The Incubator

COLD AND CLEAR

Nicely Sorted Gravels

a magnificent nursery

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..The well sorted sands and gravels of the Gallatin River above it's confluence with Fan Creek are absolutely perfect.
.. Right now they are dotted with the disappearing evidence of the redds of spawning trout. They are the perfect subtrate for the complacent willow thickets that choke the river's course and both give and get nutrients to the oxygen-rich waters flowing at grade in this outwash meadow.
.. They are perfect for holding the gently riffled stream in moderately stable channels. The distributary channels are braided and with the willow roots provide deeply undercut banks.
.. The rocky soils of the uplands are mostly comprised of large and coarse sediments. Thus the color of the stream in this meadow is seldom too brown or dense to fish. The gravels trap the sands and the fine fraction is nearly absent.

.. There are shallows. There are holes. There are occasional, (but rare,) glacial erratics.
.. In truth; the meadow, the stream, the willows, the gradient, the oxygenation, and the many micro environments are perfect for spawning and raising trout.
.. As long as food is available the large fish from down below hang out in this part of the river. There is sparse insect life available right now.
.. There are, however itty bitty fishes doing their best to make it to bigger stages in their short life. The big fish eat them. Sad, but true.
.. Those of us that bother with this "Too Cold" water enjoy the quietude and the catching. No long, (underwear-ripping,) casts are necessary. No fancy flies from exotic natural or synthetic materials are needed. A bit of stealth goes a long way. A bit of stealth is necessary in the willow thickets.
.. Dapping and stripping the local streamers is a simple and easy to way to gall a fish and satisfy the blood urge of fly fishing. Killing is not necessary.
.. The rain has abated: the clouds remain. They are leaving fast. We're headed back to this unrecommended water in our neighborhood.

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Don't Bother

IT'S TOO DAMN COLD

"It'll Fish Better Later"

muck, mud, bears, and such

BIG FISH AND BEARS GO TOGETHER HERE

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.. Onward to the other fishing opportunities in Yellowstone National Park.
.. The gabfest and elbow convention on the Firehole River is in Full swing. The park and toddle crowd is playing bumper tag along the Madison River. The Gibbon River clique is hooting about soft water and big fish. All good fun for the roadside angler in the park.

.. With buckets of cool water escaping the clouds, and with a dusting of fresh snow in the mountains,  and with ground fog in the morning it's time to visit the places that we're told not to fish.
.. It would be a genuine sacrilege to question the sages that tell us that the water is too cold. It would be downright impertinent to ask the sages if they ever, or even recently, fished where they say, " . . . thou shalt not."
.. It's a funny thing how conventional wisdom is propagated among the mass conformists of the fly fishing world. It doesn't take much for myth to become truth among the listeners to the word.

.. Like most organized religions, orthodox fly fishing has it's saviors, prophets, soothsayers, and holy books. The orthodoxy of the religion is reinforced by repetitive visitations to sacred sites for penance and inspiration.
.. Sheep in the fold of this orthodoxy follow their shepherds advice. They bleat the cant of prophets and soothsayers to the point that it's a solemn mantra of belief.
.. We enjoy this local belief system. It shuns waters with willing fish. The water that is shunned is usually full of fish. Fish that are gullible enough to eat bits of debris nailed to iron or steel hooks.

These Are Here

.. But - someone - at some time - said that those waters were verboten at this time of year. It must be true. They said so.
.. Weird how some things a fisher says are taken as gospel and other things are called exaggerations or even pure prevarication.
.. So, contrarian that we are, we're off to catch the giant fish of the upper Gallatin River.
.. These are fish that are in water that is just "TOO COLD." But not too cold for spawning - eh? Not too cold for swimming, (if you are a fish.)

Cold Water Wonder

.. It is water that is guarded by signs warning us about the bears. It is water guarded by muddy trails and quagmire stream crossings.
.. It is water that requires parking in a muddy gravel lot, (not the ideal place for your BMW, Mercedes, Touareg, or Escalade.)
.. It is water where some local fishing guru got a nick in their paint and mud above the ankles of their $400 waders.
.. We suggest that the orthodox fishers stay with the glory waters where elbows and inspiration combine to reinforce the notion that there is only a couple of places to catch fish this time of year.
.. Mud is the friend of the fisher that likes to catch.

