Parking-A-Plenty

-21° F and counting.

Winter Fly Fishing

SOME FOLKS DON'T

Beautiful Gray

THERE ARE BUGS

Fish Eat Them

people use them

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.. The days are gray and the Fish are loving it. The Bugs are loving it. The Fisher Folk are loving it. The Tourons are cursing it. And so it goes.
.. It's almost time to abandon fishing on the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park. The waters are "Coming Into Shape," which means it's easy for guides to find fish and easy for visitors to catch them.

There Are Bugs Like This.

.. The weather is "Settling Down," which means fishing is enjoyed in tropical-weight $105.00 pastel-colored fishing shirts. It also means that there's not a big worry about getting too much mud or wet bison poo on the $48,000 BMW X3. A few sprinkles will wash off the dust.
.. The west entrance station has "All Lanes Open," which means traffic is backed up almost to town. It also means that there are about 700 bison repaving the road to Madison Junction. It took us over an hour and a half to traverse the first 11 miles in Yellowstone on Saturday. Of course there was not a ranger in site. They know better than to try to unsnarl a traffic jam where there are no drivers in motor-homes parked on the double yellow line.

A Raised Tail Means "Charge" or "Discharge"

.. The bugs are hatching to their "Anticipated Timing," which means that the feather merchants can peddle "The Correct Fly" to visitors who have never heard of it.
.. The one truism in fly fishing is that the reason there are so many flies is that they all work; despite all the hype surrounding this years "Hot Bugger."
.. "Nez Perce Creek Is Open," which means that it is being totally ignored as fishers fill the parking lots, wide spots in the road, and not so wide spots in the road with an assortment of vacation vehicles.

Phlox multiflora; Happening Right Now.

.. Ringing cell phones are frequently heard above the cat-calls of photographers, ground squirrel spotters, and raven devotees. There are more elbows on the Firehole River than in line at a Walmart at Christmas Time.
.. The "Religious Fisher Folk," are arriving by the truckload: having heard that the record runoff is beginning it's precipitous fall to below normal discharge.
.. They are getting, while the getting is good. The wader-friendly lodging is all booked for the next 30 days. Madison Campground was full by 1:00 PM on Friday and 2:00 PM on Saturday.

Fish Here:
Easy Parking, Many Fish, No Cell Phones.

.. Tarry not! Soon all the parking places and every inch of water will be infested with the "Angler Hatch." It's more amusing to watch than to participate in.
.. Should you choose to do it by the numbers we recommend that you read the reports of the local and area feather merchants. They will tell you exactly where and when to fish. They will also tell you just the exact fly to use. They will even provide you with a friendly guide, (just freshly arrived from Andros Island, Belize, or the Green River,) so that you don't fish the wrong 100 square feet that's still available when you arrive on the Firehole River.
.. Should you care to experience the wonders of Yellowstone National Park, and catch a few fish as well. we suggest that you explore the soft water, seams, undercuts & back eddies of places other than the "Holiest Of Waters."
.. Grab a handful of generalized nymphs, dry flies, beetles, ants and attractors. Take them to a place where you can cast without removing the rug from the head of the fisher next to you. There are no secrets about fishing in Yellowstone. Just do what you would on any trout stream - you will catch fish. And, you will do it without the latest fly from some imaginative salesman.
.. If you see bugs use something that looks like them. If you don't see bugs drown any fly and the fish will eat it. Most of the time!

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Midway Geyser Basin is always a fun place to watch wader-wetters flail away.

Fly Shop #7

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Fly Shop #2

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Year 'Rounders

THE HEARTY & DEDICATED

Hang Out & Visit

fish some too

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.. Some of our feather merchants have an open door policy for the winter. Bless 'em all. There's always a warm spot with familiar smells, visions, and good conversation. Occasionally they even fish.
.. Some fish here. Some fish elsewhere. Some do both. We are blessed with instant access to materials, equipment, advice, and hospitality on a year 'round basis. Not bad for a town deep in snow for 5 months of the year and with a resident population of less than 1,000.
.. Of course we're also blessed with more pubs than churches, and they have longer hours and a greater following as well.
.. Should you happen to pass this way when the sun is low and the temperatures lower, stop in and visit with the neighbors. They could use a break too.

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.. Parks' Fly Shop has completely redesigned their website. It's completely reorganized with new material and navigation. They promise to use the blog more now than in the past. To update your links click HERE.
.. Blue Ribbon Flies has added a blog to their completely redesigned site  To investigate this site you should start HERE.
.. Jeff Kennedy at Drawing Flies 365 and Jason Borger at Fish Flies & Water are well into the latest project of drawing a fish each Thursday. A prodigious amount of talent is displayed at these two sites.
.. Chi Wulff has been re-resurrected again and is closely following the debacle that is HB 309. Check their recent post HERE.
.. National Parks Traveler has a new format. The escalating amount of information and it's high quality demand at least a once-per-week scan. The contributor list is growing and the topics are diverse and authoritative. Check it out HERE.

