One of my favorite fishing memories was a drive-all-night trip to Yellowstone with some college buddies that landed us on the Yellowstone River in the park, fishing caddis dries to rising cutthroat. The fish and the water were beautiful and I remember thinking to myself that I must to come back this place again and again.

But I’ve never been back because the fishing has, by all accounts, dropped off—you know the story I am sure, lake trout eating cutthroats, bucket biologists, etc. I hold out hope and continue to monitor the fight against lakers in Yellowstone Lake. I want to fish the river again and I want to fish the lake when the cutts are in near the shoreline. I’ve read stories of that fishing and it sounds great.

I read the YNP Native fish plan* and was equally depressed by the background of the situation and hopeful of the plans to step up the effort. Thanks to a link by Troutsmith, I recently read a summary update from the Yellowstone Lake Science panel, which includes representation from Wyoming TU.

*Side note: check out friend of Chi Wulff John Juracek’s opinion on a non-lake trout portion of the plan [add link] over that Blue Ribbon Flies blog.  

Once again I was equal parts depressed and hopeful. The depression stems from this comment:

The bad news is that the cutthroat numbers, which is the ultimate metric of success for this program, appear to be at an all time low. Additionally, we also have made almost zero progress on two important fronts: a telemetry study to identify spawning areas for lake trout and reconstruction of the Clear Creek weir

The hopes stems from the fact that the panel seems to believe in the plan itself, which is essentially stepping up the gillnetting program to really do some lake trout damage.

A troubling undertone of the article seems to be the idea that the National Park Service (NPS) has not always been willing to do what it takes to save the cutthroat in Yellowstone Lake. Maybe I am reading between the lines too much, but several comments such as the line “I think everyone felt more encouraged than we did in 2008…” and the statement that NPS has funds to fix a weir on one of the lake’s tributaries yet seems to be dragging their feet on doing the actual work, give me pause.

Perhaps it’s the fact that I just finished Anders Halverson’s An Entirely Synthetic Fish, which details the hatchery dissemination of the rainbow trout and all the resulting fallout (which is especially meaningful to me because the fallout is playing out on several of my local rivers). Halverson’s book paints most of the federal and state fish and game organizations (and other federal entities including NPS) as all too happy to dump hatchery fish in rivers with no real thought as to how such decisions will affect the ecosystem. Admittedly, the real champions of that kind of short-sightedness are long dead, but it seems at times that the mentality lives on (check out Halverson’s discussion of the hatchery truck mentality that is still pervasive in Colorado).

Anyway, this post has sort of veered all over the road. But I am okay with that. In fact, I’ll end by taking the discussion in another direction. I hope that the efforts to save the native cutts are successful. And at the same time, I am cautious about any efforts we make to try and control or change the natural order. I’ve written before that conservation is complex, even though we don’t really want it to be. Halverson makes the point at the end of his book that we must be humble about our efforts to do the right thing when it comes to our conservation effort, because we can’t really be sure about out our choices. There may be variables in play we haven’t considered yet. Those who planted rainbows in every piece of moving water they could find were certain they were doing the country a favor. And I would bet that the bucket biologists who dropped lake trout in Yellowstone Lake felt the same way. Let’s hope that we make things better as we try to fix the mistakes of our past, but be realistic that there is always the possibility of making things worse.

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone, Still Waters - Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone

Ended up taking a business meeting on the road through Paradise Valley and then on into the Lamar Valley of YNP yesterday afternoon.  Pre-storm temps were relatively toasty – pushing 50 leaving Livingston right after lunch, and 42 in Gardiner an hour later.

On the way out a nifty sunset….

The Soda Butte / Lamar confluence is still there….

Bison are fat and happy and grazing on the fall’s abundant grass….

Life in the neighborhood is rolling along right on schedule.

Snowing all morning today in Bozeman makes for a decent office day – back to the desk and computer and a taste of the real world.

Tags: Yellowstone National Park

Tags: Pic of the Day

We have had more summer weather in September than any other month of the year this year.  It should be nice and cool this time of year, not as hot as it has been.  Down in the Park it hasn’t been all that bad, just not as cool as it needs to be.  Things should start really cooling down by the middle of next week though, so the end may be in sight.  

Once things do start cooling down is when the fishing is going to really get good again.  I wouldn’t even bother with the section below the lake right now.  The fish are really spooky.  There are mayflies coming off, but you really have to work for your catch.  The canyons are a little better, with some caddis thrown into the mix.  

