. . . Into It's Own

WORTH THE WAIT

Elbows Diminishing

catching is way too easy

FOLLOW THE TRAIL TO SERENE MEADOWS

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.. The sweet sister river on the west side of Yellowstone National Park is in perfect shape for catching.

.. With flows about 100 CFS below seasonal averages, and temperatures at a fish loving perfection, the GALLATIN RIVER has become the choice destination for fishers of all stripes.
.. The hoppers are going mad with delight at the very warm days. They awaken predictably after the Fall-like cool evenings. They swim poorly, much to the delight of fish and fishers alike.
.. Some flying ants are present near the northern park line, and Spruce Moths have found their way to the river from the edges of the wooded meadows.

.. The golden hues of Fall are invading the emerald rainbow of the valley floor at a rapid clip. Straw colored grasses are creeping toward the green's of the river's edge.
.. Our sparse afternoon rains have allowed the beetles to mature at an astonishing pace. AND - lo, the predictable caddis are present in satisfyingly large numbers.

.. GALLATIN RIVER tributaries, in the park, have begun to look too thin to hold fish of any appreciable size. Don't be fooled. The fish seem to know the season even before the calendar or the weather.
.. It takes a bit of a walk to get there, but the tangled willow meadows of FAN CREEK are easily the second finest place to surprise yourself with an outsized fish.

.. If you can bring yourself to brave the dusty road along the edge of BACON RIND CREEK, and if you can forego the urge to rush upstream from the parking lot, and if you are not in too big of a hurry to reach stream side - THEN - there are some pudgy resident fish not 40 yards from that selfsame dusty road.
.. Should you care to brave the bears and brambles of the cloistered stretches of SPECIMEN CREEK, you will have found the third best chunk of water for surprises of the largish sort.
.. The dinky little parking lot at the trailhead is almost constantly full of vehicles. Some of the invading $40,000 SUV's receive their first bit of parking lot rash in these environs.
.. Our destination, this weekend, as usual, is the upper reaches of the GALLATIN RIVER. It's that lonely stretch along the Bighorn trail. We end up hoarse from singing to the bears and winded from the walk. We pledge, after each foray, to never torture ourselves again.
.. Yet, back we go to the isolation, beauty, splendor, and gregarious fish of this bit of water. The bears miss us and it's easily the fourth best place to gather up a submarine in water so thin that they leap onto the bank and land themselves.
.. On the other hand, we may end up at the first best place to catch the early run monster fish of the GALLATIN RIVER.
.. It doesn't take a horse to get there but one would make it a lot easier. You'll know where as soon as you see the only rig in an unlikely pullout far from any named tributary. The one near the giant culvert.

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TOO THIN TO HOLD A VERY BIG FISH  ---  DON'T BOTHER