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It's Just Nuts

NEIGHBORS GONE WILD

Fish Completely Bonkers

the worms crawl in

MYSTERIOUS VISITOR FROM ENGLAND

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.. It is the best of times and the worst of times. Fly fishers below the ice, and fly fishers in open water are using the same flies and doing very well.
.. It's so good that fish are jumping into waders. It's so bad that exotic license plates are outnumbering the neighbor's plates.

GARDEN HACKLE

.. The switch to artificial worms is early this year. There are some skeptics that poo-poo the San Juan Worm as not fly fishing.
.. Well it may or may not be. Orvis sells them in their fly catalog. Orvis also sells several other "non-fly-fishing-flies." The neighbors love them. The fish eat them with gay abandon.
.. Even the Gob O Worms has made it appearance early and is scoring fish in the 5-pound class, (through the ice.)
.. And then there's the fly at the top of the post. We don't know it's name but it comes from England. We committed the unpardonable sin of stealing it from a neighbor's fly box while their back was turned, (toward us and behind a bush.)
.. We have apologized and further humbled our self in the effort to find out the name and source for this segmented wiggler - to no avail. Our misdeed has sealed the lips of the former friend. The damn thing looks like it's molded of vinyl or some such and reminds us of a sunfish lure, (even though it's not yellow. Now there's a thought!)
.. Several times each year we receive grief in major doses from the neighbors for revealing secrets of place or kind. This post is sure to bring down a flood of ire as well.
.. For the uninitiated we show the various non-flies that the neighbors are using right now. These things are usually tied at home but, many are now available commercially. Even if you eschew their use, they will provide excellent conversation starters and stoppers.

SAN JUAN WORM

.. The San Juan Worm is often called THE DEVIL WORM. It has become a staple of fishers that want to catch fish. Many pretend it's an imitation of a Herculean blood worm. That may be. Perhaps fish dream of these things and lose control when one floats by. Currently the red variety is in vogue on the rivers while the purple or two-toned variety is being used under the ice.

GOB O WORMS

.. The Gob O Worms is a much disparaged cluster of San Juan Worms on the same hook. It has the distinction of being invented locally, (or so we've been told.)
.. It can spark vile and evil outbursts from fishers that are usually friends, (LINK.)
.. It is featured on websites around the region, (LINK,) and is now sold commercially by Idylwilde Flies, HERE. And sold as well by the Driftless Angler, HERE.
.. Purple, puce, flesh, and red colors are all being used right now. The fish are inhaling these at a record pace.

APPS BLOOD WORM

.. This year many of the neighbors that usually kindly provide us with flies have turned to the Orvis Catalog. There are some offerings that suit their fancy and they bought some for pattern prototypes.
.. The Apps Blood Worm is the current favorite from Orvis, (LINK.) It turns out that the fly is just a San Juan Worm with some "flexi floss" tied through the body and separated at the bow and stern. The little red darling is not as effective under the ice as on the river. But on the river it's quite the phenomenon.

MEDUSA (red)

.. Another San Juan Worm variant from Orvis is the Medusa, (LINK.) This is, presumably, a fly that will not get you funny looks from your friends.
.. It's supposed to represent a blood worm cluster, CLUSTER WHAT? It is sold in several colors which suggests that blood worms are chameleons, or have projectile tongues, or some such. This creation is yet another SJW variant with a fat body and clipped floss.

MEDUSA (pink)

.. The pink variety featured by Casters Online Fly Shop is doing well under the ice. It's being used with bits of garden hackle and the fish seem to prefer the artificial.
.. Most of the neighbors, feel that both varieties are the same species and that the folks that tie for Orvis ran out of red and used pink.

SHAKY WORM

.. A minority opinion is that the red is male and the pink is female. As soon as we capture some in the seine we'll let you know.
.. Orvis is kind enough to provide even another interesting worm imitation called the SHAKY WORM. It's similar to the rest of these SJW variants but has a pretty glossy body. It also comes with a bit of Phly Phising Philosophy.

MONEY QUOTE FROM ORVIS:

This is not fly fishing heresy. The fact is trout eat worms and not just the ones we fish with. Worms exist in the stream and imitating a worm with artificial patterns is no different than imitating an insect. If it works, use it. Trout fishing worm pattern in red.

.. We suspect that if these things catch fish in the numbers that the neighbors are reporting that feather merchants across the continent will get in on the selling.
.. It will be interesting to see if the local purists eschew profits for disdainful posturing. Now there's a can of . . . .

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Fall Colors

JUST THE WAY IT IS

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By Request

WEST YELLOWSTONE

NIGHTLIFE

JUST FOR BETTY

Bring It On !!

FALL MAKES IT'S APPEARANCE

The Fish Know It

fishers too

From Over The Divide . . . Fall Arrives !

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.. Fall weather boiled over the continental divide and let us know it with a 40° drop in temperature. We quickly dropped everything and headed to some of the worst holes on the Madison River - all the best ones were taken!

Visiting Wildlife.

