Hello all. I hope you’ve been able to get out and wet a line wherever you’re reading this from. We’ve had a pretty solid week of fishing until flows came up Friday. Fingers crossed draft will stop at 1500 cfs which is still fishable. The water is a bit off-color and will probably remain so for the coming weeks, but the fish seem to be adjusting well. This week’s weather looks to push 90 degrees everyday with moderate afternoon winds. Time to start fishing mornings and evenings and catch that afternoon nap or try some of the area’s smaller waters. No hoppers yet as it is still very green around here from all the late Spring moisture.
Box Canyon (approx 1375 cfs): Getting some mixed reports (mostly due to flow fluctuations) but generally fishing pretty well. There have been some excellent PMD and Flav hatches as well as Golden Stones and Gray Drakes on top. Down deep try Rubberlegs, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, Cocktail Nymphs, PT’s, Caddis Pupa, etc. Flows are up but not difficult to manage, just be careful. Weekends have been very busy with tubes and rafts, so just keep an eye out for wayward rubber. :)
Last Chance - Harriman State Park: Things have tapered off just a bit around here the last couple of days as we wait for flows to settle and the fish to adjust. That said, I did see a rising fish or two on my way to work today. Hatches have been spotty – prolific at the Islands, nothing at Millionaires – so it’s a bit of a crap shoot. We’re seeing some Gray Drake spinners around the shop as well as PMDs (#16-18), Flavs and Flav Spinners (#14-16), Caddis (16-20), and some Green Drakes (#12). I’ve been getting them on my favorite bug this time of year – a #14 Rusty Spinner. Brown Drakes were quite good last week, have slowed a bit the last couple of days, but are still a great bet at dark. As always, have your Ants and Beetles. Again, spend some time walking instead of sitting when it doesn’t seem like much is happening. My friends from South Africa, Dean and JP, and I had a slow morning above Millionaires last Wednesday, but managed to find a couple of targets simply by walking.
Slide - Warm River to Ashton: This stretch will remain a great option throughout the summer. Your best bet will be to hit the water early fishing Golden Stones, Chubbies, etc with standard beads dropped off of the back.
Below Ashton (approx 2450 cfs @ Ashton, 1000 in St Anthony): Things are slowing down big time on the lower river as water temps are starting to climb. Fishing has been best before lunchtime. Rusty Spinners (#14-18), PMDs (#16-18), and Caddis (#14-18) as well as Golden Stones and Gray Drakes. Please take your time releasing and reviving. The forecast is calling for more hot and sunny conditions, so this stretch is not your best option until Fall, but boy was it good this Spring!
Henry’s Lake: I had a couple of decent reports from some clients the other day who were fishing around Staleys. They were dragging small Renegades and Damsel imitations on a slow retrieve. Have your Chironomids, Leeches, Scuds, Mighty Mouse, PTs, etc. Focus on springs and creek mouths.
Madison River (913 cfs @ Hebgen, 1260 @ Kirby): We’ve had a few boats up on the Madison this week and reports have been very good. She’s clearing up nicely and will remain a great angling option for the coming weeks. Look for Salmonflies to start making their way into the wade stretch above Lyons Bridge. Also have Golden Stones, Caddis, Yellow Sallies, and PMDs.
Yellowstone National Park: Time to leave the Firehole alone due to high water temperatures. The Gibbon and Madison are still fishing okay with PMDs and Caddis early in the day. The upper Yellowstone is still high but dropping quickly; little birdie told me there are some Stoneflies around as well as a few PMDs and Caddis. Please be careful wading should you decide to venture up to that stretch of water. It’s time to start poking around on the upper Gallatin, too; look for some Stoneflies, Caddis, PMDs, and maybe some Drakes.
Mammoth to Gardiner and The Northeast entrance remain closed to vehicle traffic for the foreseeable future.
Stop in and say hello. We’re here from 7am to 8:30ish. Have a wonderful week.