Its been a good year on the Lamar.  But, all good things must come to an end.  Things have really been slowing down lately, and this recent cold snap is not going to be much help.  Looking out my window right now, there’s a good five or six inches of snow at my apartment.

You might still find some BWOs on the cloudy days, but other than that, there is not going to be much coming off.  Terrestrials are long gone, as are most of the summer hatches.  Nymphs, particularly with a bead head, are still working well.  Streamers might dredge something up on the cloudier days.

While there is good cause to be sad about things slowing down, don’t get too distraught.  Being away from it for a few months will only make it better next spring!

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

This last day of September has brought with it fall.  As I am looking out my window right now, it is snowing.  And snowing pretty hard.  Fortunately, there is not as much snow on the ground as the above picture, taken a few winters ago in West Yellowstone.  Its a start, though.  Kind of strange to think that a couple days ago it was in the 90s!  But that’s fall in Montana for you.

The Lamar is entering its fall pattern too.  BWOs are out in force and there is hardly a terrestrial to be seen.  You can still find some caddis here and there as well.  Midges and other mayflies are still in the river system, but the BWOs are the predominant hatch right now.

Some of the big news down in Yellowstone these days is the Arnica Fire.  Burning around Bridge Bay, the fire has reached a size of over 9,300 acres according to InciWeb.  Growth potential remains high, but the weather change should help keep it in check.  Let’s hope so.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

The Lamar, like most waters in the area, is still pretty tough.  The river has yet to enter its “magic window” of great fall fishing.  Things have been picking up though, and they should be getting better all the time.  

Yesterday, Mark and I drove down through Gardiner and around Lake to the Firehole and could not see any smoke from the fire on Druid Peak.  I have not heard any new information about the fire in almost two weeks, so I am assuming that things are under control.

There are a plethora of mayflies in the Lamar including, drakes, flavs, BWOs and mahoganies.  Look for more and more BWOs in the coming weeks.  Terrestrials have really started to die down with the recent cold weather we have been experiencing.  A beetle or cricket might still draw some strikes in the middle of the day though.

The standard mayfly nymphs have been producing well all day.  Streamers have also been working well in the mornings, evenings and on cloudy days.  Ripping a streamer through a deep pool is the best way to catch one of the really big fish that are in this river.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

The big news over on the Lamar is the Butte Fire, which is burning on Druid Peak.  According to the Inciweb site, the fire is now about 200 acres in size.  It started due to a lightning hit on a tree on August 30^th.  Be ready to deal with a little smoke in the Lamar Valley for the next while.

Fishing has been getting a little tougher these days.  The fish have seen a lot of flies this season and are starting to get picky.  There are a lot of insects around, including drakes, midges, increasing numbers of BWOs, and some mahoganies.  Hoppers are slowing down, but beetles and ants are working very well.  Personally, I would be fishing a beetle with a soft hackle dropper.

Nymphing with mayfly and caddis pupae has been pretty productive.  Soft hackles have been a favorite choice on the Lamar, like many other waters in the area.  Try a streamer in the deep holes, deep olive seems to be a popular color. 

The crowds have been lessening somewhat, but you will still run into a fair number of folks in the Lamar Valley. But, the good news is, most of the folks you will be seeing now are the more serious fishermen, not your average flogger.  So, in conclusion, be ready to work for your catch and don’t mind breathing a little smoke.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

After some rain earlier this week, flows on the Lamar have bumped a little bit.  The gauge was reading 223 cfs this morning.  The rain pushed a little bit of mud into the river, but that is gone for the most part now.

Fishing is still pretty good, and it is about to get great.  Fall on the Lamar is epic.  Right now, you are looking at terrestrials, caddis and some scattered PMDs and drakes.  Personally, I would be fishing a big hopper with a small bead head nymph hanging off the back.  Princes and pheasant tails have been hot lately.

BWOs and the other great fall hatches are going to be showing up any day now.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

After a huge spike in flows as the result of heavy rain earlier in the week, the Lamar has settled back down.  The rain pushed some mud into the river, but all that has passed on down.  Flows are back in the 250 cfs range, which is damn near perfect for this time of year.

Dries are still the name of the game down here.  Small green drakes and PMDs are the main breakfast course, with hoppers, beetles and ants serving as lunch, and some larger drakes and more hoppers for dinner.  The terrestrial action doesn’t really get good until about 11 or 12, once the day starts to heat up.  Hang a small bead head nymph off the back for better success rates.  Popular ones are mayfly pupae, pheasant tails, princes and hare’s ears.  Pretty standard stuff for this time of year.

If you look for them, you can still find some of the big green and gray drakes that have been hatching all summer.  I love this hatch for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is fishing a big dry that the fish love.  They are starting to fade out, so you might have to cover some water to find them.

The Lamar remains pretty crowded right now, and likely will continue to be so for a few more weeks.  Bring lots of bug spray, as they are still as thick as ever.  Bears are out in force in this area, so bring a buddy, talk loudly, and leave your bear spray in an easily accessible place.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

Not much has changed on the Lamar since a week ago.  Flows are still in the very good range, with water clarity excellent.  There are still lots of folks on the river, but their numbers should be starting to fall off soon.