.. We even took a few very gullible residents on some worn out caddis emergers until the fish decided that they wanted the the itty-bitty bugs on the surface.
.. Baetis are everywhere and it seems that the conventional wisdom was spot on this year. "Bluster = Bugs."
.. Increasingly we're hearing of runners both inside and outside of Yellowstone National Park. Visitors from near and nearer are enjoying the rapid up-tick in catching.

Peek-A-Boo . . . I See You !

.. After the last several years of Summer turning to Winter overnight, we just may be in for some wonderfully unsettled Fall weather.
.. The next two weeks, (should we choose to believe the weather folks,) contain words like overcast, showers, cooling, rain, 50°, evening thunderstorms, 25°, chance of snow, etc. We're keeping our fingers crossed.
.. Today will be gentle - just perfect for Wolverine Homecoming. But we may only get up to a high of 55° for the parade.
.. The game will be played in what we have come to know as "football weather." Raw winds should make it interesting.

Bluster On The Divide . . . Finally!

.. The fancy synthetics and the stodgy oilcloth raiment's are making their fashion statement in the hotel lobbies and restaurants.
.. Wet trails of mud and moss litter the floors of our favorite pubs, and some very wild arm gestures accompany exaggerated whispers over the rapidly quaffed brews, (often sprayed through runny nostrils for effect.)
.. It's hard to ignore the fishing frenzy that's pounding the pavement in town and along the west side rivers. Funny hats, waterproof long johns, muddy boots, implements of fish torture, and vests full of esoterica are visible at every turn.
.. The neighbors roll their eyes, dodge the unfamiliar cars parked in their driveway & on the sidewalk, smile at the crowds of baggy pantaloons and bent old men. It's kind of a ritual around here. And the Chamber of Commerce loves it - so too the feather merchants.

.. This Fall, at least, catching is living up to it's fabled reputation and all seems right with the universe. The correct bugs are here, the big fish have finally arrived, the weather is doing it's best, and the elk are beginning to move. 
.. The 15 year old, 375 pound grizzly bear that was camped out on the football field has been relocated to a place where he may survive; missing teeth, low body fat, poor weight and all. Now if we can just catch the momma black bear and her cub we'll breath a bit easier knowing that our toy poodles are eating the kibble we leave outside for them. Just where is 'Poopsie,' anyway?
.. Grab the fall fly box. Head to one of the fabled rivers. Today will be full of success and joy on the water.
.. We're headed to the homecoming parade to enjoy the accompanying traffic jam, and see who the homecoming queen is going to be. We'll even endure the game if the sun shows it's face for half-time.

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If Not Now? When ?

LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING

How's The Firehole Look

not too bad

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.. The record high temperature for September in West Yellowstone, Montana is only 91 °F. The record low is -9 °F. This does not appear to be a year in which either of these extremes will be reached.

.. The average high temperature for the month is 66 °F, and the average low is 30 °F. The statistical mean temperature for September is 48 °F.
.. The lower Firehole River runs at an  elevation of between 7,100' & 7,260' above sea level. That's 500' - 700'  above the statistical data base for West Yellowstone weather.
.. The upper Firehole River, (above the Kepler Cascades,) runs from 7,550' to the recent snows at 7,800' above sea level - and above!
.. The world of feather merchants, fishing guides and soothsayers hold that Labor Day is the earliest that the Firehole River can be fished with a clear conscience.

.. That's just a few days off, and as we previously noted some of the neighbors have been fishing the cold springs that bubble up in the river for about two weeks. With this and the following in mind, it might be good to get a jump on the hoards of fishers that will barrel into the park this coming weekend.
.. What's the following? The fish in the river have lived in it for over 100 generations. Adaptation to the water and it's temperature fluctuations just may have taken place in that time - or evolution is a pile of bunk!
.. The weather will continue cool for the next two or three days and there are already snow flurries dusting the flanks of our mountains and the roads at Craig Pass, (over a foot,) and Dunraven Pass, (about 6",) in Yellowstone National Park.
.. None of this should be construed as an indication that Fall weather is here to stay. But, it is time to start visiting the Firehole River with some serious fishing in mind.
.. Arm yourself with a thermometer if you choose. Grab a 5 wt. rod and a handful of suspicious looking bits of fluff and then: defy the demigods of fluffery and go fishing tomorrow. You will catch a pile of eager, unmolested, frisky fish in cold water on the Firehole River.

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Cold Water

FIREHOLE DIPS DOWN

Frost On The Pumpkin

there go the tomatoes

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.. The Official temperature dip for last night on the Firehole River was 59° F. The rain and clouds have brought us a fine September eve.
.. Air temperatures will warm toward the weekend and the water temperatures will follow. We're keeping an eye on the river and the fish activity. It won't be long before the feather merchants begin to push the match-hatchers in their fly bins. Soft hackles are always a good bet.
.. The Lamar River is too thin to plow, but just barely. It'll be 2-4 days before it clears. Pebble Creek is clearing quickly, however rain is in the forecast until the weekend.

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Lamar River Is A Lovely Shade Of Brown

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Firehole River Currently Running Cold & Clear

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