a cast. The naturals are small, so go armed with 6X. Below the falls, there are a decent number of Hebgen Lake rainbows and browns in the Firehole. The road into the canyon is closed, so be prepared to leg it in.

Gibbon River 10/19/08

Lake Run Browns and Rainbows are showing up in the lower Gibbon River below the falls. Anglers have the best success chasing these large fish with nymph rigs and streamers. Yuk Bugs, San Juan Worms, dead drifted Buggers and Ram Caddis are some of the better flies to fish under an indicator. Stripping Double Bunnies or Kiwi Muddlers is the ticket for anglers who prefer to cover a bit more water.

Fishing Report for 10-19-2008

admin — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:01:24 +0000

Madison River

Hebgen Lake-Quake Lake 10/19/08

The Madison just reopened between the lakes. Fishing has been quite good, but there are a lot of anglers on the water, especially on weekends. Both midges and baetis have hatched in good numbers. Nymphing with imitations of each has been the best way to get hooked up. Olive Zebra Midges, Olive PT’s, Crystal Dips and Micro Mays are all good flies. Prince Nymphs have also been good in a #12-16. Some rising fish can be found when the sun is off the water making for excellent dry fly fishing to large fish with #22 dries. Baetis Stacker Cripples have been very effective when dead drifted over risers.

Quake Lake-Lyon Bridge: 10/19/08

Fishing has been very good on cloud days below Quake. Beautiful sunny days aren’t what we’re looking for this time of year. Nymphing has been really good with small midge and baetis patterns. Hatches of midges have been bringing up fish in the mornings while Baetis have been strong on cloudy afternoons. Anglers are also catching some really nice brown on streamers in the evenings.

Lyon Bridge -Ennis: 10/19/08

The float section of the Madison is still fishing great and the summer’s Clacka hatch is pretty much over. Only an intolerance for the cold will limit one’s fishing success. Nymphing is still the best way to find fish, though streamer fishing is always a great option this time of year. Careful navigation is a must as the river is lower than it has been at any point this season.

Fall Update

admin — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:45:40 +0000

Entry by Mike Loebl

We haven’t posted for a little while so here is an update. Casey has headed back to Oregon to get a “real job” AKA swing flies for summer steelhead while unemployed. William ran up to the Missouri for a change of scenery and for the usual big trout sipping tiny Baetis in October. The crew has been pared down, and we’re all still getting out fishing. Even Brad dusted off his tackle and has been fishing the Park a bit. He managed to catch the largest brown of the year by any of the shop staff. Cold weather may dampen the enthusiasm a bit, but the 22 degree mornings are nothing compared to what is to come. I suppose that is why a pair of Simms Exstream waders just showed up with my name on them. No more frozen feet!

Fishing for lake runs is the mainstay of our fall fishing and something I get pretty excited about. This season is about halfway finished for the Madison in the Park and fishing has been pretty good. This week brought the usual Columbus Day surge in angler numbers (along with snow, biting wind and cold) but overall it hasn’t been too tough to find water to fish. Though I haven’t had any jaw dropping days swinging flies, I’m finding enough fish to keep myself entertained. I’ve only seen one awful lowholing so far. Casey was hosed pretty badly on that one, but it hasn’t happened since and this helps making fishing fun. I’m not here for combat, its supposed to be relaxing!

Baetis hatches have been pretty consistent on the Firehole, though the cold yesterday seemed to slow things down. It has been the river where anglers very consistently come back from with good things to say. Of course I’m too stupid to go fish for pods of rising trout that are greedily rising too mayflies and keep hitting the Madison. Thursday, wanting a little solitude I drove down to the Madison below Quake. Around the West Fork there weren’t any cars parked, so Domino and I decided to give it a whirl. The howling wind kept the bite pretty slow for a bit, but in the afternoon the temps climbed into the 40’s, a few clouds moved in and both Baetis and Midges started to Pop. I found two pods of surface feeding fish, but kept plugging away with the nymphs and managed to stick some decent fish. It was a good change of pace from swinging flies. Dom didn’t think much of my fishing, as he kept reminding me that bird season is also here, but he enjoyed the day on the water.