All in all, if you can, wait for another week before fishing the Yellowstone in the Park.

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone

Things are still pretty tough over on the Yellowstone in the Park.  Flows out of the lake are still up there; definitely not lacking water this year.  I have heard reports of some impressive weed growth below the lake, so be ready to deal with that.

The section below the lake is the toughest on the whole river right now.  Slick water, small bugs and smart fish.  Bad combo.  Mayflies are the predominant hatch here, but you can find some caddis here and there.  Terrestrials are still around as well.  Bring some small tippet and be ready to spot and stalk.  

The canyons are fishing better.  Hopper/droppers are the ticket.  Think princes, pheasant tails, hare’s ears and the like.  Anything with a bead head is good choice.  Spruce Moths are still around near the wooded areas in the canyons too.  As always in this area, be prepared to hike to find the best water.

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone

There is still a lot of water in the Yellowstone in the Park right now.  Flows are much higher than they have been at this time of year, over 1,700 cfs below the lake as of this morning.  All the water does make finding fish a bit more difficult, but it is certainly manageable.

The stretch below the lake is still pretty hard fishing.  These trout have had a lot of flies thrown at them this year, and are pretty wary.  There are still lots of mayflies coming off, flavs, PMDs, mahoganies, and a few drakes I have heard.  Look for caddis in the evenings.  Hoppers are always a good choice in the afternoons.

The canyons on the Yellowstone have been fishing much better.  The pressure on the fish is less, as not very many folks want to make the hike.  Spruce Moths have been slowly tapering off, but you can still find some near timber.  Mayflies and caddis have been the main diet.  A hopper/dropper rig would work great too.  

As far as nymphing goes, anything with a little bit of flash such as a bead head will work well.  Princes, hare’s ears, caddis and mayfly pupae and soft hackles are all good ideas.  Streamer fishing has been decent on the cloudy days.

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone

Talked to a friend who is on the water around the neighborhood at least four days a week – he spent an afternoon and evening on the Yellowstone on Wednesday.

The good news:  water looks good right now, flows are healthy, there are lots of fish being brought to hand.  Terrestrials are still playing well, though his advice (and that of lots of other folks) is that fish have seen armies of foam and other ‘common’ hoppers this year.  Throwing something different is key, as is looking to other terrestrials – including ants, crickets and beetles.  Our buddy was over chasing Drakes late in the day, and was amply rewarded despite the wind.

Nymphing has been strong as well, probably better than dry fly fishing this week, and streamers have been solid later in the day.

The bad news:  It’s been breezy (understatement of the week) as it often is during transitional weather times;  Mike estimated winds were gusting in the 60-70 mph range on Wednesday evening.  Ouch.  There have been a number of boats on the water (thanks, ___ magazine), and the river has been a little moody as it can be (at any time).

Photo:  Steve Steigman’s classis Blown Away

Tags: River - Yellowstone

The plug of mud pushed into the system from the Lamar finally rolled through the better part of the valley by yesterday, and the river has come back to fine form.

The Yellowstone has been offering up some of the best dry fly and hopper fishing that we’ve seen in a few years.  The game you’ll hear most guys and gals talking has been hoppers (go a little smaller than you might normally this time of year – the hopper growth curve is a little behind).

Neighbors have seen tan caddis, black caddis, and even a few baetis on the right kind of day.  Be prepared and get out there.

Tags: River - Yellowstone

Many thanks to reader Joshua C. who sent us this picture of a cutthroat he caught during a trip the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone in late July.  Here is the story in his own words:

I didn’t realize its size at first.  It didn’t seem to know it was hooked.  Then I felt its first head shake, which felt like a moose’s must feel should you hook one on a back cast.  I had to boulder-hop down river about 50 yards before I could get him in.  He (she?) simply refused to be landed.  It was caught on some dark-bodied-parachute-stimulator looking fly (sorry I don’t remember the names of most of my 7 boxes of flies….), about size 10.

Please ignore the crack-head grin on my face, and the mosquito biting me on the forehead.  

And despite how it looks, I did not put any fingers in its gills.  Although a few of its teeth cut me pretty deep while taking the picture.  I should have held it out in front of me so that it looked 6 feet long, but oh well.  It was promptly released in good shape.

