Rainy Days

Yellowstone National Park Firehole River- The water is currently too warm and we are not recommending anyone to fish this river. Gibbon River- The best fishing has been in the faster current just above and below Gibbon falls. Royal wulffs and royal trudes have been attracting those aggresive browns. Be sure to work your fly along the banks and over deep holes. The meadow stretch can be very productive in the evenings when there is a caddis or rusty spinner hatch occurring. Madison River- With the recent cooler weather, I would expect the Madison to fish well. Caddis, rusty spinners, and PMDs are sporatically hatching throughout the morning and evening. If the wind is down, hoppers, ants, and beetles have also be producing fish mid day. Yellowstone Lake- The best fishing continues to be near the shoreline's dropoff. Woolly buggers in black, olive, and brown are catching cruising cuts. Trolling a large spoon or a rapala has been attracting few deep lake trout. Yellowstone River- PMD's in the morning have been working well. Hoppers, ants, and october caddis are also great methods for fishing the big cuts. Caddis may start to emerge in the evenings so an x-caddis or iris caddis is a good pattern to keep in your vest. Lamar Valley- Hoppers have been the best pattern for fishing Lamar river and Slough creek. Soda Butte is still temporarily closed due to bear activity, but if you are willing to do a little walking, you can hike away from the closed area. It is wise to drop off a copper john or pheasant tail behind your hopper to maximize your chances of catching the wild trout. Montana Gallatin River- Caddis and bushy stimulator patterns have been working well on this famous river. Nymphing a copper john or prince nymph in a deep hole or behind a rock is always encouraged. The water below taylor's fork may be slightly cloudy due to the recent storms we have been having. Hebgen Lake- The calibaetis hatch continues to be spotty for those wishing to fish drys. When the calibaetis aren't coming off, stripping woolly buggers continue to catch trout when nothing else will. Between Hebgen and Quake- Rusty spinners and bushy stimulators work well in the evenings. Sparkle stones or red copper johns are great nymphs to drop below your dry. The best days of fishing are on calm evenings when the sun is out. Below Quake- Rusty spinners have been hatching in the late evenings along with few caddis. Hoppers and ants work well mid day with a pheasant tail dropped below it. If the wind is down, you may be in for an incredible night of dry fly fishing. Idaho Henry's Lake- The fishing continues to be hit and miss. The trout are still congregated near the inlets of the lake, but few fisherman are having great days. Brown woolly buggers in the early morning have been producing fish. Henry's lake renegade is another great pattern when the sun begins to rise, and the trout begin looking for smaller nymphs. -Dillon Given

Yellowstone National Park Firehole River- This river is too warm, and is not recommended for fishing. Gibbon River- Small attractor patterns has been the best way to fish this cooler running stream. Small aggressive browns will come up from deep holes and shadows to eat your royal wulff, grizzly wulff, or royal trude. Take notice which side of the bank has a bigger shadow, for the browns tend to hold in them. Madison- The best fishing continues to be during the last hour of light. Reoccurring reports of big fish steadily feeding on an adams irresistable or Jacklin's rusty spinner are coming through the shop. Nymphing a caddis puppae or a san juan worm below your dry are producing numerous trout. Yellowstone Lake- As of lately, we are not hearing many reports of people fishing the lake. I would expect woolly buggers to still be working along the shore's dropoff. Trolling large spoons and rapalas at slow speeds will attract those hungry cuts. Yellowstone River- The best time of day is in the morning when the wind is down. PMDs and caddis have been the flies on the surface. Another option for catching those big cuts is swinging either a black woolly bugger or an october caddis. Most fisherman aren't fishing the river to catch a lot of fish, but to catch a couple big ones. Lamar Valley- Hopper with a dropper is a great way to start your fishing venture when fishing the Lamar river or Slough creek. There might be some PMDs in the morning and caddis in the evenings. Be aware that part of Soda Butte is closed due to bear activity. Montana Gallatin River- Jacklin's spruce moth pattern is a must for dry fly fishing the Gallatin river. Caddis can also be seen buzzing around on calm warm evenings. Regarding sub-surface flies, copper johns, sparkle stones, and caddis emergers are great nymphs to drop below a dry fly. Hebgen Lake- The calibaetis hatch continues to be spotty from day to day. If the wind stays down and a great hatch comes off, you just might be in store for hours of incredible fishing. Tricos are also just starting to hatch, but the trout aren't fully keyed in on them yet. Between Hebgen and Quake- Caddis and rusty spinners have been on the surface for the most part. Near the inlet to Quake, calibaetis could be a wise choice in the late mornings. Salmonfly nymphs, san juan worms, or copper johns are great nymphs for this stretch of the river. Below Quake- The last hour of light is the best time to fish this section by far. Rusty spinners have been a great pattern for some big trout sipping on the surface. Pheasant tails and red caddis puppae are great nymphs to fish below your dry. Black ants work well mid day along with an H and L varient. Few fish are eating hoppers, but most of the trout haven't keyed in on them just yet. Idaho Henry's Lake- Reports of hundreds of fish are all congregated near the inlets all over the lake. The downside is that no one has found the secret pattern yet. Fisherman are catching between 1-5 fish on average within a half day of fishing. Woolly buggers are always the best choice early morning. Small flies like pheasant tails or hares ear work better mid day when the water begins to warm up. -Dillon Given

