The Trifecta from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.

Tags: Fish Stories

See you next season.

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek, River - YNP - Soda Butte Creek

Like you probably are, we’re getting some conflicting reports about Slough these days.

Some of the people that we know who are the most ardent Slough Creek fans, as well as the team from Park’s in Gardiner (who arguably from a shop / guide standpoint know Slough as well or better than any shop in the neighborhood) as saying that fly fishing’s about done on the river – maybe the lower meadows on warmer days…

On the other hand, some of the other feather merchants in the area are still pitching that there are Drakes and Baetis in sufficient numbers to keep fish and fisherfolk interested yet.

We’re not sure what to believe, though would bet that with the weather coming in this weekend the water temps are going to cool dramatically.  Here’s the forecast for Cooke City – looks like fall, maybe even late fall in that neck of the woods.

You could argue today might not be too bad of a day in the lower meadows, though no doubt there will be some wind ahead of this weather system.  The next fews days look a bit raw – I’d rather be fishing more productive water when it’s snowing and 34.

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

For the second week in a row most of our crew has been chained to the real world and not been able to make the trek to the northeast corner of the Park, even though it’s less than three hours away.

Looks like today’s weather calls for hot and windy conditions ahead of one of our first fall like weather changes; conditions won’t be ideal but I think I’m headed to Soda anyway after getting some early morning chores done today.

The word we’re hearing is that Drakes, midges, and the almost microscopic (to my eyes anyway) cream Baetis are out; crickets, bees and beetles (much more than hoppers) are leading the terrestrial charge.

Pics tomorrow if I can get my work done and pull this off…..

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek, River - YNP - Soda Butte Creek

Slough is a little less crowded these days – though perhaps not for the reason you’d think.  There aren’t quite as many elbows on Slough because it’s a much tougher go these days.

Baetis and Drakes are beginning to show up and there are still days when terrestrials (not giant hoppers as a gentleman from Georgia via Big Sky argued with Jake in the store this week) will entice a decent trout.  Park’s are reporting lots of cream midges too.

Of course better the higher you go.

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

Being perfectly honest (which is of course very difficult for most fishermen to do) – I don’t know the details right now; most of my fishing comrades in arms have been shying away from the northeast corner due to the crowds, though that is soon to change for the better.

We’ll do some fishing around today and update the status of these fine waters – you can bet they’re fishing well, terrestrials will still be in play, the fish will have moved beyond their PhDs and are doing postdoc work on being crafty and selective, and there are or soon will be some amazing fall dry fly action. With Drakes showing up on other rivers as we’ve noted lately it’s a safe bet they’re rolling back here.

Nifty vid on the I Don’t Know theme…..might have to track down some more of Lisa’s work…

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek, River - YNP - Soda Butte Creek

Pretty much ditto what you’ve just read about Soda.

Hot damn.

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

Last week we joined the chorus of folks warning about the crowds on Slough and proffered the advice that you should head upstream for the best fishing.

Even with the road closure there have been a fair number of fisher folk on the river (though several Slough die-hards) have suggested it wasn’t quite as crowded this week.

Bright sun and warm temps have kept the hopper family growing and his gang of terrestrial friends flying / crawling.  There are still a few Drakes, Sulphurs, and PMDs around too.

Should be a great fall in the northeast corner this year; my most reliable old timer friend pronounced last night that this should be the last ‘hot spell’ with temps over 90 that we’ll see this year.

Hope he’s right.

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

While perhaps not as insanely crowded as Soda has been, Slough’s cutties have seen lots of boots pass by so far this season, and are getting picky about flies and presentation.

Of course conditions are overall better the farther up the waterway you’d care to wander – you’ll see far fewer elbows and fine fish that have not earned their PhDs yet this season in terms of fooling anglers.

The hatch menu will force you to carry more than a handful of flies in – Drakes – green, gray, brown, Sulphurs, Epeorus, PMDs, Heptegenia and of course hoppers, bees, ants, beetles – in various sizes.

Courtesy, stout lungs and legs, and bear spray will make your day much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

Slough Creek continues to fish well and continues to be pounded by fisher folk this season.

Local rains from the passing storms have flushed a bit of color in over the past few days, but from what we’ve heard she’s still been fishable.

There’s an elk kill that is in the region of the VIP pool and has been drawing a good deal of attention from the valley’s bears; heads up and as always give them plenty of room.

The Blue Ribbon Flies bunch is reminding people to carry a small (20-22) cream colored Baetis to match this critical hatch in addition to your regular arsenal of PMDs, Drakes and terrestrials.

See the comments in the Soda Butte report above regarding the stealth and care you’ll need to take here.

Give other anglers lots of room, and don’t forget the bug spray, bear spray, and camera.

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

As happens every year, the river residents of Slough Creek are getting rather educated to the ways of those pesky anglers.

The river is still fishing pretty danged well, though fish have been pounded enough to be a bit more crafty and defensive up through the Second Meadow.

There are still Drakes here too (both gray and green) and PMDs, though if I were hiking into the Second Meadow right now (early Saturday morning) I’d be carrying a box full of beetles, ants, small hoppers, bees, and wasp patterns.

Crowded as always this time of year; please remember to give other fishers at least 100 yards of river.

A friend of our (Ashley) is working for a packer this year who just picked a group up at a drop camp that was above the Third Meadow; they had apparently had a spectacular trip this past week.  Sounds like a great outing for next year, doesn’t it?

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

As always, Slough Creek is one of the hot waters in the park.  Flows have been slowly dropping to almost perfect levels, and clarity is just getting better and better.  There are a fair number of folks on the water these days, so be prepared to hike a bit to find some solitude.

PMDs and gray drakes are first on the menu at Slough.  Green drakes can be found in some places as well.  Caddis are starting to come off in the evenings.  It is a virtual dry fly paradise.  You don’t even have to open your nymph box all day if you don’t want to.  

Terrestrials are doing very well right now.  Hoppers, ants and beetles are all making the fish hungry.  A lot of folks overlook ants and beetles during terrestrial season.  Don’t.  Sometimes a little beetle will draw more strikes than a large grasshopper.  

Keep an eye out for bears and enjoy catching the native cutts!

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

If you missed Jake’s report from this past Monday – click back a few posts and take a gander at the day he and his friends Tracy and Mike had on Slough.

One of the guys that Jake was fishing with on Monday has spent years in the Park working as a concessioner; he has logged probably thousands of hours over the years on northeast corner waters.  This gentleman commented Monday that the river was in as good as shape as he’d seen (for this time of year) in many a season.

Gray Drakes and PMDs are once again the main mayfly show right now; Jake was amazed at both the size of the Drakes as well as the attention they generate from the river’s residents.  Caddis are plentiful, and terrestrials are definitely in play – the guys were particularly successful with small beetles and hoppers.

A fair number of folks (understatement of the day) have been fishing Slough these days; head for the 2^nd or 3^rd meadow to shake off the lazy guys and gals, though you’ll likely never be alone up there for the next few months.

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek

Tags: River - YNP - Slough Creek