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FISHY PLACES JUST FULL OF COLD WATER

On Time - & - On Target

MOTHER'S CAPRICIOUSNESS

Pick A Place - Pick A Stick

it's better late than never

CONTEMPLATE THE CHOICES

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.. June, our historically wettest month, has arrived late this year. It's here now and bits of wetness and coolness are showing up. Both are appreciated by fish and fishers. Of course they bring a scowl to the faces of visitors in Hawaiian shirts, shorts, and sandals with black socks.
.. It would seem that there will be no chocolate runoff this year, (barring a deluge of biblical proportions.) That being the case, it's time to get serious about the place and manner for catching on the rivers of the west side of Yellowstone National Park.

.. We're going to fish them all with a single fly: the Big-Wing Sparkle Caddis. Small, Medium, Large, and VERY BIG. Drown it or float it: it's the simple road to catching success.
..The rivers are cooperating. The fish are cooperating. We hope that mom will show some understanding and cooperate as well.

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 Here's the current situation:
Madison River - still about 300 cfs below the seasonal mean. Cool, clear enough, bank full, fish with your normal early summer fly assortment.
Gibbon River - about 150 cfs below the seasonal mean. Warmer than usual and fishing very well in all river sections. Streamers in the big meadows. Soft hackles in the canyon, Anything small in the pretty stretches above the cascades and all the way to Grebe Lake.
Gallatin River - about normal for this time of year. Cold: clear in the park. Fan Creek is low and the willows are full of bears and moose. Swing a small streamer under the banks of the big bends in the slow sections. Soft hackles in the riffles. A few noses in the afternoon.
.. Firehole River - about 100 cfs below the seasonal norm. Rising a little toward the norm. The 76 degree spikes have abated for the moment. Cooling to perfection in temperature and flow characteristics. Bugs on the rise. Rubber legs in the canyon above the falls. Soft hackles in all riffles. Flies that float in the gentility of elbow central.
.. According to the mom watchers this coming weekend should be perfect for catching on all of the west side waters. Don't bother with Nez Perce Creek, it's full of bears and bear spray is more than useful. The big fish that have run up from the Firehole River are rested from their sexual shenanigans, rambunctious, hungry, and willing to dance. It's hardly sporting to take advantage of their compliance - even if we will

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A Bit Of . . .

Snow, Rain, Drizzle, Sun,

Springtime In Yellowstone

waters still clear - won't last

Bison Graze At The Foot Of National Park Mountain.  Pinhole Image.

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.. As we await the coming high water induced by our warm days we pause to ponder the upcoming onslaught of fishers and the introduction of the latest and greatest flies to fish with.
.. The innovations of our species, and the creativity of our minds will not be stifled. New materials, new techniques, new visions, new flies; such a bounty. This sort of contemplation leads to a seminal question: "Why are there so many flies?"

.. And the fruitful answer: "Because they all work!" Since the fly fisher of today is trapped by the unwavering belief that newer is better there will always be new flies. And they all will work.
.. Read the blogs and verbiage of the feather merchants and their advocates. They capture us with an appeal to the inventive and adventurous side of our mind.
.. This year's new flies will also appeal to our aesthetic core. They are cute, killer, sophisticated, simple, awesome, outrageous, stupendous, and sometimes - even effective.
.. We look forward to reading about, hearing about, and seeing all the new flies. They are wonderful. We enjoy the virtues extolled in conversations and rants at the pub and at river's side. We don't participate much. We still fish a Scarlet Ibis, a Professor, a Dusty Miller, a Black Dose, a Lead Wing Coachman, a Royal Coachman, and a Feather Duster. We fish them because we like them. They are friends from our personal and collective past. They catch fish too.
.. Maybe we're not creative, adventurous, or innovative. We probably have no aesthetic sense. We certainly can't afford a new assortment of flies every Spring. Old Fartism is a comfortable joy, and does have some rewards.

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Confluence Meadow At Madison Junction On A Warm And Drizzly April Day

Spring Mix

PICK YOUR POISON

Weather For One And All

catching improving by the day

If you have a large screen you can read on the sign who once lived here.