Matching the Hatch

Yellowstone National Park- Firehole River- This river is too warm and is not recommended for fishing. Gibbon River- The best times of the day are from 9-11am and from 6:30pm-dark. Small attractors like a royal wulff or a grizzly wulff in a size 14 are great patterns for the aggresive browns. Keep in mind, dropping a pheasant tail or a prince nymph behind one of these dries can be deadly. Madison River- Madison has been fishing well with an adams irresistible and a san juan worm trailing it. Terrestrials or nymphing is advised mid day. Many of the wild trout are looking for a red and black ant, more so than a hopper. Yellowstone Lake- The best fishing is still from a boat or float tube with a size 6 or 8 woolly bugger. Black and orange have been favorable colors. Most of the fisherman that fish the lake are not going to catch many fish, but one or two big ones. Yellowstone River- Fly fishing has been great when there are PMD's coming off in the morning. We have heard reports of cuts still coming up to golden stones and salmonflys. This river isn't advised for novice fisherman, simply because many of the trout require a long cast with deep wading to reach them. Lamar Valley- The valley is currently blown out from all the recent storms we have been having. I would expect it to clear up within the next 3 days if we don't get anymore rain showers. Montana Gallatin- Caddis hatches have been sporatic as of lately on the Gallatin. Calm sunny evenings have been producing the largest caddis hatches. This river is a great nymphing river, so if there aren't any hatches coming off, don't be afraid to use an indicator and two nymphs. Any caddis puppae work great throughout the whole river, also if mayflies are hatching, flahback pheasant tails have been doing the trick. Hebgan- Calibaetis hatches have been hit and miss for most dry fly fisherman looking to catch a few gulpers. If the wind stays down long enough, dry fly fishing can be great for those who wish to chase those cruising trout. A pheasant tail is always a smart dropper in a size 14 or 16 off of the calibaetis dry. When the hatch subsides, dark woolly bugger patterns still attract those healthy rainbows and browns. Between Hebgan and Quake- Caddis and rusty spinners are coming off in the evenings in decent numbers. Hoppers and ants have been working mid day along with a small black beetle. Nymphing always catches fish, a lot of them being white fish. Streamers in an olive color just might move a few sizeable browns from the river's deep holes. Below Quake- Rusty spinners has been the best dry fly in the wade section during the evenings. Cinnamon colored ants also work very well mid day when there is some light cloud cover. Red serendipities in a size 14 is a great nymph to drop off of your dry. Idaho Henry's Lake- We are still waiting for the water to warm up to 70 degrees, and when that happens, I would expect the fishing to pick up tremendously. The water temperature is currently ranging from 65-67. Woolly buggers are always a great pattern for this lake, especially in olive. -Dillon Given <