We’ll keep at the fishing in the Park until the season closes after the first weekend in November. Good luck to all, enjoy the best part of the fall.

Fishing Report for 10-08-2008

admin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:24:08 +0000

Madison River

Hebgen Lake to Quake Lake 10/8/08

The Forest Service still has the stretch from Hebgen Dam to Beaver Creek closed to all activity including fishing. Rumor from the USFS is that PPL is finishing up their fall repairs on Friday and the river may reopen for fishing on Monday. We’ll see if this is the case, but in the meantime, we’ve had to fish elsewhere.

Quake Lake-Lyon Bridge: 10/8/08

There have been some good Baetis hatches in the wade section, but anglers have had to hunt and peck to find rising fish. Nymphs have been far more consistent in bringing home the bacon. We’ve had our best luck with small Baetis and Midge patterns like Bead Head BWO Soft Hackles, Olive Pheasant Tails and Zebra Midges. A lot of the better fish are in deeper riffles in the middle of the river. These fish are in faster water than one might expect and many anglers will pass by. Don’t make the same mistake.

Lyon Bridge -Ennis: 10/8/08

There aren’t many boats floating the Madison right now and it certainly helps make for a pleasant day on the river. As icing on the cake, we’ve also found some pretty good fishing. Nymphing has been the bread and butter approach lately. Some days the fish happily eat Silli Leg Stones and Princes, but they are not always effective. When the bigger flies don’t produce, counter by fishing two small nymphs. Bead Head Micro Mayflies, Shop Vacs and Red Crystal Dips are all effective nymphs in #16 to #18. Not in the mood to nymph? Hucking streamers against the banks as been a great alternative. Browns are on the prowl and have responded well to Double Bunnies, McCunne’s Sculpins and Cone Head Buggers.

Gallatin River - North of YNP: 10/8/08

The Gallatin has continued to fish well. Baetis hatches are still going strong and streamer fishing has been pretty good when subsurface fishing without a bobber is what the mood calls for. Of course, one can still find fish willing to eat nymphs, but streamers are a good option this time of year.

Hebgen Lake: 10/8/08

Cool weather has picked up the streamer fishing on Hebgen. Long casts with baitfish imitations like Copper and Olive Zonkers are the key to finding browns staging in river mouths.

Quake Lake: 10/8/08

Quake has been fishing well with buggers and streamers. Fish along drop offs, tree structure and rocks. Cover a lot of water with a slow sinking line and vary your retrieve speed until you find what the fish want. Keep the flies above the fish, as they are far more prone to attack a streamer above them in the water column than below.

Fishing Report for 10/8/2008

admin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:23:04 +0000

Madison River (Yellowstone National Park) 10/8/08

Fish numbers increase every day on the Madison River inside of Yellowstone. Fishing for the larger lake run browns and rainbows has been good, though no one is catching huge numbers of fish. If you are happy and content to fish hard for one to three 16 inch plus browns and rainbows a day, than you shouldn’t be disappointed. Streamer fishing has been very good in the cold and cloudy weather that has recently blanketed West Yellowstone. Fish are active and are willing to chase buggers, sculpins and other big ugly creations. Stick with natural colors, cover a bunch of water looking for active fish and you’ll hook up. Soft hackle fishing has been equally productive though soft hackle fisherman need to be a little more selective than streamer fishers about the water they fish. Large (#6-#12) soft hackles fished on the swing are finding active lake runs. Concentrate on obvious pools and step down each cast from the head to the tail out. Nymph fisherman are also catching some nice fish. Though this is the slowest way to cover water, nymphs will induce takes from fish that just won’t chase a streamer or soft hackle. As more and more fish enter the Madison, nymphing will become even more effective.

Despite the large number of anglers this season, conflict on the river seems to be pretty rare. Most folks are out fishing to have a good time and expect to have to make concessions to fishing around other anglers. Nymph fishers need to remember that anglers fishing streamers and soft hackles are fishing downstream and should always enter a pool upstream of another angler. There is plenty of water to fish, so keep moving and let other anglers get their shots in too. If you are in doubt as to where to fish around another angler, just ask.