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.. Estuary fishing is good: estuary catching is great. Those with the guts get the glory. A bit of local knowledge and a willingness to post hole, snowshoe, or ride a sled to the open waters will yield some of the best catching ever. Hebgen Reservoir is the destination of choice for many of the neighbors. Ice out is not officially here but the expanding tributary estuaries are giving it a nudge.
.. Some neighbors are exercising their petrol ration and visiting the lowland Madison River, Missouri River, Yellowstone River, and Big Spring Creek. Lowland fishing and catching is in full swing; as it were. Check the sidebar for links to the reports of folks already deep in Montana's waters.
.. The weather has given us everything from wet snow to hail. A bit of rain and some graupel always keep the mix interesting. The fish don't seem to mind: the fishers usually do. Rare, however, is the empty pub parking lot syndrome. Folks have bailed out of town with a whoosh that was heard as far away as the Varney Bridge.


Reversed Parachute Midge Emerger

.. Up here it's still midge time and the fish are enjoying it. The bright, dead still, gentle snows of mid day are perfect times to tie on a midge pattern.
.. Some of the "REVERSE" midge emergers from across the pond have been used by the world traveliing fly fishers in the neighborhood. You'll have to tie them yourself - no local feather merchant has them at this time.
.. You can read about their success rate and use HERE. We like fishing midges Between The Lakes because there is no need to enter the water and disturb the redds of the spawning trout. Cavitation slicks and back eddy swirls are prime places, (and they ocure near the shore.)
.. The midge is a staple of the trout in many areas - not the least of which is the Madison River tailwater, or the edge of the weed beds in the just now opening estuaries.. The wonderful video by Ralph Cutter, (below,) is highly instructive for fly fishers that wish to indulge themselves in this sublime form of torture - and exaultation.

..

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.. If dinky flies are not your cup of hooch, try some streamers. The ones with a stinger hook seem to be becoming fashionable right now. There may be something to it. Little fish nip at the tails of their food. Big fish attack the head. If you'd like to hook up with a small  16" trout for a dance or two try a streamer with a stinger hook. If you are looking for normal sized fish stick 'em with a traditional streamer.


Scleech, image courtesy of Parks Fly Shop

.. Stinger hooks are a staple of salt water fishing but seem to have never caught on with the inland fly fisher.
.. One of the best in our region is the SCLEECH, that has been tied in Gardiner for a long time and is now available from the MONTANA FLY COMPANY. It should be available at a retail feather merchant near you.
.. It's not our practice but, some of the neighbors fling a streamer toward the over-sexed trout and aggrivate them into taking the offering. Some very big fish are stuck this way.
.. The outlet of Quake Lake is ice-free and access through the boulder field is negotiable by younger legs than ours.
.. The Devil Worm and it's relative the GOB 'O' are each being used currently, with more than moderate success, at the edge of the ice at Quake Lake, both at the outlet and at the boat ramp near it's head.
.. That's it for now. We're headed to an empty parking lot that we know of.

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Parking lot sucked dry, (and empty,) by folks leaving our village

Gallatin Bluster

A COUPLE OF INCHES

That's Good

catching steady at park line

SNOW SQUALS BLOW DOWN THE GALLATIN RIVER WITH REGULARITY

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.. The water is "too cold." So goes the expert wisdom. It just may be that the weather is not sweet enough for gentlemen fishers.


Yellowstone Sally

.. Granted, the fishing high up the Gallatin Canyon is not as easy or attractive as it is down low near  Gallatin Gateway. It is, on the other hand, an hour closer to our front door.
.. The snow of the last couple of days has served to reduce early fishing pressure on the Gallatin River. The fish seem to be a bit less cooperative as well.


Stiff Hackle

.. Subsurface attractor flies are the choice of the neighbors. A few large nymphs are also in the fly box of the brave fishers in the neighborhood.
.. Most of the catching activity starts immediatly north of the northern boundry of Yellowstone National Park - right at Snowflake Springs.
.. Catching along the upper portions of the Gallatin River requires a tedious persistance for covering every inch of water. The fish are there but they are not moving rapidly or with much gusto. "Hit 'em in the nose," is the manditory technique.