Fishing Warm Evenings

Yellowstone National Park Firehole River- The water is too warm for fishing the Firehole River. Gibbon River- The faster moving water below Gibbon falls and just above Gibbon falls is fishing the best. Royal wulffs in a size 12 or 14 work very well when fished behind fallen logs and rocks. The meadows still hold a lot of browns, but is more technical fishing and may be difficult for novice fisherman. Madison River- Nymphing has been very productive with a san juan worm or a copper john. The caddis hatch has been prevalent in the evenings in a size 14 or 16 in brown or white. The Madison hasn't been one of the better fishing rivers lately, but fisherman can still expect to catch a few nice sized browns and rainbows. Yellowstone Lake- The best fishing has been from a boat or float tube, although people are still catching few from the shore with spinners and woolly buggers. If you were to fish Yellowstone Lake, it is best early in the morning when the sun is just rising. Yellowstone River- Fishing has been fair for those who are experienced and know how to make a decent cast. PMD's in the late morning have been the best way to fish the river since the salmonflys have moved through. Few remaining golden stones still flutter around along with size 12 and 14 yellow sallys. Slough Creek- Small attractor patterns like a royal wulff or an orange stimulator usually bring up the trout. Also, a parachute adams have proven productive for those especially choosey fish. Lamar River- PMDs hatch well in the morning along with few green drakes. Watch out for rain storms, for the river may become murky shortly after a passing storm. Montana- Gallatin River- Caddis hatches in the evenings have been great starting around 7:30 pm. Nymphing is a successful way of fishing this river mid day. Sparkle stones, copper johns, and Jacklin's salmonfly nymph are great patterns for attracting those wild rainbows and browns. Hebgen Lake- Calibaetis hatches have been coming off strongly on bright sunny days without wind. The hatch will continue to get better and better as the days go on. Woolly buggers are still catching trout when the wind is up or there isn't a hatch coming off. Between the Lakes- Spruce moths are beginning their annual hatch so a Jacklin's spruce moth is an excellent fly for this stretch of the Madison river. Caddis also have been hatching in the evenings, and common nymph patterns such as prince nymohs and pheasant tails are catching sizeable rainbows and browns. Below Quake Lake- The caddis hatches have been spotty, but if you can hit the hatch on a good sunny calm evening, the fishing can be incredible. Iris caddis and X- caddis are always great patterns for this strech, along with a three dollar serendipity. Idaho Henry's Lake- With each passing warm day, the fishing gets a little better. The water continues to warm up, forcing the fish to move closer to the lake's inlets. Olive and brown crystal buggers work well early morning, and as the day goes on, size 12 phesant tail and copper johns attract the cutthroat. The weeds are pretty high now so it is important to find channels where there are less weeds. -Dillon Given- Fly Casting Lessons are now from 7:00-8:00 for the rest of the summer