With a fish like that, the crack-head grin is not only acceptable, but expected.  Beautiful fish Joshua, you won’t be forgetting this one any time soon.

Tags: Pic of the Day

Like most waters in the area, the summer doldrums are starting to creep up on the Yellowstone in the park.  There is still great fishing to be had, don’t get me wrong, but you are going to have to work a little harder for it.  Flows out of the lake continue to slowly decline.  All the rain in the past few days might have pushed some mud into the river, so be ready for lower visibility.

Below the lake is getting tough.  There are a lot of insects of all kinds on the water, but the fish are becoming smart.  Work the rising fish, don’t just blindly ply the waters.  

The canyons on the Yellowstone are still the best spots on the river.  You do have to hike in a ways, but it is worth it.  Lots of mayflies, caddis, yellow sallies and scattered Salmonflies make the hike seem like nothing at all.  

There are a fair number of folks in the canyon stretch; be respectful of other people’s space.

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone

Reader Craig S. from Michigan was in the neighborhood recently and sent over some nice pics of the upper Gallatin and had this to say….

The Park section of the Gallatin tends to be a bit crowded right now so a friend and I hiked upstream via the Bighorn Pass trail last week to access the stream in its upper meadow section. We went in about 2.5 miles and enjoyed good fishing with green drakes and attractor patterns during the afternoon. The fish are mostly rainbows and cuttbows, with an occational cutthroat at the upper end. We had the whole meadow to ourselves the entire time. There was a sign at the trailhead about a bear being sighted near an elk carcass about one mile in, but we didn’t see anything. Nonetheless, it would be prudent to carry bear and bug spray in his area of the YNP.

We heartily agree on the bug and bear spray, and with Craig’s choice of territory.  Even on these frenzied days of summer fishing hiking a mile or less up the smaller waters (we adore the upper Gallatin, Fan, Grizzly and a few others in the northwest corner of the Park) will leave the crowd behind and put you on water that holds some very nice fish.  Craig and his friends proved that point….

Tags: Pic of the Day

Wow, it seems hard to believe that August is already here.  Time flies when you’re having fun.  Anyway, things are beginning to slow down a little bit on the Yellowstone in the park.  Flows have been coming down, but they are still higher than normal for this time of year.

The fish right below the lake are starting to become more and more wary.  Be ready to make good casts to active fish.  Sight casting is the way to go now.  There are a plethora of insects available to the fish, including caddis, PMDs, green and gray drakes, stoneflies, midges, yellow sallies and more.  Tossing a streamer might not be a bad idea if nothing is working up top.

While the upper section is a little slow, the canyons on the Yellowstone are doing very well.  Dry fly action is hot on most of the insects mentioned above.  Since it is an effort to get down there, don’t expect to see too many other folks, but when you do, give them some room.  I’ve heard several raving reports lately of this stretch of river, so go at it while it is good.

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone

This stretch of river is still fishing well.  Flows out of the lake continue to drop, but remain quite high for this time of year.  Water clarity is good, with several feet or more of visibility.

Drakes and PMDs seem to be the dominant hatches above the canyons.  Morning to early afternoon is the best time to fish these hatches.  Keep some parachute PMDs and larger gray drake patterns with you at all times.  Look for some scattered caddis in the evenings too.

The canyons on the Yellowstone also have drakes and PMDs, but with some stoneflies thrown in.  This water is harder to get to, meaning that fewer folks are going to have fished it.  Be ready for a hike.

Keep an eye out for grasshoppers, the fish are starting to look for them.

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone

The Yellowstone in the park is fishing well.  The section below the lake opened three days ago and reports from that area have been good.  Flows are still above normal, but clarity is good and the fish are feeding.

Anglers are finding good numbers of cutthroats below the lake.  The main hatches in this stretch are PMDs, green and gray drakes, and golden stones.  Also keep an eye out for caddis, yellow sallies and some midges.  Bring a well stocked fly box and be ready to experiment a bit.

The canyons of the Yellowstone continue to fish well.  They are still hard to get to, but the fishing and solitude are worth the trip.  If you are willing to hike a bit, the odds are good that you won’t see a soul all day.  All of the hatches mentioned above are present in this section, with the possible addition of Salmonflies.  Stonefly nymphs and streamers are producing well also.  

This is going to be a good year for the Yellowstone in the park.  Get out there and enjoy it.

Tags: River - YNP - Yellowstone