Fishing is a little tougher than we would like it right now.  These fish have seen a lot of pressure so far, meaning you might have to work a bit harder.  If you are dreaming of dozens of foolish trout just waiting to jump into your net, you will be disappointed.  

Grey and Green Drakes are still the mainstay hatches.  Fish them pretty much all day, depending on what part of the river you are on.  Keep an eye out for them and adjust your tactics as necessary.  Hoppers and beetles are working very well, as they always do this time of year.  Hanging a small beadhead nymph such as a prince off the back of a hopper is a good idea too.  

Be ready to walk a bit to find some open water, and keep an eye out for the rising fish.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

 The Lamar spiked earlier this week with the storms that rolled through this area.  The rain did push some mud into the water, but all of that has passed on through.  Flows have dropped back down to normal levels and the river is fishing well.

There are still a lot of people on the water, and with good reason.  PMDs, green and gray drakes, caddis…there are a lot of options for the fish right now.  Not to mention terrestrials.  We are entering that window where hopper and beetle fishing is going to get really good.  It is decent now, but is only going to get better.

Streamer fishing has been okay, especially down in the canyon.  It is going to be a good fall on the Lamar.  Be ready to walk to get away from the crowds.  Don’t forget the DEET and bear spray.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

Like most the other rivers in the areas we at Chi Wulff cover, the Lamar has hits its summer stride.  Flows are still above normal for this time of year (455 cfs as of this morning) but are slowly coming down.  Clarity is great and the river is full of hungry fish and loads of bugs.

Terrestrials are becoming a larger part of the trout’s diet.  Any hopper, beetle or ant pattern will work great.  When summer rolls around everyone seems to focus on hoppers, but don’t overlook beetles and ants.  They can be just as, if not more, productive.  Hang a dropper off the back of your dry to double your chances.  Princes, hare’s ears, san juans, pheasant tails or anything with a bead head are all good choices.

Drakes, both gray and green, and PMDs are still coming off in pretty good numbers all day long.  A small parachute PMD will work for that hatch, and something as simple as an Adams will work as a gray drake.  Look for some scattered caddis in the evenings as well.  

The number of fishermen on the water has not gone down much, so be ready to share the river.  However, if you are willing to walk a bit you will find some solitude.  Bring your bear spray and deet!

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

Hopper season has hit the Lamar full force.  Summer weather has finally settled in, and the terrestrials are out.  As you can see from the chart, flows on the Lamar has been up and down over the past week, and are even now still above the median average for this time of year.

The big news on the Lamar is hoppers.  Fish are really starting to key into these bugs.  Hanging a dropper such as a pheasant tail, prince or hare’s ear off the back is never a bad idea, unless it is really windy.  Other terrestrials such as a beetle or ant are also effective.  PMDs and green and gray drakes continue to provide great dry fly fishing.

There are a lot of folks on the Lamar this time of year.  Be ready to walk a bit to get away from the crowds.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

The big news over on the Lamar is a small lightning strike started fire on Druid Peak.  When the official press release came out yesterday, officials said the fire was less than a half-acre in size, but is expected to grow slowly.  Firefighters are keeping an eye on it.  Just a heads up.

From a fishing point of view, the Lamar is in great shape.  Water has been clearing and dropping over the past week.  Some afternoon rains have muddied it up a little, but visibility is between two to three feet and even better in some places.

Drakes continue to be the dominant hatch, with big green and gray insects bringing large trout to the surface.  There are also PMDs on the water, as well as caddis.  Terrestrial fishing is picking up, and will really get good in the next few weeks.

Bring your bug spray and bear spray when you fish the Lamar.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

The Lamar has been shaping up nicely.  Flows are coming down and the water is clearing up.  There is over a foot of visibility right now.  Expect the river to keep coming down, but the rains will muddy her up for a while.

The water is still high and cold, but we are starting to see some hatches coming off.  Look for PMDs in the mornings and early afternoons, green and gray drakes later in that same time frame, and scattered caddis in the evenings.  Terrestrials are starting to work in the afternoons near the banks. 

Streamers are also a good bet for the deeper holes.  It won’t be too much longer before the Lamar really turns on.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

While conditions are improving on the Lamar, there are still better options open at this point.  The river is flowing at just over 2,100 cfs as of this morning, which is still pretty dang high.  Clarity has been improving, meaning it is no longer the chocolate milk it was a short while ago.

I have heard some reports of folks fishing the Lamar recently, but honestly, you would be better off letting her sit for a another few days.  The river is so close to turning on, might as well wait for the fishing to improve.  

If you feel that you absolutely must fish the Lamar, try dragging a big stonefly nymph with a prince dropper near the banks.  A streamer might not be a bad idea too.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

The Lamar is still running at over 3,600 cfs, with it remaining over the 80th percentile for flows this time of year.  It could be fishable in some places in a week or so, but don’t even think about it now.

Damn.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar

The Lamar has come down a little bit over the past few days, but is still running high and dirty.  If you feel that you absolutely have to fish the river, try dragging some big, buggy nymphs near the banks.  Other than that, give it a little more time.

Tags: River - YNP - Lamar