Evening Fishing at its Finest

Yellowstone National Park Firehole River- This river is too warm for fishing, and we are not recommending anyone to fish it. Gibbon River- Being a cooler running river, the Gibbon fishes well around 10:00 in the morning as well as 8:00 in the evening. Caddis and rusty spinners work well during these feeding times. Also, grasshoppers might just bring up some bigger browns in the meadow stretch along the river's deep undercut banks. Madison River- The warm water from the Firehole River has been heating up the Madison river's temperature, but trout are still being caught on cool mornings. Reports of PMD hatches are occurring from 9:30-11:00am. When mid day or early evening rolls around, ants and caddis seem to fool the river's hungry trout. Lamar River- The water should have almost 100% clarity by now, so the trout are looking up. Size 10-14 stimulators in yellow and orange are working well up against the grassy banks in the evenings. Ants and beetles are always a good choice on the Lamar when casting to a choosey trout. Slough Creek- The main hatch of green drakes is just about finished, but some fish are still looking for the bug. PMD hatches generally occur in the morning at 10:00, and is arguably the best time to fish the river. So, it might be worth it to wake up early and make the drive to the Lamar Valley. Yellowstone Lake- It seems almost everyday someone comes into the shop and shows us the pictures of the cutthroat he caught off shore on Yellowstone Lake. Keep in mind when fishing the lake, you are fishing for one or two cutthroat. It is tough to have a multiple fish day on Yellowstone Lake. The nice side to this is, when you hook a fish, chances are it is big. Stripping black and orange woolly buggers in a size 6 or 8 slowly are attracting the lake's famous healthy cutthroat. Yellowstone River- The salmonfly hatch is just about over, but many big cuts are still looking for the big bug. PMDs currently seem to be the best way to fish this memorable river in the morning around 9:30. Ants and possibly hoppers are good to have as a secondary option. A lot of time is spent on shore trying to spot the trout, but once he is spotted, it is game on! Montana Gallatin River- Caddis hatches start around 6:30-7:00pm and buzz around until you can't see your hand in the dark. It is recommended to fish this river during the caddis hatch in the evening. Although, mid-day has proven productive because the Gallatin is one of the coolest running river in the region. Common nymph patterns always work well in the river's fast water behind big boulders. Hebgen Lake- Calibaetis hatches are increasing in numbers each passing day. It won't peak until mid to late August, but many gulpers are still being caught each day on drys. Woolly buggers are always wise to carry along in case the drys aren't enough to entice the elusive browns and rainbows. Between the Lakes- Caddis hatches have been great in the evenings. Sporatic yellow sallys are throughout the stretch mid day to early evening. Nymphing usually produces fish when nothing else seems to work. Copper johns, pheasant tails, and CDC emerging pheasant tails are usually good patterns. Madison River Below Quake- Whether it is either drys or nymphs, caddis seems to be the ticket for fishing this stretch of the Madison. The trout mainly rise in the evenings, but some can been seen mid day sipping mayflies. After a rainstorm, look out for different hatches of mayflies like PMDs, trout may key in on them for 30 minutes to an hour. Idaho Henry's Lake- With the recent wind and rainstorms, fishing has been a little bit slower. Fish are still near many of the inlates of the lake, but aren't as packed as they should be. The water temperature is in the 66-68 degree range. Fishing usually picks up once the temperature reaches 70. Brown and olive woolly buggers continue to be the most productive when the sun is rising. Later on in the day, a size 12 bead head pheasant tail or a henry's lake renegade are common choices among the regulars. -Dillon Given < Tylar Diamond with a healthy 23" cutthroat on the Yellowstone River

Yellowstone River Open to Fishing!

Yellowstone National Park Firehole River- Not recommended for fishing because the water is too warm and places a great amount of stress on the fish. Gibbon River- Caddis in the evenings and rusty spinners in the late mornings has been the best way to fish this beautiful small river. Large quantities of brown trout are holding in deep holes and behind rocks below Gibbon falls. Be sure to walk cautiously along the bank when fishing above Gibbon falls, for the browns are very spooky and like to hold near undercut banks. Madison River- The best time to fish the Madison in the park has been the evening by far. Brown elk hair caddis and PMD's in sizes 14 and 16 have been working well in the last hour or two of light. General nymphs also work great such as a flashback pheasant tail or a CDC pheasant tail. Yellowstone Lake- The best fishing continues to be from either boat or float tube. This is simply because the cutthroat tend to cruise just offshore near the lake's dropoff searching for small baitfish or leeches. this is why halloween and christmas tree woolly buggers have been producing. The Lake trout will be harder to find because with this warmer weather, most of the schools have moved into the depths of Yellowstone lake. Yellowstone River- Salmonflys are beginning their journey through the Yellowstone river, but it seems like most of the fish aren't keyed in on them just yet. Reports of great caddis and PMD hatches are occurring in the mornings, so it might be worth it to get on the water around 9:30am. Don't expect to catch large numbers of fish by any means, but if you do get into a couple, they should be big cutthroats. Lamar River- This river is still cloudy, but should clear up in a few days as long as we don't get any big rainstorms. Bushy stimulators and attractors should just do the trick to rise those wild trout. Slough River- Green drakes are just beginning to hatch on this river. PMD's work well for catching the wild cutthroat. Mornings will be better than mid day and evenings with the trout feeding on size 16 PMD's. Montana Gallatin River- Because of the Gallatin's natural cool running water, this stream has been the most consistent throughout the day. In many cases, the Gallatin fishes better mid day when temperature is at its highest. This is when the fishery becomes most active simply because the fish warm up along with the water. Caddis hatches have been great mid day and in the evenings. Nymphing is always a wise strategy for fishing this fast moving river behind rocks and in deep holes. Various patterns of caddis larva work well along with stonefly nymphs and copper johns. Hebgen Lake- Calibaetis hatches are getting better with each sunny day, but the hatches still aren't even close to what they will peak at in August. Cruising trout can be caught on various calibaetis patterns and nymphs. Woolly buggers also work well when fished within 10ft or in front of those cruising trout. Between the Lakes- Like everywhere else, caddis hatches have been happening in great numbers in the evenings. Nymphing usually produces fish during the times of day when nothing seems to be hatching. Salmonfly nymphs are great to fish above a smaller nymph like a prince or copper john. Below Quake Lake- Caddis hatches are great in the evenings, but the crowds aren't. Many fisherman are fishing the reynolds pass and three dollar bridge stretches every evening and catching nice rainbows and browns with caddis patterns. X-Caddis, iris caddis, and elk hair caddis are great ways to start your fishing venture. Idaho Henry's Lake- Most of the fish are seeking cooler water near the inlets of Henry's lake. Woolly buggers in brown and black work well in the early mornings, along with pheasant tails and hares ears in the late morning. Fish sometimes move further offshore after a storm has run through the area, so keep that in mind when trying to locate the trout. Spruce moths are just beginning to hatch throughout the region, so it might wise to pick up a few of Jacklin's spruce moth pattern. Also, it is the time of year when we start thinking about using terrestrail patterns up againist those grassy banks. -Dillon Given