Firehole River 10/8/08

The Firehole has been kicking out Baetis in large numbers. Rising fish can be found from mid-morning on until late afternoon. The insects are #18 to #22’s and duns, emergers and floating nymphs should be in every angler’s arsenal. When few bugs are on the water, we’ve caught some fish swinging Bead Head Olive Hare’s Ear Soft Hackles in #18’s. During hatches, the dry fly fishing can be fantastic as there are tremendous numbers of fish steadily rising. Perfect drifts and well timed casts are often necessary to hook up, as few fish wear the dunce cap this late in the season. The longer the hatch lasts, the more picky the risers tend to be, so try to get on the water before the bugs really get going. Some Hebgen Lake fish are starting to turn up in Firehole Canyon. The water is well suited to both streamer fishing and nymphing and these methods are the best ways to tangle with larger browns and rainbows.

Gibbon River 10/8/08

Anglers are starting to catch a few lake runs up in the Gibbon below the Falls. Covering tons of water with Buggers is the best way to find these fish, as there just aren’t huge concentrations of fish to drift nymphs at. Baetis are hatching on the Gibbon and providing some good dry fly fishing further upriver.

Slough Creek 10/8/08

Slough is getting good hatches of Drakes and Baetis, with the Baetis far outnumbering the Drakes. Cold weather is on the way however and fishing on Slough will slow down as the temps plummet. Midday will be the best time to fish as the water starts to cool. Sunny fall days can make for some sporadic midging activity, so make sure to bring small imitations.

Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek 10/8/08

The Lamar and the lower end of Soda Butte are still fishing pretty well. Many of the fish that were higher up in Soda Butte seem to have moved downriver in preparation for the change in seasons. Small attractors are still a great way to find fish when little is hatching, but anglers will find the best fishing during Baetis hatches in the early afternoons. #22 Baetis Cripples and Emergers are candy to the Lamar’s Cutthroats.

Yellowstone River 10/8/08

Things aren’t getting any better on the Yellowstone below Fishing Bridge. Fishing in the Canyons is much better if you don’t mind a little down and up hiking.

Gallatin River (Yellowstone National Park) 10/8/08

The Gallatin is still seeing some Baetis, though the fishing seems to be a bit better in the river downstream in Montana. Afternoons are the only time to spend on the water in the Park, as cool water temps limit fish activity to the warm parts of the day.

Swingin in the rain… oh wait I mean sun.

admin — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:30:35 +0000

Entry by Casey Dixon

September is a month that usually brings on cold days with cloud cover,though not so much this year. Although there have been a few nasty weather days, on average it has been sunny and unseasonably nice or horrible if you are a fish. We have been watching the weather forecast hoping and praying for clouds and rain to try and bring some of those lake run browns up into the Madison in the Park. Although there are some fish around, the general consensus is that the fishing is slow.

I have had some days of fair fishing and have been picking up fish here and there, but a consistent bite has been hard to come by. The most bizarre thing for me is that my best fishing has come on days where I was lazy and got out at the crack of 10 am and caught fish around noon under a high and bright sun. The days I have fished when the sun was lower or it was clouded over I have picked up some fish too, but not as many throwing a wrench into the theory that fishing is better when it is cloudy and cooler.

On a good note fishing should only get better from this point until closes and with some rain on its way later this week hopefully that will finally get the fishing to a little more consistent point. On a positive note, fishing terrestrials has continued to be good and the Madison’s problem with Hebgen dam has been temporarily resolved and fishing in the float section has been decent.

Current Report

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:08:49 +0000

Flows out of Hebgen Dam are back under control and the Madison River is being lowered to normal fall levels. Baetis hatches will make for good dry fly fishing and the nymph fishing remains excellent with small mayfly patterns. Inside Yellowstone, fishable runs of browns and rainbows have come into the Madison in the Park from Hebgen Lake. These larger fish can be targeted with streamers and soft hackles. Baetis hatches on the Firehole have been exceptional and there is still excellent fishing on the Lamar and its tributaries.