.. Along with the Yellowstone Sally a whole stable of Prince Nymphs is being used at the moment. The King Prince is a favorite with some folks down toward Big Sky and has made inroads into the psyche of some of the folks up here.


King Prince

.. Soft Hackles and Stiff Hackles also are getting a workout in the frigid waters. It looks like the trout are living up to their press clippings and are chomping anything that drifts by - within easy reach.
.. For an excellent overview of the varieties of Prince Nymphs check out the PRINCE NYMPH PAGE at  Fly Fishing The Sierra.
.. The tedium of cold water fishing in blustery weather with snow blowing into your eyes and nose and ears is not for the faint of heart. Braving the delays of road construction and the wreckage of disasters is a chore in itself. But if you need to catch a fish or two it is worth it.

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A HOT TAR DOUBLE TANKER RESTING ALONG THE GALLATIN RIVER ROAD

Boyz Day Out

LOWLANDS HEATING UP

Real Baetids Sighted

pubs as crowded as fly shops

FLY SHOP SURROUNDED BY PUBS AND PICKUPS - HEAVEN?

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.. It's impossible to live in the high country and not envy the length of water-time availble to lowland fishers. We have heard rumors of the fun to be had: we went to investigate.
.. Right now the open portions of the lowland Madison River as well as the Gallatin River below Big Sky are providing storybook catching.

ON THE TOP

.. At even lower elevations the Yellowstone River, Missouri River and Big Spring Creek are about to enter the early season Valhalla, (the hall of the slain.)
.. Don't get your knickers in a bunch as you hurry to take advantage of the best kept open secret of the current weekend.
.. Yesterday gave forth with some perfect Spring weather. Snow, Hail, Graupel, and wind treated the high country while the lowlands enjoyed gray wet skies, variable breezes, occasional mixed precipitation, and stray beams of sunlight.
.. Who could ask for anything more? Certainly not the bugs or pub owners!


ON THE BOTTOM

.. There's no mystery here. Grab your spring fly box and head to the lowland river near you. Streamers will gather the big fellas on all the waters. Plonk them down and retrieve with rapid and intermittant strips. Three or four - wait - three or four more - you know how.
.. On the big water a Stonefly nymph can produce a submarine or two, (we find it hard to accept that it's early April and the folks down below are talking Stoneflies and Skwala's already.)

IN THE MIDDLE

.. On top and in the film you can pick your favorite spring mayfly. For the stealthy back eddy fisher there are midges galore and for those that would like to guess when the fish strikes, a bead head anything will grab the maw of trout in deep dark slicks and shadowed riffles. We don't say it often but, it's hard to miss right now.
.. Rubber pants and fingerless gloves seem to be de rigueur for the moment. The blustery weather can numb your various appendages rather quickly, (with all the catching to be had comes the attendant releasing.) For some appendages there's no suitable muff, however.
.. A couple of the neighbors have been plying the waters of Hebgen Reservoir. All of the tributary estuaries have pushed into the ice to the point that legal fishing can be had. Catching still runs hot and cold and is usually dependent on the intuition and experience of the angler. Right now the fish are podded-up along the edge of the ice and bits of flotsam are the general fare. A few reports of leaches are circulating in the pubs, (we do enjoy the gusto of pub tales.)
.. Tomorrow is another day. Back at it. The appendages have thawed.

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A WEE BIT OF GREEN ON THE BANKS OF THE LOWLAND MADISON RIVER

Gentility Begins

AFTER THE CHAOS

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.. St. Pat's is over. Snowmobile Expo is done. The park is closed. The visitors are few. The streets are bare between dusting's. There are places to park. Grocery prices are down to just 2 x retail. The neighbors are taking the time to visit at the Post Office or anywhere else that they bump into each other.
.. Plutocrats and other wealthy residents are long gone to the less interesting and warmer parts of the globe. Transient workers are on the way out of town or busy seeking employment for yet another season of frenzied busyness.


re-frozen and re-cracked ice = catching

.. Children are loosed upon the village without fear and dogs and cats explore the deposits of foreign critters left behind by inconsiderate and unthinking visitors, (the snow hides it all - huh?)
.. Ice out is still some weeks away but there is some fishing and catching for the neighbors.
.. Leisure is the watchword. Opportunities last only a short time. Gentle meandering along the shores of Hebgen Reservoir allows us to fish the early holes.
.. Little bits of open water, (sometimes less than 50 square feet,) are beginning to appear along the shorelines. The fish find them as soon as they happen. Fishers become catchers as the shifting ice responds to the wind, sun, and currents from the in-flowing rivers.
.. Catching is nearly automatic in these little bits of open water. Any worm, spinner, lure, fly, or bare hook with a bit of flash will take a fish.