Caddis Season!

Yellowstone National Park Firehole River- The recent warm weather and geysers have made the firehole river extremely warm. The river is not recommended to fish because of the great amount of stress it presses on the trout. Gibbon River- Early mornings seems to be better than late evenings on the Gibbon River. This is a slightly cooler running river, so the fishing continues to be good even with our recent warm weather. Rusty spinners in a size 14 or a brown elk hair caddis work well. Be sure to sneak up on the banks because the skittish browns have a clear view of you in this slower moving stream. Madison River- Caddis hatches in the evenings have been the best way to fish this river. White caddis are hatching in numbers from 7:30 to dark. It is recommended to fish the river until you cannot see your fly anymore. Yellowstone Lake- The Lake trout have moved into deeper water and the cutthroat are cruising the dropoffs near shore. Halloween and christmas tree woolly buggers have been producing sizeable cuts. The best access continues to be by boat. Trollers are using large spoons in gold and deep diving rapalas. Yellowstone River- Opens July 15th for fishing. Lamar Valley- The water is still a little cloudy for all three rivers, but I would expect some green drakes to hatch soon. Stimulators like a royal wulf with a prince or copper john below it should do the trick. Montana Gallatin River- Salmonflys are just now reaching inside the park. Gallatin fishes best on a hot day mid day. Nymphs seem to be the best way to fish this river but hungry trout are still rising to Jacklin's salmonfly. Hebgen Lake- Calibaetis hatches are starting, just not in big numbers yet. Few trout are sipping the drys in the mornings around 11 o'clock. Woolly buggers in black and rusty continue to work great for those fun cruising trout. Trollers are using smaller spoons in silver and gold, along with large golden spinners. Between Hebgen and Quake- Fishing has been spotty between the lakes. Few fish are still rising to the salmonfly. Caddis hatches in the evenings seems to be the best time to fish this stretch of the Madison river. Spinner fisherman are having luck with silver and gold blue fox spinners. Below Quake Lake- Mid day has been rough at three dollar bridge and reynolds pass. The best time has been the last hour of light with a brown elk hair caddis in a size 14 or 16. The caddis hatches are quite abundant in the late evenings, attracting many fly fisherman to these streches. With this in mind, be prepared to fish alongside other fisherman. Idaho Henry's Lake- The fish are now near many of the inlets seeking cooler water. Woolly buggers in various colors are working well at daybreak, and smaller patterns in olive and brown attract the fish later in the day. The weeds are growing each day, making it harder for trollers to find weedless pockets to run over. -Dillon Given