"HELLIFIKNOW" is on stage

.. It's a neighborhood pastime that attracts us all. It's not for the visitors from afar.
.. It's an ephemeral phenomenon. The holes open and close as the day progresses. The ice creaks and groans. The clear, thin, skim ice from last night twinkles as it is sundered into gleaming shards.
.. The fish appear and disappear. Scuttlebutt is passed from neighbor to neighbor in the grocery lines, at the hardware store, in the diner, and of course the Post Office. Scurrying is the name of the game. We do it on occasion. The cell phone has aided the endeavour greatly. Such fun.

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Sledheads have run out of snow in town. Mud and slush are great fun - huh?

Lowly Scud

BEER BAY OPEN

Whiskey Bay Open Too

fling hardware or scuds

PREGNANT SCUD - GREAT IN FALL, GOOD NOW

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.. For the dedicated fly fisher, (not the part time local guides - nor the experts currently in the far away warmer climes,) there is - RIGHT NOW - a rare opportunity to catch giant trout.
.. Bits of ice are leaving the shore around Whiskey Bay and Beer Bay on Hebgen Reservoir, (depending on wind and sun.) The gear guys have found it. A couple of the enthusiastic young neighborhood kids with long rods have also found it.
.. Gear guys use gold. Fly guys fling scuds. Pregnant scuds, (a hold over from fall catching,) are taking big fish right along side the Mepps spinners and Kastmasters. Practice your figure eight retrieve and cast to the ice. 'Nuff said.

Try this:
ABOUT SCUDS

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Low Down

GALLATIN TOO COLD

Don't You Believe It

fish are where you find 'em

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.. Took a quick trip to the lowland Gallatin River. Found some fish. Frightened some fish. Caught some fish. Hooked some fish. Missed some fish. Life is good.
.. Used this:

Pour la Pêche Du Jour

THE FLY OF THE HOUR

For All Open Water

swift or still

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.. The neighbors are smarter than we are. They are also way smarter than the trout in our neighborhood. They are even a wee tad more intelligent than the itinerant guides and feather merchants that will soon show up for their share of the pie, (just a few weeks from now.)
.. As we speak read write this, the catchers of fish are using one fly; to the near-exclusion of all others.
.. It's a simple fly. It's easy to tie. It has no fancy name. It's not in any catalog. AND, it's catching fish in all the open water around the neighborhood.
.. You won't see it in any fly shops: it uses no exotic bits of fluff, it is a standard nymph form, it is not "innovative," it's not designed to catch fishers, and it is very pedestrian in appearance - bless it's metallic soul.
.. Unless you see it here, you will never know about this fly. There is no drum and bugle corps touting it as the wonder of the moment. There are no high priced celebrities endorsing it as a miracle of invention for the exotic fish of the exotic waters nearby.
.. It is tied in just about all sizes. The larger ones are cast with ultralight spinning rigs and 4# test line. [[40' of fresh 4# test mono is an exceptionally good shock absorber.]]
.. The little ones are chucked to the edge of the ice and pulled into the water and sink slowly to the gaping maws of submerged trout.
.. The others are greased and floated like a dry fly. Some are fished just like a nymph ought to be fished. Such a delightful bit of fish foolery.
.. Right now, in the runs, and riffles, and pools, and glides, and cavitation sinks, between the lakes on the Madison River it is a "KILLER FLY."
.. In the legal bits of the extended tongues of various estuarine waters poking into Hebgen Lake, it is a "MURDEROUS FLY."
.. At both the inlet and outlet of Earthquake Lake it is a "DEVASTATING FLY."  It is even in competition with the garden hackle for take rates. Now that's an endorsement for ya'.

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